The development of genjutsu was indeed challenging, but Shūichi had already devised a method to quickly disrupt the enemy's chakra flow and directly assault their mental defenses.
The breakthrough lay in the Spirit Transformation Technique.
Unfortunately, if he could get hold of the Yamanaka Clan's Mind-Body Switch Technique, the process might be even faster.
…
However, just as Shūichi was busy like a little bee around Konoha, the situation in the Shinobi world was changing rapidly.
In Iwagakure, at the Tsuchikage's office, Kitsuchi entered with a heavy expression, holding a piece of intelligence, but there was also a trace of excitement in his demeanor.
"Father, we have a very important piece of information!"
Onoki raised his head upon hearing the voice, "Is it about the Sand Shinobi?"
Kitsuchi nodded, "The Third Kazekage has gone missing!"
"Hmm?"
Onoki was momentarily stunned, then quickly flew up and took the report from Kitsuchi's hand to examine it carefully. "The Kazekage has actually disappeared? No wonder the Sand Shinobi have been acting crazy lately!"
"So, the Kazekage might have been taken down by the very person Sunagakure is hunting—the rogue ninja known as Sasori of the Red Sand, and possibly by Roshi as well..."
Onoki then asked his son, "Could Roshi really defeat the Kazekage?"
Kitsuchi shook his head, "The Kazekage was capable of suppressing Tailed Beasts. There's no way even a Jinchuriki could easily defeat him."
"Father, are you saying... the Third Kazekage is already dead?"
Onoki replied gravely, "Given the Third Kazekage's strength, if he's gone missing, there's only one possibility—he's been killed."
As an outsider, Onoki could see things more clearly than the people of Sunagakure.
The people of Sunagakure still held on to the slim hope that the Third Kazekage was alive and continued searching for him under the pretext of hunting Sasori of the Red Sand.
Moreover, just a few days ago, they had even sent a request demanding the return of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi.
So…
Onoki decisively declared, "Convene a full council meeting!"
In less than half an hour, the decision to wage war against Sunagakure was unanimously approved.
The reasoning was simple: Now was the perfect time to attack. Sunagakure's defenses were stretched thin due to their ongoing search for the Third Kazekage.
Additionally, if Iwagakure didn't strike now, by the time Sunagakure accepted the reality that their Kazekage was dead, they would undoubtedly launch a counterattack to avenge him.
With the order to begin the war issued, Iwagakure's war machine quickly sprang into action. In less than half a day, a thousand-strong army of shinobi was assembled and began marching southward towards the Land of Wind.
The speed of this mobilization was no coincidence—Iwagakure had long been preparing for war.
Either Sunagakure would attack them, or they would strike first.
Iwagakure's forces moved with undeniable speed. By the end of the day, they had entered the Land of Birds, eliminating or capturing every Sand Shinobi scouting team searching for the Third Kazekage.
The following day, the Iwagakure forces crossed the Land of Birds and launched a surprise attack on the Land of Wind's border guards, who were caught completely unprepared.
The Sand Shinobi border defense, which resembled sandcastles built by children at the beach, crumbled instantly under the assault of the Iwagakure forces.
…
May 12, Year 44 of Konoha.
On the third day of Iwagakure's invasion of Sunagakure, a meeting was taking place in the conference room of the Hokage's office in Konoha.
Present were the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, along with Danzo, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
Danzo, more assertive than the last meeting, fixed his gaze on Hiruzen and declared, "The facts have proven it— the Third Kazekage has been killed by Sasori of the Red Sand and Iwagakure's Four-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Iwagakure has already taken advantage of Sunagakure's weakened defenses and entered the Land of Wind. Hiruzen, this is an ideal opportunity for us, whether against the Sand Shinobi or the Stone Shinobi!"
"Iwagakure's infiltration of the Land of Grass has become incredibly serious!"
Homura and Koharu both nodded in agreement but remained silent, turning their attention to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen calmly responded, "While Iwagakure has mobilized their forces, our intelligence suggests that their vanguard consists of no more than 1,500 troops."
"Sunagakure was caught off guard due to the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, but they're not weak."
"If we engage in war now, whether we target Sunagakure or both Sunagakure and Iwagakure, Kumogakure will absolutely not sit idly by. They'll seize the opportunity to launch their own attack."
"And there's also Kirigakure. If Kumogakure moves, Kirigakure won't pass up the chance either, forcing us into a three-front war."
"Danzo, we still haven't fully recovered from the last Shinobi World War!"
Upon hearing this, Homura and Koharu found Hiruzen's reasoning compelling and nodded once more in agreement.
Danzo felt frustrated—these two had supported him just moments ago, but now they were quickly siding with Hiruzen.
Nevertheless, Danzo pressed on, refusing to give up. "If we don't seize the advantage now, do you really think Kumogakure and Kirigakure won't attack us?"
"Even without the Third Kazekage's death, all the major villages have been itching for war."
"Iwagakure covets the Land of Grass, and Kumogakure has long wanted to swallow the smaller nations like the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Rice Fields."
"Kirigakure also seeks to extend its influence onto the mainland!"
"Since war has already erupted, it will inevitably spread to the Land of Fire, because we hold the most resource-rich lands!"
Homura and Koharu considered his words, acknowledging there was some truth to them.
Hiruzen, with a serious tone, said, "That may be true, but for us, the later we enter the war, the better our position will be."
"The sooner we jump in, the more likely we are to face multi-front combat, which will stretch our forces thin and put us at a high risk of defeat."
After listening to this, Homura finally spoke up, "Hiruzen is right."
"However, Hiruzen, Danzo also has a point. Even if we don't enter the war immediately, we need to start making preparations."
"Jiraiya is not in the village. It's time to call him back. The situation is on the brink of war."
Koharu added, "We should begin reducing mission assignments to leave room for mobilizing forces at any moment."
Hiruzen nodded. "I've already had Minato inform Jiraiya."
He then turned to the visibly displeased Danzo and said, "Danzo, keep a close watch on the Land of Rain. It would be best if we could ally with Hanzo."
Hiruzen thought it was time to give the hawkish Danzo something to focus on to keep him from causing too much trouble.
Moreover…
As Danzo remained silent, Hiruzen issued a warning, "And as for the First Hokage's cell experiment, let it stop here. Don't let Orochimaru continue."
This was an issue Shūichi had reported last month, but Hiruzen had waited until now to bring it up.
Danzo was taken aback, momentarily thinking Hiruzen had discovered the existence of "Kinoe."
Homura and Koharu both frowned slightly but refrained from reprimanding him.
Clenching his fist, Danzo replied in a low voice, "Understood."
"I'll personally lead a team to the Land of Rain."
With that, the meeting came to an end.
Danzo, who had entered brimming with confidence, left the meeting feeling humiliated.
Returning to the Root base, Danzo still couldn't shake his frustration. He went to the training grounds where he saw "Kinoe" practicing Mokuton (Wood Release). Seeing the successful use of the technique finally eased some of his anger.
This would be his trump card!
After watching silently for a moment, Danzo turned and returned to the Root base to immediately begin making arrangements.
Soon after, a large group of Root members gathered, and Danzo led them out of Konoha, heading straight for the Land of Rain.
If he couldn't act within the village, he would seek opportunities in the Land of Rain!
…
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen quickly received news that Danzo had left the village, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
Danzo had been putting considerable pressure on him, especially since Danzo represented not just himself—there were other factions in Konoha that supported war and stood behind Danzo.
"War, huh…"
Hiruzen sighed deeply.
He truly didn't want another large-scale conflict.
The last Shinobi World War had taken a heavy toll, and Konoha had only just begun to recover. But Kakashi's generation had not yet fully matured.
If war broke out, especially a multi-front one, these young prodigies would inevitably be sent on the most dangerous missions.
But thinking of Minato and Shūichi, Hiruzen felt somewhat comforted.
And then there was Kakashi—another talent who would one day stand on his own.
Shisui Uchiha…
One by one, the faces of these individuals flashed through Hiruzen's mind.
…
At this moment, in an underground laboratory at the back of Konoha Village, Shūichi let out a long breath as he looked at the fully arranged experimental equipment. "It's finally done?"
Tsunade, who had just finished a thorough check with Asuka and Shizune, also smiled. "Now we can officially begin the experiments."
Previously, they had been conducting their research at the Konoha Hospital, but the cells of the First Hokage were far too unique, and with too many prying eyes around, it had become a hassle.
Shūichi nodded. "Then let's get started!"
With that, he, along with Asuka and Shizune, brought out several sealed scrolls. One by one, they released the seals and extracted the samples.
Among the samples were Hashirama Senju's cells, cells from the Third Kazekage, as well as cells from the Four-Tails and Eight-Tails, and even some from Hayate Gekkō.
After quickly preparing the experimental materials, Shūichi and Tsunade began discussing their plan.
It was clear that the research on Hashirama's cells would take priority.
However, the research on tailed beast cells also had its own merit, particularly in developing medical ninjutsu. After all, the chakra of tailed beasts possessed significant healing properties.
"Let's handle it all at once—using Shadow Clones!" Tsunade exclaimed energetically.
Shūichi couldn't help but smirk. "Easy for her to say—I'm the one who'll end up exhausted!"
Still, being surrounded by beautiful women wasn't such a bad deal.
"Let's get started!" Shūichi waved his hand, and the work began.
The hours flew by, and before they knew it, it was evening.
On his way home, Shūichi overheard some people discussing the war that had broken out between Iwagakure and Sunagakure. Asuka leaned in close to whisper in his ear, "Shūichi, if we get found out, will we be hunted down by both the Sand and Stone Shinobi?"
Shūichi chuckled softly. "Don't worry, we won't be found out."
If they were, it wouldn't just be the Sand and Stone Shinobi—they'd also have Kumogakure and Kirigakure coming after them, eager to take advantage of the situation.
That would be… exciting.
Back home, as they were finishing dinner, Nonō Yakushi also brought up the Iwagakure and Sunagakure conflict. Being more informed than Asuka, she expressed her deeper concern.
Her worry was that if the truth got out, would Konoha, under intense pressure, end up handing over the culprit?
This was what weighed most heavily on Nonō Yakushi's mind.
Shūichi, noticing her unease, took her hand to reassure her. "Don't worry, there's no evidence."
"Even if they accuse me, there's nothing they can do about it. After all, I know the Flying Thunder God Technique."
The only thing that could possibly implicate him was the Third Kazekage's cells in Orochimaru's possession.
However, with Orochimaru's personality, he wasn't likely to share that information with Danzo.
Even if Danzo knew, he wouldn't handle things that way, especially not when Shūichi still provided benefits to him.
If he really wanted to, Danzo could have already leaked information to the Sand and Stone Shinobi, forcing Konoha to hand someone over.
Of course, all of Shūichi's confidence came from his strength.
After dinner, in the courtyard...
Shūichi stood in the center, his hands clasped together, head lowered in focus. Inside his body, the chakra nature transformations of Fire and Earth were occurring simultaneously, clashing and blending with one another.
This was different from combination ninjutsu. Combination ninjutsu involves enhancing each element to boost the power of the jutsu, while a Kekkei Genkai is when two chakra natures combine to form a completely new nature—something far more complex and difficult to achieve.
Even with the Lava Release from the Four-Tails as a reference, Shūichi had been working tirelessly up until now.
Of course, this wasn't the only project he had been focusing on.
Time passed unnoticed. Nonō Yakushi and Asuka, who had gone out, returned home, but neither of them disturbed Shūichi.
As they crossed the courtyard, however, Asuka let out a surprised gasp, turning toward Shūichi.
"What's wrong?" Nonō Yakushi asked quickly.
Asuka, filled with excitement, exclaimed, "Shūichi has awakened a new power!"
Nonō immediately understood. "Lava Release?"
At that moment, molten lava chakra began to emanate from Shūichi's body, quickly enveloping him.
It was the Lava Release Chakra Mode, creating a Lava Armor around him!
"Finally, it's complete!" Shūichi lowered his hands and smiled.
This achievement had only been possible thanks to the Four-Tails' Lava Release as a model. Otherwise, the difficulty of creating a Kekkei Genkai would have been even greater—far more challenging than developing an S-rank forbidden jutsu.
"As expected, Kekkei Genkai is fundamentally different from ordinary chakra nature transformations."
"The Lava Release Chakra Mode... I don't even need to rely on the Yin Seal or the Creation Rebirth technique. While it helps that my chakra reserves have significantly increased, it's a fact that Kekkei Genkai powers are inherently easier to control."
Shūichi silently observed the changes.
He could feel his body being affected by the Lava Release chakra.
This sensation was different from when he had mastered Yang Release, Yin Release, or Lightning Release. There was something unique about this power.
"Perhaps it's because of the strength of the power, or maybe there's another secret to it."
"This energy is subtly soaking into my cells, imprinting itself into my very genes."
Shūichi pondered. "In fact, from a genetic perspective, there's no difference between Kekkei Genkai and ordinary chakra natures. I was born with Wind and Fire Release, inherited from my father and mother. Later, I gradually mastered several other nature transformations. In theory, my offspring could inherit these as well."
"They might inherit one, or several, or even all of them."
"And since Lava Release is a new nature transformation I've created, it too could be passed down to my descendants."
Whether it was regular nature transformations or Kekkei Genkai, they could potentially be inherited by future generations.
However, genetic information can sometimes be lost, and gene expression may vary.
"For example, the Uchiha clan's Sharingan requires a certain stimulus to activate. That's a specific form of gene expression."
"And there are some Uchiha who, despite experiencing such stimuli, never awaken their Sharingan—that's a case of genetic information being lost during inheritance."
Shūichi thought to himself that when the time came to have children, he would definitely have to prepare carefully. Only in his best condition could he ensure the highest likelihood of passing down his superior genes.
Reining in his thoughts, Shūichi dispersed the Lava Armor. Yet, inside his body, the Lava Release chakra continued to circulate, flowing through every cell via the Creation Rebirth technique.
This method was designed to accelerate the adaptation of his body to the new power of Lava Release, helping him to master it more thoroughly and efficiently.
The reason he had been able to manifest the Lava Release Chakra Mode and Lava Armor so quickly was that he had already become very familiar with Lava Release beforehand.
It was like a ninja who wasn't naturally attuned to Wind Release gradually mastering the nature transformation through training—they too would need time to become proficient and adept at its use.
...
"Shūichi, you're amazing!"
As Shūichi finished his training, Asuka and Nonō Yakushi quickly approached him.
Shūichi turned around, not even trying to be modest. "Of course!"
Nonō didn't say anything, only smiling warmly, but in her heart, she was truly happy. The stronger Shūichi became, the more secure their home would be.
At this moment, Asuka asked, "Shūichi, isn't it said that Kekkei Genkai can't be learned and can only be inherited through bloodline?"
Shūichi chuckled. "That statement isn't exactly wrong."
"Before I synthesized the nature transformation for Lava Release, I couldn't learn any Lava Release jutsu."
Asuka blinked in surprise. "Oh, so that's how it works?"
Shūichi smiled and asked, "Can humans learn to fly like birds?"
Asuka shook her head.
Shūichi continued, "But if you had wings like a bird, then you could learn to fly."
Asuka seemed deep in thought, while Nonō laughed softly. "It's similar to medical ninjutsu. Without first learning Yang Release nature transformation, you can't learn medical ninjutsu."
"Lava Release jutsu is the same. Without the Lava Release nature, it's impossible to learn it."
"Of course, it's usually said that Kekkei Genkai can't be acquired through learning because it's a new nature formed from the combination of two chakra natures. For one person to use two nature transformations in combination is already extremely difficult, let alone synthesizing a brand-new nature. Very few people can achieve that."
Shūichi nodded in agreement.
It's like the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, famous for copying abilities. Why can't it copy Kekkei Genkai or secret jutsu, the clan-specific techniques?
If you don't have the nature transformation of the Kekkei Genkai, how could you perform the jutsu? Kekkei Genkai techniques rarely require hand signs, making them even harder to replicate.
Then there are secret clan techniques, like the Inuzuka Clan's—leaving everything else aside, you'd at least need a ninja dog first, right?
And the Aburame Clan's secret insect techniques—without the insects, what would you copy?
In fact, even ordinary jutsu can't be copied by Sharingan without the right chakra nature. If you don't have the necessary chakra type, even if you know the hand signs and chakra flow, you still can't use it.
Otherwise, why is Kakashi the only one known as the Copy Ninja, despite so many Uchiha having three-tomoe Sharingan?
The reason is simple: Kakashi has mastered so many chakra natures that he can use the jutsu he copies immediately.
Also, intelligence plays a part.
Discussing whether something can be learned without considering the threshold or intelligence is unreasonable—and frankly, unfair.
The three of them entered the house, and Asuka joked, "Shūichi, does that mean you could learn my Adamantine Sealing Chains too?"
"After all, you're an expert in sealing techniques, and you've mastered Yin Release as well!"
Shūichi thought for a moment and cautiously replied, "If I understand the principles and have the right mindset, it shouldn't be impossible."
The Adamantine Sealing Chains were ranked A-rank in difficulty!
Of course, A-rank techniques are already very challenging, surpassing the difficulty level for most Jōnin.
But secret clan techniques, especially those involving unique bloodline traits, often had principles that even the users themselves couldn't fully explain.
Like Asuka herself.
Her Adamantine Sealing Chains had been awakened through a stimulus—something that just burst out from within her.
So, when the conversation turned to principles, Asuka felt a little embarrassed and quickly said, "I'll ask Kushina tomorrow—she should know the details!"
Nonō hesitated slightly and said, "Wouldn't that be a bit intrusive? After all, it's a clan secret technique."
Asuka shrugged it off. "The Land of Whirlpools and Uzushiogakure have been destroyed. Now it's just me and Kushina left from the Uzumaki Clan. There might be others scattered around, but it's not like we're still a united clan. There's no point in keeping it secret anymore."
Then she smiled again, adding, "Besides, Shūichi is family to me—and to Kushina too. She even taught you the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, which is a forbidden jutsu! She's like a mentor to you, so she wouldn't mind."
Hearing this, Nonō laughed and nodded. "Then let's give it a try!"
Shūichi, however, wasn't as optimistic as Asuka, but he was somewhat hopeful.
It wasn't that he absolutely had to learn the Adamantine Sealing Chains, but by studying the technique, he could expand his own knowledge of sealing jutsu and perhaps lay the foundation for creating his own unique sealing technique.
...
After chatting for a while, the three of them washed up, and before they knew it, it was already 10 PM.
Once they were in bed, Shūichi Hoshita's spiritual form manifested beneath the Tag Tree.
When he completed the Lava Release Kekkei Genkai, a new tag was triggered.
Shūichi looked up at the new tag leaf.
Tag: [Kekkei Expert]
Conditions to Obtain: Master at least 5 different Kekkei Genkai abilities.
Effect: Increases physical attributes by 100%, mental strength by 100%, body compatibility by 100%, and chakra nature transformation talent by 100%. Nature fusion now holds no secrets for you—the only thing holding you back is your body, your mind, and your wisdom.
Just from reading the effects, this tag was clearly on a different level than his previous ones.
This was at least on par with the [Ninjutsu Professor] tag.
But mastering five different Kekkei Genkai? Without the powerful [Transformation Master] tag, Shūichi would've found that idea daunting.
"One-Tail's Magnet Release, Four-Tails' Lava Release, Five-Tails' Boil Release... I'll need to further investigate the abilities of the other Tailed Beasts."
After dispelling his spiritual form, Shūichi quickly fell asleep.
---
The next day, before heading to the lab, Shūichi used the Flying Thunder God technique to make a quick trip to the Land of Wind, leaving behind a shadow clone before returning to Konoha.
The clone began to take the form of various birds in the Land of Wind, observing the progress of the war between the Sand and Stone ninjas. It also looked for opportunities to gather corpses for study.
If he could find a Kekkei Genkai user, that would be even better.
Additionally, the One-Tail of the Sand Village was also on Shūichi's radar.
---
When Shūichi returned home that evening, he found Asuka looking a bit down, so much so that she didn't even notice he had come back.
With a quick guess at what was bothering her, Shūichi sat beside her and gently asked, "Did Kushina-san also have trouble explaining the principle behind the Adamantine Sealing Chains?"
Asuka nodded, her spirits low. "Kushina said Lady Mito guided her in mastering the Adamantine Sealing Chains, but she couldn't explain it clearly either."
Shūichi placed his arm around Asuka's shoulders and smiled. "That's normal. Even before the fall of the Land of Whirlpools, not everyone could master that sealing technique."
"Besides, not every Uchiha can awaken the Sharingan, and they can't really explain its principles either."
"I couldn't tell you how to combine two nature transformations to get Lava Release—it's not a matter of formula or proportion."
"I could only understand the Lava Release through directly feeling the power of the Four-Tails and slowly attempting it until it clicked."
Some things are too mystical to be put into words.
Seeing that Shūichi wasn't disappointed, Asuka felt a bit better, though she still couldn't shake her feeling of frustration.
After coming to Konoha, Asuka had become much more outgoing, but due to her childhood in Kusagakure, she still had a gentle nature and cared deeply about the feelings of others—especially those close to her.
She had a strong need to feel useful.
After thinking for a while, Shūichi said, "Actually, there's another way!"
Asuka immediately perked up. "What is it?"
Shūichi smiled. "The mental world, of course!"
"Don't forget, chakra can link people's minds, and in the mental world, you can exchange information through chakra as well."
Uchiha Obito was able to lend his Sharingan to Kakashi after his death. In a world created by the chakra-linked mind, Asuka could potentially gain a more direct understanding of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, or even the Kagura Mind's Eye.
Though with the Listening Technique, there was no need to waste time on the Kagura Mind's Eye.
Remembering how Shūichi had helped her awaken the Kagura Mind's Eye and Adamantine Sealing Chains in the mental world before, Asuka's eyes lit up. She eagerly said, "Shūichi, let's try it now!"
Shūichi chuckled helplessly. "Let's eat dinner first."
Hearing this, Asuka quickly got up. "Then let's make dinner fast! Once Nonō comes back, we can eat!"
Shūichi laughed and followed her into the kitchen.
After dinner, around seven o'clock, Asuka was already impatiently dragging Shūichi into the study.
Nonō, seeing this, smiled before heading out to Konoha Hospital.
Much like her work at the orphanage, Nonō diligently sent most of her earnings back to support the orphanage, continuing to care for it in her own way.
---
In the study.
Shūichi and Asuka sat across from each other, holding hands. Their chakras linked, and soon their minds connected, creating a mental world.
"Shūichi, what should I do?"
Inside the mental world, Asuka asked.
Shūichi replied, "Let down all your defenses. I'll take care of the rest."
Asuka nodded firmly. "Got it!"
"Alright, follow my lead."
"Now, use the Adamantine Sealing Chains."
Following his guidance, Asuka nodded. Soon, the sound of chains clattering echoed, and golden chains began emerging from her back.
"Very good!"
Shūichi continued, "Now, my chakra will merge into yours. Don't resist…"
As he spoke, his chakra slowly infiltrated Asuka's, fusing with her power.
The chains began to dance, and a layer of blue flames appeared on them.
But this was only the beginning of the fusion between Shūichi's and Asuka's power.
Layer by layer, Shūichi's chakra penetrated deeper, peeling back the outer shell of the Adamantine Sealing Chains to explore their secrets. This could only be done because Asuka had lowered her defenses.
In this state, it was almost as if Shūichi was reading the information hidden within Asuka's chakra and brain, though it was limited to the knowledge of the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
This was quite similar to how Shūichi had studied Lava Release by tapping into the Four-Tails' chakra.
The difference was that Shūichi had full control over the Four-Tails' chakra, while Asuka's power was not entirely his. She had merely allowed him to feel and study it.
But now that they had reached this step, the next stage seemed entirely possible.
Land of Wind, Sand-Rock Battlefield.
On the outskirts of a small oasis town, bodies lay scattered across the ground, while crows and vultures picked at the corpses.
Among the scavengers, one crow stood out—it was more selective and had a much larger appetite.
Any corpse this crow picked out would vanish instantly.
After collecting three bodies, the crow, which was actually Shūichi in disguise, noticed someone approaching. He and the other birds quickly flapped their wings and soared into the night sky.
The Stone Ninja had come to reclaim their dead!
Earlier, they had been forced to retreat and couldn't retrieve their fallen comrades in time. Now, after the Sand Ninja had withdrawn into the oasis, they had come back to collect the bodies.
"Damn scavengers!"
The Stone Ninja cursed, with some even using the Earth Release: Stone Cannon technique to attack the flying crows and vultures.
Shūichi, still in crow form, was among the targets, but he easily evaded the ninjutsu.
He cast a sharp glance over the Stone Ninja before flying away, and with a Flying Thunder God technique, he teleported to one of his underground bases.
The place he arrived at was an old ruin, likely buried by the sands of time. Shūichi had repurposed it, using Earth Release to make some modifications, and then marked it with his Flying Thunder God seal, turning it into a temporary storage for the bodies.
As a crow, he had used his talons to activate Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder to teleport the bodies here.
In doing so, he not only collected corpses for research, but also honed his Flying Thunder God technique—a double win.
After sealing the bodies in pre-prepared scrolls, Shūichi finally sat down to rest, while contemplating the current state of the Sand-Rock war.
There was no doubt that, at the outset, the Stone Ninja had been like an unstoppable force, charging deep into the Land of Wind.
This was because Sunagakure had spread its forces too thin in their pursuit of Sasori of the Red Sand, leaving their defenses weak.
However, Sunagakure had since recovered and stabilized the situation.
This quick turnaround was due to a combination of factors.
First, the terrain of the Land of Wind provided them with a natural advantage, allowing for a strong defense.
Though the Land of Earth's environment was harsh, it was nowhere near as severe as the Land of Wind.
And second, the Sand Ninja were fighting with the resolve of a cornered army.
Their greatest Kazekage had been assassinated, and not only did the Stone Ninja refuse to apologize or hand over the culprit, they launched an invasion instead. How could the Sand Ninja let this stand?
Because of this, in every battle Shūichi had observed, the Sand Ninja fought with a desperate intensity, causing the Stone Ninja's early momentum to falter, and their offensive to stall.
"Unfortunately, neither the Four-Tails nor the One-Tail Jinchuriki have shown up," Shūichi thought with some regret.
Though he had obtained a piece of the Four-Tails' flesh for research, both he and Orochimaru estimated it would only grow into one tail at most.
Even the Eight-Tails could only regenerate a single horn, and anything beyond that was extremely difficult, if not impossible, to grow.
"Stone Ninja…"
Shūichi's thoughts began to stir. "The intensity of the conflict isn't high enough yet. How else will they be forced to reveal their Jinchuriki?"
"Plus, with the Great Ninja War looming, it's only a matter of time before Konoha gets drawn in."
"The more the Stone and Sand Ninja exhaust themselves now, the better it is for Konoha."
To be honest, Shūichi wasn't impressed by either Hiruzen Sarutobi's or Danzo's strategies.
Danzo was too aggressive—entering the war too early would put Konoha at a disadvantage.
On the other hand, Hiruzen was too cautious and passive.
What was needed right now was someone to stir up trouble!
Recalling the Stone Ninja who had attacked him earlier, Shūichi's eyes sharpened, and a smile crept onto his face. "Let's start with the Stone Ninja!"
"It's time to ramp up the intensity!"
"First, I'll head back to Konoha to replenish my chakra."
"And I'll bring the bodies back with me—wouldn't want them stolen."
Shūichi was still wary of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.
They were too good at hiding.
After stowing the scrolls, Shūichi's figure vanished.
...
The bodies were transported to the experimental base, and at the moment Shūichi's clone dispersed, he had just finished training with Asuka. It was already nearing 10 PM.
After washing up and saying goodnight to Nono and Asuka, Shūichi returned to his bedroom. He then released the seal on his abdomen, unleashing a massive amount of chakra, which he used to create two shadow clones.
Since he planned to intervene in the war and intensify the conflict, it only made sense to deploy one clone to each side.
However, the Stone Ninja had already grasped his chakra signature, and the Sand Ninja knew him well enough—especially their sensory ninjas—so caution was necessary.
The best way to handle the situation would be to eliminate everyone who knew about him...
The two shadow clones vanished from the room, while Shūichi lay down and peacefully went to sleep.
---
Land of Wind, Underground Hideout.
Shūichi's two shadow clones appeared. One stayed behind, while the other vanished once again using the Flying Thunder God technique.
In the air, Shūichi transformed into a crow and flew to the battlefield where he had previously gathered corpses.
After circling for a moment, the crow descended and transformed into a moth.
At the temporary Stone Ninja camp, tall walls stood guard, with the night watchmen either sitting atop the walls or hiding in the shadows.
Inside the walls, several campfires burned, bringing warmth to the camp.
A moth fluttering toward the fire didn't raise any suspicion.
The Stone Ninja on guard weren't paying attention to the sky—or to a simple moth.
After all, while ninjas could use transformation techniques to become birds, they still couldn't fly.
Inside the camp, the resting Stone Ninja weren't sitting by the fire; instead, they were in half-open, dome-like shelters made from Earth Release.
The moth circled the campfire once before flying into one of the shelters.
Inside were four Stone Ninjas—an entire squad.
Temple of Nirvana Technique!
The four ninjas, who were half-asleep, were immediately plunged into a deep slumber.
Yet Shūichi didn't strike right away. Instead, he flew out and entered other shelters, putting each group of Stone Ninjas into a deep hypnotic sleep.
But soon, a problem arose. One of the Jonin, alert to the presence of the moth, woke up and resisted the Temple of Nirvana Technique.
Before the Jonin could fully break the illusion and warn his comrades, Shūichi cast another genjutsu.
Binding Illusion!
The Stone Jonin was paralyzed, unable to speak, though Shūichi knew the bind wouldn't last long.
Realizing he couldn't stay hidden any longer, Shūichi transformed from a moth into the Sand Ninja.
The Stone Jonin's eyes widened as he struggled desperately to break free from the genjutsu's hold.
Buzz!
Shūichi raised his right hand, Wind Release chakra swirling around it. The high-speed flow of the wind chakra turned it into a deadly cutting tool. With a swift slash, the Stone Jonin, who had just broken free of the genjutsu, had his throat cut.
Gurgle!
The Jonin clutched his neck and collapsed.
However, the surge of chakra from Shūichi's attack alerted the Stone Ninjas outside on guard duty.
"Who's using ninjutsu?"
One of the sentries on the wall snapped his head around, sniffed the air, and his expression changed dramatically. "This is bad!"
"Enemy attack!"
The sharp cry roused the other Stone Ninjas who hadn't fallen under the genjutsu.
At this point, Shūichi had already transformed into a gust of wind and slipped out of the shelter. In the next moment, a powerful storm erupted from the center of the camp, sweeping outward in all directions.
The ground had been hardened by the Stone Ninja, so there was no sand, but the campfires were extinguished, and the violent winds slowed the advance of the outside guards.
Bringer of Darkness Technique!
Instantly, all the awakened Stone Ninjas were robbed of their sight, plunged into total darkness.
"Damn it, this isn't a Sand Ninja technique—it's from Konoha!"
An older Stone Jonin shouted.
However, their usual methods for dispelling genjutsu weren't working quickly enough, and none of the Stone Ninjas dared to cast any ninjutsu in the confusion.
Amidst the darkness, Shūichi inhaled sharply and then exhaled a series of razor-sharp wind blades.
Pshh!
Ahhh!
Blood splattered as screams pierced the night.
One by one, the Stone Ninjas fell. Some barely managed to dodge the attacks, but it was only a matter of time.
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!
With a single technique, most of the lower-level Stone Ninjas were wiped out.
After that, Shūichi casually picked up a ninja blade from the ground. Infusing it with Wind Release chakra, he charged at a nearby Stone Jonin.
"Damn it, come at me!" the Jonin roared, his skin hardening as he gripped a kunai, relying on his hearing to counterattack.
He planned to withstand Shūichi's strike and use the opening for a counterattack.
Ordinary blades couldn't pierce his hardened skin, and even Wind Release-enhanced weapons might not deliver a fatal blow in one hit.
Unfortunately for him, Shūichi's Wind Release skills were rare even in the ninja world.
Not only did the Jonin fail to block the attack, but he also didn't even get the chance to counter.
In the darkness, Shūichi moved like a phantom, cutting down the Stone Ninjas one by one amidst their screams and cries of terror.
In no time, the entire Stone Ninja camp—both those under hypnosis and those awake—was slaughtered.
After collecting the corpses of three Jonin, Shūichi disappeared from the blood-soaked camp.
---
At the same time, the Sand Ninja sensed something was wrong and sent out their scouting hawks.
Soon, they arrived at the Stone Ninja camp, now littered with corpses, and exchanged confused glances.
After inspecting the scene, they found that all the deaths were caused by Wind Release techniques.
"It looks like reinforcements from the village!"
"It must be an elite Jonin squad!"
"What incredible Wind Release abilities!"
"Who could it be?"
The Sand Ninjas whispered among themselves.
The Sand Jonin discussed for a moment and concluded that reinforcements had been sent for a surprise attack.
This was good news for them—the overwhelming pressure they'd been under instantly lifted, and they even planned to launch a counterattack the next day.
---
Meanwhile, Shūichi's shadow clone returned to the hideout, where the other clone took over. Using a similar strategy, the second clone infiltrated another Stone Ninja camp, slaughtering all the ninjas and taking a few more bodies.
Although these were just two small battlefields, the impact was enormous.
A gap appeared in the Stone Ninja's defenses, causing them to struggle the next day. Eventually, their battle lines collapsed, and they were forced to retreat.
On the third day, Shūichi noticed that Rasa had appeared on the battlefield. He immediately became cautious and stopped making any moves, instead transforming into a crow or vulture to silently observe the battlefield and his old rival, Rasa.
This guy had undergone a significant transformation. He had abandoned the powerful Iron Sand technique of the Third Kazekage and was now using a much heavier Gold Dust technique.
But in the Land of Wind, gold dust was indeed more suitable, providing better concealment in the desert.
Rasa led the Sand Ninjas in a fierce counterattack, inflicting heavy losses on the Stone Ninjas, forcing them to retreat again and again.
"Heroes are truly born of turbulent times," Shūichi mused as he watched, silently impressed.
...
In the Village Hidden in the Leaves, at the research base.
While studying the Eight-Tails, Shūichi heard Tsunade's voice and turned to look.
Standing at the door, Tsunade said, "The ANBU are looking for you!"
Shūichi nodded, left a shadow clone to continue the work, and headed out of the research base, where Shinnosuke was already waiting outside.
"Here, this is your Jōnin application form, Shūichi. Take it home, fill it out, and give it back to me," Shinnosuke handed Shūichi a form.
Jōnin?
Shūichi took the form and asked, "Captain, my mission count is still far from enough, right?"
To be promoted to Jōnin, aside from sufficient combat ability, one also needed a significant number of missions completed.
Even counting the medical missions from Konoha Hospital, he thought he still didn't qualify.
Shinnosuke smiled and said, "That's why you should take on more missions in the coming days!"
Hmm?
Shūichi sensed something unusual.
Is this preparation for the war that might break out soon?
Building up young prodigies to boost morale?
At that moment, Shinnosuke pulled out a scroll and opened it. "These missions are more suited for someone like you, Shūichi."
Shūichi glanced at the scroll—it was filled with intelligence-gathering missions.
Targets: Iwa-nin, Suna-nin.
Shūichi almost suspected that the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had found out about his secret activities.
But after thinking it over, probably not.
Although Hiruzen had a bit of a voyeuristic tendency, it wouldn't go as far as spying on him while he slept.
These missions were likely assigned based on his abilities.
Stealth skills!
Understanding this, Shūichi nodded and said, "Got it!"
"By the way, should we intervene in the war between the Suna-nin and Iwa-nin?"
Shinnosuke was startled. "Intervene?"
"How?"
Shūichi smiled. "Of course, by intensifying the conflict, making them exhaust each other's strength."
"Even if they're bound to fight us in the future, it's better if their forces are as weakened as possible."
Hearing this, Shinnosuke was intrigued and said seriously, "I'll report this to Lord Third!"
Shūichi nodded and waved his hand as he turned to return to the research base.
Shinnosuke stood in thought for a moment before vanishing.
---
Hokage's Office.
After hearing his son's report, Sarutobi Hiruzen fell into deep thought. Moments later, he looked up and asked, "What do you think of this proposal?"
Shinnosuke replied honestly, "I completely agree with Shūichi's suggestion. While it carries some risk, the rewards far outweigh it."
"Based on the past Great Ninja War, it's only a matter of time before this war between the Suna-nin and Iwa-nin spills over to us."
"Weakening both sides now, regardless of whether the war eventually reaches the Land of Fire, would only be beneficial for us."
"This is an opportunity where the benefits outweigh the risks—it's entirely worth doing."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully.
Shinnosuke hesitated for a moment before adding with a wry smile, "Also, given Shūichi's personality, with his strong dislike for the Iwa-nin and Suna-nin, he might already be doing something about it."
Hiruzen was momentarily taken aback before feeling a headache coming on.
Minato is better—he's a genius, but at least he doesn't cause trouble.
Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and now Shūichi—all excellent, but none were easy to manage.
Though Shūichi completed his missions well, his unpredictable nature was a cause for concern!
At that moment, Chihiro emerged from the ground. "Lord Third Hokage, intelligence from the Land of Rivers: Kirigakure has launched an attack on the southeastern border of the Land of Wind!"
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. "They've made their move!"
Without further hesitation, he instructed Shinno, "Let Shūichi handle it!"
"Understood!"
Shinnosuke nodded and disappeared.
---
Later that afternoon, on his way home from the research base, Shūichi ran into Shinnosuke again, immediately understanding that his proposal had likely been approved.
After conveying the Third Hokage's decision, Shinnosuke reminded him, "Focus on gathering intelligence. Don't take unnecessary risks."
Shūichi smiled. "Don't worry, Captain. You know me—I'm very cautious."
Shinnosuke chuckled bitterly.
Cautious? Sure, but when things get crazy, no one could match him in recklessness!
"I'm counting on you to attend my wedding with Chihiro!"
"And when we have a kid, I'd like you to be their mentor!"
Shinnosuke couldn't help but admire him. "I don't think there's a better teacher of ninjutsu in all of Konoha than you."
Hearing this, Shūichi laughed. "Then it's settled!"
"But don't blame me when the time comes!"
With that, Shūichi disappeared.
Shinnosuke stood there scratching his head, wondering what exactly Shūichi meant by that last remark.
During dinner, Shūichi casually mentioned that he would be leaving the village for a mission.
However, he didn't reveal that he would be heading to a battlefield and reassured them that he'd be coming back frequently. As a result, Nono and Asuka didn't seem overly worried.
After dinner, he continued training with Asuka, focusing on understanding the power of the "Adamantine Sealing Chains" and exploring the secrets of this powerful sealing technique.
Meanwhile, Shūichi's shadow clone ventured out again under the cover of night. This time, he disguised himself as an Iwa-nin, using the chakra of the Four-Tails to eliminate a small Suna-nin squad that was transporting supplies to the rear.
Before dawn, Rasa, the commander at the front lines, received the report, his expression growing serious. "Has the Four-Tails Jinchūriki finally arrived? And he's not showing up on the front lines."
Ebizō remarked, "The Iwa-nin's tactics are indeed tricky. With the power of the Four-Tails Jinchūriki attacking our supply lines, it will be difficult for us to defend."
"There's no one here capable of dealing with him except you, Rasa, but you can't leave the front."
Rasa's unique "Gold Dust" ninjutsu gave him immense control over the desert terrain, which was key to forcing the Iwa-nin to retreat on the battlefield.
After thinking for a moment, Rasa said, "In that case, let's send the One-Tail Jinchūriki to the front as well."
"With the Kirigakure forces launching their own surprise attack, we can no longer divert any elite units to stop the Four-Tails Jinchūriki."
Ebizō nodded and immediately sent word via a ninja hawk.
At the same time, at the Iwa-nin front-line headquarters, upon receiving the news about the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Commander Kūkyo asked Kitsuchi, "Has the village sent Roshi?"
Kitsuchi shook his head. "If they had, he would have reported to you first, Commander."
"That guy..." Kitsuchi's expression darkened. "If it's not Roshi, then it's probably the one who impersonated him and killed the Third Kazekage with Sasori of the Red Sand!"
Commander Kūkyo's face grew grim. "If that's the case… Suna-nin will likely send the One-Tail Jinchūriki to the battlefield as well."
Kitsuchi's face changed at this thought.
Roshi could control the power of the tailed beast, but the One-Tail Jinchūriki of Sunagakure had never been known to control his beast.
If he were to go berserk at any moment, that would be terrifying.
Even if the chaos affected both enemies and allies, Suna-nin would suffer too—but the ones to suffer first would surely be them.
Kitsuchi sighed. "If that's the case, we'll have to fight a tailed beast with another tailed beast."
Commander Kūkyo immediately responded, "Then let's report this to Lord Third Tsuchikage!"
Kitsuchi nodded and quickly left to make the arrangements.
Both Suna-nin and Iwa-nin moved swiftly. By the time Shūichi's main body arrived at the battlefield the next day from Konoha, he could already sense Roshi's Four-Tails chakra.
"Nicely done!"
Retrieving the memories from his shadow clone, Shūichi felt pleased.
With this, the One-Tail Jinchūriki should have arrived as well.
"But…"
Shūichi glanced toward the Iwa-nin forces, thinking to himself, "The Iwa-nin must have realized they've been tricked, but there's nothing they can do."
"At a time like this, Suna-nin won't listen to reason. Any explanations will just seem like excuses."
After creating two more shadow clones, Shūichi's figure vanished once again.
He was heading to check out another of Suna-nin's battlefronts.
...
Kirigakure's assault on Sunagakure came via a landing at the bay, striking the southern part of the Land of Rivers and the southeastern coastal regions of the Land of Wind.
Compared to the unexpected attack from Iwa-nin, Sunagakure had been somewhat prepared for the attack from Kirigakure. Pakura of the Scorch Release hadn't appeared on the northern battlefield because she had been reassigned here to defend against Kirigakure after Iwa-nin's initial attack.
Of course, a more cynical interpretation would be that this reassignment was a way to suppress Pakura.
Rasa was considered the top candidate for the Fourth Kazekage by Sunagakure's leadership, and his performance certainly lived up to their expectations. However, Pakura, with her Scorch Release, was no slouch either. To safeguard the future of the village, the higher-ups had decided not to place Pakura on the same northern battlefield as Rasa, avoiding direct competition between the two.
But talent like hers couldn't be buried for long!
In the form of a crow, Shūichi circled above, his sharp eyes observing the battle between the Suna-nin and the Kiri-nin below.
To be precise, his attention was focused on Pakura of the Scorch Release.
While it's true that Water Style counters Fire Style, Scorch Release, infused with Wind Style, was incredibly versatile and far more difficult to handle than standard Fire Style techniques.
Suddenly, Shūichi saw Pakura's Scorch Release fireballs rapidly expand and spin, unleashing a terrifyingly hot windstorm that swept outward with a deafening explosion.
"This must be the Extremely Steaming Murder…"
"She didn't have this move when we fought a few years ago."
Shūichi silently observed. "It seems this technique consumes a lot of chakra…"
Below, numerous Kiri-nin were burned to ash, and both sides chose to withdraw after the intense battle.
"It looks like Pakura is destined to shine on the Kirigakure battlefield, and her brutal methods will leave the Kiri-nin with a deep hatred and fear of her."
Shūichi descended and perched on a branch, scanning the corpses below while contemplating the bigger picture: "The more intense the fighting gets, the greater the pressure on Sunagakure. Their desperation to end one conflict will only increase."
"Undoubtedly, the only option will be an alliance with Kirigakure."
"Due to the grudge over the Third Kazekage's death, Suna-nin can't ally with Iwa-nin, but with Kirigakure, they could form a mutually beneficial alliance… The Land of Rivers, and then the Land of Fire!"
"So, after forming an alliance with Kirigakure, Sunagakure will drive back Iwa-nin with their victory, and inevitably, they'll join Kirigakure in launching an attack on Konoha, starting from the Land of Rivers."
Shūichi mused over his role in the war, starting to feel like he was pulling the strings behind the scenes of the Third Great Ninja War.
"Am I going to become a major villain in the future?"
As he saw the Kiri-nin coming to collect the bodies, Shūichi immediately flapped his wings and flew off.
After setting up a temporary base a little farther from the battlefield, Shūichi left two shadow clones behind and then headed back to the Suna-Iwa battlefield.
He had to see if there was a chance to obtain some of the One-Tail's chakra.
As always, even if he intended to raise the stakes for Suna, Iwa, and Kirigakure, he wouldn't personally step onto the battlefield—he would leave it to his shadow clones.
And he avoided attacking the main battlefield directly—that would draw too much attention.
Unfortunately, when Shūichi returned to the Suna-Iwa battlefield, he discovered that both sides were exercising great restraint, not allowing their Jinchūriki to take the field.
"So cautious?"
"Looks like the pressure isn't enough yet!"
...
At night, when both sides called for a ceasefire, Shūichi sent out his shadow clone, once again transforming into Roshi. Using the Four-Tails' chakra to form a Tailed Beast Cloak and conceal his own chakra, he launched a direct assault on Sunagakure's medical camp in the rear.
However, due to Chiyo's presence, Shūichi didn't fight for long. He simply wreaked havoc on the camp before making a quick retreat, leaving the Suna-nin furious.
The death of three medical-nin hit Chiyo especially hard, filling her with grief and rage.
"Inform Rasa, he must contain the Four-Tails Jinchūriki of Iwa-nin!"
Chiyo gritted her teeth and barked the order.
"Yes, Lady Chiyo!"
A Suna-nin immediately took off, rushing to the front lines under cover of night.
"The real show is about to begin!"
The hawk circling above the confrontation between the Suna-nin and Iwa-nin had a gleam of amusement in its eyes.
Of course, this hawk was none other than Shūichi in disguise.
In reality, there were other birds in the area, so he didn't stand out.
Down below on the battlefield, neither the main forces of Sunagakure nor Iwagakure had moved. Only two figures stepped forward from the crowd.
The Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Roshi of Iwagakure!
And the One-Tail Jinchūriki, Bunpuku of Sunagakure!
This was Shūichi Hoshita's first time seeing the One-Tail's Jinchūriki, who turned out to be an old monk much older than Roshi.
Shūichi didn't know much about this Bunpuku monk, but he had a deep impression of his disciple, Hōichi, a monk renowned for his ability to control both the One-Tail and Seven-Tail Jinchūriki. Hōichi's expertise in sealing techniques was quite advanced.
As for the monk's teachings, it seemed highly likely that Bunpuku had passed them on.
"He possesses powerful sealing techniques and a considerable amount of chakra, which means Bunpuku can suppress the One-Tail."
"Now, I wonder if he has control over the Tailed Beast like Roshi… I guess I'll find out soon."
Shūichi watched with anticipation.
Down below, Bunpuku and Roshi came to a halt.
Roshi looked at the old monk and said, "Old monk, you should go back home and pray. This isn't a place for someone like you."
With his palms pressed together and a serene expression, Bunpuku calmly replied, "You weren't responsible for last night's attack, were you?"
"Please, depart from here. Neither village will gain anything from this war, and continuing it will only result in losses for both sides."
Roshi snorted. "Since you know it wasn't me, you have even less reason to be here."
"Old monk, I bet you still haven't mastered the power of the Tailed Beast, have you?"
"When the battle begins, you'll end up attacking everyone indiscriminately, and that's going to be a real disaster!"
Bunpuku sighed deeply, his gaze lowering in contemplation.
In the next moment, crimson chakra began to swirl around his body. Then, the massive form of the One-Tail Shukaku started to emerge, expanding rapidly as Bunpuku's body disappeared within.
"Finally free!"
A piercing shriek rang out as Shukaku bellowed with excitement, "At last, I'm out! I'm going to kill every single one of you!"
Roshi's expression darkened. "He actually released the One-Tail completely!"
Inside him, the Four-Tails spoke up. "In this state, you can't beat him. Why don't you let me handle this?"
Roshi grunted. "Don't underestimate me!"
The Four-Tails chuckled. "Last time, you got beaten pretty badly by a kid."
Roshi was furious. "That was because I was careless!"
…
On the other side, Shukaku didn't immediately focus on Roshi. Instead, he turned his gaze back toward the Suna-nin.
This sent a wave of fear through the ranks of Sunagakure's shinobi, and even Rasa's face turned grim. "Is Bunpuku unable to suppress it anymore?"
However, Shukaku then turned his head back and sneered. "Out of respect for the old monk, I'll let you off this time!"
"Four-Tails…"
Shukaku looked at Roshi and immediately launched into taunting mode. "You pathetic monkey, such a sad sight!"
"To think your power is being controlled by those wretched shinobi!"
"Hah! Let me help you out by getting rid of that guy so you can finally be free!"
Before he finished speaking, Shukaku raised his front paw and swiped it down toward Roshi.
Roshi clasped his hands together and instantly entered Lava Release Chakra Mode, his body covered in a molten lava armor. He unleashed a volley of massive lava balls from his mouth.
However, a sudden surge of sand shot up, intercepting the attack.
Boom!
Shukaku's massive paw struck a sand dune as Roshi narrowly evaded it with lightning-fast reflexes. In mid-air, he cast the Scorching Stream Rock Technique, hurling molten lava toward Shukaku.
But Shukaku was ready. Pressing his left paw against his belly, he unleashed a massive wind bullet from his mouth.
The lava balls couldn't withstand the powerful wind blast and were scattered instantly. The resulting combination of flames and wind created a terrifying firestorm, kicking up sand, igniting it, and sweeping across the battlefield, enveloping Roshi and the Iwa-nin behind him.
Though Roshi's lava armor protected him from the burning sand, the force of the windstorm caused him to lose control of his movements.
Meanwhile, the Iwa-nin quickly worked together to perform Earth Style, raising towering walls from the ground to block the incoming firestorm and sand.
On the other side, the Suna-nin were greatly encouraged.
"This is the power of a Tailed Beast! Truly terrifying!"
"Iwa's Four-Tails Jinchūriki doesn't stand a chance against him!"
"With this, we'll definitely drive the Iwa-nin out!"
...
The sandstorm passed, and Roshi slammed hard into the desert ground.
Immediately, the surrounding sand surged up, constantly covering him, even though the intense heat from his body kept melting it.
"If this keeps up, Shukaku will seal you!" The Four-Tails couldn't help but warn him.
Roshi's body was instantly enveloped in Tailed Beast chakra. Tails quickly materialized behind him as he entered his half-beast transformation state.
Boom!
The sand exploded as Roshi, now in his Four-Tails form, shot into the sky, his speed drastically increasing. He dodged the waves of sand lunging at him and charged directly at Shukaku.
Shukaku pressed his paw against his belly and spewed out a barrage of powerful wind bullets.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each wind bullet blasted massive craters into the desert, whipping up terrifying sandstorms that swept toward the Iwa-nin.
Seeing this, Rasa immediately issued an order: "The sealing squad and Jinchūriki guard stay behind; everyone else, attack with me!"
Taking advantage of the sandstorm enveloping the Iwa-nin, Rasa commanded his forces to split into two, flanking the Iwa-nin from both sides of the Tailed Beast battle.
Meanwhile, Roshi, with his enhanced speed and agility, managed to evade each wave of attacks and quickly closed the distance to Shukaku.
Suddenly, Shukaku opened his mouth, but this time, instead of wind bullets, he unleashed a barrage of high-speed sand pellets, shooting toward Roshi like bullets.
Wind Release: Sand Buckshot!
Such a dense attack—it would be impossible for Roshi to dodge them all, and even Shūichi, observing from the sky, doubted anyone could evade such a storm of projectiles.
Take the hit or go underground?
Shūichi pondered.
Below, Roshi made his choice. He burrowed into the sand, moving swiftly beneath the surface.
"Die!" Shukaku shrieked, sending waves of sand crashing forward, pressing down with immense force to crush everything beneath it.
Suddenly, stone pillars burst through the sand, spreading toward Shukaku. As they exploded, they blasted the sand waves apart.
Seeing this, Shūichi realized that Roshi had indeed grown stronger since their last battle. Back then, his arrogance had been his downfall.
But now, Roshi had clearly improved.
Roshi tunneled through the sand, emerging beneath Shukaku. In an instant, the sand collapsed, revealing a lake of molten lava.
However, Shukaku had already noticed and leapt into the air, turning mid-flight to fire another massive wind bullet from his mouth.
At the same time, Roshi, in his Four-Tails state, gathered a dark purple Tailed Beast Bomb and launched it.
The Tailed Beast Bomb, the ultimate move of the Tailed Beasts, was immensely powerful. It tore through Shukaku's three wind bullets and continued its relentless path toward him.
Shukaku quickly raised his left paw, transforming it into a shield of sand.
Boom!
The deafening explosion and blinding flash momentarily caused Shūichi to lose sight of the battlefield.
When his vision cleared, he saw Shukaku back on the ground.
Shukaku's left paw was gone, but there were no other injuries, indicating that he had successfully blocked the Tailed Beast Bomb.
"That defense is incredible!"
"And…"
Shūichi noticed that Shukaku's paw was rapidly regenerating.
A sand body!
Shūichi frowned inwardly. "It seems obtaining Shukaku's chakra by getting a piece of his flesh won't be possible. His body turns to sand the moment it's separated from him."
Troublesome!
Below, Shukaku let out a roar of frustration, then turned toward the Suna-nin and Iwa-nin on the battlefield, grinning wickedly. "I'll kill those guys first!"
With that, Shukaku began to charge toward the Suna-Iwa battlefield.
"Damn it!" Roshi cursed, immediately using all his speed to pursue Shukaku.
However, waves of sand kept surging toward him, obstructing his path.
"You idiot, you've fallen for that stinking tanuki's trap!" the Four-Tails warned. Roshi's eyes narrowed as he realized the sand around him was swirling, forming a terrifying sand vortex. The terrain was rising around him, trapping him.
Can Tailed Beasts be this cunning?
The Four-Tails is supposed to be so dumb!
As Roshi tried to break free, the Four-Tails heard his thoughts and roared in anger, "You arrogant fool! You humans are the stupid ones!"
"This time, you're done for!"
"That damn tanuki is definitely going to seal you!"
...
The Four-Tails was quite eager to watch Roshi meet his doom. After all, if Roshi died, the Four-Tails would reincarnate and regain his freedom.
However, the thought of losing to that foul-mouthed tanuki was just too humiliating!
"You idiot, use that technique to break out of this cage!" the Four-Tails urged.
Roshi, trapped by the sand, struggled but couldn't break free. Instead, he sank deeper and deeper as the sand outside thickened. Finally, he took the Four-Tails' advice and began gathering chakra for a Tailed Beast Bomb.
But just then, a wave of sand coiled around his neck, locking him in place.
Although his Lava Release melted the sand almost instantly, more sand continuously poured in, layer upon layer, pressing down until Roshi in his half-Tailed Beast form was completely buried.
"As expected of a stupid monkey!" Shukaku laughed. "You're done for!"
Shukaku turned around and pressed his claws into the ground, activating the curse marks on his body. The patterns spread and fused with the sand, forming layer upon layer of seals.
Up in the sky, Shūichi narrowed his eyes. "I forgot… those markings on Shukaku's body are actually curse seals, representing sealing power."
"Definitely worth studying!"
Since getting Shukaku's chakra wasn't an option for now, Shūichi focused on observing the intricate patterns of the seals.
However, just as Shukaku completed the sealing, something felt off. His eyes narrowed. "Is that dumb monkey finally coming out?"
In the next moment, the towering sand dunes sealing Roshi suddenly exploded, and terrifying molten lava erupted from beneath.
Following that, a massive ape crawled out!
The Four-Tails, Son Goku!
Shūichi couldn't help but think to himself, "The First Hokage was absolutely right—Tailed Beasts are too powerful and should definitely be sealed away."
Even without a Tailed Beast Bomb, Shukaku's wind-based attacks could easily annihilate an entire village.
Two creatures of such power could casually bring disaster to ordinary people.
It's no wonder Tailed Beasts are synonymous with calamity and evil.
At this moment, Shukaku's voice echoed from below, "Stupid monkey, you finally came out."
"You should thank me! Without me, you'd still be buried under that sand!"
"Why don't we team up? We could wipe out the Iwa-nin and then kill your Jinchūriki. That way, you'd be free."
The Four-Tails, Son Goku, growled, "You dumb tanuki! There's no way I'd lose to an idiot like you!"
Shukaku snickered, "Don't forget, this is my home turf!"
Despite his tough words, Son Goku knew Shukaku was right. The desert was indeed Shukaku's ideal battleground, and it was a major disadvantage for him.
"I need to end this quickly!"
With that thought, Son Goku charged toward Shukaku.
A new round of fierce combat began.
As Shūichi observed the two Tailed Beasts battling below, his attention returned to the curse marks on Shukaku's body. Unfortunately, he could only get a partial view of them.
Time passed slowly.
Shukaku clearly had the upper hand, but he couldn't land a decisive blow against Son Goku.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Iwa-nin had already chosen to retreat.
The earlier sandstorm had given Suna-nin the upper hand, and the desert terrain prevented the Iwa-nin from utilizing their specialty of reshaping the battlefield to their advantage.
As the Iwa-nin retreated, Son Goku also withdrew.
"What a pitiful monkey!" Shukaku sneered. "Being controlled by a bunch of ninja!"
Shukaku didn't pursue, lazily slumping down in the sand, his mouth as foul as ever.
Son Goku roared in anger as he retreated, shouting, "Stinking tanuki! You're no better off than me!"
With the Four-Tails present, the Suna-nin didn't give chase. Even after the Iwa-nin had retreated far away, they remained cautious and didn't dare approach Shukaku.
Rasa arrived at the sealing squad, giving them a serious look. "Be ready for my signal!"
The members of the Suna sealing squad all nodded. "Yes, Lord Rasa!"
Rasa, his face grim, watched Shukaku, prepared to act at any moment.
Meanwhile, Shukaku was lazily negotiating with Bunpuku, the monk who hosted his seal. "Hey, old monk, I drove the enemies away for you Suna-nin. Shouldn't you let me stay out a bit longer?"
Bunpuku, calm and gentle, replied, "Whether inside or outside, it's the same for you. What I sense, you can sense as well."
Shukaku grumbled, dissatisfied. "Hey, you're no fun!"
"Besides, with me here, that stupid monkey won't dare come back."
Bunpuku simply smiled in silence, but his actions spoke for themselves.
Shukaku felt a powerful force pulling him back into the seal and roared angrily, "Damn it! This seal came from me, and you're better at using it than I am! How annoying!"
Bunpuku smiled and said, "If you dedicated yourself to training like I do, you'd definitely do better than me!"
With that, Shukaku disappeared.
Once back inside the seal, Shukaku lazily flopped down, snorting. "Even if you train hard, in a few years you'll die, and I'll still be here! You humans better not think too highly of yourselves."
...
Seeing that Shukaku was sealed again, Rasa breathed a long sigh of relief. He then noticed a lone eagle flying away in the sky and muttered to himself, "A Konoha ninja beast, huh?"
Up in the air, Shūichi smirked as he flew away. "Looks like they noticed me."
It would've been strange if they hadn't.
When the Tailed Beasts appeared, all the other birds fled in fear, leaving only his lone eagle circling overhead—it was clearly suspicious.
However, from that distance, they shouldn't have been able to identify his true identity.
Once he was far enough from the battlefield, there was a puff of smoke, and the eagle disappeared.
In a more distant location, Shūichi, seated cross-legged on a weathered rock pillar, received his clone's memories and thought to himself, "On the battlefield, both Suna and Iwa keep a close watch on their Jinchūriki. It's too difficult to make a move."
"But the curse marks on Shukaku were an unexpected bonus. They're definitely worth studying."