Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 171
🕑 Added 2025-01-31 22:33:29 +0000 UTCThe fusion of more than one chakra nature transformation, without hereditary bloodline limits, was broadly considered one of the most challenging chakra manipulation techniques.
However, using nature transformations in combination was also highly skill-intensive. It was difficult to judge which technique placed greater demands on the user.
When it came to bloodline selections, the difficulty was even higher.
In this regard, the Magnet Release was quite convenient; it could naturally incorporate other elements into it.
The Kazekages had already set examples: the Third infused iron, the Fourth infused gold, and the Fifth infused... maternal love? With the Kazekages paving the way, Masashi boldly experimented, infusing all his jutsu into the sand.
At that time, he had mastered all five basic chakra natures. In addition to Magnet Release, he also wielded Ice Release, Scorch Release, and Boil Release.
This gave him three types of sand: Ice Sand, Scorch Sand, and Boil Sand.
Ice Sand was the most binding. It not only enhanced the stability of the sand but also hindered the enemy's mobility.
Scorch Sand formed the quickest and could evaporate the moisture from targets—a must-have for reducing enemies to charred remains.
Boil Sand was the best for breaking through defenses.
If bloodline abilities could be infused, then the five basic chakra natures could naturally also be added.
For example, since Ice Sand was relatively heavy, he could use the Lightened Boulder to speed up the sand's movements.
Scorch Sand was lighter than regular sand, so he could further augment it with Wind Release atop the Lightened Boulder, creating a massive sandstorm.
At long last, Masashi had a perfect platform for showcasing his ninjutsu system—a platform that was on par with Wood Release.
Unlike Hashirama, who was primarily Yang Release-focused despite his versatility, Masashi was well-rounded across the five elements. Hence, Magnet Release was undoubtedly the most suitable medium for him.
Far off, Dodai was being relentlessly pursued by ordinary yellow sand, leaping and dodging like a grasshopper. Though he wasn't completely helpless, managing to demonstrate why he could use the Lava Release.
Lava Release was a strong defensive technique, resembling rubber in material properties. Ordinary sand couldn't break through such a defense.
But even wood feared fire. Had Madara ever won with Fire Release against Wood Release?
When the sand piled up to over ten meters high, could its quantity really be ignored?
Thus, Dodai still ended up in a sorry state. His Lava Release only bought him room to evade, but his speed was indeed impressive.
Watching he desperately dodge the sandstorm, Masashi smirked, increasing the volume of sand at his feet.
At this moment, the ground beneath him had already disappeared, replaced by an expanse of flowing sand that continued to spread.
Although his initial plan was to bury Dodai alive, Masashi decided to show some respect for Hiruzen.
Once he deemed the sand sufficient, he halted his Scorch Sand Technique, ceasing the erosion of the land. Instead, he switched to Ice Sand.
The flow of the sand slowed and began to turn white—a transformation resulting from the tight fusion of ice crystals and sand particles.
He decided not to kill his opponent—this was a good opportunity to test another technique.
Without a real opponent, it wouldn't have been possible to properly gauge its effects.
By this time, Dodai had also noticed the changes on Masashi's side. Staring at the ever-flowing white sand beneath Masashi's feet, a sense of foreboding crept into him.
The yellow sand pursuing him suddenly lost its strength, collapsing with a roar and covering the ground in a vast expanse of sand.
On the other side of the sandy field, a white curtain began to rise.
It was an endless expanse of Ice Sand, vast and imposing, like towering mountain ridges.
"What the fuck!"
Dodai cursed before turning to flee.
It wasn't a lack of courage—it was that no amount of courage could bridge the gap between him and Masashi.
On the other side of the tsunami-like Ice Sand avalanche, Masashi stood triumphantly.
He named this move Magnet Release: Ice – Sand Terrain Sealing.
Much like Hashirama's Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, this technique was capable of altering the terrain, with binding power that could rival the best.
His original plan had been to unleash another technique he called Magnet Release: Scorch – Erosion Cycle.
Speaking of which, had he been influenced by Minato?
Joking aside, he was already layering the Lightened Boulder onto his jutsu.
In an instant, the towering peaks and ridges, which resembled a vast mountain range, seemed to undergo thousands of years of geological evolution, transforming into an endless snowy expanse.
Everything was buried.
The deafening roar and the earth-shaking spectacle stunned the onlookers.
As someone from the previous era, Hiruzen was one of the few still alive who had witnessed Hashirama using his Wood Release techniques—though it was only the initial move, Deep Forest Emergence.
"He's really catching up..." Hiruzen's expression was complicated—equal parts surprise, nostalgia, and melancholy.
Danzō raised an eyebrow before suddenly remembering—he was already dead.
Well, in that case, it didn't matter. Besides, hadn't the Uchiha clan already shifted focus?
Still, he felt a bit smug.
"Hiruzen, you've protected your clan too well!"
"???"
Danzō ignored him, savoring the moment.
While he was still in the Edo Tensei state, he would make sure to hurl one more jab whenever he could.
Hiruzen, you gave me the opportunity—you couldn't blame me for this.
"Successors! We have successors!" Kagami was bursting with excitement.
A successor for the clan, and harmony between the clan and the village—a double blessing!
Since he was in the Edo Tensei form, he had no blood pressure to worry about, so he could only show his excitement through his expression.
While the three former teammates from Tobirama's era each entertained their own thoughts, Masashi stepped onto the white Ice Sand and approached a spot, raising his hand slightly.
The Ice Sand began to swell, then spat out a person.
It was Dodai, frozen stiff, covered in icy debris.
If anyone thought he was just frozen, they would have been gravely mistaken.
All of his chakra had been drained.
At this point, he was little more than a helpless lamb.
It seemed Masashi might have overdone it—Dodai even appeared thinner and had fainted.
Still, he was alive.
The experiment was a success.
The only downside was that his chakra-draining technique was something he had learned from the Totsuka Sword. When converting chakra, it wasn't directly usable; it had to be broken down into spiritual energy and physical energy before being absorbed, which made it less efficient.
Unlike Wood Release, which allowed immediate use.
That said, it also had advantages—it could fundamentally strengthen his Yin Release and Yang Release.
Whether this was good or bad depended on perspective.
After slapping on a sealing jutsu, Masashi hoisted Dodai up and set off to find Matatabi.
---
When Masashi located the Two-Tails, the massive feline was idly digging a hole in the ground.
The widespread effect of his ninjutsu, combined with the fluidity of the sand, had covered the battlefield entirely, burying even those Kumo ninjas who might have otherwise survived under layers of sand.
Their chakra now added to Masashi's reserves.
Unlike with Dodai, he had no intention of unearthing the others.
He had to extract Dodai only because the man had been designated as a key prisoner by the Tobirama Squad. The others were just enemies, plain and simple.
"Matatabi, I'm back," he greeted the massive feline casually.
It raised its eyes, staring at Masashi, who had a man slung over his shoulder.
The sudden onslaught of icy sand had brought back memories for Matatabi.
This human was powerful—so powerful he could directly suppress the chakra of tailed beasts. Although not as strong as the human it remembered from the past, the similarities in technique were striking, and both managed to suppress a tailed beast's chakra in the same way.
As a result, Matatabi hadn't fled after surviving the indiscriminate attack of the sand. Instead, it stayed, waiting for Masashi to find it.
It had no desire to be sealed away again. Reflecting on Masashi's actions throughout this journey, Matatabi found his behavior sincere—unlike those it had encountered before. Other humans were either aggressive or deceitful, trying to capture or trick it.
For Matatabi, actions spoke louder than words. Regardless of what humans said, if their end goal was to seal it away, they were the enemy.
Masashi was different—he was the only human in decades who didn't seem intent on sealing it.
Tailed beasts like Matatabi had simple desires compared to humans. And now, encountering a powerful human who didn't see it as a threat or prize was something almost thrilling for it.
"What took you so long?" Matatabi asked. "Are we heading to the Konoha forest now?"
"Well, not immediately..." Masashi began, intending to explain the need to wrap up a few loose ends first. But noticing Matatabi's clear expression of 'Why are humans so annoyingly slow?', he quickly changed his tone. "Actually, speeding things up shouldn't be an issue. Let me drop this guy off, and then we can head back."
Cats could be like this—switching between aloof and clingy in a flash. You just had to roll with it.
He couldn't help but wonder whether Matatabi could be pet. Maybe he'd try using Susanoo as a precaution when the time came.
"Fine, but hurry up and toss that guy away. Where are we headed? I'll take you there," Matatabi said, clearly distrustful of a two-legged creature's efficiency. Lowering its head, it motioned for Masashi to hop on.
Would he refuse? Of course not!
The feeling of riding a tailed beast was unparalleled, a unique experience that made even the most majestic summoned creatures seem trivial by comparison.
Leaping lightly onto Matatabi's head, Masashi pointed in the direction, and the large cat darted forward.
As Matatabi moved, the fiery patterns on its body seemed to dance.
By now, the battlefield was devoid of life. Matatabi's blazing blue figure streaked across the desolate expanse.
At the edge of the desert, Konoha's ninja forces had yet to fully stand down from combat readiness. Under the leadership of the Hokage and the Tobirama Squad, they were preparing to enter the sand-covered battlefield.
Then, they felt tremors beneath their feet.
The vibrations grew stronger.
Minato immediately activated his chakra sensing, quickly identifying his Flying Thunder God mark.
"Stay calm. It's Masashi returning," he instructed the nearby jonin. "Let everyone know there's no need to panic. The tremors are likely caused by a tailed beast."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," the jonin replied, maintaining a relatively composed expression.
Though the Konoha forces hadn't been on the frontlines, they'd seen Masashi riding Matatabi into battle from a distance, a sight impossible to miss.
As the orders filtered down, the initial tension among the Konoha forces eased.
A new kind of emotion began to spread.
Even Minato wasn't entirely calm, though he'd had enough time to process the sight of Masashi and Matatabi heading into battle together. He was now more resolved than ever in his decisions.
A streak of blue light appeared on the horizon.
Once again, the Konoha forces saw Matatabi's imposing form.
Captured decades ago by Hashirama and sold to Kumo, it now barreled across the desert. Each step sent ripples through the earth, its figure growing ever clearer to the Konoha ninjas.
Now up close, many found their breathing quicken.
For some, this was not their first time encountering a tailed beast. A number of these Konoha ninjas had witnessed Kurama's assault on the village just three years prior.
And now, the two heroes who had stopped the Nine-Tails were standing before them—one of them atop Matatabi's head.
Everyone noticed that Masashi had someone slung over his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" Masashi called down from Matatabi's head.
"As expected of Masashi-sama!" someone murmured in the crowd.
What struck them most was how his first words were about everyone's safety. Though they knew it was just his usual demeanor, it still warmed their hearts.
"Hokage-sama, I've captured Dodai," Masashi announced, leaping down from Matatabi's head.
Minato and the Tobirama Squad brightened at the news.
Truth be told, they'd assumed Dodai had been obliterated.
"It's really him." Hiruzen personally verified the captive, his face breaking into a smile. "This is excellent news. Without him, Kumo won't be able to trouble Konoha for years."
"Trivial," Danzō muttered, narrowing his eyes. Just as he was about to add a snide remark, he remembered the crowd around them and restrained himself, instead adopting a more neutral tone. "This only solves a short-term problem. Kumo itself remains an issue."
"If they're divided, they're no issue," Hiruzen replied. "Danzō, do you think the Yotsuki clan could take over the Raikage family's position?"
"Unlikely," Danzō replied. "The Raikage family holds a unique status. Even if someone from the Yotsuki clan were to become Raikage, they wouldn't reach the same level."
"What if the next Raikage truly does belong to the Yotsuki clan?"
"In that case, Kumo would become no different from other villages."
Within moments, the two old comrades had exchanged thoughts with practiced efficiency, their decades of collaboration making their intentions crystal clear to one another.
Meanwhile, Masashi recalled the Yotsuki ninja he'd almost taken down earlier.
"The Yotsuki clan must be strong," he remarked to Hiruzen. "Sandaime-sama, this Dodai—he's not a member of the Yotsuki clan, is he?"
He'd seen nothing on Dodai to suggest any connection to the Yotsuki.
"No, he isn't," Hiruzen confirmed. "But keeping him alive allows him to serve as a temporary Raikage. With that time, and if Konoha maintains pressure, Kumo's internal issues will create opportunities for us."
"That's true," Masashi nodded.
A low rumbling came from above.
Everyone looked up to see the Two-Tails staring down at them.
"Almost done, Matatabi," Masashi said with a helpless tone. The cat's patience was wearing thin.
"Hokage-sama, Sandaime-sama, my apologies. May I return to the village ahead of schedule?"
"Because of Matatabi?" Hiruzen asked, momentarily surprised. "That's no problem. Leave this to us. You and Minato should return together—though it's best not to take Matatabi into the village alone. It might scare people."
Hiruzen's words were candid.
After all, it had only been three years since the Nine-Tails' rampage. Konoha's forces still hadn't fully recovered from the trauma of a tailed beast attack.
But if both heroes of the Nine-Tails incident were present, the villagers would feel more at ease with Matatabi's presence.
"I understand. I'll return as well," Minato agreed with Hiruzen's suggestion, then turned to Masashi. "You head back with Matatabi first. I'll follow shortly."
Minato was tactful enough not to request a ride back on Matatabi.
It was clear to anyone that Matatabi only trusted Masashi. Anyone else trying to ride the tailed beast would likely provoke its ire.
And indeed, as Minato glanced up at Matatabi, he noticed the feline watching him with clear wariness. When their eyes met, Matatabi even took a few steps back, its tails flicking slightly.
"Alright then, I'll head back first," Masashi said with a nod.
He wasn't about to suggest letting Minato ride Matatabi as well.
Among the nine tailed beasts, perhaps only Shukaku might tolerate the company of a "Hokage." The rest were likely to be far less accommodating.
The fact that Matatabi had allowed Minato a ride earlier already showed the feline's goodwill toward Masashi.
