A faint voice brushed Utakata's ear, and his face twisted in alarm. Before he could react, searing pain exploded in his gut.
Boom!
Yuto's fist sent him crashing from the sky. He tore through trees, finally slamming into the ground, carving out a crater.
Coughing blood, Utakata dragged himself up, wary eyes scanning the area as his hands flew through seals.
Suiton—Bubble Clone!
A perfect copy separated from him, identical in form, and would explode on defeat to deal secondary damage.
Suiton—Camouflage Jutsu!
Without pause, his body faded, vanishing into the air. The plan was simple: hide himself while the clone drew enemy fire.
But a faint rush of air sounded. The clone convulsed, struck by an unseen force, and detonated.
The blast tore Utakata from hiding before he could escape.
"Where—?!"
Eyes wide, he leapt backward to retreat.
Thud!
A heavy strike smashed into him. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his body bent like a boiled shrimp. Only now did he realize why his clone had exploded—something invisible was attacking.
The phantom's kick landed square in his stomach, hurling him into a tree.
Whist! Whist! Whist! Whist!
Four branches streaked through the air, spearing into his hands and feet. Blood splattered as they pinned him in a cross-shape against the trunk.
Head drooping, blood dripping from his lips, Utakata stared in disbelief. Even without the Six-Tails, his power rivaled any jonin. Yet in mere moments he had been beaten—without even glimpsing his opponent.
Step—step—
Soft footsteps approached. Utakata raised his head and saw a youth step from behind a tree.
The young man cast him a casual glance, then sat lazily upon a jutting root.
"No need to look. It's just me."
Yuto looked up at him, voice calm.
"I didn't want to fight. But you've defected—words won't reach you now."
He shrugged with a hint of helplessness.
Utakata glared, rage burning. "Who are you? There's no one this strong in Kirigakure!"
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is playtime's over. You're going back."
Yuto shook his head gently.
The words only enraged Utakata further. "Back? To die? I'd rather fall anywhere else than be killed there!"
Yuto's face dimmed. The logic of shinobi often baffled him.
A jinchuriki was a village's greatest power, a deterrent against others. If it were up to him, they'd be treated well, filled with love, even molded into loyal fools like Uzumaki Naruto.
Kumo's methods, at least, weren't bad.
But other villages were the opposite—wishing for their jinchuriki's death, yet expecting the beast to guard them. A fantasy of gain without sacrifice.
"With me here, no one will take your life."
Yuto rose, voice steady.
"You think I'll believe that?!"
Utakata roared. Malignant chakra surged, cloaking him in crimson. A tail whipped behind him.
With that power, he wrenched himself free, tearing out the branches from his limbs.
Roar!
His beastlike cry shook the air as he charged.
"Figures. A fist it is, then."
Yuto sighed, his tone resigned.
Shrouded in chakra, Utakata closed the distance in an instant, fist swinging down with explosive strength.
Yuto raised a single hand and, to Utakata's disbelief, blocked it with ease.
"Decent strength. But still far from some I've known."
Twisting his wrist, he seized Utakata's arm. Before the jinchuriki could react, Yuto slammed a fist into his skull.
Boom!
The ground caved in, half of Utakata's body driven beneath the soil.
"Eh… maybe I hit a bit hard."
Yuto frowned at the silence, uneasy.
Roar! Roar!
The earth trembled as chakra erupted, swelling further.
One tail. Two tails. Three.
Only when the cloak bore three writhing tails did the eruption slow.
Yuto released his grip as Utakata burst free, his form monstrous, more beast than man.
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