Chapter 11: Do You Think You’ve Got Me?

Chapter 11: Do You Think You've Got Me?

The Cloud Anbu's curiosity only deepened as he watched Tonari's defensive movements.

Even after taking a solid kick, the boy's reaction wasn't what he expected. While it was clear that the initial hit had stunned him, Tonari quickly curled into a protective position as he flew through the air, reducing the impact of subsequent collisions.

It was unsettling. A regular child shouldn't be able to react this way, let alone track the faint traces of an elite ninja's movements.

Planting his feet firmly on the ground, the Cloud Anbu surged forward at full speed, easily catching up with Tonari mid-flight.

He followed alongside the boy's tumbling form, his short blade flashing. Each precise cut left shallow wounds across Tonari's body, but none were aimed to kill.

Thud!

After dozens of rapid strikes, the Anbu caught Tonari by the collar, halting his flight. He dangled the boy in the air like a rag doll, his cold eyes peering through the mask.

No matter how impressive his reactions were, Tonari was still just a chakra-less child—a weakling.

Tonari's body was covered in blood, his head drooping limply as he hung in the Anbu's grasp. His appearance was utterly pitiful, yet the Cloud Ninja felt no sympathy. Instead, the corners of his mouth curled beneath the mask.

He's nothing special after all.

---

"Little guy, you don't look so good right now, do you?"

Tonari's consciousness flickered, and he found himself back in the familiar, oppressive space of the Two-Tails' seal.

Even here, his battered and bloodied appearance mirrored his external state.

The Two-Tails lay behind the cage's bars, watching him with an expression of mockery and amusement.

"Aw, Big Beauty, are you worried about me?" Tonari muttered weakly, his voice barely audible. Just speaking those words seemed to drain all his energy.

"..."

The Two-Tails froze, its amused expression faltering.

It hadn't expected this beaten-down boy to have enough energy to make jokes.

But it quickly set aside its surprise, focusing on the matter at hand. There were more important things to discuss.

"Now, do you want my power or not?

"With my strength, you can shred that weakling outside to pieces!

"Take my power, and you could become one of the strongest in this world. I can feel it—you crave strength. You long for it!"

Its voice was thick with temptation, eyes gleaming as it gazed at the exhausted boy.

Tonari remained seated, his head lowered, saying nothing.

The Two-Tails didn't press him, simply smiling and waiting for his answer.

This is it.

The beast was confident it had won. Over the past days, Tonari had frequently entered this space, ostensibly to understand the Two-Tails better. But the Two-Tails knew it worked both ways—it had also been studying him.

The boy's personality was clear. Everything he did was driven by a desire to survive.

At a critical moment like this, there was no way someone as fearful as Tonari would refuse.

The oppressive silence stretched on, broken only by their heavy breathing.

Tonari's labored breaths were a result of his exhaustion, while the Two-Tails' came from barely-contained excitement.

Freedom was so close. Just one step away!

It was certain that once it broke free from the seal, it could seize control of Tonari's body entirely.

"Fine…" Tonari finally muttered, his voice weak but clear.

The Two-Tails grinned in triumph.

"Since that's the case… we can die together," Tonari finished with a smirk before collapsing backward, lying flat on the ground as if he had given up entirely.

What?!

The Two-Tails' mismatched eyes widened in disbelief.

While it didn't understand the meaning of "die together," it could tell the situation had taken a strange turn.

"W-what are you doing?" it asked, its voice laced with unease.

Tonari slowly sat up, brushing his bloodied hair away from his face. Despite his battered state, there was a glint of defiance in his eyes.

"Let's be honest. I'm up against a ninja. Me? A malnourished kid? I have no chance. I'm already covered in wounds, practically served up on a platter. What can I do? Nothing!"

"..."

The Two-Tails said nothing, sensing that Tonari wasn't finished.

"But even if I used your power, the result would be the same. Either I become your puppet, or I die trying to resist. What's the point? If I'm going to die, I might as well take the easy way out. Fighting back is too much effort. And besides… that guy outside seems like the type who'd enjoy it if I struggled. Freaking masochist vibes all over him."

The Two-Tails' confident grin faded.

Tonari, seeing its reaction, pressed on.

"You've thought about what happens to me, but have you considered what happens to you?

"Sure, I might not die right away. Maybe they'll torture me, extract my memories, whatever. But what about you?

"You're the Two-Tails, a prized weapon of the Cloud Village. If they capture me, they'll seal you up again. Best case? You get a new host and an even stronger seal. Worst case? You get wiped off the map for years.

"And I heard from the old man who sealed you in me that you hate being erased from this world, even temporarily. Am I wrong?"

"..."

The Two-Tails fell silent.

Tonari leaned forward, his expression serious. "So tell me, do you really think my situation has nothing to do with you?

"If I suffer, you suffer. There's no escaping that."

The Two-Tails stared at him, its previous excitement now tempered with cold calculation.

"And what do you propose?" it finally asked, its voice icy and measured.

Tonari smirked. "You help me survive this, and we'll figure out the rest later. But you don't take over. I'm not giving up my freedom to save both our hides. We're in this together, whether you like it or not."

---

(End of Chapter)