Chapter 204: Secured

Chapter 204: Secured

"Ice Release?"

"Impossible!"

Staring at the surrounding frost and ice, Roshi muttered in disbelief.

Wood Release? Dust Release? And now Ice Release? How could one person possibly master so many abilities? The realization hit him like a thunderclap, leaving him momentarily stunned.

But the truth lay plainly before him. No matter how hard it was to believe, he had no choice but to accept it.

"Be careful!"

Son Goku's voice boomed in Roshi's mind. Thanks to their years of tacit understanding, Roshi reacted instantly. Without hesitation, he activated his signature technique—Lava Release: Chakra Mode.

Molten lava, like flowing liquid armor, coiled around him, granting him formidable defense while inflicting significant counter-damage.

Yet the next moment, a tremendous force slammed into him. Even through the thick magma armor, Roshi felt his insides churn violently. His body arched like a bent bow before being sent flying backward at an astonishing speed.

White Shiraishi stood where Roshi had been moments earlier, staring at his scorched right fist. A tinge of contemplation crossed his face as he muttered:

"As I suspected, even with my high-temperature resistance, this isn't enough. Just a few thousand degrees and I'm already taking damage. If it were tens of millions, I'd probably melt instantly."

"Fortunately, I have Absolute Adaptation. After this, I'll have to find a way to further refine it. Perhaps... Son Goku himself is the perfect whetstone for this."

With that thought, Shiraishi turned his attention to Roshi. His piercing gaze seemed to penetrate the man's body, locking onto the tailed beast within.

Facing Shiraishi's unyielding gaze, Son Goku felt a chill deep in its core.

Never before had it experienced such fear. Despite a millennium of capture and conflict, it had never flinched. After all, its captors always sought its strength, a constant it could manipulate.

But this man... This man didn't seem to crave power. His gaze held no desire, only cold, calculated detachment, as if Son Goku were nothing more than a tool to be used.

'This man cannot capture me,' Son Goku thought, a profound dread settling in. 'If he does, I'll never regain my freedom.'

"Roshi!" the beast urged. "Stop wasting time. Release the seal immediately! I'll cooperate with you as best I can. We must escape!"

Roshi's battle-hardened instincts had already made him painfully aware of the gap in their strength. Shiraishi's earlier strike had made that abundantly clear.

Without hesitation, Roshi formed hand seals and began loosening the seal that restrained Son Goku.

A malevolent, dark-red chakra surged forth, enveloping his body in moments. The corrosive energy ravaged his flesh, unleashing a feral aura that caused the very ground beneath him to crack and crumble.

Shiraishi's expression darkened, and he gave a cold snort. With a single step, his foot struck the icy terrain. Massive waves of sage-infused chakra surged into the frost, stabilizing and reinforcing the ice prison.

Not only did he maintain the Ice Prison, but its chilling power amplified. A bone-piercing cold mist crept toward Roshi, attempting to freeze him solid before his transformation could be completed.

Though Roshi fought back fiercely, the overwhelming surge of cold left him no room to breathe. Shiraishi, utilizing his immense chakra reserves, was slowly but surely suppressing him.

Roshi's chakra reserves were vast, but compared to Shiraishi's monstrous capacity, boosted by both the Five-Tails and Nine-Tails, it was a futile struggle.

'This commotion will draw attention,' Shiraishi thought. 'The border patrols of Grass and Earth will catch wind of this soon. Better to finish this quickly.'

Making up his mind, Shiraishi dashed forward, appearing before Roshi in an instant.

He extended his right hand, letting frost coat his arm as it melded with the icy prison surrounding Roshi.

The moment his hand touched Roshi's body, Energy Absorption (Level III) activated.

A tremendous force surged through Shiraishi's palm, drawing Roshi's chakra like a river breaking through a dam.

"What... what is this jutsu?" Roshi stammered in shock.

Even Son Goku felt the pull. "No! My chakra is being drained too!" it bellowed.

Dark-red chakra flowed uncontrollably from Roshi's body, cascading into Shiraishi's hand. Within moments, the fiery Tailed Beast Cloak dissipated.

Their resistance grew more desperate, but in the face of Shiraishi's overwhelming power, their struggle was meaningless.

In just five minutes, Roshi and Son Goku were utterly drained. Shiraishi had to direct the excess chakra into the system, converting it into resources for future evolution.

The battle was over.

As the Ice Prison dissolved, Roshi collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Although his chakra had been completely depleted, Shiraishi wasn't one to take risks. He inscribed a Binding Curse Mark on Roshi's body, ensuring he couldn't retaliate.

"That should do it," Shiraishi muttered.

He summoned his Flying Thunder God: Space-Time Rift, opening a portal that swallowed Roshi.

At that moment, Summer approached hurriedly. "Lord Shiraishi, there are Iwa-nin approaching from the north," she reported.

Shiraishi frowned. "That fast?"

After a brief pause, he speculated aloud, "It seems they've been tracking Roshi's movements... or perhaps he managed to send out a distress signal during the fight."

"Regardless, it doesn't matter. Both beasts are secured, so there's no need to linger."

With that, he issued his final orders: "The mission is complete. Withdraw and disperse immediately."

"Yes, my lord!" Summer replied.

By the time she raised her head again, Shiraishi was already gone. Without wasting another moment, she turned and began her own retreat.

(End of Chapter)

---

Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb

{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}

*Thank you*