"Captain, you really brought these two in alive? That's insane!"
Bobby and Steel stood frozen at the sight of Rocket and Groot lying in a heap. Their admiration for Ryuuto was practically radiating off them.
Ryuuto waved dismissively.
"Please. Two hairy thieves? That's not even a warm-up."
He tossed Rocket and Groot toward them like baggage and turned away coolly.
"Bobby, Steel. They're yours. Process them however you need—I'm not babysitting the aftermath."
"Yes, sir!"
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Continuous victories have granted twenty Life Potions and one Character Data Puzzle Piece!]
Ryuuto stretched.
"Really? A raccoon and a tree count as 'powerful enemies'? Shion-chan, your standards are—"
[Host. You now possess all ten puzzle pieces. A new data pack can be synthesized.]
Ryuuto froze.
Then his eyes lit up like a kid seeing a legendary SSR.
"Synthesize it! Now! Hurry!"
[Synthesizing… complete. Host, do you wish to open the new data pack?]
"YES. Open it! Don't torture me!"
He clenched his fists, practically praying.
"Please let it be someone good…"
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: Eight Tails Jinchūriki — Killer Bee data pack.
All associated ninjutsu are now unlocked.]
Eight Sword Style!
Lightning Style: Vibrato Blade!
Lariat!
Tailed Beast Bomb!
And more.
"Oh hell yeah! Shion-chan, you're actually amazing for once! I could kiss you!"
[Tch. Don't get carried away, Host.]
Ryuuto ignored her tsundere tone and immediately began practicing, blades dancing around him in a storm of motion.
But a thunderous voice suddenly erupted inside his mind.
"WHO THE HELL SUMMONED THIS UNCLE TO THIS CRAPPY PLACE?!"
Ryuuto nearly dropped his sword.
"Hold up—
Eight Tails!?"
A massive bull-octopus form materialized in his inner world, filling the sky with a suffocating presence.
Two jet-black nostrils flared like cannons aimed directly at him.
"You brat! You dare drag me out here? Who taught you manners? Call me Uncle Hachibi!"
"You were unlocked through my data pack! YOU should be calling me master!"
Eight Tails laughed in his face, clutching his stomach like it was comedy night.
"Hah! Master? You?
The only human this uncle acknowledges is Killer Bee. You're not even worth licking dust off his sandals!"
Ryuuto's eyebrow twitched.
"…You wanna run that by me again, calamari face?"
Eight Tails froze.
Did this insect… just insult him?
Ryuuto jabbed a middle finger up at the giant behemoth.
"Listen up, you bull-headed octopus idiot.
I didn't want to be your master anyway. But now? Oh, I'm taming you out of principle."
The entire inner world went silent.
Then trembled.
Eight Tails' eyes turned red.
"You little devil…
Fine. I'll crush you myself!"
The atmosphere darkened. Thunder rolled. All eight tails shot upward like living whips.
"DIE!"
The tails swung down like mountains crashing from the sky, aiming straight for Ryuuto's skull.
Ryuuto grinned, not moving an inch.
"Good. Come prove it, then."