Sealing a Tailed Beast

The one who answered Kazuma's summons was a young monk ninja about the same age as Uchiha Yuan.

His hands were pressed together in prayer. Though young, he wore the compassionate expression of a venerable elder, as if the screams and bloodshed around him were nothing more than an illusion.

He walked up to the enormous wooden fish and met the miniature fox's gaze. Only then did a flicker of greed flash deep within his eyes.

At that moment, the monk ninjas who had gone mad earlier suddenly froze in place like wooden statues.

Influenced by the Nine-Tails Chakra, their spiritual energy had long since been depleted, leaving behind nothing but empty shells.

Surrounded by more than a dozen corpses, Kudo, the reserve Jinchuriki candidate, remained remarkably composed.

Clearly, this monk ninja named Kudo was far stronger than the chanting monk ninjas.

"Sealing even a wisp of Nine-Tails Chakra is this dangerous. Sealing a tailed beast is simply a fantasy."

Kurama Shion sighed. She had experienced Nine-Tails Night not long ago, and the horrific scene before her was practically a reenactment of that day.

"This is only the beginning. Teacher Orochimaru hasn't even made a move yet."

Mitaraishi Anko watched with great interest. Bloodshed and death only made her more excited.

Uchiha Yuan quietly rubbed his nose. The scene before him had truly broadened his horizons.

Thankfully, the Demonic Statue Fragment had already been fed full and showed no reaction to this remaining wisp of Nine-Tails Chakra.

Otherwise, if the Nine-Tails Chakra affected by the Demonic Statue Fragment became listless, it would definitely arouse Orochimaru and Kazuma's suspicions.

To avoid exposing himself, Uchiha Yuan felt that he needed to be even more cautious.

Just as he was considering how to hide the Demonic Statue Fragment, his left arm was firmly grabbed.

When he turned his head, he met Hyuga Ryo's pure, harmless white eyes.

"Yuan-kun is a man! You'll protect girls at a time like this, right!?"

Uchiha Yuan's gaze drifted downward. Hyuga Ryo's surging curves obstructed his view, and this Hyuga Clan ninja had actually hidden half her body behind his back.

Considering the terrible situation before them, she was clearly using him as a human shield.

"I'm just an ordinary ninja. I'm not married, and I certainly don't have a daughter. Ling, there is really no need for you to treat me like this."

Just as Uchiha Yuan was about to shake off Hyuga Ryo, his right arm was wrapped around by another pair of cool, soft arms.

"Ling is right. Yuan-kun counts as a man too."

Kurama Shion naturally hid half her body behind Uchiha Yuan's back.

"Protecting one more person won't make a difference anyway, right?"

A vein throbbed on Uchiha Yuan's forehead.

That single wisp of Nine-Tails Chakra had instantly slaughtered more than a dozen Fire Temple monks.

These two women clearly knew how dangerous it was, yet they still used him as a shield. They were far too sinister and vicious!

Then, dragging along two burdens, Uchiha Yuan silently moved behind Anko.

His junior apprentice sister was intently studying her teacher Orochimaru's sealing methods and did not notice anything behind her.

Uchiha Yuan casually looked up at the sky, Kurama Shion looked around as if admiring the scenery, and only Hyuga Ryo maintained a serene smile throughout.

Just as the three shameless people were persecuting the junior apprentice sister of their squad, the sealing officially began.

In the center of the courtyard, the bodies of more than a dozen Fire Temple monks lay scattered across the ground.

Orochimaru calmly examined Kudo, the Jinchuriki candidate. His physique was far inferior to that of the Uzumaki Clan; he did not even possess the qualifications to become a Fake Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Kazuma, the person you found lacks the necessary aptitude. However, I will still help you complete the sealing as agreed, and I will even teach you the method."

"As for what happens afterward, you will have to handle it yourself."

Kazuma could only silently accept this.

Although Kudo, the Jinchuriki candidate, was focused on confronting the miniature fox, a trace of contempt and malice flashed through the glance he cast at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru paid it no mind and instructed Kudo to remove his upper clothing.

"Sealing Technique: Five Elements Seal!"

With a shout, five clusters of chakra with different attributes quietly emerged at his fingertips.

The miniature fox that had killed more than a dozen Fire Temple monks in an instant just moments ago sensed danger, but Orochimaru had already completely drawn it into his hand.

The fervor in Kudo's eyes grew even more intense.

"If you wish to become a Jinchuriki, your will must be firm!"

As Orochimaru spoke his reminder, worm-like runic patterns appeared across Kudo's abdomen.

Orochimaru pressed the Nine-Tails Chakra into him. The runic patterns then closed, and the seal was completed in the span of a breath.

Having transformed into a Fake Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kudo incredulously felt the changes in his body.

He was nervous and terrified, yet the corners of his mouth still curled upward beyond his control.

He felt incredible. Boundless power surged through every inch of his body!

Kudo felt that he could smash down the Fire Temple gates with one punch! Even breaking free of Kazuma and Orochimaru's control would be effortless.

But before he could make a move, a pale hand pressed against Kudo's abdomen once more.

"Five Elements Unseal!"

The power throughout his body rapidly drained away. Kudo tried to resist and break free, using these hands filled with strength to seek the freedom that belonged to him.

But when he lowered his head, all he saw were two withered claws, swollen several times their original size, weakly grasping at the Hidden Leaf Village ninja beside him.

His vision and eyelids grew heavy at the same time. The last things Kudo felt were his powerless head drooping down and the air trapped inside his lungs.

Nearby, Uchiha Yuan raised his brows. The Fake Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had shown only a slight mutation before Orochimaru ruthlessly eliminated him.

In Uchiha Yuan's view, Teacher Orochimaru's mastery of Sealing Technique was formidable. Perhaps he really could obtain a solution to the Dead Demon Consuming Seal from him.

"Lord Orochimaru! Did Kudo fail!?"

Kazuma looked anxious. The change had come far too abruptly, and he had not been prepared at all.

This Fake Nine-Tails Jinchuriki experiment had completely failed. Kudo simply could not bear the Nine-Tails Chakra.

"You have seen the situation. There is no need for me to waste words explaining it."

Orochimaru casually sealed the extracted Nine-Tails Chakra back into the wooden fish and spoke indifferently.

"Perhaps the time is not right yet. I have given you the Sealing Technique, the solution, and the Nine-Tails Chakra. You can figure out the rest yourself."

He handed the wooden fish to Kazuma and turned to leave.

"You lot, haven't you seen enough? Follow me. There are more important things waiting for us to do."

Led by Uchiha Yuan, Orochimaru Squad quickly followed.

In the hollow courtyard, only Kazuma remained, standing there in a daze.

Originally, he had intended to make a deal with Hidden Grass Village, but not only had most of the Nine-Tails Chakra intended for the trade been stolen midway, the remainder was not even enough to create a Fake Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Because of this failed operation, more than half of the Fire Temple monk ninjas in his faction had been killed or injured.

Kazuma naturally knew someone was plotting against him from the shadows, but apart from knowing that they were interested in Nine-Tails Chakra, he did not possess a single additional piece of intelligence.

On the mountain path, Uchiha Yuan slowly walked behind Orochimaru.

Orochimaru had not been discouraged by the failure. Instead, he seemed to be in a good mood.

"Teacher, was helping the Fire Temple this mission?"

Anko asked.

"No, that was merely one of my personal research interests. As for this mission, we can set off to carry it out now."

Uchiha Yuan sighed inwardly.

Carrying out a mission with Orochimaru was bound to be fraught with danger.

Hyuga Ryo and Kurama Shion felt the same way.

"Then Teacher, what is our mission this time?"

Anko asked excitedly.

"We are going to Sea Country to seal Isobu, the Three-Tails."