Chapter 309: The Emergence of the Ten-Tails
At this moment, within the virtual space:
The Gedo Statue, now filled with the chakra of the tailed beasts, was rapidly evolving, its aura climbing toward the legendary Ten-Tails.
Uchiha Hikari stood before it, overwhelmed by the immense pressure emanating from the colossal form. A rare sense of awe stirred within her heart.
"So this is the being that surpasses all tailed beasts."
In her life, she had never encountered a presence as overwhelming as this emerging Ten-Tails.
The Gedo Statue's shell had shattered, giving birth to the giant beast. Its ten tails lashed against the ground, and its single, closed eye atop its head exuded an oppressive aura.
At that moment, the Ten-Tails' power swept through the space like a raging storm, tearing through the air with a deafening roar.
Its every breath caused the earth to tremble as though the entire world was under its dominion.
Witnessing the scene, a flicker of doubt crossed Hikari's mind. "Such power… can it really be controlled?"
Nagato, too, wore a grim expression.
As a wielder of the Rinnegan, he understood the Ten-Tails' power far better than Hikari.
And he was acutely aware of how volatile it was in its current state.
"Without the physical forms of the other tailed beasts, the Ten-Tails' consciousness has become unstable."
Nagato furrowed his brow.
The Ten-Tails was formed from the nine tailed beasts and the Gedo Statue, with the statue as its body and the beasts tied to its consciousness.
Reviving the Ten-Tails prematurely, without all nine tailed beasts, had left its mind chaotic and its behavior uncontrollable. Without Nagato and his Rinnegan present, the Ten-Tails would already be destroying everything around it.
As the final strands of chakra flowed into the beast through the Virtual Divine Tree, the Ten-Tails' massive eye slowly opened, revealing nine tomoe revolving within its pupil. The beast unleashed a thunderous roar.
—ROAR!
The roar reverberated like tidal waves through the space, shaking the very air and echoing throughout the illusionary world.
In other regions, ninjas froze in their tracks, their faces twisted in pain. The sound, accompanied by a crushing sense of dread, pierced their souls like a howl from the depths of hell, carrying unbridled fury.
Some weaker-willed ninjas collapsed to their knees, trembling with fear and despair.
"What is that sound?"
Uchiha Fugaku stared in shock toward the depths of the space.
What is the Akatsuki doing?
That aura… it was far more terrifying than the Nine-Tails!
Before him, Shinno—who had transformed into the Zero-Tails to block his path—also looked shaken.
"The Ten-Tails… it's already been revived?"
Compared to the Ten-Tails, the Zero-Tails was utterly insignificant.
For a moment, Shinno faltered before regaining his composure. Laughing maniacally, he sneered at the bewildered Fugaku. "The Ten-Tails has returned! The era of the ninja world and Hyuga Fuji is over! Surrender now!"
"So reviving the Ten-Tails was the Akatsuki's goal all along?"
Hearing Shinno's words, Fugaku quickly gathered his thoughts. His left eye, glowing with the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, began to shine.
The Ten-Tails' immense power was terrifying, but this was also an opportunity.
Before entering, he had confirmed that several of Konoha's strongest, including Tsunade, had been brought into this space. That was why he had come—to find and rescue them.
His left eye granted unparalleled resistance to genjutsu, giving him the confidence to guide them out of this illusion.
However, the space had been deliberately fragmented into separate sections, making it difficult to locate his targets.
But now, the Ten-Tails' overwhelming aura had disrupted the illusionary space, weakening the barriers between regions. Fugaku could sense other presences.
To the east, beyond Shinno, he felt the chakra of thousands, including several strong presences matching those of Tsunade and others.
With his Susanoo enveloping him instantly, Fugaku wielded his blade without hesitation.
"Get out of my way!"
…
Elsewhere, the trio had already retreated far from the Ten-Tails.
While the others focused on the colossal beast, Tamako's attention remained on the Virtual Divine Tree.
As the Gedo Statue transformed into the Ten-Tails, chakra flowed back and forth between the Divine Tree and the beast. Something fundamental was being exchanged.
But as the Ten-Tails grew more unstable, the chakra link began to falter and showed signs of breaking.
Seeing this, Tamako thought it was time. "Leader, you need to take control of it now."
Nagato snapped out of his thoughts and instantly moved atop the rampaging Ten-Tails. The power of his Rinnegan surged like a tidal wave, enveloping the beast.
The Ten-Tails froze. Its massive body seemed both subdued and subservient, as if recognizing its master.
Suddenly, a grotesque, tubular structure emerged from its body, covered in dark red markings, and snaked toward Nagato. With a sickening pop, it latched onto the back of his neck.
The moment they connected, a surge of overwhelming power flooded into Nagato. The energy roared through his body like a raging river, straining his very veins.
The Ten-Tails' frenzied movements ceased, its colossal form now docile.
Feeling the immense strength coursing through him, Nagato couldn't help but marvel. "Even in this incomplete state, its power is astonishing."
What would it be like if it were whole?
"Can you become its jinchūriki now? Its presence is overwhelming this illusionary space. If it remains here, the space might collapse," Hikari said, stepping forward with a frown.
Nagato shook his head slightly. "Not yet. With only one Rinnegan, I can't fully control it. I need more time to harmonize with the Ten-Tails and subdue its chaotic mind."
Glancing at the cracks forming in the space, Nagato sighed. "Very well. I'll move the Ten-Tails outside and complete the fusion there. Inform the others to guard the perimeter."
With that, Nagato and the Ten-Tails vanished from the space.
For a moment, only Tamako and Hikari remained.
Breaking the silence, Tamako smiled faintly. "The pure power of the Ten-Tails has already disrupted this illusion. Nagato must have noticed the battle zones you've isolated."
"So what?" Hikari's expression remained unchanged. "If he hasn't acted against me now, he won't. But you… don't think Nagato and the others don't fear you too."
"The Ten-Tails has been revived. Are you not planning to act?"
Tamako chuckled. "I haven't done anything underhanded. And even if I had, who doesn't have a few tricks up their sleeve? At least when it comes to the Ten-Tails, I'm merely a witness."
Hikari raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Nagato's tacit approval meant she could act more freely.
…
As Nagato brought the Ten-Tails into the real world, the tailed beasts scattered across the villages sensed its overwhelming presence.
"Bee! Wake up!"
The Eight-Tails called out anxiously to Killer Bee, who had been in a deep sleep since gazing at the moon.
"Bee! If you don't wake up, the world is doomed!"
This was the Ten-Tails—an apocalyptic force capable of destroying everything!
(Chapter ends.)