Pakura lay at the edge of the large bed formed from Wood Release, staring in despair as she realized—Fox's strength was overwhelming in every aspect.
"Weren't you going to teach the little fox a lesson? What's wrong? Don't you like pretty things anymore?"
Yako grabbed her ankle and pulled her back just as she tried to escape.
"Looks like it's time for some special training. Your strength is too weak…"
Hearing the word training, Pakura felt both anticipation… and a faint dread about whether she could even endure it.
A while later, her expectations shattered—Fox really was giving her proper training.
She stared at the hollow diamond-shaped seal on the back of her hand.
"Fox… what is this?"
Eight lines of curse markings formed a cross pattern, with a diamond-shaped seal layered over it.
"This is a seal I developed—the Diamond Seal," Yako explained.
"I once created a technique called the Ten Seal. It stored chakra that could fully release five techniques.
This one builds on that, incorporating a Four Symbols Seal. It becomes the Diamond Seal.
The chakra stored inside can fully power ten techniques."
He continued:
"Your base strength is around elite jonin level.
That means you can unleash ten full-power elite-jonin-level techniques.
At a critical moment, that reserve can completely turn the tide. It's your trump card."
Yako had already replaced the seals of his trusted Anbu subordinates—White Ram, Antelope, Leaf Monkey—with this upgraded version.
He went on:
"By repeatedly using large amounts of your own chakra to stimulate your body, you force it to recover from micro-damage and gradually push past its limits.
Elite jonin isn't your ceiling.
Your Scorch Release is extremely powerful—almost overpowered.
As long as your chakra keeps up, you'll reach Kage level soon."
Pakura stared at her hand, astonished.
This seal could store chakra… and also enhance physical limits?
"So… if I can normally create four Scorch Release fireballs… with this, I could make forty?"
She couldn't even imagine it—an overwhelming barrage of scorching orbs filling the sky.
Yako immediately shook his head.
"No. The Diamond Seal is a one-time burst technique. Only use it when your life is on the line… like if you're fighting Rasa."
Pakura paused.
Yes… one day, she might really have to fight Rasa.
Even if he was the Fourth Kazekage.
Yako added:
"You've also joined the Three Gods Faith. Your soul belongs to the Evil God now.
I'll use that power to strengthen your soul.
Diamond Seal strengthens the body.
Sacrifice strengthens the soul.
Both must be trained—equally."
Pakura's face flushed slightly at his wording, her thoughts drifting somewhere else entirely.
Yako didn't notice. He proudly declared:
"The growth system I developed… can turn anyone into a Kage-level ninja."
What he didn't say: both methods were under his control—ensuring absolute loyalty.
Pakura followed his instructions, pouring chakra into the Diamond Seal and learning how it felt to store it.
It took an entire day to fully charge it.
Then Yako taught her how to efficiently release that chakra in battle.
Exhausted, Pakura fell asleep early.
Yako gently stroked her back, silently thinking about the coming war.
The Sand Village side was mostly handled.
With the Shukaku teapot, Pakura now had leverage against Rasa.
The real problems… were Ōnoki, the Cloud Village, and the Mist.
The next morning, Pakura woke to find Yako already dressed, sitting at the table.
A hint of sadness rose in her chest.
He was leaving.
As Konoha's Anbu Commander, he couldn't stay in the Land of Wind for long.
The past few days—day and night—had given her a kind of release she had never experienced before.
Yako spoke:
"Pakura, I'll teach you one last technique before I leave.
A top-tier Wind Release.
It will cover your weakness."
"My weakness?" she asked. "What weakness does my Scorch Release have?"
Yako waved his hand. The wooden house dissolved back into the sand.
"Come. Attack me with your Scorch Release."
Pakura formed a blazing orb in her palm and launched it forward.
Yako easily dodged.
No matter how she controlled it, it couldn't keep up with his speed.
Yako explained:
"Your Scorch Release is powerful—far stronger than ordinary Fire Release.
But it shares the same flaw.
It's too slow.
Against weaker enemies, it's devastating.
But against speed-type shinobi… it's useless.
You can compensate by increasing the number of fireballs—but that weakens each one."
He looked at her.
"I'll teach you a combination technique.
Use high-level Wind Release to fix Scorch Release's speed problem."
Pakura's eyes widened.
"A top-tier Wind Release…? The only ones I know are in the Sand Village… or the techniques used by that former Konoha advisor…"
She immediately understood.
"You mean—"
Yako smirked.
"Good. You caught that 'former' part."
He handed her a scroll.
"This technique is Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets. It should help you."
Then he turned.
"I've been away from Konoha too long. I need to return.
Pakura—once you're back in the Sand Village, use Shukaku and the teapot to stop them from joining the anti-Konoha alliance."
"Understood."
Before she could say anything else—
He vanished.
Pakura stood there for a moment… then opened the scroll and began learning.
Five days later, near the Sand Village—
She formed a Scorch Release fireball in front of her.
Then—
Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets.
Compressed air shot through the fireball.
Instantly, it fragmented into multiple high-speed scorching bullets.
They tore through a thick sand wall with ease.
Pakura stared at the result.
"These… would be lethal against a human."
She named the technique:
Scorch Release: Scorch Bullets.
If she could merge both steps into one—
Directly firing it from her mouth—
Its power could reach near S-rank.
With the Diamond Seal as backup…
Kage level was no longer a dream.
Carrying the Bunpuku teapot, Pakura returned to the Sand Village entrance.
She faced the guards calmly.
"Inform the Kazekage.
I have sealed Shukaku.
Let the leadership decide—
whether I am allowed to enter."
Not long after—
The Sand Village leadership arrived.
At the front stood Rasa, alongside Chiyo, Ebizo, and a third advisor.
One of them leaned toward Rasa and whispered:
"What do we do, Kazekage-sama…?
Pakura… she can seal Shukaku by herself."
Rasa frowned.
Too many geniuses.
In the Sand Village, a single misstep…
And someone younger—
stronger—
would rise to threaten his position.