Besiege and Attack

Tailed Beasts, with their inexhaustible Chakra, were widely regarded throughout the Ninja World as evil beasts that brought disaster.

Although he did not know how well this unknown Jinchuriki could control a Tailed Beast, anyone capable of using the signature Two-Tails Secret Technique could not be underestimated.

"Don't hold back! Kill them quickly!" Uchiha Tokimitsu shouted sternly. "Leave none alive. Don't give that Jinchuriki a chance to use the Tailed Beast's power!"

The Uchiha Ninja Army had initially hoped to capture the Tsuchikage's Assistant and the Raikage's Secretary alive. But now that the Jinchuriki's identity had been exposed, they had to go for the kill. If the Jinchuriki deliberately released the Restraining Seal and let the Tailed Beast run rampant, nobody would escape unscathed.

"Go assist in wiping out the enemy!" Uchiha Tokimitsu ordered the Dark Guard Ninja beside him. "End this quickly, then we'll hunt this Jinchuriki together."

"Yes!" The Dark Guard Ninja knew the urgency of the situation and did not hesitate, immediately charging toward the various battles.

Looks like I'll have to go all out.

Uchiha Tokimitsu took a deep breath and desperately squeezed out Chakra from within his body.

Purple aura rose from his hands and swiftly spread across his entire body. He then formed hand seals, activated the Body Flicker Technique, and joined the encirclement.

"Uchiha Sword Flame Slash!"

A purple Sword Energy Slash streaked toward the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, who was advancing aggressively and forcing three Uchiha Jonin into a desperate defense.

"Boom!"

Caught off guard, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki was struck head-on and sent flying several meters. She flipped through the air, landed steadily on all fours, and glared fixedly at Uchiha Tokimitsu like an enraged wildcat.

The Tailed Beast Chakra around the Jinchuriki grew increasingly pronounced, as strange patterns began to emerge across the dense blue Chakra.

Looking around, it was clear that Stone and Cloud Villages' small force could no longer withstand the full assault. In just this short time, most of the battles had ended, and the Ninja were beginning to form an encirclement to hunt the Jinchuriki.

"Roar!" The Jinchuriki let out an inhuman howl and pounced at Uchiha Tokimitsu.

Tokimitsu's blade danced in succession, slashing out three arcs of sword light, but the Jinchuriki dodged all of them with nimble leaps to either side.

A massive hand wrapped in blue Chakra, shaped like a cat's paw, clawed down at Uchiha Tokimitsu from above.

Unable to dodge in time, Uchiha Tokimitsu could only grip his sword hilt with both hands and raise it to block.

Yet the immense force drove both of Uchiha Tokimitsu's feet deep into the earth.

Though Uchiha Tokimitsu had blocked the Jinchuriki's attack, the shock left both his hands slightly numb.

Then the Jinchuriki's other hand suddenly swept toward Uchiha Tokimitsu's waist. With both hands still gripping his sword, he could only risk withdrawing his blade and retreating to evade.

He had barely dodged the Jinchuriki's claw when another blast of blue flame rushed at him head-on, engulfing Uchiha Tokimitsu in fire.

"Young Lord Tokimitsu!" The surrounding Uchiha Jonin panicked at the sight, abandoning their formation as they rushed forward.

"I'm fine!" The purple Yin Fire Aura around Uchiha Tokimitsu suddenly flared, consuming the Tailed Beast Chakra completely. Seeing the Jonin charge in only to be knocked away one after another by the Jinchuriki, he snapped angrily, "What are your Sharingan genjutsu for?!"

The Uchiha Jonin had been panicked themselves, but Tokimitsu's words immediately woke them up. More than twenty pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed upon the Two-Tails Jinchuriki and unleashed genjutsu.

"Tokimitsu-kun, are you all right?" Hatake Sakumo had also finished dealing with his enemies and came forward to draw the Two-Tails Jinchuriki's attention alongside him.

"I'm all right for now." Uchiha Tokimitsu replied before continuing to arrange their forces. "All Chunin, withdraw to the perimeter and stand guard. Jonin, prepare genjutsu and Barrier Jutsu!"

"Yes!" Among the many Ninja present, the Chunin—who were the most numerous but comparatively weaker—began to withdraw from the battlefield.

"Dark Guard, prepare the Uchiha Flame Formation!"

"As ordered!" The twelve Dark Guard members split into groups of three and landed at the four corners of the battlefield, beginning to form hand seals in preparation for the barrier.

"Jonin Sakumo, let's go too."

"Just what I was thinking!"

Even the Uchiha's Sharingan genjutsu could not contain the Jinchuriki's rampage. The group could only stiffen her for a brief moment before she broke free again.

Sakumo's Blade flashed like lightning, slashing toward the Jinchuriki's neck from an uncanny angle.

"Clang!" The Jinchuriki raised an arm to block. Her arm collided with the Ninja blade with the sound of metal striking stone. Though the blade cut through flesh, it was clearly stopped by the bone.

Hatake Sakumo was visibly surprised as well. He swiftly withdrew his sword and dodged the Jinchuriki's clawing attack.

"Binding Technique!"

The collective genjutsu attack from the Uchiha Jonin stiffened the Jinchuriki for a moment.

A barrage of Fire Style Ninjutsu crashed into the Jinchuriki, but it was completely useless. Some lower-level Fire Style Ninjutsu were even swallowed by the blue Chakra around her body.

Taking advantage of the Jinchuriki's stiffened state, Uchiha Tokimitsu leaped into the air, held his longsword in reverse with both hands, and used the momentum of his fall to drive its tip into the Jinchuriki's back.

Uchiha Tokimitsu then released the hilt. Chakra condensed in his hands, forming a continuously spinning spiral Chakra sphere, which he slammed heavily into the Jinchuriki's waist.

"Awoo!" The Jinchuriki cried out in pain and fury. Ignoring the blade in her back and Uchiha Tokimitsu clinging to her, she scrambled on all fours toward an empty direction, trying to flee.

"Uchiha Flame Formation!"

Seeing the Jinchuriki attempting to escape, the Uchiha Jonin stationed at the four corners immediately activated the barrier they had prepared.

Four walls of flame solidified into tangible form, blocking the Jinchuriki's attempted escape.

Having failed to flee, the Jinchuriki grew even more frantic. Inhuman howls constantly tore from her mouth, while her face gradually lengthened and her pupils became increasingly catlike.

On her back, Uchiha Tokimitsu quietly gripped the Jinchuriki's neck, frantically driving Yin Fire Chakra to burn away the blue Chakra covering her body.

He could clearly sense that Yin Fire Chakra, formed from Yin Style and Fire Style, had a certain restraining effect on the Two-Tails' blue Chakra. Moreover, as the Yin Fire Aura continued to refine it, Uchiha Tokimitsu could distinctly feel that his Yin Fire Chakra was not being depleted—it was even growing slightly stronger.

The Tailed Beast Power was like fertilizer, nourishing the Yin Fire Chakra.

Uchiha Tokimitsu drove his Chakra even more desperately, increasing the power of his Yin Fire.

The Jinchuriki was burned stiff where she stood, her entire body shuddering without end.

Hatake Sakumo and the Uchiha Jonin caught up. Seeing this, they hurried forward to help.

Those Uchiha Jonin proficient in Sealing Jutsu formed hand seals and attempted to seal the Jinchuriki's power. But the sealing power could not break through the Tailed Beast Cloak, rendering their Sealing Jutsu ineffective.

Those skilled in genjutsu stared into the Jinchuriki's eyes with their Sharingan, repeatedly activating one genjutsu after another. But under interference from both the Jinchuriki's own Chakra and Tailed Beast Chakra, the illusions were broken in a short while.

Hatake Sakumo, meanwhile, held a short sword and stood in place like an old farmer chopping wood, endlessly hacking at the Jinchuriki's neck.

Under Uchiha Tokimitsu's continual refinement, the Jinchuriki's will gradually became blurred. The Yin Fire's plundering refinement of the Tailed Beast Chakra also provoked the Tailed Beast's retaliation.

"Roar, roar, roar!" The final trace of humanity vanished from the Jinchuriki's eyes, and beastly instinct took over completely.

A tail formed from blue Chakra emerged from the Jinchuriki's rear, sweeping toward Uchiha Tokimitsu.

Uchiha Tokimitsu was in the midst of fervently refining the Chakra when the Chakra tail coiled around him.

The enormous tail was like a noose, tightly winding around Uchiha Tokimitsu's body as it exerted all its strength, intending to crush him to death.

The protective aura around Uchiha Tokimitsu's body was suppressed until only a thin layer remained.

Hatake Sakumo swung his blade even faster, sending sparks flying everywhere.

As the Chakra tail bound him, Uchiha Tokimitsu felt a powerful consciousness with catlike pupils attempting to drag his will into the Jinchuriki's body.

Uchiha Tokimitsu gritted his teeth and gathered Spiritual Power to resist, while his Yin Fire Chakra Aura continued refining without pause.

"Four people, use the Four Symbols Seal together!" The surrounding Jonin shouted as they began another attempt. "Seal the Jinchuriki's limbs separately!"

"Everyone else, use Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!" Uchiha Tokimitsu shouted through gritted teeth. The Jinchuriki was struggling fiercely, and he was nearly unable to hold on. He needed external support.

"Human!" A voice unlike any human's rang in Uchiha Tokimitsu's mind.

"Two-Tails?"

"That's right!" came the reply, rumbling like thunder.

"Hello, Two-Tails." Uchiha Tokimitsu greeted her, though he showed no sign of withdrawing his Yin Fire Chakra.

"Where does your power come from?"

"My Yin Fire was cultivated by myself. Is that so strange?"

"Yin Fire... It is a fusion of Yin Style and Fire Style, isn't it?" The Two-Tails' voice was unhurried. "You are from the Uchiha Clan, correct?"

"...Yes." Uchiha Tokimitsu was somewhat puzzled.

"I have a proposal that can offer you tangible benefits. Are you willing to accept it?" The Two-Tails' voice became somewhat ethereal, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible power of temptation.

"Hmph!" Uchiha Tokimitsu sneered through gritted teeth. "Matatabi, put away your tricks. Genjutsu temptation is useless against an Uchiha!"

"Mm..." Two-Tails Matatabi pondered for a moment. "Although I do not know how you learned my name, do you truly refuse to hear my proposal?"

"Let's hear it." While dealing with the Two-Tails' voice in his mind, Uchiha Tokimitsu intensified the refining power of his Yin Fire.

During this time, Uchiha Tokimitsu could clearly feel that his own Chakra had become much denser after refining and absorbing the Tailed Beast's Chakra. It also seemed to have gained adhesive, continuously burning properties.

This meant that the power and traits of anything burned by Yin Fire Chakra Aura could be absorbed.

"Use your power to help me kill this Jinchuriki. How about it?" Two-Tails Matatabi's voice sounded in Uchiha Tokimitsu's mind again.

"Eh..." Uchiha Tokimitsu was somewhat surprised. "If the Jinchuriki dies, won't you die with him?"

"No... I will be free from then on." Matatabi's voice rang out again. "Tailed Beasts are immortal. I will be reborn in the future and freely begin a new life."

"Then why don't you withdraw the Chakra Cloak you released? Let them cut off the Jinchuriki's head directly?"

"His will is forcibly driving a tiny, insignificant portion of my power!" The Two-Tails' voice carried a hint of anger.

"I don't believe you, Matatabi." Uchiha Tokimitsu spoke to himself in his mind. "Besides, what benefit is there for me in killing you? It would be better to seal this Jinchuriki properly, bring him back to the village, extract you, and replace him with a new Jinchuriki."

"I can give you a portion of my power!" Matatabi's voice rose urgently. "And it will be Tailed Beast Power without any interference from my consciousness!"

This time, Uchiha Tokimitsu was tempted.

He glanced around. The Uchiha Jonin had already sealed the Jinchuriki's limbs tightly and were driving sealing runes toward the Tailed Beast seal in the Jinchuriki's abdomen. Hatake Sakumo had also put away his sword and stopped chopping at the Jinchuriki's neck.

"How can I kill the Jinchuriki directly?" Uchiha Tokimitsu asked the Two-Tails in his mind.

Even he felt a little embarrassed asking that question.

"It's simple!" Two-Tails Matatabi's voice was noticeably delighted. "Condense Chakra simultaneously and burn the Jinchuriki's head and heart. Then I will die along with the Jinchuriki."

To be so happy at the prospect of dying—that was the sorrow of a Tailed Beast.

"What about the power you promised me?"

"Refine the Chakra tail directly. I will not stop you!"

Uchiha Tokimitsu suspiciously swept his Yin Fire Chakra Aura toward the Chakra tail coiled around his body. To his surprise, the aura ignited the enormous Chakra tail the instant it touched it, transforming it into a mass of Yin Fire Chakra.

Then, using the giant mass of Yin Fire Chakra as cover, he condensed Chakra in both hands and struck heavily at the Jinchuriki.

"Aah, roar!" As Uchiha Tokimitsu's Chakra landed heavily, the Jinchuriki's body suddenly stiffened completely, and the Tailed Beast Power within her began to dissipate.

Nothing went wrong.

Uchiha Tokimitsu let out a breath of relief.

The Uchiha Jonin felt somewhat regretful. They believed they had missed an excellent opportunity to gain control over and command a Tailed Beast.

Hatake Sakumo's expression, however, was a little complicated—especially after Uchiha Tokimitsu had secretly killed the Jinchuriki.