The Capital of the Land of Water was composed of several islands. Seven or eight small islands surrounded a central large island, upon which stood the Tenshu Castle of the Land of Water's Daimyō. Commoners were not permitted to set foot on the Tenshu Castle island.
Over 4,000 Kiri-nin were laying traps outside the Tenshu Castle island.
Elder Genji, a disciple of the First Mizukage, had a slow, dull look in his eyes, realizing he was growing increasingly aged. Successive heavy blows had left his eyes devoid of any vitality. The battlefield had retreated from the Land of Whirlpools to the Land of Waves, from the Land of Waves to the Land of Water, and from the coastline of the Land of Water to its Capital. The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had all perished in the war. Kirigakure's younger generation had been decimated in the Third Great Shinobi War.
The Tenshu Castle in the Capital of the Land of Waves was destroyed, and the Land of Waves' Daimyō family was uprooted. Konoha was now targeting the Capital of the Land of Water directly. The Daimyō was terrified and demanded that Kirigakure absolutely protect the Capital.
But what did Kirigakure have to protect the Capital with? Kirigakure had over 8,000 shinobi. Over 3,000 had been killed by Konoha in the wars of the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Waves. The 4,000 Kiri-nin Genji brought were all that remained of Kirigakure's strength. The village itself was left with less than 1,000 shinobi. If someone attacked Kirigakure now, the village would have no capacity to resist.
Weren't Konoha's losses supposed to be severe? High-ranking figures like Mitokado Homura, Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, Hatake Sakumo had died one after another; even Sarutobi Hiruzen was dead. So why, as the fighting continued, was Konoha's front line still constantly advancing?
The Kiri-nin used the most traditional methods, setting traps outside the Capital, hoping to delay Konoha's advance.
Genji walked towards the shore. A small boat was moored there, inside which a child was confined.
The Three-Tails was killed by Fox and would take years to resurrect. The Six-Tails had escaped. Genji led the Kiri-nin, paying a heavy price, to seal the Six-Tails once more.
The Kiri-nin from the Sealing Unit made one final check and reported, "Elder Genji, we can release the Six-Tails at any time. However... releasing the Six-Tails outside the Tenshu Castle, we're not sure if the castle itself will be affected."
Genji said, "We can't worry about that now. Konoha has not only sent Jiraiya but also Fox and Orochimaru. Facing such enemies, our only hope lies with the Six-Tails. The Six-Tails is our only chance to turn defeat into victory."
At that very moment, a voice abruptly sounded. "Oh? Turn defeat into victory? A chance? Genji, listen to what you're saying."
Genji whipped his head around and saw a fox mask!
Yōkō was conducting a routine battlefield reconnaissance and didn't expect Kirigakure to have resealed the Six-Tails. Last time at Ryoshizu Port in the Land of Whirlpools, even with the combined might of the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, they were no match for Konoha. Now, after suffering considerable casualties to recapture the Six-Tails, they thought they had a chance again.
Yōkō glanced up at the moon. It was a new full moon cycle, time to use the system to draw some abilities again.
He paid no mind to the grim-faced Genji or the trembling Head of the Sealing Unit. His gaze fell upon the Six-Tails Jinchūriki. This Jinchūriki was just a child, his strength negligible. The Six-Tails' abilities were very unique, primarily centered on corrosive acid gas and acid liquid. After mastering Dust Release, Yōkō could achieve particleization of Earth, Wind, and Fire Release chakra. The Six-Tails' ability was a special Water Release, worth collecting. Water Release and Lightning Release were focal points of his plan to collect all chakra natures in the shinobi world.
"Stop him!"
Seeing Fox staring at the Six-Tails Jinchūriki, Genji shouted. However, Fox's movements were too fast. He Body Flickered in front of the Jinchūriki. The child, only six or seven years old, felt the moonlight blocked as a figure stood before him.
"Tailed Beast Unsealing Technique!"
Genji watched in horror as Fox's five fingers pressed against the Jinchūriki's abdomen. According to intelligence, Fox had close ties to the Senju and Uzumaki clans and mastered high-level sealing techniques. He had just undone the Six-Tails' seal.
Tailed Beast chakra erupted violently, and a massive amount of corrosive chakra appeared. The small boat holding the Jinchūriki was rapidly corroded by the acid gas, the planks dissolving into liquid. The nearby pier, the stones on the shore, all began to melt rapidly under the corrosion of the acid gas.
Genji and the others fled hurriedly.
The complete form of the Six-Tails appeared—a slug-like body oozing mucus, with six thick, fat tails. Upon appearing, the Six-Tails looked down and saw Fox on the shore. It had fought Fox at Ryoshizu Port in the Land of Whirlpools and was extremely wary of his strength. "Shiranukusari!"
The Six-Tails immediately used its strongest ability, spewing strong acid from its maw. The strong acid devoured everything on the shore. Anything that came into contact with it dissolved. Yōkō stood within the acid, letting it corrode his clothes. His skin and flesh sizzled within the acid.
Feeling the potency of the Six-Tails' acid, Yōkō said, "Not bad. A dissolving power of this level is worthy of being part of my collection."
Hearing Fox's inexplicable words, the Six-Tails didn't understand what "collection" meant but knew it was a form of insult. It exerted more force, spewing even more acid, completely submerging Fox.
[Detecting host death. Mochizuki's Arc System activating...]
Yōkō returned to several days prior. He was currently on the road to the Capital of the Land of Water. Watching squads of Konoha shinobi rushing past, Yōkō said to Leaf Monkey beside him, "We need to keep building the teleportation altars. Traveling on foot, even for shinobi, is exhausting. It's too much of a delay."
Leaf Monkey said, "Leader Hidan is conducting rituals in a nearby town. He said he will catch up with us before we reach the Capital."
Yōkō nodded. Hidan was passionate about sacrifices; his work ethic was unquestionable.
[Mochizuki's Arc Activated!
Host has only one resurrection opportunity per month, reviving at the previous full moon night after death.
Reward: One drawing opportunity.
1 - Water Release: Hiruma;
2 - Water Release: Strong Acid Gas;
3 - Water Release: Shiranukusari.]
All three techniques were the Six-Tails Saiken's corrosive Water Release. He chose the most powerful one: Shiranukusari.
Yōkō raised his hand, a water ball hovering above his palm. A special chakra infused the water ball, turning it from transparent to a milky white. He pressed the acid water ball against a nearby rock, carefully perceiving the changes in the stone. The chakra was exceptionally active, attacking the rock at a molecular level. The rock's structure changed, rapidly dissolving as if sugar in water.
This was the Six-Tails Saiken's special ability: strong acid.
Leaf Monkey, seeing Lord Fox develop a new Water Release, watched the process closely and realized it closely resembled Kirigakure's Six-Tails' ability. However, Leaf Monkey said nothing. Lord Fox was so powerful he could replicate Iwagakure's Dust Release; replicating some of Kirigakure's abilities was probably normal too.
Yōkō didn't want the strong acid itself; this ability offered no real enhancement or benefit to him. He dispelled the acid ball; the acid dripped to the ground, making sizzling corrosion sounds.
Chakra appeared in his palm again. This time, there was no water as a medium; it was pure Water Attribute corrosive chakra. He subdivided this corrosive chakra infinitely, turning it into particleized chakra. The particleized chakra, upon contact with the rock, began to corrode and dissolve it just like the acid.
Yōkō then attempted to create particleized chakra of other attributes. Dust Release was a barrier composed of particleized Earth, Wind, and Fire Release chakra. Yōkō's chakra control strengths were, in order: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, Lightning. He created particleized chakra for his three strongest affinities: Earth, Water, and Wind.
Particleized Earth Attribute chakra could decompose objects into dust. Particleized Water Attribute chakra could corrode and dissolve objects into minute molecules. Particleized Wind Attribute chakra could weather objects.
Yōkō continuously adjusted the proportions of the three types of particleized chakra, gradually achieving a stable state... and obtained a brand new Kekkei Tōta!
Looking at the power of this new Bloodline Elimination, Yōkō thought to himself, Kiri-nin, you're in for a world of hurt.
(End of Chapter)