Chapter 496: The Treasure Obtained by Madara, The Mythical Beast Jinchūriki
As Whitebeard and Tamago clashed once more, Morgans shouted with fervor.
The battle between Madara and the Nine Tails Fire Fox in the Bright Lake Forest had just concluded.
In the forest, the Nine Tails Fire Fox lay on its back, panting heavily.
Two giant swords were crossed at its neck, pinning it to the ground.
The beast gazed at Madara, standing within the towering Susanoo, with a complex expression.
It had fought its hardest, yet it was defeated.
The loss made it want to curse.
Life under this stoic human would likely be challenging.
"Damn it! I surrender. I'll give you the treasure." the Nine Tails Fire Fox said.
Reluctantly, it yielded the treasure entrusted to it before the Mythical Beast Conference.
It wasn't so stubborn as to deny defeat.
Amid its grumbling, a wisp of fire formed a thread.
The thread drew a small sapphire box from the Nine Tails Fire Fox's large, fluffy ear.
It tossed the box toward Madara under his cold gaze.
Watching the box fly toward him, Madara controlled Susanoo to let it pass through the chakra.
He caught the box, which resembled orb.
After a brief inspection, Madara opened it casually.
A diamond-shaped, transparent crystal gleamed inside, sparkling under the surrounding firelight.
As Madara opened the box, Morgans' booming voice echoed across Mythical Beast Island.
"Kuwahahaha! The thrilling moment has arrived! In the Bright Lake Forest, Uchiha Madara's superior skill defeated the Nine Tails Fire Fox."
"He has obtained the treasure of the Nine Tails Fire Fox."
Morgans' loud voice drew many eyes.
The phone screens of the newsbirds overhead shifted to focus on the scene.
The crystal in Madara's hand, shaped like a diamond, came into view.
"It's time for some knowledge!" Morgans declared.
"Let me, the great newsman Morgans, introduce this treasure!"
"This treasure appears small and exquisite, its surface refracting light like a natural crystal."
Morgans' lengthy description of the crystal's appearance sparked irritation.
Not only the Contestants on Mythical Beast Island but also global viewers watching the live broadcast felt an urge to silence him.
"Guhahaha! I know the audience is growing impatient." Morgans said.
"No worries, this crystal-like gem is called the Skybound Crystal."
"What does it do?" he asked, drawing out the suspense.
"Its purpose is to seal a Mythical Beast."
"But that's not its main function. The Skybound Crystal, once sealing a Mythical Beast, can merge into a contestant's body."
"This allows the sealer to harness the Mythical Beast's full power."
Morgans paused for effect.
"Some of you may already understand."
"In simple terms, it's a tool to seal a Mythical Beast within the body, granting its power."
"This item lets ordinary people soar to great heights."
"By sealing a powerful Mythical Beast, one can wield its strength."
"Those who use it will gain power admired by the world, becoming a formidable Mythical Beast Jinchūriki."
"At that point, wealth, power, and fame will be within reach."
Morgans' passionate words stirred excitement in many listeners.
Strength meant everything.
In this era, most recognized this truth.
This was an age that revered force.
Even Devil Fruits, with their side effects, were skyrocketing in value.
An ordinary Devil Fruit, once worth 100 million Berries, now fetched 1 billion.
A truly powerful Devil Fruit could be worth tens of billions.
This showed the era's obsession with strength.
Moreover, a Devil Fruit's potential depended on the user's ability to develop it, and it carried the drawback of vulnerability to seawater.
Despite this, their value soared.
Now, a treasure capable of sealing a powerful Mythical Beast, like the Nine Tails Fire Fox under Madara, was extraordinary.
Its demigod-level combat power had been fully displayed in the battle.
With such strength, everything was attainable.
"Kuwahahaha! I believe everyone understands this treasure's value." Morgans said.
"Will Uchiha Madara seal the Nine Tails Fire Fox? It's truly exciting!"
Madara's expression atop Susanoo remained impassive.
He dismissed Susanoo, leaving only the two giant swords crossed on the ground, slowly fading.
The Nine Tails Fire Fox, looking at Madara on its forehead, seemed resigned.
"If you want to seal me, do it! You stone-faced bastard." it said.
As a Mythical Beast bred by the Yamata Sect, it respected their authority.
Even if it meant losing freedom, it didn't resist much.
It had fought and lost.
Exhausted, it thought to enter the seal and sleep.
It figured it could wait out this human's lifespan.
How long could a mere human live?
Madara, hearing the Nine Tails Fire Fox, remained expressionless.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
A crisp sound rang out.
The Nine Tails Fire Fox's eyes widened as Madara tossed the Skybound Crystal to the ground.
It wondered if it was seeing things.
"You…" it began.
Madara interrupted, his face cold, and said, "This thing holds no value for me. As long as you don't resist, being my Summoning Beast is enough."
Without waiting for the Nine Tails Fire Fox's reaction, Madara pulled a scroll from his body.
Boom!
A puff of white smoke appeared.
A large, one-meter-long scroll emerged from the opened scroll.
Rip!
Madara unfurled the scroll and laid it flat on the Nine Tails Fire Fox's forehead.
As he formed a seal, dense black runes flowed from the scroll.
The runes spread across the Nine Tails Fire Fox's body.
"What is this?" it asked.
Feeling the runes, the Nine Tails Fire Fox sensed their effect.
It showed surprise, then laughed.
"Very well. Since you didn't seal me, I'll acknowledge you." it said.
With its consent, the black runes vanished into its body.
The runes served only as a contract.
Their main purpose was to act as a medium for summoning, allowing Madara to call the Nine Tails or perform a reverse summon when needed.
"What is he doing?" a voice wondered.
As Madara successfully contracted the Nine Tails, a figure lurked behind a fallen giant tree.
The hidden figure was revealed to be the demon apostle Zhurong.
He could have arrived sooner but chose a cautious approach to avoid detection, moving without magic power.
To let both sides exhaust themselves, he timed his arrival perfectly.
Madara's actions puzzled him.
Regardless, both sides' auras were now depleted.
It was time to seize the opportunity.
Zhurong was intrigued by the discarded Skybound Crystal.
Of course, his true aim remained the Mythical Beast.
What would a demonized Mythical Beast be like? He was curious.
Now was the perfect moment to act, he thought.
Zhurong murmured to himself, and his figure melted into the shadows.
( End of this chapter)