259. Testing Power

Upon hearing these words, Senju Itama, whose thoughts were long elsewhere, didn't even glance back. Instead, she casually tossed the pot on her back toward Uchiha Gin and dashed toward the tailed beasts like a wild horse set free.

"Hey, hey! Be careful with that!"

Catching the Amber Purifying Pot mid-air, Uchiha Gin craned his neck and shouted toward the carefree Itama, who was running full tilt toward the battlefield.

"My goodness! What am I going to do with her?"

Clearly, Itama paid no attention to Gin’s warning. Clenching her small fists, she charged toward the corner of the battlefield, where the frightened Sanbi (Isobu) huddled in its shell, trembling.

"She's already grown up, but she still acts like a child," Gin sighed like a weary parent, watching her figure disappear. Then, looking down at the Amber Purifying Pot, he attempted to pour his chakra into it.

However, after some time, the pot only absorbed chakra without any feedback, greedily taking in everything like a glutton yet refusing to respond.

"Is it scamming me? Unacceptable. No one takes advantage of me, not even a ninja tool!"

Clicking his tongue, Gin narrowed his eyes, and streams of colorful chakra hidden within him began to flow into the pot. These chakras, though sparse, were of exceptional quality, originating from feedback through an artifact he gifted to Hamura.

The moment the pot tasted this higher-grade chakra, it settled down and even sent feedback, indicating it could handle anything Gin needed, discarding the restrictive rules it had once followed.

"Itama, can I leave Sanbi to you?"

On top of Matatabi (Nibi), Senju Itama called out sweetly to Uchiha Haruka, who was suppressing Son Goku (Yonbi) and Chomei (Nanabi) nearby. Her dark eyes sparkled with hope.

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

Haruka, in full battle mode, had a faint blush coloring her usually calm face. She turned to the eager Itama with a slight frown, her Mangekyou Sharingan glowing faintly.

"Of course! Leave it to me!"

Itama puffed out her chest proudly, flexing her pale, delicate arms to show off her "muscles," her confidence overflowing.

"Alright, go ahead, but be careful not to get hurt," Haruka sighed, her tone laced with indulgence. She nodded at Itama before turning her attention back to the three tailed beasts she was suppressing simultaneously with her Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Yay!"

Before Haruka could finish her sentence, Itama had already vanished, her figure speeding toward the corner where Isobu cowered.

Meanwhile, Gin glanced over at Uchiha Hikari, who controlled Gyuki (Hachibi) with ease, forcing it to fight Kokuo (Gobi) and Saiken (Rokubi). Despite not even using her Susanoo, Hikari manipulated the tailed beasts as if she were toying with bugs, her calm demeanor never wavering.

"This is the gap Gin-san was talking about," Haruka thought bitterly, recalling the time Gin lectured her about the differences in their abilities.

Back then, after she had just awakened her Mangekyou Sharingan and frequently overexerted herself, Gin had given her a necklace infused with restorative properties.

"Haruka, wear this, or you'll go blind quickly," he had said.

"But Hikari-senpai uses her eyes all the time and seems fine!" Haruka had protested, delightedly donning the blue pendant.

"You and she are not the same. Her eyes are Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan; they bear no side effects," Gin explained, patting her head.

"Wait, there are ranks among Mangekyou Sharingan?" Haruka had asked, startled.

"Yes, there are differences even among Mangekyou. But don’t worry—when the time is right, I'll help you get an upgrade," Gin had promised with a mysterious smile.

Back in the present, Haruka sighed and refocused her energy on the tailed beasts.

Meanwhile, Senju Itama landed before Isobu, knocking on its shell like tapping on a door.

"Knock-knock! Hey, little turtle, are you okay in there?"

The clear, cheerful voice caused Isobu’s head to emerge reluctantly.

"Human, do what you will! Kill or seal me—I'm ready!" Isobu bellowed, resigned to its fate.

But as it stared at Itama, it noticed something odd.

"Wait… you're not an Uchiha?!"

Realizing the petite girl before it didn’t have Sharingan, hope flickered in Isobu’s heart.

"Go to hell, human!"

It swung a massive claw toward her.

"Is this your way of saying hello?" Itama asked curiously, tilting her head. Unfazed, she caught the claw and flipped Isobu onto its back with terrifying strength.

"What kind of monster is this girl?!" Isobu thought, flailing helplessly.

Itama, dusting herself off, smiled brightly at the stunned beast.

"I'm Itama. Wanna be friends?"



“I’m not running anymore. Can you flip me over first?”

With a sigh, Isobu looked up at Senju Itama, who was crouching on top of him, and asked in a muffled voice.

“Alright~”

Senju Itama, who had been inspecting the little sticky things on Isobu’s shell, immediately gave up the idea of prying off the attached sea urchin when she heard him. She clapped her hands, stood up, and spat a few times into her palms. Grabbing the edge of Isobu’s shell, she used her waist to exert force, flipping him with a mighty heave.

“Boom!”

The enormous turtle shell that had been lying belly-up shot into the air, spinning several 360° rotations before landing heavily with a deafening crash, sending dust flying everywhere.

“Alright, turtle! Let’s go!”

Jumping back onto Isofu’s shell, Senju Itama flashed a satisfied smile, waved her hand dramatically, and gave the command to move out.

“Tch, that brat…”

Sitting atop Gyuki’s head, Uchiha Hikari watched the entire exchange between Senju Itama and Isobu. When she saw Itama flip Isobu’s massive body hundreds of meters using sheer physical strength, her brows furrowed, and an inexplicable sense of danger welled up in her chest.

She had assumed Itama was just a kid with exceptional arm strength. Who would’ve thought she was a full-blown powerhouse? From now on, she resolved never to engage Itama in physical combat during training.

“Haruka! I’ve tamed the turtle!”

Sitting proudly on Isobu’s head, Senju Itama called out to Uchiha Haruka with a grin, seeking praise.

“As long as you’re not hurt. Need me to put it to sleep for you?”

Haruka gave Itama a once-over and noted that, aside from a few rips in her clothing, she was unharmed and brimming with energy—not at all like someone who had just fought a tailed beast.

“Roar!”

Hearing Haruka'a suggestion, Isobu beneath Itama stirred uneasily. Itama patted its head reassuringly and said with a confident smile, “No need! Turtle and I have already come to an agreement—it won’t run away~”

“Alright, then let’s report back.”

Haruka glanced at the cowering Isobu and raised an eyebrow but said nothing further. After all, it was just a tailed beast; it couldn’t stir up much trouble.

“Impressive speed~”

Sitting on the cap of the Amber Purifying Pot, Uchiha Gin remarked with a grin as he watched the seven tailed beasts approach. Judging by their auras, six of them were under Sharingan control, while only Isobu, under Itama, was still conscious. Its docile demeanor, however, surprised Gin.

“What’s next, Gin?”

A graceful figure landed in front of Uchiha Gin. Uchiha Hikari asked with a smile, “What do we do with them?”

“You curly-haired ape, don’t you dare bully my turtle!” Itama and Haruka followed closely behind, their curious eyes fixed on Gin and his pickle pot.

...

To summarize, Uchiha Gin used the Amber Purifying Pot—a gift from the Kin-Gin brothers—to subdue most of the tailed beasts, while Isobu grudgingly cooperated under Itama’s persuasion (and the looming threat of Gin's wooden blade). Through teamwork, the group successfully subdued the tailed beasts without completely alienating them, leaving room for future collaboration.