Chapter 204

Everything happened so fast.

Before Hotaru and Tonbei could even react as spectators, the battle was already over.

Watching the long plume of thick smoke rise and the motionless body of Utakata at the far end, Tonbei stood there, mouth agape in disbelief.

"Am I under a genjutsu??"

Tonbei, who had once witnessed the overwhelming power of a Jinchūriki firsthand, never expected that Utakata, also a Jinchūriki, would be defeated with a single punch.

His gaze, dazed and trembling, fell upon Gensou. His body involuntarily shivered.

The Tsuchigumo Clan was finished!

The man before him was far stronger than the two who had invaded a year ago.

Even at the height of their power, with the Traveler of War leading them, the Tsuchigumo Clan wouldn't have been a match for him.

Now, only two remained, an elder and a young woman.

Hotaru, too, felt the crushing pressure.

Prepared to die in battle, unwilling to disgrace the Tsuchigumo Clan's honor, she swiftly activated the Fury Hair Forbidden Jutsu.

But even then, she couldn't help but ask, "Do I know you?"

She expected no answer, or perhaps a mocking laugh.

To her surprise, the man before her nodded.

Gensou glanced around, watching the large amount of chakra and natural energy rapidly gathering behind Hotaru.

Compared to the past, Hotaru had become far more adept at using the forbidden technique, and her body's ability to withstand it had greatly improved.

He spoke, "Turn off the Fury Hair. I've seen it enough times already."

"Seen it enough times?"

Hotaru was confused at first.

Then, thinking back to the sense of familiarity she had felt earlier, combined with his statement that they knew each other...

Suddenly!

Hotaru's eyes lit up as she recalled a certain someone, and she asked eagerly:

"Are you the one who wore the white spiral mask back then?"

Gensou nodded casually, "How's the Water Style training scroll I gave you last time?"

It really was him!

Hotaru's face immediately broke into a radiant smile, and she obediently deactivated the Fury Hair.

Having spent time with Gensou, she knew well that he wasn't a villain. Though his methods and demands were unconventional, in the end, he was someone she could talk to.

So, in the following moments, Hotaru, still at heart a young girl, excitedly approached Gensou and began chatting with him joyfully.

Tonbei, standing there, dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, pinched his leg hard.

The events of the day had been full of twists and turns.

He had been prepared to die just moments ago, but now, everything seemed to be resolved.

It turned out that this man knew Lady Hotaru.

The man in the white spiral mask from a year ago was actually him.

And now, he had forced his way in again.

Wait...

If this man had always played the role of an intruder, why was Lady Hotaru on such good terms with him, showing no signs of worry at all?

Tonbei felt his brain getting tangled up.

But he wasn't foolish. He knew this outcome was the best they could hope for.

As for his confusion and doubts... he'd just keep those buried deep inside.

When Utakata woke up again, he found himself still lying on the same bed.

Feeling a sharp pain as if his bones had shattered, he quickly recalled the events before he had passed out.

One punch!

Just one punch!

As a Jinchūriki, he hadn't been able to withstand it and had been sent flying, knocked unconscious.

Was that man even human?

Even the Mizukage couldn't have defeated him so easily.

And what about the girl who saved him?

If that man wasn't targeting him, then she must be his objective.

With that thought, Utakata gritted his teeth against the pain and cautiously snuck out to investigate.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long before he found his target.

Hotaru, the blonde girl, was standing by a pool, demonstrating her Water Style jutsu.

Nearby, the man who had defeated him with a single punch was casually teaching her a few things while playing with something in his hand.

Utakata took a closer look.

It was a highly concentrated chakra ball.

The chakra in it was all too familiar—it was Six-Tails' chakra.

"Perfect timing."

Gensou waved over at Utakata, who thought he had been hiding well.

At the same time, Gensou flicked his fingers, sending the Six-Tails chakra ball flying.

With a swoosh, the chakra ball flew out of Mount Katsuragi and soared a great distance before exploding in mid-air, leaving behind traces of Six-Tails' chakra to be discovered.

Fishing required bait.

Now that Gensou had settled into his fishing spot, to attract the bigger fish, he had to dangle their favorite food right in front of them.

Seeing that Gensou had noticed him, Utakata hesitated for a moment but eventually walked over.

The difference in strength was too great.

He was nothing but a fish on the chopping block now.

"You are..."

As Utakata approached, he was about to ask Gensou's identity—something that had been plaguing his mind.

But before he could finish, Gensou placed a hand on his shoulder.

In an instant!

Utakata felt the chakra within him—specifically the chakra of the Six-Tails—begin to pour out wildly, flowing into the palm of the man in front of him.

Roar!!!

Inside the sealed space, the Six-Tails, a giant slug-like creature with six tails, raised its head and let out an enraged roar.

"Be quiet."

Gensou's phantom appeared within the seal, placing a hand on the massive creature's head, pinning it to the ground as he spoke calmly.

He wasn't like Naruto, who sought to become friends with the tailed beasts.

Especially since he still had to continue his plan to capture the tailed beasts. He had no interest in idle chit-chat with them.

After a lesson from Gensou, the Six-Tails quieted down.

Gensou increased the speed of his chakra absorption.

Before long, another highly concentrated chakra ball formed in his hand. After playing with it for a while, he flicked it again, sending it flying and detonating it not far from the previous one.

Seeing this, Utakata thought for a moment and decided to warn him:

"This will attract the Kiri Hunter-nin."

"Kiri? Hunter-nin?"

Without turning his head, Gensou replied,

"Too small a fish. Not worth the hook."

Utakata wanted to say more, but remembering the overwhelming power of the man before him, he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Later, after finishing her training and while resting, Hotaru informed Utakata that the man's name was Gensou.

Utakata's normally cold expression changed to one of shock.

No wonder he had been powerless to resist.

It was him.

At that moment, Utakata thought back to Gensou's earlier action of flicking away the Six-Tails' chakra ball.

If the Kiri Hunter-nin weren't even worth his attention, then who was this man, who was mentioned in the same breath as the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, and had killed the First Mizukage with his own hands at the Battle of the Valley of the End—who was he really trying to lure in?

Utakata had a sinking feeling that he was now entangled in something far bigger than himself.

But there was nothing he could do about it.

As the Six-Tails Jinchūriki—a nightmare in the minds of countless shinobi, someone who had always held the fate of others in his hands—now, all he could do was wait quietly, like livestock, to be served up.

He couldn't help but think how ironic it all was.

(End of Chapter)

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