Chapter 59: The One-Tail, Shukaku
"I'm an idiot, really..."
Masahiko had lost count of how many times he had sighed like this.
Walking through a vast desert, Masahiko finally recalled a detail from the anime in his past life. During the first Five Kage Summit, when the First Hokage proposed distributing the Tailed Beasts, the Land of Wind already possessed one. Due to their harsh geographical location and environment, the First Kazekage had demanded that Konoha cede fertile land to Sunagakure and give them 30% of the funds paid by other nations for the Tailed Beasts, a proposal that was vehemently opposed by the other Kage.
Thinking of this, Masahiko suddenly realized that he, who hunted geese all day, had finally been pecked in the eye by a goose. That two-faced Hashirama had tricked him into coming to this place with just a few words.
"Speaking of which, where is this? Where's the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire?"
The Naruto world didn't exactly have clearly defined national borders. Masahiko had flown all the way here, but all he saw was desert, so he had been forced to land.
"Well, there's no one around anyway. Transformation Jutsu: Release!" Masahiko muttered, canceling his transformation.
"Haven't shown my handsome, youthful face in a long time..." Masahiko took out a kunai, checked his reflection, and narcissistically admired himself.
"My passion is like a fire, burning up the entire desert~" Masahiko sang, a song he hadn't sung in ages.
"But... burning... desert... it's so hot!" Masahiko sighed. "In a place like this, Level 2 Water Release is useless. Should I add points?"
Masahiko thought for a moment, then formed the Tiger seal with his right hand. "Mind's Eye of the Kagura!"
A moment later, Masahiko's face fell. "Are you kidding me? Not a single chakra fluctuation for dozens of miles? Where the hell am I?"
"Eh?" Masahiko suddenly sensed a chakra reaction to the west and turned to look.
"What is that? Moving so fast, and the chakra fluctuation is so strong?"
On the horizon, a small black dot appeared. The dot slowly became a circle, growing larger and closer in Masahiko's vision.
"Damn it! Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!" Seeing the black dot heading straight for him, Masahiko hurriedly formed seals.
BOOM!
With a loud bang, Masahiko looked at his ragged clothes and sand-covered face, wanting to cry but having no tears.
Just now, he should have chosen to dodge instead of meeting it head-on. After all, this place was all sand...
"Shukaku! Don't you have any public morality? Is a Tailed Beast Ball something you can just throw around casually?" Masahiko cursed and ran toward the west.
After running for dozens of miles, Masahiko sensed multiple chakra signatures.
"Two Kage-level? Plus Shukaku." Masahiko muttered. "Better be cautious!"
Slowing down, Masahiko approached slowly.
Hiding behind a dune, Masahiko peeked over. In his line of sight was a big bald head.
"Er, a monk? That's rare..." Masahiko murmured.
His gaze was immediately drawn to the kettle in the monk's hand. He sensed the fluctuation of the One-Tail, Shukaku, coming from inside that kettle.
"Shukaku is sealed? Is that kettle a sealing artifact?" Masahiko's eyes darted around. "Can I snatch it?"
Looking around, he spotted three other people guarding nearby.
"Those two twelve or thirteen-year-olds aren't a concern; probably Jonin level at best... But that guy, isn't he the soon-to-be First Kazekage... This is trouble." Masahiko muttered.
"Who's there?!" the old monk suddenly shouted. The other three immediately went on alert.
Masahiko scratched his head and stood up awkwardly. "Discovered. Does the old monk have sensory abilities?"
"Are you a lost traveler?" seeing Masahiko's ragged clothes, the First Kazekage asked.
Masahiko's face darkened. He was about to speak when the First Kazekage continued, "No, red hair... Are you from the Uzumaki clan of the Land of Fire?"
Masahiko paused slightly. "That's right. I am Konoha Elder Uzumaki Masahiko. Lord Hokage sent me to visit the Land of Wind. Hearing that you are establishing your own village, our Hokage is very happy and hopes to join hands to end the chaotic times."
"Elder? He's clearly not that old, and quite handsome..." the girl opposite him mumbled.
Masahiko's expression changed. They had seen his youthful face. Did this mean he had to age himself five years when he got back? Otherwise, the Five Kage Summit would be awkward.
However, he teased, "Little sister, is the one next to you your boyfriend? If not, how about coming back to Konoha with this handsome big brother?"
The girl blushed slightly. "He's my brother..."
"Chiyo! Don't talk too much with him; he could be an enemy!" The First Kazekage spoke again from the side.
Masahiko no longer cared about enemies or not. His face turned a deep purple. His mind was filled with only one thought: I think I just hit on Granny Chiyo... I'm definitely going to lose fans...
He still wasn't willing to give up. "Little sister, your brother wouldn't happen to be called Ebizo, would he...?"
The boy was stunned. "How did you know?"
Masahiko's face turned green. He suddenly felt like life had lost all meaning.
"Elder of Konoha, I am Reto, the temporary leader of the village. Thank you for your visit. If there is nothing else, please return! When our village is built, we will inform Konoha." The First Kazekage said slowly, not asking how Masahiko knew Ebizo's name, clearly showing him the door.
Masahiko scratched his head, thinking of a way to snatch Shukaku without fighting. Although his past life said the Third Kazekage was the strongest, Masahiko didn't buy it. The Third Hokage was called the strongest Hokage too, and he was far inferior to the First. This First Kazekage, Reto, might be hard to take down without opening the Eight Gates, and with the old monk there, a moment of carelessness could lead to disaster.
After thinking for a long time, Masahiko couldn't come up with a good plan. He decided to retreat first and find an opportunity to steal the kettle later!
Masahiko cupped his fists. "The green hills remain, and the green waters flow long. We will meet again!"
The three people opposite him looked bewildered.
"Benefactor, wait!" The old monk suddenly spoke. "I see Benefactor's heart is still attached to something here. It is better to resolve it before leaving..."
Masahiko rolled his eyes. Japanese monks call people 'Benefactor' too?
With a thought, he put his palms together. "Amitabha, this poor monk comes from the East... Er, no, Master." He almost mixed up his scripts. "I have no attachments. Farewell."
After speaking, Masahiko ignored the monk's attempt to speak again and disappeared with a Body Flicker.
After moving about ten miles away, Masahiko used the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to tail the four from a distance. He didn't believe the old monk could detect him from this range.
He followed them for dozens of miles until they reached a temple. Beside the temple was an altar, and the old monk placed the kettle on the altar.
Seeing everything was settled, the First Kazekage and the two siblings bowed slightly to the old monk and left.
In the dead of night, Masahiko placed a special shuriken at his feet and flashed to the altar. Inside the temple, the old monk rushed out quickly, clearly sensing Masahiko's chakra.
"Too late..." Masahiko smiled faintly. He pulled out a sealing scroll, sealed the altar along with the kettle inside, and shouted, "Shuriken Substitution Jutsu!"
From the distance, he could only hear the old monk's shout: "Benefactor! Take Shukaku if you must! Give this old monk back his Wind Altar!"
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