Arthev's breath caught in his throat, his carefully cultivated composure fracturing just enough to let a flicker of shock slip through. Shukaku? Here? His mind raced, memories from another life—another story—surging like a storm. He knew this tanuki, this desert-born terror, from the pages of *Naruto*. The One-Tail, a force of chaos and sand. But this wasn't Konoha. This wasn't even a place he fully understood. Where was this?
"You look like you've seen a ghost, kid," Shukaku rumbled, its voice a deep, gravelly growl laced with dark amusement. The massive tanuki shifted, its hulking form sending cascades of sand spilling off its body into the dark, rippling water below with soft, rhythmic plops. Its amber eyes gleamed, sharp and predatory, as it studied Arthev's stunned expression. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue—or should I say, raccoon?"
Arthev blinked, forcing his racing heart to slow as he rebuilt his calm, layer by layer. He straightened, meeting Shukaku's gaze with a steady one of his own. "You're Shukaku," he said, his voice even despite the surreal weight of the moment. "The One-Tail. I know you."
"Smart kid!" Shukaku barked a laugh, the sound rolling like a sandstorm across the endless watery void. Its massive tail flicked, sending a spray of water into the air. "Gold star for you. Yeah, I'm Shukaku, and you're… what's your name again? Eh, doesn't matter—I'm calling you 'Stunned Face' from now on. Suits you."
Arthev's brow twitched, a spark of irritation flaring beneath his composure, but he refused to take the bait. "Fine. Let's skip the introductions," he said, his tone clipped. "Why are you here? And where is here?" He gestured at the strange, dark sea stretching endlessly around them, its surface reflecting no stars, no sky—only the faint glow of Shukaku's eyes.
Shukaku tilted its massive head, its toothy grin widening with a glint of mischief. "Oh, you're a quick one, aren't you? Alright, Stunned Face, here's the short version: you hit level 10, and boom, I showed up. Simple as that. As for 'here'—"
It waved a clawed paw lazily at the watery expanse, sending ripples racing outward.
"—this is your subconscious, kid. Your inner world, your soul's little hideout. Cozy, huh? Though, gotta say, it's way too damp for my taste. Needs more sand, less… wet."
"My subconscious?" Arthev's eyes narrowed, his mind piecing together the fragments of what had happened. The breakthrough in the grove, the surge of power, the red flare that had burned through his soul, the sudden shift that had pulled him here—it all started when he'd been cultivating, pushing past his limits. But Shukaku? He crossed his arms, his voice dry as he spoke. "So I break through to level 10, and my reward is a chat with a grumpy tanuki? I must've missed that chapter in the soul master handbook."
"Grumpy?!" Shukaku snorted, its tail slamming into the water with a splash that sent waves crashing toward Arthev. "Watch it, kid. I'm a delight. And I'm not just here to chat—I'm part of you. Specifically, that fancy tree martial spirit of yours. You hit level 10, and I woke up. That's how this works."
Arthev froze, his calm mask slipping again as Shukaku's words sank in. "My tree martial spirit?" His mind whirled, connecting dots he hadn't even known existed. The wood release techniques he'd mastered, the faint hum of power he'd felt thrumming through his soul for years, the vivid dreams of ancient groves swaying under starless skies—it wasn't just any tree spirit. "Wait," he said, his voice sharper now. "You're saying my spirit's not ordinary. It's… what, tied to you?"
"Bingo!" Shukaku cackled, leaning forward until its massive snout was inches from Arthev's face, its hot, sandy breath ruffling his hair. "Not just me, kid. That tree of yours? It's got roots that go deep—way deeper than your average twig. I'm just the first to pop out. Call it a perk of hitting level 10."
Arthev's jaw tightened, his thoughts racing. He'd always known his martial spirit was unique—its wood release abilities were far beyond the standard elemental spirits most soul masters wielded. But to have a tailed beast, a creature of myth and destruction, tied to it? That was a revelation that threatened to upend everything he thought he knew. "So you're… what? A piece of my spirit? A manifestation?"
Shukaku shrugged, a lazy roll of its massive shoulders that sent more sand spilling into the water. "Call it what you want, Stunned Face. I'm here, I'm real, and I'm tied to that tree of yours. Let's just say it's got some *serious* juice. You're welcome, by the way."
Arthev rubbed his temple, muttering under his breath, "Great. I've got a tailed beast roommate, and it's a sarcastic one."
Louder, he asked, "So you're just living here now? In my subconscious?"
"Yup!" Shukaku flopped onto its back with a dramatic splash, sending waves rolling across the dark sea. "Get used to it, kid. I'm your new neighbor. And since I'm here, you get the full package—sand control, extra soul power, a little chaos for flavor. All the fun stuff. You'll figure it out."
Arthev's mind churned, but he kept his tone steady. "Fun stuff. Right. That explains the red soul ring I felt when I broke through."
He paused, his brow furrowing as he recalled the searing heat of that ring, its power unlike anything he'd ever sensed.
"Wait. A *red* soul ring? As my *first* ring? That's not just unheard of—it's a beacon screaming 'look at me.' I'd rather not have every spirit master on the continent hunting me down for it."
Shukaku snickered, rolling onto its side with a lazy flick of its tail. "What, you don't like red? Too flashy for you, huh? Yeah, I get it—a red soul ring's like waving a flag that says, 'Hey, I'm a freak of nature, come kill me!' Fine, picky kid. I can tweak it. How's purple sound? Still rare, still packs a punch, but less 'please assassinate me' vibes."
"Purple?" Arthev raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Still showy, but I can work with it. A little flair's fine—as long as it's not screaming 'target.' But how exactly are you 'tweaking' it? A soul ring's color isn't just cosmetic—it's tied to its power, its essence. You can't just slap a new shade on it like it's a coat of paint."
Shukaku's grin widened, its amber eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and cunning. "Oh, you're a sharp one, Stunned Face. Alright, since you're so curious, I'll spell it out. The ring's core? Still red. Still got all that raw, juicy power you felt when you broke through. That's not going anywhere—it's part of you, part of me, part of that tree spirit of yours. But I can compress it, mask its true nature. Think of it like… wrapping a blazing torch in a purple veil. To the outside world, it'll look like a purple soul ring—rare, sure, but not 'holy crap, what is that?' rare. The power's still there, just hidden to keep the vultures off your back."
Arthev nodded slowly, processing the explanation. "So you're not changing the ring itself—just altering how it appears to others. The essence, the power, stays red, but the world sees purple."
"Exactly!" Shukaku snapped its claws, and Arthev felt a subtle shift—a ripple through his soul power, like a current realigning beneath the surface. "Purple it is. No one'll bat an eye—well, maybe a few, but they won't be sharpening their knives over it. Happy now, Stunned Face? You're welcome *again*."
Arthev tested the sensation, closing his eyes for a moment to focus on the soul ring's energy. It still thrummed with the same fierce, primal power he'd felt during his breakthrough, but there was a new layer to it—a softer, more subdued hue that cloaked its true intensity.
"Better," he said, opening his eyes. "Thanks… I guess." He glanced around the dark sea, its endless expanse unbroken except for Shukaku's massive form. "So, what now? You just sit here and throw sand at me every time I meditate?"
Shukaku's grin returned, its amber eyes sparkling with mischief and something deeper—something that sent a shiver down Arthev's spine. "Oh, kid, you've got no idea*what's coming. This is just the start. That tree of yours? It's waking up, and I'm not the only surprise waiting in the roots."
Arthev's faint smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of unease. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his voice low, wary.
Shukaku chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that echoed through the watery void. "Means you're in for a wild ride, Stunned Face. That tree spirit's got secrets—big ones. And as you keep climbing those soul master levels, you're gonna find out just how deep those roots go. Buckle up, kid. It's gonna be fun."
Arthev's gaze hardened, his mind already turning over the implications. A tree martial spirit tied to a tailed beast. A red soul ring masked as purple. Secrets buried in his soul, waiting to surface. He didn't know what lay ahead, but one thing was certain: his path as a soul master had just gotten a lot more complicated.
"Fun," he muttered, his voice dry. "Right." He met Shukaku's gleaming eyes, his resolve steadying. "Guess I'll see you around, then… neighbor."
Shukaku's laughter followed him as the watery void began to fade, the edges of his subconscious dissolving into light. "Oh, you will, Stunned Face. You will."