"Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!"
Bunpuku, in a daze, heard the familiar sound of a wooden fish being struck. The crisp and melodious tone cleared his mind instantly.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying in his own meditation room. He was dressed in a fresh monk's robe, and the wound on his wrist had been carefully re-bandaged.
It seemed he had been saved. Amitabha, the Buddha's mercy.
He put on his shoes and slowly got up, feeling surprisingly refreshed, though his legs were still a bit weak.
"Who's striking the wooden fish?"
Bunpuku slowly walked toward the main hall. Lifting a corner of the curtain, he peeked inside. There, he saw Han imitating his usual posture of praying to the Buddha. Sitting cross-legged before the statue, Han was striking the wooden fish with great seriousness, his eyes closed, while muttering something under his breath. Listening closely, Bunpuku could make out the words:
"Old monk, wake up, and I promise I won't draw a mustache on your face anymore. Old monk, wake up, and I promise I won't draw a mustache on your face anymore."
"Heh heh."
Bunpuku couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Old monk, you're awake!"
Han, hearing the sound, jumped up excitedly. He turned to the Buddha statue and gave a thumbs-up, as if to say, I'm keeping my word—I won't draw a mustache on you anymore. The Buddha didn't respond, but the gesture of the right hand holding a flower seemed to subtly form an "OK" sign.
Bunpuku stepped in, no longer hiding.
Han was at a loss for words. His heart was filled with gratitude toward the old monk, and he deeply admired Bunpuku's character after everything they had been through.
"Alright, I know you have a lot to say. No rush—let's talk slowly. Sit."
Bunpuku gestured to a meditation cushion.
The two sat facing each other.
As always, Bunpuku was the first to speak.
"Since you arrived at my temple, we haven't had a proper conversation. Now that we've shared life-and-death experiences, it's time to open our hearts and talk freely."
"Of course! You shed so much blood for me—you're my savior. There's nothing I wouldn't talk about with you."
Han replied straightforwardly.
"Heh heh, don't call me a savior. Didn't you rescue me in return? A life for a life—we're even now."
"Then I still owe you half a bag of blood."
"No worries—I'm a vegetarian; I don't need you to repay me."
The two exchanged a glance and burst into laughter. Past misunderstandings and conflicts melted away like snow under the sun.
"Alright, let's start. Tell me about yourself."
"What about me?"
"Anything you want. Speak your mind—I'm here to listen."
Bunpuku said warmly.
Han began recounting his life story in a stream-of-consciousness style, starting with his tragic childhood and leading up to his participation in the Second Shinobi World War.
When Han mentioned the Seven-Star Sealing Technique, Bunpuku's expression suddenly grew serious. He raised his hand to interrupt Han's narration.
"Did you say the Seven-Star Sealing Technique?"
"Yes."
Han replied without hesitation.
Bunpuku fell silent for a moment, his face grave.
"Lift your shirt and let me take a look."
Han, trusting the monk implicitly, lifted his shirt to reveal his abdomen. Around his navel was a small seal resembling the Big Dipper constellation.
Bunpuku gently traced the seven seal points with his fingers, causing Han to squirm from the ticklish sensation.
"Don't move!"
Bunpuku scolded, his expression darkening.
"Do you remember the original text of the sealing technique?"
"Yes."
"Recite it for me!"
Without hesitation, Han recited the entire text from beginning to end.
As Bunpuku listened, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper. Being a master of sealing techniques, he quickly grasped the intricacies involved.
When Han finished the last word, Bunpuku slapped his thigh and shouted angrily:
"Utterly malicious!"
Han was completely baffled.
"What's wrong with the sealing technique?"
Bunpuku let out a long sigh and explained:
"The technique itself is flawless—an exceptionally advanced sealing method. But using it to seal a tailed beast is a grave mistake!"
"What?!"
Han was shocked. Given their bond forged through shared hardship, he had no reason to doubt Bunpuku's words. However, he felt no apparent issues with his body at the moment.
Seeing Han's confusion, Bunpuku continued:
"Every time you release Kokuō, the Five-Tails, you inject chakra into the 'Tianquan' position, then reverse the Big Dipper seal to re-seal Kokuō afterward, correct?"
"That's right."
"Here's the problem! Let me give you an analogy: You are the threshold, and the copper plate on the threshold represents the seal."
Bunpuku pointed to the temple's threshold.
"The tailed beast is like an elephant. Each time you release the tailed beast, it's like an elephant stepping over the threshold. The copper plate may not break—at most, it deforms and can be hammered back into shape. But the wood underneath suffers irreversible damage. Once or twice might be fine, but over time, the threshold will inevitably collapse! Using the sealing technique this way, you won't live past thirty!"
"What?!"
Han's face turned pale. Moments later, his expression twisted with rage as he thought of White Earth and Ōnoki. I fought and bled for Iwagakure, yet this is how they treat me?
"Fortunately, you're still young, and the damage isn't severe yet. There's a chance to fix this."
"Master Bunpuku, please save me!"
Having faced death, Han now cherished life deeply. He bowed deeply to Bunpuku.
"Take off your shirt."
Without hesitation, Han stripped to his bare chest.
"This might sting a bit—don't move."
Han nodded firmly.
"Old friend, lend me some chakra."
Bunpuku's demeanor shifted. His expression became solemn and majestic. He raised his right hand, forming a sword-like gesture with his fingers, while his left hand remained flat. Suddenly, a six-inch-long "light blade" extended from his right fingertips, and a palm-sized glowing "卍" symbol appeared on his left palm. The light blade flickered, and the glowing symbol rotated. Bunpuku radiated an aura of divine power, resembling a Buddha descending to the mortal realm.
"Vajra Mountain-Moving Finger: Release!"
With lightning speed, Bunpuku's sword-like fingers struck the seven sealing points on Han's abdomen, each touch delivering a force so intense that Han felt as if his stomach were struck by thunder. A powerful energy surged within him, threatening to erupt.
"卍 Seal: Subdue Dragon and Tiger!"
In an instant, Bunpuku's left palm pressed firmly onto Han's abdomen, like a red-hot iron branding pigskin. A wisp of white smoke rose.
"Ahhh!"
Han felt a scorching heat in his abdomen and instinctively recoiled. But moments later, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over him. The raging tailed beast energy within him calmed instantly.
Looking down at his abdomen, Han saw that the Big Dipper seal had vanished, replaced by a golden "卍" seal.
"This '卍' seal is much gentler and won't interfere with your chakra control. You'll be able to use ninjutsu freely, and there's another benefit."
Bunpuku wiped the sweat from his brow.
"What benefit?"
Han curiously touched the new seal on his stomach.
"It will make it easier for you to communicate with the tailed beast."
Bunpuku smiled.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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