"Damn it! Is this a clone?! How can it be this strong?!"
Tobirama couldn't help but curse aloud.
"You should be asking your brother that," Funan said with a smirk. "My Mangekyō is telling me… this is a Wood Clone. Even if it's enhanced with Uchiha power, at its core—it's still just a clone."
Tobirama: "…"
And in that very moment—
Madara's hand drove straight through Gaara's chest.
"Urgh!"
Gaara's eyes widened in shock.
"Gaara!!"
Naruto shouted in horror.
Madara turned to him with a cold smile.
"You have time to worry about others?"
His other hand plunged straight into Naruto's abdomen.
"GAAH!"
"ROAR!!"
With two violent cries, the scene unfolded before everyone's terrified eyes—
The One-Tail and the Nine-Tails were forcibly ripped out from within Gaara and Naruto by Madara himself.
"STOP!!!"
Tobirama and Minato used Flying Thunder God to appear in front of Madara—only to be met with a black chakra rod each, nailed to the ground in an instant.
"ROOAAARRR!!!"
The Ten-Tails, watching this unfold, immediately surged forward, devouring both Tailed Beasts in a single bite.
"NOOO!!!"
Minato's face twisted in anguish.
He had sealed the Nine-Tails into Naruto himself—he knew exactly what would happen once the Tailed Beast was extracted.
And yet, he was powerless to stop it.
"Funan!"
Minato turned his head—
At that moment, Funan had also summoned his Susanoo and was locked in combat with Madara's clone.
Though he had the upper hand and would soon finish off the clone—
It was too late.
Madara didn't need to win.
He only needed to stall for time.
And so, that clone fought like a madman, ignoring its own defense, relentlessly attacking Funan to keep him from breaking free.
[CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!]
After devouring two more Tailed Beasts, the Ten-Tails looked satisfied. Though still missing a few, over half of the Tailed Beast essence was now inside its body.
"Madara-sama, there's still this one!"
Black Zetsu let out a crazed cackle as Obito's Mangekyō spun slightly. The space in front of them distorted—and a massive creature appeared.
A giant cat, its entire body engulfed in flames, stood frozen in place, unmoving.
Clearly under a genjutsu.
The Two-Tails.
Even Funan's expression changed.
"Kehehehe…" Black Zetsu laughed darkly.
"Uchiha Funan—you thought hiding one of the Tailed Beasts in secret would work?
Too bad. I found it anyway."
Uchiha Madara was visibly surprised. He looked at Funan and said, "So that's how it is. The Two-Tails is one of the weaker tailed beasts, without any particularly special abilities—so you decided to hide it away."
Black Zetsu added regretfully, "Too bad about the Seven-Tails and Three-Tails. Even though we knew where they were, we simply didn't have the time to capture them."
Madara didn't seem to mind.
"No matter. Their power is insignificant as well. Like the Two-Tails, they're among the weakest of the tailed beasts. A small amount of their chakra essence will be enough."
At that moment, the Ten-Tails—having devoured the Two-Tails—exuded an even deeper, more intense aura.
Its eerie body pulsed with unpredictable, ever-shifting power.
"Haha! We did it! Finally, it's done!"
Madara stared at the Ten-Tails with a look of manic joy in his eyes. He murmured, "After all these years of preparation… I've finally succeeded… at long last!"
"In your dreams!"
Sasuke roared and charged forward again.
His Mangekyo burned bright red—like blood.
He was truly, fully enraged.
They had dared…
They had dared to hurt Naruto this badly!
"You idiot! Get back!"
Funan shouted and unleashed his attack.
Madara watched coldly, then clasped his hands together. A massive wooden golem appeared and delivered a thunderous punch that sent Sasuke flying, blood spraying from his mouth.
[Bang!]
Then Madara turned to Funan, who was rushing in.
With a mocking smirk, he said, "Funan, here—these two are yours!"
He tossed the barely breathing Gaara and Naruto toward Funan.
And then, placing his hands on the Ten-Tails, Madara instantly absorbed it.
In the next instant, he vanished like a flash of lightning.
"I will become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki! Funan, tell me—what will you choose?"
Madara's voice echoed from afar: "Will you try to stop me… or save those two brats?"
Funan froze only for a moment before dashing toward Naruto and Gaara without hesitation.
"Yako!"
"Yes!"
Yako quickly stepped forward and began treating them with medical ninjutsu.
Meanwhile, Funan pulled the black receivers out of Tobirama and Minato's bodies.
"Funan—Naruto! Naruto, he…" Minato's face was filled with urgency.
Tobirama said nothing. He simply stared in silence in the direction Madara had disappeared.
[Smack! Smack!]
Funan didn't speak. He simply patted both of them, using his chakra to dispel the lingering injuries caused by the black rods.
Then, he took off—flying straight toward Hashirama.
Tobirama watched his departing figure, a deep frown forming on his face.
Was it just his imagination?
Why did it feel like…
Funan wasn't in a hurry to stop Madara at all?
...
"Fu… Funan…"
Hashirama was barely able to speak, five black rods piercing through him and pinning him in place.
"No rush."
Funan calmly pulled out the rods one by one. Then, placing a hand on Hashirama's body, he channeled the power of the Six Paths into him—restoring him to peak condition.
"…Strange?"
Hashirama gave Funan a suspicious look and asked, "Madara took the Ten-Tails. Why aren't you the least bit worried?"
Funan replied helplessly, "What good would worrying do? Do you really think Madara didn't prepare for this?"
"Even so…"
"That's enough," Funan cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Gather all our strength and go find Madara. Standing here and talking won't change anything."
Hashirama fell silent, but his expression remained wary.
Funan stroked his chin.
Was I that obvious?
If even someone like Hashirama is suspicious, then chances are everyone else is too.
"Naruto!"
"Gaara!"
At that moment, many top fighters had gathered around Gaara and Naruto, concern etched on their faces.
Funan strode over. "Yako, how are they doing?"
"I can't stop their life force from slipping away," Yako said with frustration. "Without their tailed beasts, the jinchūriki… sigh."
The words left everyone in silence.
Sasuke clenched his fists, his face twisted with fury.
Madara!
You bastard!
How dare you do this to my Naruto!
Funan, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed. "It's fine. Leave it to me."
"…Leave it to you?"
Yako froze for a second.
Funan glanced around. "Everyone else should have more or less recovered. Yako, Itachi!"
"Here!"
The two immediately stepped forward.
"Go summon every Kage-level fighter."
"Yes!"
"How's it going on Orochimaru's side?" Funan asked next.
"Shisui used the pre-sealed black flames of Amaterasu to burn him to death."
"Amaterasu?"
"Yes," Itachi explained. "Hokage-sama, I sealed several portions of Amaterasu's power into scrolls. Shisui happened to have one and used it to take down Orochimaru."
"Oh?"
Funan didn't seem the least bit concerned.
Burned to death?
Just like in the original story. And he still escaped, didn't he?
Even the white snake got incinerated, but Orochimaru somehow lived on.
Killing Orochimaru was never easy.
He was the hardest person to kill in the entire ninja world.
Still—
He'd probably stay quiet for a while.
Which meant Funan could focus fully on Uchiha Madara.
At once, Funan took out two orbs of chakra.
"…This is?"
Minato was stunned. "Why does this feel like Nine-Tails' chakra?"
After all, one half of the Nine-Tails had once been sealed inside him.
He was extremely sensitive to that power.
"You guessed right. It is the Nine-Tails' chakra."
Funan spoke calmly, "I extracted a portion of each tailed beast's power as a precaution. Now's the time to use it—to save Naruto."
"Will that actually work?"
"It'll work. No doubt."
As he spoke, Funan sent the chakra orb into Naruto's body.
"Ugh!"
Naruto let out a low groan, but his complexion quickly improved.
Everyone could clearly feel it—his life force was stabilizing.
Then, Funan injected the second orb into Gaara's body.
It was the essence of the One-Tail.
"Make sure to remind those two—under no circumstances are they to use the tailed beasts' essence. If they burn through it, they'll die for sure," Funan said sternly. "Especially Naruto. That brat loves to cause trouble."
"Understood."
Everyone present had already considered this.
Minato nodded particularly firmly. He had already decided to permanently seal that portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra in Naruto's body—just in case the boy got any ideas.
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