Chapter 97: Nine-Tails Chakra
She no longer hesitated. Her hands quietly formed seals in front of her body as she began to summon through her summoning contract—the crow that had been safeguarding Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan containing the power of Kotoamatsukami.
The power of that eye was the ultimate genjutsu capable of silently altering another's will.
In the original plan, this eye was meant to be the final forced correction to bring Satsuki back to Konoha after she embarked on the path of "revenge."
But now it seemed... perhaps before ensuring the "insurance" on Satsuki took effect, she could first plant a directive in the Nine-Tails jinchuriki as well. A directive powerful enough to ensure he would "play his proper role" in Satsuki's growth at the crucial moment, or at least not become an obstacle—an absolute command.
However, just as Uchiha Itachi's hand seals were about to complete—
An extremely ominous, violent aura erupted without warning! In an instant, it dyed the surrounding air with colors of rage and crimson!
This aura was so massive, so scorching, that it forcibly interrupted Itachi's seals. Cracks appeared in her cold expression.
She could clearly see—Uzumaki Naruto, lying on the ground, was now uncontrollably erupting with massive amounts of viscous, blood-red chakra that boiled like magma!
This chakra was incredibly violent, rolling and roaring like living creatures, instantly painting Itachi's entire world in a heart-stopping orange-red hue!
Within this ominous glow, the raging chakra quickly enveloped Naruto's body, clothing him in a garment made of pure energy.
Naruto braced himself with his hands and slowly stood up.
The originally gruesome penetrating wound on his body was now rapidly healing at a visible rate under the crimson chakra's embrace!
'Sorry, Kurama... I really didn't want to just run away like this, but I'll borrow your chakra for now.'
Unlike the original story's rampage triggered by negative emotions, the chakra now wrapping around Naruto was equally violent and terrifying, yet it lacked chaos and possessed more controlled wildness. This was power willingly lent by the Nine-Tails, without the malice that would corrode its host.
Therefore, this blazing energy didn't evaporate Naruto's skin. Instead, while protecting his body, it completed an initial tailed beast transformation.
Sizzle—!*
The crimson chakra cloak became more solid, its color deepening further. Terrifying energy waves rippled outward like physical shockwaves, stirring up dust and fallen leaves from the ground.
Then, under Uchiha Itachi's intensely focused gaze, one, two, three... a full four tails made of pure tailed beast chakra, burning like crimson flames, slowly condensed and took shape behind Naruto.
---
"...What is that?"
Deep in the secluded forest outside Konoha village, Uchiha Shisui, who had been maintaining his watch, suddenly raised his head and instinctively looked toward the village, particularly in the direction of the Uchiha compound.
An inexplicable sense of unease seized him without warning. Even from such a distance, the invisible waves made his chakra become slightly chaotic.
This faint restlessness from deep within his bloodline filled him with nameless anxiety.
But the next moment, his attention was drawn to the changes beside him.
Menma who had been kneeling on the ground, body trembling slightly, suddenly stopped gasping. He slowly stood up and reached to carefully straighten the fox mask that had become crooked from his previous pain.
"Leader, are you alright now?" Shisui asked with concern.
"Yes... I'm fine now." Menma's voice returned to its usual calm, and he let out a long sigh of relief in his heart.
The shock from the main body's encounter had been too sudden. To maintain the stability and chakra output of that crucial shadow clone in the Hokage's office, he had nearly drained most of the energy and control from all his other clones.
He had almost let this clone collapse from chakra disruption... Fortunately, he had endured through the most difficult phase. 'Did Kurama intervene?'
It seemed the crisis at the main body's location had been resolved. He might not need to make an extra trip to settle accounts with Uchiha Itachi after all.
With his thoughts becoming clear again, Menma quickly adjusted his plans.
"Shisui, there's been a change in plans. Come with me—we're entering Konoha immediately."
"Enter the village? Now?"
"Yes," Menma nodded. "To retrieve some 'things.' Once we have them, tonight's work will be completely finished."
"Retrieve things?" Shisui grew even more puzzled. What could be worth the risk of infiltrating now?
"Shimura Danzo's 'relics,'" Menma's voice carried a trace of cold mockery. "You witnessed firsthand how he squandered and desecrated that power hailed as 'capable of pacifying chaotic times' like a clown."
"The secret behind his ability to use Mokuton, the source of those Sharingan on his arm... this 'evidence' will be perfect for letting the Hokage see with his own eyes just what kind of shameful dealings his trusted old friend has been conducting in the shadows."