Chapter 37 My Sister's Energy Is Insufficient
As Yugito Nii released the power of the tailed beast within her, the entire battlefield instantly changed.
The transformation was not a complete tailed beast release, but a Version 2 jinchūriki cloak, where the chakra of Matatabi manifested into a massive, flame-like blue feline form surrounding her body.
In that state, the battle could only be described as one-sided.
The gigantic blue cat of chakra swept across the battlefield. The enemy shinobi, still relying on conventional weapons like kunai and shuriken, were completely unable to penetrate the dense chakra cloak that acted as both armor and offense.
Even elite jōnin would struggle against such raw power.
The battle ended in less than ten seconds.
Yugito quickly suppressed the tailed beast chakra, the blazing blue flames retracting back into her body. She landed firmly on the ground and immediately turned, rushing toward Chinatsu, who lay motionless in a pool of blood.
"Oh no… the wound is too deep… and the location is critical…"
Yugito's expression shifted from combat focus to visible anxiety.
"This isn't just external bleeding. The internal damage is severe… I don't know medical ninjutsu…"
Her pupils trembled slightly.
Unlike Konohagakure, which had specialists like Tsunade and an established medical corps, Kumogakure did not emphasize medical ninjutsu to the same degree. Yugito herself was not a medical specialist.
And more importantly
Even standard medical ninjutsu might not be enough to stabilize such a wound in time.
"Cough…! Cough…!"
Chinatsu coughed out a mouthful of blood. The metallic taste spread across her tongue.
The blood loss was alarming.
Even a seasoned shinobi would find it difficult to remain calm witnessing such rapid bleeding.
This level of injury…
…was normally fatal.
Although they had only met recently, Yugito had already formed a favorable impression of Chinatsu. If her identity were confirmed in Kumogakure, she might have even taken her under her wing.
But now
That possibility seemed gone.
Yugito clenched Chinatsu's hand.
"Do you… have any last words?"
Chinatsu's lips trembled slightly. She tried to speak, but no sound came out.
Her breathing weakened.
Then
Her head tilted to the side.
Silence.
Yugito lowered her gaze, her teeth biting into her lower lip. After a moment, she removed her outer coat and gently placed it over Chinatsu's body.
Without another word, she stood up and turned toward the direction of Kumogakure.
No one knew what she was thinking at that moment.
Only that when she returned, her aura had become colder, heavier. For a long time afterward, she threw herself into high-risk missions, as if trying to suppress something.
It took nearly a month for her condition to stabilize.
After Yugito's presence completely disappeared
The "corpse" moved.
Chinatsu slowly opened her eyes.
"…She's gone, right?"
She squinted slightly, turning her head with difficulty to scan her surroundings.
After confirming the absence of chakra signatures
Her hand reached toward the kunai embedded in her waist.
Snap!
She pulled it out in one swift motion.
Fresh blood surged out violently
but only for a few seconds.
Then, something abnormal happened.
The bleeding slowed.
Stopped.
Within ten seconds, the wound visibly began to close.
Within a minute, a rough scab had already formed.
"Ouch…"
Chinatsu sucked in a breath, instinctively pressing her hand against the wound.
"Even if my regeneration is this strong… it still hurts like hell…"
Her body trembled slightly not from weakness, but from lingering pain.
Still
She didn't regret it.
That performance had been the safest way to escape from a jinchūriki like Yugito.
At the same time
It forced her to confront reality.
"I'm still too weak…"
She lay flat on the ground, staring at the sky through the gaps between the cliffs.
"Even if I can deal with most jōnin now… in the grand scheme, jōnin are just mid-level combatants. When it comes to events like the Fourth Shinobi World War, even Kage-level strength isn't enough to guarantee survival."
Her fingers absently ran through her hair.
Right now, she only had a few real advantages.
First
The Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan.
But it was only at the three-tomoe stage. She had not awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
And she understood the condition for that evolution
Extreme emotional trauma.
That requirement alone made it difficult.
Her personality simply didn't accumulate hatred or despair easily.
Second
Her abnormal regeneration.
It resembled the vitality associated with Hashirama Senju, though far weaker and incomplete.
Whether it was a diluted Sage Body or some mutation
She couldn't confirm yet.
Third
Wood Release.
The legendary kekkei genkai of Hashirama.
A power capable of suppressing tailed beasts.
But again
Her mastery was shallow.
Calling these "trump cards" felt almost exaggerated.
"Sigh… long road ahead…"
She let out a quiet breath before pushing herself up.
Her clothes were soaked in blood.
Luckily, she had prepared a spare set.
After scanning the area, she moved to a concealed corner and changed.
Previously, she wore a black combat bodysuit suitable for ANBU-style operations.
Now
She changed into a pure white dress.
Standing still, her aura transformed completely.
Elegant.
Refined.
Like a noble lady from a prestigious clan.
Which
Technically
She was.
"This outfit… has almost zero defensive value…"
She looked down, frowning slightly.
In a real battle, mobility and protection mattered.
This kind of clothing…
…was impractical.
And potentially dangerous.
She coughed lightly, adjusted her sleeves, and resumed moving.
Her plan was simple:
Enter Kumogakure.
Gather information.
Leave immediately.
No prolonged stay.
Not in a place guarded by jinchūriki and monitored by the Raikage.
Three days passed since Chinatsu left Konoha.
Meanwhile
Inside the Ninja Academy
The atmosphere had changed.
Naruto and Sasuke sat in silence.
But the pressure they emitted…
…was noticeable.
Even Iruka felt it.
It was as if the two boys carried an invisible weight.
Day 1: It's fine. Missions take time.
Day 2: Why isn't she back yet?
Day 3: Sister…
Sister…
Sister…
As the sun set on the third day
The two returned to the Uchiha compound.
Training continued.
Relentlessly.
During Chinatsu's absence, they sparred every day.
The current record
5 wins.
5 losses.
Even.
Sasuke often dominated early exchanges with superior precision and technique.
But Naruto
Naruto refused to go down.
His stamina, chakra reserves, and sheer stubbornness allowed him to drag every match into a prolonged fight.
Early phase: Ninjutsu exchanges.
Mid phase: Taijutsu combat.
Final phase: Pure endurance and raw strikes.
Tonight
Naruto won.
But the moment the fight ended
He collapsed flat on the ground.
Thud!
Gasping heavily.
Sasuke lay nearby, equally exhausted.
One arm rested over his eyes.
His voice was low.
"…My sister's 'energy'… is running low…"
He wasn't talking about chakra.
He meant
The one who kept pushing them forward.
Wasn't here.
And that absence
Was starting to show.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 30+ CHAPTERS
Patreon.com/Kora_1