Li Hideout.
Shinji glanced at Karatachi Yagura, whose Tailed Beast had just been extracted. "How does it feel? Hard to adjust? You're no longer a Jinchūriki, and your strength has taken a serious hit. That must be tough for a former Mizukage to accept."
Karatachi Yagura looked down and touched his stomach.
His eyes were still filled with shock.
Utakata had told him about this before, but he had remained skeptical. It wasn't that he doubted Shinji could do it. Rather...
He had doubted that extracting a Tailed Beast without pain was even possible.
But now...
He looked up, his eyes shining, though he didn't answer Shinji's question.
He gave only one brief reply.
"Thank you!"
Shinji smiled and reached out to pat his shoulder, but nearly patted his head instead.
Karatachi Yagura shot him a resentful look.
Shinji gave an awkward laugh and withdrew his hand. "Well... take good care of the village. And don't forget, you're Dawn's Gongfu!"
"I know..."
Karatachi Yagura rolled his eyes. "By the way, how is Kirigakure doing now?"
"Why do you care?"
Shinji gave him a puzzled look. "The era of one village per nation will be over soon..."
A flash of uncertainty crossed Karatachi Yagura's eyes. "That soon?!"
"Sometimes change happens in the blink of an eye. Anyway."
Shinji waved a hand. "I still have a promise to fulfill for someone else, so I can't stay and chat."
"Oh—"
Karatachi Yagura could only nod helplessly. Then he looked up and stared into Shinji's eyes.
"Um... I've been meaning to ask. Your eyes?"
In Karatachi Yagura's eyes...
Shinji's eyes were nothing short of breathtaking.
He couldn't quite describe them.
But Karatachi Yagura swore they were the strangest and most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen in the entire Shinobi World.
The