"Deidara-nīsan, just give it up. This anesthetic is specially made by me."
Looking at Deidara, who was slung over her father's shoulder with an unwilling expression, Kurotsuchi pressed her fair fingers to her face and pulled a funny face.
"I just don't get it. You have Dust Release, yet you don't practice it, insisting on practicing Explosion Release instead. Is that so-called art really worth you wasting your life like this?" Kurotsuchi asked, perplexed.
"…" Deidara glared at her resentfully.
Kurotsuchi glared back, not to be outdone. "You can't even move your body, yet you're still not behaving."
"Let me tell you the truth: this time, the old man himself ordered us to bring you back. His attitude is very firm."
"Don't even think about escaping this time."
"Because even if you flee to the ends of the earth, we will find you again."
"You're wondering why, right?" Reading his eyes, Kurotsuchi explained, "Perhaps the old geezer has clearly realized that he doesn't have much longer to live."
"Deidara-nīsan, you're not young anymore. Don't spend all day thinking about evading responsibility and pursuing some so-called art."
"You're not unaware of how badly Iwagakure is lacking a new generation to take over."
Hearing this, though resentment still lingered in Deidara's eyes, his struggles had considerably weakened.
Hearing her words, even Kitsuchi, her father, couldn't help but glance back at her. He knew his daughter's usual mischievous nature all too well.
For her to say such things, it seemed she had indeed grown up…
"It's not just you. The old man has even sent people to capture Old Man Roshi," Kurotsuchi said with a mischievous grin, patting Deidara's head.
"Just obediently go back, practice Dust Release, and inherit the position of Fourth Tsuchikage!"
Feeling the hand on his head, Deidara's anger instantly flared. If he weren't immobilized, he would definitely make this yellow-haired brat experience what true explosive art was.
Boom!
"ROAR!!"
A violent roar drew everyone's attention.
In the very center of the battlefield, a behemoth comparable in size to a mountain let out an enraged roar. A massive amount of yellow sand swirled around it like coiling dragons, destroying everything that came near.
"What the hell? Is this a war?" Kurotsuchi stared at Shukaku, her eyes nearly popping out.
Weren't the Suna ninja just conducting an exercise?
Why has even a Tailed Beast appeared?
"Let's go, quickly!" Kitsuchi's expression also turned grim, and his pace suddenly quickened.
Rip!
The shadow clone, having lost its chakra support, vanished in a puff of white smoke.
Kisame was speechless. Just how many shadow clones has it been?
"Itachi-san, have you found his main body yet?"
Itachi shook his head slightly. "He's likely no longer nearby."
"What a pain." Watching the endless stream of shadow clones teleporting in via the Flying Thunder God Technique, Kisame couldn't help but frown.
Even with Samehada's support, he had no confidence in outlasting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki in a battle of chakra reserves.
"Itachi-san, do you still have enough chakra?" Kisame couldn't help but glance at his partner.
Itachi-san's health had always been poor; long, drawn-out battles of attrition were usually his responsibility.
Itachi shook his head slightly, indicating he was fine.
Just then, the commotion caused by Shukaku drew their attention.
"Looks like Sasori and that Deidara brat have also started to make their move," Kisame commented.
"Kisame, be careful."
Uchiha Itachi's Sharingan spun slightly; several more shadow clones had just teleported in using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"I keep feeling like this Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is toying with us," Kisame said, swinging Samehada to meet the new arrivals.
Naruto stood atop a sand dune, his sword planted beside him, simultaneously observing both battlefields.
"Their targets are all Jinchuriki, or rather, the Tailed Beasts within the Jinchuriki. What on earth happened to the Akatsuki of this world…"
In the Dragon Vein timeline, he had spent some time with the Akatsuki and had a decent understanding of the organization's ideals and methods.
But ultimately, these were two different timelines; he couldn't just blindly apply his knowledge of the Akatsuki from the Dragon Vein timeline to this world.
His current bewilderment was merely a lingering recollection of his friends from that other time.
"Only one person is making a move, and several others are just observing. Are they two different groups, or is it confidence…"
Naruto's heart leaned more towards the latter.
The strong possessed the pride of the strong.
Those who did not fear Tailed Beasts, who even dared to face them directly, were undoubtedly strong.
Perhaps saying this sounded like deliberately elevating himself, but it was indeed the truth. Otherwise, Tailed Beasts wouldn't have become the ultimate weapons of each village.
"Do you remember Nagato's summoning beast?"
In his mental space, Naruto looked down at the large fox beneath him.
"That Demonic Statue of the Outer Path?" Although he had only seen it once, Naruto still remembered its terrifying presence vividly.
"I remember you said it was the husk of the Ten-Tails."
"That's right." Kurama nodded slightly. "When the old Sage of Six Paths was on his deathbed, he split the Ten-Tails' chakra into nine parts—that's us, the nine Great Tailed Beasts."
"You can consider that husk to be the Ten-Tails' physical energy."
"And you guys are its spiritual energy?" Naruto instantly understood his meaning.
"But can spiritual energy that has been divided into nine and separated from its physical energy for so many years truly be reunited?"
"The Ten-Tails is the origin of all chakra. The chakra of the entire ninja world is its very self. It possesses none of the emotions you humans recognize. It is savage, yet benevolent; it is nature itself. In its eyes, all living beings are equal…" Kurama began to explain.
"As long as chakra still exists in this world, it is still the Ten-Tails, this world's God of Destruction!"
"For it, the concept of 'separation' does not exist."
"So, you're saying Akatsuki wants to bring the Ten-Tails back to this land? Then what is their objective? To destroy the world? Or to unify the world and become that supreme existence, worshipped by all living beings?" Naruto mused.
"…There's something I haven't told you." After a long silence, Kurama finally spoke again.
"Hmm?" Naruto looked at the large fox quizzically. Something that would make even Kurama hesitate to tell him…
"The first Jinchuriki in this world was the old man—the one you humans have deified as the Sage of Six Paths," Kurama said slowly.
"That's quite a bit of information to take in," Naruto said, his brow furrowing slightly.
"You mean, Akatsuki's goal is likely to revive the Ten-Tails and seal it into someone's body, creating a second Ten-Tails Jinchuriki—a second Sage of Six Paths."
"Very likely." Kurama nodded slightly.
Among all the Tailed Beasts, he was the closest to the Ten-Tails. He understood the Ten-Tails' terror better than anyone, any other Tailed Beast.
"One more thing."
"What?"
"Your shadow clone is gone," Kurama reminded him.
Outside, Naruto temporarily pushed aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind and turned his head to look in the direction of Uchiha Itachi and Kisame.
If Akatsuki's goal in capturing the Tailed Beasts was truly as they suspected…
Then the Dragon Heritage and Akatsuki were already in a fundamental conflict of interest. A life-or-death battle between the two was inevitable.
But that was fine too. It meant he wouldn't need to hesitate when it came to killing them.
No longer bothering to send out shadow clones for a battle of attrition, Naruto sensed a Flying Thunder God formula and instantly vanished from his spot.
"Kanshin-ryu: Bird's Nest!"
As if a bird were weaving its nest, countless sword slashes enveloped Kisame and Uchiha Itachi.