The other nine Tailed Beasts all came from Shigeo's body. They had grown since infancy, nurtured by his chakra and cells. Because of this, not only could they merge into the Ten-Tails (Jūbi) and the God Tree (Shinju) without resistance, but they could also separate while maintaining the Shinju's consciousness.
The One-Tail (Shukaku) growled irritably, ready to resist, but then saw the other nine Tailed Beasts fleeing down the mountainside from different directions.
"What are you standing there for? Follow me!" shouted Little One.
Although Little One was a mirrored clone of Shukaku, there were still differences between them — in color, voice, and appearance. Shukaku's body was earthy brown, while Little One's was streaked with yellow and blue, its eyes larger, its tone clearer and more youthful.
Shukaku hesitated for a moment, then turned and ran after it.
"Why should we run? If we fight them one on one, they're not necessarily our match!"
"No. This is our master's order. The enemy has the Rinnegan (Rinnegan), the Sharingan (Sharingan), Mokuton (Wood Release), and a cunning mind. We can't outmatch them. Move!" Little One replied sharply.
If they truly could win head-on, then in the original shinobi wars, the Tailed Beasts wouldn't have become tools of the major villages. The Jinchūriki wouldn't have been captured by Akatsuki, nor absorbed by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path (Gedō Mazō).
Some things depend on circumstance.
In pure chakra clashes, humans couldn't compare. But humans had sealing techniques, clever minds, and mastery of tools and strategies — things the straightforward Beasts lacked. In such battles, the Beasts were bound to lose.
And today, not one of them could afford to fall.
So, at this moment, they had to follow their master's tactical plan.
Shukaku followed closely. Gaara's consciousness shared half of Shukaku's mind, and his impression of Shigeo was favorable, so he cooperated willingly.
Suddenly—
Clatter!
Puppets appeared, blocking the mountain path — Sasori's Puppet Technique (Kugutsu no Jutsu) had begun.
"Formation shift!"
The Beasts didn't engage him directly. They diverted instantly, changing routes to avoid confrontation.
The puppets unleashed volleys of senbon, each needle coated with poison. A single scratch could paralyze even a Tailed Beast.
But Sasori underestimated the magnitude of their chakra.
"Watch out!" shouted the other Beasts as the senbon flew.
All ten Tailed Beasts flared their chakra at once — their different colors illuminating the night sky. The immense surge rebounded the senbon, sending them back to the ground. Sasori's puppets charged forward but were smashed apart by a single chakra-forged fist.
Moments later, multicolored chakra fists from every Beast pummeled the puppets into debris.
This commotion drew others — the Paths of Pain: Ningendō (Human Path), Gakidō (Preta Path), Jigokudō (Hell Path) — along with Obito's clone and the black-and-white Zetsu duo. They all arrived together.
When Zetsu saw the sight before him, his body trembled with excitement.
Nine Tailed Beasts gathered in one place — a scene unseen since ancient times.
"If only the Gedō Mazō were here!" he cried.
"Pain! Summon the Mazō!" Zetsu shouted again.
Obito, standing nearby, realized the same.
They had to take the Demonic Statue back from the Rinnegan-wielder Shigeo.
Pain's shared vision relayed the valley scene from the outer bodies to the main Deva Path (Tendō). Along with the other Pains, their summoned beasts, and Obito's Kamui (Divine Authority) abilities, they launched another full-scale assault.
Today, they would reclaim the Gedō Mazō and capture the Tailed Beasts.
Within the valley, after several rounds of clashes, the six Pains and their summons surged toward Shigeo and the statue.
Shigeo's Rinnegan turned deep blue as his eyes snapped open — revealing six tomoe spiraling around the pupils. The Gedō Mazō surged with lightning-like chakra, roaring as it lunged toward the attackers.
"Gedō Mazō!"
Pain forced his Rinnegan's power to full, attempting to control the statue again. But blood contracts were absolute — the bond between Shigeo and the statue was far stronger than Pain's summoning link. The statue ignored him completely.
Obito, observing from afar, phased into invisibility and silently approached, his eyes fixed on Shigeo — who stood encircled by Pain and the beasts.
They weren't his equal.
If anyone could risk it, it would be him.
Determined, Obito twisted space and reappeared — this time within arm's reach of Shigeo.
"Come on! I've been waiting for this!" Obito shouted, grabbing Shigeo's arm and activating Kamui.
He expected resistance — but his hand touched solid flesh.
Impossible. Kamui was working?
He didn't realize — Shigeo had let him.
Space distorted, a spiraling vortex formed, and Obito pulled Shigeo into his personal dimension.
The battlefield fell silent.
Pain regained control of the Gedō Mazō.
But he knew — once Shigeo returned, the statue would again obey him. Unless… unless Pain possessed a Tailed Beast himself.
With that thought, the Deva Path withdrew, dragging the statue toward the valley's edge.
Behind a massive boulder, the old man Fujimaki and his disciple Miyako trembled violently.
"What… what kind of people are these?"
The power on display defied imagination. No normal being could even comprehend such a fight.
If not for the sting of the sandstorm on their faces, they would have thought this was a dream.
"Shigeo-sama? Shigeo-sama!"
Miyako dashed into the swirling sand — but there was no trace of him.
She collapsed to her knees, sobbing.
"It's all my fault! If I hadn't begged him to save Sensei, he wouldn't have fallen into their ambush. So many against one — it's too cruel, Shigeo-sama!"
Fujimaki gripped a kunai, creeping out from behind the rock. He gently tugged her sleeve.
"Don't cry. Listen… what's that sound?"
Indeed — though only the wind should have howled in the valley, a faint, ragged scream echoed through the night.
They hurried forward and found, in the open clearing, a man in a black cloak patterned with red clouds, clutching his chest in terror — Obito.
And before him stood Shigeo.
"You… no wonder you let me pull you in. It was your plan all along?"
Obito's voice trembled as he stared at him in disbelief.
(End of Chapter)
[50 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[10 Reviews = 5 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]