Yūkimaru had grown deeply reliant on Guren due to her care along the way. In turn, Guren developed a strong protective instinct toward the boy who depended on her.
Under her encouragement, Yūkimaru gradually calmed down. Once Kabuto Yakushi finished venting his emotions, he ordered someone to bring a small boat.
They needed to get close to the Three-Tails so Yūkimaru's chakra could influence it. At that moment, Yoruha sat on a large tree by the shore, quietly watching the scene unfold.
"Three-Tails, you'd better hold back a little. If these people die before anything starts, that would be far too boring."
He said this because the Three-Tails was far stronger now than it had been in the original story.
Yoruha hadn't spent time with the beast just drinking and chatting—he had helped it grow stronger. Now, aside from the Nine-Tails, no other Tailed Beast could confidently claim victory over it. Still, Yoruha wanted to see how things would unfold.
If the Three-Tails ended things too quickly, what fun would there be? Reclining comfortably on a thick branch, his gaze drifted to Guren. He gave a slight nod.
"Crystal Release, huh? Interesting... but too weak. It shouldn't shatter so easily. It should be capable of more."
In the original story, Guren's Crystal Release looked impressive—wide range, plenty of flair—but its actual power left much to be desired. It couldn't hold the Three-Tails for more than thirty seconds. Her Crystal Dragons looked formidable, but they crumbled instantly on impact, lacking any real lethality.
To Yoruha, it was all flash, no substance. Though, he did admit—it looked cool. That was the only merit he saw in it.
Just like Guren herself. Outwardly beautiful, inwardly fragile. Yoruha even thought she was a little unstable.
He felt justified being so blunt—after all, she'd spent years trying to become Orochimaru's vessel, chasing that goal relentlessly.
Yoruha couldn't understand it. But then again, he didn't care to. "If you trust someone like Orochimaru, your brain must have issues. Otherwise, that'd be the real problem."
No one in the group noticed Yoruha. If he chose to hide, not a single ninja in the world could find him.
This time, though, Yoruha had learned from past experience and wouldn't intervene so easily. Whenever he stepped in personally, the battle ended too fast—and that was no fun.
Kabuto's group rowed the small boat toward the Three-Tails.
The massive beast noticed them. It turned around, its single huge eye locking onto the approaching group.
It eyed them carefully, thinking, "Which of these is the one Yoruha's interested in?"
"The guy with the glasses? No, nothing special about him... Could it be that kid? Possible. He's got an aura tied to me somehow. Then again, maybe it's the woman. That kid's only sixteen, and humans that age tend to like beautiful women. By their standards, she should be attractive, right?"
"Is he that kind of guy, though? Probably not. With his status in Konoha, it's not like he lacks women."
The Three-Tails grumbled internally, suspicious of Yoruha's tastes. From the look on its face, one could almost guess what it was thinking.
Yoruha shook his head slightly, amused. "Is this thing cursing me in its heart?"
The Three-Tails was as confused about the group as they were about it.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and frowned. "Why isn't the Three-Tails attacking us?"
Yūkimaru's eyes were fixed on the beast. He felt something stir inside him—a connection to the Three-Tails that grew stronger the closer he got.
Guren and Bullhead stayed on guard, watching warily. The threat of a Tailed Beast Bomb loomed large in their minds. One misstep and they'd be obliterated.
Kabuto glanced at the Three-Tails, smirking. "Three-Tails, it's been three years. That guy's not here now. If he were, I'd make him watch as I take control of his summoning beast."
Three years ago, both Orochimaru and Kabuto had been humiliated. Kabuto had summoned two Edo Tensei, only for them to be instantly taken down by Yoruha. He'd never forgotten that.
Worse, Yoruha had killed Orochimaru. Though Orochimaru could revive himself, each time weakened his soul. That defeat had been a devastating insult.
Orochimaru was one of the Legendary Sannin, a master of the previous generation. Yet against Yoruha, he gained nothing—only humiliation and death. He became a stepping stone in Yoruha's rise.
As Orochimaru's most loyal follower, Kabuto couldn't let that go.
The Three-Tails heard him and narrowed its eye. It couldn't remember who Kabuto was.
"Kid, what the hell are you babbling about? And how do you know I'm his summoning beast? Say another word like that and I'll make sure your death is a nightmare."
Guren blinked in surprise. "It... it can talk?"
Then she remembered—it was a Tailed Beast. Still, she frowned.
"What did Kabuto just say? Is the Three-Tails really someone's summoning beast? How is that even possible?"
She could feel the immense power radiating from the Three-Tails. She knew Tailed Beasts were proud. Even sealed, they refused to submit to humans.
Yet Kabuto claimed this one had been summoned by someone—and that person had left a grudge lasting three years. Who could that be?
The Three-Tails' indifferent response infuriated Kabuto.
"Damn you and your master! Both of you deserve to die!"
He clenched his teeth, his calm persona cracking. The fact that the beast didn't even remember him was the final insult. Were they so insignificant?
Even so, he didn't act recklessly. He turned to Yūkimaru and pulled out a bottle of pills.
Pouring a dozen into his palm, he looked at Yūkimaru with a serious expression.
"Now is the time for you to serve Lord Orochimaru. Take these pills and control the Three-Tails."
Yūkimaru hesitated, afraid. He looked at Guren.
Guren frowned and stepped forward. "Hey, what are those pills? That's too many. What if something goes wrong?"
Kabuto shot her a cold glare. "He can't draw out the power within him without them. There's no danger. This is Lord Orochimaru's command. Are you planning to disobey?"
His voice was sharp, and his eyes were colder than ever.