After Uchiha Hikaru finished the trade negotiations with Nadeshiko Tsubaki, Jiraiya took Tsubaki and Shizuka back to Konoha to treat Tsubaki hidden illness.
Coincidentally, Jiraiya planned to take the chance to rest as well. At the moment, Ibiki was temporarily handling village missions. As for Naruto—relations between Konoha and Kumogakure were no longer tense like during the Third Great Ninja War. Things were warming up, and with Uchiha Hikaru currently in Kumogakure, there was nothing to worry about. They wouldn't dare try anything even if they had a hundred lives to gamble with.
Considering that his next five years of work would bring no real payment, this trip was the perfect chance for Jiraiya to return home and secretly pull out the savings book he'd hidden under Naruto's bed.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Hikaru met with the Raikage A and the others. As usual, A immediately started shouting about drinking the moment they met—only to end up completely drunk at Uchiha Hikaru's feet.
Even as he passed out, one thought echoed in his mind:
How the hell did Uchiha Hikaru turn into a bottomless barrel? I can't get him drunk no matter what…
Of course, the reason was simple—Uchiha Hikaru's physical abilities had undergone a complete transformation. Maintaining a constant Sage Mode meant his resistance to alcohol was now practically limitless.
A had been confident at first and even made a bet with Hikaru:
Whoever got drunk first must grant the other a request—as long as it didn't violate personal boundaries.
The result was obvious.
A lost miserably.
Uchiha Hikaru finally secured the opportunity to train in Yunlei Gorge (Valley of Clouds and Lightning).
Yunlei Gorge was one of Kumogakure's most hidden landmarks and the highest point in the entire Land of Lightning. Dark clouds constantly churned overhead, thunder roaring and lightning splitting the sky like blades.
The towering yellow-brown cliffs rose like spears in every direction, and the sky was almost never clear.
"Wind Style: Wind Control Jutsu."
Hikaru wove two quick hand seals, and wind-natured chakra wrapped around his body. The fierce currents lifted him, letting him glide effortlessly through the forest of stone pillars until he reached a massive open platform surrounded by mountains. At the top of the stone stairway above it stood an ancient building styled from the Warring States period. The plaque mounted above its door read:
Yunlei Gorge
Hikaru landed lightly on the martial arena platform and expanded his sensory field, analyzing the distribution of natural chakra in the environment.
As expected, the attributes of wind, fire, water, and earth were faint—together composing barely half of the natural chakra present. The remaining half was overwhelmingly dense lightning-natured chakra.
But that wasn't the only thing he sensed.
Inside the ancient building above the steps, he felt a unique chakra signature—one unmistakably similar to Killer B's. A presence that only a jinchūriki could carry.
The Hidden Cloud's other jinchūriki… the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii?
The moment her name surfaced, a flash of memory appeared—Yugito crushed against a stone wall, Obito's white mask looming, iron nails pierced through her chest.
A queen-like figure brought down twice, violently and brutally. (╥﹏╥)
It was strange… a woman with such overwhelming presence having only scenes of restraint and suffering burned into memory.
No—he couldn't get distracted. Training first.
Hikaru did not step toward the building. The Raikage knew he came here to train and had dispersed all other ninjas from the area for one day. If Yugito was still here, at this chakra level, she was likely attempting the most crucial stage of achieving Perfect Jinchūriki synchronization. Disturbing her now would be unforgivable.
So Hikaru sat cross-legged silently in the center of the platform, drawing a small amount of lightning-natured chakra from the clouds above, forcing his body to adapt.
Each time he absorbed natural energy, his chakra network needed to restructure itself, maintaining a precise 1:1 balance between his own chakra and sage chakra. Otherwise, he would end up like Jiraiya—an incomplete Sage Mode, body distorted, features exaggerated, limiting the full power of Sage techniques.
And considering he always maintained constant Sage Mode, the risk was even greater. He absolutely did not want to appear with giant dark eye-shadows, horns, or some bizarre skeletal crown.
He was already handsome enough (〃｀3´〃)ゞ
Going further might just ruin everything…
Not long after he started absorbing lightning-attribute natural chakra, inside the ancient building above the steps, Yugito Nii sat cross-legged on an old cushion, brows furrowed, face tense.
In her sealed space, the Two-Tails roamed freely. The iron cage and door that had once restrained it were gone—the seal long since unlocked.
The massive flaming blue cat calmly groomed its fur, yellow-blue eyes fixed on a small tower of wooden blocks stacked before her.
"Yugito, your turn."
The Two-Tails spoke in a gentle, mature woman's voice.
Yugito extended her hand carefully, fingers trembling slightly as she attempted to slide a single block from the tower.
Suddenly, the Two-Tails stiffened, ears twitching toward the west.
"Yugito… to the west. Very close. There is an extremely powerful chakra there."
The moment the beast spoke her name, Yugito's already strained nerves snapped. Her fingers shook violently. The block tower wobbled, froze for a breath—then collapsed in a crashing spray across the floor.
The sound felt like a verdict shattering through her chest.
Her face flushed red in fury.
"Why did you interrupt me!? If you hadn't called out, I would have pulled it out perfectly!!"
After yelling, she fell straight back onto the ground in a full-body star shape, face dark and smudged, drowning in despair.
"This was the 654th attempt… the closest I have ever been to winning. I'll never beat you in this stupid block game in my lifetime…"
The Two-Tails sighed, lowering its paw and gently lifting Yugito upright again.
"Look at you—panicking again."
"If you stayed calm, you could absolutely beat me. You were so close just now."
Once again, the beast soothed her quietly and patiently… just as it always had. ( ˘︹˘ )
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 100 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 200 Power Stones
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