Releasing the Seven-Tails, Obtaining Materials

"Mangekyō Sharingan?! I never expected another Mangekyo to appear in the Shinobi World. Truly... times have changed."

The Seven-Tails Chomei's voice was hoarse and weary as it spoke while looking into Uchiha Jun's eyes.

"Uchiha Clan ninja, what do you want with me? Are you planning to control me with the Sharingan?"

"Not for now. You aren't the reason I came here; you're just an added bonus. I only wanted to take a look at you because I wanted to know why a ninja village without even a Kage Level powerhouse had managed to seal a Tailed Beast for generations."

"Whether they were pathetically weak or it was simply your nature, this meeting makes it seem like the latter."

Uchiha Jun studied the seals on Chomei's body, his expression somewhat amused.

Though the seals appeared quite restrictive, under the Mangekyō's ocular power, they were all show and no substance. Most likely, the elderly Jinchuriki's chakra was no longer abundant.

Given the Seven-Tails' size, it could have broken free if it truly exerted all its strength.

Yet it had not done so, instead maintaining this fragile balance.

A Tailed Beast that did not want to break free?

That was genuinely interesting!

"I am not entirely ignorant of the current Shinobi World. Takigakure may not be a nice place, but at least it can accommodate my 'rest.' I know very well what happens to the Jinchuriki of the Five Great Ninja Villages—the Two-Tails Jinchuriki of Kumogakure was confined inside a barrier for her entire life, only to be released as a weapon when war began."

"The One-Tails Jinchuriki of Sunagakure was watched and isolated from childhood, without even a single friend. Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is from the Uzumaki Clan and possesses extraordinary mastery over sealing techniques. Even the Nine-Tails can only remain obediently sealed, unable to move!"

"Compared to them, I at least do not have to endure the pain of having my chakra extracted by sealing formulas. Though I am sealed, my treatment is still somewhat better than that of the other Tailed Beasts."

Uchiha Jun raised a brow. "So you would rather remain in this little cage?"

"You are right. I am indeed sealed, but Takigakure's seal has already weakened greatly. If I truly wished to escape, even the entire village might not be able to stop me."

The Seven-Tails Chomei spoke calmly. "But what then? I would be hunted by the Anbu of the Five Great Ninja Villages, sealed into an even stronger sealing array, forced to become the weapon of war for some great village, and have my chakra extracted every day... What would be the point?"

"In today's Shinobi World, even the Eight-Tails can be defeated head-on in a one-on-one fight by a ninja. And with a team, there are quite a few ninjas capable of defeating Tailed Beasts!"

"Rather than jumping from one cage into another, even larger cage, I would rather stay in this cage that I can adapt to."

After hearing its answer, Uchiha Jun smiled.

"Interesting. You know what's good for you."

"How about this? Let's make a deal. Give me some of your Tailed Beast chakra, along with some Tailed Beast tissue."

"I can let you move freely through Takigakure. At the very least, it will be more comfortable than this prison. I'll cast Genjutsu on every Taki ninja so everything remains as it is. That way, you won't have to worry about being exposed."

The Seven-Tails Chomei froze for a moment. "You do not intend to control me with the Mangekyō Sharingan?"

"Brother, if I'm catching a pet, I'd obviously catch the strongest one. I'm a power gamer! I only want some of your Tailed Beast chakra and body tissue for research."

Uchiha Jun waved a hand. At High Kage Level, aside from the Nine-Tails—

The other Tailed Beasts only had the advantages of greater chakra reserves and a few special abilities. In terms of strength, they were not that impressive.

Especially before a well-rounded High Kage Level powerhouse like Uchiha Jun.

If it dared to misbehave, he would directly hit it with a Moe-cige-lou. If it still refused to behave, he would follow up with an Amaterasu.

Once he obtained the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in the future, Uchiha Jun might try playing around with a Susanoo-clad Tailed Beast mecha. As for now, he really had no interest.

Besides, after becoming a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki, one still needed to build a bond with the Tailed Beast to become a Perfect Jinchuriki.

He already had Uchiha Hikari as someone to win over. Adding a bug to the mix was honestly more than Uchiha Jun could handle.

"Well? Do you agree?"

The Seven-Tails Chomei fell silent for several seconds before speaking in a deep voice.

"Deal!"

The instant those words fell, the air within the sealing space suddenly trembled violently!

The Seven-Tails Chomei's insectoid body began shaking intensely. The dim sealing patterns on its dark brown carapace abruptly erupted with dazzling light—that was the sealing formula suppressing its resistance with all its strength!

"Ugh—!"

Outside the sealing array, the elderly Jinchuriki controlled by the Mangekyō Genjutsu suddenly shuddered. Pale blue chakra mist surged from his seven orifices, while countless cracks appeared across the walls of the sealing barrier.

Uchiha Jun's Mangekyō Sharingan narrowed slightly as he sensed Chomei's will frantically striking the core of the seal.

"Break for me—!"

The Seven-Tails Chomei's low roar echoed through the sealing space!

Immediately afterward, the enormous chakra rod piercing its insectoid body gave a crisp crack.

—Cracks!

Spread outward from the center of the rod!

The next instant—

"Boom—!!!"

The entire chakra rod exploded!

The shattered sealing core became countless motes of light that scattered in every direction. The shackles locked in place by the sealing patterns broke apart at the same moment!

The metallic crash of snapping chains was deafening!

"Bzzzz—!"

The Seven-Tails Chomei's insect wings snapped open!

As its six pairs of translucent wings beat, they produced a high-frequency vibration like a swarm of bees, blasting away all the surrounding rubble and dust!

Across the dome of the sealing space, the sealing patterns that had once suppressed it began flickering rapidly. At last—as if ripped apart by some immense force—they shattered inch by inch!

"Rumble—!!!"

The entire underground area containing Takigakure's prison began shaking violently!

Before the Takigakure ninjas aboveground could react, they felt the earth beneath their feet sway as though mountains were collapsing and the ground was splitting apart!

"What's going on?! Is it an earthquake?!"

"No! It's coming from the sealed prison!"

"The Seven-Tails! The Seven-Tails is breaking free!"

Terrified cries rose one after another across the surface.

Inside the sealing space.

Uchiha Jun stood atop the collapsing stone platform, his Mangekyō Sharingan fixed on the Seven-Tails Chomei as it began to "shed its skin."

"Crack—crack—"

The remaining seal fragments on Chomei's insectoid body peeled away piece by piece like parched earth, revealing the carapace beneath, which gleamed with an eerie blue chakra light.

As the final seal fragment fell away, Chomei's insectoid body abruptly expanded by a full circle!

The enormous Tailed Beast chakra that had been compressed and restrained erupted like floodwaters bursting through a dam, forming swirling chakra storms throughout the underground space!

"Whoosh—!!!"

In the violent wind, Uchiha Jun's robes snapped loudly, yet he remained firmly where he stood, a faint curve rising at the corner of his lips.

"Finally—I can stretch my limbs a little!"

The Seven-Tails Chomei's voice came from within its insectoid body, carrying the exhilaration of release after being suppressed for countless years!

It violently beat its wings, lifting its massive body from the stone platform and circling once through the sealing space!

In that instant, Uchiha Jun saw magnificent chakra patterns emerge upon Chomei's six pairs of wings—like mysterious totems, flickering with flowing light in the dim space.

"Good, very good..." Uchiha Jun watched the freely flying Seven-Tails, satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

The Seven-Tails Chomei descended from the air, slowly folding its wings. Its compound eyes fixed on Uchiha Jun as it spoke with a hint of solemnity.

"Uchiha, do not forget our deal."

After saying that, the Seven-Tails Chomei slightly lowered its head. A seam split open in the abdominal carapace at the front of its insectoid body, and a fist-sized sphere radiating an eerie blue glow slowly floated out.

—A mass of highly compressed Tailed Beast chakra, along with a piece of carapace tissue separated from its body.

"This is the Tailed Beast chakra you wanted. I specially compressed a portion of it; there is enough for a Kage Level amount."

"As for this carapace tissue, it was formed from secretions condensed from my outer shell. It contains my chakra properties."