"Damn human! Hmph! Come hit me if you can!"
"Come on! I'm sticking my butt out just for you!"
Inside the sealed space, Shukaku had completely lost all restraint.
It circled around Kai again and again, showing off shamelessly from every direction.
Its plump, round backside swayed exaggeratedly from side to side. Even its thick tail stood high in the air from sheer pride.
The face that had been shattered earlier from the beating had already repaired itself. Now it was busy making ridiculous expressions.
Every black rune on its body—
Every grain of brown sand—
Seemed to scream the same phrase:
Petty villain reveling in success.
At one point, carried away with pride, Shukaku even raised a massive claw and slapped its own belly.
Thump! Thump!
The sound was deep and heavy.
"Hehehe! See that?! This is what happens when you anger the strongest tailed beast!"
"Desert Layered Grand Burial Seal! Sand Release, Magnet Release, and sealing runes—none of them can be missing! Sure, it took a while to prepare, but you idiot didn't notice a thing! Hahahaha!"
"Now stay in there and reflect on your mistakes, meow-hahaha!"
"You'll never escape! I'm going to keep you sealed in there for the rest of your life! Hahaha!"
Its two huge claws rested on its hips as it laughed toward the sky.
Its jagged mouth opened wide enough to swallow ten pigs in a single bite.
It wanted to laugh out every grain of humiliation that had built up earlier.
The shame of being pinned down and beaten.
The pain of having its head smashed apart.
Everything had to be washed away!
Soon its mind began wandering even further.
Maybe… I should make a little sand whip later and smack that guy through the seal?
You whipped me earlier—now it's only fair if I whip you back!
The thought made Shukaku increasingly excited.
Staring at the pyramid seal—bigger even than itself—its raccoon-like face flushed slightly.
Meanwhile, inside the pyramid.
In the oppressive darkness beneath the crushing weight of golden sand, a lone figure stood silently.
Kai.
The reason he hadn't immediately broken out was simple.
[Conversation with One-Tail Shukaku for ten minutes. Attempting trait replication.]
[Replication successful. Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the Epic Trait: Magnet Release Mastery (Purple).]
[Unique tailed-beast ability. Allows control over Magnet Release.]
Because of this notification, Kai had refrained from immediately stepping out and slapping that smug face of Shukaku's.
"Magnet Release…"
"So this is the Sand Village's Kekkei Genkai?"
"Would it work like Magneto's power?"
He extended a finger.
Chakra flowed out from his body, circling his fingertip.
There, barely visible, was a faint magnetic fluctuation—originating from the same golden sand surrounding him, yet subtly different.
In that instant, Kai felt as if Magnet Release had always existed within his body.
"As expected… kind of like a weakened version of Magneto."
He murmured quietly.
Inside the sealed pyramid, the sound could barely travel.
Yet he could clearly sense the golden sand everywhere within the space.
Every grain.
Every particle.
And he had the strange feeling that with a simple wave of his hand—
He could pull away the very sand Shukaku was so proud of.
The golden sand infused with countless sealing runes.
This so-called sealing pyramid…
Was nothing more than a fragile structure made of playing cards.
Ready to collapse at any moment.
Outside.
Shukaku was still wiggling its butt proudly while shouting loudly.
"Huh? Why did you stop talking? Weren't you the one who kept wanting to chat earlier?"
"Oh! Right! I almost forgot—inside my sealing technique you probably can't even speak!"
"Hahahahaha! Foolish human brat! Regretting it now? Didn't you know villains die from talking too much—gah?!"
Suddenly—
The laughter stopped.
Shukaku stared at the pyramid in front of it.
Its mouth slowly opened.
But its throat felt as though an invisible hand had seized it.
No words came out.
Hummm…
Hummmm…
A deep, unsettling vibration echoed through the sealed space.
And it came from only one place.
The pyramid.
The supposedly indestructible pyramid sealing Uchiha Kai.
"GAAAH!!!"
In the next second, Shukaku finally screamed.
Its voice cracked from pure terror.
The black sealing runes on the pyramid—those tadpole-like symbols that swam across the surface—
Suddenly began moving.
Like whales diving into water.
They rushed inward.
Disappearing.
"Wait! Wait! I didn't activate the sealing power, did I?!"
Shukaku panicked.
It even stretched out both hands, trying desperately to stop the runes.
Its powerful chakra burst forth completely.
But when it tried to control the runes—
It discovered something horrifying.
They wouldn't listen.
"Wait—wait! Aren't you my sealing power?! Aren't you my Magnet Release?!"
Shukaku was completely dumbfounded.
Soon it sat on the ground, slapping its thighs in despair.
For the first time in its life, it felt like the entire ninja world had conspired against it.
The great Lord Shukaku…
Couldn't even control its own power anymore!
Rustle.
Rustle rustle.
Soon, countless grains of black sand poured out like a dark waterfall.
Ignoring the pyramid.
Ignoring the sealing chakra.
They were simply pulled away.
The black sand gathered together, forming a twisting stream that floated in the air.
Without its core sealing power, the once-mighty pyramid immediately dimmed.
Crack.
Crack-crack.
Spiderweb-like fractures began spreading across its surface.
The sight pushed Shukaku to the brink.
"No! Impossible!"
"My power! That's my sealing power!"
"You can't take it—meow! Meow!"
It stretched out a massive claw, trying to grab the black sand.
But all it caught—
Was empty air.
Then—
BOOM!!!
The pyramid finally collapsed.
Golden sand rained down everywhere.
At the center of the falling sand stood a single figure.
Kai.
Uchiha Kai.
Not even his clothes were disturbed.
As if the collapsing pyramid and raging sandstorm had nothing to do with him.
"Th-that…!"
Seeing clearly now, Shukaku's tiny eyes shrank to pinpoints.
Kai casually raised his arm.
His fingers spread slightly.
The stream of black sand that Shukaku could not control—
The sand infused with powerful sealing energy—
Now floated obediently above Kai's palm.
Like a coiling black dragon.
"One-Tail… Shukaku of the Sand?"
Kai slowly closed his fingers and looked up calmly.
His gaze fell upon the completely stunned Shukaku.
His eyes were utterly calm.
As if he were looking at a lifeless object.
A chill swept through Shukaku's entire body.
Its legs went weak.
With a loud plop, the giant tailed beast fell to its knees.
"I'm sorry, my lord… I was wrong."
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