After using Flying Thunder God several times, Namikaze Minato returned to the shrine at Sabaku Port carrying Bunpuku's corpse.
Once he formed the hand seals and notified the leader, a figure instantly flickered into existence beside the shrine.
Minato lifted his Wind Calamity Mask slightly and said, "Lord Thunder, I've already destroyed Sunagakure's Tailed Beast transfer seal."
Minato thought to himself that the shrines of the Three Gods Faith weren't just usable by the leader—other members of the organization could also make use of them through secret techniques. In other words, the entire force of the Three Gods Faith could be rapidly deployed beside any shrine.
That made it a system of enormous strategic value.
"Good. Just as expected of the young man I took notice of."
Yako glanced at Bunpuku's corpse lying on the ground.
This monk had been a Jinchūriki truly acknowledged by Shukaku.
In terms of inner cultivation, Bunpuku's state of mind far surpassed that of most other Jinchūriki.
More than thirty years of steadfast endurance, without turbulence or struggle, quietly serving as a Jinchūriki with neither anger nor joy, neither resentment nor hatred—it was incredibly rare.
Only Killer B in later years, someone born with a kind of natural dullness who never overthought anything, had come close to reaching that same state by a different path.
A pity, though.
Bunpuku still had an attachment.
That attachment was Sunagakure.
And where there was attachment, there was weakness.
Yako said, "Wind, your mission is complete. Head back to the village. Fire and I will handle the rest."
"Understood, Lord Thunder."
Minato vanished with Flying Thunder God.
Yako did the same, taking Bunpuku's corpse with him.
When he reappeared, he was already inside the ANBU base.
He pressed the mechanism on his desk, summoning Purple Cat from the office next door.
"Purple Cat, use your Yamanaka clan secret art to extract this monk's memories before death."
Purple Cat saw the corpse of a long-bearded old monk lying on the floor and asked, "Is there any particular intelligence I should focus on?"
"Yes. This monk was Sunagakure's Jinchūriki, Bunpuku. Focus on the sealing techniques related to the Tailed Beast," Yako said. "This monk knew a powerful sealing art that could seal a Tailed Beast into a tea kettle. I need that technique."
"I understand."
Purple Cat crouched down and pressed a hand against Bunpuku's forehead, beginning to read his memories.
Purple Cat's strength had also improved rapidly over the years. She no longer needed to rely on the Yamanaka clan's specialized helmets and other equipment and could read memories directly.
An hour and a half later, she slowly stood up.
Seeing her sway, Yako quickly stepped forward and caught her.
"What is it? Are your legs numb from crouching too long?"
He casually began massaging her legs.
They were warm and smooth beneath his hands, and the sensation was almost too pleasant.
"N-no... it's not that my legs are numb."
Yako stopped.
Then Purple Cat said, "Keep going. Don't stop, Fox-sama..."
Hearing the strain in her voice, Yako continued massaging her legs while removing her mask.
Purple Cat's normally pale face was covered in cold sweat, making her seem even more drained.
After taking a few minutes to recover, she finally spoke.
"Fox-sama... this monk's life was incredibly, unbearably lonely.
I read his memories. Day after day, year after year, he spent almost all of his time sitting in that prison, carefully guarding the seal.
Only in the first few years did a little Tailed Beast chakra leak out. After that, for thirty straight years, it was as though the Tailed Beast chakra had vanished completely.
That loneliness... it was like staring at a perfectly still, endless surface of water.
It was terrifying."
The Yamanaka clan could read the memories of the dead, but they used that ability with great caution.
Watching another person's life unfold in full detail could bring such overwhelming understanding that it sometimes shattered the minds of Yamanaka shinobi whose will was not strong enough.
Purple Cat's life and Bunpuku's spiritual state were worlds apart. Merely observing his life had left her unable to recover for a long time.
Yako said, "Bunpuku's desolation isn't something you can talk your way out of. But I know how to help you."
He picked Purple Cat up and carried her toward the side changing room.
Twenty minutes later, Purple Cat clung tightly to Fox, trembling.
"Feel any better?"
She kissed her way up his neck.
"Not really. Maybe halfway better."
Then she kissed her way back down his neck.
Half an hour later, Purple Cat finally drove out that suffocating desolation in a flush of heat.
The dust of mortal life was the best cure for emptiness.
After getting dressed again, Purple Cat began reporting the important information.
"The Tea Kettle Seal was developed jointly by the Second Kazekage and Bunpuku," she said. "The Second Kazekage was like Konoha's Second Hokage—an extraordinary genius who developed many jutsu.
This Tea Kettle Seal was designed specifically for the One-Tail, Shukaku.
The One-Tail's body carries many sealing curse marks. Its chakra itself naturally possesses sealing properties. The tea kettle contains many seal formulas, all designed specifically around the One-Tail."
Yako nodded.
Once Purple Cat finished writing out the sealing technique onto a scroll, he studied it carefully and found that it was actually quite difficult to learn.
After sealing away Bunpuku's corpse, Yako said, "Purple Cat, I'm heading out for a few days. While I'm gone, you handle mission assignment and intake."
Watching Fox vanish, Purple Cat felt a trace of melancholy.
Seriously...
She hadn't fully shaken off that same thirty-year desolation yet, and Fox was already leaving.
Still, when she thought of how Fox-sama was preparing for the coming shinobi war, she had no choice but to push her longing down.
Out in the desert, Yako pulled Pakura into his arms and gently stroked her smooth back.
"I'm here, Pakura."
"You should call me Fire Calamity. My codename in the organization is Fire."
"All right, all right, Fire Calamity. I'm here."
Yako had already carved a Flying Thunder God formula onto Pakura's body. He could come to her side whenever he wished.
"How are things now?"
Pakura said, "Kazekage Rasa's transfer seal failed. The Jinchūriki died, and Shukaku fled deep into the desert.
Once Shukaku buries itself in the sand, it's very hard to track.
Not only that, it also took the Bunpuku Tea Kettle with it to prevent Sunagakure from sealing it back inside."
Yako handed her a scroll.
"Don't worry about that yet. Learn this sealing technique first.
Honestly, it's better that Shukaku took the kettle. That saves us the trouble of stealing it from Rasa.
Once you find Shukaku, seal it yourself and claim the kettle. At that point, you'll effectively become a Jinchūriki.
Bunpuku sealed Shukaku too well, so no one in Sunagakure has ever actually practiced the Tea Kettle Seal in the field.
Once your position rises, join forces with Chiyo and stop Rasa from dragging Sunagakure into the mud of war.
You may not understand the full extent of Konoha's strength, but you do know Sunagakure's.
Sunagakure is too weak. It really shouldn't act recklessly."
Pakura pursed her lips.
"Even if I know Sunagakure is weak, hearing someone say it out loud still stings.
As for the shinobi world war... Sunagakure absolutely cannot afford to stick its neck out first. Advisor Chiyo said she's afraid Konoha will pick the softest target first and strike Sunagakure."
She opened the scroll and began studying the sealing technique.
Yako sat beside her, explaining it as he idly stroked her beautiful back.
The more he explained, the more Pakura's eyes changed, growing soft and watery.
The moment Yako noticed the look in her eyes, his heart tightened.
He had just been through two rounds helping Purple Cat purge Bunpuku's desolation, and now he was going to have to go again?
Strength couldn't stop growing.
From his lovers to his little ninth, if he wasn't strong enough, how was he supposed to keep up?
"Wood Release: Kage-Level Suite Technique!"
Wood Release rose out of the remote desert, forming a luxurious house.
With one hand still resting on Pakura's smooth back, Yako guided her inside.