"Something else? What is Lord Shigure planning to do?"
Chōjūrō could barely contain his excitement. The return of a Jinchuriki meant the Hidden Mist would once again have its greatest deterrent.
This was exactly what the Mizukage had always wanted.
But Shigure's words hinted at something more, which left Chōjūrō impatient. He wanted nothing more than to bring the Six-Tails back immediately and let the entire village rejoice.
"Didn't this guy say he didn't want to be a Jinchuriki before?"
"Then just let him return to being a normal person!"
—Return to being a normal person?
Chōjūrō frowned, not fully understanding. But beside him, Haku's eyes widened.
"Lord Shigure… have you truly thought this through?"
Chōjūrō blinked in confusion. "Thought what through?"
Shigure answered plainly, "Of course. This is a Tailed Beast. Isn't gaining such power a good thing?"
Haku shook his head. "For others, yes—the power of a Tailed Beast is nearly irresistible. But for you, Lord Shigure… it's probably not the reason at all, is it?"
Shigure smiled faintly.
He hadn't expected Haku to see through him so clearly. How long had they even been together? And yet, this boy could already read his thoughts with such precision.
"Lord Shigure, don't be surprised," Haku continued.
"With your talent, as a genius, you carry the pride of one. To ordinary shinobi, a Tailed Beast is untouchable—but for you, it's hardly anything extraordinary."
Shigure chuckled softly. Haku was right.
Indeed, to him, Tailed Beasts were nothing special.
But now… he didn't have the luxury of time.
"To develop certain Ninjutsu, I'll have to borrow the power of a Tailed Beast."
That was the truth. And if it was for the sake of Ninjutsu, then Haku could accept it.
"Still," Haku cautioned, "once you become a Jinchuriki, you'll be bound to the Hidden Mist. Have you really decided?"
If it had been another Tailed Beast, perhaps it wouldn't matter. But the Six-Tails belonged to the Mist. If Shigure ever wished to return to Konoha, bearing Saiken inside him would make it impossible.
Shigure's smile remained calm.
Bound? So what?
Even if he left the Mist one day, he had no intention of joining another village. As for Konoha… that place had abandoned him. Whether it was Danzo's schemes or the choices of the village elders, they had turned their backs on him.
He wouldn't look back.
At that moment, Chōjūrō scratched his head and finally spoke up, "Lord Shigure, Lord Haku… what are you two even talking about?"
Haku gave him a glance before turning serious again.
"When a Jinchuriki and a Tailed Beast are separated, the Jinchuriki dies. Lord Shigure said he would make this man an ordinary person. Does that mean you've found a way to extract the Tailed Beast without killing him?"
Shigure nodded. "That's right. I do have a method, but I'm still observing his condition internally. I'll know for sure in half an hour."
He closed his eyes, entering deep focus.
At last, Chōjūrō realized the truth.
"Lord Shigure… are you going to extract the Tailed Beast? You mean to pull the Six-Tails out of this man's body?"
"Exactly." Shigure's eyes snapped open. "I've decided—I want to be a Jinchuriki."
Chōjūrō froze. The village needed a Jinchuriki, and the Mizukage longed desperately for the Six-Tails' return. But Shigure volunteering to become one himself…
Would that bring disaster—or salvation?
Time slipped by as the Great Sage's calculations neared completion.
Extracting a Tailed Beast was never simple.
[Great Sage: Extraction procedure analyzed. With the host's current strength, there is a fifty percent chance of success. Failure will still allow the Tailed Beast's chakra to be extracted—but the Jinchuriki will undoubtedly die.]
Fifty percent. A high chance for something so impossible, but also… terrifying.
Shigure's brow furrowed. His expression darkened.
'What if you take control of my body during the procedure?'
[Great Sage: Success rate increases by thirty percent.]
An eighty percent success rate?
That was enough.
'Great Sage, I'll leave it to you.'
[Great Sage: Taking over host's body.]
Haku and Chōjūrō, who had been waiting anxiously nearby, suddenly saw Shigure rise to his feet.
He lifted his hand, and in the next instant countless strands of chakra threads burst forth, enveloping Utakata.
Their eyes widened in shock as the threads multiplied by the thousands, spilling from Shigure's hand like a vast web.
The precision and sheer scale of chakra control left them speechless.
Shigure's chakra flared brilliantly, radiating an oppressive pressure.
Then—it happened.
From Utakata's body, red chakra surged outward, drawn irresistibly by Shigure's threads. Guided like a tide, the Six-Tails' chakra poured forth in a steady stream.
The sight was overwhelming—like watching the sun and moon blaze in the same sky.
Under the Great Sage's command, the chakra threads moved as though alive, frantically tugging at the beast's power, dragging it free from its host.
Ten minutes.
In just ten minutes, the complete chakra of the Six-Tails was torn from Utakata and bound within Shigure's threads. Then, like a flood reversing its course, it surged straight into Shigure's body.
A seal instantly formed across Shigure's stomach.
The Great Sage's runic constructs interlocked seamlessly, creating a perfect containment—holding the Six-Tails within Shigure, ensuring its chakra could not leak, nor corrupt his own.
[Great Sage: Extraction and sealing complete. Returning body control.]
The glow in Shigure's eyes dimmed as the Great Sage relinquished command. Slowly, awareness returned to him.
Inside, he felt the torrent of foreign chakra swirling with immense power. He could still remember every step of the extraction—viewed as though from a god's perspective—precise, calculated, flawless.
It was beyond anything he could have achieved alone.
"…Unbelievable."
Suddenly, Utakata stirred on the ground.
He gasped for air, then sat upright. His chest felt strangely light, as if an invisible boulder pressing on him had finally been lifted. For the first time in years, he felt… free.
But when his eyes found Shigure, instinct forced him to rise, his stance defensive.
Shigure glanced down at his hand, where dark red chakra danced and flickered like fire.
The chakra of the Six-Tails.
Utakata's eyes widened in horror. Instinctively, he reached inward—trying to summon Saiken's presence.
Nothing answered.
His face paled.
"My… my Tailed Beast… why is it gone…?"
...
TN:
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