"Earth Release: Spiral Seal!"
Takuno pressed the earthy yellow, rotating sphere made of sand onto the Jonin in front of him.
"Bang!!"
The opponent's body immediately flew backward, slammed into a large tree, and finally crashed onto the ground, struggling but unable to move.
On his body surface, countless symbols surged out from the point of attack at a visible speed, wrapping around his entire body.
Seeing this scene, Takuno revealed a look of satisfaction.
Earth Release: Spiral Seal. As the name suggests, it is a variation of the Rasengan.
In terms of power, it is actually similar to a regular Rasengan, but it possesses the added ability of forced sealing.
This is a Ninjutsu that Takuno had only recently mastered.
He had previously considered how to fuse Earth Release into the Rasengan, since, in terms of sheer destructive power, Earth Release is far weaker than Wind Release or Fire Release.
Therefore, Takuno wondered if Earth Release could combine Ninjutsu to form a deadly attack combination, similar to Water Release: Spiral Stream Burial.
Ultimately, he didn't come up with any useful Ninjutsu combinations, but the idea provided him with a new line of thought.
If Ninjutsu wouldn't work, then what about Sealing Jutsu?
Unlike Wind Release or Fire Release, Earth Release has substance, and having substance means he can carve Sealing Jutsu onto it.
After this idea surfaced, Takuno experimented for a period, eventually changing the mud to sand, and placing his Sealing Jutsu onto these rotating grains of sand.
This way, it possesses a certain degree of power, while the sealing capability varies depending on the Sealing Jutsu he applies.
Furthermore, it solved a major weakness of Sealing Jutsu.
That is, for Sealing Jutsu to be effective, it usually requires subduing the opponent first.
Earth Release: Spiral Seal did not fundamentally break this restriction; it actually layered the process of subduing and sealing together.
The inherent power of the Rasengan serves as the subduing process, immediately followed by the sealing.
So far, its effectiveness is satisfactory; at least, sealing these Kumogakure Jonin has presented no issues.
The time it took from conceiving the idea for Earth Release: Spiral Seal to developing it was very short.
This was all thanks to Takuno's own mastery of Sealing Jutsu and Chakra control; carving Sealing Jutsu onto those grains of sand might be difficult for others, but for him, it was effortless.
At this moment, Takuno yawned, feeling a bit bored. Kumogakure had likely noticed the situation here, so they had sent some Special Jonin to follow him.
Unfortunately, right now, if they were truly at the Special Jonin level, they were still just delivering themselves to Takuno.
He only needed to use Adamantine Sealing Chains to block their retreat, and they would slowly become turtles in a jar.
He had already dealt with several of their Special Jonin; next up, it should be the Jonin, right?
After the Jonin, surely someone of a higher rank would appear?
They couldn't possibly keep holding back and not show up.
Now, Kumogakure was sending out fewer scouts and isolated teams, so he felt it was time to wrap things up.
He still had many things he hadn't done yet.
For instance, over the past few months, the research into the Chimera Technique finally achieved a breakthrough, and the fusion of the third Kekkei Genkai could now be performed relatively flawlessly.
However, he still needed to conduct an experiment at the Gelel Stone before beginning the fusion for himself, which might take a considerable amount of time.
Since he was currently on the battlefield and serving as the Medical Squad Captain, he didn't have much time to deal with this matter.
Although the process of fusion using the Chimera Technique is short, he must reserve enough time to account for potential accidents.
If something went wrong there, all his Shadow Clones would be forcibly dispersed. It would be fine if he wasn't in public, but there were too many variables; he couldn't rely on "if."
Therefore, he could only postpone it and have his Shadow Clones begin researching the method for the perfect fusion of the fourth Kekkei Genkai.
Takuno pondered. He had been on this battlefield for a long time, so he had every reason to return to Konoha for a period of rest during a lull in the fighting between the two nations, and deal with this matter at the same time.
On this day, Takuno's Main Body once again started moving.
His Mind's Eye of Kagura once again detected a small Kumogakure unit. This time, however, a major catch was hiding within that unit.
Although the opponent was trying hard to conceal her Chakra fluctuations, the Tailed Beast Chakra emanating from her body could not be faked.
Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails!
She finally came to solve the problem of the missing Kumogakure ninja, and he had been waiting for a long time.
However, aside from Yugito, all the other members in this team were Jonin disguised as Chunin.
"Do they think that highly of me?" Takuno clicked his tongue. He had no intention of attacking yet. Dealing with this group of Jonin plus Yugito Nii, whose strength reaches the Kage Level when transformed into a Tailed Beast, would be extremely difficult for him alone.
Therefore, he was waiting for the next opportunity. Since the big fish had already moved, they certainly wouldn't give up if they failed to achieve their objective.
Takuno thought for a moment, then took out a slip of paper, tied it to a Kunai, and casually threw it out.
A sound of tearing air whistled past.
"Who's there!" Yugito roared, knocking the Kunai away while instantly chasing in the direction it was thrown. Unfortunately, even after unleashing her fastest speed, she found no trace of the opponent.
"Lady Yugito, there's a message on the Kunai!" A Jonin caught up and handed the slip of paper to Yugito.
Yugito took the letter and glanced at it.
"My target is only you, the Two-Tails—the Collector."
"The Collector?!" Yugito's cat-like eyes were full of fury. She had never heard of this title, but what enraged her was that so many of her comrades had died just to lure her out!
If that was the case, she would definitely kill the opponent to avenge her comrades!
"Lady Yugito, this is too dangerous! The enemy can sense our strength, but we can't detect them!"
Finally, back at the Kumogakure base, when Yugito decided to search for the Collector alone, a nearby Jonin couldn't help but advise against it.
"What if the enemy has set a trap—"
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Yugito stared at him, her cat pupils filled with rage.
The Jonin was instantly speechless. If he had a solution, he would have suggested it already.
"Don't worry. The intelligence reports describe the personalities of Jiraiya and the Fourth Hokage; they wouldn't do something like this, even on the battlefield. So, he's probably just someone coveting the Two-Tails." As she spoke, Yugito bit her gums until they bled.
"I will make him understand the cost of provoking me!"
Yugito Nii's voice was full of confidence.
This time, she absolutely had to figure out the traps the enemy had set for their scouting teams. Only by knowing the problem could she find a solution.
It would be even better if she could simply kill this hidden foe!
"Even Jiraiya can't stop me when I'm fully transformed into the Tailed Beast!" Yugito said again.
Immediately, the surrounding Jonin looked at each other, seeing Yugito's firm resolve. They wanted to ask, "What about Minato?"
But trying to dissuade her now seemed inappropriate; it would only lower morale.
So, they could only wish Yugito success in her endeavor.
"Finally, she showed up?"
Takuno sensed the lone Yugito Nii, chuckled softly, and then concealed himself in the shadows.
He did not attack immediately, but waited for her to move into a location that was not close to either Kumogakure or Konoha, and also checked for any other Jonin lying in ambush behind her.
Only after confirming everything would he choose to strike!
Yugito Nii was also observing her surroundings at this time, finding no people and no traps.
---
Immediately, she felt a trace of doubt. Was the opponent already afraid? Was that why he didn't dare to come out?
If that were the case, it would be troublesome.
At this very instant, an urgent voice suddenly rang out in her ear.
"Be careful!"
Yugito knew that was the voice of the Two-Tails. Her eyes widened instantly, and as she tried to alert her comrades, she felt something binding her feet.
This strength was immense. While wrapping around her feet, it was also pulling her downward, seemingly trying to drag her into the mud.
Suddenly, her hands changed, and sharp claws sprouted from her fingertips.
"Clang!"
Yugito struck the unknown dragging object on her feet with her sharp claws, producing a sound like colliding steel.
Ultimately, the Two-Tails' claws proved superior, and the chain-like object shattered.
"Ninja Art: shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Countless sounds of tearing air approached, causing Yugito to instinctively halt her steps.
Her body then twisted in a peculiar manner, continuously dodging through the gaps between the stream of shuriken.
"As expected of Matatabi, her body is certainly agile."
At that moment, a mocking voice and the sound of clapping reached Yugito's ears, sounding genuinely admiring.
Yugito did not look in the direction the voice came from, but instead looked toward the previous location. She saw one of the previously missing Kumogakure ninja restrained there.
The man was staring at her, his eyes filled with hope, and his hand was stretched out toward her, seemingly pleading for her to rescue him.
Just as she subconsciously reached out.
"Watch out, he might be a fake!" The voice of Matatabi, the Two-Tails, rang out again.
In the instant Yugito hesitated, the ground swallowed the Kumogakure ninja whole, leaving her only with his despairing eyes.
"That was a real Kumogakure ninja, you know~" Takuno's voice sounded again.
At this moment, Yugito's eyes widened, and dark blue Chakra continuously surged out from her body—a sign of rampage!
Takuno narrowed his eyes at her appearance. He wanted her to rampage; although her power might increase, a monster without reason is still just a monster.
Moreover, only when she was completely enraged and rampaging would the possibility of her choosing to flee be the lowest!
Blue, feline-patterned Chakra appeared on her body surface, her hair spiked up, and her eyes turned white.
"You bastard!!"
Yugito roared and charged toward Takuno. Her speed increased once more, bringing her almost instantly before him, her sharp claws lunging toward him.
"So fast!"
Takuno's pupils also contracted, but he reacted in time, throwing a punch that collided with Yugito's claws.
"Chakra Enhanced Strength!"
"Boom!!"
The terrifying air blast formed by the collision snapped all the surrounding trees, sending them crashing to the ground. One figure was sent flying backward from the impact.
That figure was not Takuno, but Yugito. Her claws were completely shattered at this point.
Even in her partial Tailed Beast transformation, while her speed surpassed Takuno's, her strength lagged far behind Takuno, who had mastered Chakra Enhanced Strength.
Takuno immediately pursued her, simultaneously condensing a Rasengan in his hand.
Just as Yugito's recoiling figure finally stopped upon hitting a tree, Takuno caught up, intending to press the slightly purple Rasengan in his hand directly onto her.
At that moment, two blood-red tails suddenly burst from Yugito's back, instantly enlarging and whipping toward Takuno.
"Huh?"
Takuno's pupils contracted. He hadn't expected her to choose to attack instead of stabilizing her body while flying backward.
Caught off guard, Takuno could only choose to clash his Rasengan against the opponent's Tailed Beast Tail, which was saturated with Chakra.
"Bang!"
An intense burst of light erupted, and a figure was sent flying backward from the center of it.
In an instant, the offense and defense reversed: Takuno was directly whipped away by Yugito's tails.
At this point, Yugito's form changed once again. Her skin was no longer visible, wrapped entirely in blood-red Chakra, and two tails whipped behind her.
"Roar!!"
Yugito crouched on the ground like a wild beast, letting out a furious roar.
Partial Tailed Beast Transformation!
Takuno was no stranger to this Jinchuriki form. He rubbed his arms; that last strike had been quite painful!