"Haah!"
With a thunderous shout from Sōmi, the jade-green "soul shadow" of Shukaku, which had been writhing and struggling, was finally wrenched from its massive body.
Accompanied by the clattering sound of chains, Shukaku's enormous form began to shrink rapidly.
The clothing over Sōmi's abdomen had unknowingly been torn apart, revealing his chiseled, muscular abs. Four thick chains extended from his stomach, making it appear as though he were enduring some kind of excruciating torture.
The extracted Shukaku was forcibly stuffed into Sōmi's abdomen.
Sizzle!
A plume of white smoke rose from Sōmi's stomach, and his once-fair skin began to turn a deep red, as though scalded by hot oil.
Black, chain-like runes appeared on the surface of his abdominal skin, writhing and twisting before ultimately forming a circular pattern crossed by two intersecting black lines.
If the uneven parts of the runes were ignored, the design somewhat resembled the character "木" (wood) within a circle.
Sōmi let out a muffled groan before his body went limp, collapsing onto the golden cloud beneath him.
"Huff... Huff..."
He panted heavily, his dust-covered hair plastered messily to his forehead.
Beads of sweat, as large as soybeans, streamed down his face, carving clean trails through the dirt. His back was already soaked with sweat.
He looked as though he had been pulled out of muddy water, utterly disheveled and exhausted.
Sōmi guided the golden cloud to descend to the ground, where the Third Kazekage and the others had already rushed over.
"How are you? Are you alright? Did the sealing succeed?" the Third Kazekage asked, his face full of concern.
Rasa opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately remained silent. As for Sasori, he simply observed Sōmi quietly, his expression unreadable.
Sōmi mustered a faint smile for the group and replied, "Don't worry, teacher... I'm fine!"
"The sealing went relatively smoothly this time!"
"But I still need to... go inside and have a talk with Shukaku first!"
After finishing his sentence, Sōmi sat cross-legged directly on the ground. The sunlight poured down on him, making the sweat on his body glisten faintly.
Inside the Sealing Space
The sealing space was a dim, yellowish realm that seemed both boundless and confined at the same time.
Drip!
Beneath Sōmi's feet was a vast expanse of water. Suddenly, a droplet fell, creating ripples that spread outward in circles.
"Hmm?"
As Sōmi's consciousness entered the sealing space, he curiously surveyed his surroundings. This was his first time experiencing such a place firsthand.
The sensation of being in this "alternate dimension" was novel and intriguing to him.
"Roar!"
"You damn brat!"
Sōmi's leisurely exploration was abruptly interrupted by a thunderous roar.
Not far ahead stood Shukaku, towering dozens of meters high. The gusts from its massive mouth stirred the water beneath them into turbulent waves.
However, Shukaku's "standing" posture was rather pitiful. Its four limbs were tightly bound by thick, silver chains, forcing its body into the shape of the character "木" (wood).
The other ends of the chains were deeply embedded in the void, anchoring the beast in place.
"It seems you still haven't grasped the situation, have you, Shukaku?" Sōmi said, tilting his head back to look up at the beast. He sighed as he spoke.
"Damn humans!"
"You locked me up again, and now you even dare to bind me like this!"
"Not even that old man dared to treat me this way!"
"Argh!"
Sōmi shook his head, ignoring Shukaku's impotent rage.
"It seems there's no point in discussing cooperation with you right now..."
"You? Cooperate with me?!"
"Don't even dream about it, brat!"
Shukaku roared furiously once more, its massive body thrashing against the chains. The metallic clanging of the chains echoed loudly throughout the space.
Sōmi sighed softly. Why did these beings always resist peaceful communication? It seemed that "physical persuasion" was the only effective method.
Little did Shukaku know that its staunch refusal to cooperate would have significant consequences for its fellow Tailed Beasts...
Sōmi's eyes flashed with determination as he began forming a series of intricate hand seals.
"Haah!"
With a low shout, a chain suddenly shot out from Sōmi's navel. The sharp, silver tip of the chain pierced directly into Shukaku's massive body.
"Huh?!"
Shukaku's pupils contracted sharply as a wave of intense pain, accompanied by a profound sense of weakness, spread through its body.
The five chains hummed softly, vibrating as they emitted a sandy-yellow glow. They continuously siphoned Chakra out of Shukaku.
This was the infamous "Chakra Tug-of-War."
However, with Sōmi's expertise in sealing techniques and Shukaku's current state of complete restraint, the beast had no means of resistance.
Its massive eyes bulged wide, as though they were about to pop out of their sockets.
"Chakra!"
"An endless stream of Chakra!"
"Far surpassing the Chakra within Sōmi's own body!"
"Soft and gentle like the wind, yet fine and delicate like sand..."
"At the same time, violent like a hurricane, and wild like a raging sandstorm..."
"There's also an unseen, intangible adhesive force... as if caught in a powerful magnetic field..."
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
"This is the wind's cheer!"
"Hiss! Hiss!"
"This is the sand's embrace!"
"Hmm? The mysterious runes in this cursed seal contain..."
"A purity akin to the spirits of the wind... yet with the majesty of a wind god ruling the world..."
"Ah!!"
"This is an incredible, wondrous power!"
"A power that could utterly consume one's body and soul!"
Outside the Sealing Space
"Hmm?"
Sasori was the first to notice the changes in Sōmi. He let out a soft murmur of surprise.
"What?!"
Rasa's eyes widened in shock as well.
Under the Third Kazekage's watchful and admiring gaze, sandy-yellow Chakra began to seep out of Sōmi's body as he sat cross-legged on the ground.
The Chakra grew increasingly dense, its aura becoming more and more terrifying.
Whoosh! Whoosh...
Unnoticed by anyone, a gentle breeze had begun swirling around Sōmi, as if caressing him.
But soon, the wind and sand gathered around him intensified, their power growing ever stronger. The howling wind whipped at Sōmi's clothing, making it flap wildly.
The fine grains of sand on Sōmi's body were blown away, revealing his handsome features beneath.
Crack!
Suddenly, a large mass of sand emerged from Sōmi's body, adhering to his arms. Gradually, it solidified into two beast-like arms. Similar clusters of yellow sand began to form on his torso, neck, and head.
"Sōmi?!"
The Third Kazekage's eyes flashed with sharp light. As the Kazekage, he immediately understood the significance of this phenomenon.
"Sasori! Can you use a sealing technique to assist Sōmi?"
"He might not be able to suppress Shukaku inside him!" the Third Kazekage said urgently.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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