Author: Okay, I've been posting chapters day after day, which would make me a slave to myself? Yes, maybe. Should I rest? Yes, I should. Will I? Nah. Comment on what you think. And if you have any questions, comment and I'll probably answer them!
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Ryu and Konan reached the coast, where the sea appeared calm, almost inviting. The gentle waves broke on the sand in a steady rhythm, and the sun shone on the horizon, casting a golden glow on the water's surface. To a casual observer, there was nothing extraordinary about the scene. However, Ryu knew that the tranquility was merely a façade.
He remained silent, his eyes analyzing every detail of the surroundings while a light breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean. The energy emanating from Isobu was subtle yet unmistakable. It felt as though the sea itself was alive, pulsating with an ancient, immeasurable force. Ryu closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the sensation that enveloped him.
"His natural habitat amplifies his presence?" he thought, intrigued. "That's interesting… He's in perfect harmony with the environment."
Konan, standing beside him, gazed at the horizon cautiously. "Do you sense anything?" she asked, her voice low, almost a whisper.
Ryu opened his eyes, now glowing with the intensity of Sage Mode. "Yes. Isobu is here. He isn't hiding, but his energy is so seamlessly integrated with the environment that it would be imperceptible to anyone without specialized training."
Without another word, he stepped forward, placing one foot on the water. Chakra flowed to his feet, creating a solid base as he began walking across the liquid surface. Each step was deliberate, his senses absorbing everything around him.
Ryu's Sage Mode detected the blend of positive and negative chakra permeating the air and water. It was as if Isobu was spreading its essence throughout the ocean, turning the environment into an extension of itself. Ryu's heightened perception allowed him to sense every wave, every submerged current, as if they were parts of the Bijuu itself.
Konan followed, her paper wings gradually forming as she hovered over the water, ready to react to any threat. "If he's here, why hasn't he attacked yet? It feels like he's watching us."
"Exactly," Ryu replied without looking at her. "Isobu is an intelligent creature. He knows we're here but doesn't see the need to reveal himself yet. Perhaps he's assessing whether we're a real threat."
Suddenly, a wave larger than usual formed in the distance, and Ryu stopped, his gaze fixed on the direction it was coming from. "Looks like he decided to make the first move," he said, a faint smile curving his lips. "Get ready, Konan."
The water began swirling into whirlpools, and the deep rumble of something colossal moving beneath the surface became evident. The previously calm sea now seemed alive with a terrifying force. Ryu narrowed his eyes, the energy around him growing more intense with every passing moment.
"So, Isobu..." he murmured, crossing his arms and observing closely. "Show me what you've got."
Isobu's reveal was abrupt but deliberate. The water began moving with an almost supernatural force, as if the sea itself had come alive. Massive, dense waves rose like giant arms, directed at Ryu and Konan. The impending impact was inevitable.
'Why is it revealing itself now? Wait... This is...!'
Ryu reacted instantly, his hands extending as he channeled a massive amount of chakra to control the situation. The surge of energy around him was so intense that the waves nearby flickered with a bluish-green glow. Focusing deeply, he stabilized the enormous masses of water, preventing them from rushing toward Konan.
'What incredible power!' he thought, feeling the overwhelming pressure of the energy unleashed by Isobu.
However, Ryu couldn't afford to hesitate. He unleashed even more Senjutsu Chakra, allowing his Sage Mode to reach a new level. His transformation began viscerally: his skin took on a pale hue with shimmering white snake scales. The golden irises of his eyes glowed intensely, contrasting with the vertical snake-like pupils and darkened sclerae that gave his gaze a predatory aura. The purple pigmentation around his eyes expanded into intricate patterns that extended down his back, while two curved, white horns emerged from his forehead, appearing as though carved from refined bone.
'With this power... I can turn the tide.'
Ryu focused deeply, his connection to the natural energy around him becoming flawless. "Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!" he exclaimed, his voice reverberating with authority as he manipulated the natural energy in the air and water.
Invisible blades of wind began to form at his command, slicing through the masses of water with deadly precision. Each strike was accompanied by a thunderous sound, as if the very air was being torn apart. The waves were shredded in seconds, scattering droplets everywhere.
Konan, watching from a safe position, observed the display of power with a mix of concern and admiration. "This is the true power of Ryu in Sage Mode..." she murmured to herself.
However, the sea did not calm. Instead, the whirlpools grew more intense, and a massive shadow began to emerge from the water. A low, guttural roar echoed, like distant thunder, as a spiny tail rose from the surface, followed by another, and then yet another.
Ryu narrowed his eyes, a confident smile playing on his lips. "At last, you show yourself, Isobu."
The Three-Tails Beast began to fully emerge, its hard, scaled shell reflecting the sunlight. Its eyes, red as embers, glared at Ryu with an ancestral ferocity, while the sea around it continued to churn, echoing the intimidating presence of the Bijuu.
"Konan," Ryu called without looking at her. "Stay alert. This is just the beginning."
With Sage Mode fully activated, Ryu positioned himself, ready to face the colossal beast rising before him.
Ryu knew that confronting Isobu directly would require more than brute strength; it demanded strategy. 'Against Water Style, Fire and Lightning are ideal!' he thought quickly, his hands moving through fluid seals as the natural energy around him intensified.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!" he roared, his golden eyes glowing with fierce determination.
Taking a deep breath, Ryu gathered an enormous amount of chakra within his body, compressing it like a high-pressure furnace. When he exhaled, a torrent of intense flames burst from his mouth, rapidly expanding and shaping into a massive wall of incandescent fire. The flames roared with overwhelming ferocity, their colors shifting between vivid red and white, as the intense heat made the air around them shimmer.
The wall of fire was so vast it seemed to consume the horizon, advancing with relentless force toward Isobu.
The Three-Tailed Beast, surprised by the scale and intensity of the attack, reacted instinctively. With a powerful movement of its spiked tails and its body, Isobu manipulated the surrounding seawater roughly, raising a water barrier that surged like a colossal wave to contain the flames.
However, the heat of Ryu's flames was extreme, a fusion of natural chakra and his own power. When the fire collided with the water, the sea instantly began to boil. Clouds of thick, hot steam rose like white curtains, momentarily obscuring both their views. The sound of the impact echoed like thunder, and the air became thick with suffocating humidity.
"You're strong, Isobu, but that won't be enough!" Ryu thought, intensifying his chakra even further.
The water barrier began to give way, evaporating rapidly under the relentless heat of the flames. The fire attack struck Isobu directly, the flames licking the creature's hard shell and causing a deep roar of pain and fury that reverberated across the battlefield.
Konan, watching from the shore, shielded her eyes from the blinding light of the flames. "That power..." she murmured, impressed by the magnitude of Ryu's attack.
Isobu recoiled slightly, its tails thrashing furiously as it tried to recover. Its shell was partially scorched, and the water around it seemed even more agitated, as if the sea itself felt the beast's pain.
Ryu landed lightly on the water's surface, his eyes fixed on the creature. "Do you still want to fight?" he asked, his voice carrying a mix of challenge and confidence.
Isobu's roar echoed like thunder, and a powerful shockwave was released from its body.
Boom!
The impact reverberated across the coast, causing the sea's surface to stir violently, creating chaotic waves crashing into each other. The intensity of the shockwave was enough to displace the air around and forced Ryu to act quickly.
Leaping with agility, he performed the tiger hand seal mid-air, his golden eyes glowing with focus. "Lightning Style: Thunder Arrow!"
A powerful electric current began to form in his hand, crackling and popping like miniature thunder. The energy condensed, taking the shape of a sharp arrow composed entirely of pulsating lightning. The bluish glow of the technique illuminated the area, contrasting with the tumultuous sea below.
Ryu launched the arrow with flawless precision, and it cut through the air like lightning, striking the water head-on. The impact was instantaneous. Lightning spread through the sea like electric serpents, creating a spectacle of light and energy as the electrical current expanded, reaching Isobu.
However, the anticipated impact did not occur. The Three-Tails Beast appeared completely unshaken, its hard shell and natural affinity with water nullifying much of the attack. Isobu tilted its colossal head slightly, as if mocking Ryu's effort.
"Dammit, damn hard shell," Ryu thought, grinding his teeth in frustration. He landed once again on the undulating surface of the sea, taking a deep breath as he adjusted his strategy.
Konan, still watching from the shore, furrowed her brow slightly. "He's testing her limits..." she murmured to herself, realizing that Ryu wasn't just attacking blindly but was assessing the creature's weaknesses.
Isobu, in turn, appeared more aggressive. Its tails began to move in synchrony, creating even larger whirlpools in the sea. The tension between the two opponents grew, each trying to outmaneuver the other.
Ryu raised a hand, feeling the natural energy around him. 'If brute force doesn't work, then it's time to use my head,' he thought, preparing his next move. He knew he would face a challenge, but he also knew that every technique brought him closer to victory.
Ryu smiled as he noticed he had caused visible damage to Isobu's shell. He wasted no time and quickly formed another hand seal, determination stamped on his face.
"Now let's try this again!"
With the Ox seal, he channeled an immense amount of natural energy into his body, feeling the power of Sage Mode coursing through his veins like a controlled storm.
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"
He manipulated the air around him, condensing and shaping it into several sharp wind scythes. The invisible blades cut at high speed, striking directly at Isobu's shell. Each hit reverberated with force, lightly cracking the rigid surface of the Three-Tails' shell.
'Finally...' Ryu thought, a triumphant smile curling his lips. But he knew it still wasn't enough.
Without losing momentum, he began a new sequence of hand seals, moving his fingers with precision and speed.
"Sage Art: White Extreme Technique!"
With a controlled roar, Ryu opened his mouth and expelled an entity that took the form of a brilliant dragon. The creature slithered through the air, carrying a glowing orb in its front paw. The dragon spun around the orb, compressing it until a blinding light and deafening sound exploded simultaneously.
The intense brightness illuminated the entire area, reflecting off the churning waters and creating an almost celestial sight. The sound, on the other hand, was like the scream of nature itself, capable of paralyzing any being with its overwhelming vibrations.
sobu roared in agony. Its movements became erratic, as if trying to protect itself from the overwhelming force of the light and sound waves. The Three-Tails Beast tried to escape by submerging into the sea, but Ryu was one step ahead.
"You're not going anywhere!" he declared, with a cold confidence in his voice.
"Sage Art: Hidden Prison!"
Harnessing the air infused with natural energy, Ryu summoned snakes made of wind, invisible serpents that moved with lethal precision. They coiled around Isobu's massive body, binding its tails and limbs with crushing force.
The sea churned violently as the Bijuu struggled to break free, but the snakes maintained an unrelenting grip, preventing any movement.
"This should hold him," Ryu murmured, his golden eyes still glowing as he watched the trapped creature.
Konan, who stood on the shore watching, remained silent. Her eyes reflected surprise and a hint of admiration for Ryu's methodical strength. He not only mastered devastating techniques but also displayed impressive strategic skill.
"Isobu..." Ryu whispered, his voice sharp. "Now you will be sealed."
The Three-Tails roared, and a black and purple glow began to pulse from its mouth. It was unmistakable: a Bijūdama was rapidly forming. The waves of energy radiating from the condensed chakra sphere were so intense that the very air around seemed to vibrate, creating a deafening hum.
"What?!" The thought shot through Ryu's mind, his eyes wide as he felt the crushing pressure of the attack. "This is literally a point-blank strike!"
He had no time for complex strategies or evasions. The speed of the Bijūdama left no room for anything but pure instinct. With an explosion of chakra in his feet, he anchored himself to the unstable surface of the water to gain stability.
Ryu crossed his arms in front of his face, forming an improvised barrier with his own body as he channeled as much Senjutsu energy as possible to reinforce his defense. The light of the Bijūdama grew exponentially until his vision was consumed by a blinding flash.
Boom!
The impact was devastating. The resulting explosion seemed to swallow the world around it. A colossal shockwave swept through the area, raising a wall of water that reached the sky. The deafening sound of the impact reverberated like incessant thunder, shaking the ocean itself.
Ryu was thrown back with force, his body passing through several layers of water before finally stabilizing. His white Sage Mode scales shone, cracked in some places due to the force of the attack, while smoke rose from his arms still raised in a defensive stance.
He coughed, expelling a bit of blood that had risen to his throat, but his golden eyes remained fixed on Isobu. There was pain, of course, but also determination.
"That... was intense," he murmured, feeling the weight of the impact in every fiber of his body. The sea around him was still turbulent, with violent waves resulting from the explosion. Even so, Ryu stood firm on the water's surface, his chakra stabilizing him.
The smoke began to dissipate, revealing Isobu, who watched closely. The Bijuu seemed pleased with itself, but there was something in Ryu's golden eyes that made it hesitate.
"If you think this is going to stop me..." Ryu murmured, straightening as the natural chakra around him began to gather again. "...you're gravely mistaken."
Isobu roared again, and a new Bijūdama began to form. This one was even larger than the previous, its intense glow illuminating the sky and the water around. The pressure was overwhelming, and the density of chakra emanated a palpable sense of danger.
Ryu felt the impact of losing his most powerful techniques. The Inorganic Reincarnation, the White Extreme Technique, and the Hidden Prison had all dissolved, their connections to natural energy severed as he fell into an incomplete state of the Sage Mode of the Snakes. The physical damage had caused temporary impairment to his ability to passively absorb natural energy — in other words, he had been hit by a Bijūdama and was still alive, which was the minimum amount of damage.
The white scales covering his body began to fall off, drifting like flakes onto the turbulent surface of the sea. The purple pigmentation around his eyes had almost disappeared, making his appearance more human and less beast-like. The horns that once adorned his forehead were cracked and broken, falling with a muffled sound.
Ryu felt the weight of the battle pressing down on his body, each movement more difficult than the last.
'Without using the Rinnegan, I'm a little weaker than a Bijū...' He clenched his fists, frustration burning in his mind. 'I need to get stronger. I can't keep relying on the Rinnegan to face opponents like this.'
As he pondered, his eyes began to change. The activation of the Rinnegan was inevitable. The iconic pattern of concentric circles spread across his irises, but this time, there was something different. The energy of the Sage Mode of the Snakes, even incomplete, tinged the Rinnegan with an intense golden glow, as if an improbable fusion of divine and natural power.
The new Bijūdama was fired. The sky seemed to darken momentarily as the colossal sphere of chakra moved at high speed, an unstoppable force intended to obliterate everything in its path.
Ryu extended his hand, his golden Rinnegan shining brightly as he absorbed the colossal Bijūdama of Isobu. The sphere, charged with enough energy to devastate kilometers around, was completely consumed in a few seconds. A wave of energy coursed through Ryu's body, causing small ripples in the water around him as he remained still, unwavering.
Isobu's eyes widened in disbelief. That hypnotic pattern, the concentric circles and the aura emanating from Ryu... He recognized that power. 'The eyes of the Sage of Six Paths...' thought the Bijuu. 'But... it's not Hagoromo.'
Before Isobu could react, Ryu moved swiftly, crouching and placing a firm hand on the surface of the sea. His chakra surged intensely, and he chanted with a voice full of determination:
"Summoning Jutsu... Gedō Mazō!"
A deep, reverberating sound filled the area, like muffled thunder.
BOOF!
A column of gray smoke rose into the sky, and from within it emerged the colossal Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Gedō Mazō).
The sight was breathtaking: a titanic humanoid figure, mummified and made of a material that resembled stone but radiated an aura of malevolence and power. Its body, resembling a cloak, was covered in thorny protrusions that rose mainly on its back. Its eyes were closed, yet the statue's presence exuded a deep, almost instinctual fear.
Isobu recognized the entity immediately. The Gedō Mazō... The memory of his connection to that dark artifact hit him like a tide. This was the vessel that his former master, Hagoromo, had used to seal the Tailed Beasts. Terror overtook the Bijuu.
"I won't let you capture me again!" roared Isobu, his voice thundering across the waters. The giant turtle began to move, trying to retreat, but it was too late
The chakra chains emitted by the Gedō Mazō shot out like ravenous snakes, glowing with a sinister light. They surged forward quickly, wrapping around the colossal body of Isobu. The chains were relentless, tightening with a force that even Isobu's shell could not fully withstand.
The Bijuu roared, thrashing in a frenzy of desperate attempts to free itself. The waves created by the violent movements of its body were immense, threatening to flood the coastlines. But the chains held their grip, pulling Isobu toward the Gedō Mazō.
Ryu, standing on the water, watched with an impassive gaze, though his golden eyes gleamed with the determination of a predator.
"Isobu, you will become part of something greater," he declared, his voice low but filled with authority. "And this time, you will serve a purpose that transcends chaos and destruction."
Isobu let out one last roar, his chakra vibrating like an ancestral lament as he was dragged closer to the statue. The Gedō Mazō seemed to come to life, moving subtly, its fangs ready to seal the fate of the Bijū.
Isobu roared with all his might, his chakra waves vibrating like a final act of resistance. The sea around them thrashed violently, creating whirlpools and waves that slammed against the shore with fury. But despite his titanic effort, the chakra chains of the Gedō Mazō were relentless.
With one final movement, the colossal three-tailed turtle was pulled into the mouth of the statue. The immense jaws opened, revealing an abyssal void that seemed to suck in all the light around it. The chains pulled Isobu inside, and with a deep rumble, the mouth of the Gedō Mazō closed, completing the capture.
Silence enveloped the area, broken only by the sound of the still-turbulent sea and the whispers of the wind. Isobu was sealed within the belly of the Gedō Mazō, his massive energy now confined within the dark receptacle.
Ryu relaxed his shoulders, the intense glow of his golden Rinnegan beginning to fade as he took a deep breath. His body was exhausted, the battle and overuse of chakra taking their toll. Still, he stood firm, staring at the immense statue before dispelling it with a quick hand seal. The Gedō Mazō vanished in a burst of smoke, returning to its dimension.
He walked calmly over the churning waters, each step restoring part of his composure and balance. Upon reaching solid ground, Ryu let out another sigh, feeling the weight of yet another victory.
Konan was waiting for him, arms crossed and a serious expression on her face. Despite that, there was a glimmer of respect in her eyes. "You did it," she said simply, but her voice carried a note of relief.
Ryu just nodded, his expression tired but satisfied. He sat on the edge of the shore for a moment, letting the smaller waves touch his feet. With his gaze fixed on the horizon, he whispered to himself, "One step closer to what we need to achieve. It's still the beginning... but we will get there."
Konan approached silently, her presence always a constant at his side.