章 166: Chapter 166
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In the mindscape.
Yugito could see firsthand as Kyomu, using the power of Matatabi, pounced atop the Eight-Tails and delivered a solid blow.
He quickly swapped positions while the Eight-Tails retaliated with its eight tails and fists, using Matatabi to firmly smash it down to the ground when the Eight-Tails couldn't defend in time.
Is Matatabi really this powerful?
Yugito couldn't help but glance behind her, shaking her head even though she didn't want to admit it.
Matatabi isn't that strong; what's truly strong is Kyomu, who borrowed the Tailed Beast's chakra to fully utilize his space manipulation abilities.
But when Yugito looked back again, the live images and sounds from the mindscape shattered her already broken heart.
She couldn't go back now. She had become an accomplice to Aragami Kyomu's slaughter of the Cloud Shinobi.
"Yugito! Wake up!"
"Yugito! Why are you helping Kyomu kill your fellow shinobi from the village?"
"You scoundrel! More than a thousand comrades have died at the hands of Matatabi, and you'll pay for it, Yugito!"
"Yugito, I won't rest until I see you fall!"
Cloud Shinobi screamed angrily, but Kyomu was unmoved. As the Eight-Tails lay defeated, he borrowed the ample Tailed Beast chakra to sweep the battlefield again with Matatabi.
The nearly kilometer-long sword beam wreaked havoc across the battlefield with relentless force, leaving another great rift.
The Cloud Shinobi suffered heavy casualties.
Before the dust settled, the Eight-Tails rose kilometers away, but Aragami Kyomu used teleportation to return with Matatabi in an instant.
Like a mountain crashing down!
Slightly smaller than the Eight-Tails, Matatabi, carrying Kyomu, pinned it down again, pressing its thick arms.
When the Eight-Tails tried to counterattack, Kyomu and Matatabi teleported again, forming a massive Tailed Beast Bomb.
Instead of firing it directly, they swallowed it and then expelled a large chakra beam toward the fallen Eight-Tails.
Boom!
The enormous body of the Eight-Tails was pushed back. Its parts exposed to the chakra beam were gradually disintegrated, almost piercing its entire body.
Even Tailed Beasts couldn't withstand the Tailed Beast Bomb.
Aragami Kyomu was thrilled and attempted a third teleportation to slaughter the Cloud Shinobi with Matatabi when he noticed something was wrong.
It wasn't Matatabi itself but the excessive chakra being drained from it, affecting Yugito's body.
Since Matatabi was sealed within Yugito, every time Kyomu drew on its chakra, her body bore that much more pressure.
Under the ruthless extraction by Kyomu, he could utilize the spatial Kekkei Genkai without limitation, but Yugito suffered.
Drained of an amount equivalent to a dozen Tailed Beast Bombs, Matatabi could withstand it, but Yugito couldn't.
Abandoning plans to traverse kilometers to join the main battlefield, Kyomu kept Matatabi focused on pounding the Eight-Tails.
Boom, boom, boom!
Roar!
Pressed hard, the Eight-Tails retreated, growling. It had never been so humiliated.
During the Warring States era, the Eight-Tails and Matatabi had clashed, but Matatabi was always outmatched.
Even though their power was restrained by their Jinchuriki, Matatabi couldn't match the Eight-Tails.
Yet now, the Eight-Tails was completely out of breath.
Not that Matatabi was particularly powerful, but because the Eight-Tails couldn't land a hit!
While the Eight-Tails flailed at the air, Matatabi struck with precision. Over time, the Eight-Tails was little more than a punching bag.
Couldn't win. Couldn't even land a hit!
The Eight-Tails wanted to unleash a barrage of Tailed Beast Bombs, hoping that if they covered enough ground, they'd catch Matatabi eventually.
However…
"Gyūki, we can't do that," Killer Bee's rhyming voice warned. "Aragami Kyomu can teleport…"
"Shut up, Killer Bee!" Gyūki was furious. "Except for Kurama, I, the Eight-Tails, have never been humiliated by any other Tailed Beast!"
"No way!"
"Then I'm out! Find your own solution!" The Eight-Tails withdrew its chakra, forcing Killer Bee out of full Tailed Beast Mode.
Unable to utilize his full power while being bested by Matatabi, Gyuki couldn't stand it.
At least Gyuki cared for Killer Bee. If it were Kurama, he'd rage regardless of the host's state.
Suddenly, the hundred-meter-high hill kilometers away vanished. The Fourth Raikage, who was fiercely fighting Fugaku, changed color.
"All troops, retreat!"
Forcing Fugaku back, the Raikage dashed to the battlefield kilometers away in moments.
Fortunately, Killer Bee was unharmed.
But now, the Cloud Shinobi army was in serious trouble.
Kyomu directed Matatabi towards them like herding ducks, chasing them all over the hills.
The Cloud Shinobi had lost all morale.
Pushing them back ten miles and flattening their former camp, Aragami Kyomu finally stopped.
On the third day of the campaign, he had reclaimed ten kilometers of the Fire Country lost to the Cloud Shinobi.
Defense?
Defend until Minato and Jiraiya win the Iwagakure battle?
A joke. Even with Konoha forces holding the most troops on the Iwagakure front, Kyomu alone could match an entire army!
"Lord Kyomu, victory!"
The Konoha genin, with an average age of just seven, may lack strength, but they have loud voices and easily idolize someone.
Standing atop Matatabi, Kyomu had captured their hearts completely.
Even if he ordered them to march to their deaths, they wouldn't hesitate.
His immense power and charisma were the root of his sway.
Even the Uchiha were completely convinced by him.
Though unspoken, they believed in him and were willing to follow his lead into any battle.
Kyomu raised his right hand.
The cheers fell silent.
"My comrades, when the Cloud Shinobi fled just now, they scattered across the hills. I couldn't keep track of them all.
But with you all here, I can rest easy.
Go!
Bring back those Cloud Shinobi who dare to call themselves the strongest elite, and I'll ask them who truly is the strongest in the Shinobi world."
He waved commandingly, and the genin, led by the Uchiha, dispersed to chase the scattered Cloud Shinobi.
The hunt began.
After giving the order, Kyomu quickly retracted Matatabi into Yugito.
Yugito collapsed unconscious without a word.
Kyomu deftly stepped forward to catch her, gently wiping away the sweat from her forehead and face.
Yugito was clearly exhausted, even a bit overworked.
This time, Kyomu hadn't mistreated her and was very gentle.
This victory was decisive and clean, thanks to Yugito and Matatabi, making them heroes.
Though not one of his own, Kyomu showed kindness and gentleness to meritorious individuals.
Bending down, he lifted Yugito onto his shoulder and quickly located Fugaku.
"Fugaku-senpai, there's work to be done." Kyomu was blunt. "Give Matatabi a little something extra."
Fugaku was a bit helpless, as it would require using his eye powers, which would worsen his "near-sightedness."
But without complaint, he complied.
He believed that even if he went blind, Kyomu would care for the Uchiha well.
Besides, the Uchiha still had some people who had the chance of awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"It's done." Fugaku wiped away the blood-tears and cautioned Kyomu, "Kyomu-kun, you were too ruthless this time. Go easier next time. Matatabi can handle it, but Yugito might break."
Kyomu nodded, "I'll take Yugito back to camp for some rest. Please handle things here.
Once the Cloud Shinobi are driven out, just camp here. I'll bring supplies with those staying behind."
With everything arranged, Kyomu carried Yugito back to the Konoha camp and brought her to his own tent.
He wanted to lay her on his bed but noticed she was dirty all over and couldn't bring himself to do it.
Strengthening Yugito's seals, he found a female Uchiha shinobi to help wash her and change her into a standard Konoha uniform.
Standing outside the tent, Kyomu listened to the sound of water splashing inside with a calm mind, thinking about future battle arrangements.
"The Tailed Beast chakra is truly satisfying." He pondered, "With Yugito, I can fully exert my combat power. Fighting an army alone is easy.
"I must find a way to keep her or learn the sealing technique to transfer Matatabi."
While he mulled over his plans, the Uchiha kunoichi emerged.
"Lord Kyomu, should I dress Yugito now?"
"Huh?" Kyomu was confused. "If she's clean, dress her now. When else?"
The Uchiha kunoichi glanced at Kyomu with a strange look, lingering at a certain spot before nodding and returning inside.
Maybe it was a misunderstanding, or perhaps Lord Kyomu was still young.
Rubbing his nose, Kyomu understood and glared back.
Nonsense! He didn't mean anything improper, just that Yugito was dirty, and he wanted to reward her for her efforts.
After everything was settled, Kyomu entered the tent.
Glancing at Yugito lying on his bed, he sat by her head and took her wrist, letting the green glow of medical ninjutsu envelop her.
With Matatabi controlled and the seals firmly applied on Yugito, she was cut off from the Tailed Beast chakra, losing its regenerative properties.
Carefully healing her with medical ninjutsu, Kyomu finally withdrew his hand after treating her wounds and strengthening her bones.
But just as she recovered, Yugito woke up, seeing Kyomu and immediately lunging at him.
Bang, bang, bang.
Kyomu didn't move as he sat by the bed, calmly blocking her attacks with a single hand as if playing with a child.
With seals all over her body, unable to communicate with Matatabi, and still in a state of overexertion, her attacks were mere tickles.
Bang, bang, bang.
Feeling bored, Kyomu switched hands, playing a defensive game with Yugito.
"Tired?" Kyomu asked when she finally gave up.
Grabbing her wrists, he flipped her onto the bed, holding her down.
"Don't think of suicide. You know it's impossible."
"Then kill me, I beg you!" Yugito broke down, reflecting on everything she'd done today.
The looks from her fellow shinobi, their curses and screams, their despair at death were like countless arrows piercing her heart.
"When the war is over, you can return to Kumogakure."
"You hypocrite, shameless!"
"You were coerced…" Kyomu couldn't continue, pausing before nodding. "When I reach the gates of Kumogakure with you and Matatabi, I'll kill you. How about that?"
"Now! I want you to do it now!"
"Be realistic. You know it's impossible."
Silence.
Yugito stopped talking, and Kyomu lifted her up again, bringing her outside and handing her to the Uchiha kunoichi.
"Feed her. If she refuses, force-feed her. Don't let her starve to death."
The kunoichi nodded and shoved Yugito away.
Within minutes, she ran back, "Lord Kyomu, she won't eat. She demands to see you."
"Me?" Kyomu sneered. "Fine. Let's see what she wants."
Following the kunoichi into the tent, Kyomu met Yugito's gaze.
"You'll eat if I come?"
"I want to talk to you," Yugito said, eyes on the kunoichi.
"Leave," Kyomu dismissed her, crossing his arms and staring down at Yugito. "Speak up. It's just us."
(End of Chapter)
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