"This is the place?"
Deep within Takigakure, in a hidden location, Seimei's figure quietly appeared.
He gazed at the heavily guarded cave entrance ahead and murmured to himself.
This was the latest location his shadow clone, disguised as Suigu Yuichi, had investigated. It was highly likely to be where the Seven-Tails was being sealed.
If Takigakure intended to transplant the Seven-Tails and create a Jinchūriki, they would most likely choose this location.
After all, the difficulty of relocating an infant was nowhere near the difficulty and risk of transferring a Tailed Beast.
Observing from a distance for a while, Seimei didn't notice anything unusual, so he focused his mind and activated his Byakugan.
In an instant, his vision penetrated the rock walls ahead, revealing the situation deep inside.
The next moment, an immense chakra source came into view.
Just seeing this chakra made his heart inexplicably uneasy. It felt inherently corrosive, weighing down on his mind and spirit.
However, Seimei had a 'Spirit' attribute of 23 points—his mental strength far surpassed that of ordinary people.
As a result, he quickly shook off the influence.
Only then did he have the presence of mind to examine the owner of this chakra.
He saw a colossal creature with features resembling both an insect and a moth.
With its seven forked tails and a pair of massive wings, there was no mistaking it—it was the Seven-Tails, Chōmei, hidden away by Takigakure.
In fact, the moment he sensed its chakra, Seimei had already deduced the answer.
After all, this wasn't his first encounter with a Tailed Beast.
He had even absorbed the Six-Tails' chakra up close using the Chakra Absorption Technique, leaving him with a deep impression of their unique Tailed Beast chakra.
So there was no way he could be mistaken.
Now, seeing its physical form only confirmed his suspicions.
Seimei focused, carefully examining the Seven-Tails' condition.
From the dense sealing techniques surrounding it, it was evident that Takigakure had kept it restrained in this location, forcing it into a deep slumber.
This also explained why the beast had never caused any disturbances within the village.
At the same time, it demonstrated Takigakure's impressive proficiency in sealing techniques.
Seimei couldn't help but wonder—had they obtained remnants of the Uzumaki Clan's knowledge?
It was well known that the Uzumaki Clan was the most advanced in the entire ninja world when it came to sealing techniques.
If anyone could perfectly restrain a Tailed Beast, it would undoubtedly be them.
At this thought, a flicker of excitement rose in Seimei's heart.
But he quickly suppressed it.
His goal here was to capture the Tailed Beast, not to collect sealing techniques or Uzumaki relics. He couldn't lose sight of his primary objective.
Now that he had found his target, what was the next step? Should he act immediately or wait for the right moment?
As he contemplated his options—
The Seven-Tails, which he had been observing, suddenly opened its eyes.
What kind of eyes were those?
Cold? Violent? Filled with hatred?
For a moment, even Seimei couldn't tell.
But those abruptly opened insect-like compound eyes startled him.
Previously, he had assumed the beast was in a deep sleep. Now, it seemed that assumption was incorrect.
Wait—
Maybe it wasn't entirely wrong...
Seimei shifted his gaze toward the people surrounding the Seven-Tails.
Yes, deep inside the cave, several Takigakure shinobi were present near the beast.
They were kneeling on the ground, meticulously inscribing sealing formations.
The sealing array consisted of two primary parts, resembling two interlocking rings.
The larger ring encircled the Seven-Tails, while the smaller ring contained a months-old infant.
The baby lay on a blanket, sucking on its fingers in peaceful slumber, completely unaware of the world around it.
There was no doubt—this child was the future Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails: Fū.
And the Takigakure shinobi were in the process of sealing the beast within her.
Perhaps this very action had awakened the Seven-Tails from its long slumber.
After all, Tailed Beasts were not mindless creatures. They possessed intelligence equal to that of humans. When faced with danger, they naturally reacted.
And the threat was obvious—
Being sealed inside a Jinchūriki.
Indeed, they were immortal beings. Even if they were killed, they would resurrect after a few years.
But no intelligent being, no matter how powerful, would willingly accept death if there was even a sliver of hope to escape.
As long as they remained free, they could rely on their immense lifespan and strength to find a way to survive.
But once sealed inside a human, their fate was no longer in their own hands. If the Jinchūriki died, so would they.
This kind of absolute restraint—any intelligent being would resist it.
Thus, it was no surprise that the Seven-Tails had awakened.
However, Seimei failed to consider one possibility—
It was his own surveillance that had stirred the beast from its deep sleep.
Tailed Beasts had an extraordinary sensitivity to ancient dojutsu like the Byakugan and Sharingan, far beyond that of ordinary shinobi.
They also understood the power of such abilities.
So, being roused from slumber was entirely natural.
Sometimes, an observer was the last to realize the impact of their own actions.
While Seimei was lost in thought, the Takigakure shinobi inscribing the seals noticed the Seven-Tails' awakening.
They were momentarily shocked but quickly moved to reactivate the surrounding seals, attempting to suppress the beast back into slumber.
But this time, the Seven-Tails had no intention of submitting so easily.
Although it had never experienced being sealed inside a Jinchūriki before, its instincts screamed danger. That alone was enough to make it resist.
There was another reason as well—
Outside, Seimei lurked, an unknown enemy.
Yes, an enemy.
Though it had not physically seen him, the beast's sharp perception detected the greed hidden deep within his gaze.
This made it even more unwilling to return to sleep.
With all these factors converging, it chose the simplest and most direct solution—resistance.
Clang!
The sound of chains rattling filled the air.
The sealing formation, activated by the Takigakure shinobi, transformed into chains that wrapped around the Seven-Tails. But as it struggled violently, the bindings strained under the pressure.
Outside, the Takigakure ANBU stationed at the entrance noticed the disturbance within the cave.
Half of them immediately rushed inside.
Meanwhile, several high-ranking Takigakure officials entered the sealing chamber from another passage.
Their faces darkened as they took in the sight of the raging Seven-Tails.
One of the older council members demanded, "What's going on? Why has it suddenly awakened? Didn't we just reinforce the seals recently?"
The Takigakure Jōnin overseeing the ritual shook his head. "We're not sure. It just woke up all of a sudden. We're trying to suppress it."
The elder immediately turned to the nearby ANBU. "The Seven-Tails wouldn't lose control for no reason. Search the area immediately. See if there are any intruders."
"Yes, Elder!"
Without hesitation, the ANBU nodded and vanished with a Body Flicker.
It was a sharp and quick judgment.
They had immediately suspected an external threat.
However, this also presented an opportunity for Seimei.
As he watched the Takigakure ANBU spread out, a smirk formed beneath his mask.
Then, without a sound, he followed one of them.