[For more chapters support us on Patreon: Evilbuddha_7]
Yuto dispersed the Cursed Seal's state, the wings on his back vanishing with it. As expected of a Tailed Beast's chakra—so vast and nourishing.
Even with the absurdly low conversion rate, the Six-Tails Saiken still had about a third of its chakra left—more than enough for Yuto to unleash one or two large-scale techniques if needed.
A faint smile appeared on Yuto's face. This Cursed Seal had turned out to be quite an unexpected boon.
He looked down at Utakata, still unconscious, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
With a Jinchūriki's recovery speed, he should've woken up by now…
Did I drain too much of Saiken's chakra?
Yuto shook his head slightly. Still, Utakata being unconscious would make things simpler for now.
"Dawn's almost here—I'd better get back."
He glanced up at the sky, now brightening at the edges, then casually hoisted Utakata over his shoulder. In the next instant, Yuto's figure vanished from the forest.
---
Inside a solemn hall in the Hidden Mist Village
This grand hall stood directly opposite the Mizukage's office. Normally, it was rarely used, and its black decor accented with faint water-blue inlays lent it an austere air. Even those who might joke around outside would naturally grow quiet upon entering.
The hall hadn't been used for a very long time—only when something of utmost importance to the entire village was at stake would it open.
The last time was back when the Fourth Mizukage was in power.
At the center stood a massive oval conference table about five meters long. Aside from this table, there were no other furnishings.
Now, ten figures sat around it, each with a tense, serious expression.
Every so often, a few people would glance at the seat at the table's head—the only empty chair.
Ordinarily, that seat would belong to the Mizukage. But now, the current Mizukage, Terumi Mei, and Elder Gen sat on either side of it.
Yet no one raised any objections—everyone knew that that man had returned. The one who had escaped the legendary seal created by Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara together, revived and returned.
If, in the beginning, some among the Hidden Mist leadership had doubted the old legend, now none dared to question it.
Kirigakure was an extremely insular village. Even after Terumi Mei took over and tried to open things up, that deeply rooted insularity wasn't something that could change overnight.
The ten people present were either clan heads or key figures in the village's core administration. They each commanded substantial power and influence.
Although they had only received concrete news of Yuto's return last night, most of them had begun gathering intel the moment Terumi Mei and Ao brought him through the village gates.
Even an ordinary shinobi like Ringo Ameyuri had secretly contacted the jōnin corps simply because Yuto's face was unfamiliar. So how could these high-level leaders not have their suspicions?
After all, when your village leader sneaks away and then returns with a stranger—showing clear deference to him—anyone would be suspicious.
Though no one spoke, the heavy tension in the hall was obvious.
It was clear to any perceptive eye that everyone here was split into two factions:
One led by Terumi Mei, the Mizukage; the other by Elder Gen.
If Yuto's return struck a blow to anyone's influence, it was undoubtedly Elder Gen's faction.
Tsuchida Masamitsu, vice-captain of the Hidden Mist's ANBU, looked particularly uncomfortable. As an ANBU leader, he naturally belonged to Elder Gen's camp—after all, the ANBU's captain, Ao, was a staunch supporter of Terumi Mei.
Since last night, Tsuchida Masamitsu had been sending constant messages to Elder Gen, but had yet to receive any response. For the moment, he couldn't read Elder Gen's true stance.
He shot a subtle glance at Elder Gen. Seeing the old man sitting motionless with his eyes closed, Masamitsu noted the faint, disappointed expression on the elder's face.
What does that mean?
"Ahem—everyone, I believe you've all heard the news about the Six-Tails Jinchūriki defecting yesterday. I heard Lord Yuto went after him personally."
Kinoshita Jirō cleared his throat and spoke lightly. Seeing everyone's indifferent faces, he didn't seem flustered. He continued,
"While a Jinchūriki's power is formidable, I'm sure that to Lord Yuto, it's nothing troublesome. However, the Six-Tails is notoriously cunning and particularly skilled at hiding. Even for Lord Yuto, locating him immediately might not be easy."
"So rather than just sit here waiting, why don't we temporarily adjourn this meeting and take the initiative to assist Lord Yuto? That way, we can show our loyalty and do our part."
As Kinoshita Jirō spoke so righteously, a middle-aged man across from him—white-haired, purple-eyed, with sharp teeth—suddenly laughed, his tone full of mockery.
"Oh? The Six-Tails Jinchūriki should've been near your Kinoshita clan's territory, right? So why did I hear that it took almost a full day before you reported his defection?"
Hearing this, Kinoshita Jirō's expression turned slightly embarrassed.
"That was indeed our oversight. But at the time, his master, Harusame, claimed he needed to perform a secret ritual. Naturally, our hidden operatives couldn't intrude. And on this point, the ANBU vice-captain, Tsuchida Masamitsu, can vouch for us."
All eyes turned toward Tsuchida Masamitsu. He cleared his throat, forcing a stiff nod.
"Yes… our surveillance did notice the same. Nothing seemed amiss."
When his words fell, the atmosphere in the room shifted again. Many wore subtle expressions, a mix of scorn and unease.
Terumi Mei's eyes glinted coldly. Pushing the blame onto a dead man—how convenient.
Opposite her, Elder Gen's eyelid twitched slightly. Though he didn't open his eyes, a faint trace of disappointment crossed his face.
Seeing this, Kinoshita Jirō's lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile. He turned his gaze back to the sharp-toothed man opposite him, eyes narrowing.
"Tut-tut. Speaking of which—your Hōzuki clan really is getting pathetic these days, isn't it? You can't even keep a single brat under control. That little Hōzuki Suigetsu—he didn't just sneak out once or twice. Maybe instead of worrying about others, you should get your own house in order before someone sets it ablaze."
---