******************
I'm picking my next translation project and I want YOU to decide — seven unclaimed novels are up for a vote on my Patreon right now. Go check them out!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/155715184
******************
Looking at the massive Tailed Beast, Ryōsuke felt a surge of inspiration.
'Those four long legs should be able to run quite fast.'
Even if he didn't strictly need the speed, it would still save a lot of effort.
Haku still practiced taijutsu occasionally and could manage long journeys with him and Zabuza.
However, Fū was even younger and likely hadn't even begun formal ninja training yet, so she was finding the pace a bit grueling.
With this creature, traveling would be much more convenient.
Of course, what he needed to do now was establish a summoning contract with it.
Back when the Nine-Tails attacked the Leaf Village, Obito had summoned it. Ryōsuke realized that even if he couldn't seal the beast, he could still summon it.
The prerequisite for the Summoning Jutsu was signing a blood contract with the creature.
It was actually quite simple; he just needed to press the Tailed Beast's blood onto a contract scroll along with his own.
He assumed a Tailed Beast would have its own blood.
He drew a small knife and stabbed the creature's foot.
Sure enough, a peculiar fluid leaked out—it wasn't the typical red blood of a human.
'It actually has blood.'
However, he was still a bit troubled.
He hadn't brought a contract scroll with him.
It was a bit frustrating. He hadn't expected that even with three Sealing Bottles, it wouldn't be enough.
He had actually ended up in the Land of Earth to seal another Tailed Beast.
Just as he was mulling it over, Zabuza walked up to him.
"God King, I have a contract scroll here."
Having observed the God King's actions, Zabuza realized he wanted to establish a summoning contract.
Ryōsuke reached out and took the scroll Zabuza offered.
"It's a good thing you brought one."
He cut his right hand and pressed it onto the scroll while also letting the beast's blood drip onto it.
Once the blood dried, he could store it and summon the Five-Tails whenever he wished.
The summoning process was straightforward: mold chakra, perform the hand signs, and the creature would appear.
As long as the beast wasn't sealed again, it could be summoned under most circumstances—though it might fail if the target resisted.
But that wasn't an issue. He could simply keep the beast under a genjutsu to ensure it followed his commands.
Zabuza watched as the God King completed the contract.
He was pleased that the scroll he had carried on a whim turned out to be useful to the God King.
Haku stared at the massive Five-Tails. Its white fur looked incredibly soft; she wondered how comfortable it would be to ride.
Fū's focus was elsewhere. While she also thought the beast was huge and fierce, she was more concerned about the person.
Looking at the man in red armor who, like her, was a Jinchūriki, she asked the God King with concern, "God King, is he still alive?"
The God King had mentioned before that he had a way to extract a Tailed Beast without killing the host. As a Jinchūriki herself, she was naturally invested in this.
Ryōsuke looked at Fū and replied.
"Of course he is. He's still breathing, just very weak."
Extracting Tailed Beast chakra did drain some life force, but that could usually be recovered with proper rest and care.
Especially since this man's body seemed quite robust.
Of course, his recovery will likely take a significant amount of time.
With a small amount of Tailed Beast energy remaining in his body, it was uncertain if he could ever tap into that power again.
In the history of the shinobi world, the Gold and Silver Brothers of the Cloud Village were famous monsters who possessed Tailed Beast chakra.
They were heroes to some in the Cloud, but also its greatest traitors.
They were the vicious criminals responsible for the deaths of both the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage.
If the Second Hokage hadn't died back then, the Uchiha Clan likely wouldn't have been so heavily suppressed by Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō.
Because those two lacked both overwhelming martial power and sophisticated political finesse, they viewed the Uchiha's strength as a threat beyond their control.
They never stopped to consider that their own power made them just as dangerous in the eyes of others.
Of course, since both the Third and Danzō were dead by his hand now, it didn't matter.
The Gold and Silver Brothers had gained such strength because they had been swallowed by the Nine-Tails and survived by eating its flesh, thereby acquiring its chakra.
He didn't know if Han would end up like them, but it didn't really matter either way.
After all, the Tailed Beast itself was now in his hands.
Fū watched the Jinchūriki on the ground intently. His stomach was indeed rising and falling; he was definitely breathing. She finally relaxed.
The God King was right.
Even after the beast was removed, the host wouldn't die.
Beside her, Haku spoke up with interest.
"God King, can I pet this white beast? Its fur looks so soft."
Ryōsuke nodded.
With the beast currently under his control, it posed no threat.
He could even command it to fight for him if needed.
Haku walked over and curiously touched the fur. It was incredibly soft, so much so that she couldn't help but lean her head against it.
Fū followed suit, pressing her head into the fur with a blissful expression.
At that moment, Zabuza spoke.
"God King, I will head out immediately to find the whereabouts of the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Rōshi."
Given that the God King already knew the status of the Jinchūriki, the other one was likely outside the village as well.
Ryōsuke nodded.
"Go ahead."
"Before you leave, please drop this Jinchūriki off at that town we just passed. Find someone to look after him so he doesn't die."
"Understood, God King."
Zabuza immediately picked up Han, the Five-Tails Jinchūriki, and headed toward the town.
The previous battle had clearly caught the attention of some townspeople, but they only dared to watch from a distance, afraid to approach.
A battle of this scale meant certain death for anyone who got too close.
Ryōsuke looked at the two children enjoying the Five-Tails' fur. "Let's go. We're leaving."
Fū and Haku looked up, confused.
"God King, are we leaving the beast here?"
They were at a loss; logically, the beast should have been sealed into a container, not just left in the open.
Ryōsuke chuckled.
"Don't worry, it won't stay here. I just want to get a bit further away before I test out the Summoning Jutsu."
