It was a surprisingly simple and painless process undoing the Three Pillar Seal. Harusame was overly cautious and rightfully so as even though I trusted Isobu with my life I couldn’t immediately expect him to do the same, even if I had ordered him to just as we started.

He had me lay down across the Seal Key and with a few hand seals my Tailed Beast Seal was undone and yet, Isobu had not forced me to transform or break out of me. Instead I simply felt his presence envelope me even closer than ever. He was actively choosing to stay within me and even though we had shared goals, threats and enemies, it meant a lot that he didn’t want to leave, that he stayed.

Our chakra and mindscape quickly became one, we were closer than ever before. His chakra and mine mixed eagerly after the Three Pillar Seal was removed and it left me a bit more energised than I have ever been without actively calling on the [Stage 0 Chakra Cloak]. I felt my muscles bulge with a new natural base strength and my affinity for Water Release grow more powerful.

Otherwise everything was much the same, a fact that left Harusame visibly surprised, impressed and clearly frightened. “How? Why isn’t the beast escaping?” he asked.

I threw a glare at him but inhaled and softened up a bit as I understood this was what most humans expected of Tailed Beasts, for them to be nothing more than beasts. I clenched my fists behind my back and answered, “His name is Isobu and he is a friend to me, to Kirigakure. He is a protector not a weapon, not a threat and certainly not anything as simple as a beast.”

Harusame gulped but nodded, acquiescing to my explanation but whether he truly accepted it…time would only tell, “Where is Utakata?”

At the mention of his student his stuttered, “Mi-Yagura-sama, surely you don’t intend on removing the Six Tails Seal from him, the Three-Tails uh, I mean, Isobu is one thing but you haven’t befriended the Six Tails as well have you?”

I scowled at his doubt, it was understandable but it began to vex me. “It is fine, Yagura, humans are such. Patience, time and proof of our ability to cohabitate will win them all over. I will convince Saiken of your genuine feelings, though he will have to decide for himself whether he can trust Utakata.”

I nodded at Isobu’s words, finding them true and sound, “I have not befriended Saiken but it isn’t as important for me to do so as it is for Utakata, he must be aware that the one sealed within him is not a burden, curse and he is not a victim. Bring him to me.”

I didn’t let Harusame have another word of my time and turned away, walking back unto the little lake where I sat amongst the life, corals, seaweed, tadpoles and more that my training with Isobu’s, Yin and Yang chakra birthed.

Once again and far easier this time, Isobu’s chakra swelled around me. He gave enough to manifest a single Tail but my skin did not corrode or burn away as I meditated. I searched within his chakra and mine for Yin and Yang, and finding them, I attempted to bring balance within my pathways. Theoretically, if I were successful I could activate a manner of [Sage Mode] as the combinations of Yin and Yang quickly made up Nature Chakra. But this was extremely difficult to manage.

Senjutsu was the practice of absorbing Nature Chakra, already mixed to its perfect balance of Yin and Yang, the next step would be balancing that smooth combination with my own chakra or perhaps even Isobu’s but since I couldn’t absorb Nature Chakra yet, I was stuck attempting to make my own.

It was a hazardous and messy process. I was wasting so much of my own chakra trying to mix Yin and Yang and much more of Isobu’s attempting to stabilise my own chakra reserves so my body wasn’t overwhelmed. If I were somehow successful in creating Nature Chakra within myself and then balancing that chakra with my reserves, then I could enter [Sage Mode] at any moment I pleased without absorbing the Nature Chakra readily available to me through my Animal Path summon.

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However…I let out an exhaustive sigh as the [One-Tailed Chakra Cloak] dissipated. “Creating your own Sage Mode is a bit too advanced for now, Yagura-kun, for now focus on mastering Yin and Yang and what you can create with it. That Great Serpent will help you utilize Sage Mode.” Isobu said.

I nodded and was about to respond when I sensed a presence distub the waters. I opened my eyes thinking it was Harusame but was pleased to see Utakata standing before me at last. He wore a full body gear suit, Kirigakure’s traditional flak vest and had wrapped bandages around his arms.

“Mizukage-sama, you asked for me?” He was nervous enough to fall to a knee and bow. I smiled as I recalled he was a lot more snarky and honest before I became the Fourth Mizukage.

“Come, sit with me, Utakata-kun, I have something to discuss with you.” He did as I asked, though he curiously examined the growing shrubs and water grasses around me. Once he was sat comfortably opposite me I made some small talk first, “How was the war?”

He blinked and unconsciously touched his headband, he passed it off as brushing his hair but his brown locks merely fell back into place covering his left eye, “Uneventful.”

“I suppose it was. Did you wish you had a greater part in it?”

His single visible eye darted about before he answered, “Yes? I mean…I don’t know. I was satisfied with my post protecting our isles from invasion even if none came.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

He squinted at that, “I wanted to test out a new jutsu I’ve been working on but I don’t often get combat missions, sir. Harusame-sensei has trained me in controlling my Tailed Beast, I won’t lose control even if I’m pressed.”

I smiled at the direction he chose to take the conversation. Truly he was a shinobi, “I don’t doubt that but Harusame has never recommended you for missions of such nature, at least, nothing has come across my desk and neither have you.”

He lowered his head, “It would be an insult to sensei to approach you behind his back.”

“Would it? I suppose you can think of it that way. How about this jutsu of yours? Why don’t you give me a demonstration?”

His eye widened in surprise before he quickly calmed himself and nodded. He retrieved a pipe from his holster and with it held between his fingers, made over a dozen hand seals as he stood.

I sensed him infusing the pipe with chakra from his lips and as he blew out the first, awkwardly shaped bubble that didn’t do a good job of floating in the air he explained, “It looks like nothing but…” he hurriedly retrieved a senbon from his pouch and flung it at the bubble. It exploded, setting some of my grass on fire, “If made en masse, it can make for a nasty experience.”

He flashed a smile at me before remembering himself and wiping it off to sit back down. I nodded, having already seen Jason’s memories of Utakata I knew what this awkward bubble jutsu would be capable of.

“It reminds me of something…did anything inspire you to create this jutsu? Or was Harusame’s guidance alone enough?”

His lips pursed but he spoke, “We noticed a quality of the Seven-Tails chakra when I manifested it. It itself is made of acidic slime that can bubble so I thought…I imitated its quality with my pipe.”

“Why?” I asked, looking him in the eye.

He froze up then said, “So I don’t have to use its chakra ever.” I inhaled deeply and he began to prattle, “I know. Jinchuriki are weapons meant to master their Beasts and I have mastered up to three tails of it but I-!”

My raised hand silenced him, “I understand your fears, hesitance but that is why we are having this discussion, Utakata. There is more responsibility to being a Jinchuriki than simply mastering their Tailed Beasts chakra. You must protect the Tailed Beast within you and you must learn to live with it, in peace not hatefully.”

Utakata eyed the plants and corals around us, “Is that how you’ve mastered your Tailed Beast? Harusame-sensei said that you…you removed the Seal keeping it within you and yet…how?”

I smiled brightly and grabbed his hands, “First, I should introduce you to the Three-Tails within me but you should know, his name is Isobu. The SIx-Tails has a name as well, I hope they will give it to you freely after this. Are you ready?”

I felt his hands sweat and he gulped as he nodded, “Yes, Mizukage-sama.”