Chapter 155: One-Tail, Successfully Captured!

Inside the tent, Sarutobi Shinichi and the others listened to Koharu Utatane's report, all wearing grave expressions.

The fact that the Sand ninja were retreating from the north clearly meant they weren't returning to Sunagakure. The most likely scenario was that they were heading in their direction.

"Lady Koharu, can we request reinforcements from the village?" a Jōnin asked.

Koharu shook her head, "There's no time."

"If the Sand ninja are coming straight from the north, we won't be able to wait for reinforcements from the village."

Shimura Feiyan spoke up, "Shūichi's skills are exceptional. Perhaps he could intercept the Sand ninja forces on their way south, just like he did with the Mist ninja."

Koharu glanced at Shimura Feiyan, "Shūichi is strong, but even he has limits."

"If he leaves, who will handle the One-Tail?"

Shimura Feiyan immediately responded, "Shūichi has a vast amount of chakra. Even though his clones aren't as powerful as his real self, they could at least keep the One-Tail occupied for a while, right?"

"If we retreat first, we wouldn't be a burden to Shūichi."

Sarutobi Shinichi's face changed, "You want Shūichi to stay behind and cover our retreat by himself?"

"That's impossible!"

"Shūichi's chakra reserves may be large, but they're not infinite."

"Handling Shukaku, covering the rear, and attacking the Sand ninja reinforcements? He'd exhaust himself!"

The other Jōnin all looked at Shimura Feiyan with displeased expressions.

Shimura Feiyan quickly defended himself, "We wouldn't even be able to get close in a fight against a tailed beast. To him, we're actually a burden."

Koharu frowned and cut him off, "Enough."

"I've already decided—retreat!"

"We'll head to Kikyo Castle to regroup with Orochimaru."

Koharu then turned to Uchiha Shisui, who was representing Shūichi. "Shisui, go inform Shūichi that he only needs to stall the One-Tail."

"Once we've retreated a safe distance, he should immediately fall back and join us."

Uchiha Shisui sighed in relief and quickly nodded, "Understood, Lady Koharu!"

He promptly turned and left.

Under a large tree at the border, Shūichi listened to Shisui's report and couldn't help but smile.

"They've chosen their path to destruction!"

He sent a shadow clone, transformed into an eagle, soaring into the sky, and then said, "Though we're from the same village and call each other 'comrades,' not everyone is worthy of that trust."

"The most important thing is to understand your own abilities, and when it comes to taking action, it's crucial to understand others."

"The greatest danger isn't a powerful opponent, but the 'comrades' who drag you down!"

There's nothing more dangerous than incompetent teammates, no matter how capable the enemies are.

Shūichi chuckled.

Uchiha Shisui agreed wholeheartedly but still tried to offer reassurance. "Shūichi, Lady Koharu and the other Jōnin are on your side."

Shūichi didn't seem convinced, smiling, "Shisui, you should retreat with them."

Shisui quickly protested, "I should stay behind to support you!"

Shūichi shook his head, "No need. I can retreat faster using the Flying Thunder God."

"Besides, I'm not planning to fight Shukaku or even the Fourth Kazekage head-on."

He smiled mischievously, "I intend to use a more peaceful and harmonious approach to ensure the Kazekage doesn't participate in this war."

Shisui was puzzled, "Wait... You're planning to negotiate?"

"But that's something only Lord Hokage can authorize, right?"

When he thought of peace, negotiation was the only thing that came to mind.

Shūichi turned to Shisui, still smiling, "You can't achieve peace with just words. It's been that way since old times."

"Without sufficient strength to back you up, no one will listen to your soft-spoken reasoning."

"If your fists aren't strong enough, your argument will be weak too."

He drew his Totsuka Blade. "The truth is always found at the edge of a blade!"

"Shisui, the First Hokage was able to end the Warring States period because he had enough power to make the other villages sit down and negotiate."

"Because he was strong enough, he was able to capture all the tailed beasts and distribute them to maintain the balance of power in the ninja world."

"So, Shisui, keep working hard!"

"Our current strength is still far from enough."

Uchiha Shisui nodded solemnly, "I understand…"

He started to walk away but turned back with a smile, "Shūichi, I can feel my Dōjutsu power growing. I promise I won't hold you back."

With that, Shisui disappeared.

Shūichi was momentarily stunned.

"Dōjutsu power is growing?"

Could it be…

Shūichi hesitated for a moment. "Is he about to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan?"

Honestly, he wasn't well-versed in the specifics of the Sharingan.

Most of his understanding came from a "God's-eye perspective" (AKA Watching Anime or Reading Manga Xd) and his own knowledge of chakra fundamentals.

Bloodline limits often stemmed from the fusion of two different chakra natures.

So, what chakra nature fusion creates the Sharingan?

Based on what he knew, Shūichi believed it to be a combination of Yin Release and Yang Release.

And Yin Release likely played the dominant role!

For example, Scorch Release is primarily Fire Release, with Wind Release as a secondary.

Lava Release is mainly Fire Release, with Earth Release as the secondary.

This primary and secondary distinction isn't about chakra ratios but about the dominant chakra nature displayed.

The Sharingan, while known for its genjutsu, also enhances physical abilities, especially at the Mangekyō level, where its powers vary greatly.

So, the only reasonable explanation is Yin Release combined with Yang Release!

And since Yin Release is the main component, the activation and enhancement of the Sharingan's tomoe levels are closely tied to one's mental state.

Strong emotional stimulation triggers chakra changes, causing a transformation in the optic nerves and eyes.

Shūichi had met several members of the Uchiha clan, including those with three tomoe. Most of them, especially the three-tomoe users, had chakra that felt cold and dark.

There were only two exceptions he knew of.

One was Uchiha Shisui, and the other was Uchiha Yu, whom he had met before.

Shisui's chakra gave Shūichi a warm, radiant feeling—very comfortable.

Yu's chakra was similar to Shisui's but more intense, with an undercurrent of obsession.

"Mental changes... don't necessarily stem from negative emotions. The Uchiha typically awaken their eyes through negative stimuli because positive emotions likely don't reach the threshold required for activation—or for the Mangekyō's awakening."

"After all, loss tends to leave a deeper impact."

"But this still needs further observation, especially in Shisui's case... maybe I can do some research."

Clearing his thoughts, Shūichi turned his gaze toward the Land of Wind, silently waiting.

An hour later, the Konoha ninjas finished packing and began their orderly retreat.

Chiyo quickly received word and immediately understood, "It seems the Fourth Kazekage has already led the troops south."

"Lady Chiyo, should we pursue?" a Sand Jōnin asked.

Chiyo didn't answer right away and instead asked the sensory ninja, "Where is Shūichi Hoshita?"

The sensory ninja quickly replied, "Lady Chiyo, he's still near the border. It seems like he's preparing to cover the retreat by himself."

Chiyo frowned at this.

One of the Sand Jōnin remarked, "Even if he's strong, it's not realistic for him to cover the retreat alone, right?"

"Could Konoha be pretending to retreat?"

After a brief moment of contemplation, Chiyo decided to pursue them.

In fact, she had no choice but to chase them down.

If the Konoha ninjas here regrouped with those at Kikyo Mountain, Ebizō's position would be in jeopardy.

The order was given, and the Sand ninja quickly packed up and moved out.

...

Beneath the tree on the border, Shūichi stood tall, observing the massive form of Shukaku in the distance, with Chiyo still atop its head.

On both sides, Sand Shinobi split into two groups, heading towards the Land of Rivers. Shūichi paid no attention to the ordinary Sand Shinobi, as he did not possess the resolve of the Third Raikage, who once single-handedly blocked ten thousand Iwa Shinobi.

Soon, the Sand Shinobi crossed the border.

Shūichi glanced at them, and then a Fire Style clone appeared beside him.

In the next moment, the Fire Style clone vanished and reappeared above Shukaku's head.

Both Chiyo and Shukaku, along with Bunpuku, were already familiar with this technique and had prepared for it.

However, this time, Shūichi's intent was entirely different from previous encounters.

The Fire Style clone above Shukaku's head transformed into a fire lotus and exploded.

A wave of scorching heat spread out, with vacuum blades of fire petals scattering in all directions.

This unexpected attack caught them off guard, as Shūichi had never used this move in his previous battles with Shukaku.

Seizing the moment of distraction caused by the exploding Fire Style clone, Shūichi appeared behind Shukaku.

Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!

The sand beneath Shukaku, and even under Shūichi himself, turned into a swamp.

Then, a fire lotus bloomed beneath his feet. Suspended above the swamp, Shūichi instantly activated the Yin Seal on his forehead, abdomen, and chest. Simultaneously, his Bijuu Sealing Mark also activated, and the lotus patterns on his chakra cloak were dyed purple.

The flames flickering on his body took on a faint purple hue.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three shadow clones appeared beside him.

Whoosh!

Fire Nether Chains roared through the air. Two shadow clones moved simultaneously—one binding Shukaku's limbs, tail, and head with chains, and the other piercing Shukaku's body.

The third shadow clone stood guard nearby.

At that moment, Chiyo sent her puppets charging towards him.

Earlier, Shukaku had used sand to block the explosion, so the Fire Style clone's self-destruction hadn't harmed her.

With a cold snort, Shūichi threw a Binding Jutsu at her. Chiyo's body stiffened, and she, along with her uncontrolled puppets, fell from Shukaku's back. The nearby shadow clone quickly entangled her with a Fire Nether Chain.

Just then, Bunpuku activated a sealing technique, but Shūichi used Spirit Transformation Jutsu in response.

His spirit left his body and entered Shukaku.

Demonic Realm: Palace of Memories!

In an instant, both Shukaku's and Bunpuku's consciousnesses were pulled into the illusion.

Bunpuku furrowed his brow. "Shukaku, this illusion is different from the previous ones..."

Shukaku also looked serious. "It's stronger than before!"

"This guy... huh?"

He turned his head and saw a blue flame streaking towards them like a shooting star.

"This guy isn't dodging?"

Shukaku stared at Shūichi, who had stopped in place.

Hovering in the air, Shūichi gazed down at Shukaku and Bunpuku, smiling. "You two should be able to feel it, right?"

"This time, I'm giving it my all. So, you better put in your best effort as well."

"Otherwise..." His smile faded as he said seriously, "Monk Bunpuku, you will die."

"And Shukaku, you will become my captive!"

Shukaku immediately reacted, lifting his paw and firing a barrage of sand bullets in all directions.

"Shukaku, I've told you, none of your attacks will work on me."

Shūichi chuckled. "The game begins now!"

With that, he disappeared, leaving Shukaku's attacks to hit nothing but air.

Meanwhile, outside the illusion, Shūichi's shadow clones continued pulling Shukaku's power out.

Previously, Shūichi had handled this personally.

However, the spirit-based Demonic Realm: Palace of Memories wasn't enough to trap Shukaku and Bunpuku for long, so this time, Shūichi altered his strategy and unleashed his full strength.

One shadow clone restrained Shukaku, another was responsible for drawing out Shukaku's power, while the third guarded the area.

Shūichi's true body, using the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, engaged Shukaku and Bunpuku directly within the illusion.

This allowed him to maintain control over them for a longer period, but it was also extremely dangerous, as his real body had no protection during the process.

The previous master of the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, Kato Dan, had died after his spirit left his body and his defenseless body was attacked by enemies.

Therefore, Shūichi had taken all necessary precautions, unleashing his full power and leaving strong shadow clones to protect his real body.

Moreover, with the other Sand Shinobi off pursuing the retreating Konoha forces, there was no interference for now.

However, just as Shūichi's clones were gradually pulling Shukaku's power out, a head popped up from a distant rock pillar.

"It's over! This is the end for Shukaku!"

White Zetsu wailed, "This blue flash of Konoha is truly impressive! He actually came up with a method like this to deal with Shukaku. Amazing!"

"But too bad Madara doesn't care about the intel I gather!"

White Zetsu muttered to himself, laughing, "Still, if Shukaku gets captured, maybe Madara will finally take an interest?"

"After all, anyone capable of capturing a Tailed Beast is a force to be reckoned with—and this guy's so young, too."

"Speaking of which, at this age, Madara wasn't as strong as this kid, was he?"

"Ha, I better not mention that to Madara, though. If he gets mad, he's scary enough to melt me down and remake me!"

...

Shūichi, deeply focused on his task, didn't notice that someone was spying on him.

Five minutes later, half of Shukaku had already been pulled out.

Inside the illusion, Shukaku grew more and more frantic, rampaging through the mock version of Konoha. Unfortunately for him, this illusion space was far more stable than any before.

As half of Shukaku's power was extracted, the process began accelerating.

Three minutes later, Shukaku let out a furious, unwilling roar inside the illusion: "Damn brat, one day I'll make sure you pay for this…"

Before he could finish his threat, Shukaku's form vanished like a dream dissipating, leaving only Bunpuku standing alone.

Unlike Shukaku's rage, Bunpuku remained calm. Looking at Shūichi, he spoke serenely, "I didn't expect this day to come so soon."

"You are truly remarkable, young friend."

"But from now on, please treat Shukaku kindly."

"Though he possesses great, destructive power, he's not evil by nature."

Shūichi looked at the peaceful Bunpuku and nodded. "Don't worry, senpai. I'll make sure to train him well."

Bunpuku chuckled at this. In the next moment, his body also faded away.

...

As his spirit returned to his body, Shūichi opened his eyes.

Bunpuku was now seated with his hands clasped in prayer, head bowed, sinking bit by bit into the swamp beneath him.

With Shukaku extracted, Bunpuku's life as a Jinchūriki had come to an end.

Shūichi sighed as he glanced at the bound Shukaku, restrained by two of his shadow clones with the Fire Nether Chains.

"Damn brat, you actually…!"

Shukaku glared at Shūichi with pure hatred.

Shūichi remained expressionless. "For Bunpuku-senpai, this is a form of release."

It was a shameless thing to say, but Shūichi didn't care about Shukaku's resentment. Chains shot out from his abdomen, wrapping around Shukaku. With the help of the shadow clones, Shukaku's massive form was pulled into Shūichi's body.

Ssshhh!

Smoke rose from his abdomen as Shukaku's tailed beast chakra, highly corrosive, made Shūichi grit his teeth in pain.

Fire Nether Chains!

Eight Trigrams Seal!

First, Shukaku was tightly bound, then locked inside an iron cage, completely sealing his power and leaving him unable to use any chakra.

Shukaku, the One-Tail—captured successfully!

(End of Chapter)

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