216-220

*Chapter 216: Tailed Beast, Volume 8! The Gaze of the Asura*

The Fire Release: Chakra Mode once caused an unforeseen incident in Uchiha Shinji’s hands.

It happened during a confrontation with 300 Sand Hidden forces.

Cornered and forced into a desperate situation, Uchiha Shinji severed his own arm and detonated the Fire Release: Chakra Mode within it.

That single "grenade" turned out to create an explosion far more devastating than his previous two sword strikes combined!

The explosion annihilated the remaining Sand Hidden troops completely.

Afterward, Uchiha Shinji reflected on this.

The explosion generated by focusing a single Fire Release: Chakra Mode into a point should have been on par with the scale of his earlier sword strikes against Kakuzu or Hayato Tōgō. Its maximum output would be akin to forming a flaming fist capable of shattering Guiding Mizuki’s chakra blade in one blow.

For such a terrifying explosion to occur, there had to be another factor at play.

That factor lay in the core of the Fire Release: Chakra Mode—a forbidden technique.

It burns chakra,

whether it’s the violent dark chakra or the chakra borrowed from the Nine-Tails.

Once ignited, it becomes unstoppable!

Like a chain reaction, it spirals uncontrollably, replicating itself relentlessly until it burns everything to ashes. Only then can it allow a mortal body to unleash a power akin to the divine might of Susano’o.

Logically, this forbidden technique should work internally, not externally.

However, due to Uchiha Shinji’s absurdly resilient body, sustained by a series of forbidden jutsu,

perhaps...

He could try to recreate that explosion—by igniting the Eight-Tails!

At this moment, Uchiha Shinji focused his gaze on Killer B’s chest.

The Cloud Hidden Jinchūriki used the "Iron Armor Seal," a sealing technique passed down through generations in the Cloud Village. This seal was located on the chest, and the chakra provided by the Eight-Tails overflowed from this exact point—crystal clear under the Sharingan’s vision.

All he needed to do was channel the full power of the Fire Release: Chakra Mode into his arm, sever it, and detonate the "grenade"!

If Killer B was caught in the blast, he might become like a lit powder keg, triggering an earth-shattering explosion!

What would it look like to use the Eight-Tails as fireworks?

This insane thought filled Uchiha Shinji’s mind, blocking out all other considerations.

He had no time to think about whether this would kill him as well.

No time to care that Killer B’s blade could gouge out his eyes and pierce his brain the moment he initiated this move.

He couldn’t even consider whether the Eight-Tails could actually be detonated through the layers of the Iron Armor Seal.

If the explosion didn’t occur, the close-range "grenade" would be enough to kill Killer B, but it wouldn’t be able to kill Uchiha Shinji.

If it did explode, they’d perish together.

In a desperate situation, winning is simple—

you just have to bet everything, including yourself!

At that thought, Uchiha Shinji’s gaze sharpened. He immediately manipulated the Secret Technique: Earth Grudge Fear threads to form rapidly at his shoulder.

Piercing blood vessels, severing muscles, cutting through bones—he sliced off his own arm!

"RAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

He screamed in pain, the agony bringing sweat and blood-tears streaming down his face.

Throwing his head back, he bared a wild grin, his crimson snake-like eyes filled with madness as he locked onto Killer B and roared:

"Come on!"

"Join me in the land of the dead!!"

In that instant,

Killer B snapped his head up, staring at Uchiha Shinji in shock.

He looked at the severed arm, glowing brighter and brighter, like a miniature sun in the night sky.

Sensing the terrifying power about to explode from it, Killer B’s heart pounded wildly, and a chilling numbness ran across his scalp.

"You… you…."

Madman!

A complete madman!

There was no doubt in Killer B’s mind that this Uchiha kid was utterly insane!

His eighth blade could blind Uchiha Shinji, but Killer B knew his opponent’s capabilities. Even with such a move, he could only injure Uchiha Shinji, not kill him. At best, it would offer a slight advantage.

Winning would depend on the rest of the battle!

But… why?

This was like playing cards when both sides had just countered each other's moves, holding a handful of cards yet to be played.

And just as he casually threw out a pair of sixes, Uchiha Shinji countered with a king bomb out of nowhere?

Seriously, what are you even trying to accomplish?

At this moment, the Eight-Tails, Gyūki, inside Killer Bee could no longer sit still.

It suddenly straightened up in its sealed space, sensing the glowing, blinding arm outside—an arm that looked like it was on the verge of exploding.

Although the explosion wouldn’t match the power of a single Tailed Beast Bomb, it somehow gave Gyūki a chilling sense of dread, as if this thing could actually kill it!

If it were to die here, not only would it lose a Jinchūriki it found somewhat tolerable, but its rebirth would almost certainly bring about a brutal father-and-son duo from Kumogakure seeking revenge.

That was a situation it absolutely couldn’t allow!

"Sorry, Bee, but I can't let you mess around anymore!"

Gyūki suddenly reared up, its massive arms pounding against its chest, letting out a thunderous roar that made the entire spiritual realm tremble:

"—ROOOAAARR!!"

The next moment—

Killer Bee, mid-air and moments away from slamming his elbow into Uchiha Shinji, suddenly froze, suspended in the air.

The clarity in his eyes was blasted away by the rampaging chakra of the Eight-Tails, leaving only the violent black-and-red light of Gyūki’s destructive rage!

The Tailed Beast Chakra cloaking his body receded entirely,

And then—

Eight massive, octopus-like tentacles, each over ten meters long, shot out, curling up to envelop Killer Bee entirely.

With a roar that echoed across the real world, the tentacles expanded in size, growing taller and larger until they reached over seventy meters. They suddenly unfolded, revealing the complete form of the Eight-Tails:

A colossal bull with octopus tentacles for a tail!

"—ROOOAAARR!!"

The roar reverberated through the heavens, shaking the earth. Gyūki’s towering body was as tall as a skyscraper, capable of plucking clouds from the night sky with a single hand.

Just its sheer size was enough to instill despair in countless shinobi.

The true form of the Tailed Beast—

Had descended!

However, as soon as it appeared, Gyūki's massive frame trembled. It cast a wary glance at a tiny speck of light flying toward it, a mere dot compared to its gargantuan body.

Instinctively, it knew—there was no way it could let that thing get even close!

In the next instant,

An even more massive and terrifying gale erupted than the one created by Uchiha Shinji’s “Slaying Blade: Flaming Wind Dragon Dance.”

Using its sheer brute strength, Gyūki wrapped itself in its tentacles and began spinning rapidly, forming a colossal tornado-like storm capable of reshaping the landscape over a vast area.

“*Tailed Beast: Eightfold Spin!!*”

The scene resembled a massive, seventy-meter-tall, brownish, oval-shaped top spinning at full force!

The earth, the grass, the insects and stones—

The burning forest ignited by Uchiha Shinji,

And the dark clouds rolling through the night sky, with blue lightning flashing within them—

All were caught up, hurled, and scattered by this storm!

In a calculated move by Gyūki,

Uchiha Shinji’s fiery arm was first pushed away by the chakra storm of the fully manifested Tailed Beast. Then, in a split second, it was blown into the sky by the whirlwind created by the Eightfold Spin, flung far from Gyūki!

It was hurled to an unfathomable distance,

Becoming a flaming star in the horizon,

Before exploding into a relatively small ball of light compared to the scale of the Eightfold Spin.

*BOOM!*

It seemed to collapse some distant structure, but the light faded quickly, disappearing from view.

Yet at that moment, Uchiha Shinji, who was bracing himself with one hand on the Kusanagi sword embedded in the ground, struggling to resist the storm and keep from being blown away, felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

Under the heightened perception granted by his second-form curse mark,

That chilling sensation didn’t come from Gyūki, who was still spinning furiously.

Rather, it felt as though something terrifying from the area obliterated by his attack—

Had glanced at him.

(To be continued...)  

*Chapter 217: Luring the Tiger Away from the Mountain, Flames of Yuyashiro Castle*

The vast Ninja World, interconnected by intricate veins of land, links small border nations such as the Land of Hot Water, the Land of Frost, the Land of Waterfalls, and the Land of Grass. These veins stretch to desolate, uninhabited mountains, where the Gedo Statue is entombed.

Among them lies the Land of Hot Water.

Beneath its surface, deep within a dark, cavernous space...

Uchiha Madara lay motionless on a stone bed, his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

Surviving the tumultuous Warring States Period to this day, he had grown frail and aged. His loose skin and drooping eye bags accentuated his weary face, and the deep nasolabial folds etched down to his jaw gave him an austere and rigid expression. This was the face of someone who had not smiled for a very long time.

Though he appeared to be a man in his sixties, he had, in truth, lived over ninety years.

Now, his movements relied solely on the Gedo Statue’s life force. Even so, it was like drinking poison to quench thirst. Whenever he closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but reminisce, immersing himself in memories of his life-or-death battles against his greatest rival. In his mind, he would relive those moments through the eyes of his younger, passionate self.

But time spares no one, and every memory of the past brought tears to his eyes.

Fortunately, everything was proceeding according to Uchiha Madara’s will.

He would return to his peak, gaze upon the world through those fateful eyes, and unleash an unparalleled ultimate genjutsu to create a new reality.

Yet, just then...

Amid the darkness, Madara’s crimson Sharingan eyes snapped open as he looked sharply toward the cave’s ceiling.

"?!"

He sensed a familiar technique rapidly approaching his location.

Around him, an enormous blue skeletal frame silently materialized.

The structure swiftly solidified, transitioning through the ribcage and skeletal stages of Susano'o, becoming a towering, blue, four-armed giant.

One arm wielded a glowing blue sword, which effortlessly pierced the cave ceiling like a hot knife through butter. Another hand reached out, grasping an object on the verge of detonating.

Squeak, squeak, squeak!  

It was as if he held a miniature exploding sun.

Blinding light and violent shockwaves radiated outward.

"Hmph!"

But with a cold snort from Madara, everything instantly fell silent.

With a wave of his hand, he used a secret ninjutsu, *Chakra Devour*, to suppress, absorb, crush, and annihilate the violent chakra within the object.

Afterward, he examined the charred, blackened arm left in his grasp.

"This chakra... It’s from the Eight-Tails and that brat?"

"And this technique—‘A Fool’s Twilight Dance’? Hmph."

"The pitiful little mutt I once sent scurrying with its tail between its legs has managed to grow this much?"

"Heh..."

For the first time in ages, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on Madara’s face.

Just then, a pale figure, half-covered in a Venus flytrap-like shell, emerged from the rocky cave wall.

"Madara-sama, up there, something is—"

Madara cut him off coldly, uninterested in White Zetsu’s report.

"I’m stepping out for a moment."

"Fix this place. After all, it will soon serve as the burial ground for a disobedient stray dog."

With those words, Madara leapt soundlessly through the massive hole he had punctured with only a fraction of his strength.

In just a few swift bounds, he stood atop a towering tree, his narrowed eyes casting a sharp gaze toward the distant battlefield, where fierce combat continued.

---

*Meanwhile, in the Hell Valley of the Land of Hot Water...*

Thick fog engulfed the area, cloaking the surroundings. Below the steep cliffs, which mirrored a smooth, glass-like surface, was a bubbling pool of blood-red liquid, emitting scalding hot steam.

A group of ragged, emaciated individuals stood uneasily at the edge of the pool.

Their frightened faces were reflected in the steaming pool, along with the imposing figure standing before them—a resolute young man with a muscular frame, dressed in the uniform of the Hidden Cloud Village.

This man was none other than the future Fourth Raikage, and the son of the current Third Raikage—A!

Previously, after receiving critical intelligence from the Hidden Sand, A had ordered Killer B and Lamui to forgo concealment and intercept a group of reinforcements from the Hidden Leaf.

The true objective behind this maneuver was to draw the Uchiha Clan’s defenders away, creating a gap in the seemingly impenetrable Hell Valley defenses.

Seizing this opportunity, A used his unparalleled speed to infiltrate Hell Valley undetected. His mission: to negotiate with the Blood Pool Clan imprisoned there.

Now, A frowned as he studied the destitute group before him.

Once noble aristocrats of the Land of Lightning, the Blood Pool Clan had possessed a kekkei genkai rivaling the Sharingan. They had carried themselves with arrogant pride and an air of authority.

Now, they had been reduced to this pitiful state—a sight that evoked a rare moment of pity in A.

At that moment...

The leader of the Chinoike Clan was an elderly man with a gaunt frame, snow-white hair, and a pair of fierce sanpaku eyes.

After hearing A’s aggressive plan, his face betrayed hesitation. He stepped forward, bowed slightly, and forced a bitter smile as he said:

"Lord A, we understand your plan, but..."

"Now that the Uchiha Clan has increased the number of guards and sealed off the exit passages from the valley, combined with that old bastard Uchiha Setsuna stationed in Hell Valley, cooperating with your plan as it stands... isn’t it far too dangerous?"

"The Cloud Village promised to ensure our safety. That’s the only reason we agreed to align ourselves under the Third Raikage."

"Every day, we survive by choking down scalding hot water, relying on the occasional birds we shoot from the sky, and nibbling on sparse patches of grass. Living like this, our combat strength has already—"

"Enough!"

Before the old man could finish lamenting, A abruptly interrupted him, his tone rough and domineering. Towering over the elder with his superior height, he looked down at him coldly and said:

"Do you Chinoike still not understand the situation you’re in?"

"After what happened, you’ve completely enraged the daimyo and utterly lost any chance of regaining your status as nobles of the Land of Lightning."

"You are now nothing more than a pile of bones destined to dissolve in Hell Valley."

"Without a master to collar you and make you swear allegiance, you’re a fallen clan that doesn’t even qualify as stray dogs."

"If not for the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War and Cloud Village’s current need for your strength, I wouldn’t even have come here, let alone waste a glance on an old man whining and sniveling!"

"This is the reality!"

A’s harsh words struck a nerve, silencing every member of the Chinoike Clan present. None of them could muster a rebuttal.

Sweeping his gaze across the downcast expressions of the Chinoike, A nodded. After a brief pause, he spoke again:

"You’re not the only ones suffering."

"To rescue you, Kumogakure’s elite Jonin, my father’s right-hand man Tutai, and the exceptionally talented Special Jonin Moroi from the Barrier Corps, both perished in the Land of Hot Water."

Hearing this, the Chinoike Clan members raised their heads, exchanging uncertain glances.

A continued, his voice heavy, as he looked at them:

"I’m not sharing this to make you calculate how much more you owe us in return."

"I just want to tell you this—"

"Kumogakure is a village bound together by the bonds of brotherhood."

"We are willing to accept your clan and regard you as brothers and sisters, even though we are not related by blood."

"But the situation is no longer the same as before. Kumogakure will only make this one effort to save you!"

"If this attempt fails, we will immediately bypass Hell Valley and focus our efforts on the Land of Fields, abandoning you entirely."

"If you insist on clinging to the pride of your past noble status and cannot make the decisive choices required of shinobi, then don’t blame me for being unable to save you!"

When A finished, he locked his sharp gaze onto the Chinoike Clan members, silently counting down in his head, waiting for their decision.

The fierce-faced elder with the white eyebrows fell into deep thought once again.

Caught between the dangers of the present and the uncertainty of the future, he deliberated for a long time.

Finally, he let out a long sigh, his expression hardening as he extended his arm and clenched his fist.

This was no longer the gesture of a nobleman but Kumogakure’s unique method of sealing an agreement.

Seeing this, the young A broke into a bright smile, raising his arm to collide their fists in a powerful gesture of unity.

"Lord A, the fate of the Chinoike Clan is in your hands!"

At this moment, the Chinoike Clan and Kumogakure forged a reconciliation centuries in the making.

As this historic moment unfolded, with emotions running high among the Chinoike Clan members,

In a quiet corner of the crowd,

A young man with ashen gray-green hair falling limply over his shoulders, deep dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept in a month, and a gaze full of icy indifference,

This man who had abandoned the Chinoike name, calling himself only "Miyasugiro En,"

Watched the scene before him with detachment.

He observed the excited crowd, the pact sealed between the clan leader and the son of the Raikage, and the patch of lifeless weeds by the Blood Pond, crushed under the feet of both men.

Suddenly,

He laughed.

A laugh as sinister as a demon’s.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 218: Zero Tails, You Fight It!*

At the border between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Fire—

Whooooosh!!  

The storm unleashed by the Tailed Beast’s true form swept up everything in an instant.

Even the ground beneath was ripped apart, inch by inch, and pulled into the terrifying tornado that connected the heavens and the earth.

“Damn it!”

Cursing through a mouthful of sand, Uchiha Shinji tightly gripped the hilt of the Kusanagi sword, which was buried so deep into the ground that only its handle was visible.

His entire body flailed in the wind like a tattered flag, trembling with every gust.

The violent winds, sharp as blades, whipped around, blowing Uchiha Shinji’s hair straight up. His high-collared robe, half-shredded at the neckline, flapped noisily in the gale.

“Hooooloooo! Hooooloooo!”  

Even Uchiha Shinji’s mouth was forced open by the wind, exposing his gums. The skin around his eyes and mouth was pulled back violently.

Saliva, mixed with blood and tears, along with the blood gushing from his left shoulder, sprayed backward.

The force of this wind from the Eight-Tails was far greater than the strike from Manda’s tail back then!

And yet, even in this dire situation, Uchiha Shinji had the leisure to think about such a comparison.

But this was absolutely worth it. Forcing Killer Bee to unleash the Eight-Tails’ true form at the cost of one arm meant he had driven the opponent to reveal his trump card.

Uchiha Shinji, who had complete information about Killer Bee, knew one thing for sure:

The real battle was only just beginning.

Shedding his human form, Killer Bee fully unleashed the beast within. Even a casual strike from his monstrous body carried the destructive force of an S-rank jutsu. Adding to that, the Tailed Beast Bomb, capable of leveling entire regions, was a fearsome weapon.

This overwhelming size and power epitomized the terrifying essence of a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki’s ultimate form. It was the strongest state for battle.

As for Uchiha Shinji, unfortunately, he had no giant mechs to rely on.

He could only face this colossal foe with his mere two-meter-tall body in an all-out, blood-pumping brawl.

Raising his head slightly, Uchiha Shinji gazed at the monstrous beast standing between heaven and earth.

Under the swirling vortex of stormy skies, illuminated by the pale glow of the moonlight, the beast exuded primal savagery.

For a moment, Uchiha Shinji felt a headache.

Although he had forced his opponent to reveal their last resort, he still had no clear idea how to fight something like this.

Finally, Uchiha Shinji shifted his gaze to his abdomen.

As the winds began to settle, he landed firmly on the ground, his eyes locked onto the “shame of the Tailed Beasts” within him. Rubbing his hands together with anticipation, he spoke:

“Hey, Zero… I’ve already forced that guy to reveal the full Eight-Tails form.”

“Now it’s your turn to shine!”

“Come on, show us what you can do!”

Inside the Eight Trigrams Seal—

Hearing the dumb command of its master, Zero-Tails blinked its hollow white eyes and shuddered from head to tail.

It first compared its tiny, three-inch-long body to the nearly 80-meter-tall full form of the Eight-Tails outside.

Then, slithering like a snake, it slowly raised the tip of its tail and pointed to itself.

Finally, with a burst of emotion, it shouted:

“Cheep! Cheep-cheep-cheep?!”

“I don’t mean for you to fight the Eight-Tails!” Uchiha Shinji coughed awkwardly, trying to reason patiently.

“Can’t you absorb a Tailed Beast’s chakra? Like you did with the Nine-Tails last time?”

Hearing Uchiha Shinji’s explanation, Zero-Tails scratched its head.

Then, it raised its head, removed its mask, flared its nostrils, and took a deep, exaggerated breath.

And yet—

Nothing happened.

Uchiha Shinji and Zero-Tails stared at each other in awkward silence, both realizing nothing had changed.

After a long pause, Zero-Tails scratched its head again and let out a loud wail:

“Cheep!”

*"Can’t absorb it? Wait, what nonsense are you talking about?"*

Uchiha Shinji’s expression instantly changed.

Why is this happening? He could absorb the Nine-Tails, but not the Eight-Tails?

Could it be because Killer Bee is a perfect Jinchuriki?

Or maybe the Eight-Tails beast standing before him is some kind of enlightened monk, completely devoid of negative emotions?

Whatever the reason, there wasn’t much time left for Uchiha Shinji to come up with a strategy!

At that moment,

after batting away a "grenade," the Eight-Tails, having unleashed its Tailed Beast Eight Rolls, had come to a halt.

It raised its massive head, its large, hollow eyes devoid of any human emotion, and turned its gaze toward Uchiha Shinji.

Then—

*"Roooar!!"*

The terrifying beast let out a sky-shaking roar!

A blue-black sphere of condensed chakra began forming near its mouth, solidifying into a deep, pitch-black orb!

It fired like a laser!

*Boom!*

The Tailed Beast Bomb shot out with a thunderous explosion!

Its target: Uchiha Shinji!

Facing this terrifying ultimate ninjutsu head-on,

Uchiha Shinji’s heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to burst out of his chest!

That night, after leaving the Hidden Leaf and arriving in the Land of Hot Water,

he had a dream—

a dream that, in this moment, had become an all-too-real nightmare!

There was no way to resist, and no time left to prepare!

In the final moments, he could only muster every ounce of strength to deploy every defensive measure he possessed!

The Curse Mark, his Immortal Body, the Forbidden Jutsu: Physical Rebirth, the Fire Release: Chakra Mode—everything he had obtained through countless battles.

Everything. Everything!

Gripping the giant sword in his hand, which suddenly began to emit a brilliant radiance like a blazing sun,

Uchiha Shinji clenched his teeth, suppressing the urge to tremble.

He planted his feet firmly, bent into a fighting stance, and raised the sword hilt to his chest!

With a fierce thrust, he drove the blade forward!

The Tailed Beast Bomb crushed everything in its path—grass, trees, and rocks were all obliterated to dust!

It carved a trench hundreds of meters long, hurtling directly toward the point where it collided with the tip of the enormous, glowing, forty-meter-long phantom flame sword.

However, the Tailed Beast Bomb’s momentum only slowed slightly,

before it shattered the blade tip, grinding forward and breaking the sword piece by piece—

from the tip, to the blade, to the guard, and finally to the hilt!

The streams of flame, split into four by the intense force, scraped along the surface of the Tailed Beast Bomb and trailed behind it.

The devastating attack pressed forward,

until it reached the wielder of the sword.

In Uchiha Shinji’s horrified eyes, the bomb smashed into his face with brutal force!

---

Meanwhile, at the same moment,

in the distance, the battlefield lay in ruins, with embers drifting in the air,

like a surreal, dreamlike scene, breathtakingly beautiful.

Perched atop the highest tree branch,

feeling the scorching, turbulent wind brushing against his face,

Uchiha Madara, resting one hand on his knee, gently shook his head as he watched Uchiha Shinji being blasted into the sky by the Tailed Beast Bomb.

*"Tsk tsk, how pitiful, brat."*

His gaze fell on a scorched arm placed to the side,

and through the Sharingan’s vision, he could clearly see the chaotic tangle of forbidden and secret jutsu interwoven within it.

*"Compared to Hashirama, this level of regenerative ability is far inferior. Still, it’s enough to serve as a pawn for passing the time."*

*"Let’s see what happens. If he survives, I might bestow upon him a shred of true power."*

Madara’s eyes narrowed slightly as he let out a faint chuckle.

*"This brat,"*

*"might serve as an even deeper contingency."*

*"He may even become the one to inherit the name ‘Uchiha Madara’!”*

*(Chapter End)*

Chapter 219: Narrow Escape, The One-Eyed Stands Against the Eight-Tails!

The shockwave from the Tailed Beast Bomb swept everything within 800 meters, uprooting earth, trees, and debris. Dust, embers, and shattered fragments spiraled into the sky, painting chaotic arcs as they ascended.

All that remained in his ears was a high-pitched ringing:

Eeeeeee  

For a moment, silence seemed to reign, only for a sharp, piercing noise to surge in, overwhelming him with unbearable cacophony.

Then—

“BOOM!!”

A blinding explosion erupted from the epicenter, forming a radiant sphere nearly 50 meters in diameter within a blink.

Brilliance, whiteness, chaos, and silence...

Words failed to describe the sheer devastation.

Within the blinding light, Uchiha Shinji’s eyes burned with intensity as his body was repeatedly torn apart and forcibly reconstructed by a combination of forbidden and secret techniques.

“Aaaaaargh!!”

Blood and flesh disintegrated, only to regenerate moments later. The pain was so excruciating that it surpassed the limits of human endurance.

He wanted to give up, to surrender to death.

But deep within his soul, a will brighter than anything else took over, compelling his body to fight back against all odds.

*[Talent: Combat Instinct (S+) Activated.]*

Agony spread like wildfire across every inch of his body, an unbearable torment that made even self-destruction seem preferable.

The excruciating seconds stretched into what felt like centuries.

When it was finally over, silence returned to the devastated landscape.

Thud!  

A figure, battered beyond recognition, fell from the sky into a massive crater, kicking up clouds of dust.

But within moments, the unidentifiable mass began to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Blood and flesh reassembled, bones regrew, and charred skin peeled away to reveal fresh, intact tissue beneath.

Draining the entire chakra reserve of the Zero-Tails and his own,

“Hah... hah...”

Uchiha Shinji gasped for air, crawling out of the crater.

His body was covered in burns, blood, and dirt. The standard-issue Konoha Anbu uniform he wore had long been reduced to ash by the attack. Only the highly durable, heat-resistant mesh armor given to him by Aburame Ryoma remained, albeit tattered and barely clinging to his frame.

Though it resembled a fishing net, its defensive capabilities were undeniable.

Clutching the Kusanagi Sword, Uchiha Shinji stabbed it into the crater’s edge, struggling to climb out.

When he looked around, the once lush forest had transformed into a smoldering wasteland.

Towering moss-covered trees, babbling brooks, the vibrant hum of cicadas and frogs, and the sweet aroma of grass—all were gone.

Not far ahead, the clash of ninja tools and the bursts of ninjutsu echoed.

The Konoha team accompanying him was locked in a fierce battle.

While Uchiha Shinji had been fighting Killer Bee, the others had been dragged into a grueling struggle against Kakuzu, who had split into four masked forms along with his original body, each brimming with destructive potential.

In the distance, the enormous, cloud-piercing Eight-Tails stood amidst a desert-like wasteland, created by the swipes of its massive tails.

Surveying the chaos, Uchiha Shinji’s mind raced with confusion.

Why were two seemingly unrelated S-rank threats like Kakuzu and Killer Bee joining forces to target him?

Why couldn’t the Zero-Tails absorb the Eight-Tails’ chakra?

How had things escalated to this disastrous point?

Questions swirled in his mind, but he had no time to ponder.

Far away, the Eight-Tails, having just unleashed a Tailed Beast Bomb, turned its ferocious gaze toward the battered Uchiha Shinji.

Its milky-white eyes locked onto him, a wicked grin spreading across its face.

“You wicked Uchiha brat!”

“Die!”

“ROOOAAAR!!”

Under the pale moonlight, the colossal beast reared its head, forming another pitch-black Tailed Beast Bomb in its mouth.

Watching the scene unfold, Uchiha Shinji gripped the Kusanagi Sword tightly, his heart pounding like a war drum. His palms were damp with sweat.

In his current condition, there was no way he could withstand such an attack.

But if the bomb struck, it wouldn’t just be him—it would annihilate everyone around him!

His newly recruited subordinate Yamato, his eccentric superior Aburame Ryoma, and old man Chen, who had taught him invaluable taijutsu...

They’d all die!

At that thought—

Uchiha Shinji gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tightly.

This humiliating sense of powerlessness!

This pain more excruciating than a broken heart!

This profound helplessness of being unable to control his own destiny!

The two scarlet tomoe in his Sharingan spun rapidly around his dark pupils. Intense emotions surged within him, only to be devoured by the Zero-Tails sealed in his abdomen, converting those feelings into a meager bit of chakra.

A bit of chakra so pitiful it couldn’t even form a Rasengan.

What should he do?

What could he do?

How could he resist?

Against this overwhelming disparity in power, this gulf-like divide in strength and abilities, how could he possibly withstand the second Tailed Beast Bomb that loomed like a death knell?

Was this the end? Would everything be declared over here?

And yet—

At that very moment—

A deep, aged voice suddenly thundered from afar.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

The voice, so familiar it stunned Uchiha Shinji, made him jerk his head upward.

At the edge of his vision—

A figure, small as an ant before the immense Eight-Tails, leapt into the air, a fiery blade in hand. Midair, the figure formed a single-handed seal, hooking their forefinger.

With a roar, an immense sea of flames erupted from their throat, surging toward the head of the Eight-Tails!

The Eight-Tails jerked back in surprise, instinctively raising its hand, a massive paw with only four fingers, to swipe fiercely. The wind it stirred instantly tore the fire apart!

It lifted its enormous head, fixing its gaze on the source of the flames. What it saw was—

An old man with long, gray-white hair, a cold, defiant expression, and a single scarlet eye glowing behind a half-mask. Wielding a fiery long sword, he tore through the flames and ripped through the winds, hurtling straight toward the Eight-Tails!

When the Eight-Tails caught sight of the three-tomoe Sharingan gleaming in the dark night, leaving a trail of blazing light in its wake, it instinctively felt a deep unease.

It immediately turned its gaze away, refusing to meet that eye.

But as it averted its gaze, it noticed—

That long sword in the old man’s hand also burned with fire, just like Uchiha Shinji’s blade!

The fiery blade reflected the lone scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan.

In that instant, through the blade, their gazes collided!

"This power…?! No, this is bad!"

The Eight-Tails’ expression shifted dramatically.

At that moment, it was forcibly controlling Killer Bee’s body through the sheer violence of its Tailed Beast Chakra, having overwhelmed Bee’s consciousness. In this state, it had no Jinchūriki to dispel genjutsu on its behalf!

If it fell under a genjutsu, it would be in grave danger!

Realizing this, the Eight-Tails summoned its remaining willpower to shake its mental world, desperately trying to awaken Killer Bee’s consciousness.

Meanwhile—

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes lit up upon seeing the elder charge at the Eight-Tails and bring it under control.

"That’s... the Great Elder!"

At this moment—

The one leaping toward the Eight-Tails was none other than Uchiha Clan’s last remaining Great Elder, Uchiha Shana!

When the Eight-Tails made eye contact with Shana’s Sharingan—

Its movements froze as though bound by an unseen force. Suddenly, it jerked upward, swallowing the Tailed Beast Bomb it had been preparing to launch!

Instantly—

The Tailed Beast Bomb detonated inside its body, swelling the Eight-Tails like an overinflated balloon before exploding with a muffled BOOM!  

The massive beast collapsed lifelessly into the ruins, raising a dense cloud of dust.

Uchiha Shana landed gracefully atop the Eight-Tails’ head, standing firmly. Ignoring the explosion and the howling winds behind him, he calmly sheathed his blade.

"According to the clan records... the Jinchūriki’s location should be..."

Staring at the dazed beast before him, his single eye narrowed coldly. After a moment’s thought, his gaze locked onto the Eight-Tails’ forehead.

"Here!"

With that declaration, under the moonlit sky, his blade gleamed like a crescent as it sliced downward.

The Eight-Tails’ forehead split open, revealing the layers of flesh beneath. And there, nestled in a protected chamber, was Killer Bee—eyes closed tightly, shielded by the Tailed Beast.

"I see now... So that’s why this beast obeyed so recklessly?"

Uchiha Shana sneered.

"It’s gone berserk..."

He coldly eyed the unconscious Jinchūriki before stomping down on Killer Bee’s chest.

With a flick of his wrist, his blade danced in the moonlight, reversing into a downward grip.

The tip of the blade pointed directly at Killer Bee’s throat.

Without hesitation—

He stabbed downward!

But just as the blade descended—

Killer Bee, who had been unconscious moments earlier, suddenly woke up in the last desperate struggle of the Eight-Tails before succumbing to genjutsu.

His eyes snapped open wide!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 220: Kakuzu Sensed Something Was Off

The dust storm stirred up by the Eight-Tails collapsing obscured the scene in the distance.

Uchiha Shinji withdrew his gaze, his eyes still tinged with astonishment.

Without a doubt, the only thing capable of reducing a Tailed Beast to such a pathetic state was the Sharingan.

Yet, he still couldn’t quite understand—how exactly did Uchiha Setsuna manage to do it?

How did he control the Eight-Tails with just a single Three-Tomoe Sharingan?

Based on examples from the original story:

Even characters like Sasuke, Obito, and Madara—whose Mangekyo Sharingan abilities weren’t specifically geared toward genjutsu—could easily control the Nine-Tails.

But at the very least, they used the Mangekyo.

Though Tailed Beasts are notoriously weak against genjutsu, their immense chakra reserves make them incredibly challenging to control.

According to Uchiha Shinji’s theory, controlling such creatures requires meeting two key conditions:

1. The enhanced ocular power granted by awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.

2. A massive amount of chakra to sustain control over the Tailed Beast.

This conclusion was drawn from observing the varying difficulties characters faced when controlling Tailed Beasts in the original story. The second point was particularly critical.

For example, during the Nine-Tails’ attack on the village, Minato had realized that “the masked man’s control over the Tailed Beast carries risks, so he must be aiming for a quick resolution.”

Thus, someone like Itachi, who was chronically low on chakra, would likely collapse from exhaustion after just a few minutes of controlling the Nine-Tails. Obito, on the other hand, could sustain it for longer—probably for a duration exceeding the length of the Nine-Tails’ attack.

As for Madara, whose chakra reserves rivaled those of Hashirama Senju, he could control the Nine-Tails while simultaneously maintaining his Susano’o. All the while, he energetically howled “Hashirama!” before clashing with the First Hokage for three days and nights.

The only example of a Three-Tomoe Sharingan successfully subduing a Tailed Beast was Sasuke. During his encounter at Orochimaru’s abandoned experimental base, Sasuke, who had mastered the Curse Mark of Heaven, easily suppressed the Nine-Tails’ chakra within Naruto with just a single glare. At that time, Sasuke’s chakra reserves were also significantly boosted by the Curse Mark. It’s worth noting that Naruto had just fought Orochimaru and was already in a weakened state.

In summary, Uchiha Shinji vaguely felt that something unusual might have happened to Uchiha Setsuna.

At that moment, urgent shouts broke into Uchiha Shinji’s thoughts.

“Damn it!”

“Hurry! Stop him!”

“He’s targeting Uchiha Shinji!”

Uchiha Shinji abruptly looked up, only to see a familiar figure charging toward him from the battlefield.

While he was engaged in combat with Killer Bee, Konoha’s side—led by Aburame Shikuro, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, and Hyuga Hizashi—was locked in a fierce battle against three elite squads of Kumogakure ninjas led by Rameei.

Amid the chaos, Kakuzu had also joined the enemy ranks. Konoha’s forces had deliberately assigned Aburame Ryouma and Sarutobi Shinnosuke to hold him off. However, due to the significant power gap, the two were struggling after a prolonged battle, panting heavily and bearing injuries.

At this moment, Kakuzu himself hadn’t anticipated such an unexpected windfall!

Hired by Sunagakure’s Chiyo to collaborate with Kumogakure ninjas and assassinate Uchiha Shinji, Kakuzu knew the bounty would have to be split.

Initially, he had planned to take advantage of the battle between Konoha and Kumogakure to claim the head of Sarutobi Shinnosuke, the son of the Hokage, and earn some additional bounty to offset the division of rewards.

However, both Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Aburame Ryouma were formidable opponents. Even though Kakuzu had the upper hand, killing them would still take considerable time.

But now, the primary target of this mission had been conveniently blasted right in front of him by a Tailed Beast Bomb! Moreover, the target was so severely injured that even walking was a challenge.

To Kakuzu, this was nothing short of a gift from the heavens!

What was Sarutobi Shinnosuke’s head compared to the value of this kid’s?

With that thought, Kakuzu immediately disengaged from the fight and dashed straight toward the battered Uchiha Shinji.

In the blink of an eye, he was in front of him.

As he stared at the defenseless prey about to be crushed in his grasp, a wicked grin spread across Kakuzu’s face.

“You little pauper!” he sneered.

“Your head is mine!”

With a swift motion, Kakuzu raised his hand. His fingers spread wide like steel shears, aiming for Uchiha Shinji’s throat.

This strike, augmented by Earth Release: Earth Spear, was as sharp as a blade. If it connected, it would sever Uchiha Shinji’s head in an instant.

Faced with Kakuzu’s sneak attack, Uchiha Shinji’s brow furrowed sharply.

Instinctively, he activated his Sharingan. The two tomoe in his eyes spun as he tried to cast a genjutsu to buy himself a moment.

But Kakuzu’s strike was too fast!

In his weakened state, Uchiha Shinji barely had enough chakra to even attempt the genjutsu.

The chilling wind from Kakuzu’s hand surged forward, its deathly coldness tearing toward him like a harbinger of death.

“—!!”

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes widened in shock.

Yet just as he braced himself for his head to be severed and his body discarded like trash in the woods, Kakuzu’s hand suddenly froze mid-air.

---

At a distance of only 0.01 centimeters from his neck, it stopped moving.

Uchiha Shinji gulped nervously,

and when his still-developing Adam's apple touched that lifeless hand, he couldn't help but shudder.

"Genjutsu, did it work?"

He let out a sigh of relief and quickly pulled his neck away from the hand, just as he was planning to step back and leave.

However, a stern and serious voice suddenly came from behind his ear, answering his murmured question.

"No!"

"Genjutsu has limited effect on this guy."

As the voice fell,

in the deep and shadowy night, twenty pairs of crimson Sharingan eyes lit up all at once!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Hearing the familiar voice and the rustling sounds of cloaks fluttering,

Uchiha Shinji instinctively turned his head and saw—

Twenty figures leapt out of the darkness, each pair of eyes prominently displaying the three-tomoe Sharingan!

Every person wore a dark, high-collared cloak bearing the Uchiha clan emblem and had a gray belt cinched around their waist (as shown below).

"Seiichiro?!" Uchiha Shinji's eyes widened slightly, and upon recognizing the newcomer, he couldn’t help but smile faintly.

The one leading the reinforcements, comprised of Uchiha elites, was none other than Uchiha Seiichiro, whom Shinji hadn’t seen in a long time!

"Ci, let’s save the reunion talk for later."

"This must be the bounty hunter who attacked you back in the Land of Hot Water, right?"

Uchiha Seiichiro’s gaze turned icy as he coldly looked at Kakuzu, who had broken free from the genjutsu but was now surrounded by a group of Uchiha.

"To go to such lengths against a twelve-year-old child…"

"You—"

"Are you mocking the Uchiha as if we have no one to stand up for us?"

As his cold voice fell,

twenty pairs of Sharingan focused their gaze,

fixating.

Even the surrounding air seemed to freeze in place!

Kakuzu, who had just used a heart from his clones to break free from the genjutsu and hadn’t had time to catch his breath,

felt the smile on his face freeze abruptly.

He nervously glanced at the Uchiha who had completely blocked all his escape routes,

his heart sinking heavily.

Suddenly, he realized,

this situation…seemed a bit off.

(End of Chapter)