It seemed Naruto had already sensed the disappearance of the Tailed Beasts' chakra.
The problem was that he was so certain Akira was responsible—and he even knew about Madara's presence.
That meant the Tailed Beasts must have leaked the information before being sealed.
The ones Akira personally hunted—One-Tail through Seven-Tails—shouldn't have had that chance.
And none of them had even seen Madara appear.
So the issue must lie with the Eight-Tails, the one Madara hunted personally.
The Eight-Tails really was stubborn to the end.
Although it failed to escape by severing a tail this time—
it still left behind another kind of "tail."
And that was exactly what had happened.
Just before being sealed, the Eight-Tails implanted the memory of everything it saw deep within the subconscious minds of the other Tailed Beasts.
A moment ago, while Naruto was recovering, Kurama successfully accessed that memory.
Through it, Naruto saw the scene of Akira and Madara sealing the Eight-Tails inside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
It was easy to imagine how much of a shock that caused him.
"All the worst suspicions… they were true."
"Akira stole Madara's corpse so he could use Edo Tensei!"
"He resurrected Madara, took control of the Demonic Statue, and then extended his claws toward the Tailed Beasts…"
"The next step must be taking my Kurama and reviving the Ten-Tails!"
"And here I was… actually believing he might have his own reasons when he helped defeat Momoshiki."
"The truth has been proven!"
"Uchiha Akira is exactly what Shikamaru said—a warmonger who thrives on chaos!"
"I finally understand why his stance toward Konoha has always been so ambiguous!"
"He's afraid that if I die, Kurama inside me will die too—and ruin his plan to revive the Ten-Tails!"
Naruto's eyes darkened with deep resentment.
Once again, he demanded loudly—
"Uchiha Akira! Answer me!"
Akira didn't mind explaining.
The only reason he had blocked the Seven Tailed Beasts from sending messages earlier was to prevent the Eight-Tails from spreading the news too soon.
So he replied openly.
"The Tailed Beasts are exactly where they should be."
"Waiting for the moment they reunite… and become the Ten-Tails."
Naruto clenched his fists tightly.
"So you admit it!"
"You're the one who did it!"
Akira answered firmly.
"That's right."
"I did it."
"The Tailed Beasts are too weak to be useful."
"Only by becoming the Ten-Tails can they truly serve a purpose."
By now, thousands of Konoha shinobi—Chūnin and above—had gathered behind Naruto.
Led by Shikamaru, they heard the exchange clearly.
Every one of them looked at Akira with hatred and hostility.
The Fourth Great Ninja War was still a painful memory for all shinobi.
During that war, countless people lost comrades, friends, and family.
Many were left with scars that would never heal.
Some suffered from post-war trauma for years before recovering.
No one wanted to relive those memories.
So they absolutely would not allow another person—like Kabuto, Obito, or Madara—who used Edo Tensei and the power of the Tailed Beasts to plunge the world back into chaos.
They gathered here, waiting only for the Hokage's command.
Once given, they would attack together and tear apart this supposed war demon—Uchiha Akira.
Akira didn't care about the thoughts of ants.
His eyes remained fixed on Naruto, who stood there with his head lowered, fists clenched, suppressing himself under a silent storm.
"Aren't you going to ask why I'm doing all this?"
Naruto slowly lifted his dark, angry eyes.
"Why?"
"Fine."
"Tell me."
Akira answered honestly.
"The Ōtsutsuki Isshiki I mentioned in my letters—the leader of the organization Kara, the same one Delta and Koji belong to."
"He's extremely powerful."
"Stronger than I am right now."
"If I want the power to defeat him…"
"The Ten-Tails is necessary."
Naruto responded coldly.
"So?"
Akira frowned.
"So?"
"That reason isn't enough for you?"
"You probably don't even understand how strong Isshiki is."
Under normal circumstances, Naruto would at least consider Akira's explanation.
But the reality that the Tailed Beasts—who were like beloved companions—had been stripped of their freedom had already robbed him of his rationality.
Just imagining Akira forcibly ripping Kurama from his body and locking him inside the Demonic Statue to feed the Ten-Tails made Naruto's anger uncontrollable.
"Uchiha Akira!"
"What you're saying doesn't make any sense!"
"That guy earlier—Koji Kashin—said their leader is called Jigen!"
"Jigen!"
"What kind of Isshiki nonsense is that?"
"Even Obito wore a mask when he lied!"
"Didn't you even bother preparing your story?!"
Obito: "..."
Behind Naruto, Kawaki's expression shifted.
He almost stepped forward to say that Jigen was Isshiki.
But when he remembered the look Akira had given him earlier—
his eyes flickered.
Slowly…
he stepped back again.
Akira said calmly,
"Is it possible that Jigen is Isshiki?"
Naruto snapped back instantly.
"Then is it possible you're Isshiki?"
Akira almost laughed.
Amazing.
So apparently I've become Isshiki myself.
Seeing Akira fall silent, Naruto pressed on.
"What's wrong?"
"Cat got your tongue?"
"Fine."
"If you won't talk, then I will!"
The anger buried in Naruto's heart finally erupted like a volcano.
"Do you know what price we paid to defeat Madara back then?!"
"How many shinobi died in that war?!"
"Do you know what it took to defeat the Ten-Tails and seal Kaguya?!"
"And now you're trampling on the sacrifices of countless shinobi for your own selfish ambitions!"
"When you resurrected Madara with Edo Tensei, did you ever think about the feelings of those who died?"
"When you attacked the Tailed Beasts, did your conscience tremble even once?"
"They struggled so hard to finally put aside their hatred of humans!"
"They finally chose peace!"
Naruto's expression grew complicated.
"Uchiha Akira… I probably shouldn't even be saying this to you."
"Some evil is simply primitive."
"Just like I never asked Madara or Black Zetsu why they did what they did."
"As someone once said…"
"Not everyone can be changed with words like my senior brother Nagato or my uncle Obito."
"But still… but still…"
Nearby, Obito glanced at Madara, who stood silently with arms crossed.
He thought to himself:
Just like Akira said.
The prejudice in people's hearts is like a mountain.
Naruto…
Along your journey, you formed bonds with too many people and too many ideals.
You developed your own way of seeing the world.
But people change.
The world changes.
Sometimes those bonds become shackles.
What you think is truth… is actually just a mirror reflecting the narrowness of your own understanding.
The methods that once solved every problem…
have become arrogant foolishness.
Obito sighed quietly.
"Naruto…"
"You've finally become what I once was."
"But still what?"
Akira asked calmly.
Naruto's voice grew heavy.
"Consider it fulfilling the hope I once had for you."
"Release the Tailed Beasts."
"Undo Madara's Edo Tensei."
"And return Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki."
"If you do that…"
"Then for the sake of you helping defeat Momoshiki…"
"I'll let everything you've done slide."
Akira chuckled faintly.
"And if I refuse?"
Naruto's voice hardened.
"Then the entire strength of Konoha…"
"will unite to defeat you right here."
As his words fell—
Naruto suddenly slammed his palms together.
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