Chapter 60

This turtle was nothing else; it was the Three-Tails!!

"What's going on! Why is the Three-Tails here!?"

Mizunuki Ryosuke was immediately taken aback.

As for why the Three-Tails' size was so miniature, it was naturally because of Uchiha Madara's near-absolute control over the Tailed Beasts.

Tailed Beasts themselves can adjust their own size.

Isobu's consciousness had been completely manipulated by the Eternal Mangekyo.

It must have been a long time ago that Uchiha Madara left a contingency plan inside the Tailed Beast to facilitate future control over it.

Therefore, even from a great distance, Uchiha Madara could still command the Tailed Beast as if it were an extension of his own arm.

"Ryosuke, since you have joined the Eye of the Moon Plan, you are one of us."

"I don't have much of a welcoming gift to give you for the time being."

"This Three-Tails Isobu is a gift for you."

"I believe that with your ability, you should be able to command the power of a Tailed Beast at will."

Uchiha Madara said with a smile, his wrinkled old face looking like a kind grandfather from next door.

"Old fox, so that's where your attention was..."

Mizunuki Ryosuke suddenly understood something after hearing Uchiha Madara's words, muttering to himself in his heart.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You don't mean to make me the jinchuriki of the Three-Tails, do you!"

Mizunuki Ryosuke feigned surprise, his eyes filled with just the right amount of confusion.

"Hahahaha!!!"

"Ryosuke, you really understand me."

"Let the Three-Tails become your aid; consider it a gift from me to you."

Uchiha Madara's words were full of dominance; those who didn't know better would think the Three-Tails was a turtle he kept in his backyard, and his tone also faintly carried a hint of coercion.

Mizunuki Ryosuke narrowed his eyes slightly.

He secretly thought that this old fox Madara really couldn't trust him; this was him asking for a "pledge of allegiance."

The reason was also very simple: to make Uchiha Madara feel at ease with Mizunuki Ryosuke, he had to possess the means to counter Mizunuki Ryosuke.

The best way was, of course, genjutsu.

But unfortunately, genjutsu was ineffective against Mizunuki Ryosuke.

Uchiha Madara could only think of another way.

A "Tailed Beast" was the best method.

As long as Mizunuki Ryosuke became a jinchuriki, Uchiha Madara would suddenly have the means to counter Ryosuke.

It wasn't just the Sharingan's restraint on Tailed Beasts; most importantly, he had the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in his hands.

Madara had the ability at any time to forcibly retrieve the Tailed Beast inside Mizunuki Ryosuke.

And once one becomes a jinchuriki, their life is bound to the Tailed Beast; if the Tailed Beast is extracted by the Demonic Statue, the jinchuriki will inevitably lose their life as well.

In the original story, even Naruto did not defend against this move of Madara's.

"I'm afraid that's not appropriate..."

"Mr. Madara, didn't you just say that our 'Eye of the Moon' plan requires collecting the Tailed Beasts?"

"If I become a 'jinchuriki,' wouldn't I be unable to return the Three-Tails after the plan succeeds?"

Mizunuki Ryosuke said with a smile, intending to do his best to decline this "honor" of being a jinchuriki.

During the "tugging" just now, the way Mizunuki Ryosuke and Madara addressed each other had evolved into "Ryosuke" and "Mr. Madara."

"Rest assured, since I have a way to give you the Three-Tails."

"I naturally have a way to take it out completely."

"You just need to borrow the power of the Three-Tails."

"You keep declining; do you look down on this old man's gift?"

Uchiha Madara suddenly straightened his face, and his tone instantly turned a few degrees colder.

Mizunuki Ryosuke knew that becoming a jinchuriki seemed to be Madara's bottom line, so he stopped declining.

As for Madara's talk of "taking it out whenever," Mizunuki Ryosuke didn't believe his nonsense at all.

"Haha, then thank you, Mr. Madara."

"I will accept it respectfully."

Mizunuki Ryosuke chuckled twice and then nodded in agreement.

"Old thing, you really think you've got me?"

"A mere Three-Tails; once it enters my body, it will only have to obey, and by then, it won't necessarily be listening to you!"

But in Mizunuki Ryosuke's heart, he had a completely different set of thoughts at this moment.

"This is truly for the best."

A trace of satisfaction also flashed in Madara's eyes.

The two men's gazes met in the air, each seeing the kindness the other was feigning.

It seemed as if the two were truly like-minded friends gathered together for the same goal.

In reality, the peace between the two sides was only built on the basis that neither could do anything about the other.

"However, Mr. Madara, before becoming a jinchuriki, I have one more idea."

Mizunuki Ryosuke said with a smile, looking harmless to humans and animals.

"Oh?"

"Why don't you let me hear it."

Uchiha Madara was also smiling, looking like a kind and amiable grandfather.

"It's like this, I want to..."

After some explanation, Uchiha Madara revealed a hearty expression.

"Hahahaha!!!!"

"Ryosuke, you truly live up to your name!"

"Good, I agree!"

After listening, Uchiha Madara first showed a look of surprise, and then gave a look that said "as expected" and "you truly live up to your name."

"Then, Mr. Madara, happy cooperation."

Mizunuki Ryosuke smiled and extended a hand.

"Happy cooperation."

Uchiha Madara readily extended his other hand.

Two completely different arms were firmly clasped together; just from their "loving" expressions, one could absolutely not tell that they were each harboring ulterior motives.

At the Lake of Mist, the battle between the two sides had reached a white-hot stage.

With the appearance of the Third Mizukage, the winning percentage of the Mizukage's side greatly increased.

Not only was there a boost in morale, but the Third Mizukage's intervention also gave the Mizukage's side an extra "Kage-level" combat force.

On the side, Hozuki Mangetsu was using the Hydrification Technique to heal himself while looking at the battling Mizunuki Taki and Hozuki Suigetsu with an uncertain expression.

At this moment, Hozuki Mangetsu looked to be in quite bad shape; in addition to wounds of all sizes all over his body, his skin was also covered with many coral-like proliferative tissues.

Clearly, he had already lost most of his combat effectiveness.

These corals were the injuries caused by Hozuki Suigetsu's exclusive ninjutsu, Coral Palm.

Although he was the "First Genius of the Hidden Mist," Hozuki Mangetsu's current strength was still in a growth phase.

He had not yet reached the true "Kage" level, and fighting against Hozuki Suigetsu, who had Kage-level strength, was still a bit too much of a stretch.

Even with Hozuki Mangetsu pulling out all the stops, he was still no match for Hozuki Suigetsu.

Looking at the Mizukage and the Mist Anbu Chief fighting fiercely before him, a trace of unwillingness flashed in Hozuki Mangetsu's eyes.

On the other side, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, fighting in threes, had also reached a critical moment, and it was likely that they would each decide the outcome before long.

Looking at the entire battlefield, nearly half of the troops invested by both sides had been killed or wounded.

The Third Mizukage, Mizunuki Taki, saw everything in his eyes and knew it was time to decide the outcome.

"Hozuki Suigetsu."

"You colluded with the Rock Ninja and plotted against the interests of the village."