Chapter 92: The Ties That Bind

Takigakure: The Vanishing of a Jinchūriki

The endless roar of the great waterfall masked the hushed murmurs of Takigakure's shinobi. Their patrols had doubled, yet no one spoke of why. The village elders remained behind closed doors, debating what to do next.

Fu, their Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, was gone.

Not killed. Not kidnapped in any conventional sense.

She had vanished.

Shibuki, the village leader, stood at the heart of Takigakure's central hall, his fingers pressed against his temple as another squad of scouts reported in.

"No traces of her chakra signature," one of the shinobi stated, her voice tinged with disbelief. "No signs of a struggle, no foreign scents, no broken seals—nothing."

Shibuki's jaw clenched. "That's impossible."

Another shinobi stepped forward. "It's as if she was never here to begin with."

Those words sent a shiver down his spine.

Something was wrong. Not just with Takigakure. With the world itself.

Someone was moving in the shadows.

And they had just stolen his village's greatest secret.

Konoha: The Perfect Deception

The Hokage's office was dimly lit, the air thick with incense. Outside, Konoha was as lively as ever, its people blissfully unaware of the unseen war being waged in the shadows.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, fingers pressed together as he listened to the latest reports. Across from him, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu sat in heavy silence, while Orochimaru leaned lazily against a nearby bookshelf.

"The world believes the Nine-Tails is lost," Hiruzen began, setting the scroll down. "By admitting this, we have freed ourselves from suspicion."

Danzo's single visible eye narrowed. "And yet, another Jinchūriki has disappeared."

"Not vanished," Orochimaru corrected, his smirk sharp. "Taken."

Homura frowned. "How long until the villages start realizing they are chasing ghosts?"

Hiruzen took a slow breath. "Not yet. With Kumo and Iwa already at odds, and the Mizukage remaining silent, they are too focused on each other." His gaze flickered toward the young shinobi standing by the window. "And as long as Ryusei ensures there is no trace left behind, the game continues."

All eyes turned to him.

Ryusei stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out over the village. His Golden Six Magatama Rinne Sharingan gleamed faintly, reflecting the firelight of the lanterns. His power hummed beneath his skin—quiet, absolute, unchallenged.

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.

"The Seven-Tails is already beyond their reach."

Hiruzen nodded. "Then we proceed."

Danzo's gaze lingered on Ryusei. "And the next move?"

Ryusei turned slightly, his golden Rinne Sharingan glowing brighter.

"We take the One-Tail next."

Inside the Hidden Realm: The First Realization

Fu had never felt so insignificant.

She stood atop a floating island, the air around her filled with shimmering energy. The sky stretched endlessly, a soft golden glow illuminating the vast expanse of her new reality. Waterfalls cascaded from suspended mountains, disappearing into the abyss below, while forests swayed without wind.

This place… breathed.

It wasn't just a prison.

It was alive.

Fu swallowed hard, her pulse quickening as she turned—

And saw them.

The Tailed Beasts.

The Two-Tails' ethereal blue flames flickered. The Four-Tails' burning mane cast shadows across the ground. The Eight-Tails' massive tentacles coiled lazily, while the Five-Tails and Six-Tails stood motionless, their immense forms watching her in silence.

And at the center of them all—

Ryusei.

His figure stood against the golden horizon, his Golden Six Magatama Rinne Sharingan gleaming with a power beyond comprehension.

Fu's breath caught.

This was not a mere shinobi.

This was something else.

She instinctively took a step back, her hands clenched into fists. "What—" She swallowed. "Where am I?"

Ryusei's voice was steady, unshaken.

"My domain."

Fu's heart pounded in her chest. "You—what did you do to me?"

Ryusei stepped forward. The ground beneath him reacted to his presence, shifting slightly, as if bending to his will. "I have removed you from the world. You no longer exist in their cycle."

Fu trembled. "That's… impossible."

She turned her thoughts inward. Chomei—what's happening?!

The Seven-Tails, usually calm and wise, was silent for a moment before speaking. This place… it is unlike anything I have known.

Fu's throat tightened. "Then let me go."

Ryusei stopped a few feet away. "If you want to leave, you can."

Fu flinched. "What?"

"I will not stop you," Ryusei said, his golden Rinne Sharingan steady. "But if you leave, you will return to a world where you are nothing more than a weapon. A tool. A thing to be controlled."

Fu opened her mouth to argue—but nothing came.

Because deep down, she knew he was right.

She had felt it all her life.

The stares. The whispers. The way even her allies feared her.

She had always been alone.

And yet, as she looked around, she saw something impossible.

The other Tailed Beasts were watching her—not with fear. Not with hatred.

But with understanding.

For the first time in her life, Fu wasn't an outcast.

She was one of them.

Ryusei turned slightly, looking toward the horizon. "Stay here. Learn this world. Speak to the others."

Fu hesitated. "And if I want to leave?"

His gaze never wavered. "Then you'll go."

Fu searched his face, expecting a trick.

But there was none.

For the first time in her life, someone had taken her—

And given her something greater in return.

Freedom.

The Shinobi World Shifts

Takigakure: Shibuki stood before his council, his hands clenched into fists. "We must assume Fu has been taken by an unknown force. Until we know more, we will not accuse any village." But deep down, he knew—this was no normal enemy.

Kumogakure: The Raikage slammed his fist against the table. "First my Jinchūriki, and now another one? Find them! I don't care what it takes!" Lightning crackled around him. War was coming.

Iwagakure: Onoki floated above his desk, his expression unreadable. "Someone is taking the Tailed Beasts. And they are leaving no trace." He exhaled. "This is no ordinary threat."

Kirigakure: The Mizukage sat in silence, fingers tapping against his armrest. "The game has begun." His lips curled into a slow smirk. "Now, we see who survives."

Ryusei's Next Move

In the hidden realm, Ryusei stood at the highest peak, watching as his world continued to grow. The energy of the Tailed Beasts was stabilizing it, nourishing it.

This was no longer just a prison.

It was becoming a new balance.

And soon, another would join them.

His Golden Six Magatama Rinne Sharingan flickered.

"The One-Tail is next."

The world was changing.

And no one could stop it now.

End of Chapter 92.