You Think You've Got Me Figured Out?

The Kumo Ninja Anbu's curiosity wasn't diminished by Toneri's actions. If anything, it only grew stronger.

He had seen Toneri's defensive movements.

After landing a solid kick to the boy's body, he was certain Toneri hadn't reacted at first.

But after being sent flying, Toneri had immediately curled up.

That had reduced the damage from the impact.

Though he didn't want to admit it, he understood now: the kid really could see some of his movements—or at least a shadow of them.

Could an ordinary person see the movements of an Anbu ninja?

He stamped down hard with both feet, pushing his speed to the limit.

Then he closed in on Toneri, who was still flying backward.

He kept pace beside him.

The short blade in his hand, made of some unknown material, flashed up and down. After each flash of white light, sprays of blood blossomed across Toneri's body.

The Kumo Ninja Anbu had never intended to kill Toneri.

So although the knife wounds looked numerous and horrific, not one was fatal.

Bang!!

After slashing dozens of times in rapid succession, the Kumo Ninja Anbu reached out, grabbed Toneri, and stopped his backward flight.

He gripped Toneri by the collar.

Holding him up like a little chick, he felt no weight at all.

Through his mask, he looked down at Toneri in his hand, his gaze cold.

No matter how astonishing his reaction time was, he was still just a little kid without chakra.

A useless little weakling!

At first glance, Toneri looked absolutely miserable, drenched in blood from head to toe.

His head hung down, and he looked utterly wretched!

Beneath his mask, the Kumo Ninja's mouth unconsciously twitched into a smile.

No matter how special he was, he was still just a kid!

"Kid, you don't look like you're doing too well right now."

As Toneri silently endured the pain from the countless wounds covering his body, his consciousness appeared once more in that familiar sealing space.

Toneri looked much the same inside the sealing space as he did outside, his body covered in blood.

The Kumo Ninja Anbu was clearly very experienced with a blade. Every wound looked terrible, but none of them was fatal.

Toneri weakly raised his head and glanced at Two-Tails, who was sprawled behind the bars with a smug look on her face.

"What... Big Beauty, are you worried about me?"

He was so exhausted that saying just that one sentence felt like it took all his strength.

"..."

Two-Tails' teasing expression froze.

She hadn't expected that even in this state, the kid in front of her would still have the energy to make fun of her.

But she soon put that aside. After all, there were more important things right now!

"Now! Do you still want my power?

"Once you have my power, you can tear that worthless thing outside apart with a flick of your hand!

"Not only that, if you get my power, you'll instantly become one of the few powerful people in this world!

"I can feel that right now, your heart is full of longing for something called 'power.'"

Two-Tails looked at Toneri, who seemed ready to collapse, her words full of temptation.

Toneri didn't raise his head again. He simply sank down onto the ground.

Two-Tails didn't interrupt him while he made his choice. She waited quietly for his answer, a smile on her face.

This was in the bag!

Toneri came in every day to chat with her about nothing in particular. Two-Tails knew he was trying to understand her.

But wasn't it also an opportunity for her to understand Toneri?

She felt she had pretty much figured out his personality.

Everything he did was to keep himself alive. And now that his life was on the line, Two-Tails believed that the death-fearing Toneri would definitely give in!

The only sounds in the entire sealing space were Toneri and Two-Tails breathing.

Their breathing was a little quick, their gasps...

Their gasps...

Toneri was exhausted, while Two-Tails was a little excited, a little thrilled!

At last!

The chance to regain her freedom was right in front of her!

She was only one step away from freedom!

The seal on Toneri was strong, but if she could get out even once, she was confident she could take complete control of his body!

"Sigh... Looks like there's no other way..."

After a moment, Toneri slowly raised his head and straightened his back. Looking at Two-Tails' delighted expression, he lifted the corner of his mouth.

"In that case, I guess we'll just have to die together."

Plop—

Toneri went limp and fell backward, lying flat on the ground.

Utterly hopeless!

Two-Tails' mismatched eyes widened instantly.

She didn't know what the word "die" in that phrase meant, but she could tell it probably wasn't anything good.

What was he planning?

Was he giving up?

Toneri pressed his lips together, trying not to let his feelings show...

Hold it in!

"What... do you mean?" Two-Tails asked in a low voice.

Sitting up again, Toneri tilted his head back to look at Two-Tails, who was much taller than him even while lying on the ground.

He shrugged helplessly. "You saw it yourself. He's a ninja, and there's no way a malnourished little kid like me can fight him.

"I'm already covered in wounds, like a fish on a chopping board, waiting to be carved up. What can I do? I can't help it—"

"..."

Two-Tails said nothing.

"Anyway, even if I use your power, I'll just end up becoming your puppet. That's not much different from dying outright.

"I might even die more quickly this way. Fighting back would be too exhausting!

"Maybe...

"The more I resist, the more excited he'll get! He looks like he's got a bit of a perverted streak.

"It's just not worth it, not worth it..." Toneri watched Two-Tails silently, then continued, unable to hold himself back. "But have you thought about what's going to happen to me in this situation?"

"Sure, I might not die right away. The Kumo Ninja could capture me and torture me, or even read the memories in my head to get the information they want. That could make me wish I were dead."

"But what about you?"

"As Two-Tails, you're a weapon of war that Kumogakure will never give up. If I'm captured, what do you think will happen to you?"

"The best possible outcome is that you get a new container, with a seal that's locked down tight and leaves you not the slightest room to breathe. There'd be basically no chance of breaking free.

"Even if you're a Tailed Beast with powerful chakra, I'm sure you've seen how powerful Kumogakure is."

"And the worst outcome? You leave this world along with me!"

"I know you Tailed Beasts are special, that you're vessels for a kind of special chakra and can't truly die. You'll recover completely in three years, five at most!

"But how long will you be free? Kumogakure will definitely come after you again! That's your fate. You can't escape it!"

"Besides, I heard from the old man who sealed you inside me that you'd rather disappear from this world for a few years than be sealed away. Isn't that right?"

"So do you really think my situation has nothing to do with you?"

"Do you really think that if I suffer, you won't suffer too?"

Toneri had spoken at length, no longer looking half-dead as he had moments earlier.

In essence, this was inside his body, but it wasn't his actual physical body. It was a vessel for his consciousness. He only looked a little wretched; he wasn't truly in as bad a state as he was outside.

His mind might have been a little weak when he first arrived, but he had recovered quite a bit by now.

As Two-Tails listened to Toneri, her smile slowly faded.

The dark sealing space fell silent once more.

Only four eyes remained, silently staring at one another.

"So you think you've got me all figured out?" Two-Tails' voice sounded colder than ever before.

New novel! One chapter takes an hour to write and an hour and a half to edit. Ugh! I'm not cut out for this!

Come one, come all! I'm not closing up today! Here's my little bowl. Anyone with ideas... ahem, anyone with recommendation tickets or tips, toss them in here!