Chapter 108: Chapter 107: The Sage Cat!
Chapter 107: The Sage Cat!
"Little Blue, get ready."
Tonari donned a white lab coat, transparent protective goggles, and thin plastic gloves, looking every bit like a mad scientist.
Little Blue was the name of the cat lying on the table before him.
Initially, Tonari had wanted to name it Armstrong Spiral One Style, abbreviated as One Style. However, Reika, upon hearing this suggestion, objected for the first time ever.
Due to Reika's insistence, the cat was ultimately named Little Blue.
For some reason, when the Two-Tails learned of its name, a gleam of envy was evident in its eyes, almost tangible.
The Two-Tails had supported Tonari's original naming idea wholeheartedly, though whether it genuinely liked the name Armstrong Spiral One Style or had ulterior motives was unclear.
Luckily for Little Blue, it remained blissfully unaware of how close it had come to having an outlandishly "cool" name.
Every time Tonari called Little Blue, a pang of regret flashed through his heart. He should have held firm against Reika's objections.
Sigh. Maybe I'm just too kind...
"Meow—"
Little Blue obediently lay on the lab table, ready for what was to come.
From the moment it had signed the summoning contract with Tonari, its fate had been sealed. Over the past year, Tonari had deliberately refrained from teaching it how to use chakra, all in preparation for today.
"I'll administer the anesthetic first. Relax. Nothing will go wrong while I'm here."
Tonari gently stroked Little Blue's soft fur, calming its nerves.
Lifting the loose skin at the scruff of Little Blue's neck, Tonari injected the anesthetic with a syringe. This spot, known as the "scruff," was ideal for injections—it caused minimal pain and kept the cat calm as though its "fate" was being held.
As the anesthetic took effect, Little Blue's body went limp, though its eyes remained half-open.
Now came the crucial part.
Tonari carefully retrieved a syringe filled with a dark blue liquid.
This syringe was custom-made to contain the potent, nearly liquid form of the Two-Tails' chakra. Even through the reinforced container, the oppressive aura of malice radiated outward.
From Tonari's shoulder, the small Two-Tails watched quietly. Though it found Tonari's experiments with its chakra amusing, there was an undertone of exasperation in its gaze.
This might be the first time in shinobi history that someone had dared to experiment so brazenly with a tailed beast's chakra.
"Are you sure about this?" the Two-Tails asked. "Little Blue isn't a lab rat. If this fails, it won't just be a simple loss of life."
A failure could potentially unleash chaos—after all, not just anyone could handle a tailed beast's chakra.
"Oh? Are you worried about Little Blue now?" Tonari teased with a sly grin.
The Two-Tails rolled its eyes, unimpressed.
"Focus on the task at hand," it retorted. "You've got a lot riding on this. And while you're at it, maybe think about why, even with my full support, you can't achieve the complete Two-Tails Mode. You've hit ninety percent, but that last ten percent is everything. It's the key to a true transformation."
"Don't worry. I'm working on it. But for now, Little Blue's success is critical. It's tied to our future plans. Without this, the Nine-Faced Suvaḥ won't be possible."
"If you're doing this, I assume you're ninety-nine percent confident in success," the Two-Tails said, settling back down on Tonari's shoulder.
The relationship between Tonari and the Two-Tails had grown significantly over the past year. Thanks to the miniature Two-Tails' constant presence, the bond between host and beast had strengthened considerably.
Now, the Two-Tails trusted Tonari enough that it wouldn't retaliate even if its seal were removed. Their relationship had become akin to the partnership between Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails, though still shy of the bond Naruto would later form with Kurama.
With a serious expression, Tonari proceeded meticulously, following each step with precision.
Injecting the Two-Tails' chakra directly into Little Blue would likely result in instant combustion. Thus, he began with a carefully prepared series of steps, applying a combination of Molten Grass extract, Ironbark Tree essence, and other stabilizing agents in specific sequences.
Half an hour later, Tonari wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Finally done with the prep work.
"To think such intricate procedures were necessary to stabilize this... Without Orochimaru-sensei's knowledge of materials and Reika's medical insights, this would've been impossible."
Injecting ordinary chakra was a relatively simple task.
But the chakra of a tailed beast was a whole different beast—especially with its inherent natural energy. Only individuals with exceptionally strong bodies, like the Gold and Silver Brothers, could withstand it without preparation.
With steady hands, Tonari injected the Two-Tails' chakra into Little Blue.
The cat lay motionless on the table, but inside its body, a storm was brewing.
Tonari and the Two-Tails monitored the changes closely.
Time seemed to crawl...
Suddenly, Little Blue's eyes snapped open, releasing a torrent of chakra into the room.
"Meow!!!"
The outburst was shockingly similar to the Two-Tails' chakra, though noticeably weaker. Little Blue's eyes now mirrored those of the Two-Tails—one yellow, one blue.
Its fur bristled, standing on end. A faint blue chakra cloak surrounded its body, gradually darkening into a sinister crimson.
If not for its tail, Little Blue could have easily been mistaken for the Two-Tails itself.
But just as it teetered on the edge of full transformation, Tonari calmly extended a hand, covered in a shimmering feline chakra aura, and gently stroked its fur.
Immediately, Little Blue's chaotic energy subsided. Its fur lay flat once more, and it curled up weakly.
"Meow..."
It was a success.
Little Blue had gained a portion of the Two-Tails' abilities, including the capacity to hold natural energy within its cells—what the Great Sage referred to as Senjutsu Chakra.
Unlike the self-cultivated methods of the Toads, Snakes, or Slugs, Little Blue's abilities had been engineered.
"I guess this makes it... a Sage Cat?" Tonari mused.
The Two-Tails tilted its head, clearly intrigued. The connection it felt with Little Blue was undeniable—a bond akin to that of a subordinate and superior.
"If this works for animals," Tonari thought to himself, "then perhaps it's time to move on to human trials."
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Author's Note:
Thank you for the continued support! Things are getting exciting. Who else is looking forward to Tonari's next experiment?
(Chapter End)
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