The Six-Tails Jinchūriki, Utakata

He was tall and lean, with a languid expression and a provocative gaze.

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled. He knew the young man before him was none other than Kirigakure's reserve weapon—the Six-Tails jinchūriki, Utakata.

Ninjas who had grown up during the Bloody Mist Era were all rather emotionally detached. It was commonplace for comrades to kill one another in pursuit of power.

Even the relationships between masters and students, or between brothers, were often quite distant.

Utakata and Harusame, his master, were perhaps an exception.

It was clear that Harusame cared deeply for his student. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding had severed their bond.

At this point, Utakata was still basking in his master's affection, and he was somewhat arrogant.

"My master never stops praising you. He says you're the best among the village's young people, but I'm not sure I believe him."

Utakata nonchalantly cracked his knuckles.

"Mind your manners!" Harusame scolded him, then smiled. "I spoiled the boy. Mangetsu, why don't you show him what you can do? It'll teach this kid that there's always someone stronger."

Was he trying to smooth things over?

Hōzuki Mangetsu looked at Harusame in confusion. Seeing that he was still smiling, it seemed he had no intention of stopping them.

It looked like Harusame wanted to use his student to test Mangetsu's mettle.

"If that's the case, I'll play along."

Hōzuki Mangetsu said lightly.

The Neutral Faction had chosen Hōzuki Mangetsu not only for the sake of the village, but, more importantly, because they needed to know whether he had the strength to back up his words.

Without strength, his words would be nothing but empty boasts, and he would have no say in the matter.

"Very well!"

Utakata took out an iron blowpipe and blew out a stream of bubbles, surrounding himself with them.

"Let me make one thing clear first!"

A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"My jutsu are these bubbles!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu nodded.

Utakata was Harusame's student and had inherited his master's Bubble Secret Technique.

"Let me make one more thing clear!"

Utakata's pupils contracted. "The Mizukage's seat belongs to me."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, sending countless bubbles hurtling toward Hōzuki Mangetsu.

"Water Release: Explosive Bubble!"

Utakata formed a hand seal and shouted.

The bubbles exploded in a barrage.

He knew Hōzuki Mangetsu was one of the strongest among the jonin, so he had started with a lethal move.

As the smoke cleared, Hōzuki Mangetsu's figure slowly rose from the water below.

Utakata sneered.

The Hozuki Clan had become Kirigakure's strongest clan largely thanks to their Hydrification Technique, passed down through generations.

For Water Release users, it was an infuriating ability to deal with.

Water Release techniques were almost useless against the Hozuki Clan. Instead, they only strengthened the clan's techniques.

As long as they faced a Water Release user, the Hozuki Clan could use the Hydrification Technique and put themselves in an unbeatable position.

But...

A cold smile crept across Utakata's lips. He wasn't limited to Water Release Ninjutsu.

"Water Release: Strong Acid Foam!"

Countless bubbles poured from his ninja tool once more, each one filled with the Six-Tails' strong acid.

When they burst, they produced an intensely corrosive substance. Contact with water could increase the area of corrosion, making it difficult even for the Hozuki Clan to avoid.

Utakata blew a large bubble and rode it up into the air.

He was a ninja who specialized in wide-area attacks.

"Did I get him?"

Utakata muttered to himself.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A powerful gust swept toward Utakata, scattering his bubbles.

Hōzuki Mangetsu appeared once more.

In that brief moment, the ground had been corroded into a mess by the strong acid.

The Six-Tails' power was impressive indeed!

"Wind Release?"

Utakata furrowed his brow slightly. If Hōzuki Mangetsu could use Wind Release, his bubbles would be far less effective.

A strong wind could scatter them.

"You're strong!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu smiled. "So I'll have to show you what I can really do, or you'll think too little of me."

As he spoke, he drew a sword: the Twin Blade Hiramekarei.

"Twin blades!"

Utakata's pupils contracted as he stared at the impressive weapon.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen had always been Kirigakure's powerful combat unit, as well as a symbol of the village's strongest ninja.

Becoming one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had always been a dream of Kirigakure's young ninja.

"I've made up my mind. First, I'll take your Twin Blade Hiramekarei!"

Utakata quickly put away his bubble weapon.

"Mist Concealment Technique!"

He formed hand seals and performed the jutsu, vanishing into the thick mist.

"Fool!"

Harusame cursed inwardly from the sidelines.

Hōzuki Mangetsu was known as the Demon, and his Silent Killing Technique was unrivaled in Kirigakure. His student was actually trying to beat him at his own game.

Seeing Utakata use that technique, Hōzuki Mangetsu paused in surprise.

He was a prodigy of the Silent Killing Technique. Even Zabuza was no match for him. Utakata actually thought he could use the same technique to take him down. He was seriously overestimating himself.

Hōzuki Mangetsu began to feel a little annoyed.

Then he suddenly sensed someone rushing toward him at high speed.

"Going straight for Taijutsu?"

Hōzuki Mangetsu sneered. He was a Taijutsu master. Apart from freaks like Might Guy, no one in Kirigakure was a match for him.

"Hiramekarei, release!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu shouted. A ball of Chakra energy shot out through a hole in the Twin Blade.

It flew straight toward the figure.

The Twin Blade Hiramekarei had tremendous explosive power. In a head-on clash, even Susanoo would be no match for it.

Crack! It sounded as if something had shattered.

Hōzuki Mangetsu was startled to see that the Chakra energy ball had been smashed apart by a hand. The figure kept moving at the same speed and charged straight toward him.

"Mist Body Flicker!"

At the critical moment, Hōzuki Mangetsu used the Mist Body Flicker to escape the attack.

The attacker seemed to overshoot. It took a while for him to turn around.

"That's the Tailed Beast Cloak!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu's expression grew grave.

Utakata had transformed into a Tailed Beast. A layer of red Chakra in the form of a Tailed Beast Cloak shrouded his body, and two tails whipped behind him.

Tailed Beast Transformation had three forms. The red Tailed Beast Cloak was the initial state, in which jinchūriki could still maintain their reason. As the number of tails increased, the jinchūriki's body became more and more saturated with Chakra. That was the second state. At this point, jinchūriki gradually lost control. Only a few who could coexist peacefully with their Tailed Beasts could achieve the complete form.

Judging from what happened later in the story, Utakata was incapable of achieving the complete form. In other words, the second state was the furthest he could go with Tailed Beast Transformation.

But even in the second state, Hōzuki Mangetsu was having a hard time dealing with him.

"Impressive!"

Hōzuki Mangetsu retreated as he fought.

Utakata's Tailed Beast Transformation had greatly increased his speed, strength, and physical toughness.

With the Mist Body Flicker and his superb Taijutsu, Hōzuki Mangetsu could still hold on for a while. But after some time, Utakata's strength continued to grow, and his body gradually fell out of his control.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Utakata suddenly threw his head back and roared. Five tails sprouted behind him.

"Oh no!"

Harusame was shocked. He knew Utakata's limit was four tails. He hadn't expected Hōzuki Mangetsu to be so powerful that he could hold out for this long.