Bunpuku carefully examined the young man before him, noting the seriousness in his expression when it came to the Seven-Tails.
However, when he heard the name "Chōmei," he was momentarily taken aback before letting out a small laugh.
"So the Seven-Tails' name is Chōmei?"
"Just like the One-Tail, it has a name. As expected, every Tailed Beast has its own name."
"It took me half a lifetime to learn that the One-Tail is called Shukaku."
But unlike Kazuyama, his understanding of Shukaku was far too shallow.
Aside from its name and personality, he knew almost nothing about it—let alone trying to win it over with love.
"Goodbye, old monk."
With a single slash, Bunpuku's inner world was cut down.
Blood spread across the water beneath their feet.
Yet even in his final moments, Bunpuku's thoughts lingered. He murmured, "Shukaku... if possible... find the love that will protect you..."
Kazuyama heard these words and scoffed in disdain.
"Love? That's not for Tailed Beasts, monk."
"What Tailed Beasts need is understanding, respect, and recognition."
As Bunpuku perished, his inner world began to collapse. Kazuyama turned away without hesitation and walked off.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, time resumed its flow.
Shukaku, still trapped by Chōmei, suddenly froze as his overwhelming presence rapidly faded.
"How... how is this happening?"
"Chōmei, what did you do?!"
The sensation of his power slipping away infuriated Shukaku, but he was powerless to stop it. Even regenerating his body was becoming a struggle.
"Shukaku, you and your Jinchūriki will never achieve true perfection—he can't help you."
"But I'm different. Kazuyama and I are one. We complement each other. Even if my combat ability is weaker, he more than makes up for it."
"Your Jinchūriki has already been slain in his inner world. Just an old monk—do you think he could withstand the mental collapse?"
"When a Jinchūriki dies, you are forced back into slumber. This battle is ours, Shukaku!"
Chōmei's excitement surged, his growing power reflecting his exhilaration.
For years, he had fought against other Tailed Beasts and had lost far more often than he had won.
Aside from a rare victory or two, he had always been the one on the losing end.
But today—today, he had finally experienced his own growth.
So what if he lacked conventional attacks? As long as he followed the teachings of Kazuyama, it didn't matter how many tails his opponent had—he had the confidence to take them on.
Just look at Shukaku now, crushed beneath him.
"Old monk..."
"Damn you, Chōmei! Even if you've won, don't think I'll let you have it easy!"
"This is my last bit of strength—I'll take you down with me into the desert!"
At first, Shukaku refused to believe the news of the old monk's death.
But as his own power continued to dissipate and his calls went unanswered, he was forced to accept reality—Bunpuku had indeed perished in their mental clash.
Letting out a furious roar, Shukaku summoned all the surrounding sand into a violent surge.
At the same time, his massive body began to collapse, turning into a whirlpool of flowing sand that threatened to drag Chōmei into its depths.
Just as he had said—this was his final act of defiance.
"You wish! I'm not like you—I've got plenty of strength. Go play in the sand by yourself, you stinking tanuki!"
Chōmei wasn't about to humor him. His six massive wings suddenly spread wide, and with sheer force, he blasted through the surrounding sand.
Shukaku glared at Chōmei soaring in the sky, unwilling to accept defeat. He cursed again, shouting,
"You damned insect! This isn't over!"
"I'll only be asleep for a few years at most. When I wake up, I swear I'll come after you for revenge!"
Before Chōmei could respond, Kazuyama spoke up instead.
"Heh, Shukaku, have you really forgotten your own situation?"
"You're Sunagakure's Tailed Beast. Even if you fall into slumber here, Sunagakure will come looking for you."
"When that happens, someone else will become your Jinchūriki, and you'll still be bound. Tell me, how exactly do you plan to settle the score with us?"
"Or are you saying you have no dignity at all—that just anyone can be your Jinchūriki?"
A simple yet effective taunt.
Especially against someone as short-tempered as Shukaku.
Enraged, Shukaku didn't even stop to think before snapping back,
"You little brat! You think just anyone can be my Jinchūriki? Dream on!"
"Just you wait! I'll regain my freedom, and when I do, I'll crush both of you in this desert!"
"Even if the Sage of Six Paths himself shows up, it won't change a damn thing—I said so!"
As the quicksand spread, Shukaku's body was already halfway buried. It was clear—his time awake was running out.
But neither Chōmei nor Kazuyama were fazed by his threats. In fact, they both smiled.
Then, in perfect unison, they shouted,
"We'll be waiting!"
Finally, Shukaku was completely swallowed by the golden sands, returning once more to his slumber.
"...Damn! That was satisfying as hell!"
"Kazuyama, your combat strategy was spot on. You should never fight head-on!"
"A sneak attack is always the best move! Hahaha!"
Chōmei reveled in his victory, his enormous form soaring through the sky.
For years—no, centuries—the Nine Tailed Beasts had existed. And for just as long, Seven-Tails Chōmei had never had it easy.
He was either getting beaten up by one of them or bullied by another, and when he couldn't fight back, he'd rely on flying away to escape.
Aside from himself, only Two-Tails Matatabi had never beaten him. Even Five-Tails Kokuō had roughed him up a few times.
But that was all in the past.
Why, you ask?
Because Chōmei had figured it out.
And more importantly, he had the best Jinchūriki partner—his brother, Kazuyama Gekkō.
One-on-one, he wasn't the strongest.
But two-on-two? He was absolutely confident.
"Alright, Chōmei, enough flying around. Time to land."
"The battle's over. Let's go have some fun in the Land of Earth."
"No need to head back to the village just yet—going back too soon might raise suspicions."
Kazuyama quickly analyzed the current situation. With Shukaku out of the picture, Orochimaru would definitely be able to hold off Sunagakure's attack.
After all, the Konoha forces still stationed there weren't weak.
"Tch, you could've just told me which direction to go."
"There's no one out here anyway—I'll just fly straight there!"
Chōmei was enjoying himself too much to go back so soon. Why not have a little fun first?
Kazuyama looked around at the vast, empty desert and decided there was no harm in it.
"Just keep flying north. Stay alert, and if you spot anyone, avoid them immediately."
"We can't afford to leave any traces behind."