The instant Toneri instinctively counterattacked, he sent the Anbu Ninja flying with a casual blow.
He roared, forcibly cutting off the Two-Tails' chakra before it could pour out any further.
The Two-Tails' chakra, almost condensed into a solid mass, had nearly enveloped him completely.
Only his face had escaped at the last moment.
Fortunately, he'd managed to stop the Two-Tails in time, preserving his handsome features!
The two little cat ears on his head looked so lively, yet didn't seem out of place at all.
The upper part of his face was also already covered in dense chakra.
All four limbs were pressed firmly against the ground.
Like a leopard poised to spring!
The Tailed Beast Cloak, which had begun turning dark red, slowly started changing back to pale blue.
The bulging mass of chakra behind him ultimately failed to break through!
The tail, the defining feature of a Tailed Beast, failed to take shape.
At the last moment, Toneri stopped the Two-Tails' chakra from eroding his will!
He'd come so close.
If the pale blue Tailed Beast Cloak had completely turned dark red, and the tail had burst out of the mass of energy behind him, there would have been no telling who would end up in control of this body.
After all, the seal on Toneri had never been very secure.
If he completely lost consciousness, it wasn't impossible for the Two-Tails to break free of its cage and regain its freedom.
But now!
Toneri was still in control of his body!
"Tch—"
That unmistakably disdainful voice rang out in Toneri's mind again.
The Tailed Beast Cloak hadn't fully taken shape!
That meant that although Toneri now possessed some of the Two-Tails' chakra, it wasn't enough to grant him overwhelming strength in an instant!
He still couldn't casually crush the Kumo Ninja Anbu who'd just been sent flying!
But no matter what, Toneri had finally escaped the fate of being at someone else's mercy.
He could fight back now!
All four limbs pushed off the ground at once as he charged straight at the Anbu Ninja, who was still reeling from the impact.
Although the Anbu Ninja had been caught off guard, he was still a competent shinobi—and an Anbu Ninja specifically trained to carry out special missions!
A Special Jonin!
As Toneri charged, the Anbu Ninja sheathed his short blade as quickly as he could and began weaving hand seals, his hands moving so fast they blurred.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Serpent!"
He barked the words.
Thin blue currents of electricity, flickering with light, instantly gathered in his hands.
In the blink of an eye, they formed a winding blue serpent, crackling with sparks as it darted toward Toneri!
A jutsu! A Lightning Style Ninjutsu!
Before, Toneri could barely make out his opponent's movements and actions. But after gaining the Two-Tails' power, he could see the sequence of hand seals—and even how precisely each one was formed.
His confidence soared.
He didn't slow down. Instead, he drove himself forward harder with all four limbs, accelerating even more.
He met the incoming lightning serpent without hesitation, swinging his right claw at it!
Boom!
Sparks flew, and lightning crackled!
The Two-Tails specialized in using Fire Release chakra, so Toneri could conjure flames on his forepaw with nothing more than a casual wave.
Lightning burst in every direction!
His body faltered for just a moment.
The tingling sensation caused by the electricity vanished almost immediately.
Seeing his jutsu had done nothing, the Anbu Ninja felt even more helpless.
But he had no intention of giving up.
The short blade he'd just sheathed appeared in his hand again.
He held it in a reverse grip, blade facing Toneri as he charged. He braced the back of the blade against his elbow, keeping it as close against his arm as possible.
A flash of red streaked past as a flaming claw slammed into his blade!
Toneri didn't hesitate to attack just because his opponent was defending with a sharp weapon.
Thud!!
The Anbu Ninja felt immense force slam into him. His raised arm seemed to do nothing at all.
He experienced the same choking sensation Toneri had felt earlier: the air in his lungs was completely forced out, and his vision went black!
But that alone was nowhere near enough!
Otherwise, how could Toneri repay him for all the injuries he'd inflicted?
Toneri pushed off with all four limbs again. His opponent hadn't even flown as far as Toneri could chase.
He reached out with both hands. His sharp, pointed nails made them look nothing like human hands.
Chakra enveloped them as they flashed back and forth.
Before, the way he'd been bullied by his opponent—now...
He'd pay him back for all of it!
And then some!
Toneri knew the structure of a human body—especially an adult's—inside and out. He had plenty of experience causing someone pain without killing them.
It seemed he wasn't any worse at it than his opponent!
Slash, slash, slash—
His sharp claws left one deep scratch after another across his opponent's body.
Thud—
The Anbu Ninja hit the ground hard.
His once-pristine white fox mask was now completely soaked in blood.
He was covered in blood from head to toe.
Toneri crouched on all fours, panting heavily. The leaves around him stirred with every breath.
But then he suddenly stopped!
The Two-Tails' chakra really is terrifying. The negative emotions filling it are overwhelming!
I can still stay conscious for now, but if this goes on much longer, I'll probably be consumed by this energy even if the Two-Tails doesn't try to take me over!
I have to end this quickly!
He was only an ordinary human, after all. His body hadn't been trained or tempered by chakra. To have taken in the Two-Tails' chakra without losing his mind right away was already a remarkable testament to Toneri's willpower!
He could manage for a short while, but if this went on, he would gradually lose himself in this immense power.
His body was also struggling to hold up. His skin felt as if it were tearing apart.
He made his decision at once.
Crouched on the ground, Toneri slowly bent all four limbs.
From a distance, he looked like a cannon ready to fire at any moment.
The cannon was in position!
His mouth opened slightly...
Even though his face still looked human, that didn't stop him from gathering the chakra inside his body.
A black sphere the size of a thumb took shape at the edge of Toneri's mouth.
This tiny black mass, formed from some unknown substance, seemed to possess an endless pull!
All the pale blue Two-Tails' chakra covering Toneri rushed toward the black sphere.
Blue bubbles of unknown energy began appearing in the surrounding air.
In the blink of an eye, the mass of energy grew from the size of a thumb to the size of a fist!
This was one of the Tailed Beasts' signature techniques: the Tailed Beast Ball!
Also known as: the Spiral-Heaven-You-Definitely-Can't-Block-My-Cannonball Technique!
Its power was immense!
Its destructive force was terrifying!
Once it had taken shape, Toneri realized he'd been too ambitious and had overestimated how much his body could withstand.
He couldn't control such a concentrated mass of chakra—not in his current state!
Boom—
The incredible recoil sent Toneri flying, now that most of the Two-Tails' chakra was no longer protecting him!
But the incomplete Tailed Beast Ball still shot successfully!
A huge ravine tore through the ground. Trees toppled in every direction, and everything close to the Tailed Beast Ball vaporized in an instant, reduced to dust!
Even Toneri, who'd seen his share of the world, was stunned by the destruction wrought by the Tailed Beast Ball, glimpsed from the corner of his eye!
So this was the kind of destruction chakra could unleash!
Then he felt an overwhelming exhaustion wash over him, and the remaining Two-Tails' chakra slowly faded from his body.
His heavy eyelids forced themselves shut.
Thump—
I've really gotten myself into a huge mess this time...
But before his eyes had completely closed, an unfamiliar voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.
His heart jolted. He tried to force his eyes open, but he was too weak.
Still, just before they shut completely, he glimpsed something.
Green... a vest?
Green?
Congratulations to Tianhaoyu on becoming this book's alliance leader! That's right, it's that Tianhaoyu. That's the one!
Come on, everyone, let's get those recommendation votes pouring in!
I'm not putting out a bowl today. I'm putting out a soup basin—the kind I could climb right into. Hurry up and pelt me with your votes! If it hurts, I'll whimper!
Thanks to Tianhaoyu and Yuhuo Fengwang for the alliance leader rewards; to Kangzhe Woniu Qi Wugui for five 10,000-yuan rewards; and to Aishuzhe Chikuang, Pingchangxin Shiwo, Mengxiang Chengzhen Ma, Jian Duan丨Qingsi, Yungu Qingyin, He He, Luoyeshi1, Wudi de Shashou Huanghou, zhen9, Xiongxiong Ranshao de Zhong'er Zhi Hun, Xian Yuyu, Baiyu swt Xing, Baiyi Zhesan, and the many other readers for your 10,000-yuan rewards! Thank you all!
If you have time, please check in more often and help raise our book club's level. Send some love to our Toneri and the Two-Tails, and once their character levels go up, we can hold events!
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