Canceling the curse seal state, Yuto let the wings fade. Tailed beast chakra truly was abundant—enough that even with its low conversion rate, the third he'd drained still left him with power for one or two bijūdama.
He smiled faintly. The curse seal had been an unexpected bonus.
Glancing at the unconscious Utakata, he frowned. With a jinchuriki's recovery rate, the boy should have woken by now. Had he taken too much chakra?
He shook his head. At least unconscious, Utakata was less troublesome.
"Dawn's coming. Time to head back."
He hoisted the jinchuriki over his shoulder and vanished into the trees.
———
Kirigakure, inside a solemn hall opposite the Mizukage's office.
Few ever entered this place unless the matter concerned the village's very survival. Its black-and-blue decor carried a weight that pressed down on even the most carefree. The last time it had opened was under the Fourth Mizukage.
At the center, a massive oval table stretched five meters long. Around it sat ten figures, each severe, eyes flicking now and then to the empty chair at the head.
Ordinarily, that chair belonged to the Mizukage. But today Mei and Elder Genji sat to either side of it. None protested; all knew the truth—Yuto, thought lost to legend, had returned.
Kirigakure was insular to the bone. Even under Mei's leadership, change came slow. Those gathered were clan heads and power brokers, each with their own networks. By the time Mei and Ao had brought Yuto through the gates yesterday, they had already set their spies digging.
If even Ringo Ameyuri, a simple swordswoman, had doubted his identity enough to alert the jonin, how much more cautious would the elites be?
The hall was quiet, tension coiled tight. Two camps were clear: Mei's and Genji's.
For Genji's faction, Yuto's return was a blow.
Tsuchida Masamitsu, vice-captain of the ANBU, sat stiffly. ANBU captain Ao was Mei's staunch ally; Masamitsu, by necessity, belonged to the elder's side. Since last night he had sent messages to Genji, but no reply had come. Seeing the old man with eyes shut, appearing asleep, unease gnawed at him.
A cough broke the silence.
"Everyone," said Kinoshita Jiro smoothly, "by now you've all heard of the Six-Tails' defection. Yuto-sama himself has gone to pursue it."
Faces remained unreadable. Jiro pressed on.
"Of course, a jinchuriki is powerful, but against Yuto-sama it is no issue. Still, Utakata is cunning and skilled in hiding. It won't be easy to track him quickly. Rather than sit idly, why not suspend this meeting and send aid? My clan is ready."
A chuckle answered him. Across the table, a sharp-toothed, white-haired man with violet eyes sneered.
"Oh? Strange, then. Wasn't the Six-Tails near your clan's territory? Why did it take almost a full day for word to reach us?"
Jiro's face tightened, but he bowed slightly.
"That was our failing. Utakata's master, Harusame, claimed he was performing a secret rite. Our watchers couldn't interfere. ANBU vice-captain Tsuchida Masamitsu can confirm."
Masamitsu nodded, voice flat.
"We found traces of Harusame's jutsu on-site."
Murmurs spread. The excuse was airtight. Blame the dead.
Mei's eyes narrowed coldly. Across from her, Genji's eyelids twitched, though he did not open them. Disappointment flickered on his face.
Jiro smirked faintly, turning back on the white-haired man.
"And speaking of failures… your Hozuki clan grows pathetic. That boy, Hozuki Suigetsu, slipped out of the village. Not only that, he stole the summoning scroll for the Seven Swords."
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