Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Chapter 241 Repaired, Sold to My Colleague

"Rhinoceros hound!"

"Beep~ Beep~ Beep~"

The chat room, which had been filled with a cheerful atmosphere not long ago, was now eerily silent. The grim-faced Ox-Demon severed his connection with the Rhinoceros-King and shook his head at the Kurama, whose face was so dark it was almost dripping with gloom.

"The rhinoceros hound has also gone missing."

"Oni-oni, we'll be alright, right? Our true forms are in the deep sea, we'll definitely be fine, right?"

The three-tailed isobu retracted its head into its shell, opened its single eye, and cautiously inquired,

"Brother Bao, the sea is our territory, it's absolutely safe!"

The not-so-good-looking bull demon, upon hearing his neighbor's voice, mustered his spirits and patted his muscular chest to assure him,

"Chongming, are you still in that little mountain valley?"

On the other side, as the only remaining duo on land, Nine-Tails, eyes narrowed and breaths slightly ragged with flames, asked the large, white cocoon, "..."

"Yes."

The Seven-Tailed Fox's voice emanated from its cocoon. Ever since it entered its metamorphosis and emerged from its cocoon, it had remained in this mountain valley with its many waterfalls. The last time it peeked out was decades ago.

After confirming Chongming's location, the Nine-Tails' narrow eyes gleamed slightly before it turned its gaze to the aquatic duo and began to give instructions.

"You two would be better off meeting up together. That way, if anything happens, you'll have a chance to tell us."

"Hmph! You think I, Grandpa Bull Demon, would be afraid of such a lowly rat?"

Upon hearing this, the bull demon was furious. How dare the nine-tailed fox look down on him! He immediately snorted coldly and struck a philosophical pose.

"Isobu, let's go, see you at the usual place~"

Before Nine-Tails could even speak up to offer a word of advice, Bull Demon, after huffing and puffing as he finished posing, arrogantly logged off. But what he said to Three-Tails before leaving could be clearly heard throughout the chat room.

"."

"Kurama, I'm leaving too. Be careful!"

Moving the heavy tortoise shell, Isobu disappeared from the spot with swift strides.

"I'll see who's behind this!"

Once the aquatic duo logged off, Nine-Tailed Fox bit its sharp, gleaming teeth. It was determined to investigate the mystery of its group members' disappearance thoroughly.

"I'll just keep hiding then~"

After saying this weakly, Chongming also logged off.

"Um."

Seeing that all the group members had logged off, Nine-Tails reached out and turned off the chat room lights, preparing to return offline to look for clues.

"Hey, you stinky fox, what the hell are you doing, turning off the lights? I'm still here!"

As a tanuki locked in a cell, Shukaku's situation is actually the safest right now.

In a forest not far from Konoha Village, a forest that had not yet been named the "Forest of Death," this secluded and dense forest became the perfect place to imprison the tailed beasts.

"boom!"

A deep, muffled thud resounded, and even the residents of Konoha Village, far away, felt their feet tremble.

"Was there an earthquake?"

The villagers who peeked out from their houses looked on with curiosity. After all, the Land of Fire is located in a plain region where earthquakes are rare.

Deep within the dense forest, unseen by the villagers, an unbelievable scene was unfolding: Tobirama Senju, acting as their backup, stood atop a towering tree tens of meters high.

"This is fucking ridiculous!"

Even the usually composed Tobirama Senju, upon witnessing this scene, couldn't help but widen his crimson eyes, his mouth slightly agape, his mind completely blank, and he could barely speak.

"Haha, Tobirama, this is the second one~"

A smiling, long-haired man sat cross-legged atop the head of a simple, wooden Arhat statue, dragging behind him a hundred-foot-long, unconscious gray slug. Its obese body oozed an unknown slime that corroded the trees and rocks in its path, emitting a pungent, acidic odor.

The wooden figure, however, seemed completely unfazed. He tossed the rhinoceros hound he was holding into the pre-made wooden release cage, stood up, and then, with a smile, Hashirama Senju called out to his bewildered younger brother.

The sleeping Saiken was thrown into a cage made of Wood Release: Four Pillars Prison, just like trash. As the tailed beast entered, the cage began to glow with blue light, greedily absorbing the tailed beast's chakra to strengthen itself.

"This one is completely different from the previous one with five tails. It's amazing. How did they come into being?"

Coming to his senses, Tobirama Senju, his curiosity piqued, leaped to the cage where the shin-hun was imprisoned. After examining it closely, he clicked his tongue in amazement and exclaimed...

"Tobirama, there's plenty of time to investigate. Any news about Mada?"

Standing up from the wooden dummy, Hashirama Senju, who had already captured two tailed beasts, exuded confidence. He wondered how Madara Uchiha was doing, and whether he had caught one yet.

"Hmph~ Not a single message has come back. I bet they're running around like headless flies right now~"

With his arms crossed, Tobirama Senju wore a smug expression. His older brother had already caught two; victory was practically assured. Madara Uchiha was probably crying in some corner right now.

"It went so smoothly; it seems the intelligence fee wasn't wasted."

Satisfied as he looked at the two unconscious tailed beasts, Tobirama Senju's face flashed with a hint of heartache. He had scrimped and saved to buy information on several tailed beasts from a mysterious information broker so that his elder brother could capture them. Otherwise, how could Hashirama Senju have found the Five-Tails and Six-Tails so accurately?

"Since Madara isn't here, I'll be going now. Next target: Seven-Tails!"

Shaking his head in disappointment, Hashirama Senju didn't see the figure he was looking for. He clapped his hands and headed towards his next target. According to the information provided by Tobirama, the Seven-Tails was hiding in a valley in the Land of Waterfalls, near a very large waterfall, making it easy to find.

"Boom~ Boom~"

Two enormous figures, each a hundred feet tall, slowly approached from one end of the Land of Fire's long coastline. Each step they took produced a tremendous roar, shaking the seaside cliffs and occasionally sending boulders crashing into the sea, sending sprays of water flying everywhere.

"Is this all we can do?"

Clad in a high-necked robe, Madara Uchiha slowly opened his eyes, inhaling the unique salty scent of the sea. Six tomoe (magic stones) within his crimson pupils swirled rhythmically.

At this moment, Madara Uchiha was riding on the back of a giant, dark blue cat. The blue chakra flames burning on its body did not cause him any harm.

Beside the giant cat followed a massive red ape, trailing four thick tails. Hot, molten lava flowed from its lava source, leaving four glistening grooves in the sand after it cooled.

Gazing at the boundless sea, Madara Uchiha knew that the two tailed beasts he had captured were useless in the water. He jumped down, turned to look at their dazed expressions, and shook his head in dissatisfaction.

"You two, just wait here for me!"

The two tailed beasts' enormous eyes reflected two pairs of scarlet Sharingan eyes. Upon hearing Madara Uchiha's command, the two tailed beasts nodded in a human-like manner, sitting obediently on the ground like trained wild animals in a circus, waiting for their master's next command.

"Susanoo!"

Madara Uchiha stood atop a cliff by the sea, his eyes narrowing. Layers of thick blue armor began to condense around his body, and in no time, a majestic blue Tengu Gundam was fully assembled.

"Hmph~ I'm definitely going to win!"

Standing in the cockpit of Susanoo's forehead, Madara Uchiha exuded an air of dominance, his crimson Sharingan eyes gleaming with confidence. Having already acquired two tailed beasts, he was certain to be the ultimate winner of this competition.

With a flap of its wings, the tengu transformed into a streak of light and plunged into the depths of the sea. According to intelligence from the Sky Realm, the turtle-like tailed beast often swims upstream against the current to enter the lakes on land, residing in the shallow waters not far from the land.

Meanwhile, deep in the ocean, the Gyuki was using all its might to propel its eight tentacles toward the shallow waters where the Isobu lived.

Let me clarify first, I, Uncle Ox-Demon, am only going to protect that coward, Isogai~

"Isobu, I'm almost there, where have you been hiding?"

Upon entering the Three-Tails' territory and switching to the tailed beasts' dedicated channel, Gyuki loudly called out to Isobu.

"I'm right below you~"

"Huh? What's the point of just burying your head in the sand?"

The black-faced Gyuki, looking at the endless Isobu lying on the shallow seabed, couldn't help but roll his eyes and speak up to remind him.

"You can't see me~ You can't see me~"

Isobu is acting suspiciously.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!"

The Ushioni landed beside Isobu, its powerful tentacles patting its shell, and it assured Isobu with absolute certainty.

"That's great! We can definitely do it!"

"boom!!!"

Just as Isobu was rejoicing, a massive slash cleaved the sea, blue chakra carrying world-destroying power swept towards the two tailed beasts who were exchanging pleasantries.

"Be careful!"

Even without Ushioni's reminder, Isobu had already retreated into his shell the moment he realized something was wrong, transforming into an iron turtle.

"hateful!"

As for the bull demon, one of the targets, it roared as it saw the blue slash coming towards it. It stretched out its strong arms and caught the seemingly ethereal but actually solid slash. Its eight tentacles were tightly stuck to the ground, its muscles were bulging, and a ball of light condensed in its mouth, attempting to counterattack.

"Oh? There are two! What a pleasant surprise!"

Just as the Ox-Demon's Tailed Beast Ball was about to take shape, a cold voice rang in the ears of both tailed beasts. Both beasts simultaneously looked in the direction of the voice, trying to identify the culprit.

"Those eyes...the aura of Indra!"

In a moment of astonishment, the bull demon caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Disbelief filled its eyes as it stared at the blue tengu standing in the sea, brandishing a long sword. It was held captive for a full ten seconds.

At the same time, the bull demon loosened its grip, and the slash struck directly into his muscular chest, creating a splash and leaving a gruesome scar. However, thanks to the tailed beast's powerful healing abilities, the scar was rapidly healing.

"No, it's blue!"

Isobu, who peeked out, was equally bewildered, but he quickly noticed the blind spot: the old man's eldest son controlled a purple giant, while the one before him was blue and considerably smaller.

"Phew~ As long as it's not that guy."

After being reminded by Isobu, Gyuki finally snapped out of his daze, shook his bull-head, looked at the expressionless Uchiha Madara, and let out a long sigh.

"A turtle and an octopus? What a strange combination. Oh well, I'll become a slave to the Sharingan!"

Standing within Susanoo, Madara Uchiha was unaffected by the water pressure. Even being underwater posed no problem for him. After observing Isobu and Gyuki for a moment, he withdrew his curious gaze, a glint of light flashing in his crimson eyes, and slowly spoke.

"Oh no, Isobu, run!"

A thousand years ago, Gyūki, who had suffered at the hands of the Sharingan, sensed the cold and obscure power in Madara Uchiha's eyes and instantly understood the reason for the disappearance of his group members.

My guess was pretty accurate; it must be this guy with Indra's aura controlling the other tailed beasts with his eye technique. Their few remaining treasures are about to meet their demise.

"Ha, what did you say? He's all alone. We're shoulder to shoulder, isn't that enough?"

The usually cautious Isobu, unusually assertive, relied on the presence of the Eight-Tails Gyūki and immediately boasted that it would teach the humans before it a lesson. In its view, Madara Uchiha's "miniature" Susanoo was certainly not as powerful as Indra's.

This time, it doesn't need to cower.

Isonabi, it has stood up!

"Boom!"

The voice of Isobu abruptly stopped, and Gyuki immediately turned his head in confusion, only to see that the Three-Tails' single eye had been projected into a scarlet Sharingan, and its entire body, like an arrow released from a bow, was hurtling towards it.

Isofuri, use the rocket headbutt!

The bull demon wasn't particularly surprised by its teammate's betrayal; after all, its bull-like eyes weren't for nothing, and it could still see with its massive Sharingan.

Faced with the menacing Isobu, the Gyuki immediately manipulated its eight tentacles, coiling towards it in an attempt to control the Three-Tails.

But things didn't go as planned. Madara Uchiha behind it gave it no chance. The blue tengu, wielding a long sword, slashed straight at the Gyuki.

"Hmph~ Eat my big ink!"

Seeing itself surrounded and attacked from both sides, the demon focused its energy in its dantian. Suddenly, from a hidden spot in the center of its tentacles, it spewed out jet-black ink, instantly staining the entire sea black. It then prepared to take the opportunity to escape and, incidentally, inform Kurama, who was far away on land, of the killer's information.

"The Nine-Tails, the killer of the tailed beasts, is a descendant of Indra!"

Just as the bull demon was about to slip away under the cover of darkness after delivering the message to Kurama, a large blue foot stepped on his foot, stopping him in his tracks.

"Ahem. Are you being polite?"

No matter how hard the bull demon tried, its massive feet, pressed against its own tentacles, wouldn't budge. Left with no other option, it could only voice its condemnation.

Did I agree to let you leave?

How could we let the cooked duck fly away? Firmly pressing down on the Eight-Tails' tentacles, Madara Uchiha looked at it indifferently and said coldly,

"Tailed Beast Ball!"

Seeing Madara Uchiha so close, now was the perfect time to act. Without hesitation, Gyuki opened his gaping maw, and a black sphere of light instantly condensed, containing world-destroying power. The Tailed Beast Ball shot towards Susanoo's head.

"Hmph, serves you right for showing off~"

"boom!"

The massive Tailed Beast Ball struck Susanoo directly in the face, creating a violent explosion in the seawater. The powerful impact of the explosion forced Madara Uchiha back half a step, allowing Gyuki to regain his freedom.

"Isobu, I'm sorry, I'll come back to save you."

Glancing at the stunned Three-Tailed Isobu, the Gyūki felt a chill in its heart. However, being outnumbered and outmatched, it was no match for this descendant of Indra. Immediately, it used all eight legs to propel itself away into the depths of the sea.

"Thump~"

However, as it fled with its head covered, it suddenly felt itself bump into something hard. Seeing stars, it touched its aching horns, raised its head to see what it was looking at.

Did I say you could leave?

Madara Uchiha's cold voice rang in its ears. Gyuki looked at yet another blue Tengu Gundam before it, and its already slightly chilled heart instantly felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar.

It swallowed hard, glancing at the blue Susanoo behind it out of the corner of its eye. A sense of desolation welled up in its heart. So Susanoo can create clones too. It should learn that in the future!

"I've already begged for mercy, please let me go~"

The next moment, a crimson glint appeared in the despairing bull's eyes.

Eight tails, out!

"Hey, you demon!"

On the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waterfall, a fiery red figure anxiously called out to the Gyuki, with whom it had just made contact. However, all its messages went unanswered, like stones sinking into the sea. Kurama's heart tightened.

"The murderer is a descendant of Indra? How is that possible? With those weak humans?"

The nine-tailed fox instinctively stopped in its tracks, its narrow fox eyes filled with disbelief.

It should be noted that it was a well-known rogue in the Land of Fire. It had even seen the Uchiha clan members before, and their weak eye power had no effect on them whatsoever.

Well…except for the stinky raccoon.

"We're still quite a distance from the beach, and the killer won't be here anytime soon. I'll take Chongming and run away first."

Shaking its massive fox head, Nine-Tailed Fox decided to first find the immobile Chongming, then take it with it and run away.

With this in mind, Kurama (the Nine-Tails) spread its limbs and headed towards the Land of Waterfalls.

The Land of Waterfalls, a capital city famous for its waterfalls, is dotted with waterfalls of all sizes nestled among its valleys. A dark figure gazed at the largest and widest waterfall amidst the towering mountains, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

"That's the biggest waterfall, hehe~"

Based on the information provided by Tobirama, the Seven-Tails lived near the largest waterfall in the Land of Waterfalls. Hashirama Senju, following the trail, immediately used his senses to search for the tailed beast's whereabouts.

……

"Chief, there's a strange man outside, looking for something."

The Land of Waterfall was not without ninjas. While Hashirama Senju was searching, several figures who had already spotted him informed the leader of the Land of Waterfall's ninjas that someone had broken in.

"Who is the other party?"

The leader of the ninja clan in the Land of Waterfall was a middle-aged man with a gloomy face. Their ninja stronghold was extremely well-hidden, rarely known to outsiders. The sudden appearance of these intruders clearly indicated they were searching for their location.

"I don't know, but judging from their clothes, they shouldn't be from Taki no Kuni."

The ninja from the Land of Waterfall, recalling Hashirama Senju's attire, shook his head and offered his analysis.

"Their motives are unclear. Let's send someone to make contact with them first. If they are weak, we can kill them."

The leader of the Land of Waterfall stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with a katai light, and slowly gave his orders.

"Yes."

Is the other party's goal the Hero's Water?

Given the tight information control, is there a mole within the organization?

Faced with the mysterious Senju Hashirama, the leader of Takigawa Country couldn't help but start to have wild thoughts.

Near their base was a magical spring called the Water of Heroes. Drinking it could increase chakra levels several times or even ten times over. It was a secret treasure that helped them establish themselves and survive in the Warring States period.

This intruder is probably here specifically for it.

"Kakuzu, there's an intruder. Are you going to investigate?"

After receiving orders from the leader of the Land of Waterfall, his subordinates approached one of the top fighters in the area and extended an invitation.

"Boring, I'm not interested."

The black-haired youth who was called down lowered his head to wipe the kunai in his hand. Even though the kunai was already rusty, he still chose not to throw it away.

"Can you stop being so stingy? Your kunai is all torn up like this, why don't you just throw it away already?"

Seeing how frugal Kakuzu was, the person who came to invite him couldn't help but complain.

"No, I need to sell it to my colleagues after I've cleaned it!"

The man named Kakuzu meticulously cleaned the broken kunai, speaking with utmost seriousness.

"."

If he could defeat Kakuzu, he would have broken that kunai.

"You can skip this time, but you have to go next time there's a mission!"

Seeing that Kakuzu refused to join a team, the person who invited him had no choice but to give up and go look for someone else.

A short while later, a group of fully equipped ninja from the Land of Waterfall rushed towards Hashirama Senju's direction.

"Who are you, and what is your purpose here?"

Hashirama Senju scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, looked at the group of ninjas dressed in distinctive Land of Waterfall attire, and replied,

"I am Hashirama Senju. I have come to the Land of Waterfalls to capture the calamity beast."

"Hashirama Senju? Never heard of him. We don't have any calamity beasts here. Let's leave quickly!"

The captain of the ninja squad from the Land of Waterfall, looking at the honest and simple-minded Hashirama Senju before him, was unsure of the other's strength and could only try to scare him away with words for the time being.

"Um, could the information be wrong? That shouldn't be the case. Excuse me, do you really not have any seven-tailed caterpillars here?"

Even though the locals said they had never seen it before, Hashirama Senju still asked persistently, describing the appearance of the Seven-Tails, Chomei, to them.

"Seven tails? A caterpillar? What nonsense are you talking about? There's no such insect. Is this guy an idiot?"

Upon hearing this absurd question, the captain of the Land of Waterfall ninja squad burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. Hashirama Senju's initial mystique vanished instantly, and the captain, who had been momentarily cautious, immediately launched into a sarcastic remark.

"Are these local ninjas so rude?"

He was, after all, the village head. Although he might not be well-known here, he wasn't someone these nobody could mock. They weren't even from his village.

Therefore, Hashirama Senju decided to teach these guys a little lesson.

"Haha, look, this idiot is actually gesturing at us!"

Completely oblivious to the impending doom, the captain of the Takigawa ninja squad, watching Hashirama Senju throw a punch at him in mid-air, laughed even louder.

"I'll just throw one punch, I guarantee it won't kill you~"

(End of this chapter)