"A disciple of... Madara?" Obito repeated the name in his mind, a theory already taking shape in his mind. 'In the entire history of the shinobi world, only one person could train someone to that level and still be called 'Madara-sama' with such reverence.'
Beneath his mask, his expression was grave. "The Asura of the Shinobi World," he breathed. "Madara Uchiha."
He thought of the terrifying, monstrous strength he had just witnessed. 'It's even stronger now,' he realized. 'That has to be a dojutsu from a Mangekyo Sharingan. An Eternal Mangekyo, by the looks of it.'
Only the Mangekyo could produce such an effect. It seemed to be a taijutsu-type dojutsu that amplified physical power. He had heard of something similar once before, though it was focused more on agility. Given the bizarre variety of Mangekyo abilities, from the genjutsu of Tsukuyomi and Kotoamatsukami to the spatial warping of Kamui and the black flames of Amaterasu, a power like this wasn't so strange.
'So that's why you took the Uchiha,' he thought, the pieces clicking into place. 'You needed them to upgrade your Sharingan. If I hadn't decided on a whim to help Itachi annihilate the clan, I suppose you never would have shown yourself. No wonder even Zetsu couldn't find a trace of you. You were working together all along.'
'Were you all just playing me for a fool?'
He thought of 'Tobi' he knows, the rambling Zetsu idiot obsessed with human digestive system. He couldn't have fooled Madara with that act. But some of the others... they were probably in on it.
He considered the facts again. 'He took the Two-Tails Jinchuriki... Did he sense something was wrong with me? Or figure out some of my plans?'
Obito's brow gradually relaxed as the theory solidified. 'You had another card up your sleeve besides the cursed seal on my heart and Zetsu. If it weren't for this chance encounter, I probably would have died without ever knowing.'
He should have realized it sooner. How could Madara Uchiha, the Asura who had lurked in the shadows for decades, pin all his hopes on a former dead-last like him? It didn't matter that he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan or that he had the First Hokage's cells. Black Zetsu wasn't assisting him, he was monitoring him.
This Kashin Koji must have been another layer of the plan, just as he himself had been for Nagato. Schemes within schemes. A contingency for every contingency.
If he hadn't moved to destroy the Uchiha, if he hadn't passed by the Kumogakure on a whim today, he would have remained in the dark. And who knew if Madara had yet another backup plan after this one.
'You truly live up to your title as Asura, you old bastard.' Obito stared at the sky, his expression more solemn than ever before.
'I wonder how far Obito will run with this theory,' Naruto thought, carrying Yugito on his shoulder. 'This should be interesting.'
--**--**
The shinobi world was more than just the Five Great Nations. Vast, untamed lands stretched across the Far North and Far East, but their brutally harsh environments kept them sparsely populated.
For a tailed beast, however, such an environment was nothing. They had only lingered near human settlements out of a sense of duty to the Sage of Six Paths dying wish, and perhaps a bit of their own playful nature. To any human, even the weakest of them was a terrifying threat.
Flying at full speed, Naruto quickly left the Land of Lightning behind and headed for the desolate northern territories. He soon found a deserted island, a place teeming with giant, bizarre insects and animals that dwarfed their mainland counterparts.
Fist-sized mosquitoes and centipedes several meters long, creatures that would be a menace in the Forest of Death, were at the bottom of the food chain here. For a tailed beast, they were just snacks.
He found a clear spot and laid Yugito on the ground, then examined the seal on her abdomen. 'Kumo's seals are more refined than Suna's, but still not as good as Konoha's Eight Trigrams Seal,' he noted, before undoing it.
As he released the Two-Tails, Matatabi, from her prison, Yugito's life faded. When a tailed beast is extracted, death is inevitable unless the jinchuriki possesses an extraordinary life force.
"Ah, freedom!" Matatabi roared, stretching she ethereal blue limbs. It had been years, decades, since she had last been able to breathe in the outside world. Who would want to stay in a cold, cramped seal if they had a choice? Not everyone could reshape their inner world at will like Naruto.
"Matatabi," Naruto said, watching giant blue bounce around. "I kept my promise. But I have a proposal. Sign a Summoning Contract with me. I'll call on you when I need help, and if you're ever in trouble, you can summon me. I can handle most problems that come your way."
"Deal," Matatabi said without hesitation. Being summoned occasionally was a small price for freedom, especially when it came with such a powerful ally. She remembered the boy's terrifying strength and knew the offer was a good one.
Staring at the spot where Matatabi had vanished, Naruto patted his stomach. "Kurama," he said sincerely, "if you want your freedom too, I'll let you out one day."
He waited. A second passed, then ten, then half a minute. The silence was unusual. Kurama didn't answer. Normally, he would have been raising a ruckus by now. Why so quiet?
'Could he actually be moved to tears?' Naruto wondered, a grin touching his lips. 'If he is, I'm never letting him live it down.'
With that thought, he entered his inner world.
As he arrived, he realized something was different. The space felt familiar, yet changed. He couldn't quite place the feeling...
"Tailed brat, don't you run! I'm going to eat you!"
The Nine-Tails massive roar echoed through the seal space, but it was tinged with something other than rage. He sounded... annoyed.
Naruto froze. An impossible hope surged through him. 'Could it be? Is Goku-Sensei back?' Then the words registered. 'Wait... brat?'
His heart hammered against his ribs as he sprinted toward the great seal gate.
The sight that met him was baffling. A young boy, about half a head shorter than him, was standing there dressed in an orange and blue gi, a red staff strapped to his back. A brown, constantly wagging tail grew from his backside.
More importantly, the boy was standing triumphantly on the head of the Nine-Tails, who was lying completely flattened on the ground, looking utterly defeated.
"Wow, such a big fox!" the little boy shouted in excitement. "It'll be enough to feed me for a long time!"
As he spoke, he raised his right hand over Kurama's head, as if to strike again.
"Whoa! Hands off the fox!" Naruto yelled.
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