"Becoming a Jinchūriki? Heh..."
Hearing Shamu's words, Seimei chuckled twice. Although he didn't respond directly, the disdain on his face was impossible to conceal.
"Isn't that the case...?"
Seeing his reaction, Shamu murmured to himself.
Just as he was about to say more, Seimei suddenly interrupted him.
"Alright, that's enough talking. You can rest easy and be a tool now."
As he spoke, he extended his right hand, reaching for Shamu.
Seeing this, Shamu didn't have time to think. He immediately stepped back, preparing to resist.
He knew he wasn't Seimei's match and hadn't attempted to escape or fight back before.
But now, things were different.
Seimei was treating him like a mere tool. Although he wasn't exactly sure what that meant, the literal meaning alone made it clear—it was nothing good.
So, he decisively chose to fight back.
At the same time, a flicker of hope emerged in his heart.
Just now, by analyzing the surrounding terrain, plant growth, and species, he deduced that they weren't far from Takigakure.
Moreover, to ensure the sealing process went smoothly, the village had stationed many guards on the perimeter.
If he could make enough noise, they would surely take notice.
Then, with everyone working together, he might still have a chance to survive.
That was the sliver of hope he clung to.
Additionally, his decision was fueled by the constant surge of Tailed Beast chakra flowing from within him.
Although this chakra was relentlessly eroding his will and causing immense mental strain, it was undeniably a formidable power.
Perhaps he could use it to hold his own against Seimei.
However, while his thoughts were optimistic, reality was far crueler.
The two were already in close proximity. The moment he made a move to resist, Seimei noticed immediately.
Without any intention of conserving his dōjutsu, Seimei activated his Mangekyō Sharingan in an instant.
His eyes transformed, resembling black suns. Even though Shamu had no idea what they were, his instincts told him to avert his gaze.
But doing so inevitably delayed his reaction.
That brief hesitation cost him his last chance to resist.
"Heavenly Dominion" activated!
Seimei's figure vanished from sight.
Before Shamu could react, Seimei reappeared—right behind him.
"Self-Inflicted Curse Binding Seal" unleashed!
Black curse markings spread across Shamu's entire body in an instant, paralyzing him completely.
Seimei then struck the back of Shamu's neck with a heavy blow.
Everything went dark.
As Shamu lost consciousness and was about to fall from the tree branch, Seimei swiftly grabbed him, preventing him from crashing to the ground.
With Shamu in hand, Seimei turned toward Takigakure, carefully reviewing the entire operation in his mind to ensure nothing had been overlooked.
After a brief recollection, he nodded. There were no issues.
There was no need to worry about his previous infiltration of Takigakure under the guise of Mizutani Yūichi. Even if that cover was blown, it would only suggest premeditation; it wouldn't reveal his true identity.
As for his recent actions, he had used "Heavenly Dominion" multiple times and even "Flying Thunder God Technique" once, but he hadn't left any obvious clues behind.
Thanks to his long-standing caution, no information about "Heavenly Dominion" had ever been exposed. The few times he had used it were all tied to Kirigakure.
And there was no way Kirigakure would share such crucial intel with Takigakure.
So, for now, there was nothing to worry about.
As for **"Flying Thunder God Technique"**…
There was a chance someone might recognize it, but without solid evidence, it wouldn't matter.
Furthermore, during the battle, he had deliberately concealed his true abilities. Every jutsu and skill he used had little to no connection with the Uchiha clan or himself.
Even when he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, he did so out of sight and only for brief moments.
That meant linking the events back to him would be nearly impossible.
The only potential issue was the method he used to restrain the Seven-Tails in the sealing chamber.
The "Self-Inflicted Curse Binding Seal" was no ordinary sealing technique. If someone investigated it thoroughly, they might uncover some clues.
However, since it was one of Danzo's hidden trump cards, very little information about it was available.
At most, Takigakure might trace the technique back to Konohagakure.
Beyond that, there wasn't much they could find.
Even if they eventually figured it out, it would take a long time.
By then, Seimei would likely already be unrivaled in the ninja world. Why would he care about minor details at that point?
So overall, the mission was a success.
"Phew..."
Letting out a breath, Seimei adjusted his grip on Shamu, erased the traces they had left behind, and then focused on the Flying Thunder God mark he had placed on an island in the southern seas of the Land of Fire.
With a single thought, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant, his surroundings shifted.
He was back on the island.
The salty ocean breeze filled the air, making Seimei feel completely at ease.
"Ah… this place really is the best."
Looking around at the familiar scenery, he couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction.
Then, he formed a hand seal and activated "Wind Release: Wings of Wind" and "Chakra Cloak", lifting Shamu into the air as he flew toward the deserted island where he had once tested the "Wind Release: Rasenshuriken".
The two islands weren't far apart, and Seimei quickly arrived at his destination.
The area remained barren, with scars from his previous experiment still visible.
Focusing his mind, Seimei activated his Byakugan, scanning the surroundings while hovering in the air.
After confirming that no one was nearby, he landed.
At the center of the island, he stomped the ground, channeling a large amount of Earth Release chakra into it.
The earth trembled for a moment before settling.
Seimei opened his eyes. A newly-formed tunnel now lay before him.
Without hesitation, he carried Shamu inside.
After walking for a while, Seimei arrived at a spacious underground chamber.
It was completely empty—no surprise there.
After all, the tunnel and chamber had just been created using Earth Release chakra, so there was nothing inside yet.
Stepping forward, Seimei tossed Shamu onto the ground.
Then, he took out a storage scroll from his ninja pouch.
Unrolling it, he retrieved a brush and some ink.
Without a word, he began drawing the "Self-Inflicted Curse Binding Seal" on the floor.
While he could activate the seal without any hand signs, that would only provide temporary control and require continuous chakra input to maintain.
By engraving it into the ground, he could create a more stable sealing array, reducing the need for constant supervision.
For the foreseeable future, Shamu would remain imprisoned here.
Seimei would focus on perfecting the "Eight Trigrams Sealing Style", combining it with other sealing techniques to create a suitable vessel for sealing the Seven-Tails.
That wouldn't take too long.
Until then, he could also use Shamu as an extra chakra source, siphoning energy from him daily.
Just like the "chakra batteries" he had set up two years ago...