Naruto: Sukuna's Jinchuriki, I am Uchiha

Chapter 128: Alliances and Moryo

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Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan carefully examined every inch of the Nine-Tails, scanning through its body, its chakra, and even its memories.

Yet, no trace of the so-called Baryon Mode could be found.

It seemed that ability was something developed in the future, requiring an interaction between Naruto's chakra and Kurama's to activate.

As for Mahoraga, its battle against the Nine-Tails was reaching equilibrium.

This was its limit.

Even with its ability to adapt, Mahoraga had reached its ceiling—matching a single Nine-Tails in raw power was the best it could achieve.

Kagami had experimented, feeding Mahoraga various levels of slashes, starting from weak strikes up to full-power cuts.

The results were clear—Mahoraga could adapt to ordinary slashes, but when it came to Black Slash, no matter how many times it was struck, it could not develop a countermeasure.

It seemed that its famed ability to "adapt to all things" was only true within the Jujutsu world.

Still, as an unconscious shikigami, it had done well enough.

With Susanoo, Mahoraga could at least serve as a tank against the Otsutsuki.

---

For the shinobi gathered below, this battle between giants was a spectacle unlike anything they had seen before.

It was safe. Controlled. A fight they could observe without fearing for their lives.

And they were completely hooked.

But Kagami was already bored.

He had been hoping to find traces of Baryon Mode. Since that was a dead end, there was no reason to keep watching.

It was time to end this.

Clink—

Black-red chains emerged from Kagami's palm, slithering through the air before coiling tightly around the Nine-Tails.

The fox, still trapped in illusion, offered no resistance.

Kagami turned toward Minato.

Minato removed his coat, lifting his shirt.

"I'm ready."

With a casual flick of his wrist, Kagami dismissed Mahoraga and offered a final piece of advice.

"The fox's real name is Kurama. Only a perfect jinchūriki can draw out his full potential."

"Minato, you'll manage."

"At least… in the future I saw, you did."

Minato hesitated.

"In that future… didn't I die?"

"Yeah," Kagami replied casually.

"But it was after you mastered it."

The scarlet river of chakra flowed from the restrained Kurama, compressing with each step until it funneled into Minato's seal.

The entire shinobi world watched.

---

In a dark alley, Kakuzu flipped through a pocket notebook, adjusting numbers.

"Previous bounty for Nine-Tails Jinchūriki Uzumaki Kushina: 600 million ryo. Worthless now."

"Previous bounty for Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato: 500 million ryo. Likely to rise to 800 million after this."

Across from him, Sasori glanced over, intrigued.

"There was a bounty on the Hokage?"

Kakuzu scoffed.

"Of course there was. Even Kagami has a bounty. Last I checked, 30 billion ryo."

Sasori smirked.

"And who would be dumb enough to accept a mission to assassinate the Shinobi God?"

Kakuzu closed his notebook.

"As long as it's a human, there will always be a moment of vulnerability."

"When someone is asleep… or sick… their combat ability drops significantly."

Sasori nodded thoughtfully.

"You're not wrong. That's why my puppetization is perfect—I have no weaknesses."

He eyed Kakuzu.

"What do you think? Want to be immortal like me?"

"No."

Kakuzu shot him down instantly.

"My Earth Grudge Fear technique is already close to immortality. By the time your puppets rot, I'll still be alive."

"And when that happens… I'll take one of your hearts."

"… Do I even have a heart?" Sasori mused.

---

On the rooftops, the remnants of the Four Nations Alliance stood in silence.

Kumogakure's Killer Bee crossed his arms.

"Yo, Eight-O said them chains give him a real bad feeling."

"That technique's a hard counter to Tailed Beasts."

Across from him, Rasa of Sunagakure scowled, his eyes lingering on his son, Gaara.

Was it worth letting Gaara compete?

If he did… and Konoha's Uchiha decided they wanted Shukaku, what would stop them from taking it?

But…

If Suna didn't win one of the final spots, what would happen to them?

There was no home to return to.

Now that Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure had all been placed on the prize list, the so-called Four Nations Alliance was officially dead.

If they had worked together, they could have easily secured at least one or two of the final spots.

But none of them trusted each other.

And everyone had their own ambitions.

Rasa's target?

The Land of Water.

The current Mizukage, Yagura, was strong… but Rasa was confident that he could take him down in a one-on-one battle.

So all he needed was an ally…

An ally who wasn't already tied to Iwa or Kumo.

His eyes flickered toward Kiri's delegation.

---

As the crowd dispersed, Rasa led the Sunagakure shinobi down a narrow street.

Halfway through, a figure emerged from the darkness.

A tall man, wrapped in a black cloak, exuding a deathly aura.

The air around him twisted, dark mist seeping from his skin like living shadows.

"You…"

Rasa's hand instinctively reached for his gold dust.

The man's lips curled into a distorted smile.

"So, you're the leader of the Sunagakure shinobi."

"One of your ancestors caused me a bit of trouble… many years ago."

"I have need of soldiers."

He extended a hand toward the Suna shinobi.

"I like this batch."

Rasa's face darkened.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

A chuckle.

The mist behind the man expanded, coiling into the shape of a monstrous silhouette.

Then, he grinned.

"I am Moryo."

"The one who will one day create the Thousand Kings Empire—a force to rival Uchiha Kagami."

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