Chapter 557: Deception Release
Ishiro, flying high in the air and following the Two-Tails from a distance, decided against killing it for now.
His own village had quite a few ninja cats. His own cat, Dango, had not only given birth to several litters, but her first litter had already had kittens of their own. She was a grandmother now.
While Iwagakure's ninja cat population was still far from clan status, they weren't exactly rare anymore.
And with the Uchiha clan's ninja cats also potentially joining his side, improving the abilities of his cats was something to consider.
Thus, Ishiro abandoned the idea of a quick kill and simply followed Matatabi at a leisurely pace, continuously tracking its chakra with his Mind's Eye.
The chase lasted for the better part of a day. After entering the Land of Fire, the Two-Tails used the dense forests to constantly change its route.
Since he had decided not to act, Ishiro gradually increased his following distance to over twenty kilometers.
The Two-Tails's caution was beyond Ishiro's expectations. Or rather, its ability to sense danger was.
Although Ishiro was certain Matatabi couldn't sense him, the Bijuu still wound its way through half the Land of Fire before finally hiding in a hollow tree.
Even then, it seemed uneasy, changing its hiding spot several more times. And wherever it hid, it no longer sunbathed, but remained carefully concealed.
When the Two-Tails finally settled, Ishiro breathed a sigh of relief. With it constantly running, his perception wasn't as clear. Now that it had stopped, he could finally observe it carefully.
But first, he took a detour to the Iwa-occupied territory in the northwestern Land of Fire. The Two-Tails wasn't far from this region.
Ishiro had a patrol ninja contact the village. Soon, Akino Atsumi appeared before him.
With her were three ninja cats and their masters:
Dango, and her owner, Shiro Neko.
Kohana, and her owner, Shinya Matsutani.
Fūka, and her owner, Himeki Suda.
Ishiro nodded at them, then asked Shinya-kun, "You're here. Who's guarding the space-time passage?"
Shinya-kun had been stationed with Rōshi at the Land of Snow passage to the Moon.
Shinya-kun replied, "Lord Third personally swapped shifts with me."
Ishiro nodded, asked about the construction progress there, and then said, "About twenty kilometers from here, there is a Tailed Beast. It's Kumo's Two-Tails, Matatabi. Kumo hasn't recovered it yet, so it's in its natural state."
"I was going to kill it to weaken Kumo, but I discovered it has a very interesting ability, so I changed my mind."
Shinya-kun looked at his own cat, Kohana, then at her mother Dango, and her brother Fūka. "Ishiro-sensei, is it related to ninja cats?"
Ishiro nodded. "Yes. The Two-Tails's form is a cat. I don't know if its body is related, but I want to see if Dango and the others can learn any of its abilities."
Himeki Suda chimed in, "Ishiro-sensei, what special ability does it have?"
Ishiro said, "Its concealment ability is incredible. It can suppress its massive Bijuu-level chakra fluctuations to a degree that even I can barely detect. And it can run at full speed without leaking any chakra. It's unbelievable."
Himeki Suda nodded, not fully grasping how overpowered that ability was.
Shinya Matsutani, however, reacted quickly. "Ishiro-sensei, you're not just thinking about the cats, are you? You want ninja to learn this. If Kawakita-senpai learned this and used it to silently approach an enemy... that would be terrifying!"
Ishiro nodded. "Correct. If this ability can be used by us, it's not just for close-combat ninja like Kawakita. Even my own power would jump by half a level."
He imagined it: using his Atomic Dismantling Jutsu while completely concealing his presence. He could sneak into Kirigakure and assassinate all their Kage one by one.
He didn't say this aloud.
Ishiro said, "Matatabi is in my sensory range. I will describe its state to you, and you will relay it to your cats. See if they can learn anything."
Shinya-kun, Himeki, and Shiro Neko all nodded, their expressions hopeful.
Ishiro then submerged his senses, carefully probing Matatabi's state, trying to find the words to describe it.
But his Mind's Eye was too far away; he could only give them a general description.
After a long time, Shiro Neko shook her head. "Dango says it's impossible. It's either a unique Bijuu trait, or it's like a ninjutsu. Unless Matatabi teaches her step-by-step, she can't learn it just by hearing about it."
Ishiro thought. "Step-by-step, huh? We can try that."
He turned to Akino Atsumi. "Akino, get us to the closest position to the Two-Tails."
Akino nodded, confirmed the coordinates, and instantly pinpointed the nearest Hiraishin marker.
The group gathered, and Akino teleported them.
The Two-Tails, which had been hiding nervously, sensed their sudden appearance and bolted from the tree.
How did they appear so close?! Is it space-time ninjutsu? Matatabi thought as it fled.
Just then, Ishiro's voice echoed from behind, "Matatabi! Stop running! I don't want to kill you! Let's make a deal!"
Matatabi heard its name but didn't stop or reply.
Ishiro flew after it. "Matatabi! Remember what the Sage of Six Paths said? He said someone would come who could truly befriend all the Tailed Beasts!"
"I am that person! You can sense the aura of the Sage and his brother on me, can't you?"
Matatabi's paws skidded to a halt. It stopped and turned, watching as Ishiro's group approached.
"Stop!" the Bijuu's cold voice commanded.
Ishiro stopped 200 meters away.
Matatabi said, "I know you. You're the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure. Don't try to trick me. You're the ones who killed me last time!"
Ishiro put on his most sincere expression. "Yes, I am the Tsuchikage. But I have other identities. I am the disciple of the Sage of Six Paths' brother, Hamura Ōtsutsuki. I am the Child of Prophecy!"
"I killed you last time not to kill you, but to free you from Yugito."
Hearing this, Shinya-kun and the others felt a stampede of horses run through their minds. They had to fight to keep their faces straight. They didn't believe a single word.
Matatabi, however, didn't know Ishiro as well. It hesitated. "Impossible. The Child of Prophecy is a child. How old are you?"
Ishiro smiled. "I'll grow up. Besides, in the eyes of my teachers, Hamura and the Sage, I will always be a child."
Seeing Matatabi's doubt, Ishiro pressed on. "Think about it. What did the Sage say were the traits of the Child of Prophecy?"
Matatabi said, "He would gain the acknowledgment of all of us Tailed Beasts."
"Correct!" Ishiro said. "Now, sense my aura. Do I not meet that condition?"
Matatabi focused... "This aura is...?"
"I sense Son Gokū... Saiken... and Chōmei on you."
Ishiro nodded. "Exactly! And you can tell, they've genuinely acknowledged me. They've given me their power, just like Gyūki did with Killer B. I remember you never gave your full power to Yugito, did you?"
"Think about it. Who else could gain the true trust of three of your siblings? Kokuō and I are also very close! He just already has a Jinchūriki, Han, and they get along well. But Kokuō would give me his power at any time. Four of the nine Bijuu I've met have acknowledged me. If I'm not the Child of Prophecy, who is?"
Matatabi hesitated. "But... you're not a Jinchūriki."
Ishiro said, "Exactly! That proves I'm the Child of Prophecy! A Jinchūriki only wants you for your power. I could become a Jinchūriki, but I choose not to, because I see you as friends! I don't covet your power!"
Matatabi fell silent. That... actually made sense.
Shinya-kun's group, however, was about to collapse. What kind of robber's logic is this?!
Matatabi asked, "Then why were you chasing me?"
Ishiro said, "To prevent you from being recaptured by Kumo and used as a weapon of war by those ambitious humans. Also... I need your help."
He pointed at Dango, Kohana, and Fūka. "My teacher, Hamura Ōtsutsuki, said your ability is special. I was hoping you could teach them."
Matatabi looked at the three cats. "If I teach them, you'll let me go?"
"Of course," Ishiro said. "I bear you no ill will. You're a cat, they're cats. It's only natural they can learn from you."
Matatabi was still wary. "You have some of the Sage's aura, but it's not strong. I don't believe you."
Ishiro sighed. "The token the Sage gave me is too important; I didn't bring it. But I can have someone fetch it from the village. With space-time ninjutsu, it will be quick."
He nodded to Akino, who teleported away.
They waited in silence. Soon, Akino returned, holding the White Sphere.
Matatabi stared at it. "That... that does have the Sage's aura. He gave this to you?"
Ishiro nodded. "Of course. This is something only a Sage-level being could create. Who else but the Sage of Six Paths? He gave it to me to help me learn five-nature fusion."
This part was true, so Ishiro's tone was completely natural.
Matatabi, hearing this, visibly relaxed. The Sage, after a thousand years, has finally acted. This... this must be the Child of Prophecy.
Hearing the Bijuu's change in tone, Akino and the others, though poker-faced, were rolling their eyes internally.
Fox of Iwa, you've hit a new low. Scamming a pure, innocent cat... Have you no shame?
At the same time, they were stunned. That White Sphere... is from the Sage of Six Paths?!
Shinya-kun thought, So that's why Ishiro-sensei is making the entire village research it... It must hold the secret to reaching the Sage's level!
Ishiro, oblivious to their image of him crumbling, continued his seduction. "Matatabi, Saiken and the others learned to trust me. I'm not asking you to give me your power. I'm just asking for a chance. If you won't do it for me, do it for the Sage. Just trust the prophecy, once. What do you say?"
Matatabi wavered. "How... 'interact'? I'm not getting close to you."
Ishiro smiled warmly. "You don't have to. Just let Dango, Kohana, and Fūka stay with you for a while. Teach them. After you're done, if you still don't want to associate with me, you're free to go. Think of it as a trade: your teaching in exchange for your freedom. You profit either way, right?"
Matatabi thought about this logic. It seemed... flawless.
It nodded. "Fine. You all leave. I'll take them somewhere private. You are not to follow."
Ishiro said righteously, "You have my word, as the Sage's nephew and the Child of Prophecy!"
He turned to the cats. "Dango, Kohana, Fūka, learn well from Matatabi-senpai. I'll be back to pick you up in a few days."
He put the three cats down, and then flew away with his four human disciples.
Matatabi cautiously waited until Ishiro was ten kilometers away before it approached the three cats. It looked at Kohana—who was still a bit chubby—and sniffed. It glanced at the nervous Fūka. Finally, it looked at Dango. "Are you their mother?"
Dango meowed in affirmation. "Yes, Matatabi-sama."
Matatabi, realizing they couldn't even speak human language, relaxed completely. "Follow me."
Far away, Ishiro sensed Matatabi leading the cats to a secluded spot and beginning the lesson. He finally let out a long breath.
Scamming a cat is a first for me. I'm a little rusty. Definitely need more practice.
In this complex shinobi world, just being able to scam humans isn't enough.
I really need to expand my "Deception" (Piàn Shù) skill!
If I can create a "Deception Release" (Piàn Dùn), to stand alongside "Talk-no-Jutsu" (Zuǐ Dùn) and "Flex-no-Jutsu" (Zhuāng Dùn)... that would be pretty good.
Akino Atsumi asked worriedly, "Ishiro-sensei, what if the Two-Tails finds the Hiraishin marker on Fūka?"
(Akino had, of course, already marked Fūka at Ishiro's request.)
Ishiro rolled his eyes. "Of course it'll see the marker. But it's a fireball pattern. His name is 'Fūka' (Wind Fire). It's just a mark. A normal person—or cat—would just assume his owner named him after the mark. Who would immediately jump to 'space-time ninjutsu coordinate'?"
The group had to admit, that made sense. But still... to give Matatabi his "righteous word" not to follow, while secretly planting a tracker...
This was... so Ishiro.
Back with Matatabi, the Bijuu did indeed see the fireball-like Hiraishin marker on Fūka's fur.
It just asked, "Your name is Fūka?"
When Fūka nodded, Matatabi just sniffed. Tacky name. You're clearly just 'Fire.' Where's the 'Wind'?
It didn't even bother asking about "Kohana" (Little Flower). That was even tackier.
For three days, Matatabi earnestly taught the cats how to suppress their chakra. Only then did it ask about Ishiro.
When it heard that Ishiro had taught the ninja cats Sage Art, its eyes widened. "Sage Art? That human taught you Sage Art?"
Dango nodded. "Yes, though my talent is poor. I haven't mastered it for combat yet."
Matatabi wasn't concerned with their mastery; it was stunned by the act.
It had heard rumors about Iwa's Sage Art, but it had been trapped in Yugito, sleeping and sunbathing, and hadn't cared.
But now, hearing that Ishiro had developed his own Sage Art...
Could he... really be the Child of Prophecy? How else would he know Sage Art? The Sage must have taught him!
The Sage of Six Paths gave chakra to humans... this Tsuchikage gives Sage Art to cats... Is he the one?
No... I can't trust him. He's dangerous. That Kekkai Tōta...
Matatabi asked Dango more questions.
Dango, of course, only said good things.
From Dango's words, Ishiro was painted as a great hero, learning and fighting for the sake of peace in the shinobi world.
Eventually, Dango just started quoting articles that Shiro Neko had read to her from the Iwagakure Bi-Weekly.
Matatabi's worldview was shaken. Gradually, an image of Ishiro as a savior began to form.
But it was still cautious. It took the three cats to the Iwa-occupied territory in the Land of Fire.
It was smart; it wanted to investigate. It wanted to see if the civilians were happy under Ishiro's rule.
It had overlooked one thing. The civilians in Iwa territory loved Iwa. They had been thoroughly "brainwashed" by the Bi-Weekly, their lives were stable (no more bandits), and they were all excited about the Moon.
When asked, they all expressed their satisfaction with IwagakEure and Ishiro.
When the three ninja cats returned to Ishiro, they were accompanied by a fourth, small cat.
It was not Matatabi's main body, but a Bijuu clone, just as Son Gokū had made for him.
(End of Chapter)
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