Chapter 363: Jinchuriki
"Oh, thank you for the intelligence you've brought, dear guest. Rest assured, our Hidden Mist Village values such matters greatly, and the mission is our raison d'être."
Hozuki Gengetsu had specially hosted a banquet for Tao Yu.
The banquet was held in the open air, with lanterns strung up and long tables laden with delicacies.
There was an abundance of fine wine, fine food, and beautiful people.
It all brought a lively atmosphere to the entire scene.
Attending the banquet were the high-ranking members of the Hidden Mist Village: Hozuki Gengetsu, the Second Mizukage; Gengetsu, the Sage; Terumi Mei; the Three-Tails Jinchuriki Kankitsu Yagura; and the Six-Tails Jinchuriki Utakata.
There had been intense conflict between Utakata and Yagura when Yagura was being controlled, and Utakata even defected for a time. But after the illusion technique was lifted and Hozuki Gengetsu returned, the important Jinchuriki who roamed the Land of Water was brought back.
The grand banquet was not only to welcome Tao Yu, but also to celebrate the gains made on Marley's side.
The conquest of Marley could be called the greatest gain for the Hidden Mist Village since entering the Abyss.
It could even be said to be the greatest gain since the founding of the village.
Tao Yu, who brought news from the Abyss as well, was among the most important guests since the village's foray into the Abyss...
"The Second Mizukage is being too kind. Even without our early warning, you would have figured it out sooner or later. We just saved some time."
Tao Yu was never stingy with compliments. He smiled, lifted his cup to Hozuki Gengetsu, and then drank heartily.
Hozuki Gengetsu with his blond pompadour and high-collar coat looked quite serious, but his speech always had a bit of a humorous touch.
Yet in Tao Yu's impression, he was by no means weak among the Shadow-level Powerhouses.
Now it was almost as if the village in its prime had arrived at this time, and the current strength of the Hidden Mist Village could be said to be at its peak.
Both Jinchuriki were nearly perfect Jinchuriki, able to fully utilize the Tailed Beasts' powers, coupled with three Kage-level individuals: Hozuki Gengetsu, the Sage, and Terumi Mei.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen hadn't been rendered useless by some green-skinned Genin either, truly a time of prosperity.
"Haha, we are quite sensitive to intelligence. Having prior knowledge undoubtedly solves many problems and avoids much trouble. Now we have begun to build more observation posts and guard stations along the coast to deal with troubles from the sea.
"And no matter what, because of your early warning, Marley had time to react, reducing the losses, which is extremely important."
Hozuki Gengetsu spoke with a bit of tongue-twisting flare, but even then, his expression turned much more serious—a genuine sign of gratitude.
"I also received my payment and I'd like to continue learning more about Ninjutsu from everyone," Tao Yu said, smiling as he watched a dance performance nearby.
Then he curiously asked Hozuki Gengetsu,
"Second Mizukage, is there something strange about Yagura and Utakata? My Spirit Perception keeps warning me it's dangerous. It makes me feel rather uneasy."
Tao Yu touched his neck, a look of lingering fear on his face.
His Unity of Heaven and Man certainly allowed him to sense an overpowering non-human aura from the two, though it wasn't as critical as he suggested.
He was merely bringing the issue into the open intentionally.
Discussing Jinchuriki within a Shinobi Village is indeed a taboo subject.
But Tao Yu, being an outsider who was unaware of such things, and bringing it up so openly, made it seem like he had no ulterior motives.
This caused Hozuki Gengetsu to merely pause briefly before saying heartily,
"It's not something that can't be discussed. The Ninja World is gone, and it's only right to let our allies understand our strength..."
Hozuki Gengetsu showed his sincerity, but it could also be seen as a display of might.
Currently, both the Development Zone and Hidden Mist Village intended to form an alliance, and there were no conflicts of interest. The two complemented each other, and the brief contact so far had been pleasant—it was indeed possible to take things a step further.
An alliance requires consideration of both parties' strengths, and it's necessary to flex some muscles appropriately.
The Tailed Beasts themselves are a strategic force!
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Perhaps a shadow-level powerhouse, relying on their dexterity, sealing skills, and various specialties, may have the ability to seal Tailed Beasts.
But in terms of sheer destructive power and endurance, ordinary shadow-level powerhouses are more than a dozen streets behind a Tailed Beast.
With chakra far surpassing the shadow level, the random release of Tailed Beast Bombs is a major killing device on the battlefield.
At the time when the Naruto series hadn't changed its style, this was destructive power unmatched by ninjas.
It could be said that if those Colossal Titans ultimately took a big detour through the sea to the Land of Water, then the main force resisting the Colossal Titans would be the two Jinchuriki!
The greatest deterrent of such creatures is actually letting others know, when they are placed on their launch platforms.
Really using the Tailed Beasts and unleashing their power on the battlefield to wreak havoc would instead begin to cause hatred and escalate conflicts into a spiraling vortex of resentment.
When it comes to an all-out confrontation, if there's not a large difference in strength, there will be no winner…
"There are actually such miraculous creatures that can continuously generate chakra, and even if they are killed, they will resurrect periodically? Incredible."
Tao Yu's face showed a look of shock.
"Haha, whether they can still resurrect after entering Abyss, we can't say for sure, nor do we want to try."
Hozuki Gengetsu said with a laugh.
And Kankitsu Yagura and Bubble seemed to have also heard they were being discussed and both raised their glasses to Tao Yu with a smile.
Initially, the relationship between Kankitsu Yagura and Bubble was very bad, but now that Kankitsu Yagura has returned to normal and retired, and Bubble has returned, they have actually let bygones be bygones.
A combination of a handsome man and a young boy does seem a bit odd.
"Uh, it might be a bit presumptuous but I wonder if I could get a small glimpse of the power of the Tailed Beasts."
Tao Yu said thoughtfully.
This surprised Hozuki Gengetsu a bit, but after only a moment of consideration, he nodded in agreement.
"Of course, but even when controlled by a Jinchuriki, the power of the Tailed Beasts is a bit too great, we must be careful with safety."
"Of course, it's just that I'm a bit curious, as Miss Mei Terumi is aware, my abilities are all-encompassing. I want to see if I can simulate the power of the Tailed Beasts."
Tao Yu said frankly.
But that is certainly just an excuse, although Tao Yu's skills have improved a lot by now, he can even directly stimulate True Yuan to release ninjutsu.
However, in terms of size, he's definitely not comparable to the Tailed Beasts; if he used the Tailed Beast Bomb in the same extravagant manner, it would be a total loss.
He just wants to see if he can glean something from the Tailed Beasts.
If he remembers correctly, the Ten-Tails is the combination of the nine Tailed Beasts, and it's not necessarily made up of all nine; it can be substituted with a portion of their chakra.
Let's not worry about future plans for now, it's still important to check out the quality of the Tailed Beasts at present.
"We'll wait until after the banquet, it's also a good opportunity for the people in our village to witness the power that comes from other places in Abyss."
It was both a celebration and a chance to gather more intelligence, so Hozuki Gengetsu had no reason to refuse.
Information is mutual. While the other party may want to learn about the Tailed Beasts, they will inevitably expose their own information.
Moreover, Hozuki Gengetsu was also curious about Tao Yu's claim that his abilities were all-encompassing.
Releasing the Tailed Beasts in a friendly match was also a decent option.
It's nearly for the same reason that Tao Yu would issue a challenge.
In a real-life-and-death fight against a Jinchuriki, Tao Yu doesn't have much confidence; unleashing Tailed Beast Bombs, drawing chakra cloaks, and using various Hidden Mist techniques to oppress with firepower.
If you get too close and they self-detonate their Tailed Beast cloak, it would be quite awkward.
But in a friendly match, the Jinchuriki's large-scale destructive moves are not so easy to use.
Fewer Tailed Beast Bombs, the easier it is to dodge...
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