Boulders from the collapsing mountain tumbled down, raising clouds of dust, smashing trees, surging like a mudslide, with a fierce wind and an intimidating presence.
Megumai moved against the flow, her posture light and graceful. She reached the mountaintop unharmed and looked down.
In the moonlight, on the other side of the mountain, the forest had been completely flattened.
The lake water had entirely evaporated, leaving only a dry lakebed.
On the empty ground, a monster dozens of meters tall stood towering like a mountain; it looked like a cat, its entire body ablaze with blue flames. In the deep night, it looked like a small sun, emitting a dazzling light and heat.
Its features were so distinct that Megumai, even with her blurred vision, immediately recognized it—Matatabi, the Two-Tails!
According to the timeline, its current Jinchuriki should be the Kumogakure Shinobi, Yugito Nii.
Megumai's killing intent dissipated. She could now be certain that Yugito Nii was not targeting her.
Otherwise, she would have made her move near Kumogakure. Why would she circle the Tetsu no Kuni, killing people everywhere?
"Mama, there's a group of people over there," Seiya pointed to the empty space in front of the Two-Tails.
Megumai looked in the direction her son was pointing, but she couldn't see anything clearly.
"Baby, tell Mama, what are they doing now?"
Seiya's eyes were bright. He described, "They're being burned to death by the flaming kitty!"
"..."
Megumai was startled, thinking that group had died too quickly.
She then smiled wryly.
It figures. How could ordinary Shinobis stand a chance against a Tailed Beast?
But using a Tailed Beast transformation to deal with common Shinobis—wasn't that a bit excessive?
Megumai couldn't fathom Yugito Nii's purpose.
At the same time, Seiya exclaimed in admiration, "Mama, that fire cat is even bigger than Benihime!"
"It is," Megumai nodded slightly. "It's not just huge; it's also very powerful."
"Is it as strong as Mama?"
Whenever Seiya heard about someone or something powerful, his subconscious reaction was to compare it to his omnipotent mother.
"How can you compare an animal to Mama?"
Megumai shook her head and chuckled, gently tapping her son's forehead.
Then she answered, "It's not as strong as Mama."
"Mama is the best!"
Seiya clapped his hands proudly, then eagerly watched the unprecedented fire cat below the mountain.
Megumai quietly held him, watching the blue silhouette with him.
A moment later, Seiya said, "Mama, the fire cat is turning its head to look at us!"
Then, he added, "Mama, it's jumping toward us!"
A towering wave of fire surged from the foot of the mountain to the top, carrying rolling heat, rapidly closing in, fast and terrifying.
Megumai remained perfectly calm and comforted him, "It's alright, baby. Let it come."
"Okay."
Seiya responded, feeling reassured.
He continued to relax in his mother's arms, watching the fire cat's nimble movements.
Suddenly, the fire cat's body rapidly shrank, and the flames surrounding it quickly dissipated.
In a flash, the dazzling light was gone, and the mountain-sized cat vanished.
Seiya was greatly shocked.
He immediately opened his eyes wide, scanning for the fire cat, but couldn't find a trace.
He only saw a silhouette that felt vaguely familiar.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't remember who it was.
Half a year was enough for a three-year-old child to forget a Shinobi woman he had only met once.
After defeating the group of Shinobis at the foot of the mountain, Yugito Nii sensed someone spying from the mountaintop.
She rushed up the mountain, only to be surprised to find a familiar face!
"Shopkeeper Tojo, why are you here?"
Yugito Nii was curious and wary, keeping a safe distance from Megumai.
"I heard the commotion and climbed up to see," Megumai replied.
"Is Shopkeeper Tojo traveling?"
"I am going to Kumogakure."
Megumai's simple statement greatly shocked Yugito Nii.
She clearly remembered that the other party was a rogue Shinobi from some village!
Why would she suddenly go to Kumogakure?
"Is Shopkeeper Tojo going to Kumogakure to post a mission?"
"No, I want to join Kumogakure."
"..."
Yugito Nii was momentarily speechless.
A rogue Shinobi wanting to join Kumogakure?! Is that something you can just say casually? Who would trust your loyalty to the village?
Yugito Nii found it unacceptable, but she didn't immediately reject Megumai on behalf of the village.
She needed to understand Megumai's purpose and screen her for malicious intent.
Coincidentally, her current trip to the Tetsu no Kuni was to use wandering Shinobis and rogue Shinobis from various villages as sparring partners for her Tailed Beast transformation training.
If Megumai harbored ill intentions, Yugito Nii would not hesitate to eliminate her on the spot!
"Shopkeeper Tojo, why do you want to join Kumogakure? Weren't you living well in before?"
"The Tetsu no Kuni is becoming increasingly chaotic, unsuitable for permanent residence. Kumogakure is more stable, and I like it very much," Megumai answered truthfully.
To some extent, this could be considered an immigration assessment for Kumogakure.
If she gained the approval of the uniquely esteemed Perfect Jinchuriki before her, then passing the assessment was guaranteed.
Coupled with Matsudaira Nai's letter of introduction, it was practically foolproof.
This was why Megumai didn't mind the volley of questions.
Yugito Nii considered Megumai's reason and found no fault with it.
She then said solemnly, "Shopkeeper Tojo, I must remind you of one thing. Kumogakure is not as lenient as the Tetsu no Kuni. Once you join Kumogakure, there is no option to leave. Whether alive or dead, you, your child, and your child's descendants will all be people of Kumogakure!"
"I understand," Megumai nodded in response.
Yugito Nii felt she had just stated the obvious.
Megumai was already a rogue Shinobi, so why would she care about this?
She then broadened her approach, deciding to focus on Megumai's value.
A rogue Shinobi who wanted to switch allegiances needed to have some talent that was worth the risk.
Mere strength was not enough. In fact, without guaranteed loyalty, strength was a demerit.
"Shopkeeper Tojo, Kumogakure does not accept ordinary Shinobi immigrants. Do you have any exceptional skills?"
Megumai thought for a moment and said, "I am a Medical Shinobi, and my skill level is very high."
A Medical Shinobi?!
Yugito Nii was taken aback, instinctively scrutinizing Megumai.
Regardless of the era, Medical Shinobis were a valuable commodity.
High-level Medical Shinobis, like Konoha's Tsunade-hime or Suna's Chiyo, were considered strategic assets.
"Shopkeeper Tojo, can you demonstrate?"
Megumai raised an eyebrow, summoned a scroll, and retrieved a small bottle of blue liquid.
"This is an antidote for the Salamander's venom. I analyzed the antidote created by Tsunade, reverse-engineered the ingredients and proportions, and prepared this."
"How do you have the antidote created by Tsunade?!"
Yugito Nii keenly grasped the key point.
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