After Sailing with the Pirate King, I Returned to Konoha - 227

Chapter 227: Seven-Tails in Danger

Watching these two uninvited guests casually dividing up tasks right in front of him, Suien's face flashed with vicious anger.

His mind replayed scenes from after he'd left Takigakure Village, when ninja from the great villages had looked down on him.

When I didn't have the Hero Water, you looked down on me. Now that I have it, you still look down on me. So what was the point of taking it?

Despite his irritation, Suien didn't rashly attack.

He decisively pulled out the stopper and gulped down a mouthful of Hero Water.

The next moment, an explosive chakra surged from his body. The sudden massive increase in power gave this rogue ninja infinite confidence.

Beneath his foot, the trampled Shibuki let out a pained cry as his ribs were crushed.

After glancing at Shibuki, Suien tossed this former student aside.

He's useless now. Next, I'll show that infuriating shorty what I can do!

"Your chakra really did increase."

Hiruko blocked with his wide sleeve, laughing lightly.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"

After drinking the Hero Water, Suien's Water Dragon Bullet proved far stronger than Shibuki's earlier attempt, also proving Shibuki's talent was genuinely poor.

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet."

A massive earth dragon head rose from the ground, spitting dozens of projectiles from its mouth that shredded the enormous water dragon into a sieve.

Don't underestimate Hiruko just because he hasn't yet absorbed kekkei genkai ninja. He'd been using the Chimera Technique to absorb and devour other ninja for a very long time.

Therefore, he could now easily use all five chakra natures and possessed chakra reserves that ordinary jonin couldn't match

Both in quantity and recovery speed, he far exceeded typical ninja.

Seeing his jutsu broken, Suien ground his teeth, the water blade that had pierced Shibuki earlier reappearing in his hand.

"Die!"

Since ninjutsu was being countered, he'd settle this with taijutsu.

Suien felt extremely confident in his current physical abilities, enhanced by massive chakra.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld."

A massive mud pit appeared directly beneath Suien's feet, freezing his attempted jump mid-motion.

Then Hiruko wasted no time, directly performing Summoning Jutsu.

When the smoke cleared, a peculiar summoning creature appeared.

At first glance, it resembled a massive lion, but wings sprouted from its back, a horn grew from its head, bone armor covered its body, and its eyes glowed with red light.

Chimera.

This was a special summoning beast Hiruko had artificially created using the Chimera Technique.

The next moment, massive amounts of black substance resembling slime appeared on Hiruko's body, connecting him with the Chimera. "Chimera Technique."

Hiruko's body merged with the creature's horn, controlling the Chimera's body as he looked down on Suien from above.

"This boring game ends now. Hand over what's in your hand."

"Bastard! Die!"

Hearing Hiruko's words, Suien roared furiously. His chakra rapidly gathered as he transformed into a blur, charging at Hiruko.

The water blade struck the solid bone armor, barely cutting halfway in before getting stuck.

Before Suien could release the blade, the Chimera's tail extended toward him.

Two snake heads grew on it, now opening their mouths wide.

"Damn it! Water Release: Water Bullet Barrage!"

Several high-pressure water bullets were fired in rapid succession, barely deflecting the snake heads, but the snake's body still slammed Suien heavily to the ground.

Before Suien could rise to continue fighting, the massive lion descended from above.

Heavy paws directly crushed his limbs. Then Hiruko controlled a thin tentacle-like appendage to retrieve the remaining Hero Water from Suien's chest.

"This really is an excellent test subject."

"Give it back! Give it back!!"

The pain from his limbs, combined with losing his treasure, nearly drove Suien mad. He screamed at Hiruko, completely losing rationality.

"Ah, I almost forgot about you."

The next moment, the massive lion opened its jaws. Under the horrified gazes of all Takigakure villagers, it chewed and swallowed the previously arrogant rogue ninja bite by bite.

Meanwhile.

Zetsu traveled through the massive trees, quickly finding Fu running toward Takigakure Village.

Fu wasn't the type to obediently follow orders.

Shortly after Shibuki left, Fu decisively chose to return to Takigakure Village.

She couldn't just watch Takigakure Village be destroyed.

As a Jinchūriki, Fu had experienced some degree of ostracism from other villagers.

But because of Shibuki's orders, plus Takigakure being just a small village with few people, everyone gradually got used to it over time.

After all, Fu was a sunny, cheerful little girl who'd never harmed her companions. Through long-term interaction, the villagers' fear of the tailed beast slowly dissipated.

In this regard, Fu lived more happily than other Jinchūriki.

Precisely because of this, Fu couldn't possibly wait obediently in place.

"Found her."

Zetsu's head emerged from a tree, startling Fu.

"Whoa! A person grew out of the tree!"

Facing Fu's words, Zetsu had no intention of wasting time, immediately attacking.

Wood Release: Cutting Technique.

White Zetsu's body extended long wooden spikes from his arms, rapidly stabbing toward Fu.

Though Fu hadn't yet mastered complete tailed beast transformation, she could utilize Seven-Tails Chomei's chakra to release certain "secret techniques."

Instinctively dodging backward, avoiding Zetsu's wooden spikes, Fu's face showed urgent anxiety as she formed hand seals.

"Damn it, don't block my way!"

Scale Powder Concealment Technique!

She spewed massive amounts of scale powder from her mouth, instantly obscuring Zetsu's vision.

White Zetsu might be easy to handle, but Black Zetsu was no pushover.

His perception far exceeded that of an ordinary ninja.

"Over there!"

Controlling White Zetsu's half to turn toward another direction, his palm pressed against the tree trunk.

Immediately, several wooden spikes extended from that position.

Fu, trying to quietly leave, carelessly got one spike piercing through her arm.

"Ah!"

The little girl cried out in pain. The wooden spike, after piercing her arm, actually produced a secondary attack, growing sharper branches to pierce Fu's body.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, she endured the intense pain and twisted her arm, avoiding the secondary damage.

Using a kunai to cut off the wooden spike, Fu covered her bleeding wound, looking at the constantly approaching Zetsu. Anxiety and despair mixed in her heart.

"Chomei-sama, please help me!"

Unlike other Jinchūriki, though Fu couldn't achieve complete mutual understanding with the tailed beast like Killer Bee, her sunny, lively personality had similarly been accepted by Seven-Tails Chomei.

Complete tailed beast transformation was only a matter of time.

At this moment, sensing Fu's fear, anxiety, and unwillingness, Chomei also exerted power.

The next instant, a tailed beast chakra cloak enveloped Fu's entire body, also causing her arm wound to rapidly heal.

"Tailed beast transformation?"

Zetsu watched Fu, who'd grown a large tail behind her, and used Wood Release again.

Because he relied on White Zetsu clone power, this Wood Release could only maintain simple jutsu like the Cutting Technique.

But Wood Release's natural restraint against tailed beasts still gave Zetsu sufficient confidence.

Maybe he didn't even need Hiruko's help or to summon the Artistic Duo. He could complete the tailed beast capture alone.

Countless wooden spikes rapidly extended from the tree roots on both sides, following Zetsu's thoughts, targeting Fu directly.

But this time, Fu wasn't so passive anymore.