The water sphere collided with the eight magatama, emitting a sizzling sound as white steam filled the area.
Buzz!
A flash of fire appeared. The Three-Tails tried to dodge, but restrained by the chains on its body, it couldn't move.
Spurt!
Blood gushed like a pillar from the Three-Tails' exposed tendons.
It let out a wail of agony.
Rage surged within its heart.
It opened its mouth.
This time, it was no longer water-attribute chakra.
Instead, blue and deep purple chakra bubbles.
Tailed Beast Ball!
Nohara Rin recognized this move as well.
She had seen the Two-Tails use it.
"Be careful!"
Even though she hated and feared Shimizu in her heart, her kind nature still prompted Nohara Rin to give a warning.
The magatama in Shimizu's eyes spun rapidly, sending out circle after circle of invisible ripples.
The Three-Tails' body suddenly froze, able only to move one eyeball.
Feeling his ocular power draining quickly, Shimizu flickered and appeared in front of the Three-Tails.
He touched the Three-Tails with his right hand.
It was like reaching into water—completely unobstructed.
The Three-Tails' chakra surged wildly toward Shimizu's hand.
Shimizu withdrew his hand, pulling with it a water-blue thread connected to the Three-Tails' chakra.
He came to Nohara Rin's side and, under her bewildered gaze, lifted his chain mail, revealing a flat abdomen. He began inscribing a sealing formula on her stomach.
The icy cool sensation made Nohara Rin frown, and she wanted to back away.
Shimizu's other hand pressed down on Nohara Rin, preventing her from moving even half a step.
"Human! Human!"
The Three-Tails fumed. The chakra within its body was rapidly decreasing, being sealed into the abdomen of that human woman.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it."
It spat out a string of curses.
These were all learned from humans.
But it never said them.
Now, it couldn't hold back from cursing. This despicable human had actually used Sharingan genjutsu to control its body, then seized the opportunity to steal its chakra.
A long water-blue line connected to Shimizu's hand. Once the sealing formula was complete, it transferred to Nohara Rin's abdomen.
It wasn't until the Three-Tails felt that half its chakra was gone that the loathsome sensation finally ended.
"Hmph."
The Three-Tails snorted coldly.
This amount of chakra—it could recover in no time.
But as time passed, after recovering a bit, the restoration stopped.
And the amount recovered was exactly enough to use two Water Release: Iron Cannonball techniques.
What about the other half!
The Three-Tails was filled with shock and fear.
This overflowing state felt as if its chakra had fully recovered.
But it knew that half its chakra was clearly missing!
"What did you do?"
The Three-Tails roared.
Losing half its chakra meant it had weakened by half.
Shimizu turned back and glared at the Three-Tails.
The Three-Tails then found it couldn't even open its mouth, left only with its eyeball rolling around.
"I split the Three-Tails into yin and yang parts. Now, the yin Three-Tails is inside your body. The sealing spot is your abdomen. The original sealing position behind your waist only has the yang Three-Tails left."
Shimizu dispersed his chakra, and the ten-meter-long water-blue line gradually faded.
A faint blue light glowed from Nohara Rin's abdomen, then returned to silence.
"You're planning to hand over only half to Kirigakure?"
In a flash of insight, Shimizu's series of bewildering actions connected in Nohara Rin's mind.
She finally understood why Shimizu had said he would save her upon seeing her.
To deal with Kirigakure, Shimizu had deliberately split the Three-Tails' chakra into two portions.
In the past, Shimizu had extracted chakra from her body before.
But that chakra would quickly dissipate into the air.
Shimizu rarely preserved that chakra.
Let alone creating another sealing formula on her to store it.
This was clearly intending for her to pass off this portion of chakra as the Three-Tails being handed over.
For a moment, Nohara Rin's feelings were indescribably complex.
The Kakashi she deeply loved had abandoned her time and again, yet the devil she had always hated had repeatedly extended a helping hand.
As Nohara Rin's thoughts raced, the surrounding tides receded, and the dim environment transformed into a brightly lit room.
They had returned to reality.
Nohara Rin snapped out of her reverie.
When she turned back, Shimizu had already vanished.
Only scattered flames lingered in the air.
Nohara Rin sighed, drying her soaked hair.
She applied purple patterned seals to both sides of her face, popped a soldier pill into her mouth.
Enduring the strange sensation in her lower body after the ordeal, she drank some water to replenish what she'd lost.
She pushed open the door and stepped out.
At the gate of Konohagakure.
Namikaze Minato saw that nearly everyone had arrived and called for the group to set off.
This time, Namikaze Minato was responsible for applying the sealing technique to the Three-Tails.
Kushina had taught Namikaze Minato a large number of Uzumaki clan sealing techniques.
From his ability to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique and improve the Four Symbols Seal, all signs indicated he was a genius in sealing arts.
Since Kushina couldn't leave the village, Namikaze Minato was the perfect choice to carry out this task.
In addition, the group included the veteran jonin Hiruko.
With white hair like Kakashi's, wearing a beige robe, his hair reaching down to his waist.
"Kakashi, your strength has weakened."
Hiruko said bluntly.
He was from the same era as Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.
In his eyes, Kakashi was just a junior.
But he was very interested in Hatake Kakashi.
Uchiha Obito of the Uchiha clan, on the brink of death, had someone transplant his Sharingan to Kakashi.
Kakashi successfully gained the power of the Sharingan and could use such a kekkei genkai.
Though from the same era as the Sannin, he couldn't compare to any of them.
Yet he was far stronger than ordinary mediocrities.
This awkward position—neither high nor low—tormented Hiruko endlessly.
Now that Kakashi had obtained the Sharingan, it showed him a brand-new path.
Could he imitate Kakashi to gain such power?
Kakashi glanced at Hiruko, feeling something off, but he couldn't pinpoint it upon closer thought.
He was in low spirits and didn't want to bother with these extras.
He silently pressed on, leaping from branch to branch on the tree trunks.
Shimizu, from the rear, watched Hiruko with amusement.
According to the timeline of the theater film Naruto: Will of Fire Succession, Hiruko should have been discovered by the Sannin several years ago for conducting unauthorized experiments and then defected.
Yet the current Hiruko had continued his experiments without being caught.
A butterfly effect had occurred here.
However, based on the simulator's projected future, his defection wasn't far off.
Hiruko's human experiments being exposed would soon be followed by Orochimaru's.
Konoha's two scientists would both be kicked out and become missing-nin.
"So, has Kakashi been implanted with the Puppet Curse yet?"
Shimizu pondered silently.
Kakashi was the man who had publicly succeeded in transplanting the Sharingan, holding fatal allure for someone like Hiruko—who lacked a kekkei genkai himself and madly coveted others'.
After traveling continuously for a day.
The group sat in an open area.
Namikaze Minato took out a compressed small pot from a sealing scroll, secured it with a few stones, and poured in some water.
Hiruko gathered some nearby branches, placed them under, and lit the fire.
The flames crackled on the branches, hot air rushing toward their faces.
As shinobi, they didn't eat soldier pills every time they were out.
When they could ensure no enemies would detect them or leave traces, they could start a fire and cook.
The taste was better than soldier pills.
Though soldier pills were tasty, they were ultimately mass-produced compressed food.
Nutrition came first; flavor was secondary.
So not every shinobi stuck to soldier pills—many preferred the traditional method of cooking over a fire.
Nohara Rin silently hugged her knees, sitting on a short stump she'd found.
Kakashi frowned tightly, staring absentmindedly at the bubbling water, lost in thought.
After lighting the branches, Hiruko kept glancing at Kakashi.
Namikaze Minato added some ingredients to the pot.
"It's heating a bit slowly."
Namikaze Minato took out several bowls and chopsticks.
"Then let me add some fire."
Shimizu extended his hand, attaching Fire Release chakra to it.
His steaming red palm was placed under the iron pot.
Fire Release: Flame Palm!
Glug glug glug...
Almost instantly, the water in the iron pot boiled.
"Such chakra control."
Hiruko shifted his gaze from Kakashi.
He could feel that scorching heat even from two meters away.
Yet this high temperature didn't burn through the pot bottom or evaporate all the water—it just made the water boil perfectly.
If it were him, he couldn't do it.
Nor could he attach Fire Release chakra to his hand.
What kind of physical conditioning did that require?
A trace of longing flashed in Hiruko's eyes.
This was the power of the Uchiha, the power of the Sharingan.
If he could fuse with such a kekkei genkai, how powerful would he become? He dared not imagine.
Namikaze Minato was also surprised by Shimizu's move.
But he quickly composed himself.
Shimizu developing the Rasengan was already proof enough of his terrifying chakra control.
The Rasengan had helped him immensely so far; since learning it, he'd been at ease in battles.
Close-range instant ninjutsu, long-range space-time ninjutsu.
Enemies could only be on the receiving end of his attacks—quite frustrating for them.
All of this was thanks to Shimizu.
A hint of gratitude flickered in Namikaze Minato's gaze.
Among those present, only Kakashi and Rin seemed uninterested.
Both were burdened with their own worries.
Shimizu pulled out some noodles from his ninja tool pouch and added them to the pot.
Soon, the aroma of noodles and various ingredients filled the air, making mouths water.
The group began their meal.
After resting and recuperating a bit.
Namikaze Minato applied a technique similar to the Five Elements Seal on Nohara Rin, reinforcing the seal once more.
Then the party set off again.
Kirigakure.
"Cough..."
Terumi Mei suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. The red liquid dripped to the ground, contrasting with the smile on her face.
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