Asking Nicely

February 8th, 4:13 AM, Sarutobi Clan Guest House

(BGM: Goku Senses Buu by Bruce Faulconer)

Dog, Bird, Monkey, Hare, Snake. "Kuchiyose: Kofuusatsu." Shuuichi went straight from sleep to full battle mode when he sensed someone he only wanted to meet at their funeral. His sealing scroll appeared at his side. He formed the Monkey seal to change out of a sleeping kimono and into his jounin uniform as he slung the scroll over the back of his vest.

(Translation: Kuchiyose: Kofuusatsu = Summoning: Fox Seal Scroll)

"Shuuichi-kun, what is the problem?" A suddenly alert Kage Bunshin of Sarutobi Hiruzen inquired. It simply wasn't nice to keep the Shinobi no Kami up all night, so Shuuichi made the Sandaime a statue that cut down the jutsu's chakra consumption by 80% and lifespan by 1600%. Keeping a solid form with joints and muscles burned up lots of chakra. Normally using a solid physical structure wouldn't provide such a drastic increase in efficiency, but bijuu spent a few centuries perfecting making physical bodies out of chakra to the point where it was as simple as breathing. Granted, bijuu only learned how to breathe after learning how to make a respiratory system, so breathing hadn't actually been an easy accomplishment, but with centuries of practice even difficult tasks become second nature.

"Someone just entered the range of my senses. Someone evil, someone powerful, someone I don't think that I could defeat even with techniques I've sworn not to use." Two puffs of smoke and a plus sign formed with the index and middle fingers and a Youton Kage Bunshin of Shuuichi stood in the room. "I'm leaving the clone to help monitor the threat, and I'll be on the available on the Talk Blocks if he gets dispelled. I need to be by my cousin." Shuuichi replied before dashing away towards the Konoha Research and Development Department as fast as he was able to, nervous sweat already covering his body. As an apology for stabbing him in the back over the Fire Daimyo's reward for developing the Chou Baika Fuuin, Minamino Shuuichi's allies had lobbied for him to be given A-Rank security clearance, allowing him to enter the building without having to have his ANBU watchers buzz him in. It wasn't as if he ever used his security clearance for anything except getting sealing supplies and learning the occasional jutsu. Two minutes after waking up Shuuichi was setting up seals around the crib of Uzumaki Naruto. Paranoid? No, underprepared if anything. Minamino Shuuichi recognized the energy signature from the memories given to him from Kurama as belonging to Uchiha Madara, or at least the same person responsible for controlling the Kyuubi no Youko sixteen months ago.

-Shiin Sen'i no Jutsu!-

(Translation: Shiin Sen'i no Jutsu = Scene Transition Jutsu)

4:18 AM, Just Outside the Northwest Gate of Konohagakure

About eight months ago, Tobi and Zetsu had started developing a plan to obtain jutsu from Konoha's Forbidden Scroll of Sealing based around asking nicely. After weeks of covert correspondence with the Godaime Hokage, they had finally reached an agreement, the specifics which will remain a mystery at this time. Orochimaru and Tobi had arranged the exchange appear no more significant than a routine exchange of documents. Neither had anticipated Minamino Shuuichi would be able to sense and recognize the energy signature of Tobi, subsequently freak out, and place Sarutobi Hiruzen on alert that a very powerful and malicious individual was encroaching upon Konoha. The Sandaime Hokage wasted no time placing Konoha on high alert. Orochimaru and Tobi, both disguised under transformation, barely had time to verify that the other had given them what they wanted from the exchange when the alarm sounded.

"What is the meaning of this, Orochimaru?" Tobi hissed in his serious voice.

"I assure you Tobi-san, this is as much a surprise to me as it is to you. If this was an attempt to doublecross you, I wouldn't have used a village-wide alarm to signal my ninja to attack. And I certainly wouldn't Shunshin away instead of engaging you in combat." the Snake Sannin responded in a much calmer tone as he indeed vanished with a Body Flicker.

Obito pondered for a moment about his next course of action. "Tobi could just walk away since Tobi has what Tobi came for. But Tobi has been a good boy for many months, Tobi deserves to have a little fun."

"At least give us the copy of the scroll first with our transformed Houshi no Jutsu Kisei Bunshin, you fool." Black Zetsu hissed as he emerged from the earth along with his white half. "It would be rather embarrassing if you lost it in the heat of battle, Obito-kun, not to mention that transforming back into a spore after getting a peek at the Forbidden Scroll can only be revived back at base." White Zetsu remarked more sympathetically.

(Translation: Houshi no Jutsu = Spore Technique)

(Translation: Kisei Bunshin = Parasite Clone)

"Ah, of course Zetsu-san. Here you go." Tobi handed the abridged copy of the Scroll of Forbidden Seals to Zetsu who promptly sank into the ground using his Mayfly technique. "Now, let's see who's coming to play. Hmm, Sandaime-san, and..." Both Obito and Guruguru frowned. "Now who is this with the old man? It feels like Kushina-chan, but that's impossible. Now I guess I have to stick around, if only to find out who this new player is. Still, I suppose placing some distance in between myself and Konoha would be wise now that I don't have the luxury of a rampaging bijuu to occupy their attention."

-Shiin Sen'i no Jutsu!-

4:24 AM, A Few Miles Northwest of Konoha's Northwest Gate

Sarutobi Hiruzen, a clone of Minamino Shuuichi, and several dozen elite ninja finally caught up with the individual Shuuichi had sensed. When they did, those in the know about what happened on October 10th (which was most of them, the Shinobi no Kami had been careful only to bring ninja who were solid jounin in combat ability) either felt anger at staring into the masked face of the man responsible for hundreds of deaths, or fear knowing they faced an enemy not even the Yondaime Hokage could kill.

"I'm disappointed, Konoha shinobi. You took much longer to catch up to me than last time. But I suppose that the loss of a certain Hiraishin user would account for the deficiency." Tobi remarked in his Madara voice. The handful of ninja who weren't aware of the man's identity were now prepared to terminate the masked man with extreme prejudice. "My, my, such anger. It's not healthy to keep such things bottled up."

Several of the ninja who had followed Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shuuichi took this as the signal to attack. "Katon: Gouen no Jutsu!" A group of ninja from the Sarutobi clan called out. A half dozen streams of fire gushed forth before merging into a massive inferno.

(Translation: Katon: Gouen no Jutsu = Fire Release: Great Flame Technique)

Shuuichi's clone facepalmed while inking out a Fuuka Houin seal, which Sarutobi Hiruzen filed away for later. 'Did they seriously try a purely Katon jutsu against Uchiha-Effing-Madara?'

(Translation: Fuuka Houin = Fire Sealing Method)

"Katon: Bakufuu Ranbu." Tobi said in an almost bored tone. The successor to the mantle of Uchiha Madara expelled a vortex of flames coming from his mouth to intercept the Gouen no Jutsu. The Sarutobi's combined jutsu had more chakra behind it, but a subtle application of Kamui boosted the shape manipulation behind the Bakufuu Ranbu to the point where the Gouen counterbalanced into fueling the Uchiha's jutsu and sped towards the Konoha contingent. "Did they seriously attempt to overwhelm me with a purely Katon jutsu?" Tobi sneered, though his voice couldn't be heard over the deafening roar of flames.

(Translation: Katon: Bakufuu Ranbu = Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance)

"Scatter!" the Shinobi no Kami barked, and the ninja dispersed from their various positions. It proved unnecessary as Shikuro Aburame unleashed a platoon of kikaichuu Kage Bunshin outfitted with Fuuka Houin in addition to Shuuichi's own seal. Using the chakra from the massive firestorm allowed the platoon of Kage Kikaichuu to quadruple in number.

"The f-?" Tobi asked. Sure, he didn't expect his attack to actually kill any of the Konoha ninja, but he was expecting them to have to spend a considerable amount of chakra to keep that jutsu from setting the forest surrounding Konoha ablaze. But it just seemed to make the Aburame stronger. And was his Sharingan eye failing him, or did those kikaichuu just use a jutsu?

Sensing Madara's confusion and seeing a possible opportunity that wouldn't present itself a second time, Shuuichi's clone raised his hands with his fingers spread out as far as possible, his hands positioned close to the center of his face in the stance and hissed "Taiyang Quan" as softly as he could while making the brightest flash possible, reaching Tobi's ears as a whisper.

(Translation: 太陽拳 Tàiyáng Quán = Sun Fist [or Solar Flare])

"Taiya-what?" Obito muttered before his eyes blinded and he felt agony in his optic nerves even greater than he had felt when gaining the Mangekyou Sharingan. That was because, with his Mangekyou Sharingan on standby, Obito was able to process images over nine hundred times faster than you or me. The flash lasted for a tenth of a second before Obito could shut his eye, which would have made a civilian staring at the sun through a telescope for a minute and a half without blinking seem like a routine eye examination in comparison. The Uchiha let out an ear-splitting shriek. "AAAAAGGHH! MY EYE! Oh Kami, it's like waking up to see Maito Gai doing squat thrusts! AAUUUGHH! No, it's WORSE than that! It's like - like - like waking up to see an Akimichi wearing Gai's spandex doing squat thrusts!" There were a series of disgusted sounds and cries of "Can't unsee!" from most of the other ninja at the mental image the masked man's screams invoked.

'This isn't good. Obito-kun can't use Kamui with his eye shut this tightly. It might be best to retreat.' Guruguru thought as he began sinking into the ground using Mayfly.

Seeing the Nine-Tailed Fox's most hated enemy begin to possibly escape, Shuuichi's clone converted every last drop of the chakra (and the statue Shuuichi 's clone had the equivalent of 80% of his maximum chakra reserves) into Qi. "Moguanguang Shapao!"

(Translation: 魔貫光殺砲 Móguànguāngshāpào = Makankosappo, Demon Piercing Beam Death Gun, [Dub: Special Beam Cannon])

Two beams of fluorescent yellow energy shot from Shuuichi's index and middle fingers towards the sinking form of Uchiha "Madara". The stream from his middle finger coiled around the first beam like a spiral. Since Shuuichi had never actually used the technique before, the clone was unprepared for the intense recoil that would have dislocated the real Shuuichi's shoulder and completely ripped off the arm of the statue the Youton Kage Bunshin used for a body while wisps of smoke trailed from the charred 'fingertips'. The immense force caused the clone's aim to shift to the right by five degrees. If the aim had been two degrees closer to target, this story would have been significantly less interesting due to Tobi dying from having more than the hole in the right side of his body. The wound would still would have been fatal if Obito's right side from the shoulder down wasn't artificial and replaceable. Guruguru cried out in pain just before the Mayfly technique returned Tobi to the base of operations.

"Mou guan guangu sha pau?" one of the Konoha ninja attempted to repeat. "What the heck kind of a jutsu was that?"

"I thought he only had a affinity for Wind Release and a slight predisposition for Water Release. What the hell was that jutsu? Fire Release? Lightning Release? Scorch Release? DUST Release?!" commented another. "Ikkaku, you're in the Sensor Division. Get any read on that technique?"

A middle-aged jounin with brown hair tied back into a ponytail, dark eyes and a thin moustache frowned thoughtfully. "Funny you should mention that. I saw it with my own eyes, I could tell it was helluva powerful attack, but..."

"But what, Umino-san?" Prodded another jounin.

"It wasn't like any jutsu I've ever sensed before. I must be losing by touch, but could swear that there wasn't a drop of chakra in that attack."

There were some snorts of derision from the chakra sensory-impaired, but those who could at least tell when a jutsu was used around them came to the same conclusion after performing a mental reassessment of Shuuichi's devastating attack.

"You're right. My danger sense was telling me stay the hell away from Shuuichi-san's attack, and I could feel the energy alright, but I didn't sense any actual chakra from the attack. Did you, Daidaimaru?" an Inuzuka Tokubetsu Jounin asked his nin-ken partner, who shook a furry orange head.

"I normally would dismiss the claim that an attack leaving a twenty meter hole ten centimeters (four inches) in diameter did not possess chakra as illogical if my kikaichuu also did not sense any residual chakra, nor from the initial blast." Aburame Shikuro remarked.

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned thoughtfully as well. He also hadn't gotten the sense of typical chakra coming from Shuuichi's attack. It reminded him of senjutsu chakra for some reason, though he would never confuse the two even on his worst day. "The Minamino Forbidden Techniques would appear formidable indeed." the Professor remarked as he picked up the fuuinjutsu covered wooden walkie-talkie, now known as Talk Blocks to respond to Shuuichi's question if his attack managed to kill the target.

"His presence completely vanished, but not before your clone's attack put a huge hole in his right side. Still, unless he vanished right in front of my former student Tsunade or a team of medics prepared to repair a gaping hole, I do believe you can rest knowing you've dealt a mortal wound to your opponent. You should be proud of yourself, Shuuichi-kun. You may well have avenged those slain in the tragedy seventeen months ago." Sarutobi Hiruzen remarked with a soft smile gracing his lips.

-Shiin Sen'i no Jutsu!-

4:25 AM, Roof of the Hokage Tower

Orochimaru had watched the whole battle projected from the crystal ball imbued with a Telescoping Jutsu. The projection mechanism had been designed by Shuuichi and showed the images on a 182 centimeter (72 inch) wide surface, making observing details much easier. Shuuichi's enhancements also allowed sound. "Kukukukuku, you never cease to fascinate me, Shuuichi-kun. To think you were capable of dealing a decisive blow to a man even Minato-kun had difficulties fending off. And even more interestingly, you did it with a technique that didn't give off any chakra. Just how deep do your secrets run, Minamino Shuuichi?" The Snake Sennin turned the focus of the Telescoping Jutsu to the Subject #9 Observation Room in the Konoha Research & Development Department building, where the young man in question was disarming all the potentially lethal defenses he had erected in nine minutes. "Your clone sent someone even a non-sensor such as myself could tell was a Kage-level ninja fleeing with a deadly injury with just two techniques. With such skills, it makes me wonder why after sensing the threat you were convinced you had to be there in person to protect the jinchuuriki even though it technically meant violating the terms of your probation. It only would have taken you less than two minutes to receive the proper ANBU escort. It's as if you knew the intruder was the same Uchiha responsible for the attack of the Kyuubi no Youko."

-Shiin Sen'i no Jutsu!-

4:30 AM, Konoha Research and Development Building, Subject #9 Observation Room

Shared Telepathic Mindscape

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Kurama howled in gut busting laughter as he reviewed the memories of the encounter of Shuuichi's clone with Uchiha Madara. "TAIYANG QUAN IS NOW OFFICIALLY MY FAVORITE TECHNIQUE."

Shuuichi pouted. "Shouldn't it have stayed as Banbutsu Sousou? I mean, it created you, you used it to create me, I used Taiyang Quan to eff up Uchiha Madara."

"I MEANT AMONG BATTLE TECHNIQUES." Kurama responded dryly, rolling his eyes as large as a man. "AND SPEAKING OF MADARA AND BATTLE TECHNIQUES, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AVOID ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT EITHER."

"As I anticipated, Kyuubi-sama. I propose you have a series of meetings with Minamino Shuuichi starting, eh, four months ago from his perspective. He's already in the know about your origins, though the specifics of how you were created remain a mystery." Shuuichi replied.

The Kyuubi no Youko let out a grunt of approval. "IT WILL BE A PAIN IN THE TAILS, BUT I AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. THANK GOODNESS THOSE BASTARDS IN THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THOUGHT TO FIDDLE WITH MY SEAL TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN REACH OUT THROUGH COMMUNICATION SEALS."

"Remind me, what gave them that bright idea?"

"APPARENTLY THE SNAKE WAS INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THE OLD MAN'S TEACHINGS. I TOLD THEM THE TRUTH, NATURALLY THEY THOUGHT THAT I WAS FEEDING THEM BS. AFTER ALL, I'M THE NINE-TAILED DEMON FOX THAT FEELS NO EMOTIONS OTHER THAN ANGER, HATE, AND JOY AT THE SUFFERING OF LESSER BEINGS."

"To be fair Kyuubi-sama, you kind of do project that image." At the scathing glare cast his way by the mightiest of all bijuu, Shuuichi quickly added. "Totally justifiable though. I felt the same way while I was being careful not to do any permanent harm when shaking off Konoha ninja trying to kill me. You had to deal with that for more centuries than the number of months I had to put up with, and if Konoha hadn't accepted my terms, I probably would have started down the same path. And you made me a partial reflection of Hagoromo-sama, so even someone with the patience of a saint wouldn't put up with that crap for long. And your attitude has improved noticeably."

"OH JUST SHUT UP, ALTER YOUR HUMAN ALTER-EGO'S MEMORIES SO THAT HE THINKS THAT HE'S TALKING TO ME IN THE PAST, BRING HIM INTO THE MINDSCAPE, AND LET'S GET OUR STORIES STRAIGHT."

The pseudo-bijuu was quick to comply with Kurama's orders and did exactly as instructed, bringing the human mind of Minamino Shuuichi into the mindscape while the pseudo-bijuu portion controlled the body. After few hours elapsed in the real world, containing a few days worth of time in the mindscape, Kurama and Shuuichi were finally satisfied that they had developed a mind-reading proof alibi to cover how Minamino Shuuichi was able to recognize the energy signature of the individual responsible for the attack of the Kyuubi no Youko on October 10th.

-Shiin Sen'i no Jutsu!-

8:24 AM, Hokage Tower, Secure Debriefing Room for A-Rank and Above Missions

"Shuuichi-kun, dare I ask why are you dressed like a tutor for a court noble?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You called me here to explain myself, right? Well, my explanation involves an ancient history lesson, so I figured if I was going to give a lecture, I might as well look the part." Shuuichi said with a fox-like grin.

"Then why do you have a giant foam finger?" Shimura Danzou asked smoothly.

Shuuichi shrugged. "I figured it would be a lot less threatening than waving a stick around when I got around to the scolding portion of the lecture."

"And what exactly do you presume to scold someone about, Minamino?" Uchiha Fugaku sneered.

Minamino Shuuichi frowned as he noticed the leader of the Uchiha clan and the Konoha Military Police in the room. Putting his hands behind his back, Shuuichi formed a thumbs up with his right hand and an L with his left, and aligned the extended index finger with his thumbs up. "Ninshuu: Tamashii no Majiwari." Shuuichi announced, connecting his spiritual energies to every non-Uchiha in the room.

(Translation: Tamashii no Majiwari = Communion of Souls)

'Does Fugaku-san really have to be here? I figured something on this level would be need-to-know basis, and in my opinion, he doesn't need to know. Look, you guys all know that Fugaku has it out for me. He will, and has, make a fuss out of anything I do that isn't explicitly permitted. So forgive me if I don't want this guy who has been trying to get my Uchiha-owned business discount revoked because he didn't think there was a chance I would live to take advantage of it. Plus the history lesson is a clan secret. So if you aren't going to send him out, at least give me the reassurance that you won't pass on what I communicate using this technique. And if you're going to ask the questions I think you're going to ask me, it's going to be a lot of questions I answer with my Tamashii no Majiwari to the point where you might as well send him out of the room.'

"Too afraid to say something in front of me, Minamino?" the Uchiha clan head asked with a smirk.

"You take every opportunity available to make life difficult for me. It's not cowardice to choose not to hand someone ammunition who's trying to renege on giving me a discount on the grounds that you were certain you would be able to kill me." Shuuichi answered simply before turning his attention back to the others. "So, what's the verdict on my request?"

"With all due respect Minamino-san, I fail to see why Fugaku-dono ought to leave if you can satisfy our concerns with a lesson in ancient history." Yamanaka Inoichi responded.

"I assure you Yamanaka-dono, there are plenty of things that my family has remembered best left forgotten by the rest of the world. Konoha is no worse off for not knowing them, and learning them is an unnecessary risk. Would you be so kind as to corroborate my statement, Shimura-sama?"

All the room's other inhabitants other than Sarutobi Hiruzen and Orochimaru turned to the current ANBU commander in surprise. "Shuuichi's claim is valid. Fugaku-dono, I feel that Minamino-san is within his rights to request you not be present for his explanation, considering that neither the Konoha Military Police or an active ninja in your clan were involved in the event."

"And neither were any Nara or Yamanaka, and yet here they are. If the matter is serious enough for the Jounin Commander and the head of Torture and Interrogation to be present, then I as the chief of the Konoha Military Police have just as much a right, if not obligation, to be here." retorted Uchiha Fugaku.

"The guy who tries to get me on every possible technicality in the legal system doesn't get that even the Hokage isn't entitled to hear clan secrets? I just don't find the suspicion worth keeping these particular secrets from people who don't want me dead. But you're not one of those people."

"You're technically right, but the protection of clan secrets (which as I have attempted to remind the council have never been granted to a previously unrecognized clan with only a single individual) only grants you the right to refuse to reveal a clan secret. Besides, unless Orochimaru-sama finds your explanation worth being classified as S-Rank, which I doubt you'd share in front of so many other people if this were the case, I'm going to find out about it anyway." Uchiha Fugaku said with a smug smirk.

Minamino Shuuichi waited for someone to refute his strongest detractor, but after ten seconds of silence the emissary of the Kyuubi no Youko realized that Fugaku's claim was solid. "You're kidding. He can do that?"

"I am sorry to say that he can, Shuuichi-kun." Orochimaru said in a tone that would have Shuuichi convinced if not for the fact his Negative Emotion Sensing told him the Snake Sannin was lying about being sorry.

Shuuichi remained silent for a few seconds before he let a slight vulpine grin come to his face. "Okay, you get to hear my clan secrets, but I'll be letting yours slip as well."

Uchiha Fugaku's face contorted in an expression of rage, Sharingan activating. "You have no right."

The pseudo-bijuu's smile widened as he bared his teeth. Forming the hand seal for Tamashii no Majiwari, though he gagged as he connected his spiritual energy to Fugaku's. 'On the contrary Fugaku-san, I have an obligation. The Mangekyou Sharingan just so happens to be extremely relevant to the case, and even if it wasn't, the ninja of Konoha have the right to know that their best friend might kill them for a power boost.'

"You utter one syllable and I'll make sure you don't live to see the next sunrise." Fugaku snarled.

"Is this going to end with another trial by combat? Because I'm always up for breaking you like a stick of pocky." Shuuichi felt a swell of satisfaction when he saw Fugaku flinch involuntarily. "You're the one who's being unreasonable here, Uchiha-san. I'm just asking to keep your nose out of my business, something that you'll never need to ask me because I go out of my way to stay out of yours."

"Bullshit. You accepted a request to oversee the training of my son's genin team, something that you usually turn down with a scathing rejection." Uchiha Fugaku spat.

Shuuichi shrugged conceding the point. "What can I say? He's a good kid, proves that not every Uchiha has a stick so far up their rear it comes out a plank in their eye. The fruit didn't just fall far from the tree, it ended up in a completely different orchard. And I have to say, it's not fair to the kid for you to take away his pocky for something I did. Your treatment of his jounin sensei was likewise highly uncalled for. The guy didn't request me in specific, someone at the Mission Assignment Desk sends me every mission request that I could fit the mission parameters. But I've gone off on quite a tangent. Will you respect my privacy, or am I going to have to make good on what I talked about in private?"

Uchiha Fugaku glared long and hard at Shuuichi. "This isn't over." the leader of the Konoha Military Police said through clenched teeth.

"Only because you insist on trying to make things difficult for me. I've been very forgiving Uchiha-san, but consider yourself on notice: your period of grace has expired."

"You threaten me in the presence of witnesses, trash?"

"It's not a threat to put someone on notice that you will start defending yourself." Shuuichi said calmly. "I've given you months to vent your frustration without repercussions in the hopes that you'd calm down. Since it isn't working, I'm not going to take your harassment lying down any more." Fugaku scowled and left with a Shunshin, swearing under his breath and vowing to regain his honor. Shuuichi sighed in exasperation. "Why can't that guy just let things go?"

"Fugaku-sama's hostility towards you does seem illogical, although he seems rather troubled by your knowledge of one of his clan's secrets." Aburame Shikuro commented.

"Well Shuuichi-kun, now that Fugaku has left, would you be so kind as to answer why sensing the individual your clone engaged in early this morning made you feel that you had to travel at top speed to guard your cousin, violating the terms stating you were to be watched at all times by at least two ANBU at all times?"

The emissary of the Kyuubi no Youko vanished deep into the subconscious of Minamino Shuuichi as the Konoha jounin placed a Truth Seal on his palm and slapped the seal on his left forearm. "You all know that the Rikudou Sennin was basically deified for defeating a great demon, right?" Shuuichi waited for the others to nod slowly. "Well, what happens when a being capable of existing as purely spiritual energy like a demon is defeated?"

"I'm not sure where you're going with this, Shuuichi-kun." Sarutobi Hiruzen remarked. "But to answer your question, either the creature is sealed away or... it..." Not much could make the eyes of the Shinobi no Kami widen, but that's exactly what happened as realization struck.

"Reforms after it's energy is scattered." Shuuichi said with a grim nod. "Needless to say, the Rikudou Sennin didn't want the creature to do that. So he sealed it into himself, and then split the monster's chakra into individual creatures that he hoped would protect the world after his passing, and at the very least would be much easier to subdue than the monster they were spawned from."

"Minamino-san, are you seriously suggesting that the bijuu, the most destructive force in the Elemental Nations, were made by man hailed as the Savior of this World?" Nara Shikaku asked incredulously.

"It's what my otou-sama and jiji-sama told me. And it was collaborated by a certain being renting a pocket dimension inside my itoko-chan's stomach. Which is why I brought the foam finger. As the most qualified seal master in the room, I must say that modifying the seal containing the most powerful of the bijuu to allow it communication with the outside is completely irresponsible." Shuuichi said, waving his foam finger at Orochimaru scoldingly.

"You'll forgive us if we require you to submit to a mindscan immediately so we can make sure that your mind hasn't been modified by the Kyuubi no Youko, Shuuichi-kun." Orochimaru said in a stern tone that told Shuuichi there would be no room for argument.

Minamino Shuuichi sighed and rolled his eyes. "As powerful and cunning as the Fox is, I don't think he has the capacity to perform such a delicate task as mind alteration." And it was true. Creating a mind was well within Kurama's abilities, but the strongest bijuu would probably shatter a mind rather than simply tweak a few memories. "But go ahead, I'd like to know if my mind has been messed with as much as you guys."