"What do you women know! I've told you time and again not to gossip with those folks!"
The man spun around instantly, his voice sharp and stern as he reprimanded her.
"Oh... Why are you getting angry... Fine, I won't talk about it."
It was clear that the man held a high status within the household, as the woman immediately softened her tone.
"Hmph!"
Satisfied, the man turned back to continue hammering the iron block.
"If you ask me, regardless of who the Kazekage lost to, he is undoubtedly the strongest Kazekage!"
"Ever since the Kazekage mastered Magnet Release, the supply of iron sand in our village has increased, and its price has become more affordable!"
"Our family can forge blades and farming tools from inexpensive iron ore... Then we sell these iron goods through caravans to foreign lands."
"Not to mention, how much have we earned over the years?"
The woman glanced back at the numerous new pieces of furniture and appliances in the room but said nothing.
"And what is Sunagakure's specialty? It's the puppet masters!"
"Do you know how many bizarre-shaped iron tools those puppet masters order from us every year?"
"I once happened to see a puppet master in battle. Their puppet was a 'dagger-throwing master,' flinging hundreds of daggers at once!"
"I thought at the time, if they win, it's fine. But if they lose, all those meticulously crafted weapons would be wasted!"
"Why is it that only our village dares to cultivate puppet masters so vigorously?"
"It's because of the Magnet Release mastered by our Kazekage!"
"In terms of protecting the entire village, is there any Kage who can compare to our Kazekage?"
"Even if he lost, as long as the Kazekage remains, our village won't lose! The puppet masters have room to develop! We have a future!"
"So as long as the Kazekage is here, he is the strongest!"
The iron block in the man's hands had roughly taken the shape of a kunai, and the sparks flying off it collided with his sturdy chest, shining brightly.
The next day, outside Sunagakure, at the special holding area for Monk Bunpuku.
The two guards who usually complained incessantly were nowhere to be seen, and dozens of steel-forged pillars lay scattered on the ground.
The ground was densely inscribed with black runes, like a spider's web covering the not-so-spacious area.
"Master Bunpuku! How are you?"
Sōmi supported a frail old monk, whose hands, resembling charred phoenix claws, rested on Sōmi's body.
"Is it... young Sōmi?"
Monk Bunpuku's face was ashen, his lips dry and cracked. As Sōmi held him, he felt that Bunpuku's weight was less than that of half a grown man.
Bunpuku pursed his lips, then turned his head to gaze at the Third Kazekage standing in the shadows.
"It seems... the village has decided to let you follow in my footsteps?" Bunpuku's eyes flashed with a hint of pity.
"Back then... when you were just a child, you came to me saying that my junior sent you to learn sealing techniques..."
"I never expected you to show such extraordinary talent in sealing techniques..."
"I thought then, could it be you, this little fellow, who would take over my task?"
"I wanted to hold on for a bit longer... But alas, I can't endure any longer..."
"With you, Sōmi... given your sealing techniques, I can rest assured..."
"A sip and a chisel, predetermined... Cause and effect, there must be a reason..."
"I'm ready!"
Though Bunpuku's voice was weak, at this moment, a never-before-seen intensity of light shone in his eyes.
Sōmi's eyes were filled with reluctance, but facing Bunpuku's resolute expression, he forced himself to sever his distracting thoughts.
"Teacher, Master Bunpuku is ready!"
He turned to the Third Kazekage and spoke.
The Kazekage nodded slightly, his entire figure shrouded in shadow, making his expression unreadable.
Suddenly, Bunpuku's hands formed seals, and with the seals, his aura surged dramatically.
Yet this violent aura did not seem to belong to Bunpuku himself; the amount of Chakra within was extraordinarily vast, far beyond what an elderly man should possess.
Woo! Woo!
At some point, accompanied by the sound of the wind, gusts of sand swept in from outside.
The swirling sand hovered above Bunpuku, while his body exuded a substantial amount of yellow Chakra.
This Chakra wrapped around the sand, faintly forming the shape of a roaring beast.
"Roar!"
The angry roars grew clearer, and Sōmi tightened his grip on a black teapot.
The teapot was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, semi-oval in shape, with black rings embedded on each side, emanating an ancient aura, appearing anything but ordinary.
"Release!"
Beads of sweat dripped from Bunpuku's forehead as he uttered a low cry and pressed his hands against his abdomen, his voice tinged with pain.
"Roar!"
"I'm finally out!"
A larger, clearer mass of sand-yellow Chakra surged from Bunpuku's abdomen.
The wind and sand howled, the sound of the wind becoming urgent, excited, sharp... as if eagerly awaiting the return of their king.
Beside the Kazekage, a large mass of dark, deep iron sand appeared, floating around and gradually forming the shape of a cage.
The beastly figure above Bunpuku became increasingly distinct—a massive head, two purple beast ears flopped to the sides, eyes covered by black markings, with purple vein-like patterns spreading across them.
The round body gradually inflated, initially appearing chubby, but its surface was filled with purple cursed seal patterns, looking rather sinister.
This was none other than Shukaku, the One-Tail!
Sōmi's eyes shone brightly as he swiftly formed a series of seals with his hands.
"Seal!"
With Sōmi's shout, the densely packed black runes on the ground seemed to come alive, linking together and eventually condensing into several black chains, their surfaces emanating a cold, dark light.
Clang!
The chains shot up instantly, producing deep metallic sounds as they collided, aiming to bind Shukaku's body.
"It's you, brat!"
Shukaku's uniquely shaped pupils turned towards Sōmi, growling in a low voice.
Sōmi didn't respond; he merely crouched down, formed a special seal, pressed it against the teapot, and lifted the lid.
Suddenly!
A bright light burst forth from within the teapot.
The black runes around the teapot also sprang to life, climbing along the teapot to its mouth, and then drilling inside.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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