The Mizukage Is Strong But Overly Cautious

The abilities that the nine tailed beasts grant their Jinchūriki can be categorized into three distinct types based on their practical applications.

Of course, the Nine Tails, as the most powerful of them all, was essentially a "cheat code" that would later become the signature of Konoha's Child of Prophecy.

One Tail, Two Tails, Four Tails, Five Tails, and Six Tails possessed elemental abilities that greatly enhanced their hosts' combat effectiveness. The One Tail, Shukaku, had Magnet Release, granting the ability to manipulate sand. The Two Tails, Matatabi, wielded an eerie, spectral blue fire. The Four Tails, Son Gokū, controlled Lava Release, capable of turning the battlefield into a molten wasteland. The Five Tails, Kokuō, enhanced Boil Release, allowing for explosive bursts of steam-powered strength. The Six Tails, Saiken, produced corrosive acid mist and bubbles, capable of dissolving nearly anything.

Then came the beasts with distinct physical attributes—Three Tails, Seven Tails, and Eight Tails. The Three Tails, Isobu, had a near-impenetrable carapace that made it a living fortress. The Seven Tails, Chōmei, possessed giant insect wings, enabling high-speed flight. And the Eight Tails, Gyūki, had massive, tentacle-like appendages, capable of overwhelming enemies in close combat.

Initially, Mizuki Ryosuke's only choice was the Three Tails, and he hadn't given it much thought. If the goal was to acquire an enormous chakra pool and access to Tailed Beast Bombs, then any of them would suffice. After all, the Nine Tails and Eight Tails were out of the question due to their immense power and importance to their respective villages.

However, with the sudden availability of the Six Tails, Ryosuke found himself faced with an unexpected dilemma.

Both Isobu (Three Tails) and Saiken (Six Tails) had their merits.

Choosing Saiken would grant him access to the Bubble Ninjutsu, a rare technique known for its versatility in both offense and defense, along with its highly corrosive acidic secretions—an ability that could melt through nearly any material, making it one of the most terrifying elemental techniques.

These two abilities were essentially akin to gaining two new Kekkei Genkai.

Combined with Ryosuke's already formidable Ice Release, he would possess three distinct bloodline limits, an overwhelming advantage that would make his combat arsenal unparalleled among Kirigakure's current forces.

Mizuki Ryosuke closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment before making his final decision.

Once the selection was made, the sealing process itself was uneventful.

With the assistance of Kirigakure's Sealing Corps, the entire process took roughly three hours before the tailed beast was successfully sealed within Ryosuke.

During the sealing, he could clearly feel the monstrous chakra of the Tailed Beast merging into his own, little by little, expanding his reserves to a terrifying degree.

Strictly speaking, a Jinchūriki is not just a "container" for the tailed beast—it was more like a balance scale.

One side held the host, and the other held the beast.

Only by maintaining perfect equilibrium could the scale remain stable and prevent disaster.

Ryosuke immediately entered his inner mindscape, the spiritual plane where he would be able to communicate with the Tailed Beast.

For now, the beast had yet to regain consciousness from the sealing process, leaving Ryosuke alone in the vast mental space. He wasn't in a rush to establish communication.

However, as he examined his new Jinchūriki seal, he noticed a glaring flaw.

Unlike the elaborate Nine-Tails Seal created by the Uzumaki Clan's unparalleled Fūinjutsu—which contained multiple levels of restrictions—Kirigakure's sealing technique was painfully crude in comparison.

The only thing holding the beast back in Ryosuke's body was two chains, more decorative than functional.

This was hardly surprising.

The Uzumaki Clan had dominated the field of sealing jutsu for generations. Konoha, having maintained a deep alliance with Uzushiogakure, had inherited many of their advanced sealing techniques. It was no wonder that Naruto's Four Symbols Seal was an intricate masterpiece, personally reinforced by Kushina Uzumaki, a pure-blooded Uzumaki capable of Adamantine Sealing Chains.

In contrast, Kirigakure's Fūinjutsu was… functional at best, pathetic at worst.

After exiting his mindscape, Ryosuke stretched his limbs, feeling the colossal chakra pool coursing through him. He nodded in satisfaction—this power was beyond anything he had expected.

Before departing, the sealing corps members warned him that the seal needed regular maintenance or the beast could break free at any moment.

Ryosuke merely nodded and smiled.

They assumed he understood.

In reality? He was already devising a countermeasure in his mind.

On the other side of the battlefield, Maeda Motoji and Ghost Lantern Manyue had already left, taking Third Mizukage's body with them. Their priority now was to handle post-war logistics and begin the process of political restructuring in Kirigakure.

Meanwhile, the sealing of the other tailed beast—the Six Tails—was being completed.

Jinchūriki candidates had been pre-selected by Third Mizukage before his demise, and a young boy was now the unwilling host of Saiken.

Ryosuke, however, was more interested in testing the effects of his own transformation.

Without hand seals, he simply raised his hand to his mouth and released a torrent of water.

"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"

A simple C-rank technique, one of the most basic Water Release jutsu.

But the results were astonishing.

The power behind this simple jutsu was equivalent to a B-rank Water Release technique before he became a Jinchūriki!

This was the natural amplification effect that came with being a Jinchūriki.

The tailed beast's chakra constantly influenced his own, fundamentally altering his chakra nature.

And this was precisely why Ryosuke ultimately chose Three Tails over Six Tails.

1. Isobu's Water Release was the strongest among the nine tailed beasts.

• Ryosuke was already a Water Style expert, and this selection would amplify his specialty to an unprecedented level.

2. The Three Tails' natural defenses were second to none.

• Its dense carapace could endure catastrophic attacks, giving him an additional layer of survivability in combat.

3. Six Tails had excellent offensive abilities, but Ryosuke wasn't lacking in firepower.

• Acid and bubbles were useful, but ultimately, Ryosuke didn't need more offensive tools—he needed defensive reinforcements.

And finally…

4. Six Tails was simply too ugly.

• Yes, a giant slug.

• No matter how he looked at it, it was visually repulsive.

• If he had to coexist with a tailed beast, he at least wanted one that was somewhat presentable.

With that, the decision had been made.

Meanwhile, Kirigakure remained in a state of chaos.

With the entire village on high alert, civilians remained confined indoors, anxiously awaiting official updates.

As Mizuki Ryosuke walked through the war-torn streets, he could feel the curious gazes of the patrolling ninjas.

News of his battle prowess had spread like wildfire.

Rumors circulated:

• "Mizuki Ryosuke is actually the illegitimate son of Third Mizukage!"

• "The Mizuki Clan has been secretly grooming him as the next Mizukage!"

Ryosuke sighed.

Years of careful low-profile cultivation had collapsed in just one day.

Still, he reassured himself:

"At least I'm still just an 'unremarkable' Kage-level ninja."

With that, he finally returned home—where Mizuki Ren awaited him.

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