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It had not yet given up.
But it was already of little use.
It was still resisting.
But the effect was negligible, barely there.
Vast quantities of chakra continued to be ceaselessly drawn out of Gaara's body.
One could easily imagine that the One-Tail, in the end, would be utterly unable to escape the grasp of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. It wouldn't even possess the slightest power to resist. Just as humans cannot escape the final outcome called "death," the One-Tail could not escape the final outcome called "sealing."
"So... give up." Gaara spoke softly.
The One-Tail still paid him no heed, still lying there quietly.
"What was that just now? How did you suddenly drag me to some unfamiliar place? Also... was it my imagination? That couldn't have been Shukaku, could it?"
The moment they returned to the vicinity of Ryuchi Cave, the Five-Tails within Kagaya's body immediately fired off a series of questions at him.
Kagaya paused briefly. He had forgotten—the matter of sealing Tailed Beasts was probably somewhat sensitive for the Five-Tails.
"That just now was a technique of the Akatsuki. Its effect is exactly what you sensed. As for the Shukaku you mentioned... indeed, you didn't sense wrong. That really was Shukaku's chakra just now. It's just that he's currently being sealed by the Akatsuki."
"Sealed? Like what the Akatsuki did to me before?"
Kagaya shook his head. "No... it should be somewhat different. Although I didn't witness the circumstances of your sealing, you are the Five-Tails. Before the Four-Tails is sealed, you shouldn't be able to be sealed into the same place where the One-Tail is about to be sealed. After all... where the One-Tail is being sealed isn't as simple as just switching to a different Jinchuriki. It's being sealed directly into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
"The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path?" The Five-Tails had absolutely no understanding of what those four words meant.
Kagaya switched to a different phrasing. "You might not understand the term 'Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.' But the four words 'Shell of the Ten-Tails'—you should know that, right?"
"WHAT?! Then... if they seal Shukaku into the shell of the Ten-Tails... wouldn't that mean they're going to—"
The Five-Tails spoke with the utmost shock and disbelief, its voice brimming with incredulity and an almost irrepressible terror.
Why would anyone in this era want to resurrect the Ten-Tails?
How did they even know of the Ten-Tails' existence?
And moreover... in this era, where the Sage of Six Paths had long since passed away... once the Ten-Tails—Kaguya—was resurrected... what kind of catastrophic consequences would follow?
"We must stop them!"
The Five-Tails cut off its own earlier words and expressed its decision with absolute, unwavering resolve.
Yet, Kagaya immediately followed up with a refusal.
"No... stopping them won't be necessary. Interfering... that we can consider. I know what the Ten-Tails is. You don't need to explain the threat of the Ten-Tails to me. You also know... like Kaguya—the Ten-Tails—I came from the outside. So I know many things that you don't. I can't explain to you my reasons for doing this... but in any case... just trust me."
"That's the Ten-Tails! Are you serious?!"
In response to Kagaya's explanation, the Five-Tails issued a direct challenge. The Five-Tails trusted Kagaya deeply. But on this matter alone... the Five-Tails had no choice but to question him thoroughly. The Ten-Tails—even though it was one of the masses of chakra separated from its very body, the Five-Tails had never personally experienced the Ten-Tails' power.
The Five-Tails' knowledge of the Ten-Tails wasn't particularly extensive either. But merely two points were more than enough to fill the Five-Tails with terror.
First: The Ten-Tails was the combined entity of all Tailed Beasts, from One through Nine.
Second: The Ten-Tails had required the combined efforts of the Sage of Six Paths and his brother to be sealed.
Knowing full well the power of them, the Tailed Beasts, and the power of the Sage of Six Paths... the Five-Tails felt a deep, instinctive, primal fear toward this monster called the "Ten-Tails." No... it couldn't even be described as "instinctive." It was something ingrained in its very being.
As a part of the Ten-Tails, it feared the monster called the Ten-Tails.
"I am, of course, serious. The Ten-Tails is indeed immensely powerful. But that's only after it fully forms. Right now... it's nothing more than an empty shell. A shell that has only absorbed a single Tailed Beast doesn't have the right to challenge me! Whether it's us who should fear it, or it who should fear us... that's far from certain."
The youth dispelled the Five-Tails' fear with words of absolute confidence.
Even though they were just a few simple sentences, they truly made the Five-Tails realize one thing: they had now long since drawn very close to the Sage of Six Paths of ages past. Perhaps the Ten-Tails was truly powerful. But setting aside its fully formed state... before its completion, the Ten-Tails was merely a colossal shell that was slightly troublesome to deal with. Perhaps... it couldn't even be called troublesome.
"But... to just let it absorb Shukaku like this... isn't that a bit wrong?" The Five-Tails voiced its final question.
"No... there's nothing wrong with it. If you want to rescue the One-Tail, that's a different matter entirely. If not... then everything is still going according to my plan. If the Demonic Statue absorbs the Tailed Beasts too quickly... I will personally intervene. In short... I will control its progress. I guarantee that by the time the Ten-Tails fully forms... I will already possess the ability to deal with it." Kagaya laid out in simple terms the plan he had formulated long ago.
In truth, it wasn't much of a plan—just a general direction of action. Because Kagaya's current strength was far too overwhelming, his margin for error was absurdly high. Basically, no matter what unexpected event occurred, he could forcibly resolve it with sheer, overwhelming power. So Kagaya didn't really need to craft any detailed, elaborate schemes.
"Rescue Shukaku, huh?" The Five-Tails sighed, then shook its head.
"No... if you already have a plan, then proceed according to your plan. After all... whether it's inside a Jinchuriki or inside that Demonic Statue... Shukaku is fated to be sealed regardless."
The Tailed Beasts did have relationships with one another. But they weren't so intimate as to be inseparable. At most, they were merely "acquainted members of the same species."
It wasn't like, once freed themselves, they would have their Jinchuriki help free the other Tailed Beasts.
They wouldn't do such a thing. At most, they would feel aversion toward the act of sealing Tailed Beasts, but they wouldn't feel compelled to eradicate that phenomenon entirely.
In the original story, the Eight-Tails and Killer B became a Perfect Jinchuriki, but the Eight-Tails didn't constantly send Killer B off to rescue the other Tailed Beasts or anything like that.
It might sound somewhat selfish... but indeed, it was enough just to look after oneself.
"Mm."
Since the Five-Tails could understand, Kagaya also couldn't be bothered to say more and ended the conversation.
One day later.
Team Guy rendezvoused with Naruto and the others. Team Guy's members were responsible for spreading out and undoing the barrier at its various points. Meanwhile, Naruto's group, at the same time they undid their part of the barrier, would charge into the stone cavern to rescue Gaara!
But... it was already too late.
By the time Naruto's group charged in, all they saw were the gradually vanishing projections of the Akatsuki members... and Gaara, who had already fallen to the ground.
"Sasori! Are you trying to run?!"
Granny Chiyo glared fixedly at one of the projections among the Akatsuki as she spoke.
Originally, Granny Chiyo had already retired and would basically never come out of seclusion. The most fundamental reason she had accompanied Naruto's group this time... wasn't to rescue Gaara. It was to meet Sasori, a member of the Akatsuki!
Because in this timeline, the Leaf Village had become wary of the Akatsuki relatively early, they had also managed to investigate and uncover quite a bit of information ahead of time. Among that information was the fact that Sasori of the Red Sand was a member of the Akatsuki.
Granny Chiyo had come out of seclusion this time precisely to teach her grandson a lesson (and bring him back).
Sasori, his face covered, glanced at Granny Chiyo.
"Granny Chiyo, is it? It seems you've already learned of my affairs. Hmph... but it doesn't matter. Oh, and allow me to clarify: I'm not trying to run. What I have here is merely a projection. My real body isn't here. You seem to have come specifically for me. But... next time. Heh."
With that, Sasori's projection flickered several times and vanished.
Deidara looked carefully at Granny Chiyo for a few moments and scratched his head.
"Hm? From the way Sasori spoke... could you be one of Sasori's family members? Well... Sasori sure doesn't give any face. Even with family right in front of him, he doesn't say a few extra words. Forget it... this isn't my business anyway. Since Sasori's gone... I'm off too."
Deidara's projection also disappeared along with Sasori's.
Itachi swept his cold gaze over the four who had charged in.
Kakashi, Haruno Sakura, the Sand's legendary Granny Chiyo... and Naruto, huh.
Closing his eyes, he spoke calmly.
"Kisame... we're leaving." As his words fell, Itachi's projection vanished.
"No problem, Itachi-san." Kisame's shark-like eyes shifted toward the four who had burst in.
"People from the Leaf... and the Sand's legendary Granny Chiyo, is it? My, my... how utterly thrilling. What a pity I'm not actually here. Heh heh heh."
Kisame's projection also vanished with Itachi's departure.
Pain looked toward Kakuzu and Hidan.
"It seems your traces weren't cleaned up thoroughly enough. You were tracked down. Though I sensed them yesterday... fortunately, there was the barrier. These people... can you handle them?"
Kakuzu didn't speak. He swept his gaze over the four who had charged in, directly ignoring Naruto and Sakura, and focused his attention on Kakashi and Granny Chiyo.
"Hm... if Sasori hadn't spoken, I wouldn't have known. So this is the renowned Granny Chiyo? The Sand is even throwing out trump cards like this... how ruthless. And the Leaf's Copy Ninja Kakashi... to be honest, this is slightly troublesome." Konan spoke in her characteristically calm, cool tone.
"Do you need me to rush over and support you?"
"Why would we need that?! Absolutely not! Kakuzu and I are more than enough to deal with this bunch of small fry! The fury I felt from that bastard's provocation yesterday hasn't subsided yet! Damn it! I'll use these guys to vent my anger! I heard that Leaf's Kakashi also has a Sharingan, is that right?! If so, that's perfect! All of you are red-eyed bastards! I'm going to gouge out your eyes! I want to see... once your eyes are gone, what else do you have to be so arrogant about?!"
Hidan rejected Konan's offer of support with a long tirade. His words were absolutely brimming with seething rage.
Kakashi immediately began analyzing, murmuring under his breath.
"All red-eyed bastards? Yesterday? Mm... it seems some Uchiha clansman provoked that unknown guy yesterday. Was it Itachi? No... if it were Itachi, they would have already been arguing by now. If not Itachi... then who else could it be? It couldn't be... no, forget it. This has nothing to do with the upcoming battle. Don't overthink it."
Konan ignored Hidan and continued looking at Kakuzu, waiting for his decision.
Kakuzu pondered for a moment, then spoke.
"Just as Hidan said... there's no need for support. Although this idiot Hidan is brainless, and in my opinion, his ability is also unbelievably stupid... in one aspect alone—when facing enemies who don't know his ability—he can unleash an unimaginably immense combat power."
Pain nodded in agreement.
"Indeed. The Leaf shinobi don't know Hidan's ability. You should be able to win quite easily. Then... we'll be going."
With that, Pain, Konan, and Zetsu all vanished together. Here, only Kakuzu and Hidan remained.
Just as Pain and Kakuzu had said... Hidan's ability, depending on whether the enemy had intel on it or not, was akin to two entirely different abilities.
If Kagaya were to comment, he would say that when the enemy doesn't know Hidan's ability, it is an S-rank ability—the highest tier. Within the Akatsuki, practically no one could match it.
If one day Kagaya suddenly forgot the abilities of all the Akatsuki members... then the one most likely to kill him would be none other than Hidan!
His ability was far too broken!
It was just... once Hidan's ability became known... then, in Kagaya's view, Hidan's ability became the most worthless one in the entire Akatsuki.
Suppose one day Kagaya lost most of his strength, but his memories remained intact. Then all the Akatsuki members came to kill him. At that time, any of them could easily kill him. Only Hidan would find it very difficult to kill Kagaya.
Because Kagaya knew his ability. It was that simple.
Knowing Hidan's ability and not knowing it meant facing two completely different tiers of opponents.
After all... who would ever imagine that in the middle of a battle, just having a little blood drawn by the enemy would mean the battle was already over?
For shinobi in combat... shedding blood was far too normal.
And Hidan's ability transformed this "normal" action into a fatal, lethal mistake.
If one consciously guarded against it—preventing their blood from leaving their body and being obtained by the enemy—then it actually wasn't all that difficult. But without that awareness... the outcome would, in all likelihood, be utterly tragic.
Hidan and Kakuzu leaped down from the fingers of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and landed on the ground.
POOF!
With Kakuzu and Hidan's departure, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path transformed into a massive cloud of white smoke and vanished from this place.
Kakuzu was the first to speak. "Hidan... the Copy Ninja Kakashi and the legendary puppet master, Granny Chiyo. Pick one."
Hidan answered without the slightest hesitation. "The Copy Ninja, of course! Come to think of it... from just now, you all seemed to place a lot of importance on that old hag. 'Legendary' this and that... What, is she really that formidable?"
Kakuzu gave a cold snort. "Are you an idiot? You don't even know this? The Sand's Granny Chiyo... she is a leading figure of the Hidden Sand Village who lived through both the Second Great Ninja War and the Third Great Ninja War. I heard she went into seclusion not long after the Third Great Ninja War ended... to think she would appear here again.
In her prime, Granny Chiyo was a master of medical ninjutsu, puppetry, and taijutsu—a top-tier powerhouse of the shinobi world. Even I wouldn't dare claim certain victory against her. Your choice of Kakashi was a wise one. Next, I'll have to properly test myself against Granny Chiyo. I hope her strength has declined with age. I don't want to expend too much effort."
Hidan's eyes widened.
"So she's that formidable of an old hag, huh?! How does she compare to that Uchiha Kagaya?"
Kakuzu was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"At the very least... I don't feel any significant mortal threat emanating from Granny Chiyo's body."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is... two years ago, when I faced that Uchiha Kagaya... I already felt a sense of mortal threat so dense and overwhelming it was at its absolute extreme."
"Ha?! Why can't I feel it?!"
"Indeed... two years later, now... I also can't feel any sense of threat from Uchiha Kagaya anymore. Not a single shred, not the slightest trace. But... this is precisely what terrifies me even more. Take this Granny Chiyo before me, for example. She can make me feel a faint, slight threat to my life. This, instead, puts me more at ease."
"If you can't feel any threat... doesn't that mean that bastard has gotten weaker?! What are you afraid of, Kakuzu?! You're a coward too, huh!"
"Hmph. You talk far too much, Hidan. Prepare for battle. Stop spouting useless nonsense."
Kakuzu didn't want to explain it to Hidan. Having lived so long and grown so shrewd, he understood far more clearly just how terrifying it was... to go from being able to sense a mortal threat... to being utterly unable to sense any threat at all.
This state of being unable to sense any threat whatsoever—Kakuzu had only ever felt it from two types of people. The first type was the extremely weak. Ordinary Jonin and those of very low strength couldn't give Kakuzu any sense of threat whatsoever. There were many such people.
But the other type... there had only been one. His name was Senju Hashirama. Before making a move, Kakuzu hadn't felt any threat whatsoever from that man.
A wild beast might fear fire... but would most likely not fear the sun, whose temperature far exceeds that of fire. Because it is simply "too far away." Perhaps, one day, when the beast draws near the sun... only then could it feel that terror unique to the sun itself.