Chapter 258: The Konoha High Council F4!
Bright red blood seeped from the wound. Nara Keisuke pressed his hand against the Three-Tails, Isobu's, shell. A complex, blood-red summoning array spread out from his palm, covering the beast's body before sinking in and disappearing.
The summoning contract was formed.
Isobu let him finish, and only after he had removed his hand did it speak. "This 'summoning contract'... what does it do?" It could feel a new, subtle connection between them, but it didn't yet understand its purpose.
"Simply put," Keisuke explained, "I can now use the Summoning Jutsu to call you to my side, or use the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to come to you. Its main use is to help me keep track of your location." Of course, he could also use the contract to transfer his own chakra into Isobu, but there was no need to mention that just yet. The contract was an insurance policy.
Isobu, having never experienced a summoning, took his word for it and didn't press the matter. "Are you really going to hand me over to Konoha?" it asked, trying to win some favor. "My strength may not compare to yours, but it's on the same level as the Five-Tails!"
"Kokuō is special," Keisuke said, not wanting to stab the poor turtle's heart with too many knives. "But don't worry. I'm not like the ninja from Kiri. After I hand you over, I'll do my best to find you a decent Jinchuriki."
"It's not that simple," Isobu sighed again.
"If the word 'Jinchuriki' is too刺耳 (harsh) for you, I can rephrase it," Keisuke said, hopping back onto its shell and sitting down. "How about... finding you a compatible 'partner'? You've been a Tailed Beast for so long. Haven't you ever felt lonely? Having a good partner is better than being alone, right?"
"The world we see and the world you humans see are different," Isobu snorted, and began to paddle back towards the shore. "And besides, your lives are far too short." But Keisuke could tell that his "translation" had significantly softened its resistance.
"Who can say what the future holds?" Keisuke said. "Instead of worrying about a Jinchuriki's lifespan, why don't you think about what kind of ninja you like? Cheerful, calm, outgoing, withdrawn... I can introduce you to a few talented ones later."
Isobu didn't reply. It just silently carried him back to the shore, where Kokuō, Shikaku, and Kagami were waiting.
"It didn't take too long, did it?" Keisuke said, hopping from Isobu's shell onto Kokuō's fluffy head. "I'm back, Kokuō." The Five-Tails gave a soft grunt in reply, then turned its gaze to the Three-Tails. Isobu just snorted again and crawled onto the beach.
'It seems the Clan Head has successfully subdued the Three-Tails,' Shikaku thought, a new idea flashing in his mind. Kagami had a similar thought, but his eyes were drawn to the glaring hole in Isobu's shell. 'The battle between them... was intense. What terrifying power.'
"Shikaku-san, Kagami-senpai," Keisuke called out from atop Kokuō's head. "Let me formally introduce you. This is Isobu. You can call it the Three-Tails, or Isobu. Isobu, these two are Nara Shikaku and Uchiha Kagami."
Isobu gave the two ninja a cold glance, then turned its attention back to Keisuke. "And your name?"
"Me? I didn't introduce myself? I guess..." Keisuke thought back, and realized with some embarrassment that he had, in fact, beaten the Three-Tails twice without ever telling it his name. "Sorry, I'm..." He gave a quick introduction, then signaled for the two beasts to get moving. "Let's head back to the camp for now."
Shikaku and Kagami took to the air. "Kokuō, slow down. Don't leave Isobu too far behind," Keisuke said, lying down on its head. "He is, after all, a turtle."
"Yes, yes," Kokuō replied with a laugh.
"I'm not a turtle!" Isobu roared indignantly from behind them.
"Sorry, sorry. You're a Tailed Beast, not a turtle," Keisuke said, staring up at the sky. "Kokuō, slow down. Your legs are long."
Kokuō laughed again. Isobu looked down at its own short, stubby limbs and, for once, had no comeback.
By the time Keisuke and the two beasts reached the camp, it was almost noon. Kokuō led Isobu to the large hot spring where it had been staying. "Kokuō, tell Isobu the general situation in Konoha," Keisuke said, standing up. "And be sure to tell him about my three subordinates. I'll be back this afternoon."
"Alright," Kokuō replied.
Keisuke teleported back to the camp and had his clone gather his team. The "talented Konoha ninja" he had mentioned were, of course, Shisui, Retsu, and Shizune. He had no intention of keeping the Three-Tails for himself, but that didn't mean he wanted it to be sealed into just anyone. Even if the village "bought" it, he would do his best to ensure it was sealed into someone he knew. He had already formed a contract with it, which would greatly reduce its resistance. This meant that whoever became its Jinchuriki would have a very high chance of quickly becoming a Perfect Jinchuriki. Considering this, how could he not make some arrangements beforehand?
Of course, not just anyone could become a Jinchuriki. They needed the innate aptitude to contain a Tailed Beast's chakra. His three team members... Shisui was an exceptional genius of the Uchiha. Retsu was a noble of the Hyūga main family. And even Shizune... she had a pure aptitude for Water Style. If possible, he wanted one of them to be the new host.
While his clone was gathering the team, the intel Shikaku had sent back was causing a massive storm in the Hokage Tower. The Shadow of Darkness had swept through the invading Kiri forces, captured the Three-Tails, annihilated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and, in conjunction with the Yellow Flash, eliminated the AB Combo and captured the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki...
The series of bombshells had Hiruzen Sarutobi in a state of shock. He immediately convened a meeting with his two advisors. And Shimura Danzō, who hadn't been seen for a while, also heard the news from somewhere and came hobbling to the office on a cane.
The legendary "Konoha F4" was now assembled.
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