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After finishing their meal, the group gradually loosened up, and casual conversation began to fill the air.
Among them, Uzumaki Kushina was the most talkative. She was animated and curious, especially when it came to the visitors from other worlds—particularly Daemon. And more than anyone else, she trusted her friend Miyuki Uchiha deeply.
If you thought about it, it wasn't really that strange. The ninja world already had aliens, reanimated corpses, and artificial humans. Even summoning the dead was practically a weekend hobby for some. So, was it really such a shock to meet people from other worlds?
Technically speaking, the Otsutsuki Clan was from another world too.
As the topic drifted from culture to history, it naturally shifted toward powers and abilities—an area where no one in the group was short on stories.
"You know," Kushina said suddenly, pressing her hand against her abdomen, "the Nine-Tails has been really quiet ever since I met you guys."
Inside the seal, the Nine-Tails twitched its ear at the comment and rolled its eyes.
Quiet? Do I look like I have a death wish?
Between Uchiha Miyuki—who had eyes reminiscent of Madara himself—and the two monsters named Daemon and Luo Hao, the Nine-Tails could barely breathe without trembling. The sheer pressure radiating from those two was suffocating.
A few years ago, Kushina had bullied it into submission with sealing jutsu. But now?
With monsters like these around, the dream of freedom was a joke.
Kurama: Want Me To Fight Them? Hell Nah.
"Let's hope the Nine-Tails stays on its best behavior," Daemon said, his voice light, though his eyes flicked briefly toward Kushina's stomach, playful but unmistakably dangerous.
He could guess what the fox was thinking. They all could.
But really, neither he nor Miyuki paid the Nine-Tails much mind.
It just wasn't worth fearing.
If it were the Ten-Tails, sure—that was a different conversation entirely.
But the Nine-Tails?
It was just a wooden doll for Susano'o practice. Nothing more.
The chatter continued with laughs and banter. Kushina's energy was infectious.
"Sister Luo Hao is a god killer? That's so cool! Are there actual gods in your world?"
"And wait—you're over two hundred years old?! Your skin's better than mine!"
"And Mr. Daemon, you're a noble? Even Luo Hao lost to you… That's insane!"
Kushina gasped over and over, like an excited fangirl. Whether she truly meant it or was just hyping up the mood, no one could tell. Maybe it was both.
Part of her genuinely admired her best friend, Miyuki. After all, Miyuki had seen so much more than her—a vast sky Kushina had never touched.
Kushina came to Konoha as a child and was made a jinchūriki before she'd even understood what it meant. Until she became a chunin, she'd barely been allowed to leave the village. Her world had been small, confined.
Hearing about these distant realms, godslayers, and mysterious powers—it sparked something in her. A tinge of envy bloomed quietly in her chest.
Miyuki isn't just stronger than me. Her world… it's so much bigger than mine.
"Actually, I have a pretty unique ability too," a voice cut in, soft but confident.
It was Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Huh?" Miyuki blinked, then her expression lit up with recognition. "Oh right—your ability is time stop, isn't it?"
"That's right." Utaha casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The motion, subtle as it was, drew every eye.
"Time stop?" Kushina's mouth dropped open. "Like, actual time stop?"
"Yup. The real deal." Miyuki wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned close to whisper teasingly, "If I had that power, I'd definitely use it on you, Kushina~ Hehehe…"
"You pervert!" Kushina's face flushed bright red. She smacked Miyuki's hand away, cheeks puffed out in embarrassment.
Still, she turned back to Utaha, eyes full of wonder. "Can I see it? I've seen space-time jutsu, but time itself… that's something else."
"Of course." Utaha smiled, then looked to Daemon and Luo Hao. "Would either of you like to experience it too?"
"Certainly," Luo Hao replied, her eyes shining. "Even among rebellious gods, the power to stop time is rare. I would be honored."
Daemon nodded. "I've seen plenty of stories about time-stop powers. Experiencing one? That's new."
Utaha felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
She'd been afraid her power—gained through the chat group—might come off as reckless or disrespectful, especially in front of people like Daemon and Luo Hao. But with their permission, her hesitation vanished.
More than anything, she wanted to know:
Would her time stop ability even work on monsters like them?
She had always been a normal girl from a peaceful world. But after seeing Daemon's overwhelming battle, after watching Luo Hao's poise and power… a sense of urgency had begun to grow in her.
She didn't want to just stand behind others forever.
She wanted to be strong too.
She wanted to fight beside them.
Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand and declared:
"Time—Stop!"
The words were simple. But the moment they left her lips, a pulse of mysterious energy spread out from her like ripples in water.
Everything froze.
The birds overhead halted mid-flight. The river stopped flowing. Even the falling leaves were suspended in air, motionless like painted art.
Time had stopped.
Utaha's heart pounded in her chest as she turned toward Daemon.
He didn't move.
Neither did Luo Hao, Miyuki, or Kushina.
Frozen in time, they stood like statues.
It worked.
With trembling fingers, Utaha reached out and gently brushed Daemon's cheek. His expression remained calm, unchanged.
"…It really worked," she whispered, her voice soft with awe.
Even Mr. Daemon… even he can't move in my time stop.
A flicker of hope lit up her eyes.
Maybe… maybe I really can become strong.
Maybe I can stand on the battlefield too—shoulder to shoulder with them.
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