Morkel's god-level talent put to shame even those who had studied Earth Style since childhood.
After a successful experiment, Morkel utilized Wind Style to accelerate his movement.
With a sharp shua, he instantly moved a hundred meters away. His speed was so fast, it left an afterimage trailing behind him!
"The Second Tsuchikage really was a genius," Morkel remarked, admiring the results. "To have invented such a fascinating ninjutsu like the Dust Style..."
After his moment of excitement, Morkel returned to Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi with a smile.
"Alright, back to business. Let's go."
He pulled them both down gently from the skies, landing softly in the dense forest near the Akatsuki stronghold.
The trio crouched in the bushes, eyes fixed on the base ahead. Only a single cloaked guard stood on duty.
"I'll handle him," Morkel said, stepping forward.
"Wait! Shouldn't we at least make a plan first?" Kurotsuchi asked, worried.
But Morkel kept moving, determined. His unspoken message was clear: Planning or not, I'll take care of it.
He approached the guard slowly, stopping a hundred meters away. Drawing his Kusanagi sword, he held it like a sniper lining up a shot.
Behind him, Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi looked puzzled.
"What is he doing, attacking from here?" Akatsuchi whispered.
Kurotsuchi sighed, "No idea. Konoha's genius ninjas are notorious for being unconventional."
Then—flash!
A silver gleam cut through the forest.
With a sharp bass, the Kusanagi sword extended like a whip, stretching to a full hundred meters in under half a second!
Slash!
Blood spattered. The tip of the sword pierced the guard's temple and exited through the other side.
Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi were stunned.
So that's how the Kusanagi sword can be used?!
Morkel calmly retracted the blade, flicking off the blood. His satisfaction was clear.
A weapon with the range of a gun and the stealth of a blade—it was the perfect killing tool. No wonder Orochimaru loved swords.
"Let's move," Morkel instructed.
The three crept forward, another fifty or sixty meters. Morkel soon spotted the stone gate of the stronghold.
Closing his eyes, he activated Chakra perception. He sensed nothing inside.
Just like the last time—when he searched for the Four Tails.
"They must have countermeasures against detection," he muttered. "Enemies like Akatsuki can't be underestimated."
But then—his face darkened.
He felt abnormal Chakra fluctuations nearby.
"This is Gray Stone Chakra?!"
Realizing the danger, Morkel instantly grabbed Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi.
"Something's wrong! Run!"
Too late.
"You're not going anywhere..."
Barriers materialized around them, trapping the trio inside.
A voice shouted from the trees: "Water Style: Rain of Weakness!"
A small storm cloud formed overhead, drizzling rain within the cubic barrier.
Morkel quickly summoned an Ice Shield to block the droplets.
As the rain hit the shield, he noticed something alarming—his Chakra was rapidly draining!
"What the—this rain absorbs Chakra?!"
A cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, chuckling.
"Normal rain wouldn't affect you," the figure said. "But I've infused this with a special potion that drains Chakra."
Morkel narrowed his eyes. "Yakushi Kabuto..."
Kabuto smiled. "Thanks to Orochimaru-sama's research, I made some improvements."
Morkel continued, "What about this barrier?"
"I took a few Gray Stones from Konoha and used them to set up this trap. Their energy makes for a perfect containment field," Kabuto explained.
Morkel smirked. He beat me to it. I'd thought about using the stones this way...
"And yes," Kabuto continued, "this formation was designed specifically to restrict your Wood Style."
"It won't hold you forever, I know. But it'll be long enough... until Akatsuki finishes extracting the tailed beasts."
"You allied with Akatsuki?" Morkel asked. "Orochimaru didn't like them."
Kabuto's eyes gleamed. "We have a common enemy now."
In the barrier, Morkel shielded the others while they tried Earth Style.
"Lava Style: Earthen Spikes!" they shouted.
Crack!
Spikes burst from the ground, but only halfway. Their jutsu was weak.
Kabuto sneered. "Didn't I say? The rain's already soaked into the ground. Your Chakra is being drained through the Earth."
Kurotsuchi looked at Morkel. "Can't you use Flying Thunder God?"
"I tried. They've restricted teleportation too."
Kurotsuchi groaned. "So Earth Style is useless, Wood Style is blocked, and Flying Thunder God doesn't work…"
"We're trapped?" Akatsuchi asked grimly.
"Worse," Morkel said. "Once your Chakra's gone, they'll take you without a fight."
Kabuto listened with amusement.
"If Akatsuki finishes their extraction and you're still in there," he said, "you'll be too weak to resist."
Morkel narrowed his eyes. "You wish."
He smiled slightly.
"But I'm not just good at Wood Style."
His eyes turned blood-red—the Mangekyō Sharingan activated.
BOOM!
A massive green figure began forming—Susanoo!
The armor-clad war god towered above them, a spiral sword in hand, wings spread wide.
Kurotsuchi gasped. "Is this the legendary Susanoo?!"
With a crash, Morkel raised the spinning spiral sword high.
"Amaterasu!"
Black flames erupted, wrapping the spiral sword in fire.
"Break it," Morkel commanded.
Susanoo swung. The burning spiral sword pierced through the barrier—
Crack!
The magic circle shattered.
Morkel gestured. "Let's go."
The trio jumped onto Susanoo's palm. Morkel flapped the god's wings and soared into the sky.
Kurotsuchi looked back. "Why not finish him off? He's with Akatsuki."
Morkel shook his head. "That's not his real body. No point wasting time."
They'd already been delayed long enough.
"We have to find Five Tails before it's too late!"
The Susanoo flew faster.
In its hand, Kurotsuchi's eyes sparkled. "So cool… Morkel's mastered every high-speed technique!"
Akatsuchi nodded. "From Flying Thunder God to this flying steel bird—it's all faster than anything we have."
Kurotsuchi added, "Morkel once gave me a fake steel drawing. After this mission, I'll show it to Grandpa. If it works, we should order some from him."
Morkel smiled, pleased by their praise.
"If we weren't almost there, I'd let them keep talking," he muttered.
"We've arrived."
They landed outside the second-to-last stronghold, hidden in a mountain.
Without delay, Morkel had Susanoo swing the spiral sword.
BOOM!
The gate exploded open.
Inside, the massive statue used for tailed beast extraction loomed.
On it stood projections of the masked man, Kisame, and Konan—but only Scorpion was physically present.
Seeing Morkel break in, Scorpion panicked.
The masked man commanded, "Scorpion, stop him."
Seriously?! Scorpion thought.
He didn't stand a chance.
Morkel's Susanoo swung again. The spiral sword shattered Scorpion's puppet body—but missed his core.
Morkel had spared him.
Gaara treated me well in the Sand Village. I owe him.
Scorpion's core rolled across the ground. Morkel retrieved a medical container from his scroll and handed it to Kurotsuchi.
"Collect it."
Next, Morkel turned to the cave's depths. Han was still being drained by the statue.
He swung again—
Clang!
Nothing.
Susanoo's attack couldn't even scratch it.
"What kind of material is this?!"
He attacked repeatedly, but it was no use.
The masked figure mocked him. "The Gedo Statue isn't so easily destroyed."
Ignoring him, Morkel dismissed Susanoo and pulled out Gray Stones.
He arranged them in a specific formation and shouted: "Fourteen!"
A transparent barrier formed—a space that blocked all Chakra flow.
The projections vanished. The statue stopped draining Chakra.
Thump!
Han collapsed.
Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi rushed over.
"He's barely breathing! Can we save him?"
"Once a tailed beast is extracted…" Akatsuchi began.
"Stop," Kurotsuchi warned. "Don't say that now."
Morkel placed a hand over Han's chest and used medical ninjutsu.
"He can be saved."
He then created a simple operating table using Wood Style and began treatment.
Ten minutes later, he smiled. "Done."
Outside, Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi blinked in confusion.
Already?!
Inside, Han's breathing had stabilized, color returning to his face.
Soon, he stirred.
"Am I... in the afterlife?"
Then he saw Kurotsuchi.
"Kurotsuchi? You were caught too?"
She smiled. "No, we came to save you."
She recounted everything.
Han scratched his head. "Then it's all thanks to you."
Akatsuchi said, "No, it was Morkel."
Han turned to Morkel, awed. "I've heard of the Konoha prodigy. But seeing you in action… You're even greater than the rumors say."
Morkel smiled. "Let's get you home, Senior."
He activated Flying Thunder God—and in a flash, they reappeared in Iwagakure's office.
Ōhnoki looked up from his desk, startled.
Han, still weak, bowed his head. "Lord Tsuchikage... I failed to protect the Tailed Beast."
Ōhnoki stared at Morkel, tense.
Kurotsuchi quickly intervened. "By the time we arrived, the extraction was almost done."
Akatsuchi added, "Without Morkel, Han wouldn't have survived."
Ōhnoki relaxed. Since Morkel didn't take the beast, they owed him a reward, not suspicion.
---