As soon as the words were spoken, the system unexpectedly lit up with fireworks. At the same time, the entire system interface upgraded. Back when Shigeo was cultivating in Half-Moon Town, the system was still at level two, but now it had suddenly jumped to level four.
The Mirror Cultivation function directly advanced to level eight!
Shigeo laughed. As expected, the system was an augmenting tool. Although it had upgraded, his body didn't feel any different. It was like being given a computer for study—whether you improve or not still depends on how hard you work.
He sat cross-legged on the ground and began cultivating, while the Mirror System continued copying everything about the Five-Tails' jinchūriki, Han, who was right beside him.
The snowstorm lasted five or six days, and during that time, Rōshi also remained in a drunken sleep for nearly the same duration.
Han didn't utter a single word throughout, but Shigeo didn't bother him either. After all, Han carried a tailed beast inside him—if provoked, it could cause great trouble. As long as the Mirror System could smoothly copy both Han's abilities and his tailed beast, that was enough.
"Ah!" Finally, Rōshi woke up. Looking around, then at Shigeo, he asked:
"Big brother, what time is it now?"
Still calling him big brother even after waking? Shigeo glanced at the snow-blocked entrance of the cave and replied:
"Five days later."
"That was such a good sleep. It's been years since I've rested so well!" Rōshi turned toward Han and asked:
"Brother, are you hungry?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the always silent Han suddenly leapt to his feet. His restraints of Mokuton (Wood Release) were controlled by Shigeo's chakra, but with a sudden burst of strength—and Shigeo distracted—Han snapped them apart.
Taking advantage of Shigeo and Rōshi's lack of attention, he leaped forward, shouting Jōki Bōi (Steam Imp) as he charged.
Outside his tailed beast state, Han was primarily a taijutsu-type ninja—fast, powerful, and relentless. Jōki Bōi was a body technique that used explosive momentum to damage the enemy.
At such close range, almost anyone would have been hit by this sudden move. Even Rōshi had once been injured by it. But Shigeo could use Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique), the same ability famed for its "Yellow Flash" speed by Namikaze Minato.
Seeing Han charge, Shigeo flickered out of the cave in an instant.
"You little punk! You destroyed my village—I'll fight you to the death!" Han shouted, transforming into his tailed beast state as he pursued, with Rōshi chasing close behind.
"Han, listen to me! Things aren't what you think! If I'm not wrong, the war in the Land of Earth has already ended!" Rōshi shouted desperately, trying to stop him.
He knew Han well. Normally silent and expressionless, Han could become terrifying if his breaking point was touched. Apparently, that casual greeting earlier had triggered all the frustration pent up in him during the past few days.
The beastly form of the Five-Tails, Kokuō, charged forward—its crimson eyes glowing, its five horns shimmering with a bluish-white light in the snowy landscape.
Among the tailed beasts, Kokuō wasn't the strongest overall, but its charging power and trampling force were unmatched—it had even injured the Eight-Tails before with sheer impact alone.
Shigeo dodged repeatedly with Shunshin no Jutsu, but his Mokuton wasn't strong enough. Since he'd only copied it through Uchiha Obito's powers, it was far weaker than the original Wood Release of Senju Hashirama.
If not for his massive chakra reserves, he wouldn't have been able to suppress Han's tailed beast power for days with his Mokuton bindings.
If he ever had the chance, he definitely needed to copy the First Hokage's Wood Release—or find every cultivation method related to it. Only then could his Mokuton truly grow stronger.
He quickly unleashed Uchiha Enjin (Uchiha Flame Formation) to block Kokuō. The beast evaded with a few leaps and began condensing a Bijūdama (Tailed Beast Bomb).
"Heavens, it really wants you dead!" Rōshi cried out. "Big brother, be careful!"
Kokuō didn't give Shigeo any time. As soon as the Bijūdama grew to the size of a bowl, it fired.
Don't be fooled by its size—its destructive power was terrifying. Not just Shigeo—even another tailed beast would be heavily injured if it didn't dodge or counter.
A sharp image flashed in Shigeo's mind: Namikaze Minato, during the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, teleporting away a Bijūdama.
It seemed it was time for him to try Hiraishin: Guiding Thunder (Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder).
His time in Half-Moon Town, spending three months revisiting the techniques of countless masters, was now paying off. Even under this extreme pressure, his body reacted instantly.
In the blink of an eye, the Bijūdama vanished when it was just a meter away from him.
Kokuō froze in shock, about to form another when the first Bijūdama suddenly reappeared right in front of it. With a resounding boom, it was blasted off its feet, legs flailing in the snow!
Immediately, Mokuton surged forth, a dozen branches tightly binding the beast. At the same time, Shigeo began using the Uzumaki clan's sealing technique to trap it.
Gradually, Kokuō's tailed beast form receded, revealing a completely exhausted Han, bound by the wooden restraints. Looking up at Shigeo, he thought—this kid's power was terrifying!
Rōshi hurried over, concern in his eyes. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, right?"
"I'm fine," Shigeo replied. Suddenly, his whole body tensed—the sealing perception technique's sigil flared, making his heart leap with joy. This meant there was news from Half-Moon Town.
"Big brother, I have to go. My sister is looking for me."
Rōshi nodded slightly. "Yes, you've wasted enough time here already. For our Land of Earth, you even offended Iwagakure. But don't worry—with your power, you could offend the entire world and still be fine! Hahaha…"
He laughed heartily, then turned to Han. "Don't be angry. When you return to Iwagakure, you'll understand. You may not agree with our choices, but remember—we did it for everyone's sake. Well then, since our big brother has business, we should part ways here. Nothing lasts forever. Until we meet again!"
Shigeo nodded. "What are your plans for the future?"
"I plan to become a wandering monk. It's been my dream for years, and now I can finally realize it."
"Alright. Stay safe. Goodbye!" Shigeo said, then with an interdimensional teleportation, vanished.
Rōshi watched the spot where he had disappeared, marveling at such a strange power—gone in an instant. Turning back, he released the exhausted Han from the bindings, then left the snowy mountains himself.
(End of Chapter)
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