Even Killingham, after pulling out the Rampaging Nine-Tails from Naruto's 'nightmare', couldn't help but start panting heavily. It was clear that using this ability placed an immense burden on him… far greater than even when he had summoned the endless horde of nightmare creatures earlier.
Yet, instead of looking tense, Killingham's face was filled with excitement. The black Nine-Tails, an incarnation of despair, radiated an aura of overwhelming resentment, as though countless people's suffering and despair had been fused into it, granting this Nightmare Nine-Tails a strange and unique quality.
Meanwhile, inside his mental space, Naruto once again stood face-to-face with the Nine-Tails.
Perhaps it was because Naruto had spoken of the atrocities committed by those who called themselves 'Descendants of the Gods', stirring even Nine Tails' emotions. Or maybe it was something else entirely.
Whatever the reason, the usual hostility between them was absent this time.
Naruto slowly placed his hand on the bars that symbolized the seal. Without even needing to exert any real effort, the chains binding the Nine Tails vanished the moment he willed it.
Then, layer after layer of gates materialized, as though they had always been there, just unnoticed by Naruto until now.
In the real world, this change manifested as a dark red Tailed Beast's Chakra Cloak rapidly surging out from Naruto's body. Two long tails sprouted from his tailbone, and his eyes instantly turned a blood-red hue.
With a single punch, he sent Akainu flying once more, then formed a massive Chakra Hand from one of his tails, grabbing the Admiral mid-air.
While the Chakra Hand pummeled Akainu with a barrage of punches, tossing him around like a ragdoll, Naruto's main body casually rubbed his chin.
"Interesting."
'So this was the power of the Nine-Tails?'
Even though it was only a fraction of its full strength, it had undeniably enhanced his physical abilities like speed, strength, and reflexes, while also granting him the versatile Tailed Beast's Chakra Cloak.
This brought Naruto's physique another step closer to something truly 'inhuman'.
Though his body appeared to be engulfed in flames, his mind remained perfectly clear.
Because, in a way, he was connected to Nine Tails, allowing him to sense some of the Nine-Tails' past experiences… being seen as a calamity, an omen of misfortune, a threat, or even a weapon of destruction.
The hatred of others and his own hatred intertwined, enough to break anyone with a weak will.
Fortunately, for the Great Hero, this was nothing.
He could still go further.
In the mental space, Naruto forcefully pushed open the additional gates one after another, stopping only at the final layer, where the [Eight Trigrams Seal] was inscribed.
By this point, his Tailed Beast's Chakra Cloak was no longer translucent. The red-and-black Chakra had solidified, completely obscuring his face. A skeletal structure resembling a fox encased his body, and seven tails lashed out wildly, exuding a sinister aura.
'This should be enough. Any further, and I might lose control.'
In this state, Naruto could already feel an intense hatred trying to influence his consciousness.
If he tore off that final seal, Nine Tails might truly take over his body.
Kurama didn't comment on Naruto's actions, nor did it mention anything about becoming a [Perfect Jinchuriki].
'This was sufficient. That cheap imitation daring to mimic me would now experience the true might of Kurama-sama!'
…
At the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, all of Naruto's shadow clones, which are previously locked in battle with the Holy Knights, were suddenly enveloped in the Nine-Tails' Chakra.
Their already terrifying physical abilities skyrocketed, immediately overwhelming even Shamrock and the others.
Meanwhile, the Naruto's clone standing before Killingham seemed to receive some kind of message after sensing the Nine-Tails' Chakra Connection.
"He asked me to pass on a message."
A voice that sounded like a mix of multiple tones echoed.
"This is the real Nine-Tails!"
Compared to the Nightmare Nine-Tails, which is a mere black silhouette, Naruto's current form was far more fox-like.
The moment those words fell, Naruto vanished from his spot.
The next instant, he appeared right in front of the colossal Nightmare Nine-Tails' head.
"Roar!!!"
The Nightmare Nine-Tails didn't seem to possess Chakra as an attribute, but it drew power from despair and hatred, granting it a different kind of trait.
The moment it roared, Naruto's ears were flooded with the whispers of countless vengeful voices.
"Shut up!"
The Tailed Beast's Chakra Cloak wrapped around his arm, instantly forming a massive claw that tore through half of the Nightmare Nine-Tails' face.
Then, with a swift flick of his tail, he sent Killingham's sneak-attacking trident flying.
Compared to the Nightmare Nine-Tails' towering hundred-meter frame, Naruto, who is now only about ten meters tall, seemed tiny.
But in actual combat, the difference in speed and power was undeniable!
His seven tails transformed into razor-sharp claws, shredding the Nightmare Nine-Tails' mist-like body into tatters.
"Useless! You have no idea just how vast this fear and despair truly is!"
Killingham let out a maniacal laugh.
But in that instant, Kurama, who is helping this Naruto's clone, suddenly realized something.
This Nightmare Nine-Tails wasn't entirely born from Naruto's nightmares.
After all, during the Nine-Tails' rampage, Naruto had been just a baby.
Part of this Nightmare Nine-Tails… came from Kurama himself.
From his own resentment, his fury at being controlled, and his despair at never being understood.
'You bastard! Who the hell do you think you're looking down on?!'
Kurama let out a silent roar within his mind before suddenly speaking to Naruto.
"Leave this to me!"
Feeling Kurama's emotions even more deeply in this state, Naruto didn't hesitate and immediately relinquished partial control of this clone.
Then, this clone's body suddenly crouched low, his jaws widening.
A Chakra Sphere, radiating an aura of annihilation, silently formed in front of Naruto.
Tailed Beast Bomb.
A high-density Chakra Sphere created by compressing and mixing Yang and Yin Chakra in a 2:8 ratio, then shaping it with Shape Manipulation.
It was the very technique that inspired the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, to develop the Rasengan, a seal-less Ninjutsu.
Because this Naruto's clone also possessed an immense amount of Chakra, the Tailed Beast Bomb ended up far larger than Kurama had initially planned.
But that was even better.
Killingham had no idea what this technique was, but he could unmistakably sense the overwhelming threat of annihilation.
He didn't even have time to control the Nightmare Nine-Tails before his body dissolved into shadows, fleeing instantly.
Boom!!!!!
The Tailed Beast Bomb tore through the air, erasing everything in its path upon contact.
But that wasn't all.
The moment it struck the colossal Nightmare Nine-Tails, the bomb detonated… its explosion spanning over a hundred meters and still expanding.
A mushroom cloud slowly rose into the sky above.