"Stop it, I'm a good person, um…"
"I guess I really am not a good person."
Kazuyama wanted to defend himself, but when he thought about his actions, he had to admit—he wasn't exactly a saint.
"You realize that too? Tsk, tsk, that's rare."
"I remember when someone first came to Ryūchi Cave, acting all high and mighty, saying they didn't need power. And now?"
"Every day, you summon me for pointless things. Geez."
Faced with Tagitsuhime's teasing, Kazuyama could only smile helplessly.
"Tell me, what's this girl's story?"
"If she could be lured away by you, she must be quite extraordinary."
Tagitsuhime's intuition was sharp, and Kazuyama couldn't help but smirk.
"Do you remember the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki you saw at the Kumo hideout?"
Tagitsuhime nodded. The destruction and raw power of the Eight-Tails' rampage were still fresh in her mind.
Then, as she stared at the sleeping girl in front of her, her eyes widened in realization.
"This... This little girl can't be a Jinchūriki too, can she?"
"Hehehehe, you got it right, Tagitsuhime."
Kazuyama grinned deviously, and his expression left Tagitsuhime speechless.
She was so stunned that she didn't know how to respond.
It really was the Jinchūriki. This brat had actually kidnapped a Jinchūriki.
Along with this massive Island Turtle that Kumo had raised, for a moment, she wondered if Kazuyama had lost his mind.
Did he just loot all of Kumo's most valuable assets?
As the thought settled in, she shot a sharp look at him.
"Don't look at me like that. You're right."
"This young girl is indeed a Jinchūriki—the Two-Tails' host."
"And yes, I did abduct her from Kumo. Oh, and I took this Island Turtle too."
With that, Kazuyama let out another loud laugh.
Tagitsuhime was speechless for a long time.
This kid was completely insane—he actually snuck into Kumo and stole their Jinchūriki right from under their noses...
"Kazuyama, you're crazy..."
"That's a Jinchūriki, a walking time bomb! How could you bring her out?"
"I can help you with the Island Turtle, but the Jinchūriki..."
It wasn't surprising that she reacted this way. Anyone would be shocked to hear something like this.
This was insane. If Kumo found out, it would be an absolute disaster.
"What are you so afraid of? You can't live without being a little crazy."
"As long as your Genjutsu holds and Kumo can't track the Island Turtle, they won't be able to do anything."
"I'll make the Island Turtle swim south, past the Land of Fire, completely out of Kumo's reach."
"As for the Jinchūriki, well, let me introduce myself properly."
"Snake Princess of Ryūchi Cave, Tagitsuhime... I'm Kazuyama Gekkō, the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails."
For the first time, Kazuyama openly revealed his identity as a Jinchūriki.
As the contract holder of Ryūchi Cave, he had a certain level of control. After all, not just anyone could access Ryūchi Cave.
The contract scroll was in his hands—no one could enter unless he allowed it.
"What!!!"
This wasn't just a surprise—it was a shock.
As the Snake Princess of Ryūchi Cave, Tagitsuhime understood exactly what kind of existence the Tailed Beasts were.
No matter which one it was, a Tailed Beast was a force of extreme terror, something that even practitioners of Senjutsu like herself could barely contend with.
"Calm down, calm down, Tagitsuhime."
"Chōmei, give me some chakra."
Kazuyama smiled slightly. Although he was currently using the Coiling Serpent Technique, if Chōmei wished, his power could manifest at the same time.
This was the foundation of a perfect Jinchūriki. After all, the hardest step was convincing oneself that the Tailed Beast within them was truly their ally.
"Hahaha, here it comes!"
"Isn't the Tailed Beast's outer coat mode enough?"
Because of the presence of natural energy, Chōmei didn't dare release too much chakra. He only provided just enough to support an outer chakra coat.
A surge of power exploded from Kazuyama, and a pale red chakra shroud enveloped his body.
"This... This is the Tailed Beast's chakra..."
"Are you really a Jinchūriki?"
With the combined effects of the Tailed Beast's chakra coat and Sage Mode, Kazuyama now looked like a red dragon in human form—majestic yet radiating terrifying pressure.
"No kidding. As for my partner, Seven-Tails Chōmei."
"Oh, Chōmei is the Seven-Tails' name. He's my friend."
"And me... Have you ever heard of a perfect Jinchūriki? Well, that's what I am."
Kazuyama grinned at the stunned Tagitsuhime, his presence exuding raw strength.
"You actually managed to hide this from the White Snake Sage and us..."
"Even the White Snake Sage's Senjutsu never sensed that you were a Jinchūriki..."
"Are you a demon?"
Tagitsuhime was at a loss for words. The fact that the contract holder of Ryūchi Cave also possessed a Tailed Beast was beyond comprehension.
"No big deal, no big deal. As a Rokudenashi, it's only natural to have more than one trump card."
Slowly, Chōmei's chakra receded, and Kazuyama returned to his usual Sage Mode appearance.
"Tagitsuhime, I'm telling you this because I consider you my friend—along with Tagorihime and Ichikishimahime, of course."
"As the successors of Ryūchi Cave, you are my supporters, which is why I trust you with my secrets."
Tagitsuhime flinched for a moment but quickly regained her composure.
"Whatever. The fact that you're a Jinchūriki doesn't change your right to inherit Ryūchi Cave's legacy."
"I'm just a little surprised."
"Seven-Tails Chōmei, huh... A terrifying existence."
Hearing Tagitsuhime's evaluation, Chōmei couldn't help but smile. Praise was always nice.
"As a Jinchūriki, abducting another Jinchūriki isn't that big of a deal for me."
"I plan to train her to become a perfect Jinchūriki, just like me."
The Akatsuki Organization, Madara, Black Zetsu, Kaguya—he had to prepare for the future. As long as he stayed alive, Black Zetsu wouldn't have a chance to resurrect Kaguya.
"Hmph, just make sure Kumo never finds out. If they do, the entire village will hunt you down."
"Don't worry. Old Turtle! Head south!"
With Tagitsuhime's Genjutsu in place, the massive turtle now obeyed Kazuyama's commands.
Slowly, the Island Turtle shifted its course toward the southern seas, just as he had instructed.
Kazuyama nodded in satisfaction.
"Tagitsuhime, thank you very much. From now on, this island is mine!"
"Hmph, as a reward, I want two baskets of snakeberries. I've already finished the last ones."
"Okay! I'll buy them for you as soon as I get back to the village!"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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