In Konoha, Pitiful, Weak, and Helpless / A New Decision

Karatachi Yagura was only "good enough" to Isobu; now that it was free, it wouldn't show even the slightest bit of goodwill towards Hidden Mist Village out of consideration for Karatachi Yagura.

Beneath its shell, Isobu revealed one eye. The Tailed Beasts's eye was so large that Terumi Mei could clearly see Isobu's emotions—get the hell out of my sight.

Terumi Mei waved her hand behind her.

On the sea, several Mist Ninja appeared one after another. These were all experts in Sealing Jutsu and Barrier Ninjutsu that Terumi Mei had brought from the village.

It can't compare to the Uzumaki Clan of Leaf Village, but it's enough.

More Mist Ninja are appearing one after another.

This is a Mist Ninja army of nearly a thousand people. Kirigakure invested heavily in capturing Isobu, Kirigakure deployed even more manpower and resources to ensure their gathering here.

The main purpose was to prevent Hidden Leaf Village from interfering.

As for the new Jinchūriki...

Among the crowd, Kimimaro, no longer a child, stepped onto the water, his gaze serene.

With his powerful physique and unwavering spirit, he was chosen as the new generation's Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails.

Like Terumi Mei, Kimimaro was also a junior ninja from Kirigakure whom Karatachi Yagura valued during his lifetime. However, unlike Terumi Mei, Kimimaro was Karatachi Yagura's disciple.

He is irreplaceable in every aspect as the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails.

After all, as one of the candidates for the future Sixth Mizukage, Kimimaro cannot be a player who can only play with bones.

Well, the Mist Ninja have never been very secretive about the Kage selection process, and they also like to use master-disciple relationships to pass on the leadership.

The number of Mist Ninja increased, and with them came a mist rising from the sea.

Isobu sensed the emotions of these petty people.

That was the greed it was very familiar with.

It dislikes fighting, but it's not incapable of fighting.

The newly resurrected Isobu has not yet fully regained its former size, but as one of the largest Chakra entities in the world, its massive chakra pocket is still not something a normal person can withstand.

The three tails, also covered in thorns, rose up, Isobu began to exert its innate abilities as Tailed Beasts.

The sea surface began to be stirred up, with one side of the seawater sinking, causing the outer seawater to flow inward at an accelerated rate, which also carried some of the Mist Ninja who were standing on the sea surface.

"Control the water and protect the ship!" The Jonin of the Mist Ninja Army quickly issued the order.

Meanwhile, Terumi Mei, acting as the Mizukage, leaped up and headed straight for the Isobu.

Jumping so high was certainly not for the sake of letting the newcomer Isobu take a golf shot.

Rather, it was to perform the Lava Release: Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique.

As the only ninja who uses both Lava Release and Boil Release as her Kekkei Genkai, Terumi Mei's Ninjutsu tends to be simple and practical.

The Lava Release: Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique is Terumi Mei's main use of Lava Release. The acid she creates is both a deadly move that dissolves everything and a means of control.

The acid sprayed from Terumi Mei's mouth began to expand upon contact with air, quickly becoming wider than Isobu's tail. It swiftly coated the latter, and its super-sticky properties immediately disrupted Isobu's tail-wagging movements, slowing it down.

At the same time, it made a sizzling sound, which was the sound of the carapace on Isobu's tail being corroded.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: In Leaf Village, pitiful, weak, and helpless.

He looked gloomy as he walked down the street.

He felt he was just really unlucky.

Born into the original Raikage clan, before they could even enjoy the glory of being the first noble clan in Cloud Village, the original Raikage clan declined in the conflict between Kumogakure and Hidden Leaf Village.

So what if he's fallen from grace? He can just lie low and develop properly. But with so many people available, why throw him out to be Jinchūriki?

Even though the entire village has devoted decades to researching the Tailed Beasts, Jinchūriki is a truly dreaded job within the Raikage clan.

As is widely known, apart from Hidden Leaf Village, no other village has ever had Jinchūriki who died of old age.

They're either going to die suddenly or on their way to dying suddenly; it all depends on who can withstand more manipulation.

The Kumogakure thought it had seen the light at the end of the tunnel, but then it was wiped out by Uchiha Shingen, who was not yet Hokage at the time, and was back to square one.

Therefore, if someone doesn't have at least a few kilograms of noble sentiments in their heart, even if they voluntarily apply to become Jinchūriki, the Raikage should think carefully about whether it's a self-sacrificing attack aimed at him.

In the past, the training of Jinchūriki started from a young age, with special emphasis on their close relationship with the Raikage. It's nothing like this, where they were recruited halfway through their lives.

There are reasons for this, but the backup plan has been exhausted. All the Jinchūriki candidates who had received relevant training from a young age were killed by the Fifth Hokage.

But why him of all people? He doesn't want to be Jinchūriki at all, especially not now.

The current Raikage is Yotsuki Clan! He has absolutely no connection with that black-clad man.

If it were just bad luck, he wouldn't have betrayed Cloud Village, even with the Eight-Tails constantly nagging him. But the current Kumogakure is truly bizarre and unsettling.

Having lost the ability to generate income from external sources, the problems that had accumulated in the village are gradually coming to the surface.

To put it simply, the Kumogakure is in a very complicated situation right now.

It looks exactly like Leaf Village twenty years ago.

The difference is that in Leaf Village back then, the main conflict was between the Hokage Building and a few ninja clans, while the lower and middle levels were relatively harmonious. Unlike Kumogakure now, where every level is embroiled in conflict, and the upper levels are simply killing each other.

The Yotsuki Clan and the former Raikage clan are typical examples. The Yotsuki Clan has always disliked the former Raikage clan and has forgotten the decades-long friendship formed through intermarriage between the two clans.

Becoming Jinchūriki is a product of this struggle.

Traditionally, although the Jinchūriki of Kumogakure are inevitably disliked, they at least hold a very high status, serving as the Raikage's right-hand men throughout the ages.

He could tolerate being forcibly made Jinchūriki, but he could not accept having no status.

Kumogakure to accept this kind of environment, Bi bid farewell, declaring, "I'm going to wander the world."

Since I'm already Jinchūriki, going anywhere is better than staying in Kumogakure.

He solemnly gave his escape plan a name: the Status Elevation Plan.

However, the plan didn't go very smoothly from the start.

It was alright at first, but bad luck struck after he met Fu.

Before he could even rise in status, he ran into Jigen and got a real beating from society.

I won't go into the hardships that followed.

Having finally arrived in Leaf Village, he truly realized that the Fifth Hokage was indeed as his name suggested, the undisputed Cloud Village one scumbag of the Ninja World.

Logically speaking, although he was a fugitive, he was still from a large organization like Kumogakure, so his status should be higher than Fu's from Takigakure.

As the Hokage, shouldn't you spend a fortune to buy the bones of a horse when faced with employees from traditional competitors switching jobs?

However, it was all for naught, as the difference between Leaf Village's arrangements for him and for Fu was too obvious.

The guardian assigned to Fu was from the Uzumaki Clan, and she stayed in a high-class Guest House, living a very comfortable life.

He was thrown directly into the Uchiha Clan's territory.

For a young Jinchūriki, could there be anything more devastating to his tender heart?

Every day from morning till night, a row of Red Eye keeps staring at me...

Not to mention his designated guardian, who is clearly mentally unstable.

Hey! Cloud Ninja brat!

Hearing the familiar voice behind him immediately intensified his gloom.

"Brother, I have a name." He turned around. "Besides, I just wanted to go out and get some skewers."

"What are you doing eating skewers at such a young age? It's a waste of time and energy!" Uchiha Tekka stood behind Bi, his face full of disdain. "If you want to join Leaf Village, you should overcome these base desires and become a person of taste."

Compare:"..."

When he wants to eat some skewers? The welfare allowance Leaf Village gives him is only enough for that.

Thinking about this makes me realize that the gap between people is even greater than the gap between people and dogs.

He had a pure, yearning heart for love, but in the vast Hidden Leaf Village, with so many young ladies, they all avoided him at the mere sight of his skin color, a truly heartbreaking situation.

He can't even afford to treat a young lady to a simple meal...

This has nothing to do with skin color; it's purely about being poor.

But this Uchiha Tekka goes on at least three blind dates a day and spends almost all his time in teahouses.

If this happened in Kumogakure, this kind of scumbag would have been chased all over the streets by girls long ago.

It's a case of some people dying of drought while others are drowning in floods.

"Hmm? What's with that expression? Do you think what I said is wrong?" Uchiha Tekka asked, quite perceptive.

"Without..."

"Still trying to argue!" Uchiha Tekka let out a strange, cold laugh. "It seems I need to conduct a second round of testing on you."

Bi: "... Didn't you say it was the third round yesterday?"

This bastard's trying to add more drama again? At least remember how many times you've done it! You said it was the fifth round just the other day!

Uchiha Tekka was taken aback by this, then casually said, "You're new here and don't know, but actually, the number of ninjas in Leaf Village is usually among the lowest."

Compare:"..."

He felt he had grasped the concept.

The Fifth Hokage sent this guy to test him, just to break his mentality and force him to run away!

If he escapes, the Fifth Hokage, as the most notorious Cloud Ninja in history, will surely descend from the sky and kill him instantly.

It's so dark...

He would absolutely never succumb to the Hokage's discrimination!

"You go ahead and have your skewers," Uchiha Tekka. "I'll come find you again tonight!"

"Can I refuse?" Bi asked tentatively.

He suspected there might be a trap involved.

Forget it, have confidence, this is a trap!

"Oh?" Uchiha Tekka's expression changed instantly, his eyes gleaming. "So you've finally succumbed to your ambition and are going to disobey me, who bears the Hokage's command?"

Bi: "... Can we say something different? You've been saying the same thing for days."

"Don't worry about such details," Uchiha Tekka said impatiently. "Just tell me if you're obedient or not."

"I'll listen! I'll listen to you! I'll listen to everything you say!"

He gave up in despair, feeling pathetic, weak, and helpless.

"You're smart to know what's good for you." Uchiha Tekka nodded in satisfaction. "Don't even think about running away, or you'll break your legs."

Bi: "... Where can I run to?"

Honestly, if he wasn't afraid of being summoned by the Hokage if things went wrong, he would have already fought this group.

Damn it, isn't he Jinchūriki at least? It's not even certain who'll beat whom!

Uchiha Tekka was naturally unaware of the thoughts running through the mind of the Cloud Ninja boy in front of him, but he was quite satisfied with the Cloud Ninja boy's online humility.

He chatted casually for a few minutes, then swaggered away.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: A New Decision

As night falls, Hidden Leaf Village truly reveals its prosperity as the largest city of its time.

The current Leaf Village fully deserves this title.

Throughout the fourth generation, it grew wildly, as if it were on drugs.

The large-scale infrastructure construction continued uninterrupted for ten years, to the point that the Hokage Building had to separate the department originally responsible for construction planning from the administration department to operate independently, reporting only to the Hokage.

After investing a massive amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources over ten years, it naturally left all the cities of that era far behind.

The once bustling North District commercial street has not fallen behind despite these major changes; it has simply transformed from the most prosperous street into the center of the most prosperous business district.

Ultimately, this place is where the most business-savvy people in Leaf Village have gathered.

The people of Leaf Village have also gotten used to this change.