Chapter 380: Absorbing Ten-Tails
"Come, my little pet!"
Yasushi had no intention of letting Ten-Tails rampage here. Immediately after Ten-Tails roared once, he activated the Six Paths Ten-Tails Coffin Seal.
This cursed seal—whoever developed it—worked remarkably well on Ten-Tails.
The instant the seal completed, Ten-Tails' roar cut off abruptly.
That massive body filled with destructive power—almost without any resistance capability—melted like wax sculptures under high heat, instantly softening into liquid, transforming into a mass of roiling, roaring viscous energy flow.
Inside this energy flow, countless beasts seemed to shriek madly, yet the cursed seal forcibly guided them—like venomous snakes returning to their nest—surging frantically toward Yasushi, penetrating and fusing through his pores, seven orifices, even directly through his skin.
Within mere breaths, that towering giant beast vanished. Only Yasushi remained standing in place, body trembling slightly, light flowing faintly beneath his skin.
But the fusion's calm lasted only an instant. The next moment, Yasushi's body suddenly expanded, as though some monster inside was pushing outward.
Ten-Tails' essence was the gathered force of the primitive Divine Tree—violence, chaos, and devouring everything. How could it willingly be bound within a human shell?
Backlash began!
Yasushi's body swelled like inflating, his form beginning to twist and deform—as though countless hands tore inside, trying to break free.
"Submit to me!"
Yasushi roared loudly, attempting to forcibly suppress and tame the rampaging Ten-Tails power within using dojutsu strength.
He drove his Mangekyo Sharingan to extremes. The crimson pattern nearly dripped blood.
The chakra surrounding him also violently fluctuated, erupting chaotic yet powerful chakra storms that sent ground debris flying everywhere.
But Ten-Tails' backlash wasn't easily broken. Pustule-like growths proliferated from various parts of Yasushi's body.
Within mere breaths, his arms, thighs, and torso became covered with grotesque tumors of varying sizes. His body outline grew bloated and bizarre—nearly losing human form, resembling a horrific monster assembled from tumors.
Simultaneously, Ten-Tails' chaotic consciousness—carrying millennia of sealed resentment, hatred toward life, and the instinct to devour everything—transformed into the most violent mental assault, directly striking the deepest wounds and fears in Yasushi's heart, manifesting unforgettable scenes before his eyes.
The Uchiha Massacre night's events surfaced before him again. He repeatedly watched his parents and brother fall in blood pools—unable to save them no matter what he tried.
That night's blood and fire, loved ones' misery, helpless despair—infinitely magnified, endlessly looping like the cruelest torture, tormenting his soul.
Pain, sorrow, hatred, rage... negative emotions staged continuously, not giving him a moment's peace.
Negative emotions surged like tides, threatening to completely collapse his rationality's dam.
"AAAHHHHH..."
Yasushi clutched his head, screaming loudly. He had to resist physical mutation while repelling mental erosion, also maintaining dojutsu suppression while distracted.
Yasushi currently danced on a knife's edge—liable to completely collapse at any moment.
Proliferating tissue could be forcibly crushed and absorbed by chakra, but dojutsu suppression speed fell far short of mutation speed.
No matter how much tissue was crushed and suppressed, immediately more emerged faster from elsewhere—even fusing together, forming larger masses.
Soon, Yasushi's original form completely disappeared. Only a several-meter-diameter constantly writhing massive flesh sphere remained in place, its surface covered with blood vessels and eerie protrusions.
Only atop the flesh sphere—those still frantically spinning yet bloodshot-filled Mangekyo Sharingan—proved Yasushi's consciousness hadn't completely fallen.
Nagato watched with extreme tension, fearing Yasushi would be devoured by Ten-Tails.
But this kind of battle between jinchūriki and tailed beast could only be completed by Yasushi himself. Outsiders couldn't interfere. No matter how worried, he could only watch from the side.
Black Zetsu beside him proved different. Seeing Yasushi's disadvantageous situation, he could barely suppress the wild joy in his heart.
An opportunity!
A once-in-a-millennium opportunity!
As long as Yasushi was devoured by Ten-Tails' backlash—losing consciousness or dying—Ten-Tails would manifest again.
Then he could guide Nagato to act, replacing Yasushi as the Ten-Tails jinchūriki.
Even if Yasushi survived, he'd certainly be severely weakened, unable to prevent the next step of his plan.
'Mother, I can rescue you soon!'
Black Zetsu screamed internally, body trembling slightly from excitement. All attention focused on that constantly pulsating horrific flesh sphere that seemed ready to explode any moment.
In midair, only the flesh sphere's internal inhuman squirming sensation and faint roars remained, along with six points of light flickering uncertainly within like candles in wind.
However, life rarely goes as hoped.
Just as Black Zetsu anxiously awaited Yasushi's failure controlling Ten-Tails, a flash of green light suddenly appeared within that massive flesh sphere.
That was Tenseigan chakra!
Immediately after, abundant green chakra overflowed from the flesh sphere, instantly covering the sphere's interior and exterior.
Then under this life-filled chakra's nourishment, reversal began.
The swollen flesh sphere—like deflating leather—began rhythmically, steadily contracting inward.
Surface blood vessels dimmed and flattened. Eerie protrusions vanished. Twisted contours gradually straightened, recovering human shape.
First the skull and neck, then shoulders and torso... The original form—like arduously emerging from a quagmire—gradually reappeared bit by bit.
Moreover, this newly emerged Yasushi's appearance had completely transformed. Hair and skin had turned somewhat white and gray. Horns grew from his forehead.
Nagato couldn't understand, but Black Zetsu immediately comprehended. His heart filled with shock and fury.
'No! It shouldn't be like this!!'
'He doesn't even have the Rinnegan—how could he possibly succeed!!!'
Black Zetsu roared internally. His previously hopeful mood crashed like an overturned cart, instantly transforming into hatred.
Seeing Yasushi about to succeed, Black Zetsu nearly couldn't restrain himself from rushing forward—taking advantage of Yasushi's incomplete control over Ten-Tails at his weakest moment to deliver a vicious strike, simply using Yasushi as a sacrifice to revive Mother.
But Nagato's cold gaze from beside him immediately cooled Black Zetsu down. He dared not act rashly.
Black Zetsu's other advantages aside, in the art of "endurance," he'd absolutely achieved profound mastery—only Isshiki Ōtsutsuki could rival him.
A millennium of lurking and waiting had already carved "forbearance" into Black Zetsu's soul.
He forcibly suppressed the nearly boiling killing intent and unwillingness, retreating into shadows again, seeking the next possible opportunity.
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