One day later.
The three of them arrived at a small desert village to rest and gather information about the Tailed Beast. The desert was vast, and tracking down the One-Tail wouldn't be easy.
Sitting inside a diner, Ren asked the shop owner, "Boss, do you know of anything in the desert that's been affecting business?"
"Affecting business? Of course," the owner sighed. "Every so often, sandstorms come blowing from that direction. It makes life miserable. This place should be sheltered from the wind, but ever since I took over the shop, trouble keeps happening. The older generations didn't have to deal with it like this."
He pointed toward the distance with a troubled look.
"I see. Thanks, boss."
After paying, Ren motioned for the Hyūga siblings, and the three of them headed in the direction the shopkeeper had pointed.
Before half a day had passed—
"Lord Ren, there's a massive chakra signature up ahead," Hyūga Shūsuke said quickly.
"Looks like we've found it. Hiding here of all places…" Ren stepped straight toward the source.
The Hyūga siblings exchanged a glance, then followed after him.
Soon, the overwhelming chakra grew stronger and stronger—clearly approaching them as well.
Before long, they came face to face with it. The figure before them was a massive gathering of chakra, taking the shape of a beast.
For the Hyūga siblings, it was their first time seeing such a creature.
"So… are you the one that filthy fox chose to trust?" Shukaku's shrill voice echoed.
"Something like that. Kurama gave me chakra so I could sense your presence," Ren answered with a nod.
"And what do you want with me? No matter the reason, get lost! That damn fox dares to send someone here!" Shukaku roared angrily.
"Heh. I came today to bring you with me," Ren replied firmly.
"Brat, try this on for size!" Shukaku wasn't about to hold back, his claws weaving through hand signs.
"Hand signs?!" Hyūga Akie gasped. She never imagined a beast like this could use ninjutsu.
"Die!" With Shukaku's shout, countless sand bullets formed in the air, raining down like a storm.
"Uzumaki Barrier!" Ren slammed his palm against the ground, summoning a massive wall that blocked the barrage.
At the same time, his figure appeared right in front of Shukaku. He had used the technique not to defend himself, but to keep the Hyūga siblings safe.
Seeing his attack fail, Shukaku began turning the surrounding sand into flowing mud infused with his chakra.
He needed to confirm Ren's position, but before he could even react, his opponent had already closed in. That alone told him the fox had sent a formidable man.
"Boom!" Ren's fist smashed down on Shukaku's head.
"What kind of power is this…?" Shukaku was instantly struck down, the surface of the desert collapsing like a tidal wave surging across the sands.
"Lord Ren is so strong." Hyūga Akie's eyes shone with admiration. The barrier he had set up protected her and her brother completely.
To see a single punch cause such destruction was beyond belief.
"Damn it!" Shukaku roared in rage. He had to kill the man before him.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains." Ren unleashed the Uzumaki clan's unique bloodline technique, binding Shukaku tightly.
The sandstorm gradually subsided, and only then did the Hyūga siblings see clearly.
Shukaku lay on the ground, golden chains wrapped around his massive body, struggling in vain to break free.
"Human…" Shukaku glared furiously at Ren. Among the tailed beasts, he was the only one who studied ninjutsu. He recognized this technique well—sealing jutsu. And not just any sealing jutsu, but an overwhelmingly powerful one.
"Come quietly with me, and you won't have to suffer like this." Ren smiled. To him, tailed beasts were nothing more than toys.
With Hashirama, it only took a wooden dragon, and with Uchiha Madara, just a glance. Dealing with tailed beasts was never a problem.
"Human, what are you planning?" Shukaku, unable to break free, could only demand an answer.
"Hmm… collecting you all," Ren replied after a brief pause.
"You…" Shukaku finally realized it. The smelly fox hadn't trusted this man at all—it must have been captured. And if Ren was gathering all of them, then his goal was clear.
"Go on, into the place I prepared for you." Ren quickly formed hand seals, sealing Shukaku completely. The great beast shrank down into a small sphere, easy to carry.
"It's over already?" Hyūga Akie was stunned. She had expected a fierce battle, but instead, it had been one-sided domination.
"Just catching a pet. How long could it take?" Ren replied with a smile.
"Pet…" Hyūga Akisuke clenched his fists. The sheer weight of Shukaku's chakra had terrified him, yet to Ren, it was no more than a pet.
That was only a glimpse of the immense strength Ren truly possessed.
"Let's head to the next place. I've had enough of this desert." Canceling the barrier, Ren released the Hyūga siblings and started toward the Land of Earth.
Over the next ten months, Ren and his group traveled across the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and countless other regions, almost covering the entire Shinobi World.
During this time, Ren captured every Tailed Beast. Each capture was the same—one heavy punch, then restraining them with his Adamantine Sealing Chains, and finally sealing them. His method was simple, but extremely effective.
It didn't take long for him to collect all the Tailed Beasts. Naturally, his purpose was to become stronger.
Instead of creating the Ten-Tails, he wanted to do what Naruto once did—gain the chakra of each Tailed Beast.
The Hyūga siblings had become much more lively during this journey. They also realized that while Ren was incredibly powerful, he was approachable. As long as no one provoked him, there was nothing to fear.
Ren now held eight chakra orbs in his hands—each one containing a sealed Tailed Beast. Finding them had been no easy task; he had scoured the world to gather them all.
"Big Brother Ren, is there a reason you're collecting these Tailed Beasts?" Hyūga Akie asked curiously. Her way of addressing him had shifted over time—from calling him "Lord" at the start, to "big brother" now.
"To become stronger," Ren replied bluntly. Unlike the Ren from the Akame ga Kill world, who had given up on striving, this Ren was still searching for ways to grow stronger.
At this point, he was a master of countless arts—taijutsu, ninjutsu, sealing techniques, and even senjutsu. His power already stood far above the rest of the Shinobi World.
When they returned to the Land of Fire, the difference in environment was immediately obvious.
Lush greenery stretched everywhere, its lands far more fertile and blessed than most other nations.
"Uzumaki clan member!"
A Hyūga clansman suddenly rushed forward, striking at Ren with Gentle Fist.
Ren kicked him down in an instant, knocking him unconscious with a frown. Had the Hyūga and Uzumaki gone to war during the half year he was away? The hatred between them was this deep?
He waited silently for the Hyūga clansman to regain consciousness. Ren hadn't struck too hard, so it didn't take long.
"You're… the main family? No, you're branch family… but your foreheads… the Caged Bird has been lifted?" The Hyūga clansman stared at the Hyūga siblings, first mistaking them for main family members, but quickly realizing something didn't add up—after all, the main family rarely left the clan.
"Yes. Ten months ago, we defected from the Hyūga clan," Hyūga Akie admitted openly.
"So that means… you're the Uzumaki clan member who can remove the Caged Bird seal?" The clansman's voice shook with excitement.
"Did the Hyūga and Uzumaki clan really go to war?" Ren asked coldly.
"No—I was forced!" The Hyūga clansman quickly tried to distance himself.
"Heh."
Ren didn't waste more words. He cast a genjutsu immediately.
Though it wasn't on the level of the Sharingan, it was more than enough to force the truth from someone.
"What is the reason for the Hyūga and Uzumaki war?" Ren asked.
"The branch family members of the Hyūga clan were killed within the Uzumaki territory… so the Hyūga clan declared war," the man answered blankly, his eyes unfocused under the genjutsu's effect.
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