Ambushed

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Under the priestess's careful guidance, Naoki learned very quickly.

First, the artificial Tailed Beast data already explained the principles and functions of these sealing formulas in great detail. Second, after obtaining the Tenseigan, his ability to comprehend things had indeed improved a great deal.

After more than ten days of study, he finally mastered all the sealing formulas contained in the artificial Tailed Beast data.

Once her guidance was complete, the priestess raised a question of her own. "These sealing formulas are meant for Tailed Beasts, are they not?"

Knowing he could not hide it from her, Naoki nodded directly, then asked in return, "Your Highness, do you think sealing formulas of this level can suppress a Tailed Beast?"

The priestess thought for a while, then shook her head. "I cannot judge that either. However, Uzumaki sealing arts are extremely exquisite. Many parts surpass my own knowledge. Perhaps they would work."

Naoki's brows drew together slightly. "Your Highness has sealed Moryo before. In that area, you should have strong judgment, should you not?"

Seeing his confusion, the priestess smiled and explained, "You misunderstand. The reason I can seal Moryo is simply that my sealing arts restrain it. If I were asked to seal a Tailed Beast, the result would be difficult to predict."

As two halves of the same being, good and evil, the priestess and Moryo naturally countered one another. Their clash could not be used as a standard for judging Tailed Beasts, even though Moryo had undeniably reached Tailed Beast level.

After understanding that point, Naoki's frown did not ease. Instead, it deepened.

Before this, he had been using Moryo as a reference. Seeing the priestess seal Moryo so smoothly had made him unconsciously underestimate Tailed Beasts.

Now that he understood the truth behind the priestess sealing Moryo, he finally realized why the village had abandoned the artificial Tailed Beast project. In all likelihood, the sealing formulas in the data were not stable enough.

And an artificial Tailed Beast had to be stable. Otherwise, it would not be a weapon against the enemy, but a time bomb pointed at its owner.

After a moment of thought, Naoki asked tentatively, "Your Highness, have you ever seen a Tailed Beast?"

The priestess shook her head.

"By my own estimate, Moryo had at least reached the level of the One-Tail, perhaps even higher." After a pause, Naoki continued, "Setting aside the natural restraint between you and Moryo, and judging only by sealing arts, do you think the formulas I gave you could seal Moryo?"

The priestess assessed it for a moment, then answered, "If Moryo were in a weakened state, there would be a certain chance."

Naoki's expression darkened slightly.

The priestess thought for a while, then added, "If Konoha needs to seal a Tailed Beast, perhaps I can help."

"How?"

She explained, "Uzumaki sealing arts and my sealing arts emphasize different things. They focus on internal seals, while I specialize in external seals."

Naoki, who had already grasped a fair amount of sealing knowledge, quickly understood.

Uzumaki sealing arts were practical. Their seals often worked from the inside out, suppressing the sealed object while also allowing its power to be accessed. The best example was the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.

From Hashirama's wife, Uzumaki Mito, to Uzumaki Kushina, and then to the current Uzumaki Naruto, every Nine-Tails jinchuriki since Konoha's founding had come from the Uzumaki clan. The reason was precisely that the Uzumaki clan's constitution and sealing arts were the most suitable for becoming jinchuriki.

The sealing arts of the Land of Demons' priestess line were far more traditional. Their seals were closer to isolation and suppression. In sophistication, they were far inferior to the Uzumaki clan's techniques, but in stability, they were considerably stronger.

Thinking of that, Naoki suddenly came up with a new idea: a double-layer seal.

The first step would still follow the method in the data. He would shape a body from Violet Mire Resin, then combine it with Uzumaki sealing formulas to create an unstable artificial Tailed Beast.

The second step would use the priestess's sealing arts to seal the entire artificial Tailed Beast inside a portable sealing vessel.

In that way, the risk of the artificial Tailed Beast going berserk would drop greatly. In daily life, he would not need to remain tense every moment. During battle, if anything went wrong, he could use the outer seal to suppress the artificial Tailed Beast inside the vessel and prevent it from rampaging.

Several days later, Kakashi and the others returned to the priestess's palace after going out to eliminate the Yomi Sect.

The cleanup operation had not gone smoothly. Perhaps because Moryo had been sealed, the Yomi Sect cultists inside the Land of Demons had almost vanished overnight.

Kakashi and the others spent considerable effort but only eliminated some peripheral cultists. The wounded Yomi Sect leader remained missing.

The priestess did not care much.

Without Moryo's support, the Yomi Sect was no different from an ordinary band of wandering shinobi. As long as they exposed themselves, the Land of Demons could hire shinobi from any of the Five Great Shinobi Villages and deal with them easily.

Kakashi was somewhat bothered by it, but he also knew Team Eleven could not remain stationed in the Land of Demons forever. After apologizing to the priestess, he proposed that they leave.

At this time, Naoki also received the Violet Mire Resin the priestess had promised him.

Over these days, the priestess had mobilized the resources of the Land of Demons and gathered nearly a ton of Violet Mire Resin. Although it had cost no small amount of money, she did not complain.

Compared with a life-saving favor, that money truly meant little.

On top of that, Naoki and Shisui had repeatedly promised not to reveal that the demon Moryo and the priestess were two halves of good and evil. Since they had preserved the priestess's reputation before the world, she would care even less about such small details.

After bidding farewell to the priestess, the four members of Team Eleven finally began their return journey.

On the way back, the now more familiar four chatted idly as they traveled. This mission had not only broadened their horizons, but also deepened their trust in one another.

Even the aloof Kakashi would occasionally add a sentence or two, as if he were beginning to fit in.

The group moved at an easy pace. Before long, they left the Land of Demons and entered the Land of Bears.

The Land of Bears contained the Hidden Star Village, but it was not very strong. Because of that, many wandering shinobi had entrenched themselves inside the country. It was even rumored that some of them were secretly backed by the Hidden Stone from the neighboring Land of Earth, whose goal was to infiltrate the Land of Bears quietly through these unnoticed wandering shinobi and seize its resources.

As they walked through a dense forest in the Land of Bears, Naoki, at the front of the team, suddenly stopped.

Guy quickly asked, "What is it?"

Naoki's face sank. "This place seems to have been deliberately arranged."

Kakashi sniffed, then immediately went on alert.

His nose was very sharp and could detect scents other people would miss. During the Third Shinobi World War, he had used that ability many times to notice enemies in advance.

Suddenly, a chain of violent explosions erupted all around them. The flames swallowed the four members of Team Eleven in an instant.

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