Let alone in his current injured state.
Even if he were at full strength, Utakata doubted he could defeat this boy.
Menma had merely drawn upon the chakra of the Nine-Tails and had already displayed such terrifying combat power. If he were capable of a complete Tailed Beast Transformation…
Utakata was uncertain whether Menma had reached that stage yet, but if he had, then no matter how many times they fought, the outcome would almost certainly remain the same.
Moreover…
That dark sphere of chakra Menma had used earlier still lingered in Utakata's mind.
Although it was clearly not a Tailed Beast Ball, its violent rotational force and overwhelming destructive power had given even him a sense of dread.
Is this… the power of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki…?
Utakata stared silently at Menma's back, his gaze filled with emotions too complicated to describe.
Shock.
Wariness.
And perhaps…
A trace of fear.
"Cough…"
Unlike the conflicted Utakata
Darui, whose life was already slipping away, looked at the approaching Menma with despair in his eyes.
Even if Menma chose not to make another move, Darui no longer had much time left.
The Rasengan had completely pulverized the tissue around his chest.
Several internal organs had been irreparably damaged.
Even if Tsunade herself were standing here, there was little possibility of saving him.
Death…
was already inevitable.
"…Uzumaki… Menma…"
Darui uttered those final words with trembling lips.
Menma looked down at him expressionlessly.
"Whoosh."
A kunai slid into his hand.
Without hesitation, he drew it cleanly across Darui's throat.
"Pffft!"
Blood splashed outward.
The final remnants of life rapidly faded from Darui's body.
Raikage-sama…
The image of the Fourth Raikage assigning him this mission surfaced in his fading consciousness.
Darkness gradually consumed his vision.
His arms fell limply to the ground.
Thud.
The man who, in another future, would become the Fifth Raikage of Kumogakure met his end here.
Menma remained calm as he watched Darui breathe his last.
This was the shinobi world.
Either you killed your enemy
Or your enemy killed you.
Against an opponent who sought his life, Menma had no room for mercy.
"Seal."
Taking a specially prepared sealing scroll from his pouch, Menma quickly formed several hand seals.
Fūinjutsu: Storage Seal.
With a burst of chakra, Darui's corpse disappeared into the scroll.
A shinobi possessing the Storm Release (Ranton) Kekkei Genkai, whose strength had already approached the Kage level, possessed tremendous research value.
More importantly
As one of Kumogakure's highest-ranking elite jōnin and one of the Fourth Raikage's most trusted subordinates, the intelligence contained within his body and equipment might prove invaluable in the future.
The corpses of the remaining Kumogakure shinobi were of little importance.
Darui alone was worth preserving.
The battle had ended in only a matter of minutes.
After dismissing his summoning technique, Menma slowly walked back.
Seeing him approach
Utakata instinctively tensed.
During the battle, he had briefly considered escaping.
However…
Kabuto had remained nearby the entire time.
More importantly, the overwhelming strength Menma had displayed made Utakata abandon that thought almost immediately.
Even the giant lizard summon alone would have been difficult for his heavily injured body to overcome.
Who knew what other trump cards Menma still possessed?
At the very least, Menma had not behaved like the Kumogakure shinobi who had attempted to capture him through brute force.
Perhaps…
Negotiation was still possible.
Of course, this was nothing more than Utakata's own gamble.
Since everything ultimately depended on chance, it was better to seize this opportunity to recover as much chakra as possible.
As for allowing Kabuto to treat his injuries
That was out of the question.
Utakata had to ensure he retained enough strength to fight if necessary.
He could not allow anyone to approach him without caution.
"Hm?"
Menma glanced toward Kabuto.
"Why didn't you treat Utakata-san, Kabuto-san?"
A trace of surprise appeared on his face.
Kabuto merely shrugged helplessly.
Seeing that reaction, Menma immediately understood.
So…
Utakata still didn't trust them.
Which, honestly, was only natural.
"Heh… It seems Utakata-san still doesn't believe us."
Menma smiled faintly.
"Please don't misunderstand. Kabuto-san and I came here without any intention of harming you. I simply wish to invite you to join us. The choice is entirely yours. If you refuse, I won't force you."
"Invite me?"
"The choice is mine?"
Utakata narrowed his eyes.
A hint of skepticism flashed across his calm expression.
His distrust was obvious.
Menma's brows furrowed briefly before relaxing again.
"Utakata-san, there's no need to be so guarded."
"I'm not claiming to be a saint."
"But I do keep my word."
"If you insist on continuing alone, I won't stop you."
"Even if you refuse my invitation, I'll allow you to leave."
"However…"
"I'd like you to hear me out first."
Menma looked directly into Utakata's eyes.
"You should understand your current situation better than anyone."
"Kirigakure is pursuing you."
"Kumogakure has now begun targeting you as well."
"As for Konoha, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure…"
"They may already have similar intentions."
"Perhaps not today."
"But sooner or later."
"If you continue traveling alone, you'll inevitably become the prey of every major village."
"I know you're confident in your own strength."
"But can you survive one pursuit?"
"Two?"
"Five?"
"Ten?"
"There will eventually come a day when your luck runs out."
After a brief pause, Menma continued calmly,
"Utakata-san…"
"You need companions."
"And I believe I'm your best option."
"I'm a missing-nin."
"So are you."
"In this world…"
"Those abandoned by their villages can only rely upon each other."
For Menma
Recruiting Utakata remained the ideal outcome.
Takigakure desperately lacked high-level combat power.
Although he and Fū could support the village, its overall military strength still paled in comparison to the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Against Sunagakure, they might still have a chance.
Against the other four
They were nowhere near strong enough.
Not to mention the hidden threat posed by the Akatsuki.
As the Six-Tails' jinchūriki, Utakata might not stand at the absolute peak of the shinobi world, but he was unquestionably among its strongest combatants.
However
If Utakata refused…
Menma had no intention of forcing him.
A jinchūriki who joined unwillingly would never become reliable combat power.
As for extracting the Six-Tails and sealing it into another host
That was theoretically possible.
But the risks were enormous.
There was no guarantee the new jinchūriki could immediately become an effective fighting force.
Compared to that
Allowing Utakata to continue wandering the shinobi world while drawing the attention of the Five Great Nations was arguably more valuable.
At the very least…
Menma hoped to obtain a portion of Saiken's chakra.
That alone would make this journey worthwhile.
Naturally
Recruiting Utakata remained the best possible result.
In that sense…
Menma was actually grateful to Darui and Kumogakure.
Human beings often judged situations through comparison.
After witnessing Kumogakure's ruthless attempt to capture him
Utakata might now be more willing to listen.
And sure enough…
Menma's words caused Utakata to hesitate.
"So…"
Utakata spoke after a long silence.
"You can truly give me a safe and stable life, Uzumaki Menma?"
"As you said, I'm already being hunted by multiple villages."
"But aren't you an even bigger target than I am?"
"If I travel with you…"
"Wouldn't the danger only become greater?"
"So…"
"Why should I trust you?"
Menma nodded slightly.
"You're right."
"I won't deny that."
"But two people are still stronger than one."
"As for danger…"
He smiled calmly.
"You're already a jinchūriki."
"The Five Great Nations already consider you valuable."
"Do you truly think the difference between being hunted by four villages or five villages changes anything?"
"If that's the only concern keeping you from making a decision…"
"I'm afraid I overestimated you, Utakata-san."
Menma's tone remained gentle.
Yet there was unmistakable confidence within his words.
"What you've seen today…"
"…is only a fraction of what I possess."
"There are many things I cannot reveal unless you decide to join me."
"After all…"
"I doubt you'd appreciate learning secrets that would leave you with only two choices."
"Join me…"
"Or fight me."
Utakata immediately understood the implication.
His expression grew serious.
In truth
Menma's invitation had already shaken him.
He did not want to die.
He simply wanted to live freely.
Yet from the moment he became the Six-Tails' jinchūriki, freedom had become a luxury beyond his reach.
Whether within Kirigakure…
Or after becoming a missing-nin…
His life had always been one of constant pursuit and suspicion.
For more than twenty years, he had lived with death following close behind.
More than anything
He longed for peace.
For a place where he no longer needed to flee.
But he also understood that such a dream was almost impossible.
Even with Menma's invitation
This was still only their first meeting.
He barely knew the boy standing before him.
Trust…
Could not be given so easily.