Main Skill: Shadow Clone, Five-Tails Unsealed

Ruohuo's reserve of B-rank ninjutsu was not particularly large, and the vast majority were innate Fire Style techniques.

Moreover, they were all quite practical.

Needless to say, innate Fire Style is renowned for its sheer destructive power.

The Fire (Water) Dragon Bullet he had been using constantly was also a B-rank skill.

So, it's a choice between Majestic Destroyer Flame and Water Dragon Bullet.

Even though he was choosing in advance, Ruohuo didn't want to get the short end of the stick.

Majestic Destroyer Flame is hailed as the most formidable B-rank ninjutsu, a reputation largely cemented by Uchiha Madara's combat record.

Meanwhile, the Fire (Water) Dragon Bullet served as Ruohuo's current aerial mount, already equipped with a Ship-borne Machine Gun and a Ship-borne Flamethrower, with Ship-borne Rockets still in development.

It's a pity neither of these has any special traits.

Just like the first two traits of his C-rank main skill, Great Fireball, they both simply increased power and reduced consumption.

Even the amplification ratios were identical: a 300% increase in power and a 90% reduction in consumption, typical of the base amplification for a main skill.

I could achieve that just by using 1.5 times the chakra; it doesn't feel worth it...

Ruohuo was not very keen.

Without the amplification of Sage Mode, the upper limit of Fire Style was Amaterasu, a technique he had already abandoned once.

He would solve his chakra issues sooner or later, so this level of amplification would eventually become negligible to him.

In contrast, the special traits that could be triggered by a main skill were what Ruohuo valued most.

Ruohuo quickly cycled through his other B-rank skills.

It was all Orochimaru's fault for being in such a rush to drag him out on a mission.

He had truly forgotten to finalize this on the road.

The problem is, there aren't any other techniques either. My B-rank ninjutsu collection is still too small... Huh?

Ruohuo blinked; he had actually discovered a small treasure.

[B-rank Main Skill: Shadow Clone Technique (Pre-trial): Create a shadow clone with a physical form. It can share memories with the original and fight in the original's stead.

Main Skill Amplification 1: Shadow clone durability ↑300%, can share buffs with the host. When the original takes damage, 80% of the damage received will be borne by the shadow clone.

Main Skill Restriction 1: After upgrading to a main skill, the usage limit for this technique will be locked to "1", and it will enjoy a 1-minute cooldown effect.

Main Skill Restriction 2: After upgrading to a main skill, the maximum amount of chakra this technique can carry is 20% of the host's.]

Why didn't I find you sooner, darling...

Three traits, two restrictions—but both could be ignored.

After all, he could still learn the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.

Ruohuo decided on this technique almost without hesitation!

Not only did he settle on it, but a series of tactical plans immediately popped into his mind!

For instance, he could save up a hundred or so shadow clones and then go out and wreak havoc.

Or use various shadow clones to scout the path ahead—after all, they had 300% durability!

As expected, traits are the essence of a main skill!

Ruohuo was extremely excited. Even if the shadow clone couldn't share buff amplifications, just relying on the other two traits made it a god-tier skill!

Could it be that because the shadow clone has no way to amplify power, it was given so many traits instead?

Whoosh!

A pitch-black Tailed Beast Bomb streaked past Ruohuo's left side, whipping up a gale before slamming into a nearby mountain.

BOOM!!!!

The power of a Tailed Beast Bomb never disappointed; the explosion shook the heavens!

Ruohuo instantly calmed down quite a bit; he still had a rampaging Tailed Beast on his tail, after all.

Then let's first find a way to make this guy calm down...

Ruohuo glanced back, only to discover that Han had completely transformed into a partial Tailed Beast state. His skin had been replaced by black and red chakra, and five tails had already sprouted from his back!

He was sprinting along the mountain rocks, pursuing him relentlessly like Manda, and his speed was incredibly fast!

This... is he about to break the seal!?

Ruohuo's expression turned strange. If a Tailed Beast inside a Jinchuriki breaks the seal, the Jinchuriki dies instantly.

This is the risk of becoming a Jinchuriki, and it is also the only way a Tailed Beast can break the bond of life that ties it to its host.

Kokuō is the Five-Tails.

It was clear that Han was not a perfect Jinchuriki, and his relationship with Kokuō was likely not very good at the moment.

Seeing the hope of breaking the seal, Kokuō naturally wouldn't hold back.

Although Han could still be recognized as human, judging by the five tails behind him...

It was only a matter of time before Kokuō broke through its seal.

"Just the right time to test the strength of my Treasure Shadow Clone."

Ruohuo raised an eyebrow and immediately formed the hand seals to manifest his Treasure Shadow Clone.

"How does it feel?"

"Hmm... you'll find out in a moment." The shadow clone kneaded its own arm, then looked toward Han, who was in a partial Tailed Beast state and in hot pursuit.

"By the way, have you considered training in the Eight Inner Gates?"

The shadow clone suddenly spoke up, "With 80% of the damage transferred, I feel like I could open the Eight Inner Gates and be just fine, right?"

"That makes sense. You go first." Ruohuo kicked the shadow clone off the Fire Dragon.

He then tensed his muscles, bracing himself for the incoming wave of painful memories!

The shadow clone prepared for death while still in mid-air, adjusting its posture to curl into a ball, using its knees and elbows to shield its vitals as much as possible.

And then...

Slap—

Han, in his berserk, partially transformed state, swiped at it casually.

Whoosh—

Bang!!

The shadow clone was embedded directly into the nearby wall!

Yet, it did not vanish!

With triple the damage resistance, the shadow clone remained standing firm even after taking such a blow!

It even gave a thumbs-up!

"That's something else..."

"A shadow clone tougher than the original body?"

Ruohuo swallowed hard. Although he had limited the shadow clone to possessing only 20% of his own chakra, once his own chakra reserves grew and he could stack a thick layer of armor on himself, wouldn't his shadow clone...

Be able to walk sideways across the world?

"ROAR!!!!!"

Suddenly, Han, who was in the midst of his pursuit, stopped and let out a deafening roar!

The roar was still filled with rage, but it carried a sense of excitement and catharsis, as if something had finally broken free into the light of day!

"ROAR!!!!"

Another massive roar followed, but the voice was no longer as hoarse or savage as before. It no longer sounded like a mindless human screaming in fury; the bestial nature within the vocal cords had become much clearer!

Ruohuo continued moving forward, but when he glanced back, his eyes twitched.

Han, in his partial Tailed Beast state, was now on all fours with his head tilted toward the sky. Crimson chakra surged wildly from his seven orifices, coalescing in front of him into a massive creature that looked like a cross between a dog and a horse...

Ruohuo had seen this scene before.

The black-hearted Obito had once done the exact same thing to Kushina.

In the end, the Nine-Tails had regained its freedom for a few episodes before being split in two and resealed.

"ROAR!!!!!"

Another roar erupted, but this one held only the catharsis of seeing the light of day once more!

The Five-Tails, Kokuō, had completely broken through its seal!

However, it did not immediately seek out the figure in the sky, but instead turned its head to look behind it.

There, Han's corpse lay motionless, clearly dead...

Bang!

Kokuō stomped down, grinding its foot into the body several times.

"The taste of being sealed isn't pleasant, is it?"

Ruohuo's voice suddenly rang out.

"From now on, you'll follow me. The Ninja World of this era... is simply too chaotic."

Bang!

Kokuō stomped down again, driving the shadow clone directly into the dirt!

But the shadow clone did not yield; it even formed a hand seal!

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

The high-temperature blast beneath its feet made Kokuō stumble. In its fury, it overlooked the boy riding the dragon who had already charged right in front of it...

"Look into my eyes, Kokuō!"

"Have you forgotten who I am!"