Adopted by Tsunade [225-226] (Patreon)

Chapter 225 Punishing Yugito

Land of Waves, the daimyo’s manor.

Yugito Nii jolted awake.

A strange ceiling.

She sat up at once, scanning the room with a momentary haze in her eyes.

This clearly wasn’t the Sealing Shrine in the Land of Demons.

She remembered she’d been enduring Yomi’s assault—so how did she end up here?

 Yugito’s heart lurched.

Matatabi!

Ignoring where she was, she immediately sank into her inner sealing space.

In the dimness, a huge cat wreathed in blue flames stood out vividly.

“Matatabi?”

Yugito shouted.

But Matatabi didn’t respond.

She frowned, puzzled.

After being a Jinchuriki for so many years, this was a first.

In the middle of the battle, Matatabi had suddenly lost consciousness.

Genjutsu?

But that shouldn’t be possible.

A perfect Jinchuriki doesn’t fall to genjutsu.

Yugito stepped closer to observe Matatabi at a nearer distance.

A moment later, she looked stunned.

It seemed… it was sleeping?

What was going on?

Yugito shouted again.

“Ma! Ta! Ta! Bi!”

A deafening voice rang out.

Matatabi finally reacted.

It opened its massive eyes, gazing at Yugito with confusion.

Soon, panic surfaced in Matatabi’s expression.

“Yugito, how are you? Are you hurt?”

“…?”

A bad premonition surged through Yugito.

Matatabi was afraid.

That rattled her more than waking up in this unfamiliar room.

“I’m fine.”

Yugito asked, puzzled, “But why are you reacting like that?”

Matatabi fell silent.

When Yomi was about to attack, it sensed a chakra similar to the Sage of Six Paths.

But purer than his.

That had shocked and terrified it.

In short, they’d kicked an iron wall.

“Matatabi?”

Yugito’s brows tightened. “With our bond, you still won’t tell me why?”

Becoming a perfect Jinchuriki meant the Jinchuriki and the Tailed Beast had reached mutual understanding.

Like confidants or close friends.

“We weren’t defeated by Yomi.”

Matatabi took a deep breath. “Someone else beat us. Yomi was under his control.”

“You mean Moryo?”

Yugito asked on instinct.

“No, not him—Moryo was controlled too.”

Matatabi’s words froze Yugito in place.

She had gleaned a vague sense of Moryo’s strength during her brief clash with Yomi.

Not on the level of a Tailed Beast, but strong enough that most shinobi couldn’t beat it.

How could it be controlled?

In her understanding, such colossal beings could only be sealed, not controlled.

After all, only a few even knew Mangekyo Sharingan existed.

“Wait—did you suddenly go quiet because you were controlled?”

Yugito sucked in a sharp breath, her body shivering at the thought.

“That’s right.”

Matatabi paused for two seconds, then admitted it.

“…”

Yugito stood rigid.

If anyone but Matatabi had said this, she would’ve dismissed it as nonsense—

The kind of nonsense that needed urgent medical attention.

“Do you know his identity?”

After a long moment, Yugito came back to herself and asked.

No matter how proud she was, she understood what it meant to control a Tailed Beast.

“Maybe related to the Sage of Six Paths.”

Matatabi said gravely.

“???”

Yugito blinked, then her face filled with questions. “Hasn’t the Sage of Six Paths been dead for ages?”

“Mm.”

Matatabi nodded. “But the chakra he used was extremely similar to the Sage’s.”

Yugito didn’t know what to say.

If someone related to the Sage was involved, their power would be sky-shaking. Controlling a Tailed Beast wasn’t impossible.

But it didn’t make sense.

How would someone connected to a thousand-year-dead progenitor of shinobi suddenly appear?

 “Someone’s coming this way.”

Matatabi’s sudden words made Yugito tense.

“Careful. You’ve got a sealing technique planted on you—you can’t use chakra for now.”

“…”

Yugito finally understood why she woke up in a room, not a cell.

She exited the sealing space.

Since the other party hadn’t killed her, it meant she was still useful.

Such a mysterious powerhouse was surely a major enemy of the Hidden Cloud.

She planned to take this chance to investigate.

She just didn’t know if her seven teammates were safe.

 Yugito took a deep breath and looked toward the opening door.

“Impossible?!”

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

She wouldn’t have been surprised by most people walking in—except it was Natsume.

The newly appointed Hokage she’d assumed was all hype.

“Did you control Matatabi and bring me here?”

Even now, Yugito couldn’t believe it.

“I did.”

Natsume smiled and admitted it.

“…”

Yugito felt dizzy.

She’d thought he was a small fry—but he was a giant crocodile.

She suddenly felt a little regret.

Had she known, she would’ve been far more cautious.

But who could’ve imagined someone this terrifying?

 In her mind, the strongest shinobi alive was the Fourth Raikage, A.

Without being a Jinchuriki, he had power comparable to the Eight-Tails’ perfect Jinchuriki, Killer B.

So she hadn’t believed the rumors about Natsume.

“Do you want to provoke a war between the Cloud and the Leaf?”

Yugito gritted her teeth. “I advise you to send me back, otherwise Lord Raikage will—ah!”

Before she could finish, stabbing pain lanced through her like needles.

“Bastard!”

Yugito collapsed, but her eyes were full of hatred as she glared at Natsume.

“You don’t seem to understand the situation.”

Natsume walked up, pressed his foot on her face, and asked, “You died at Moryo’s hands. What’s that got to do with me?”

Yugito’s pupils constricted.

She understood now.

Why were her seven teammates only heavily injured, not dead?

 She’d thought Yomi was in a hurry to unseal and didn’t finish them off.

But if Natsume had controlled him, that reason didn’t hold.

He wanted them to witness that she’d been killed by Moryo.

In other words, back in the Cloud, she wasn’t missing—she was dead.

The Fourth Raikage wouldn’t go to war with the Leaf over her.

Some people are alive, but already dead.

That line fit her current situation perfectly.

Fear slowly crept onto Yugito’s face.

“Looks like you get it.”

Natsume crouched and reached out to brush the dust from her face.

“What do you want?!”

Yugito tilted her head back, but the seal’s punishment had sapped her strength. She could only let him touch her.

“What do I want?”

Natsume raised a brow and smiled. “This all started with you, didn’t it? I was minding my own business on a mission—you came to provoke me.”

Yugito silently thought, so it really is because of that.

But with her personality, apologizing or yielding wasn’t an option.

“Kill me!”

She stared at Natsume with murder in her eyes.

Like she was the executioner and he the condemned.

“Pretty gutsy.”

Natsume wasn’t surprised.

“Hmph. Cloud shinobi never submit!”

Yugito’s queenly pride returned to her face.

As if she meant to die with dignity.

“Who said it’s that simple?”

Natsume’s lips curled. “With your backbone, I assume no torture will make you talk?”

“Of course!”

Yugito glared. “Do whatever you want. If I so much as frown, I’m no shinobi of the Cloud!”

“Nice eyes.”

Natsume nodded appreciatively, then snapped his fingers.

Yugito’s body jerked.

Chakra turned into lightning and engulfed her.

“Aah!”

Yugito curled up involuntarily, her gaze ferocious. “Bastard! What are you doing!”

“Didn’t you say do whatever?”

Natsume spread his hands. “I’m just doing as you asked.”

“Aaah—!”

Yugito trembled all over, shocked by the lightning until she nearly lost control of her body. “Kuh—kill… kill me!”

Natsume ignored her and simply watched.

He had to admit, Yugito’s willpower was formidable.

But as time passed, she couldn’t avoid letting out mortifying sounds.

“B-b…bastard…”

Yugito shouted with the last of her strength.

“This is that backbone you mentioned?”

Natsume looked at her flushed face and couldn’t help but smile.

“I-I’ll kill… you!”

Pale, Yugito spat meaningless threats.

“I’ll wait.”

Natsume smiled casually.

He shut the door and set up a barrier.

Yugito was fierce—he planned to let her stew for a few days first.

Anyway, she was a Jinchuriki. With the Two-Tails’ chakra nourishing her, no amount of torment would kill her.

Natsume exhaled.

How to put it?

He was actually a good person.

Yugito had gone too far, so he intended to reform her, help her become a new person.

Ahem.

He performed the Flying Thunder God and left the Land of Waves.

…

Land of Demons, Sealing Shrine.

After confirming Yugito’s death, a middle-aged man took over command.

“We can’t continue the mission.”

Their team—dead or injured—had no combat strength left.

“Send a message to the priestess Shion: Yomi has undone Moryo’s soul seal and is heading to the Land of Swamps.”

The middle-aged man sighed. “Have her find a way to reinforce Konoha’s shinobi.”

Even if the Cloud sent reinforcements, it would be too late.

Stopping Moryo and Yomi would fall to the Leaf.

“Captain, we found Shimura Danzo.”

Just then, a young man spoke. “He’s gravely injured, not far from here—but his condition is… odd.”

The captain strode forward and saw Shimura Danzo—and his budding right arm.

His eyes lit up.

Maybe bringing him back could barely make up for their failure.

Chapter 226 Kaguya: Time to Redeem Your Promise

Metropolis of the Land of Demons.

Priestess Shion gazed into the distance, worried.

She’d been like this ever since Natsume left.

When your life and death are at stake, it’s hard to be at ease.

“Lady Priestess!”

Taruho’s anxious voice rang out.

Shion stiffened, slowly turned back, and looked at the captain of her guards rushing in.

“Something’s happened?”

“We just received a message from the Cloud’s messenger hawk—Yomi has opened the seal on Moryo’s soul and is already heading to the Land of Swamps.”

Taruho tried to suppress his terror, but the tremor in his voice gave him away.

“What?”

Shion’s lips parted. She could hardly believe it. “So fast?”

She remembered Yugito and the others had only left a day ago.

“What should we do now, Lady Priestess?”

Taruho’s face went pale. “Should we ask the Five Great Villages for aid again?”

“It’s too late. By the time they arrive, Moryo will have broken the seal, gained a body, and fully revived.”

Shion stood, unconsciously clenching her fists. “At this point, we can only trust the Leaf shinobi.”

“Lady Priestess, we…”

Taruho trailed off.

If the Cloud couldn’t stop Yomi, the Leaf likely couldn’t either.

He’d heard Natsume was formidable, but he was still human, with limits. How could he defeat a demonic being like Moryo?

It was common knowledge in the Land of Demons that only a priestess with special power could seal it.

And that was Shion now.

Taruho had wanted to ask whether they should head to the Land of Swamps—to serve as the final fallback.

But that would be sending her to her death.

He’d watched Shion grow up. He didn’t want it to come to that.

“We’re going to the Land of Swamps.”

Shion glanced at him, already guessing what he’d wanted to say.

“Lady Priestess…”

Taruho faltered, at a loss.

“As priestess, this is my responsibility.”

Shion exhaled. “Besides, I trust Lord Natsume. Things won’t come to the worst.”

Taruho blinked.

Trust Natsume?

He didn’t really get it.

To him, the Cloud and the Leaf were about the same.

If the Cloud had been flattened, could the Leaf really do better against an even stronger Yomi?

Though he’d heard Natsume was strong, in the end, he was still human.

 “Time is short. Send a message to Lord Natsume—tell him we’re on the way and he must hold out.”

Shion showed the bearing of the Land of Demons’ daimyo.

“Yes!”

Taruho straightened, regaining his composure.

If the priestess wasn’t afraid, why should he be?

…

 Land of Swamps.

After giving Yugito a small lesson, Natsume returned to the Sealing Shrine, satisfied.

In the courtyard.

Kaguya was instructing Hinata.

Natsume didn’t interrupt. He leaned on the doorframe and watched.

Two beauties, one tall, one small—quite a sight.

A moment later, Kaguya turned, walked up to him.

Her snowy Byakugan eyes swept him up and down. After making sure he was fine, she asked, “How did it go?”

Natsume was about to answer when he suddenly felt light—Kaguya had already picked him up in her arms.

He reflexively gripped her waist to keep from slipping.

“…”

Natsume twitched his lips. Usually, he was the one playing Kaguya’s role.

He hadn’t expected a reversal today.

It felt odd.

But not unacceptable.

Cheek to cheek, breathing in the faint fragrance at her pale neck, he said, “Good. I took my revenge.”

“So you’re free now?”

A glimmer of warmth rippled through Kaguya’s eyes.

“Wait.”

One look at her expression told Natsume what she wanted.

The problem was—ten days was too long.

By the time they came out, Moryo might really have conquered the shinobi world.

“The Land of Demons’ matter isn’t finished yet.”

Natsume instinctively tried to pull his arms free, but her hold tightened.

He couldn’t help thinking—karma is real.

He’d just punished Yugito, and now it was his turn.

This wasn’t how the script was supposed to go!

He’d never imagined he’d trip up over something like this.

“What else is there?”

Kaguya frowned. “I’ll handle it.”

“…?”

Natsume was speechless.

What was with her?

Addicted to the rush but not actually bad at it?

No—she wasn’t bad at all.

It felt like Kaguya had started treating him as chakra itself.

Strange habits corrected, sure—but extremes were no good either.

“N-no, you don’t need to.”

Natsume shook his head quickly.

His goal this time was to train Hinata.

If Kaguya got involved, there’d be no game to play.

“…”

Kaguya lightly bit her lip and looked at him, eyes tinged with grievance and a faint sheen.

To his surprise, she did restrain herself.

How to put it?

It was… cute.

Natsume brushed a kiss at the corner of her lips. “I’ll pay one day in advance.”

The next second, he was in the Starting Sphere Space.

He felt like an onion, peeled layer by layer.

Until the sting brought tears he couldn’t stop.

Hinata was a little dazed.

She’d just seen Natsume—how had he vanished in a blink?

 And her new teacher disappeared too.

With no answers, Hinata kept practicing her Empty Fist.

…

Night fell.

Wiping sweat from her face, Hinata turned—only to see Kaguya and Natsume.

The former’s face was rosy, smiling—an expression Hinata had never seen.

Since she’d met Kaguya, she’d basically had just one look: no expression.

The latter was bracing himself against the wall, legs numb and sore, face a bit pale—a stark contrast.

Hinata had never seen Natsume so bedraggled.

“Natsume-nii.”

She hurried over. “What happened?”

“I’m fine.”

Natsume waved a hand. “Got into a fight. You get ready too.”

Hinata’s face grew solemn at once.

In her mind, Natsume was invincible.

If he treated an enemy this seriously, they must be powerful.

She couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Natsume was about to speak when a commotion sounded outside.

He listened closely and caught the words “Lady Priestess.”

Shion was here?

He thought this girl had more courage than in the original story.

He walked to the shrine’s entrance in a few steps.

Shion, dressed in priestess robes, finished speaking with the guards and, noticing him, jogged over.

She caught her breath. “Did you get my message?”

Natsume shook his head.

He’d spent the whole day in the Starting Sphere Space—no time to spare.

“Yomi and his ghost army are almost here!”

Shion looked at him expectantly. “You said you had a way to handle Moryo after it resurrects.”

“I do.”

Natsume nodded under her gaze.

Shion’s smile bloomed, bright and visible.

She said, “Don’t lie to me.”

“Why would I?”

Natsume chuckled. “If I couldn’t handle it, I’d have already left—instead of staying here to die with you.”

Blunt as it was, the smile on Shion’s face grew even brighter.

She exhaled. “What do you need me to do?”

“If it’s just dealing with Moryo—nothing.”

Natsume paused and extended an invitation. “But are you interested in joining my organization?”

“Konoha?”

Shion blinked, asking by reflex.

“No.”

Natsume smiled. “Heaven’s Mandate.”

“Heaven’s Mandate?”

Shion murmured.

She believed in fate. Hearing those two words stirred something in her.

So much so that she didn’t even think to ask why a Hokage was founding some unknown group outside the village.

“Heaven’s Mandate isn’t about believing in fate.”

Natsume understood Shion well enough. Calmly, he said, “I am the mandate.”

“…”

Shion’s body jolted. Her face filled with utter astonishment.

This was… not the kind of organization she’d imagined.

More like the opposite.

For some reason, she felt excited.

Since childhood, she’d lived under prophecy. Life planned out for her.

Now someone told her she should take control of her own fate.

How bold. How thrilling.

And Shion was, after all, a teenager—at a rebellious age.

“If you can deal with Moryo, I’ll join.”

She thought a moment and said.

If he couldn’t, she’d have to sacrifice herself.

Then there’d be nothing left to say.

“No problem.”

Natsume smiled knowingly. “Just wait.”

After the talk—

Starving, Natsume went to gorge himself.

He hadn’t eaten in a month.

Shion stayed up all night, waiting for Yomi and his ghost army to arrive.

What she didn’t know was that Natsume was controlling them.

They spent the night not far from the Sealing Shrine.

…

Morning came.

After breakfast, the ground began to tremble.

Shion and Taruho rushed to the shrine entrance—and froze.

Countless stone soldiers surrounded them, packed tight.

Even though the priestess’s guards were carefully selected, faced with such an overwhelming sight, their hands shook as they nearly dropped their weapons.

“Shion!”

Yomi, shrouded in black mist, spoke. “Become one with me!”

The priestess and Moryo came from the same lineage.

Only by becoming one would the true otherworldly demon emerge.

That was why generations of priestesss could seal it.

Shion instinctively hid behind Natsume, full of revulsion.

Who’d merge with a creepy old man like you?!

 And ugly too!

Natsume couldn’t help smiling.

He controlled Yomi and Moryo—but they were still acting on their own.

So those words weren’t his cue.

“Since you refuse, don’t blame me!”

Yomi snorted, raising his right hand. “Attack!”

The stone soldiers surged forward like a tide toward the shrine.

“Hinata.”

Natsume called at once.

Hinata drew the Demon-Breaker Bow and loosed an arrow at the leading soldiers.

The arrow formed in an instant and streaked out.

Boom.

As if dozens of explosive tags had detonated at once, a chilling aura swept over the stone soldiers nearby.

In a blink, they shattered into rubble.

Normally, the pieces would reassemble moments later.

But thanks to the bow’s special power, all souls and Yin-nature energy were absorbed, turned into nourishment.

Both Shion and Yomi were stunned.

The former hadn’t expected such terrifying power from small, gentle Hinata.

The latter was shocked the soldiers didn’t revive.

Hinata ignored their reactions.

She only had time to glance at Natsume—then she was swamped.

There were just too many stone soldiers.

If she slipped up, they’d surge forward again.

On the outer perimeter stood the priestess’s guards.

They were warriors with a touch of chakra—roughly genin level.

An endangered species that shattered on contact.

Hinata tugged the bowstring again.

Five arrows appeared at once.

They shot out together, needing no aim to wreak large-scale devastation.

The best part: no matter how much she spent, it was quickly replenished—and then some.

Shion grew more shocked.

If she remembered right, Hinata was Natsume’s student.

If the student was like this, what about the teacher?

 She failed to notice that Yomi was only trash-talking and not actually attacking.

Per Natsume’s orders.

Hinata needed a workout first—at least enough to really grasp the Demon-Breaker Bow.

“Look out!”

Shion suddenly shouted. “Some slipped through!”

A few stone soldiers reached their front.

Natsume moved to act—but it was already too late.

Kaguya merely rolled her eyes—and the soldiers turned to dust.

Not debris. Dust.

Shion’s jaw dropped.

Her mind went blank.

Hinata’s bow made a huge spectacle, but Kaguya’s casual gesture was even more absurd.

Shion started to ponder a question.

What’s going on with the Cloud’s shinobi?

Were they too weak—or were Natsume and the others too strong?

Same Five Great Villages, after all.

A few minutes later, Shion realized something was off.

“Why is he just watching? Is he preparing something?”

“Maybe.”

Natsume brushed it off. “Don’t worry. I’ll act.”

Without thinking, Shion nodded.

Whatever the case, those words were reassuring.

After a few more minutes, seeing Hinata begin to tire, Natsume’s eyes flickered.

“Shion!”

Yomi roared, “I gave you a chance!”

Black mist surged skyward.

In midair, it formed a dark-purple octopus-like monster with many tentacles.

It charged at the little girl at the shrine gate, thrilled.

“That’s Moryo’s true form.”

Shion swallowed. “Please be careful!”

As she spoke, Natsume pressed his palms together.

Sage Art: Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!

The earth heaved as giant trees sprang up, weaving into a forest.

In seconds, a woodland filled the area around the shrine.

The octopus monster’s dozen massive tentacles stretched out—only to be ensnared by countless branches and vines.

That’s the thing—if you love tentacles, you’ll be bound by tentacles.

Shion stared, dumbfounded.

She couldn’t comprehend it.

The terror that haunted the Land of Demons for so many years—handled this easily?