Naruto: Sukuna's Jinchuriki, I am Uchiha

Chapter 127: The Frog Squad

Inside the Sealed Space

Beyond the crimson gates, Sukuna sat lazily atop the Box of Ultimate Bliss, his chin resting on one hand, his lips curled in a faint smirk.

"So, it's the strongest shikigami of the Jujutsu world against the strongest beast of the shinobi world?"

"How entertaining."

When Sukuna had first laid eyes on the Nine-Tails, he had seen its death as his inevitable triumph. A perfect prey. A creature worthy of being cleaved apart.

But now?

Ever since he had occupied Uchiha Kagami's body, Sukuna had been indifferent toward the fox. He had already surpassed it. The Nine-Tails was nothing more than a remnant of the past.

Kagami's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Sukuna, do you think we could have beaten Isshiki back then?"

Sukuna pondered for a moment before answering.

"We're close, but not quite there yet. Until I've fully assimilated his power, we wouldn't be able to match his peak strength."

A smirk crept onto Kagami's face.

"If the Nine-Tails had the right jinchūriki, it could briefly surpass Isshiki's full strength."

Sukuna's eyes narrowed.

"Are you serious? That pathetic fox?"

Kagami nodded.

"When Naruto used Baryon Mode, he outright overwhelmed Isshiki."

It was a self-sacrificing technique—burning lifespan as fuel. A power beyond conventional limits.

"If my first partner had been the Nine-Tails, I would have chosen to form a genuine bond with it," Kagami mused.

He turned toward Sukuna, his gaze sharp and condescending.

"You, on the other hand, are a monster incapable of emotion. Even the name Sukuna isn't truly yours—it's a myth, an imagined demon's name."

"That fox has a real name."

"It is Kurama."

His voice grew colder.

"So what right do you have to look down on it?"

"Tail Beasts are merely the servants of the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"And you? You are no different."

"You dare think of yourself as my equal?"

The response was immediate.

Shing!

A barrage of slashes rained down upon the sealed gates.

Infinite, relentless, maddening—Sukuna's rage took form in his cleaving strikes.

The Box of Ultimate Bliss trembled. The blood sea churned violently. The Dragon Veins let out silent screams.

But the crimson doors did not budge.

As the darkness of the void enveloped him, the last thing Sukuna saw was Kagami's mocking smirk.

"Very well, Sukuna."

"When Isshiki has been fully assimilated, I will grant you one chance."

"To leave this cage."

"You're missing something."

"A true lesson in pain."

Back in reality, the spectacle unfolded.

The illusion-crafted Nine-Tails moved with expert martial prowess, no longer relying on mindless swipes or brute force.

Every movement was deliberate, every attack calculated.

Meanwhile, Mahoraga had evolved.

Its previous battle against Isshiki had refined its adaptive power. Now, even without Kagami's Susanoo, it stood toe-to-toe with the rampaging fox.

From simple Tailed Beast Bombs to amplified attacks, Kagami steadily increased the intensity of the battle, giving Mahoraga time to adjust.

Atop the Hokage Tower, a shadow clone of Kagami pressed his hand to Kushina's abdomen.

A sphere of deep crimson chakra slowly transferred out of her body.

Ordinarily, extracting a Tailed Beast meant certain death for the jinchūriki.

But Kushina was different.

With the right precautions—

A portion of Nine-Tails chakra, combined with Yin-Yang Release,

Her Uzumaki vitality could sustain her through the process.

Kagami had calculated everything.

He didn't care for Kushina's survival, but if she died, Minato would become useless.

And Minato was an invaluable tool.

With Kurama, Minato would be more effective in high-level combat.

Once upon a time, Kagami might have claimed the fox's power for himself.

But after absorbing Isshiki's essence, he had far greater prey to hunt.

Nine-Tails?

It was obsolete.

A discarded artifact.

Like gifting Shirohime to Shisui, or handing off Naginata no Munechika to Orochimaru—

This was just redistribution of lesser weapons.

The shadow clone withdrew its hands, and color returned to Kushina's face.

Minato, kneeling beside her, felt her fingers tighten around his.

Her breath steadied.

He sighed in relief.

"Kushina… how do you feel?"

She opened her eyes, gazing at him softly.

"Minato…"

"It's… so quiet."

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"For the first time since that night… it's truly quiet."

Minato wiped at his own dampened gaze.

"I see… that's good."

The shadow clone rolled its eyes before dispelling itself.

Meanwhile, at the Four Cardinal Points of Konoha, Kagami's other clones stood watch.

A massive scarlet barrier enveloped the entire arena-like sky.

Modified Four Red Yang Formation—Sky Fortress Mode.

No matter how violently Kurama and Mahoraga clashed, the illusionary battlefield remained undisturbed.

In the crowd, Hashirama Senju was mesmerized by the battle.

His pockets were lighter from his latest gambling loss,

But even that paled in comparison to what he was witnessing.

"This guy…"

"He's supporting an entire Four Red Yang Formation alone?"

"His chakra might exceed even mine at this point!"

For a moment, he felt a pang of sympathy for Kurama.

Once the king of beasts, now a mere pawn under the Uchiha.

"… Poor guy."

At the same time, he eyed Mahoraga.

Something about it felt wrong.

Unlike the Tailed Beasts, this thing was pure malevolence.

A true abomination.

"… Is this another of Kagami's pets?"

On a distant rooftop, Pain (Nagato) and Konan stood together.

Their Rinnegan-piercing gaze fixed upon the chaos below.

Jiraiya approached, removing his mask.

"Nagato… Konan…"

His voice was heavy with sorrow.

"… And Yahiko…"

Pain turned slightly.

"Jiraiya-sensei," he said flatly.

"You once told us that understanding could bring peace."

"Yahiko died believing that."

"Now tell me, sensei—"

"Do you still believe it?"

Jiraiya sighed deeply.

"… No."

"I failed you."

"I failed all of you."

He straightened his back, determination returning to his eyes.

"But let me atone for it."

"I will join you in this tournament."

"I only ask for one favor."

"Let Kakashi meet Obito—just once."

The cold glow of the Rinnegan bore into him.

For a long moment, Nagato was silent.

"… Jiraiya-sensei," he murmured.

"You've changed."

Jiraiya grinned.

"I'm just doing what I should have done from the start."

"Let's reunite the Frog Squad."

"Yahiko. Nagato. Konan."

"One last time."

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