On a rooftop not far from the Eight-Tails (Gyūki).
Rinjin squatted down, absentmindedly picking his nose as he carefully observed the struggling Gyūki below.
"Hey, Kitty, do you think the two of us can take him down?" he asked casually.
From within his mind, a haughty and disdainful voice echoed—Matatabi, the Two-Tails:
"That dumb ox? I could scratch his face into a polka-dotted mess without breaking a sweat!"
Hearing this, Rinjin gave a thumbs-up, though his thoughts betrayed him.
Heh, you little brat. I bet you'd get smacked around by that philosophical musclehead before you even landed a hit.
"I heard that!" Matatabi's indignant voice rang out in his head, followed by a pouty complaint:
"If you look down on me so much, why do you keep chasing after me?!"
Rinjin's brows furrowed, and he coughed twice to mask his embarrassment.
"Ahem... I need you—for my training!"
"??? What?! I feel like you're thinking something dirty!"
Rinjin's serious demeanor cracked, and he coughed again, this time with a helpless expression.
"No dirty thoughts. I meant it literally. I need your chakra to train in Lightning Release Chakra Mode."
Matatabi was silent for a moment before reluctantly agreeing, her tone tinged with negotiation:
"Fine, but after we deal with that dumb ox, I want two days of freedom to roam around!"
"Deal!" Rinjin nodded firmly.
In the shinobi world, there was no shortage of desolate mountains and wilderness. Letting her roam for two days was no problem at all.
With their agreement reached, the man and the cat quickly came to terms.
Leaping off the rooftop, Rinjin's body shimmered with shifting iron sand until he transformed once more into the dark-skinned, afro-haired Laimu'i.
The dimly lit streets, illuminated by the occasional flicker of fire, were devoid of fleeing villagers. Only ANBU operatives darted past now and then.
Rinjin strolled leisurely toward the towering figure of the Eight-Tails, his steps unhurried.
As he moved, faint arcs of electricity began to seep from his body, like blue lightning serpents slithering across his skin.
The immense chakra of the Two-Tails coursed through him, converting into potent Lightning Release chakra that surged through his body, stimulating every cell.
His cells teetered on the brink of destruction, hovering at the edge of annihilation over and over again, yet they refused to die completely.
And with each step into that abyss of destruction, his physical body grew stronger.
Closer... and closer...
Around the Eight-Tails, countless Kumogakure shinobi were gathered.
Some had exhausted their strength and sat by the roadside, gasping for air.
Others, their eyes bloodshot, clung desperately to the Wind and Lightning Chains, their voices hoarse from shouting.
Still others formed frantic hand seals, squeezing out every last drop of chakra to unleash jutsu after jutsu at Gyūki, regardless of the cost.
Among them were survivors of the Two-Tails' previous rampage, their determination unwavering.
"Laimu'i!"
"Laimu'i!"
"Laimu'i!"
Even in their exhaustion, those who recognized him greeted him with strained voices.
"Yo~" Rinjin waved back enthusiastically, a warm smile on his face.
Just then, an ANBU operative wearing a mask appeared before him, blocking his path. The ANBU's voice was stern:
"Laimu'i, use the Heaven-Sending Technique immediately to report the village's situation to Lord Raikage!"
Rinjin didn't stop walking. He calmly sidestepped the ANBU, patting him on the shoulder as he passed. His tone was light:
"It's just the Eight-Tails. No need to trouble Lord Raikage. I've got this covered. Laimu'i will handle it!"
As he continued toward the massive, roaring Eight-Tails, Rinjin's lips curled into a sinister smile. His pitch-black pupils began to expand, consuming his entire eye sockets until they were completely black.
"You know," he muttered to himself, "I've been dissected so many times, but I've learned quite a bit from those so-called experts."
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode—activate!"
In the next instant, a chilling aura erupted from Rinjin, spreading like writhing tendrils. The grotesque and twisted energy sent a primal wave of fear through everyone nearby.
Instinctively, shinobi—both those who knew him and those who didn't—took two steps back, their faces pale with terror.
Monster...
This was no ordinary shinobi.
This... this was a monster.
Even the Eight-Tails seemed to sense something. Its massive body shifted uneasily, its thick neck twisting as its eyes locked onto Rinjin.
There was no warning, no oppressive killing intent—only a deep, instinctual darkness.
"Let's go!"
With a burst of force, the ground beneath Rinjin cracked, forming a massive, web-like crater. He launched himself forward, his body a blur of blue and black lightning as he smashed into the Eight-Tails' jaw like a hammer.
"Boom!"
A muffled sound echoed through the air.
Rinjin's figure vanished, leaving only the Eight-Tails' head thrown back in pain.
The shinobi holding the chains felt a sudden, overwhelming force.
Seeing this, the ANBU who had stopped Rinjin earlier shouted, his pupils contracting in shock:
"Laimu'i, what are you doing?!
You idiot! Are you trying to release the Eight-Tails?!"
Another ANBU, one who had been following Yawai, was equally furious.
"Lady Yawai and our comrades sacrificed so much to bind the Eight-Tails!
If you won't help, then leave!"
But Rinjin didn't respond.
Instead, he reappeared mid-air, landing heavily on the ground.
With his back to the crowd, he stared silently at his right hand.
Suddenly, blinding blue lightning engulfed his arm, transforming it into a weapon of unparalleled sharpness. The sheer intensity of the chakra caused the surrounding shinobi to wince, their skin prickling as if pierced by needles.
Without a word, Rinjin vanished again.
The Eight-Tails, sensing danger, roared and unleashed its raw power. Its muscles bulged, and with a mighty pull, it broke free from the chains binding its right arm.
The shinobi holding the chains were thrown to the ground, their formation shattered.
Freed, the Eight-Tails swung its massive fist at Rinjin, aiming to crush him with sheer brute force.
The two collided in a deafening explosion.
Rinjin's body was sent flying like a bullet, crashing through rubble and slamming into a distant building, leaving a gaping hole in its wall.
The Eight-Tails roared triumphantly, pounding its chest in celebration, even as its twisted fingers betrayed the cost of its victory.
The shinobi of Kumogakure sighed heavily, their expressions a mix of relief and frustration.
But just as they began to process what had happened, a guttural roar erupted from the dark hole in the building.
A pair of glowing, vertical pupils pierced through the shadows.
Matatabi was furious.
"Take it all! Take all my chakra and beat that ox to a pulp!" she screamed in Rinjin's mind.
Rinjin grinned wickedly, straightening his broken arm with a sickening crack.
"You're quite the fiery one, aren't you?"
In the next moment, an overwhelming surge of chakra erupted from Rinjin's body, illuminating the entire area.
The air crackled with electricity as the ground trembled beneath his feet.
The Eight-Tails watched in growing dread as Rinjin emerged from the rubble, his body radiating raw power.
The tide of battle had turned.
(End of Volume Two)
——————————————————————
New chapter live! Patreon updated to Chapter 147
Join for exclusive content: patreon.com/DarkGolds
Thank you for your support!