Chapter 267: The Incomplete Ten-Tails Body, Amenotokotachi!
"In this world, where there is light, there is shadow. Where there are winners, there must be losers. The selfish desire to maintain peace leads to war, and hatred is born to protect love."
"Just like this moment!"
A gaze fell upon the boy plunging off the cliff.
His face twisted, ferocious, and terrifying, filled with an overwhelming darkness that seemed bent on destroying everything.
Standing at the cliff's edge, an elderly man with deep-blue robes and withered white hair coldly observed the scene unfold.
"Like two sides of a coin, to protect one thing, another must be sacrificed."
"When one learns to love, they must also bear the risk of hatred."
"And the Uchiha… is a clan destined for vengeance."
Under the night sky, a chilling, sinister red light suddenly flared.
"Uchiha Ci, your story ends here."
"Now—"
"You shall inherit my name, 'Uchiha Madara'—"
"And bring true peace to this world!"
—
With the Zero-Tails stripped from him, his immortality shattered, his chest pierced by the Black Tiger Fist of the White Snake Sage, and his throat punctured by his own hand—
With his Forbidden Jutsu: Body Revival unable to activate—
His body was covered in fatal wounds.
Theoretically, even with the physique of a tailed beast, Uchiha Ci should have already perished.
But—
His eyes had been gouged out by Kakuzu, his body thrown off a cliff, his flesh torn by countless Earth Grudge Fear tendrils.
Yet, beyond the initial flash of agony,
What Uchiha Ci felt instead was—
The warm sensation of blood flowing through his veins once more.
And—
Thump! Thump!
Thump! Thump!
Thump! Thump!
A brand-new heart, concealed beneath the Earth Grudge Fear tendrils, was implanted into his chest—
And it began to beat!
At that moment, Uchiha Ci finally understood Kakuzu's final words to him.
Just as Uchiha Ci had once kicked Hidan off a cliff before Kakuzu—
Kakuzu had chosen to save him in the only way he could under such dire circumstances.
Unlike Uchiha Ci and the Konoha shinobi informed by Aburame Ryoma, Kakuzu had no idea that Minato Namikaze was on his way.
From Kakuzu's perspective—
Once Uchiha Ci fell, everyone here would be slaughtered by the Third Raikage. Even trying to take Uchiha Ci's body could bring about his own death.
So, he could only save one person—through this cruel method.
But what Uchiha Ci couldn't understand was—
Why did Kakuzu save him?
—
At this moment,
The Earth Grudge Fear tendrils piercing his body transformed into countless threads, crawling over his wounds, stitching them shut—
Finally, they gathered at the gaping hole in his chest, weaving together to form flesh, veins, and organs, carrying the newly generated blood throughout his body.
In the abyss of darkness, it was as if a light had suddenly shone through!
Then, before his eyes, a string of notifications began flashing rapidly:
Ding!
You bravely fought against Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki who tried to kill you. She can no longer fight. A critical reward has been triggered—you have acquired her random skill: Fire Release: Fire Rat Jade (A, Master).
Ding!
You bravely fought against the Two-Tails Matatabi, who underestimated you. You have acquired its random skill: Innate Ability: Tailed Beast Physique (S-).
You bravely fought against the Eight-Tails Gyūki, who tried to kill you. It can no longer fight. You have acquired its random skill: Innate Ability: Tailed Beast Physique (S-).
Critical Reward Triggered!
The repeated acquisition of 'Tailed Beast Physique (S-)' has enhanced its effects and upgraded it to a superior ability: 'Ten-Tails Body (S, Incomplete, 3/10, still lacking six tailed beasts and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path).'
Ding!
You bravely fought against the Third Raikage A, who tried to kill you. You have acquired his random skill: Hell Stab: Four-Finger-Nukite (B, Perfection).
Hell Stab: Four-Finger-Nukite (B, Perfection): Known as the strongest spear. As the number of fingers decreases, the skill advances—Three-Finger-Nukite (A), Two-Finger-Nukite (A+), and One-Finger-Nukite (S), with proficiency unchanged.
Your 'Heartsteel' count has increased.
You have acquired a new special equipment: Earth Grudge Fear Heart (Earth). You have gained the attached ninjutsu: Earth Release: Splitting Earth Force Needle (B), Earth Release: Earth Spear (B).
Now that you have mastered the nature transformation of all five chakra elements, your 'Earth Grudge Fear Heart (Earth)' has fused with your original abilities and evolved into 'Earth Grudge Fear Heart (Five Elements).'
Special Equipment: Earth Grudge Fear Heart (Five Elements): The ultimate form of the Earth Grudge Fear Heart. Unlocks the skill: Earth Grudge Fear: Five Elements Ultimate Barrage! (S-).
—
In an instant,
A slew of new skills flooded Uchiha Ci's status:
Fire Release: Fire Rat Jade, Hell Stab: Four-Finger-Nukite, Earth Release: Splitting Earth Force Needle, Earth Release: Earth Spear, Earth Grudge Fear: Five Elements Ultimate Barrage!
And—
The Incomplete Ten-Tails Body!
The moment this physique was applied to Uchiha Ci,
The process of death slowed down instantly!
But in exchange, a boundless hunger and emptiness surged through him!
Exhausted from the relentless battles, Uchiha Ci finally succumbed—
And lost consciousness.
Boom!
His body plummeted to the depths of Hell Valley, blood and dust spraying into the air.
Just then—
Clang, clang—
A series of metallic footsteps echoed.
A man in a flowing blue robe stepped out of the shadows, using a scythe as a cane.
His withered white hair hung lifelessly as he strode forward.
Lowering his gaze, his eyes gleamed ominously as they settled on the broken, tattered body of Uchiha Ci.
"Heh. What a pitiful sight, brat."
With a sneer, the old man lifted a skeletal hand and formed a 'Ram' seal.
As the seal activated, a white spore swelled on his shoulder, quickly expanding into a humanoid shape.
Spore Technique.
A cloning technique of White Zetsu. Unlike standard clones, these entities persisted even if their original body perished. Additionally, their main function was to absorb chakra and transfer it to others.
"Lord Madara."
The clone barely had time to greet him before—
A skeletal hand shot out, grasped its throat, and twisted.
Crack!
Uchiha Madara didn't need a living White Zetsu.
He only required its unique properties.
A special ability called Imitation Jutsu.
By absorbing chakra, White Zetsu could perfectly mimic the body, chakra pathways, and even energy signature of a target.
And for Madara—
It was the ideal material to repair Uchiha Ci's shattered body.
—
Pulling out a jar filled with formalin, a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan floated inside.
Madara lifted his robe, revealing a pale, grotesque face embedded in his chest—
The flesh of Hashirama Senju, transplanted into him before his death at the Valley of the End.
Just as he was about to implant the Sharingan—
Madara's fingers froze.
"Hmm? This is... a Transfer Seal!?"
At that moment,
From the empty right eye socket of Uchiha Ci, a crimson glow erupted!
A phantom-like Mangekyō Sharingan, swirling like a vortex of time and space, emerged—
And instantly activated its unique ocular ability—
Amenotokotachi!
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