Besides overseeing intelligence and espionage, Ebizo also assisted the Kazekage with various administrative matters.
He was a ninja who excelled at using his brain.
Since the decision had been made to deploy the One-Tail to the battlefield, Pakura no longer hesitated. He turned to Karura and said,
"Take him over there. Have Advisor Ebizo bring Bunpuku to the front lines."
Karura looked at Pakura for a long moment before nodding.
Meanwhile, at a base closest to the front lines, Ebizo sat on a stool, watching Bunpuku meditate cross-legged on the ground.
Ebizo's eyes were sharp as he looked at Bunpuku. "Have you always been like this?"
"Of course," Bunpuku replied without changing his posture, eyes opening to reveal clear, bright pupils.
"Since I became a Jinchuriki, I have always been like this."
"If I remember correctly, you were born this way, weren't you?" Ebizo asked, watching Bunpuku's hands pressed together in meditation.
"Yes," Bunpuku nodded, closing his eyes again.
Ebizo let out a long sigh.
Bunpuku, as a Jinchuriki, was truly formidable.
But the people of the village… not so much.
While Ebizo sighed, Bunpuku had already submerged his consciousness into the sealing space.
"Hehe… your so-called village is ready to throw you into the battlefield," Shukaku said with a grin, addressing Bunpuku.
"You've followed your strict rules for so many years… soon they'll be broken."
"Amitabha. That is why I sit here in meditation," Bunpuku replied without lifting his head.
"Boring," Shukaku muttered, pacing with its short legs inside the sealing space.
"If you really get thrown into the battlefield, just pretend to sleep. I'll go have some fun."
"With your strength, anyone could kill you," Shukaku said, its voice laced with mockery—but Bunpuku knew it was a concern.
Bunpuku shook his head, continuing to meditate. "May that day never come."
"Humans can only achieve peace by truly understanding one another," he murmured.
"Heh," Shukaku scoffed. "Mutual understanding?"
"You humans will never meet that standard!"
Shukaku had been sealed in a temple by humans long ago, and Bunpuku was its first Jinchuriki.
Unlike Gaara, Bunpuku coexisted harmoniously with Shukaku.
Shukaku had never gone on a rampage.
Even so, Bunpuku had always been confined like a prisoner.
While Bunpuku meditated, Shukaku's ears twitched, and a smile spread across its face.
"Looks like I can go out!"
Shukaku could sense the outside world, and now it perceived several ninjas approaching hastily.
Bunpuku opened his eyes, giving a helpless glance at Shukaku.
He spread both hands before him, palms up.
The characters of heart and accept were inscribed on his palms.
The sealing space fell silent for a long while before Bunpuku sighed.
"The slaughter of mankind will inevitably lead to disaster."
"I don't care about disasters! I just want to go out and kill!"
Shukaku's eyes glinted with bloodlust. How long had it been sealed by humans?
Only before Bunpuku did it appear as it had in the past.
To everyone else, the One-Tail was a god.
This time it was determined to vent its resentment.
The base wasn't far from the front lines. Karura arrived with two ninjas well before noon.
"Advisor," Karura said respectfully.
Ebizo looked at him and sighed. "Has the situation really gotten this bad?"
Karura nodded. "That monster Yuki Seisui came."
"He ambushed us last night—over a thousand dead."
Ebizo's pupils constricted. "Yuki Seisui?!"
"Why would he come here instead of the other villages?!"
"I don't know," Karura shook his head.
"Go back first. I'll bring Bunpuku over shortly."
"Yes!"
Watching Karura leave, Ebizo paced the room, pondering what Konoha's actions meant.
After a long while, he slammed his fist against the wall. "Damn Konoha!"
"To let Yuki Seisui come here!" Though furious, his eyes remained calm.
After sighing, Ebizo headed toward Bunpuku's chamber.
=======
Meanwhile, Yuki Seisui and Uchiha Haru stood silently by a pond.
"Panda Ming?"
"What are you doing here?" Yuki Seisui finally asked after observing the panda for a moment.
He knew exactly why Panda Ming had appeared.
"You stole my two bamboo sticks…" Panda Ming said with a mournful look.
Feigning ignorance, Yuki Seisui replied, "I'll give them back next time."
"Waaah~" Panda Kuma ran over, clinging to Yuki Seisui's pants, trying to climb up.
Haru bent down to pick her up, but Panda Ming was faster, scooping Panda Kuma into its arms, glaring at her as if to say: Don't even think about taking her away.
Haru could only watch helplessly.
Seeing Panda Ming unwilling to give up, Yuki Seisui said, "Next time, I won't use bamboo to poke corpses."
Panda Ming narrowed its eyes, then widened them, staring directly at Yuki Seisui.
Under its dark circles, its eyes seemed enormous.
"You better mean it!"
"Don't worry, buddy," Yuki Seisui gave an OK sign.
"If you poke corpses with bamboo again, then I… I will—"
"Hmph!" Panda Ming snorted, muttering nothing further before leaving, still holding Panda Kuma.
After Panda Ming left, the Panda Sage appeared, taking Panda Kuma and placing her gently on the ground. "Go play, but stay out of here."
"Yaa!" Panda Kuma ran happily toward Yuki Seisui and Haru.
Seeing Panda Kuma leave, the Panda Sage's expression turned serious. "Did you go after that brat Yuki Seisui?"
Panda Ming froze, then nodded. "I—"
Before finishing, the Panda Sage smacked its head, making it see stars.
"Are you stupid?!" the Sage scolded, hitting it again.
"Those two were bathing! Do you even understand what bathing means?!"
Panda Ming clutched its head, running around and pleading, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Bathing is to wash off the filth!"
"Bullshit!" the Panda Sage roared, hitting it again.
"They're humans! When a man and woman bathe, it's nothing like your spring mating season!"
"They mate, I can… you can act tough in front of that little show-off brat's child!"
"You don't understand my efforts!"
"Why did you disturb them?!"
"How many bears have I fought for their sake?!"
"Finally, no bears dared to go there, and you ran straight in!"
The Panda Sage continued smacking Panda Ming's head.
After some time, it seemed tired. "Anyway, stay out of that place!"
The Panda Sage disappeared, leaving Panda Ming alone and in tears.
Even after sending Panda Kuma away, you still managed to get yourself in trouble.
Panda Ming lay on the ground for a while, then hardened its gaze.
"I can't go on like this!"
"I will train! I will get stronger!"
"I will become a new Sage!"
"There are so many Sages in Myoboku and Ryuchi Caves… I, Panda Ming, can become one too!"
"I will never be bullied again!"
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Completed version available on Patreon P@treon(.)com/Veltoria