Fleeing from Konoha-Chapter 551 - 75: Zero-tailed

The fortress named ’Royal Capital Fortress’ serves as the gathering place for the Sky Ninjas.

Back during the Second Great Ninja War, the Royal Capital Fortress suffered significant damages from Konoha Ninja. This fortress, a symbol of the Land of the Sky’s ninjas, can no longer soar through the skies. To avoid being found by Konoha Ninja, it was hidden underground using a jutsu, allowing it to survive.

In the main chamber of the fortress, a well-built man in his forties sits on a stone throne, his hair jet black, exuding vitality.

Standing before him is a Sky Ninja dressed in a ninja uniform, wearing a ninja headband.

After listening to the report from the Sky Ninja, the man sitting on the stone throne, showing visible disappointment, sighed and said:

"So, you’re saying we still can’t find a stable energy source to supply the Zero-tailed?"

"My apologies, Lord Shinno, because the Chakra required by the Zero-tailed is enormous. I’m afraid only the legendary Tailed Beasts could provide it with a stable, continuous supply of massive energy."

Faced with the Sky Ninja’s apology, the middle-aged man—Shinno—naturally understood this reasoning.

However, he still wanted to try other ways to power the Zero-tailed.

In the past, the Land of the Sky, putting forth its national effort, forged this fortress with the Zero-tailed at its core.

Though a magnificent and grandiose flying fortress, in critical times, it could also serve as an ultimate weapon, with destructive power equivalent to a Tailed Beast. However, due to its excessive reliance on the Zero-tailed, if the Zero-tailed’s energy is insufficient, this Royal Capital Fortress is essentially rendered half useless.

This is also the reason why Shinno is deeply troubled.

"In that case, there’s no choice but to continue capturing people from outside. Whether it’s tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands, the Zero-tailed must be restored quickly to take revenge on the Land of Fire and Konoha."

Shinno issued a cold-blooded order.

Without obtaining a Tailed Beast, using the Chakra and life force from ordinary peoples’ bodies could also recharge the Zero-tailed.

However, since ordinary people’s Chakra and life force are so sparse, sacrificing tens of thousands might barely provide the Zero-tailed with the enormous energy required to activate the fortress.

"Yes."

Upon hearing Shinno’s order, the Sky Ninja’s expression turned serious.

Currently, inside the fortress, more than three thousand prisoners are detained. These prisoners, smuggled into the fortress from outside, serve as live sacrifices for powering the Zero-tailed.

But if they want the Zero-tailed to awaken completely, this number is far from enough, necessitating more prisoners to provide Chakra and life force.

"Leave and remember not to attract other countries’ ninjas’ attention. Capture them secretly and bring them in; we now—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the entire fortress was enveloped by a terrifying shockwave, shaking violently.

Sitting on the stone throne, Shinno’s body also quivered. He looked up at the ceiling.

Cracks appeared on the ceiling, with signs of continuing to spread.

Standing in front, the Sky Ninja, losing balance, fell to the ground, hurriedly scrambling up.

"Lord Shinno, wh-what happened?"

Just as he spoke, the alarm started ringing outside, echoing through passageways.

With a grim face, Shinno realized as the alarm sounded outside, they had been invaded inside the fortress.

The force that just shook the entire fortress was evidence of the enemy’s attack.

Who is it? Konoha Ninja?

Although the invaders unsettled Shinno momentarily, he quickly steadied himself.

This is the stronghold of the Sky Ninjas, with a fighting force of over a thousand, every one of them well-equipped. Unless a large scale invasion by the ninjas of the Five Great Nations occurs, these thousand Sky Ninjas’ power can make any enemy feel despair.

Thus, he only needed to wait patiently here for the good news.

The battle came so suddenly, those Sky Ninjas working inside the fortress immediately realized the invasion, dropping what they were doing, grabbing weapons, and rushing to the location of the incident.

Jumping through the hole punched open by a fist, Ruri and Ayane successfully infiltrated the inside of the fortress.

From the outside, this fortress seems no different from typical stone buildings, but once inside, the walls of the surrounding passages turned into hard metal plates, filled with purpose-unknown transparent pipe installations attached to the walls, with distinctly continuous pulsating traces.

"I’ll retrieve the blueprints of this fortress and other vital documents. As for that Tailed Beast-like Chakra, head straight along this path, at the third crossroad turn left, and go straight on."

The entire fortress’s layout, under Ayane’s Byakugan observation, was a clear view.

Infiltrating such a complex fortress would daze even regular Perception Ninjas due to its intricate pathways; however, for the Byakugan, the labyrinth-like passageways make the endpoints visible with an open eye.

Whether it’s the library storing blueprints and essential documents or the room housing that mass of Tailed Beast-like Chakra, they couldn’t escape the Byakugan’s surveillance.

After sharing the position with Ruri, Ayane started moving on her own, slipping towards the library containing the blueprints and critical documentation.

Seeing Ayane’s departing figure, Ruri turned around, swiftly proceeding in the direction Ayane had pointed out.