Chapter 263: Jinchūriki Appears
"This is the seventh earthquake!"
"Aren't they done fighting yet?"
"Mom... I want to go home..."
---
Late at night.
In a rundown town, beneath a sky swept by cold winds, a crowd of villagers huddled around a large bonfire in the open square.
They leaned against one another, offering comfort and encouragement, seeking warmth—not just from the fire, but from each other.
Distant rumblings—like mountains groaning—echoed from the direction of the battlefield. Blinding flashes of chakra soared into the sky. The ground trembled again and again beneath their feet.
These ordinary people, powerless in the face of war, trembled. Fear rooted them in place. Some crouched low to the ground, clinging to anything stable.
When gods clash, mortals suffer.
To civilians like them, ninjas were gods—untouchable, unstoppable. If they couldn't hide from them, they could only hope fate would be kind.
At this point, much of the Land of Water was engulfed in war.
The daimyo and nobles had long since escaped by sea, retreating from the capital. Wealthy merchants had used gold and influence to secure passage on ships and flee.
Only those without the means—those who had nowhere else to go—remained behind.
Especially in the town where Ryosuke was currently staying.
This town, situated dangerously close to Kirigakure and the main battlefield, was but half a day's journey for a shinobi. For civilians, it would take two to three days to flee—time they no longer had.
Despite the danger, many chose to remain.
Not because they lacked time… but because they couldn't bear to abandon the savings and possessions they'd spent a lifetime accumulating.
The Hidden Mist's blood mist era had plunged the Land of Water into chaos again and again. Life here was already harsh. To leave now, with nothing, meant a future of starvation and despair.
And so, they stayed.
They were prepared to die, but even so, the fear of death still clawed at their hearts. Because death—no matter how prepared you think you are—is never easy to face.
---
BOOM!
A deafening roar shook the sky. Stronger than any before.
Every villager around the fire jolted upright.
Something was coming. Fast.
Through the gaps between buildings, they saw it—a surging tidal wave of dust and air, hurtling toward the town like an ocean storm.
In the rolling wave of destruction, they saw it—rubble, broken trees, torn bodies, even the rooftops and remains of a nearby village.
It was heading straight for them.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
One man muttered in disbelief, voice trembling. His face was pale—frozen.
No one else spoke.
No one screamed.
They didn't even move.
Even if they wanted to… what could they possibly do?
They were just villagers.
No jutsu. No chakra. No chance.
All they could do was stare in terror as the wall of death bore down on them, the light of hope flickering out in their eyes.
Perhaps some thought of regrets.
Why didn't I leave sooner?
Why did I cling so desperately to my home?
Some accepted it.
In my next life... I won't be this powerless.
Only in moments like this—true life-and-death—do people confront the most painful, most honest truths.
Even in a world where the powerful manipulate the weak with ease, a true crisis awakens clarity in the mind of the masses.
BOOM
And then, in front of everyone…
Just when the wave of death was about to consume the town.
It stopped.
As if it struck an invisible wall, the air wave, rubble, debris—everything—froze mid-air.
Corpses. Trees. Stones. Buildings.
All suspended.
And then, driven by the force of the impact behind them, these fragments piled up, layer upon layer—forming a grotesque barricade of dirt, wood, and twisted limbs
Whoosh
Their hearts thundered in their chests. Cold sweat poured down like rain.
Many fell to their knees in shock, some with legs soaked in shame. But like survivors pulled from rubble after an earthquake, they didn't care.
No one laughed. No one judged.
They simply held their loved ones tightly, overwhelmed by the fact they were still alive.
"Just the force of its appearance… it far surpasses Nagato's Shinra Tensei."
Standing calmly on a distant rooftop, Ryosuke slowly lowered his hand, his gaze fixed on the distant battlefield.
"So this is the body of the sacred tree… enormous."
As his voice faded, the towering "garbage wall" in front of the town collapsed like paper under an unseen weight, flattening silently into the soil.
"What just happened?"
From inside the house, a familiar voice called out in confusion.
Shanks.
Finally awake after a full day and night of rest.
Leaning against the doorway, disheveled and groggy, Shanks blinked at the scene.
Ryosuke turned his head slightly and replied casually, "Uchiha Madara's about to begin his plan. The noise is just the prelude. You probably won't be able to participate in what happens next."
"Yeah…"
Shanks didn't argue.
He simply nodded, his tone calm. "Your world is really full of monsters."
"I doubt I'll even get to watch the real fight."
He looked out toward the horizon.
"From what you said before… there's someone out there who can match you?"
The wound he received from Madara's full-form Susanoo reminded him just how absurdly powerful this world could be.
The weak didn't even need his help.
And the strong? The strong were monsters—capable of annihilating nations.
Compared to Madara, a being who moved like an ancient god, Ryosuke—the white-haired youth standing before him—felt even more terrifying.
And somewhere out there…
There might be someone who could rival even Ryosuke.
This was no longer a battle Shanks could participate in.
"I may not be able to look after you anymore."
Ryosuke turned to face Shanks. "You need to leave this country as soon as possible. Preferably head to the Land of Rain—there's a barrier I set up before I left.
"The battlefield is about to erupt with power that could affect the entire world. If you remain within the capital's barrier, there's a good chance you won't be caught in it."
He paused briefly.
"If possible, report the situation here to my father… and, if you can, help me take care of them. The clan is still developing—it's strong, but we're lacking in top-tier combat power."
Ryosuke was not arrogant enough to claim absolute confidence in the outcome of the battle to come.
He wasn't just facing Uchiha Madara—who had already reached the Six Paths level—but possibly Kaguya Ōtsutsuki as well.
And he had to ensure Shanks, his newly found ally, survived the chaos.
Even though he had long allowed Madara's growth and hadn't interfered with Kaguya's resurrection, there was never any guarantee. Completion was one thing—certainty was another. To believe otherwise was arrogance.
To grow stronger, risks must be taken… but risk is never without cost.
---
"…Cough."
Shanks coughed, his expression calm despite the weakness in his body.
"I understand. As much as I'd like to see how this ends… I know I'm not strong enough right now."
"I'll leave. And as for Hyuga... I'll do my best."
"Good."
Ryosuke nodded, then turned to say more—only to pause.
His sharp eyes narrowed as he looked toward the distant battlefield.
"Madara's moving faster than I expected… Is it because of my presence? Has it made him reckless?"
He clicked his tongue softly.
"The momentum of the Ten-Tails… it's stronger than I imagined. This island—this entire country—will be gone soon."
He turned toward Shanks once again.
"I'll open a spatial passage to the Land of Rain. You can gather the villagers from the surrounding towns. They'll be safer there."
Before Shanks could respond, Ryosuke floated effortlessly out of the window.
Down below, the stunned citizens of the town watched in disbelief.
The air above the town square twisted, forming a dark, swirling void—an open passage of space and time.
---
"I am Ryosuke Hyūga of the Land of Rain."
He hovered mid-air, voice calm, echoing across the open square.
"Citizens of the Land of Water… due to the war, this nation may soon lose its ability to sustain life."
He gestured toward the rift.
"If you wish, you may pass through this spatial channel and migrate to our Land of Rain."
"While I cannot promise a life of luxury, as long as you pass a basic entry assessment, you will become citizens of our nation."
"And on behalf of the Hyūga clan, I swear—your basic needs, your food, your shelter, your warmth—will be secured."
"The choice is yours. No one will force you."
The crowd murmured, stunned by both the opportunity and the man offering it. But Ryosuke showed no urgency, simply waiting with quiet patience.
---
Was it compassion?
Or a strategic move—to replenish the Rain Country's population lost in conflict?
To Ryosuke, it was both.
If with a wave of his hand he could save these people and strengthen his nation at the same time—why wouldn't he?
"Everyone—"
At just the right moment, Shanks stepped forward into the square, still covered in bandages and scars.
"I am the Hyūga clan's representative in charge of refugee relocation."
His voice was steady despite the weariness in his body.
"If you're willing to join me, pack what you can. If you're able, help spread the word to the neighboring towns. Others may wish to come with us."
Then, after a beat—
"Also… can someone give me something to eat?"
A faint chuckle rose from the crowd.
Though most of his injuries had begun to recover thanks to Ryosuke's treatment, Shanks still lacked the energy and blood to function properly—especially after starving for so long.
But even in this state, the man who once captained a crew gave off the aura of leadership, commanding the respect of even ordinary villagers.
With the situation now in Shanks's hands, Ryosuke gave the town one last glance.
Amid the mixture of awe and fear in their eyes, his figure slowly faded from view.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield
The Ten-Tails, towering like a living mountain, began to awaken under Uchiha Madara's command.
Though only six of its nine eyes were open, the power radiating from it already exceeded that of any standard tailed beast.
It let out a roar that split the clouds.
Its overwhelming aura swept through the battlefield, causing even elite shinobi to hesitate.
---
"That monster… Bee! Don't hold back!"
A frantic voice echoed in Killer Bee's mind.
At once, chakra surged through his body, and an octopus-like tail emerged behind him.
"Of course I won't! The opponent's Uchiha Madara!"
Gone was Bee's usual carefree tone. His expression was sharp—serious.
Beside him, another figure stepped forward.
The Five-Tails Jinchūriki, his entire body cloaked in heavy garments, exuded deep crimson chakra. Though powerful, his control over the beast's power was clearly inferior to Bee's. He hadn't fully embraced the form of the Five-Tails yet.
And behind them—
"Naruto!"
The youngest among them, Naruto Uzumaki, trailed closely.
But unlike the other Jinchūriki, his body showed no visible signs of tailed beast chakra.
---
"Shut up."
Naruto growled quietly, suppressing the Nine-Tails' voice in his mind.
Inside his spiritual realm, the iron cage that held Kurama rattled violently.
But Naruto was unfazed.
Ink-black eye markings appeared around his eyes—Sage Mode.
"If you won't give me everything, then your power will only hold me back."
In an instant, chakra chains laced with sealing runes burst out inside the spiritual space, locking down the raging Nine-Tails once more.
---
"That thing… it's the Ten-Tails!"
Kurama's panic became desperation.
"Madara's trying to resurrect the sacred tree! Naruto, you NEED my strength! Tell Ushiki and the others to give it their all—I don't want to die here with you!"
Even Kurama—the proud and stubborn Nine-Tails—was afraid.
And he wasn't alone.
The other two tailed beasts stirred uneasily within their hosts, ancient instincts surfacing.
That towering tree-like creature…
It triggered memories they had long buried—memories from the age of the Sage of Six Paths.
---
"Ten-Tails..."
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Every sense in his body screamed in alarm.
His bloodline. His Sage Mode. His inherited knowledge.
Everything told him that this being—this thing—was on another level entirely.
And then, something clicked.
"That thing... has mastered Sage Mode too."
His voice was calm, but his words made the two older Jinchūriki stiffen.
"And its chakra... it suppresses the tailed beasts by nature."
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