I Subdued Kokuo, the Five-Tails!

As a tailed beast personally split off by the Sage of Six Paths, Kokuo, the Five-Tails, naturally recognized the Sage's ninja tools.

That enormous sealing vessel, resembling a giant kimchi jar, was the nemesis and nightmare of all powerful creatures—one of the strongest sealing vessels in the world!

The Amber Purifying Pot!

Only now did Kokuo see what Sora truly was. The pair of horns on his head, his vast reserves of chakra, and the Amber Purifying Pot he had revealed...

This guy was a direct descendant of that old man, the Sage of Six Paths!

"Release Han right now! You're about to die, so what are you hesitating for?!"

The agitated Kokuo roared.

Though it was sealed within Han's body, it could still use its jinchuriki's eyes to observe the outside world.

Whenever it felt like it, it could stir up negative emotions to harass its jinchuriki. Life was bitter, but it still had its own flavor.

But if it were sealed inside that Amber Purifying Pot, it would be true darkness without end!

"You've already lost your ability to fight! But if you release me, I'll help you kill him!"

The enraged Kokuo kept slamming against its sealing restraints, but to Han, that sight became the final straw.

As one of Hidden Stone's upper ranks, Han knew many things.

To the current shinobi world, tailed beasts were not merely akin to nuclear deterrents. More importantly, they existed to preserve the balance of the shinobi world.

Even if the Five-Tails was taken by Yotsuki Sora, it would inevitably return to Hidden Stone after the war, during negotiations. At most, they would have to pay some money and resources in exchange.

That was the unspoken understanding between great nations.

So...

Even if he was sealed by Yotsuki Sora, he absolutely could not release the Five-Tails!

Once this creature broke free of its seal, Han did not know whether it could defeat Yotsuki Sora, but it would definitely go mad.

At this crucial moment, with Hidden Stone surrounding the Cloud Hidden Village, he could not let such a monster escape and disrupt the situation no matter what!

Han's gaze grew increasingly resolute. He even gave up his guard against Sora and focused entirely on suppressing the Five-Tails within him.

Naturally, Sora would not miss such an excellent opportunity. With a wave of his hand, the Amber Purifying Pot in his grasp suddenly emitted an incomparably terrifying suction force. Han, who offered no resistance, was instantly sucked inside.

Faintly, one could still hear a few savage, unwilling howls.

Until Sora sealed the vessel shut.

I had subdued Kokuo, the Five-Tails!

"He actually did it."

In the distance, Samui stared blankly at the tall man standing amid the ruins.

She had never imagined things would develop into this.

Originally, she and Dodai had gone to the arena intending to use that brutal gladiator to draw Hidden Stone's attention.

That way, they could ease the pressure on the Third Raikage and allow him to rendezvous with the Cloud Hidden forces.

But now...

This man had charged straight into Hidden Stone's heartland.

Not only had he destroyed their most vital logistical supply point by himself, he had also captured the Third Tsuchikage's son and sealed the Five-Tails' jinchuriki!

Such accomplishments were already the greatest victory the Cloud Hidden Village had achieved since launching the Third Shinobi World War!

Was this really something an ordinary human could accomplish?!

Yet that was the reality.

"Lord Sora!"

Watching Sora place the Amber Purifying Pot back into his sealing scroll, Samui snapped out of her daze and hurried forward, her attitude becoming even more respectful.

"What should we do next?"

"What should we do?"

Sora snorted and glanced at Kitsuchi, who lay there like a dead dog. "Of course, we continue carrying out our mission!"

"C-Continue waiting here for the Hidden Stone ninja to come?"

"Stay here and wait to die?"

Sora looked at Samui in confusion.

Wasn't this girl supposed to be known in the Cloud Hidden Village for being calm and intelligent? Why did she not seem all that smart?

"The reason we stayed here earlier was because our bargaining chips weren't enough. They weren't enough to make the Hidden Stone ninja give up the meat right in front of their mouths and turn to hunting us across the world, so we waited here for them to come to us."

"But now, things are different."

With the Five-Tails in hand, along with the Tsuchikage's son, those Hidden Stone ninja would surely go mad.

If he stayed here any longer, Sora estimated that what he would face next would likely be a Dust Release descending from the heavens, annihilating everything!

He might crave battle, but he was not a brainless fool.

Although Sora considered his current combat strength to be at Kage level, he still had no good way to deal with a power like Dust Release, which surpassed even a bloodline limit.

"Get on."

After stowing the scroll in his ninja tool pouch, Sora placed Samui on his left shoulder. He then grabbed Kitsuchi from the ground, confirmed that the guy was still alive, and quickly retreated.

"Is the battle already over?"

After the violent explosion, no further commotion seemed to come from within, making the Hidden Stone ninja present feel their hearts skip a beat.

A battle of that level should have produced tremendous disturbances, one wave after another.

After all, considering the terrifying physical prowess of a jinchuriki and Yotsuki Sora's humanoid tailed beast form, even if their fight was not like a meteor striking the earth, it should at least have been like heavenly thunder colliding with earthly fire.

Yet aside from that earlier terrifying explosion, which had felt like an earthquake, the direction of Rock Town Village had fallen into an eerie silence.

"No, we can't just stand here waiting."

Hunt glanced at the Hidden Stone ninja present and spoke in a low voice. "Dashi, Huoguang, come with me. The rest of you, remain here and await orders!"

"Yes!"

The three quickly rushed toward Rock Town Village, but after taking only two steps, two of them froze in place.

There was no need to continue forward.

All they could see was desolation.

Forget Yotsuki Sora or Han of the Five-Tails. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but ruins...

Everything before them told a single fact.

One of Hidden Stone Village's strongest forces, Han, the Five-Tails jinchuriki—

Had been defeated!

And beyond that, the most crucial and terrifying part was this.

That man had not only crushed Han, but had taken him away as well.

"No, we have to stop him!"

A trace of panic appeared on Hunt's stern face. If they truly let that man escape, they would not only lose the Five-Tails—Hidden Stone Village would become the laughingstock of the entire shinobi world!

A single ninja had infiltrated deep into Hidden Stone territory alone, defeated the Tsuchikage's son and the Five-Tails jinchuriki, then retreated completely unscathed.

If word of such a thing got out, it would deal Hidden Stone an enormous blow.

To its reputation.

To its morale.

To its strategic position!

"Dashi, send the intelligence from here... no, have the communications ninja use Reverse Summoning directly. Get all the information here to the Third as quickly as possible."

"Huoguang, return to your unit immediately. Deploy ninja and do everything possible to track that man's whereabouts."

Hunt clenched his fists, his eyes shining with unwavering determination. "No matter what, we have to keep that man here! Absolutely!"