Aburame Shigeo spent two days synthesizing all the parasite insects in his body except for the phosphorus-eating bugs, enhancing them with resistance to ninjutsu using Hidan's blood.
This effort pushed his own ninjutsu resistance to an advanced level, allowing him to completely negate techniques ranked below A-level.
Of course, it also depended on who was using the technique.
Take the Fire Release technique *Great Fire Annihilation*, for instance. Despite being a B-rank technique, Shigeo could fully resist it if performed by an ordinary ninja.
However, if someone as formidable as Uchiha Madara cast it, the technique's power could escalate to A- or even S-rank, making it impossible to endure directly.
Nevertheless, Shigeo was satisfied with the results.
After all, at his current level, any improvement was a hard-won achievement.
"This was an unexpected delight!"
Shigeo smiled slightly and then turned to express his gratitude.
"Thank you for your help, Hidan."
Meanwhile, Hidan, who was hanging from a tree, looked like a shriveled husk, his face twisted and drained—a wretched, zombie-like sight.
It was clear he wouldn't recover for at least ten days.
Seeing Hidan's pitiful state, Shigeo's resentment faded entirely, leaving him in a much better mood.
The genjutsu he had endured from Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan—experiencing the death of his beloved daughter—had been a devastating mental blow.
This trauma triggered the awakening of his own Mangekyo Sharingan.
Even after realizing it was all an illusion, the damage to his psyche wasn't easy to heal.
He needed an outlet for his hatred.
And Hidan became that outlet.
Unbeknownst to Shigeo, his cruelty toward Hidan wasn't purely for synthesizing insects—it was also an act of vengeance and catharsis.
Now that his anger had dissipated and his emotions had calmed, Shigeo felt at peace again.
"It's time to fulfill my mission."
Shigeo smiled faintly and approached the unconscious Fuu, placing his hand on her abdomen.
"There it is."
With that, his consciousness entered Fuu's mental realm, where he stood before a massive creature.
The creature resembled a hybrid—a beetle on the upper half and a dragonfly below—with three pairs of wings and a long, slender tail. It radiated an overwhelming chakra presence.
It was Chomei, the Seven-Tails.
Currently, Chomei was bound by several enormous chains, its every movement causing them to rattle loudly.
Seeing Shigeo arrive, the beast roared in fury.
"Sharingan... vile Uchiha clan! You will not control me!"
"Uh…"
Scratching his head awkwardly, Shigeo tried to explain.
"I'm actually from the Aburame clan. All my abilities come from insects, and I have no intention of controlling you. You might not believe me, but it's the truth."
"I believe you."
To Shigeo's surprise, Chomei's attitude shifted, its voice becoming calmer.
"This is the jinchuriki's inner world, as well as your own. Here, unless you can deceive yourself, you cannot deceive me."
"I see!"
Shigeo nodded and smiled at Chomei.
"That makes things easier. Let me state my purpose—I'm here to join forces with you, Chomei."
"Join forces?" Chomei sounded skeptical. "Why would you want to join forces with me?"
"Because the shinobi world is in grave danger!"
Shigeo's tone turned serious.
"Before she was sealed, Kaguya Otsutsuki created Black Zetsu with her will. Now, Black Zetsu is manipulating others to gather the tailed beasts, aiming to resurrect the Ten-Tails and Kaguya Otsutsuki herself!"
"What?!"
Chomei was visibly shocked, its voice tinged with panic.
"If they succeed, not only us tailed beasts but the entire shinobi world is doomed."
"Exactly. That's why I'm here."
Shigeo smiled gently and extended his hand toward Chomei.
"Work with me, Chomei. Trust me—there's no one in this world more compatible with you than me, and no one I could work with better than you. We're natural partners!"
Chomei hesitated briefly before asking, "Will you bind me like this? With chains?"
"Of course not!"
Shigeo's smile grew brighter.
"Our relationship will be equal and mutually supportive. Once the crisis is over, you're free to go wherever you wish. I swear on my Aburame clan's honor as insect users."
"Alright, it's a deal!"
Chomei buzzed its three pairs of wings happily.
"Now, help me break these chains. With your abilities, you can do it, right?"
"Of course!"
Shigeo's eyes lit up as he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Release!"
With a shout, the chains binding Chomei dissolved as if corroded, breaking apart rapidly.
Once the final chain shattered, Chomei let out an exhilarated roar, unleashing a massive surge of chakra.
As the seal broke, Shigeo withdrew his consciousness, observing the changes.
In the real world, the unconscious Fuu was suddenly enveloped in red chakra, the seal on her abdomen unraveling.
A torrent of dark chakra erupted, forming a massive flying insect in the air.
It was Chomei, the Seven-Tails.
Seeing the beast freed, Shigeo turned to look at Fuu, his gaze tinged with pity and regret.
Although they had crossed paths only a few times, he bore no ill will toward the cheerful, friend-loving girl.
If possible, he wished she could live.
But some choices were impossible to reconcile. To gain the Seven-Tails, the jinchuriki had to die.
Even someone as resilient as an Uzumaki couldn't survive long after losing their tailed beast.
Watching Fuu's still form, Shigeo sighed deeply.
"Jinchuriki are never truly accepted anywhere. Perhaps this is a release for you. I hope you can make lots of friends in your next life."
"This life too!"
Fuu suddenly opened her eyes and reached out to Shigeo.
"Starting with you, big brother. Will you be my friend? Chomei said you're a good person!"
"…"
*(End of Chapter)*