chapter 14
Han looked at Roshi, his eyes reflecting the bewilderment he felt. "Don't look at me, I'm just as confused as you are," he said, his voice muffled under his helmet. The situation was bizarre and unpredictable, challenging the knowledge he had about the powers of the Bijus.
Roshi, with decades of experience both as a shinobi and as a Jinchuriki, couldn't help but comment, somewhat ironically. "I thought you knew something, since you're much older," he said, casting a sideways glance at Han, who just sighed in response.
Before them, Kurama, with an expression of serenity and control, extended his hand toward the two. The sand in the jar on his back began to flow out and undulate in the air, moving towards Roshi and Han.
Roshi, not waiting to see what Kurama would do with the sand, gathered chakra in his hands. "Yoton: Sekkaigyō no Jutsu!" he exclaimed, launching a technique that crystallizes the air around to create small, sharp particles of lava, intended to cut and burn everything in their path, in hopes of disrupting the flow of sand controlled by Kurama.
Han, realizing that normal attacks might not be enough, turned to the source of his power. "We'd better use the power of our Bijus," he suggested, his deep voice echoing the urgency of the moment.
"I agree," Roshi replied without hesitation. Both knew that they were facing a threat that could require the utmost of their abilities as Jinchurikis.
Almost instantly, the bodies of Roshi and Han began to emanate a powerful aura. The red flame of Son Goku's chakra enveloped Roshi, while the dense, hot steam of Kokuo surrounded Han, both preparing to unleash a fraction of the power of their respective Bijus.
Meanwhile, the sand controlled by Kurama danced through the air, dodging the lava particles and advancing inexorably towards Roshi and Han. The desert he had summoned seemed to have a life of its own, reacting and adapting as if it were an extension of Kurama's will.
The Biju forms of Roshi and Han became even more evident, their immense and powerful silhouettes outlined against the sky. Son Goku, the Four-Tails Monkey King wrapped in red flames, manifested in place of Roshi's body, while the form of Kokuo, the five-tailed horse with dolphin traits, manifested in place of Han, the hot, dense steam becoming almost solid in its intensity.
Kurama observed them with his penetrating eyes. "Hello, my two brothers," he said with a voice that seemed to reverberate the very earth beneath them. "I see that one is not in control, but the other is."
More sand began to flow from the jar on Kurama's back, forming a whirlwind around him.
"Kokuo, are you allied with this human?" Kurama asked, his voice laden with curiosity, not threat. "Don't worry, I won't harm him. I just want to know if he's forcing you."
Roshi, in his Biju form of Son Goku, clenched his fists and, without giving a chance for more conversation, launched a devastating punch in the direction of Kurama.
"Be quiet!" Kurama exclaimed, his voice now with a tone of command, as he skillfully moved the sand to block Roshi's punch.
Roshi's punch went through the sand, but Kurama had already dodged with surprising agility when the punch hit where he had been moments before.
"And I am on the human's side, I am not being controlled," Kokuo said, Han's voice resonating with the authority of the Tailed Beast. He was clearly aligned with the will of his Jinchuriki.
Kurama nodded in understanding. "I get it, I won't force," he said, then turned to Roshi, "But is our brother Son Goku there of his own free will?"
Kokuo remained silent, the imposing aura of steam around Han seeming to vibrate with tension, but the Tailed Beast did not offer an immediate response to Kurama's inquiry. The expectation created an invisible pressure in the air, each second of silence seeming to stretch for an eternity.
Kurama, with the patience of one who had been trapped inside a Jinchuriki for decades, repeated the question, more firmly this time. "Kokuo, talk to me. Is Son Goku there by his own will, or is he being manipulated?"
Once again, there was no response from the five-tailed horse, just the sound of vapor hissing around Han. The situation was becoming increasingly tense, the communication between Tailed Beasts as crucial as the physical confrontations.
Meanwhile, Roshi, in his Biju form of Son Goku, felt the urgency of the moment and decided to take action. He began to gather a large amount of chakra, the energy condensing and swirling in front of his open mouth, preparing to launch a Biju Dama, a devastating energy sphere capable of causing massive destruction.
It was then that Kurama, realizing Roshi's intention, acted quickly. The nine-tailed fox reverted to his original biju form, his immense stature and bright red tails undulating with an almost palpable energy.
Without giving Roshi a chance to complete his technique, Kurama charged at him with a speed that defied comprehension. In the blink of an eye, before Roshi could launch the Biju Dama, Kurama reached him. With one of his front paws, he grabbed Roshi with crushing force and slammed him against the ground.
Dust and sand rose in dense clouds with the impact, and the sound of the collision reverberated through the air. Kurama stood over Roshi, his gaze penetrating and serious, and spoke with a voice that carried undeniable authority.
"I just want to understand. If Son Goku is being forced, I will help to free him. But if he is here by his own will, then we need to talk as equals," Kurama declared, his posture commanding, but without evident hostility.
Kurama tilted his head, observing Roshi, who was still catching his breath under his crushing weight. "Look at him, brother," Kurama said to Kokuo, his voice calm, but firm. "Do you think Son Goku is under the control of his own body?"
Kokuo, feeling the tension in the air, began to scrape his hoof on the ground, preparing for any eventuality. The relationship between Jinchuriki and Tailed Beast had always been complex, and while some tailed beasts had bonds of respect and even affection with their human hosts, other relationships were more contentious.
Kurama continued, now looking at Han, who seemed to be in tune with Kokuo. "So you really chose to fight against me, knowing that your brother Son Goku and all the others have been imprisoned for various years?"
Kurama's question was loaded with meaning. The Tailed Beasts had been used as tools of war by humans for many generations, and the notion of freedom was something they all deeply valued.
"Don't get me wrong," Kurama said, the immense tail swaying gently behind him. "If you want to stay with your Jinchuriki, you can. Just don't act as if your decision should be the path for your other siblings to follow."
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