---
With the power of Senju Takuya, it only took a moment. The Six-Tails, Saiken, had been sealed into his body. As the Six-Tails was drawn out, Utakata's body lay lifeless on the ground.
"Takuya-sama, what's happening? My master won't die, right?" Hotaru asked in a panic, seeing the cold and lifeless body on the ground.
"Don't worry," Takuya replied with a reassuring smile. "I promised to bring your master back to life, so it's natural for him to die first."
Hotaru nodded seriously, though her mind was still spinning. "It... it makes sense."
Yes. If you don't die, then there's no such thing as resurrection, Takuya mused, shaking his head with a smile. What a funny kid.
He placed his hand on Utakata's body, and a pure life force began to flow from Takuya into him.
"Reincarnation!" Takuya murmured, channeling his chakra.
Utakata's face gradually regained its color, and soon, his chest began to rise and fall again.
"He's alive! Master is alive!" Hotaru shouted, her voice filled with relief.
"Hotaru, what just happened?" Utakata opened his eyes, his voice weak but conscious. He had no memory of what had transpired, only a vague sensation as if he had been asleep.
"Master, you were dead! It was Takuya-sama who brought you back," Hotaru said, her eyes shining with admiration.
"Thank you, Takuya-sama," Utakata said as he stood and bowed deeply. His gratitude was sincere. Takuya could have easily taken the Six-Tails by force, yet he chose a gentler method and even revived him. Although Utakata didn't know the exact technique Takuya used, he was certain it came at a significant cost.
Moreover, with the Six-Tails now gone, he was no longer a Jinchūriki. This was a new lease on life for Utakata, who had long dreamed of living a life free from the burden of being a Jinchūriki. His gratitude ran deep.
"It was nothing," Takuya waved his hand dismissively. "I'll inform the Mizukage of your status as a former Kirigakure shinobi. From now on, you can live as a normal person."
"Really? Thank you so much," Utakata said, his voice filled with hope. Though he was no longer a Jinchūriki, he was still considered a rogue ninja. With Takuya's promise, he could truly live in peace. After all, Takuya was now the de facto ruler of the ninja world.
"I believe this child has great potential," Takuya said, glancing at Hotaru. "You can bring her to live in Konoha. If you wish, you can even enroll her in the Konoha Ninja Academy."
With that, Takuya activated Kamui. A swirling vortex of space appeared, enveloping his body as he vanished from sight.
"Wow~ That was Senju Takuya-sama? He's so cool," Hotaru said, a wide smile spreading across her face. Whether it was his strength or his dramatic exit, Takuya had left a deep impression.
"Hotaru, you're drooling," Utakata said helplessly. It was said that Takuya was the heartthrob of the ninja world, and it seemed to be true. Even a child like Hotaru was captivated by him.
"Master, from now on, we can live a normal life. Are we going to the Land of Birds next?" Hotaru asked eagerly.
"Haha... There's no need to wander anymore," Utakata replied warmly. "Hotaru, haven't you always wanted a stable life? Tell me, where should we settle?"
"Well... let's go to Konoha," Hotaru said, pretending to ponder.
"I knew it," Utakata said with a knowing smile.
"Master, what's that look for? Don't get the wrong idea—I'm still just a little girl! I want to go to Konoha because Takuya-sama said I could enroll in the Ninja Academy. And Konoha is the center of the ninja world, the most prosperous place. It would be the best place to live," Hotaru explained loudly.
"Okay, okay, I understand. Then Konoha it is," Utakata agreed, smiling fondly. Though Hotaru was his disciple, he treated her like a daughter and was willing to fulfill her wishes.
"Master, let's go now," Hotaru said impatiently. The two of them began their journey to Konoha.
In Konoha, Senju Takuya sat at his desk, looking at the somewhat sulky Saiken with a smile. Earlier, when he had called the Six-Tails out, the tailed beast had looked aggrieved. When asked why, Saiken revealed that it was because Takuya had knocked him out during the extraction.
"Hey, you were the one who resisted first, okay? If you had cooperated, I wouldn't have had to attack you," Takuya chuckled.
"Boss, why wouldn't I cooperate with you?" Saiken said, still sulking. "When I came out of Utakata's body, I was ready to go back peacefully, but you just smacked me."
"What? That's not what happened!" Takuya said, exasperated. "You should have just behaved! If you hadn't resisted, I wouldn't have had to use force."
He couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of the situation. Tailed beasts truly had their quirks.
---
Saiken's grievance didn't last long. After hearing about the treatment given to the tailed beasts by Senju Takuya, its eyes brightened with excitement. The life that had been described was nothing short of heavenly, the kind of existence it had only dreamed of.
After a brief nod to Takuya, Saiken hurried off to find Shukaku and the others. They had to experience it themselves to see if what their brothers said was true.
Once Saiken and the others departed, Takuya turned his attention back to the map on his desk, where the location of Takigakure was circled in red ink.
"Only Chomei and Gyuki remain," Takuya murmured to himself. "Then the Ten-Tails can be resurrected. It's time to head to Takigakure."
Takigakure, the Hidden Waterfall Village, lay in the north of the Land of Fire. Hidden behind a massive waterfall, it was a stronghold known for being easy to defend and difficult to attack, with a strategic location that made it nearly impossible to find. Despite being one of the smaller villages, Takigakure's ninja were formidable, making it second only to the five great ninja villages. In some ways, it was even stronger than Amegakure.
Back in the era of Senju Hashirama, the Seven-Tails had been captured in Takigakure, a testament to its strength. However, the village had gradually declined over the years, especially after Kakuzu defected and stole the Earth Grudge Fear technique. Since then, no particularly powerful ninja had emerged from the village.
Despite this decline, Takigakure's strength was still far greater than that of ordinary small villages. The village also possessed Hero Water, a legendary substance said to increase a ninja's chakra by dozens of times. Even Takuya found this claim to be a bit exaggerated. If true, an ordinary Chūnin could temporarily possess chakra levels comparable to a Jōnin. Such an increase would be terrifying. However, no one had thoroughly investigated its effects, and Takigakure had used this legend to maintain its reputation.
With his goal set, Takuya didn't rush to Takigakure. He preferred to work at a balanced pace. Life was meant to be enjoyed, especially in the absence of any fatal threats. Besides, he had many beautiful wives waiting for him.
After spending three days in Konoha, Takuya was ready to set off again. But just before his departure, Kakuzu found him.
"Kakuzu, what brings you here? Is something wrong?" Senju Takuya asked.
"Takuya-sama, could I take a few days off?" Kakuzu asked slowly.
"Take a day off? Why?" Takuya asked, a bit surprised.
"I'm just... so bored. I want to take a break and go for a walk," Kakuzu sighed.
Takuya was taken aback but then smiled. "It's fine to ask for leave, but... there will be a salary deduction."
"Fine! Just deduct it from my salary," Kakuzu gritted his teeth, clearly determined.
Seeing Kakuzu's determination, Takuya was surprised. Kakuzu, known to treasure money more than his life, was still willing to have his salary deducted just for a day off. It seemed he had been feeling cooped up in Konoha.
"Kakuzu, it just so happens that I need to go to Takigakure. Why don't you come with me? If you do, I won't deduct your salary," Takuya offered.
Kakuzu's eyes lit up. "That's great, Takuya-sama. You're such a considerate employer."
Despite being a rogue ninja from Takigakure, Kakuzu had no love for his former village. But the opportunity to travel without a salary deduction was appealing.
For a moment, Kakuzu felt grateful for having made the right decision to follow Takuya. The entire ninja world probably didn't have a more thoughtful employer.
After reaching an agreement, the two set off immediately. Since the journey to Takigakure wouldn't take long, they didn't bother with extensive preparations.
As they walked, Takuya and Kakuzu engaged in casual conversation.
"Kakuzu, why did you become a rogue ninja in the first place?" Takuya asked, curious.
Kakuzu's face took on a reflective expression as he began to speak.
"Back then, I was considered a talented young ninja in Takigakure. The village sent me on a mission to assassinate the First Hokage. When the mission failed, I barely escaped with my life. But when I returned to the village, instead of receiving comfort or understanding, they branded me a failure and locked me up in a dungeon."
"In that dungeon, I had plenty of time to think. I realized that a village willing to discard me like that wasn't worth my loyalty. So, one night, I escaped, stole the Earth Grudge Fear technique, and became a rogue ninja," Kakuzu explained, his voice tinged with bitterness.
This experience had taught him that, in the end, money was the only thing worth trusting.
"I see," Takuya nodded thoughtfully.
Given how the village had treated him, it was no wonder Kakuzu made the decision he did.
"By the way, can you tell me more about your attempt on Senju Hashirama's life? How did you manage to escape from him?" Takuya asked, his curiosity piqued.
Kakuzu sighed deeply at the memory.
"Back then, I was young and ambitious. When the village ordered me to assassinate Hashirama, I didn't hesitate. But I quickly learned just how powerful he was. I threw everything I had at him, but it was like trying to take down a mountain with a pebble. I was gravely injured. I thought I was going to die, but Hashirama spared my life. I lay on the ground for a day and a night, and once I regained enough strength, I dragged myself back to Takigakure. That's how my so-called assassination attempt went," Kakuzu recounted, a mix of frustration and respect in his voice.
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