Chapter 59: Nine-Tails, Well Done!
"So in the end… I still couldn't escape death."
Still soaring through the air, Li Yao sensed the Tailed Beast Bomb stabilizing above Uzumaki Mito's head and let out a bitter smile with a sigh.
He wasn't afraid of dying.
What frustrated him was not being able to carry out all the revenge plans he'd envisioned against the Third Hokage and Konoha.
But no matter how unwilling, he could only face it calmly now.
He had no strength left to resist.
The chakra he had stored for years, along with the explosive power from opening all his chakra points, had already been completely expended in the collapse of the black iron chains.
Back in his old world, people online used to talk about how powerful the Nine-Tails was—but you couldn't truly understand that terror until you arrived in this world.
All your might… was nothing more than a breath from the Nine-Tails.
That was the gap between Li Yao and a Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
Buzz!
A wave of chakra even heavier than before pulsed through the air.
Above Mito's head, the Tailed Beast Bomb had stabilized at a diameter of two meters.
At that size, it could generate a core sphere of heat over a kilometer wide with a temperature surpassing six thousand degrees Celsius.
At such temperatures, all defenses were meaningless—everything would vaporize in an instant.
To Li Yao, that was actually ideal.
There'd be no pain in death, only instantaneous erasure.
"Nine-Tails!!!"
Just as Li Yao resigned himself to his fate, Mito suddenly roared.
In the next moment, the golden Nine-Tails chakra cloak around her faded away, replaced by the red beast cloak of the Nine-Tails' raw chakra—engulfing her entire body.
The terrifying Tailed Beast Bomb above her head disintegrated like decaying wood, fragment by fragment, turning to ash and vanishing.
"..."
Li Yao froze in stunned silence. Then, a moment later, the corners of his mouth lifted—and broke into a full grin.
"Hahaha!"
"Nine-Tails, well done!"
He laughed heartily, watching Mito become entangled in a struggle for control of her body with the Nine-Tails, completely delighted.
Whoosh whoosh!
Seizing this brief moment, Li Yao quickly vanished from Mito's field of view, fleeing swiftly away from Konoha.
Uzumaki Mito, sensing this, was filled with blazing fury.
"Damn you, Nine-Tails!"
She cursed inwardly and immediately sat down cross-legged, plunging her entire consciousness into the seal space.
"You damn woman! Don't think you can seal me again!"
The Nine-Tails, having barely broken free of most of his restraints thanks to Mito's heavy chakra expenditure from her sealing techniques, wasn't about to be sealed again.
Inside Mito's mental space, the Nine-Tails still had over a dozen Adamantine Chains skewering him. As he yanked at them, his tails lashed out to attack Mito's spirit form.
"You're not getting out, Nine-Tails!"
With a shout, Mito slammed her palms together. Instantly, over a thousand Adamantine Chains shot out across the seal space.
Some wrapped around the Nine-Tails' tails and limbs, others stabbed into his body, both absorbing his chakra and sealing it simultaneously.
"Damn woman!"
"Damn Uzumaki Clan!"
"Damn sealing jutsu!"
The Nine-Tails was filled with pure hatred as Mito not only stole his chakra but used that stolen power to fuel the very jutsu she was using to restrain him again.
It was intolerable!
The hatred in the Nine-Tails' eyes was practically tangible, fixed entirely on Mito.
He had had enough of this woman.
And more than enough of the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts.
Boom boom boom!
Inside the seal space, unwilling to be bound again, the Nine-Tails went berserk, thrashing and destroying everything.
The intense hatred imbued in his chakra began to erode Mito's mental will.
Under this terrible assault, Mito was forced to divert a large portion of her consciousness to stabilize herself—lest she fall into madness.
As a result, the two became locked in a temporary stalemate.
Outside—
The Third Hokage arrived first at Mito's side, riding Enma in adamantine staff form like a high-speed train.
"Lady Mito!"
The Third dismounted, holding the now-normal-sized adamantine staff. His muscles were tense, his mind focused—it was a critical moment.
The red beast cloak of Nine-Tails chakra enveloped Mito, nine tails flicking lightly in the air, radiating searing heat.
Her eyes were closed, entirely focused on the internal battle with the Nine-Tails.
Seeing this, the Third's expression darkened further.
If the Nine-Tails broke loose… it had to be stopped.
He made up his mind, forming seals swiftly.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
Poof poof poof!
He created three clones, which quickly fanned out into a square formation.
"Four Violet Flames Formation!"
The Third alone cast the Four Violet Flames barrier—far more robust and stable than the version formed by four ANBU. A wall of deep purple flames rose around Mito, sealing her inside.
Now, even if the Nine-Tails broke free, this would buy time for the sealing team to bring Kushina and reseal it.
Still, the Third hoped Lady Mito could subdue it herself.
This was the Second Great Ninja War.
Konoha couldn't afford to lose someone like Mito—her presence alone was a powerful deterrent to other villages.
Without her, Kumogakure and Kirigakure would no longer just leer from the sidelines—they'd likely invade.
The Third knew just how critical Mito was to Konoha.
Compared to her, the escaped Li Yao—dangerous as he was—would have to wait.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Moments later, the four ANBU arrived.
"Lord Hokage, what is—"
Because the Third wasn't inside the barrier, they could speak with him. One asked, but the Hokage simply shook his head and ordered them to remain on alert.
Everything else could wait until Mito re-sealed the Nine-Tails.
Soon, reinforcements from other clans arrived.
Seeing Mito cloaked in red Nine-Tails chakra within the barrier, they understood she was locked in battle for control with the beast—and immediately began guarding the perimeter.
No one dared interfere.
Even though they were curious about who had pushed Mito to this point, no one dared ask the Third right now.
The Uchiha Clan arrived as well.
They also said nothing.
Everyone was waiting for Mito to regain control.
Ten minutes passed.
The red chakra gradually receded back into her body.
Inside the seal, the Nine-Tails, now pinned again to the massive stone slab in eight sections, could only stare in frustration and spit one final line:
"I'll break free eventually."
Then, he went completely silent.
With the Nine-Tails sealed again, Mito opened her eyes.
And then—her body suddenly wobbled.
Even seated cross-legged, she could no longer remain steady.
"Lady Mito!"
The Third, having released the barrier, rushed over in a single step.
"I'm fine."
She raised a hand to stop him from helping her, took a deep breath, and stood on her own.
She was the wife of the God of Shinobi.
She wouldn't tarnish her husband's reputation.
But having burned through such massive amounts of chakra, she could no longer maintain her youthful appearance—now even more aged than before.
Her face wrinkled, her hair a dry and brittle white.
This time, there had been no support from the sealing formations inside her secret chamber. She had sealed the Nine-Tails using only her own chakra.
For someone already nearing the end of her life, this cost was immense.
Where once she might have had years left—
Now, at most, she had half a year to live.
"Lady Mito!"
"Lady Mito!"
Ninjas from across the village rushed forward. Many had questions on their lips—but seeing her condition, their concern took precedence.
"It's fine. Everyone, return to your posts."
"Monkey, you come with me."
Mito waved her hand, dismissing the crowd, and called the Third to follow her aside.
The others hesitated, clearly wanting to know what had happened—
But Mito's demeanor made it clear she wouldn't say.
Recalling the black chakra chains that resembled those of the Uzumaki Clan, many shinobi exchanged meaningful glances, beginning to suspect this incident involved the clan somehow.
With that in mind, they refrained from asking further.
And so—
A chaos that had shaken all of Konoha was silenced with just a few words from Uzumaki Mito.
Her influence in the village was that strong—especially among the elite shinobi. Far greater than even the Third Hokage's.
At that moment, the uneasy Third followed Mito to the side.
The four ANBU stood far off, not daring to approach.
(END CHAPTER)
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