Border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass.
The golden sun slanted in the west, while the sly moon had already peeked out from the east.
As day and night intertwined, evening glow filled the skies.
Countless figures dashed swiftly through the forest, alarming birds and beasts alike. Their matching uniforms and cloud-emblazoned forehead protectors identified them clearly—Shinobi of the Hidden Cloud.
"According to the intel, Konoha and Iwagakure are at each other's throats. Especially near Itano Town—they're already engaging in close-quarters combat"
"Now's our time to strike—Konoha and Iwa are like the snipe and the clam locked in battle, and we Hidden Cloud are the fisherman who takes it all!"
"Yo yo yo! Snipe fights clam, Cloud walks away with the prize! Octopus Bee steps up—Rock and Leaf drop like flies, oh yeah~!"
"Hahaha, let's attack!"
The elite squad from Kumogakure raced through the woods, their lighthearted banter barely masking their strategic ambition.
With Konoha and Iwa waging a brutal war, ambition across the Shinobi World stirred. Of the Five Great Nations, Kumogakure had preserved the most combat power. No longer content to watch from the sidelines, they made their move—seeking advantage in a war nearing its end.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, a high-pressure water lance tore through the trees, aiming straight at the squad's most conspicuous figure—Killer Bee.
The water spear was razor-sharp, cutting through trees with mirror-smooth slices and arriving with breakneck speed.
The Hidden Cloud ninja were shocked, but Killer Bee didn't flinch.
"If you wanna ambush Bee the Great, better train for another 20,000 years, mate~!"
Crackling blue lightning flashed across his body. In the blink of an eye, Bee vanished from sight.
In the next instant, he had drawn his blade. With legs bent against a tree, he launched like a missile toward the shadowy depths of the forest!
"Clang!"
Steel clashed, blades collided.
"Eight-Tails Jinchūriki... Killer Bee."
His Zanpakutō surged with power. Then, without warning, the fingers holding the blade shifted—one lifted, pointing directly at Killer Bee's head.
A burst of lightning shot from his fingertip at point-blank range—far too close to dodge. The attack nearly pierced the skull of the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki, but in the nick of time, a solid layer of red chakra surged forth and blocked the strike.
Surprise flickered across Yagura's eyes. Bee ducked and spun, delivering a heavy kick to Yagura's chest, sending him flying.
"Yo yo yo, nice blade but your fashion's lame! Your sneak attacks just stoke my flame. You mess with Bee, you go down, punk-ass clown—Baka yarō, kono yarō~!"
"Lord Bee!"
A laid-back, slouching youth shouted out, but Bee waved him off.
"Stick to the plan—don't sweat it. I'll handle this sneaky little punk myself!"
"Zzzzzap!!"
Lightning Release chakra surged around Bee's blade, thunder roaring as he launched straight at Yagura.
Yagura tightened his grip on his Zanpakutō to block the blow, but Bee flicked his wrist—two more blades appeared in his hands, thrusting toward Yagura's neck and chest.
"Three-Sword Style, huh?"
Yagura twisted his arms and forced Bee back, narrowly avoiding the attacks.
But before he could retreat, crimson chakra enveloped Bee's body. Two tentacle-like extensions lashed out toward Yagura like a pair of grasping octopus limbs.
Yagura swung his blade in a backhand arc, releasing a burst of concentrated Reiryoku that shot into the surrounding trees. The energy linked them together in a spiderweb-like formation—just in time to block the two incoming chakra tentacles.
"Bakudō #37: Tsuriboshi."
"You're a tough one, Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."
Yagura landed lightly, glancing at the retreating Hidden Cloud squad before returning his gaze to Bee.
"I've heard a juicy rumor. They say you're a Perfect Jinchūriki."
"Undercover or spy? You found out Bee's secret, oh my!"
His words were still rhyming, but the eyes beneath his shades had turned grim.
This wasn't about stopping the Hidden Cloud squad. This guy had come specifically for him—the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
And somehow, he knew Bee was a Perfect Jinchūriki.
Bee had only recently returned from training at the Valley of Clouds and Lightning, having finally synchronized with the Eight-Tails—becoming one with Gyūki.
Only the Fourth Raikage was supposed to know. Yet, this masked man...
"Knowledge like that? Danger, danger! Gotta take you out, you creepy stranger!"
Bee hurled all three swords like kunai, then charged, wreathed in lightning chakra—his body glowing with blue radiance.
With his right arm extended and four fingers forward, he rocketed forward like an arrow!
"The Third Raikage's signature move, huh? A technique like that shouldn't be passed around lightly."
"A real pain in the ass, huh? Then..."
"Shikai!"
A surge of spiritual pressure exploded outward, deflecting Bee's incoming blades. From the tip of Yagura's Zanpakutō, a stream of water burst forth, catching Bee off guard.
"Bloom and Reflect—Rinka!"
The water coalesced into a perfectly reflective mirror suspended in midair. Bee saw his own image—and the exact posture of his signature Hell Stab attack.
Then—
CRASH!
A lightning-clad figure burst through the mirror—his exact double. The clash of two Four-Finger Piercings sent shockwaves through the forest!
Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite! x2!
Two lances of unparalleled power collided—force against force, spear versus spear.
"BOOM!!"
Blinding light erupted, followed by silence.
Bee stood panting on scorched earth. Blood dripped from his left hand, his fingers slightly twisted, but the red chakra of the Tailed Beast began healing him rapidly.
He took a breath, fists clenched.
With a sudden flex, eight more swords appeared around him!
"Tryna copy Bee the real deal? Your fake-ass tricks just ain't real!"
"Eight-Sword Style—Bee's comin' to end this fight!"
"Man, you just won't shut up."
Bee charged, cloaked in Tailed Beast chakra. Speed and power intensified, he curled into a spinning ball mid-air—like a whirling porcupine of blades crashing down on Yagura!
Yagura showed no change in expression.
The water mirror shimmered once more—this time reflecting Bee's spinning form.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
His mirror clone burst forth again—matching Bee strike for strike.
The real Bee manipulated his swords like a circus juggler, but every move was mirrored exactly.
The Water Mirror Technique—Yagura's signature move, now evolved through Shikai. In the Fourth Great Ninja War, even as an Edo Tensei, he had used it to counter both Killer Bee and Nine-Tails Chakra Mode Naruto together.
Now, with Shikai, its power had been perfected.
Whatever the mirror reflected, it could reproduce in full.
"Copycats suck, just like chickens in diapers! Baka yarō, kono yarō!"
Bee muttered angrily, as crimson chakra tails sprouted and solidified behind him—tentacles of the Eight-Tails taking physical form.
He lashed them toward Yagura with devastating force!
BOOM!!!
The shockwave rattled heaven and earth.
But Yagura didn't budge.
An identical semi-transformed version of Bee had intercepted the attack—tentacle versus tentacle.
"Even Tailed Beast Forms can be copied?!"
Bee's jaw dropped. For a moment, he even forgot to rhyme.
"Watch yourself, Bee. Something's off."
Gyūki's deep voice rumbled in Bee's mind. "You noticed it too, didn't you? This guy has no chakra—but can use techniques like this."
"Yeah. I noticed."
Bee nodded. As a Perfect Jinchūriki, his chakra sense was razor-sharp. He had realized it from the very first water jutsu.
That was part of why he let the others go ahead.
"Must be some other energy source... doesn't matter now."
"Time for the real deal to shine—this faker's gonna feel the power of Bee the divine!"
His inner dialogue with Gyūki cut off.
A surge of electricity exploded around Bee, even making his hair stand on end.
In the next instant, he vanished.
Despite his age, Bee's Lightning Release had always been powerful—but now, enhanced by the Tailed Beast, he might even surpass the Fourth Raikage!
He reappeared behind Yagura—right arm bent, elbow smashing down!
"Lariat!"
BOOM!!!
The blow shook the earth. All his power and chakra focused into a single point of destruction.
"Can't hide behind your dumb mirror now—you're going down! Baka yarō, kono yarō!"
Bee landed steadily, grinning as he saw Yagura's form crumpled on the ground.
But after a moment, his smile faded.
The body turned into a puddle of water.
"Celebrating too soon, Eight-Tails."
A calm voice crackled with thunder. A strike slammed into Bee's back, launching him into the ground.
Yagura stood at the edge of the clearing, water flowing around him like spirits.
"My Rinka... doesn't just reflect attacks."
"Heh!"
Bee staggered to his feet, blood trickling from his lips.
If not for Gyūki's last-second defense, he'd be out of the fight already.
"Feels just like back then, huh, Gyūki?"
"Back on Turtle Island?" Gyūki's gruff voice echoed in his mind. "Same moves. Same thoughts. This is your second Falls of Truth."
"Fighting your own mirror—chaotic, maddening."
"Heh... guess I've got no choice. Let's use that."
"Time to show this faker the real Bee—Baka yarō, kono yarō!"
A surge of Tailed Beast chakra flooded Bee's body. The oppressive force swept outward like a storm.
"Here it comes..."
Yagura narrowed his eyes at the gathering pressure.
"RUMMMBLE!!"
Trees shattered, dust rose, and the earth shook as gigantic tentacles whipped everything away.
A towering form emerged—bull-headed, octopus-tailed, roaring at the sky.
The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
Full Tailed Beast Transformation.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin