Defect?

"What Hitomi said is my point of view. There are more than a dozen Kekkei Genkai in the Shinobi World, but only our Kaguya Clan has Bloodline Disease... So, it must be that the Shikotsumyaku Pulse) has an inherent defect."

Rokuro Kaguya spoke up, confirming Kaguya Hibiki's answer.

"A defect? I knew it. You must have been thinking about how to overcome the inherent defects of the Kekkei Genkai all along, right?" Katsuki pressed.

"That's right." Rokuro Kaguya nodded, looking at Katsuki with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

"Of course there's a problem, and a big one at that." Katsuki nodded without hesitation and said, "I think this viewpoint... or similar perspectives, that the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai is inherently deficient, is completely fallacious."

"Nonsense? Lord Katsuki, what's your opinion?"

Rokuro Kaguya sat upright, his solemn expression concealing a heart pounding with anticipation for a miracle.

"Um... Before that, I have a question to ask. Have you ever heard the rumor that Jinchuriki die when their Tailed Beast are extracted?"

"Huh!?" The topic changed so quickly that Rokuro Kaguya's mind went blank for a few seconds before he came to his senses. He hurriedly said, "I've heard of it, but it's not exactly a secret. Although the Kaguya family doesn't have many records, there are some that have been passed down since the Warring States period. There are quite a few stories about Jinchuriki. There's no Jinchuriki who survived after having their Tailed Beast extracted... except for that Stone Ninja."

At this point, he couldn't help but...

Katsuki smiled.

This is the foundation of a powerful family; it's not just about Kekkei Genkai and Ninjutsu, but also about their absolute advantage over ordinary ninjas in other areas of knowledge.

As Rokuro Kaguya said, it's no secret that the Jinchuriki will die after the Tailed Beast is extracted, but this is only true for a ninja from a wealthy family like him. Ordinary ninjas simply have no way of knowing about such things.

"Yes! Everyone knows that if Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, they will surely die. But why? Why would Jinchuriki die if they lose their Tailed Beast? It doesn't make sense. In my opinion, it doesn't make any sense at all."

Immediately afterwards, Katsuki picked up an empty cup from the tray.

"The relationship between humans and Tailed Beast is actually very similar to that between a glass and water. Sealing Tailed Beast is like pouring water into a glass, and then... extracting Tailed Beast is like pouring water out of that glass and then pouring it into another glass."

Holding an empty cup in each hand, Katsuki mimed pouring water.

"Logically speaking, the flow of water shouldn't damage the cup, so why does Jinchuriki die when they lose their Tailed Beast?"

"This······"

Rokuro Kaguya was confused. He didn't understand what the Jinchuriki's life or death had to do with their family's Bloodline Disease, but he also knew that Katsuki would never say anything useless. However, he couldn't figure out the meaning behind it all for the time being.

Water cup? Flowing water? Jinchuriki? Tailed Beast?

I vaguely sensed something, but upon closer examination, it all seemed to leave me bewildered and confused.

"Isn't it said that there's a life-link between the Jinchuriki and the Tailed Beast? Extracting the Tailed Beast is tantamount to killing the Jinchuriki..."

Kaguya Hibiki said softly.

"Then let me ask another question: how exactly are the lives of Jinchuriki and Tailed Beast connected? If they are connected, why is it that only Jinchuriki die, while the Tailed Beast seem unharmed? This answer is too vague."

After finishing speaking in one breath, Katsuki let out a soft sigh of relief, placed the empty cup back on the tray, picked up her own teacup, and took a sip of tea to moisten her throat.

Rokuro Kaguya narrowed his eyes and remained silent.

Tong looked distressed; she didn't know how to answer Katsuki's question.

"Until recently, I still couldn't figure it out... but thanks to the Five-Tails Jinchuriki's enthusiastic help, I finally understood."

Before the two could give an answer, Katsuki continued speaking on her own.

"Tailed Beast and humans are not the same kind of creatures. Well... it's a bit inappropriate to describe the immortal Tailed Beast as creatures. Rokuro, you've fought the Five-Tails. Tell me, what kind of feeling did the Tailed Beast give you?"

"Feel--?"

Rokuro Kaguya closed his eyes, recalling the scene when he attacked the Five-Tails. The Early Fern Dance, like a clone, pierced through the Five-Tails' body, making direct contact with the power of the Tailed Beast, experiencing that indescribable terror.

"... Powerful, terrifying, cold, and despairing—that Chakra was like a living nightmare."

"Nightmare? That's a more accurate description!"

Katsuki slowly chewed a tea leaf, the bitter taste filling her mouth. The smile on her lips faded and smoothed out, her expression becoming solemn.

"The Chakra of Tailed Beast and human Chakra are completely different in both quality and quantity. To be more precise, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are two completely different energies. To use the water and water glass analogy again, the Chakra of Tailed Beast is not ordinary water; it would be more accurate to call it nitroglycerin."

"Nitroglycerin? What's that?" Tong asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

"... Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. I meant magma. Tailed Beast Chakra is like the difference between magma and water compared to ordinary Chakra. They're both liquids, but they're completely different dimensions."

Nitroglycerin doesn't even exist in the Shinobi World.

"The reason why Jinchuriki die after their Tailed Beast are extracted isn't because of some nonsense about interconnected lives. It's because of the Tailed Beast's Chakra. That abnormal Chakra possesses incredibly powerful corrosive force, constantly eroding the Jinchuriki's body. But at the same time, it's this force that maintains the Jinchuriki's balance, preventing them from dying from the Tailed Beast Chakra's corrosive effects, at least not in the short term. Of course, this depends on the quality of the vessel..."

"Jinchuriki is essentially a container."

Katsuki, he raises his index finger.

"But it is also a weapon, capable of releasing the power of the Tailed Beast through its own body. Therefore, the quality requirements for Jinchuriki are very high, in order to withstand the erosion of the Tailed Beast's power."

"A container... is the human body a container, a container for the Tailed Beast? The Tailed Beast's Chakra, their corrosive power..."

Rokuro Kaguya opened his palm, gazing thoughtfully at his pale, bloodless hand.

"Kekkei Genkai... Can Kekkei Genkai also be applied to this theory?"

His voice trembled slightly as he asked the question, Rokuro Kaguya gripped the table tightly with his right hand.

"That's what I think!" Katsuki nodded affirmatively. "Kekkei Genkai are essentially the same as the Chakra of Tailed Beast —a kind of power that transcends the ordinary. It just doesn't have the same corrosive power as the Tailed Beast Chakra. Moreover, most Kekkei Genkai work by acting through Chakra, taking effect in the external environment, so they don't put too much burden on the body." (To be continued)