Chapter 101: The Six-Tails Jinchuriki
"Damn it!"
News of what happened on Skull Island quickly reached the main Mist ninja camp. When the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, saw the report, he was so furious he almost transformed, nearly leveling the entire command tent.
"Calm down, Utakata. What happened?"
"The Skull Island supply point has been captured by a Cloud ninja." Utakata handed the scroll to the staff officers in the tent. After glancing at it, they erupted in shocked cries.
"A single Cloud ninja infiltrated Skull Island?"
"Defeated hundreds, crushed the garrison, and captured Ringo Ameyuri?"
"Impossible! The Fourth Raikage has left the Eastern Front. Besides the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, no one else could possibly possess such combat power."
"The Two-Tails Jinchuriki has been locked in a stalemate with us. How could she have circled around to our rear and attacked Skull Island?"
"The Star of the Cloud... Hyūga Neji?"
The staff officers were utterly shocked. Ringo Ameyuri, though lacking one of the Seven Swords and thus less famous, was a master of powerful Lightning Release, with few rivals below the Kage level. Such a genius ninja had been captured amidst an army.
"Utakata," one officer said, "Kisame has already ordered nearby Mist ninja to surround Skull Island, but given the Star of the Cloud's strength, I fear they'll arrive too late."
"He won't leave," Utakata stated grimly, slowly standing up. "The Star of the Cloud attacked the supply point and captured Ringo Ameyuri to draw our fire and relieve pressure on the main Cloud army. I'm certain he'll stay on Skull Island."
"But... ordinary Mist ninja can't handle him."
Utakata sighed softly. Kirigakure possessed more bloodline clans than any other village. But after the Fourth Mizukage took power, he had ruthlessly purged them. The Kaguya and Yuki clans were annihilated. Jūzō Biwa and Kurosuki Raiga defected. Now, Kiri's younger generation had almost no usable talent left.
After a moment's thought, Utakata said firmly, "You all stay here and hold the line. I will go personally and hunt down the Star of the Cloud."
"What?! You're the overall commander! Isn't that reckless?"
"Yes, Utakata-sama, the risk is too great!"
Utakata's tone was unquestionable. "The Star of the Cloud is a thorn in our side. It must be removed quickly, or the consequences will be dire. There is risk in me going, but at this stage of the war, we cannot afford hesitation or cowardice."
Sensing his determination, the officers didn't press further. Utakata's move was rash, but there was no better option. With the Star of the Cloud occupying a crucial position in their rear, if he coordinated with the main Cloud army for a pincer attack, the Mist forces would quickly fall into chaos.
Utakata's gaze swept over the officers. "After I leave, be vigilant against the main Cloud army."
"Understood."
The commotion in the Mist rear lines quickly alerted Kumogakure. Yugito, who had taken command after the Raikage's departure, received reports of large-scale troop movements and looked puzzled. The Mist's defensive line had proven tougher than she expected. With the Raikage gone and elite forces diverted to the Land of Hot Water, she lacked the strength for a major offensive. Why were the Mist mobilizing now? Had something happened in their rear?
An ANBU agent rushed in, handing her an intelligence scroll.
"He's back?" Yugito shot to her feet after reading, unable to hide her excitement.
"Yugito-sama, what's happening on the Mist side?"
"Gentlemen, our chance has come!" Yugito passed the scroll to the head advisor elder. He and the other elders read it, their faces lighting up.
'That Neji-kun... when did he even get to the Eastern Front? Didn't even tell me... And Dodai-dono too...', Yugito thought with an inward chuckle, then gave the order with unquestionable authority.
"Rest for two hours, then launch an all-out offensive in one go!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
With the order given, the Kumo side immediately sprang into action. Yugito watched the flurry of activity, wondering, 'Neji-kun... how long can you hold out?'
Time passed slowly. More and more Mist ninja gathered around Skull Island. Izumi could even see them through a telescope on the sea surface, tensely setting up something. 'A barrier?' She wasn't sure.
Their group had become turtles in a jar, with no idea when the enemy would attack. Although Izumi had faith in Neji-kun, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. She could accept dying on the battlefield, but this feeling of waiting helplessly for death in a desperate situation was agonizing.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
A raspy voice sounded from behind. Izumi, who had been constantly watching the sea, turned to look at Sasori.
"Thank you," she replied politely.
Sasori stepped closer, studying her with interest. "You don't need to be so tense. No one puts their own life in such danger without a plan. You should trust that guy."
Izumi glanced towards Neji-kun in the command tent. He was casually sitting on a bench, reading a scroll, a pot of sake warming on a stove beside him. Not a trace of tension. As if Skull Island wasn't deep within enemy territory.
"So calm... doesn't seem like a child at all." Izumi couldn't help but marvel. Her anxiety lessened somewhat.
Nearby, Pakura sat cross-legged, silently meditating and studying Scorch Release.
Samui, just as anxious as Izumi, glanced at Pakura, then Sasori, and finally at Neji-kun. All three were calm, lacking the awareness of being in mortal danger. Samui knew this composure stemmed from immense confidence in their own strength.
Neji-kun put down his scroll and looked up at the visibly nervous Samui. "Samui-neechan, if you're tense, why don't you practice some swordsmanship for me while we wait?"
"Seriously? Practicing swordsmanship at a time like this—" Samui grumbled absentmindedly, but still obediently drew a short sword with a red hilt and began practicing in the tent. Since she couldn't change the situation, she might as well face it calmly.
"Flying Blade!"
"Rising Dragon!"
The sound of whistling wind filled the tent. Izumi couldn't help but watch Samui's exquisite swordsmanship intently.
Neji-kun, meanwhile, sipped his warm sake, his eyes carefully scrutinizing Samui.
Seeing this, Samui felt a surge of pride, and her movements became even sharper. 'My swordsmanship... even the elite Uchiha and the genius Neji-kun have to admire it!'
What Samui didn't know was that while Izumi might be admiring her skill, Neji-kun was not. He was thinking, "Truly worthy of being called the woman burdened by shoulder pain... Such magnificent evils... I approve."
"How was it? My swordsmanship is beautiful, right?" After finishing her routine, Samui looked at Neji-kun, who seemed lost in thought, her sense of accomplishment soaring.
Neji-kun smiled. "If you were wearing a swimsuit, I definitely wouldn't be able to resist."
Samui paused. "What do you mean?"
Sasori interjected with cold mockery, "He means your swordsmanship is sloppy. Like child's play."
"The strength of a short sword lies in attack speed, combos, mobility, etcetera. But your style incorporates too many 'elbow strikes' and 'knee strikes' from the Kumo-style taijutsu. Simply put, you're not using swordsmanship; you're using Kumo-style taijutsu, and your sword is just a substitute for fists and feet."
"The essence of Kumo-style taijutsu relies on immense physical strength and the stimulating effect of Lightning Release chakra. You, a woman, are physically weaker, and your chakra isn't outstanding. So you ended up with this mismatched mess. If you want to practice the sword, practice the sword. If you want to practice taijutsu, practice taijutsu. You insist on mixing them. It's a miracle you're still alive."
Sasori mercilessly critiqued her.
Samui's lips moved, wanting to argue, but thinking carefully, she realized Sasori was right. Her teacher, Killer Bee, known as Killer Bee the Eight-Blades, was famous for his Eight-Blade Style. But Bee himself was the truly formidable one, not the style. With his physique and chakra, even mediocre swordsmanship became deadly. Samui wasn't as tough as Bee. She was only big, bouncy, and soft.
"Neji-kun... what should I do?" Samui asked, unwilling to accept this. She was a proud woman who refused to be mediocre. Having her greatest pride utterly dismantled crushed her spirit.
Neji-kun glared fiercely at Sasori, then rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Lacking chakra, Kekkei Genkai, or secret techniques... Samui simply didn't possess the prerequisites to become truly strong. At best, she could become an average Jōnin. No amount of effort could break that ceiling. Not everyone was Might Guy. And Guy himself was a once-in-a-generation taijutsu genius.
Being a secretary was Samui's true calling. Neji-kun had intended to guide her in that direction. But since she desired strength, he couldn't just deny her.
"Neji-kun... is there really no way?" Samui clenched her small fists, her expression crestfallen.
"It's not entirely impossible," Neji-kun said slowly after a moment. "Ordinary people do have chances to defy fate. It just requires paying a considerable price."
For ordinary people to defy fate, the only path was science. The first option was the Chimera Technique. But in its current state, it had too many flaws, and fusing Kekkei Genkai turned the user into a hideous monster. Until those flaws were resolved, Neji-kun wouldn't let Samui try it.
Besides the Chimera Technique, there was another forbidden jutsu with great potential: Orochimaru's Cursed Seal of Heaven.
After mastering senjutsu, ordinary people could soar. Jiraiya, the underdog, had caught up to Orochimaru entirely thanks to Sage Mode. But not everyone could learn senjutsu. If your body wasn't compatible, you just couldn't. Even the proud Orochimaru had failed. Unable to master senjutsu, he turned to developing the Cursed Seal, hoping to use its power to transform from snake to sage. While the Cursed Seal wasn't perfect, and the power gained wasn't as direct as the Chimera Technique's, its side effects were smaller. If the Cursed Seal's flaws could be perfectly resolved, the future could be an era where anyone could achieve sagehood.
WHOOSH!!
A piercing sound suddenly ripped through the air. Samui, standing near the tent entrance, hadn't even reacted, her lips slightly parted as if to speak, when Neji-kun instantly pulled her behind him using his attractive force.
BOOM!
A terrifying shockwave ripped the tent apart. Before Samui could understand what happened, the spot where she had been standing exploded, leaving a deep crater.
"This?"
"He's here."
"Who is...?"
Even the slowest, Samui, finally understood. Amidst the dust and debris, a figure slowly emerged. Not particularly large, with brown bangs covering his left eye, wearing a blue haori over an open chest revealing mesh armor. Most notably, a long tail swayed behind him.
After a brief moment of shock, Samui realized who it was, her pupils constricting. "Neji-kun! He's the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata!"
"Mm, I figured," Neji-kun replied calmly, sipping his sake and watching Utakata, who radiated immense chakra, with a slight smile. The Six-Tails Jinchuriki had come personally. It seemed he had underestimated Skull Island's strategic importance.
Utakata, blowing a bubble, said, "Star of the Cloud, Hyūga Neji. A pleasure."
Neji-kun didn't reply, simply setting down his cup.
SWOOSH!
With a sharp sonic boom, Neji-kun and Utakata clashed violently in mid-air. The air itself seemed to explode at the point of impact. Amidst the terrifying shockwave, the two exchanged blows, fist against fist.
Feeling the immense power transmitted through his arm, Utakata was shocked. Using the Six-Tails' chakra, his strength and speed had increased more than tenfold, yet in a direct clash of power, he couldn't overwhelm his opponent.
"Water Style: Acid Permeation!" Utakata took a deep breath and blew a dense stream of bubbles from his pipe, instantly covering a ten-meter radius.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of explosions erupted, obscuring the view for Samui and the others. Utakata's Bubble Technique, combined with the Six-Tails Saiken's corrosive acid, created bubbles with explosive effects far more powerful than ordinary explosive tags.
THUD!
With a dull impact, Neji-kun punched Utakata squarely in the chest, sending him flying back dozens of meters, carving a deep trench in the ground.
"You should understand," Neji-kun said coolly, landing, "only by entering your Tailed Beast state do you have a chance of breaking through my Lightning Release Armor. What are you waiting for?"
Utakata looked grimly at Neji-kun, who was enveloped in black lightning, his hair standing on end like a Super Saiyan's. A boy of twelve or thirteen had already developed Lightning Release to such a degree, even mastering the Third Raikage's Black Lightning. No wonder he could take Skull Island alone. If Utakata didn't take this seriously, he might not win.
Utakata's chest was a bloody mess, revealing bone underneath. But as red chakra continuously flowed from his body, the wound healed at a visible rate. In moments, his human form was covered by Tailed Beast chakra, several tails swaying behind him.