"You bastard, you're dead!"
"Next time I see you, I'll help you reincarnate!"
"From now on, let's not say anything here that might harm our unity."
The usually quiet Tailed Beast Consciousness Space suddenly buzzed with activity because Shukaku's words hit a sore spot, reminding them of their helpless experiences.
A group of tailed beasts scolded Shukaku in the consciousness space, not giving it any answers, and some of the beasts were too lazy to respond at all.
The strongest, Kurama, looked down on Shukaku with disdain, giving it a murderous glare, seemingly wishing to rip this foolish raccoon dog apart the next time they met.
"Fine, don't say it, how stingy..."
Shukaku dismissed everyone and left the Tailed Beast Consciousness Space.
As Shukaku departed, the other tailed beasts lost interest in discussing their past humiliations and each went their separate ways.
Most tailed beasts got along well with their jinchuriki; only Kurama and Shukaku, with their volatile temperaments, refused to compromise with their jinchuriki.
"Wood Release..."
"Annoying power..."
Kurama's eyes flashed with gloom.
It was likely that Shukaku encountered that Wood Release kid from Konoha, the one who cared for its jinchuriki Naruto Uzumaki.
If it was that Wood Release kid, there was no way Shukaku could defeat him, and Shukaku deserved all the beatings. Someday, Kurama might just finish it off for poking its wound today's wound!
In the Hidden Sand Village.
Inside a ninja's home.
Red Sand Sasori was still making his puppets.
The entire Hidden Sand Village was not lacking in puppet parts, and here he felt in his element, with the only issue being the possibility of being discovered.
Of course.
Orochimaru was rather frustrated.
Because this wasn't a place for conducting human experiments.
However, with Red Sand Sasori watching him, Orochimaru couldn't sneak away and had to stay here to study kinjutsu, occasionally sneaking out to do things so that Jiraiya wouldn't think he had left.
Time passed quietly.
Until one day, no matter how much Gaara called for Shukaku, the usually rampage-hungry Shukaku refused to come out.
"I'm in a bad mood!"
Shukaku's excuse was ridiculous.
The real reason.
Could not be divulged to Gaara.
Shukaku grumbled inside Gaara's belly.
"Whether it's windy or rainy!"
"No matter how early I get up or how late I sleep!"
"I'm constantly being beaten by that bastard kid. Was I born in this world just to be beaten? Even Kurama, that stinking fox, didn't bully me this much!"
Shukaku was getting smarter.
Knowing it couldn't win, why bother fighting? Better stay inside Gaara until it figured out a way to beat Akihara Kagura!
It wasn't like this was a do-or-die battle!
Going out would definitely mean getting a beating!
Fourth Kazekage Rasa encountered this situation for the first time and could only helplessly inform Akihara Kagura that he could take the day off.
Rest?
Why rest?
The Ten-tails shell inside Akihara Kagura had absorbed Shukaku's Chakra hundreds of times over; its Chakra level was substantial, with even the eyes of the Ten-tails shell beginning to glow, indicating that its resurrection progress had reached at least thirty percent. If Shukaku could be beaten for another two years, the Ten-tails shell might even be resurrected.
At this point...
How could they stop to rest?
"This won't do."
Akihara Kagura frowned after letting Gaara leave. Then he told Rasa, "Shukaku is just afraid of coming out to get beaten. If we leave, Shukaku might run rampant soon enough..."
"Then what should we do?"
Fourth Kazekage Rasa felt it might not be that serious.
However, Akihara Kagura's method of taming beasts was effective, at least Shukaku had stopped rampaging in the village. Rasa felt it best to heed the advice of professionals.
"Deception, sneak attack."
Akihara Kagura proposed a plan.
The plan was straightforward: deceive Shukaku by claiming Akihara Kagura had left, and then appear suddenly when Shukaku went on a rampage...
Luckily, Jiraiya rejected the plan.
Jiraiya knocked on his student's head, lecturing him, "You've vented enough. The rare trust built between a jinchuriki and a tailed beast will be shattered by your deceitful actions!"
"We are Konoha ninjas."
Akihara Kagura frowned, reminding his teacher, "Jiraiya-sensei, if the tailed beast and jinchuriki in the Sand Village face a trust crisis, isn't that a good thing for Konoha?"
"..."
Fourth Kazekage Rasa took a deep breath.
The Kazekage had been somewhat grateful to Akihara Kagura for helping to tame the Sand Village's tailed beast, only to hear this brat say something like that!
Could the two Konoha ninjas at least consider the opinion of the Sand Village Kazekage? There's another person standing here!
"I have other matters to attend to; I need to handle official business now."
Fourth Kazekage Rasa turned and left, not wanting to talk to them any longer and decided to send both of them away as soon as possible.