Chapter 153: Extracting the One-Tail! [Bonus Chapter]

The endurance of the Sunagakure was far more astonishing than both Shūichi and Orochimaru had anticipated.

May and June passed in the blink of an eye.

On the side of the Land of Rivers, the standoff between Konoha and the Sunagakure persisted, with both sides engaging in small skirmishes.

The only notable disturbance was Shukaku's eagerness to fight—every two days, it would challenge Shūichi to a battle.

Although neither could gain the upper hand, Shūichi was more than happy to take the opportunity to observe Shukaku. Occasionally, he'd even siphon some of its chakra to replenish his own research needs.

If it weren't for the fact that he hadn't yet perfected the Fire Nether Chains sealing technique, Shūichi would have likely already attempted to split off a piece of the One-Tail.

...

Meanwhile, the war between Konoha and the Kirigakure was still raging intensely. The annihilation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had caused another massive upheaval in the Kirigakure.

Without this deadly spearhead, the Mist found itself gradually pushed back on the battlefield of the Land of Fire, where they held no geographical advantage.

Still, one had to admit that the Kirigakure was as tenacious as it was crazed.

Take, for example, the Kaguya clan.

Orochimaru had once told Shūichi while passing on information that the Kaguya clan was full of war fanatics, bound to face extinction sooner or later.

In the past two months, the Sunagakure had launched two large-scale offensives against the Iwagakure.

Both failed.

Afterward, Shūichi noticed that both the Suna and Iwa had fallen into an eerie silence.

It appeared they were conserving strength for an impending decisive battle, but Shūichi had a gut feeling that the Fourth Kazekage and the Third Tsuchikage were planning something more sinister.

On the night of July 18th, Year 45 of Konoha…

Shūichi, who was resting in the medical camp, suddenly opened his eyes and immediately appeared inside Orochimaru's tent.

"It seems the Sunagakure is making a move?" Orochimaru, noticing the drenched Shūichi, asked with a serious expression.

Shūichi nodded gravely, "A group of elite Sand ninjas is rapidly advancing from the north to the east, numbering around 800."

"This movement won't escape the notice of the Iwagakure. It's clearly intentional."

Orochimaru nodded, "The Iwagakure needs the Sunagakure to further stretch our forces."

"It seems the Iwagakure is about to act as well."

Shūichi added, "If the Iwagakure makes a move, the Kumogakure won't be far behind."

Orochimaru smiled, "Shūichi, no need to overthink it. Let's first focus on defeating the Sunagakure!"

Shūichi nodded and, without hesitation, unlocked the Yin Seal on his forehead, releasing a surge of chakra.

Boom!

An identical shadow clone appeared.

Orochimaru said, "I'll leave things here to you for now."

"Lady Koharu should arrive by tomorrow at the latest."

Shūichi nodded.

It was indeed a bit challenging for him to command an army of a thousand.

This wasn't as simple as waving a hand and sending everyone charging forward.

After Orochimaru left with the shadow clone, Shūichi immediately sent a clone to inform Koharu and ordered Uchiha Shisui to gather the available Konoha jōnin under Orochimaru's command.

Half an hour later, six jōnin without pressing duties arrived.

Seeing Shūichi seated in Orochimaru's place startled them.

Without giving them a chance to question him, Shūichi said directly, "A portion of the Sunagakure forces, who were battling the Iwagakure, are now heading straight for the Fire Country's border. Lord Orochimaru left immediately to confront them."

"I've already sent a shadow clone for Lady Koharu, who will arrive by tomorrow."

"For tonight and tomorrow, until Lady Koharu arrives, please continue following Orochimaru's arrangements, but remain on high alert."

Hearing this, the jōnin were startled. Sarutobi Shinichi was the first to speak, "Shūichi, don't worry, we will not let anything go wrong."

Following him, the jōnin from the Nara and Yamanaka clans, who were close to Shūichi, also voiced their agreement.

Only Shimura Feiyan remained silent. Though he was dissatisfied with Shūichi taking charge, he nodded reluctantly in this situation.

Shūichi, satisfied, nodded back, "Very well. In that case, everyone, return to your posts."

Sarutobi Shinichi and the others nodded, then took their leave.

Once they were gone, Uchiha Shisui entered and asked, "Shūichi, do you think the Sunagakure will launch a large-scale attack tonight?"

Shūichi shook his head, "If we don't act, it's unlikely they will."

"But we still need to be prepared for anything."

Shisui nodded, then said, "In that case, I'll head to the frontlines."

Shūichi nodded, "Let's go together!"

"The Sunagakure will probably try to probe if I'm really here."

The two headed to the frontlines, where the presence of Shūichi's real body instantly boosted the morale of the Konoha ninjas on guard.

Feeling the shift in atmosphere, Shisui couldn't help but think to himself, "Shūichi has already become the heart of the Konoha ninjas."

As his friend and teammate, Shisui felt proud of this.

Meanwhile, on the other side, in the Land of Wind, a Sand ninja responsible for sensory duties opened his eyes behind a rock pillar.

"Another surge of Shūichi's chakra—this one is likely his real body."

Another Sand ninja immediately said, "I'll report to Lady Chiyo right away."

It was difficult to discern shadow clones from the real body, even for those with chakra sensing abilities.

And Shūichi was particularly hard to identify.

Chiyo soon received the report and said, "We'll need the One-Tail to test if it's really his body."

She turned to Bunpuku and said, "I'm afraid we'll need your help."

"Every now and then, provoke him and start a battle to ensure Shūichi's real body stays here. We can't let his true form appear near the Fire Country's border."

Chiyo knew full well that the Sunagakure's movements were being monitored by Konoha.

That flying ninja beast of theirs was too powerful.

Therefore, she had to ensure Shūichi's real body remained on this front.

As for his clones, there was nothing they could do about those.

But the distance posed a challenge for chakra transmission to clones, which meant she could minimize their impact.

Bunpuku nodded in agreement, and Shukaku, eager to play in the sand, was more than happy to have another go at teaching Shūichi a lesson.

...

One hour had passed since Orochimaru left.

Suddenly, Shūichi, who was resting on the frontlines, opened his eyes. "The One-Tail is coming!"

His shadow clone had sent back the memory.

Without hesitation, he leapt into the air, his figure disappearing into the night. Beside him, Uchiha Shisui also stood up and whistled.

In an instant, numerous Konoha ninjas hidden within the forest appeared.

Sarutobi Shinichi approached Uchiha Shisui. "Shisui, are the Sand ninjas attacking?"

Shisui shook his head. "No, the One-Tail is here."

"They're probably trying to confirm whether Shūichi's real body is still around."

Sarutobi Shinichi frowned at this. "The forces at the Fire Country border are insufficient. At the speed of the Sand ninjas, they could reach it before reinforcements."

As they spoke, Shukaku's distinctive howl echoed from the distance: "Hahaha, brat! This time, I'm going to teach you a lesson!"

One by one, the Konoha ninjas leapt into the trees, looking toward the source of the voice.

Shukaku's enormous figure was clearly visible, even in the darkness of the night. The moonlight was bright enough to make the sight even more pronounced.

Sarutobi Shinichi and the others also saw Shūichi floating in the air, already clad in his signature blue chakra cloak.

"Konoha's Blue Flash—it's a fitting title!" Sarutobi Shinichi exclaimed in admiration.

This nickname hadn't come from the Konoha ninjas; it was a title earned from the respect of their enemies.

For Sarutobi Shinichi and the others, this was one of the greatest honors a ninja could receive!

...

In the air, Shūichi looked down at the roaring Shukaku and said calmly, "Shukaku, you've been saying the same thing for months now."

"Honestly, if it weren't for Monk Bunpuku, I would've sealed you long ago."

He still held some respect for the elderly Bunpuku.

On Shukaku's head, Bunpuku saw right through Shūichi's provocation. "Shukaku, he's trying to goad you."

"Hmph! Does he think I can't tell?" Shukaku scoffed.

This pesky brat was underestimating him!

Raising his massive paw, Shukaku pointed at Shūichi from a distance and roared, "Bunpuku, let's take him down together!"

Before the words even finished, sand erupted from the ground, swirling like a dragon toward Shūichi in the air.

"It seems you've made some progress recently," Shūichi remarked as he watched the sand dragon approach. In an instant, blue lotus flowers bloomed behind him, and with a flash, he drew his sword, slicing through the sand dragon with a blue blade of chakra.

Boom, boom, boom! 

Below him, more sand surged upward, trying to ensnare him.

But Shūichi moved through the air like a butterfly, weaving in and out with agility, making it impossible for Shukaku to catch him.

"Damn it!" Shukaku growled in frustration. He opened his mouth wide and fired several wind bullets.

Shūichi effortlessly dodged them, then a Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken appeared in his left hand, the sharp screeching sound filling the air as he hurled it toward Shukaku.

However, Shukaku merged several streams of sand into a massive barrier, blocking the shuriken.

The intense glow lit up the night sky as a sandstorm erupted.

Suddenly, Shūichi ascended higher and darted behind Shukaku, where twin flames formed into a fiery dragon on his shoulders. They lunged forward like giant scissors, aimed to slice at Shukaku.

Shukaku leaped into the air, spinning as he shot two more wind bullets before swinging his left claw, forming a massive wave of sand bullets.

At the same time, Bunpuku clasped his hands together atop Shukaku's head.

"Sand Scatter Shot!"

This time, the jinchūriki and Shukaku worked together to execute the technique.

Shūichi dodged the wind bullets and landed on the ground. In front of him, a thick wall erupted from the earth, adorned with intricate lotus carvings.

"Earth Release: Lotus Earth Flow Wall!"

Kakashi carved dogs, but Shūichi carved lotus flowers.

As the wall blocked the sand scatter shot, a Quagmire Swamp formed beneath Shukaku.

As soon as Shukaku landed, the swamp began to envelop him.

"Such a trivial technique won't stop me!" Shukaku sneered before his expression twisted into a grin. "Got you, brat!"

A surge of sand had grabbed hold of Shūichi's ankle and quickly climbed up, wrapping around him like ropes. Within moments, Shūichi's entire body was encased in sand.

"Hahaha! Now, get buried!"

Shukaku laughed maniacally as wave upon wave of sand crashed down, layer after layer, sealing the mass with sealing tags.

But Bunpuku frowned and warned, "Be careful—that's not his real body. He's behind you!"

Sensing the danger, Shukaku immediately tried to turn around, but he was still trapped in the swamp. He couldn't move fast enough.

Behind him, Shūichi, who had used his hair as a substitution clone, had already raised a Lava Release: Rasenshuriken in his hand, ready to strike.

Direct hit!

The Rasenshuriken spun furiously, enveloping Shukaku's massive body in molten lava.

"Damn it! I swear I'll destroy you!" Shukaku roared in agony.

From the rear, Chiyo's eyes narrowed as she watched. "So, he really has mastered Lava Release—without any of the Four-Tails' chakra."

"This guy…"

For a moment, Chiyo couldn't be sure. Was the Lava Release used in the scene of the Third Kazekage's disappearance and death caused by Shūichi, or by the power of the Four-Tails?

Even if Shūichi had gained the Four-Tails' power, could he have mastered Lava Release so quickly?

...

The melted sand fell away, revealing a smaller version of Shukaku.

Shūichi had already closed in, and chains shot out from his back, binding Shukaku tightly. One of the chains even pierced into Shukaku's body.

"Damn it…"

Just as Shukaku was about to turn around and Bunpuku was preparing to counter with a sealing technique, both of them suddenly froze. Their consciousnesses were pulled into a mental realm, and they found themselves inside the village of Konoha.

Demonic Realm – Palace of Memories!

"This is Konoha Village?"

"It's an illusion, Shukaku! Break the illusion quickly!" Bunpuku warned.

Shukaku, however, looked around in confusion. "This isn't like that Uchiha brat's illusion. How do I break this?"

From atop Shukaku's head, Bunpuku examined the seemingly real Konoha Village and said, "Chakra! Eliminate everyone who possesses chakra!"

Shukaku grinned broadly. "Excellent!"

"This method is right up my alley!"

"Then I'll destroy this Konoha Village!" Shukaku's eyes locked onto the Hokage Rock.

At that moment, figures leapt toward them from all directions—Konoha ninjas.

…

Outside the illusion, the Fire Nether Chains that bound Shukaku continued to burrow into his body.

This was the first time Shūichi had used Demonic Realm – Palace Memories on Shukaku and Bunpuku.

Earlier, he hadn't directly teleported to Shukaku using the Flying Thunder God technique because it would've been far too dangerous to appear right on top of him.

Instead, Shūichi had deliberately used the Lava Release: Rasenshuriken to weaken Shukaku's strength, knowing full well it wouldn't be enough to finish him off in one strike.

Compared to the past, Shūichi had indeed improved.

He was now able to completely suppress both Shukaku and Bunpuku by himself.

And now came the final step—extracting Shukaku from Bunpuku's body!

Shūichi clasped his hands together and pulled with all his might, using the Fire Nether Chains to drag Shukaku toward himself.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Chiyo saw that Shukaku and Bunpuku had been restrained and immediately led her forces into battle.

On the other side, Uchiha Shisui and his comrades also charged forward.

Within the illusion, both Shukaku and Bunpuku could feel their physical bodies being disturbed.

"That brat… He's actually trying to pull me out of your body!" Shukaku roared. "Old monk, you better figure out where that kid's real body is, or you're dead meat!"

Shukaku shouted as he effortlessly slaughtered Konoha ninjas one by one.

By now, Konoha Village lay in complete ruins—the Hokage Rock had even collapsed!

Bunpuku, with his hands clasped together, remained silent as he searched thoroughly, trying to locate the target.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. "I found him!"

(End of Chapter)

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