"Damn! You ignore all the good things, yet you learn this so well, huh?"
"Yugito, have I been too soft in your training???"
Gekko Chizan clenched his fist, a harsh gleam flashing across his face as he stepped toward Yugito, one step at a time.
But who is Yugito? She's the Two-Tails jinchūriki! A naturally rebellious disciple.
Facing her teacher closing in, Yugito didn't even think—she flashed behind her teacher's wife, Pakura.
Then she made a face at Gekko Chizan.
"Come on, then. My teacher's wife will protect me."
"Teacher's wife, look at my teacher—he's violent to me every day. I'm so young, and he's beaten me stupid already."
Pakura didn't even hesitate—she stepped forward and shielded Yugito with one arm.
She didn't know why, but Yugito felt different from Kakashi, Obito, and Rinkaku.
This little girl acted strong and mischievous, yet from deep inside she radiated a familiar feeling.
A feeling of loneliness, a hint of isolation, and a burning desire to prove her strength.
"Chizan, what are you doing!"
"Back off!"
Seeing Pakura guarding Yugito, Gekko Chizan didn't dare move forward. He hurriedly waved his hands.
Though his eyes still shot a vicious glare at Yugito.
"Hehehe, teacher, looks like you're not almighty after all."
"Tsk tsk. But teacher's wife, I still need a gift."
"I won't complain about a hundred thousand ryō, and I won't reject a million either."
Yugito looked adorable acting like a total money-grubber, making Pakura laugh softly.
But Pakura didn't have that kind of money. She thought for a moment, reached behind her head, untied her own hair ribbon, then bent slightly and tied it into Yugito's long hair.
She had to admit—Yugito's hair was amazing. It already reached down to her waist.
"I came in a hurry and didn't bring gifts. This hair ribbon is something your teacher gave me."
"I'm giving it to you now. I hope you grow well, and one day become a ninja capable of standing on your own."
Yugito grinned wide; she clearly liked the hair ribbon and Pakura's words.
She would become a strong ninja—strong enough to stand alone—and then stomp her teacher Gekko Chizan under her feet.
"Alright, greetings are done. Time to start."
"We're going to be very busy for the next few days."
Gekko Chizan looked at the mountain of goods and sighed helplessly.
Earning money made him happy, but having to sell it himself? Now that was a pain.
Soon the group began sorting cargo, and Pakura finally asked what had been on her mind.
"Chizan, did you bring Yugito out from another village?"
"How did you figure that out?"
Gekko Chizan was curious—he didn't understand how Pakura spotted it instantly.
Pakura sighed lightly.
"She's very similar to me, as I thought..."
Then she shot Gekko Chizan a glare.
"Come on, say it. Which village did you abduct her from?"
She didn't believe he would take in an ordinary girl as a disciple. Yugito definitely had something special—some charm that drew Gekko Chizan in.
Gekko Chizan laughed loudly, bright and unrestrained.
With Pakura, he told her everything now. She was his woman—there was nothing to hide.
His loud laugh immediately caught Konan and Yugito's attention.
"Hey! Damn teacher, what are you laughing so creepily for?"
"Chizan-kun? What happened?"
Facing the two girls' questions, Gekko Chizan dropped the laugh and instead showed a very strange smile.
"Yugito, your teacher's wife is curious about your identity."
"Do you think I should tell her?"
His words didn't only pique Pakura's curiosity—Konan perked up too.
After all, she knew Yugito's strength. That terrifying physique and taijutsu, plus those weird ninjutsu… but she and Yahiko never pried about Yugito's identity. They simply assumed she was Gekko Chizan's disciple.
"What? You're not letting me hide my identity anymore?"
"You know what I am. Tch."
Yugito understood exactly what he meant. But revealing she was a jinchūriki… could she really expose that now?
But Gekko Chizan smiled lightly.
"It's fine. Whether it's the Land of Waterfalls or Takigakure, they're allies now."
"I've already told my teacher Orochimaru about you. And guess what—he's very interested in you."
"When I'm not around, I'll let him teach you. I'm sure he'll teach you extremely well."
Though Gekko Chizan spoke with a smile, Yugito suddenly felt an icy chill rush up from her feet to her scalp.
"Enough, stop teasing her."
"What exactly is Yugito's identity?"
Pakura interrupted again, making Gekko Chizan stop at once.
He didn't know why—he was a man with strong opinions, yet after getting married he had zero temper toward his own wife.
"Yugito is from Kumogakure."
"At the beginning of the Third Great Ninja War, when I went to Kumogakure, I abducted her."
"As for her identity?"
"Hehehe… she's the Two-Tails jinchūriki."
Gekko Chizan just said it clearly and directly.
Jinchūriki!
The word rang like a giant bell inside Pakura and Konan's minds.
Both of them instantly turned to stare at Yugito.
Yugito shrugged and nodded calmly.
"Yes. I'm the Two-Tails jinchūriki. Matatabi is my partner."
Saying it out loud felt incredibly refreshing. Finally revealing a secret buried so long—how could it not feel great?
"Are you serious?"
"Kumogakure's Two-Tails jinchūriki?"
"My god, Chizan, you really have guts!"
Pakura was completely shocked. As an elite jōnin of Sunagakure, she fully understood the weight of the word jinchūriki.
She suspected Yugito's identity wasn't simple, but she never imagined something this terrifying.
Konan was equally stunned. No wonder Yugito was so strong—she was a jinchūriki. That explained everything.
But soon both women turned sharply toward Gekko Chizan.
They were utterly shocked—because he had stolen the most important person in an entire village.
And Kumogakure hadn't made a single move all this time.
Seeing exactly what they were thinking, Gekko Chizan calmly answered.
"Kumogakure won't make a sound. Losing a jinchūriki is too serious for a village."
"The Raikage may look like a muscle-brained brute, but he's actually sharp. And he has an excellent advisor."
"So this news—they'll only digest it internally, then quietly mobilize people to search."