191-195

*Chapter 191: The Rift, Cherished Ones!*

"Lord Shura, please go back. We're just following orders."

The taller Root ninja said this, and only then did Uchiha Shinji realize what made these two different from the other Root ninjas: they were far too polite to him.

Unlike the usual Root ninjas, who bark orders at outsiders with their cold, deadpan expressions, these two seemed to show him a hint of respect.

What kind of situation was this?

A shiver ran down Uchiha Shinji's spine as he suddenly recalled something. These two were among the Root ninjas under Aburame Ryoma's command who had assisted him in the Land of Hot Water.

Were they subordinates of Orochimaru?

His thoughts deepened as he gazed toward the Third Training Ground outside. The massive spectral figure of the Nine-Tails loomed in the air, and Uchiha Shinji's astonishment grew.

The ability to interfere with Konoha’s inner workings, to tamper with the most classified jinchūriki defenses—this was something only Orochimaru, groomed by Sarutobi Hiruzen as his heir, could accomplish!

"Orochimaru is going this far!?"

The realization struck Uchiha Shinji with an absurd sense of shock. Orochimaru had been incredibly kind to him—almost too kind.

It felt as if he were living out a legendary adventure: divine weapons and Cursed Seals gifted at the click of a button, Kage-level masters showing up to spar at every turn. Not to mention the Hashirama Cells bundle and the Cursed Seal power-up package—both in cooldown, ready to drop a massive surprise at any moment.

But until now, Uchiha Shinji hadn't fully grasped the reality—

Orochimaru wasn’t a good person.

This man was the main antagonist of the first part of the manga! His kindness extended only to Uchiha Shinji, and to him alone.

To Orochimaru, everyone else might as well be insects crawling on the ground.

Whether it was sending Konoha’s assault troops to their deaths or unleashing the Nine-Tails to wreak havoc in the village,

His actions proved one thing—he cared nothing for lives beyond his own and Uchiha Shinji's.

Witnessing the chaos before him, Uchiha Shinji's face darkened.

He finally understood Orochimaru’s intent.

Did Orochimaru not know what kind of destruction the rampaging Nine-Tails would bring?

Of course, he knew.

And yet, he still did it—all for something as trivial as sending his disciple onto the battlefield!

Visualizing the carnage to come—the terrifying beast leaving Konoha in ruins, and the possibility of Orochimaru fleeing the village early if his plans were exposed—

Uchiha Shinji clenched his teeth and balled his fists.

He lifted his head sharply, his scarlet Sharingan eyes igniting with a double-tomoe glow.

The eerie red gaze caught the Root ninjas off guard, throwing them into a dizzying illusion of spiraling distortions.

Seizing the moment, Uchiha Shinji leapt away, gripping the second-floor railing of the lab. He vaulted into the air, grabbed the roof's edge of a distant pavilion, and flipped onto the rooftop.

From there, he bounded across Konoha’s rooftops, racing through the stifling, oppressive night like an arrow shot toward the Third Training Ground.

“Damn it, you bastard of a teacher!”

“This time, it’s my turn to save you!”

---

In Konoha, within the whirlpool barrier meant to seal the Nine-Tails' power,

on the empty streets shrouded in night,

Kushina performed the Adamantine Sealing Chains, binding the four ANBU guards watching over her.

She then ran from the Uzumaki residence, dashing through the long, quiet streets.

At last, she stopped before a line etched across the ground—a line separating freedom from chains.

Her gaze flickered with hesitation. Clenching her fists, she bit her lip and fell silent.

It was then that a voice, low and seductive, suddenly echoed from within her mind.

“Why do you still hesitate?”

“Kushina,”

“Your Uzumaki Clan takes pride in your sealing powers, that whirlpool-like force,”

“But while you wield that power, you are also being used by others.”

“In this era of tumultuous whirlpools, you are drowning in their currents, unable to break free.”

“That’s right,”

“This is how it should be!”

“The only one who can free you from the chains that bind you, from those who use you as a mere tool—”

“Is me!”

"Never forget that hatred, and never trust anyone!"

Kushina suddenly raised her head. Her jet-black eyes stretched vertically and horizontally, turning blood red, sharp, and icy cold!

"Shut up!"

"The Nine-Tails..."

"I... I just don't want to lose Minato!"

She forcefully silenced the Nine-Tails' tempting words. With a resolute gaze, Kushina strode out of the barrier and ran toward the Third Training Ground under the cover of night.

Earlier that day, before Uchiha Shinji unleashed his Void Dog Cannon...

Minato Namikaze had been too busy with missions and training to spend much time with her. He had left with his teammates—among them, a few damn foxes who were clearly after him—and disappeared to who knows where.

This went against the promise they had made to each other.

In her frustration, she lashed out at Minato, but afterward, her sensitive heart filled with regret.

Because of that obnoxious little brat, the Anbu guards assigned to her had doubled! Under Konoha's strict surveillance, the only person she could see, the only one she could truly interact with, her friend—or rather, her boyfriend—was Minato.

Now that Konoha’s control over her was tightening, if she didn’t resolve this misunderstanding soon, she might lose the person she cherished most forever.

To Kushina, this was absolutely unbearable.

She had to find Minato and apologize to him in person.

She had to keep Minato by her side.

---

The clouds parted slightly, revealing the bright white moonlight.

At the Third Training Ground in Konoha...

"I’m sorry, Kushina!"

"In truth… I broke our promise because of this jutsu I’ve been working on."

"This jutsu was created to protect you!"

"Right now, we’re in the middle of the Third Great Ninja War. Who knows? One day, you might be sent to the battlefield, too."

"That’s why I developed this technique specifically for fighting tailed beasts and opposing enemy jinchuriki."

"It even synchronizes with your chakra, Kushina."

"I want to teach this technique to you because..."

"I don’t want to lose you!"

Facing the empty air, Minato’s cheeks flushed red as he practiced the apology he planned to deliver to Kushina tomorrow.

In his right hand, he held a pitch-black, highly compressed Rasengan.

It was none other than...

*Rasengan: Wheel of Fate!*

After receiving a complete idea from Uchiha Shinji, it took Minato less than half a day to figure out a way to compress both the core and outer chakra of the Rasengan, using the principles of the Uzumaki Clan's Eight Trigrams Sealing Technique that he’d learned from Kushina.

He had been training at the Third Training Ground all night and had finally perfected the jutsu.

"Ahhh, I’m so nervous!" Minato scratched his head vigorously. Holding the Rasengan, he crouched on the ground, thinking he might not be able to sleep at all tonight.

The mere thought of saying those words to Kushina made him feel a mix of embarrassment and fear. What if she didn’t forgive him?

"How can I get Kushina to forgive me?"

"Maybe I should buy her some accessories girls like?"

"Or perhaps—"

Suddenly, a clear, bell-like voice rang out from behind him.

"Minato! I’m the one who should be apologizing!"

"That voice..." Minato’s eyes widened in shock.

"Kushina!"

When he turned around in surprise, what greeted him was—

The face of the woman he loved, equally surprised and happy, yet on her cheeks shone two cold, savage, and hate-filled fox-like pupils!

Suddenly, a blazing red claw struck out, its immense force stirring up a violent gale. In an instant, the claw tore a deep gash across Minato’s stomach, chest, and chin before slamming him to the ground!

Nine crimson tails erupted violently from Kushina’s body, breaking through the seal!

A massive and ominous wave of chakra exploded, shaking the entire village of Konoha!

"Argh! Ugh!"

Spitting out a mouthful of blood mid-air, Minato’s eyes widened in shock. His expression changed drastically.

"This is bad. This—"

"Kushina is on the verge of fully transforming into the Nine-Tails!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 192: Reinforcements, Destruction, and Confrontation with the Nine-Tails! 

Uchiha Shinji wasted no time as he departed from the eastern side of Konoha.  

After leaving Orochimaru's lab, he leaped onto the rooftops of the low-lying buildings near Konoha's reservoir, crossed residential streets, passed by future landmarks such as Naruto's home, the Konoha Theater, the closed Ichiraku Ramen shop, and continued through Tea Street and Yamanaka's Flower Shop.  

Only then did he leave Konoha's central district.  

The Third Training Ground was located at the southwestern edge of Konoha, surrounded by dense forest. Beyond that lay the Forest of Death, the future site of the Chunin Exams.  

At this moment, it felt as if all of Konoha had been rudely awakened.  

Hearing the distant rumbling and seeing the crimson shadow clawing through the sky, countless villagers were startled awake, stepping onto the streets to gape in shock toward the Third Training Ground.  

Ninjas on standby during the war emerged from their homes. Under the organized direction of the ANBU, spreading out from the Hokage's office like a net, they began evacuating civilians to shelters.  

At the same time, countless ninja residents of the village gathered toward the Hokage's office, forming a battle-ready unit as they marched.  

In the distance, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had already shed his Hokage robes, donning his battle uniform and armor.  

He stood on the platform of the Hokage Tower, his Konoha headband tied tightly on his forehead, with its flowing ribbon fluttering wildly in the wind.  

Watching all this unfold, Uchiha Shinji couldn’t help but shake his head slightly.  

If not for the discrepancy in timeline, he would have thought he’d traveled to the Nine-Tails’ Attack scene following the Third Shinobi War.  

Clearing his head, he pushed forward against the flow of people, heading straight for the Third Training Ground.  

Uchiha Shinji hurled a shuriken, pulling himself upward using attached wires, landing atop a water tower.  

Gripping the tower’s long needle, he steadied himself and looked out toward the Third Training Ground. His brow involuntarily twitched.  

At this moment, the area bore no resemblance to a training ground.  

Huge craters pockmarked the landscape. The ground was split, massive trees had collapsed, and training equipment was shredded to bits. The terrain looked as though a category-eight tornado had plowed through.  

Deep fissures over four meters wide crisscrossed the ground, extending out to the barrier walls surrounding the training ground.  

The culprit behind this destruction?  

Kushina Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails’ jinchuriki, wrapped in a crimson shroud of chakra.  

On all fours, she had fully entered her half-beast form.  

Her eyes were wild with rage, and eight tails swayed and lashed through the air, radiating an oppressive and ominous aura.  

At this moment, Kushina raised her head, her gaze locking onto Minato Namikaze, who flashed around her like a flea, trying to guide her toward an uninhabited area.  

Her face twisted in fury as black, white, and red chakra particles rapidly gathered at her mouth, forming a massive tailed beast ball over eight meters in diameter, which began compressing ominously.  

Seeing this, Uchiha Shinji's eyes widened in shock.  

This was the real deal—a genuine Nine-Tails Tailed Beast Ball—not the pale imitation he could create after stacking buffs.  

Feeling the overwhelming power up close, far beyond human limits, Uchiha Shinji couldn’t help but tremble slightly.  

Whether from fear or excitement, he couldn’t say.  

A bizarre and impulsive thought crept into his mind, one that was utterly ridiculous:  

“Could I... take this thing head-on with my face?”  

At that moment, Minato noticed Uchiha Shinji standing atop the water tower. His eyes lit up, and he waved frantically while shouting:  

“Ci! I’ll distract Kushina and lead her to the Forest of Death. Go seek support from the Third Hokage!”  

Although the distance made his voice unclear, Uchiha Shinji could read his lips with the precision of his Sharingan. Minato seemed to be saying:  

"Forest of Death… opportunity… you!"  

Understanding dawned on Uchiha Shinji, who nodded firmly.  

Clearly, Minato wanted him to lure Kushina into the Forest of Death and seize an opportunity there.  

At this point, Minato had yet to master the Flying Thunder God Slash to redirect the Tailed Beast Ball, so he needed Uchiha Shinji’s help.  

It all made perfect sense.  

With that thought, Uchiha Shinji immediately adjusted his footing and leaped from the water tower straight toward Kushina!  

Even mid-air, he didn’t waste a moment.  

Uchiha Shinji began stacking buffs:  

First, activating Curse Mark Level 1.  

Then, Snake Eyes Sharingan.  

Next, igniting his heart to unleash Heartfire.  

Breaking the Eight Trigrams Seal to release Zero Tails’ power.  

Donning an artificial tailed beast cloak.  

And finally, fully activating Forbidden Technique: Physical Transmutation.  

This series of actions was so familiar to him that he could do it in his sleep.  

In an instant, Uchiha Shinji became a streak of light mid-air!  

On the ground, Minato, seeing Uchiha Shinji recklessly jumping down, felt his scalp tingle with anxiety.  

“No, wait—” 

"Uchiha Shinji, what are you trying to do?!" 

Uchiha Shinji's thoughts were straightforward. 

He absolutely couldn’t let this Tailed Beast Bomb explode inside the Hidden Leaf Village!  

So, 

As he descended, Uchiha Shinji swiftly scanned his panel and located a few clone-based jutsu: 

Mud Clone Jutsu, Earth Clone Jutsu.  

These were clone techniques he had acquired during his hard-fought battle against 300 Sand Shinobi. They weren’t significantly better than one of the Three Basic Jutsu, the Clone Jutsu, but he hadn’t yet mastered Orochimaru’s Snake Clone Jutsu. At this moment, these jutsu were just the right fit!  

As the glowing figure descended, Uchiha Shinji crossed his hands in a swift X-shape.  

Bang! 

Smoke burst forth, 

but the glow of the partially Tailed Beast transformation obscured the commotion.  

Taking advantage of this bright distraction, Uchiha Shinji’s true body threw a kunai into the ground amidst the night’s shadows. Landing silently, he transformed into a black blur, touched down with a spin, and kicked up a cloud of dust, coming to a steady halt in front of Minato.  

At this moment, 

the rampaging, partially transformed Kushina was about to unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb at Minato.  

Just then, 

a blinding light appeared in her field of vision.  

From the radiance, Kushina saw him again—the boy who always left her flustered, heart racing, and mad enough to want to smack him several times.  

Uchiha Shinji! 

"Gaia!!!"  

The boy shouted clearly, 

draped in a blazing white aura of partial Tailed Beast transformation. 

In a textbook-perfect Ultraman-style flying kick, he launched himself at Kushina's face with full force!  

Seeing this, a thunderous voice surged from deep within Kushina’s mind—Nine-Tails’ insidious and beguiling tone.  

“Kushina! What are you waiting for?!” 

“It’s because of him that you ended up like this!” 

“Rip him apart!” 

“Kill him!” 

“Destroy him!” 

“Let him, and all those who imprisoned you, let the entire world know that you are…”  

"Shut up!"  

Kushina clutched her head in agony. Her flushed red face twisted in fury as her empty, pale white eyes lifted toward the boy before her.  

Then,  

she unleashed the Tailed Beast Bomb straight at him!  

(End of Chapter) 

*Chapter 193: Face-to-Face with the Tailed Beast Bomb! A Double Reversal and Zero-Tail Mutation!*

A violent storm erupted with a deafening roar!

The massive recoil from the genuine Tailed Beast Bomb instantly shattered the already cracked ground beneath Kushina's feet into fine powder, creating a massive groove 3 meters wide and 30 meters long as she was pushed back.

In return, however, came an overwhelming, terrifying power.

Floating mid-air, Uchiha Shinji, clad in a half-tailed beast transformation cloak, was struck head-on by the Tailed Beast Bomb in mere moments.

Face meeting the Tailed Beast Bomb, he experienced firsthand its shape and temperature. What kind of sensation is that?

Uchiha Shinji could responsibly tell you:

The Tailed Beast Bomb is scorching! Its temperature surpasses the thousands of degrees generated by Fire Style Chakra Mode.

Furthermore, the impact formed a violent wind membrane across the bomb’s spherical surface, creating immense pressure. No matter how hard Uchiha Shinji struggled, he couldn't break free.

The tremendous wind pressure flattened him like a spider smashed under a hammer—limbs splayed out, head crushed and bleeding.

Then came the sense of propulsion—

It was intense!

Ridiculously intense!

Like putting a Ferrari engine in a secondhand compact car—thrilling but tragic.

Sadly, this surreal experience lasted only three seconds before the Tailed Beast Bomb hurled Uchiha Shinji into the barrier surrounding the Third Training Ground.

“Pfft! Ugh!”

Caught in the pincer-like force, Uchiha Shinji's eyes bulged as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The Tailed Beast Bomb slammed into the barrier like a violently shot soccer ball, pushing the Konoha barrier out dozens of meters before shattering it with a loud crash.

Still retaining its momentum, the Tailed Beast Bomb carried Uchiha Shinji another 800 meters, finally slamming into the Forest of Death.

Before he could even feel the explosion’s epicenter, Uchiha Shinji had already been obliterated in the brief yet seemingly eternal process.

In the distance, within the Forest of Death—

*BOOM!*

A mushroom cloud, even larger and more intimidating than the man-made Void Dog Cannon created earlier by Uchiha Shinji, rose high into the sky.

“Huff... Hah...”

Kushina exhaled heavily, her breath turning into dense white vapor.

As the gusts from the explosion subsided, the hateful brat who had stolen her beloved Minato was finally blown to smithereens.

Driven by primal instincts under the Nine-Tails' influence, Kushina still wanted to destroy something. But as she lifted her head, the scene before her left her momentarily stunned.

From the gaping hole in the Third Training Ground’s barrier and in front of the Forest of Death,

A boy stood up as if nothing had happened.

He cracked his neck, brushed the dust off his body, and looked up with a mix of pain and a sinister smile.

A pair of crimson, double-tomoe Sharingan locked eyes with her.

“Not bad at all!”

“But—”

“Beast, my pain surpasses yours!!”

Uchiha Shinji roared, his eyes widening in fury.

In an instant—

*Illusion: Sharingan!*

*Demonic Mirage: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change!*

The pain from his earth clone’s explosion, rebounding onto his body, was excruciating—a sensation akin to being crushed repeatedly by a heavy truck. Bones shattering, flesh tearing, skin seared with chili powder, and nails pulled one by one.

Uchiha Shinji endured the torment, engraved it into his Sharingan, and then used the illusion to reflect it back onto the Nine-Tails controlling Kushina.

All at once—

“ROAAAR!!!”

“ARGH!!!”

“I’ll kill you! Kill you!!”

“Uchiha Shinji!!!”

Sharing in the pain, the Nine-Tails roared in agony, clutching its head and writhing on the ground. Its claws tore deep trenches in the earth, and its eight tails spun chaotically like turbines, wreaking havoc and turning the surroundings into a wasteland.

It was suffering to its very limits.

Seeing this, a wide grin spread across Uchiha Shinji’s face.

His blood, long cooled after half a month without fighting strong opponents, began to boil once more.

Dark, twisted emotions surged within him.

The intensity of this brief exchange reignited his sense of normalcy as a proud Uchiha. He couldn't help but clutch his forehead and laugh maniacally.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Nine-Tails! Do you feel the same pain as I do now?”

“Yes, that’s it!”

“Hate me! Resent me! Show me the kind of ugliness that delights me!”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Even though you claim to be the embodiment of endless negative emotions, having tasted all the suffering this world has to offer—”

“To me, it’s still far from enough!”

“Far from enough!”

Uchiha Shinji suddenly opened his eyes wide, his gaze wild and fierce. Tilting his head back, he shouted with contempt:

“You beast—you're still missing a leash!”

“And I... will be the master who tames you!”

“Now, surrender obediently to—”

Before he could finish, the Nine-Tails, who had been writhing chaotically on the ground, broke free from the genjutsu by tapping into Kushina's consciousness. Rising once more, the first thing the beast did was gather a massive Tailed Beast Bomb in front of its mouth, this time aiming directly at Uchiha Shinji’s real body.

“DIE!”

“DIE!”

“I’ll kill you! Kill you!”

“You damned Uchiha brat!”

“Just die already!”

Seeing this, Uchiha Shinji gulped and swallowed the rest of his taunt. Without saying another word, he turned and sprinted through the large hole in the barrier around the Third Training Ground of Konoha, darting straight into the Forest of Death.

As much as he enjoyed throwing out bold words, Uchiha Shinji knew all too well:

If it came to a real fight, he was no match for the Nine-Tails!

Even half of the Nine-Tails could single-handedly take on the One-Tail through Eight-Tails combined. With his current strength—barely on par with a typical jinchūriki—facing the Nine-Tails would be like serving himself up as an appetizer.

Reflecting on the brief exchange earlier, he recalled the resigned words Minato had given him:

“Though you went a little overboard, well… the result is still positive.”

“Ci, I’ll need to trouble you this time.”

“Given the current situation, Kushina is about to manifest her ninth tail and fully release the Nine-Tails. Once that happens, the seal will shatter completely, and there will be no turning back!”

“So, for the sake of the village and Kushina—”

“We must save her here and now!”

“I need you,”

“I need you to create an opening for me!”

“An opening that will allow me to get close to Kushina!”

Returning to the present moment, Uchiha Shinji ran full speed through the Forest of Death. Although Minato had asked him to create an opportunity, he wasn’t entirely sure how to do so.

All he could do was treat the situation like a battle royale.

To that end, he cranked up the first level of the Curse Mark, enhancing his legs and pushing his speed to the limit.

The Forest of Death was a maze of complex paths, and Uchiha Shinji was unfamiliar with its terrain. He couldn’t rely on it to outmaneuver a rampaging Kushina. As a result, he chose the simplest and most straightforward route—the 800-meter path carved out by the Nine-Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb.

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Right now, his priority was to lure the Nine-Tails away from the village.

As Uchiha Shinji stepped onto the cleared path, something deep within his body—one of the many chaotic things sealed within him—suddenly reacted to a particular lingering presence in the air.

The Zero-Tails, sealed in his abdomen, jolted upright and slammed its head against the seal’s barrier, transmitting a message to Uchiha Shinji:

“Cheep~ Cheep!”

Though he didn’t pause his steps, Uchiha Shinji somehow understood the unintelligible noises as if they had been translated directly into his mind.

Upon hearing the Zero-Tails' revelation, Uchiha Shinji’s pupils shrank in shock.

“What did you just say?”

“You can absorb the malice from the Nine-Tails’ chakra lingering in the air?!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 194: Evil Perception, A Terrifying Sense of Compound Awareness!*

*Zero-Tails*

It is a pure embodiment of negative emotions, a sinister chakra entity born from the accumulation of negativity.

On the other hand, the nine Tailed Beasts, from the One-Tail to the Nine-Tails, were fundamentally created by the Sage of Six Paths in ancient times by splitting the Ten-Tails’ chakra. They are purer chakra entities.

Unlike the Zero-Tails, the Nine-Tails’ chakra is saturated with malice due to centuries of war, hatred, and betrayal. This emotional turmoil causes the chakra to transform into a force driven by resentment.

This transformation often influences the host, known as the Jinchūriki, leading them to lose their sanity. However, if the Jinchūriki reconciles with the Tailed Beast and suppresses its malice, they can harness a unique ability from the Nine-Tails—a perception born from centuries of malice and experience.

Yet, the ability that takes centuries for a Tailed Beast to develop is something the Zero-Tails has possessed from its very inception!

Although the Zero-Tails cannot fire a Tailed Beast Bomb, nor provide its host with the protective “red cloak” or “yellow cloak,” and its chakra capacity pales in comparison—even to the so-called “tailless beast,” Kisame Hoshigaki—its unique ability is unparalleled among Tailed Beasts.

As a pure embodiment of negative emotions, *no other Tailed Beast understands malice better than the Zero-Tails.*

However, because the Zero-Tails within Uchiha Shinji is still immature, this ability is currently limited to a five-meter radius around him.

This range is pitifully short and almost useless in most situations. Uchiha Shinji often faces opponents of Kage-level strength. During his battle with Chiyo, this ability was quickly seen through and countered after only a few exchanges. Once the opponent maintained distance, the fight devolved into mundane chakra exchanges, devoid of surprises.

His exceptional shuriken techniques, honed to near-perfection, were gradually becoming irrelevant in such scenarios.

This was not due to a lack of skill but because Uchiha Shinji’s sensory abilities couldn’t keep up!

*But now—*

“Chew!”

The young Zero-Tails within him nodded eagerly, confirming with an intense desire and certainty.

Absorbing the dispersed Nine-Tails chakra from the air wouldn’t just allow the Zero-Tails to fuse it into vast amounts of dark chakra to support Uchiha Shinji in battle. This creature, which grows by consuming malice and negative emotions, could also gain a temporary, massive boost to its innate abilities from the Nine-Tails.

No, not just a boost—this would fully unleash its latent powers, albeit briefly!

The mere thought of what this ability could achieve sent a thrill through Uchiha Shinji.

Disregarding Orochimaru’s earlier warnings about using the Cursed Seal and the potential emergence of a draconic persona, Uchiha Shinji activated the Heaven Seal without hesitation!

Black petal-like markings instantly spread from his legs, altering his muscles and bones. The transformation granted Uchiha Shinji the speed of a black mamba!

Following the path carved out by the Tailed Beast Bomb, Uchiha Shinji lunged forward, a blur imperceptible to the naked eye. A sonic boom erupted as he raced toward the center of the explosion—toward the massive mushroom cloud still rising.

This was where the Nine-Tails’ chakra was most concentrated!

At that moment, Kushina, controlled by the Nine-Tails, saw the boy spout a threat and then bolt away. Narrowing its slit pupils in fury, the Nine-Tails seemed to hallucinate.

It saw a shadow of a boy it once despised—a boy who had once ridden on its head, laughing maniacally.

The same hairstyle, the same grin, the same tone, the same arrogance.

And those eyes—those accursed Sharingan eyes!

No matter how he tried to mask it, the boy’s insanity, joy, and hunger for battle were unmistakable!

He was enjoying himself. He was reveling in this!

No doubt about it!

The Nine-Tails immediately recognized this as a younger version of Madara Uchiha!

This child cannot be allowed to live. If left unchecked, he might become the next wretched Uchiha to ride on its head, laughing like a madman!

“Grr!”

Grinding its teeth in frustration, the Nine-Tails let out a guttural growl, its rage barely contained. Its vertical pupils burned with murderous intent as it fixated on Uchiha Shinji’s retreating figure.

“I swear, I will kill you! Uchiha Shinji!”

With those words, the Nine-Tails ignored the destruction it would wreak upon the Hidden Leaf Village, where one Tailed Beast Bomb would leave devastation that would last for days.

In an instant, it broke through the barrier’s gap, entering the Forest of Death. Sniffing the air, it locked onto its prey and bounded forward, chasing Uchiha Shinji at full speed!

As it ran, another Tailed Beast Bomb formed at the tip of its snout, a swirling black sphere with an 80:20 chakra ratio.

With deadly precision, it fired the bomb toward Uchiha Shinji’s back!

Swoosh!

Boom!!! 

A deafening explosion ripped through the air. The ground split open, leaving a deep, endless trench.

Amid this chaos, Uchiha Shinji faced his moment of peril.

Uchiha Shinji’s brow twitched, and he felt as though the world before him had transformed into something entirely different!

During his high-speed charge, the Zero-Tail within his body was crazily absorbing the residual chakra of the Nine-Tails in the surrounding air!

As the dark thoughts gradually accumulated, Zero-Tail’s body began expanding at a visible speed, with chakra surging, like an endless torrent of power flooding out of his body!

What appeared in Uchiha Shinji’s sensory perception was the expansion of his five-meter detection range, which was akin to the “Kagura’s Heart Eyes,” quietly expanding without sound.

Five meters.

Ten meters.

Fifty meters!

One hundred meters!

Five hundred meters!

When his perception range expanded to five hundred meters, Uchiha Shinji immediately realized that a wave of hatred and malevolent chakra, clearly visible as a pillar of light reaching into the sky, had completely locked onto him!

Simultaneously with the expansion of his perception range, his own S+ level innate ability—*Battle Instinct*—also expanded!

Originally, Uchiha Shinji’s battle instinct was limited to his immediate surroundings and could only be reflected in close combat situations. But now, it had suddenly expanded to five hundred meters!

And the range was still growing!

At that moment, countless strategies for combat surged through Uchiha Shinji’s mind!

But that wasn’t all. Under this combined expansion, another ability of Uchiha Shinji underwent a change!

The range in which he could sense natural energy also expanded!

At that moment, Uchiha Shinji abruptly turned around, facing the Tailed Beast Bomb that was rapidly coming toward him!

Behind him was the mushroom cloud from the earlier Tailed Beast Bomb explosion!

Standing there, the nearly endless power felt like a pump, continuously drawn and rapidly created by Zero-Tail!

Uchiha Shinji widened his eyes, raised his hands, and looked at the terrifying amount of chakra flowing through his body’s meridians, nearly ready to explode out of him!

“This power…”

“Is this the Nine-Tails?!”

He couldn’t help but throw his head back and laugh wildly,

“Hahahahahahahahahahaha!”

“It’s time!”

Uchiha Shinji tilted his chin up and looked down at the Nine-Tails with disdain,

“Nine-Tails, come and feel the power of a Sage!”

As his words fell, Uchiha Shinji suddenly clapped his hands together and shouted,

“Senjutsu: Imperfect Reincarnation!”

In an instant, the ground around him rumbled, and according to Uchiha Shinji’s will, the terrain began to change and rise!

Seventy-two massive stone pillars, each five meters in diameter, spiraled in an Archimedean structure, lifting the Nine-Tails upward!

Then, standing atop the elevated pillars, Uchiha Shinji looked down at the tiny Nine-Tails Jinchuriki below.

He stomped his foot heavily!

In an instant, nearly a kilometer of ground transformed into a raging earth river, surging like a waterfall, crashing down toward the Nine-Tails!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 195: Immortal Art · Glorious Great Sword · Eight Million Divine Powers!*

The earth surged as torrents of soil rose, instantly engulfing the entire Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.

However,

at that moment—

The ground trembled and quaked as a black sphere brimming with terrifying energy suddenly pierced through the soil river,

bored a massive hole, shattered the river, and broke through the rock pillars!

Carrying an unstoppable storm, it briefly confronted Uchiha Shinji head-on.

Uchiha Shinji wasn’t foolish.

The Tailed Beast Bomb unleashed by the fully powered Nine-Tails was horrifyingly destructive!

Using his clone to take the hit would suffice—using his real body would likely render him temporarily incapacitated, if not outright dead.

As he often reminded himself, the forbidden technique Physical Genesis wasn’t omnipotent. Instead, it was an incomplete prototype of hyper-speed regeneration. Against damage beyond its threshold, its repair capabilities would slow considerably.

Realizing the danger, Uchiha Shinji immediately leaped from the rock pillar. During his descent, he swiftly pulled several kunai from his ninja tool pouch, hurling them into nearby rock formations.

With a pull of his fingers, the threads attached to the kunai tightened, propelling Uchiha Shinji through the stone forest.

A web of black threads extended around him as he shot from pillar to pillar, soaring like an eagle with outstretched wings.

He glided, dived, and leaped through the night sky with breathtaking agility.

Behind him, the Nine-Tails roared furiously, spitting out one Tailed Beast Bomb after another.

This was the Continuous Tailed Beast Cannon!

Yet, with his sharpened combat instincts, Uchiha Shinji didn’t even need to look to vividly sense the trajectories of the Nine-Tails’ attacks in his mind.

Each bomb streaked past him, missing by mere inches!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!  

The attacks carved fiery arcs through the sky, smashing into the distant Forest of Death and erupting in deafening explosions.

Boom!  

Flocks of birds scattered in fright, their wings beating furiously as they fled the chaos.

The force of the explosions reduced the trees to ash, sending gales laden with shattered leaves and debris rippling outward.

Terrifying as the attacks were, they were all useless if they couldn’t hit their target.

At this point, the Nine-Tails’ anger soared to new heights.

Its crimson eyes locked onto Uchiha Shinji, pupils slit and burning with rage.

“Damn Uchiha brat! You’re just like a flea!!!”

In the next moment, the Nine-Tails’ fury reached its zenith, breaking through the seals set by Kushina.

Its ninth tail suddenly emerged!

With the appearance of this final tail, an overwhelming surge of chakra erupted into the sky, forming a crimson pillar of light.

And from within this radiant pillar,

a massive, skinless fox head emerged, glaring menacingly at its surroundings!

Its snarling fangs and terrifying gaze exuded a chilling malevolence.

Even its head alone dwarfed the size of the Manda snake Uchiha Shinji had summoned in the past!

The Nine-Tails had fully entered its complete Tailed Beast transformation.

This was the same fearsome form that had once appeared during Naruto’s battle against Pain. Even in its incomplete Eight-Tails state, the Nine-Tails had broken free from Nagato’s Planetary Devastation technique.

And that had only been half of the Nine-Tails!

Now, Uchiha Shinji faced the full power of the complete Nine-Tails.

In an instant, the crimson light pillar released a shockwave-like ring of air, shaking the earth and shattering several massive rock pillars crafted by Uchiha Shinji’s Immortal Art: Inorganic Reincarnation.

Staring at this colossal monster, Uchiha Shinji momentarily paused, his brow furrowing deeply.

The situation seemed to have spiraled beyond his expectations.

Even the prison he had conjured to suppress the Nine-Tails had nearly been destroyed by the beast’s sheer aura in its fully transformed state.

His initial plan to temporarily subdue the Nine-Tails appeared to have hit a dead end.

What could he do now?

As Uchiha Shinji pondered his next move,

suddenly, an unexpected change occurred!

Dozens of golden chains erupted from the ground,

entangling the Nine-Tails, whose true form was about to fully emerge from the crimson light.

Sealing Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains!  

Just as the Nine-Tails was about to break free, Kushina—the Jinchūriki—regained consciousness in the nick of time.

Despite the seemingly dire situation, she made one final desperate attempt to turn the tide!

Seeing this,

Uchiha Shinji’s eyes lit up.

Taking advantage of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, he leaped from the top of a rock pillar, diving headfirst toward the Nine-Tails.

The fierce wind whipped at his hair, sending his long black locks flying wildly.

As he plummeted through the air, Uchiha Shinji looked directly at the massive Nine-Tails.

With his hands clasped together and eyes blazing with determination, he shouted forcefully:

“Nine-Tails!”

"You are far too powerful. I must seal you!"

Hearing this familiar line, the Nine-Tails froze, the entire fox body momentarily stunned. Its previously raging and struggling frame trembled uncontrollably and halted its movements.

It could never forget.

The last person who uttered these words had shouted, "You are too powerful," while summoning a terrifying wooden giant. The memory of that 300-meter-tall colossus, a nightmare that haunted the fox, made it shudder. With a single slap, the giant had subdued the Nine-Tails and then gripped it in its massive hands, nearly crushing it to death!

Recalling that horrific experience, the Nine-Tails couldn’t believe its ears when those same words came from the mouth of this weak Uchiha brat—someone who looked as fragile as a baby chick. The fox was so furious it almost laughed before being overwhelmed by a deep sense of humiliation.

It immediately turned its angry gaze on the boy and roared:

"Insolent brat!"

"Who do you think you are, daring to say such things to me?!"

"When I break free of these chains, I'll—"

However, before the Nine-Tails could finish its roar, Uchiha Shinji’s expression shifted. He widened his eyes, grinning ominously, and their gazes locked.

In an instant, blood vessels crawled across the whites of Shinji’s eyes, and a trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his eye, scattering mid-air.

"Sage Art: Sharingan – White Strike Pupil!"

A massive crimson dragon erupted forth, coiling tightly around the Nine-Tails in the illusionary world! Its jaws opened wide, swallowing a blazing orb, before unleashing a searing blast straight into the fox's face.

In that instant, an overwhelming burst of sound, vibration, and blinding white light filled the void.

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

"As expected of a beast, Nine-Tails, your intelligence is only on par with that of a five-year-old!"

Laughing maniacally, Uchiha Shinji tugged sharply on the threads connected to his hand. Mid-fall, he stabilized himself with several acrobatic twists, landing squarely atop the Nine-Tails’ head.

There was no time to savor the feeling of standing where his ancestor, Uchiha Madara, had once stood. Shinji swiftly formed the "Ram" hand seal with both hands.

Then, extending his palm and spreading his fingers wide, he slammed his hand downward with all his might.

Infused with Sage Chakra and elevated to its ultimate form, a once-considered useless jutsu now shone with unparalleled brilliance!

"Sage Art: Earth Grudge Fear – Spiral Web!"

From seventy-two towering stone pillars, thick strands of Earth Grudge Fear threads erupted, lunging toward the Nine-Tails to bind it.

"Square the radius, divide by pi, then plot the curve and—"

"Wait, what am I even saying? Whatever, this works!"

Ji wiped the blood trickling from his eye and gritted his teeth. Leaning back, he gave the threads a fierce pull!

The countless threads tightened instantly, forming a spiraling pattern reminiscent of Spider-Man’s Archimedean web used to restrain Doctor Strange.

The intricate web of threads bound the Nine-Tails completely, splaying its limbs wide.

At that moment, the Nine-Tails, which had just barely endured the White Strike Pupil’s onslaught, regained its senses only to realize it was now immobilized—entangled by what appeared to be flimsy pillars that shouldn’t have posed a challenge.

This mathematical force was somehow even more terrifying than Kushina’s sealing techniques!

"Brat!!"

"What have you done?!"

The Nine-Tails roared in fury, its voice shaking. With its chakra already sealed by Kushina, its body was now further defiled by this evil Uchiha brat. This was the ultimate insult!

"You’d better not get cocky. Once I regain my chakra, I’ll crush you with a single paw!!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Shinji smirked coldly.

No longer suppressing the violent chakra raging within him, he spun around and struck his chest with a resounding palm.

"Nine-Tails!!"

"Can you guess what’s even stronger than a sealing technique?!"

The Nine-Tails paused, momentarily stunned.

At that moment, Uchiha Shinji slowly drew the Kusanagi Blade from his waist, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"My sheer force of will!"

"I reckon this will work!"

"Now, take this—"

Ji twisted the hilt of his sword sharply.

In the next instant, from above the Nine-Tails’ head, a brilliant sunburst suddenly rose into the sky.

A blinding, blazing sword of immense size illuminated the entire Forest of Death as if it were daylight.

The gargantuan sword slowly took shape in Shinji’s hands, radiating unparalleled brilliance.

Pouring every ounce of chakra—Nine-Tails’ chakra, Sage Chakra, Dark Chakra, Cursed Seal Chakra, Natural Energy, and even the ocular power of his Sharingan—into the blade, Shinji’s body nearly gave out under the sheer overwhelming force. His eyes widened as he let out a thunderous roar:

"Raaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

"Focus it all! Achieve perfection!"

"Sage Art: Magnificent Great Sword – Eight Million Divine Wrath!!!"

(End of Chapter)