Obito floated in the air.
With a single motion, he swung both Yin–Yang chains—
And flung the two Susanoo into the sky like toys.
What kind of strength was this?
Even Shigeo was stunned for a moment.
He knew Yin–Yang Release nullified all ninjutsu unless it was infused with Senjutsu.
He also understood Itachi and Sasuke had acted impulsively.
But he never expected Obito's Ten-Tails-enhanced Yin–Yang Release to become this overwhelming.
In the original timeline, Obito's Yin–Yang Release never turned into chains like these.
Just as the thought crossed Shigeo's mind—
The air above them suddenly distorted.
Shigeo's expression changed drastically.
He shot upward at full speed—
But he was still too late.
Obito swung the chains and hurled Itachi and Sasuke—along with both Susanoo—into his Kamui dimension.
And Kamui's space was one Shigeo could not freely enter.
He could, if given time, analyze it and find an entry method…
But in the middle of a war like this, he had no time to rescue them.
Still, Itachi and Sasuke wouldn't be in immediate danger inside that space.
Shigeo closed distance in an instant.
A black chakra rod materialized in his hand, and he drove it straight into Obito's back.
At this moment he was not only in Sage Mode—
He also had the Rinnegan.
His whole body radiated golden brilliance, and the colorful markings on his eyelids made his eyes look even sharper.
Obito turned his head.
Seeing the black rod piercing through his body, he frowned.
All attacks should have been useless against him.
Why could Shigeo injure him?
Only then did he understand:
Senjutsu techniques were effective against him.
Across the battlefield, Madara was fighting Hashirama's clone—
And the clone had just been destroyed.
Madara lifted his head and looked toward Shigeo's battlefield.
Excitement flickered in his gaze.
The Ten-Tails-empowered Obito and Shigeo were locked in a life-or-death clash.
Shigeo was attacking from every angle—
Black rods created by the Rinnegan floated around like extensions of his will, sometimes striking openly, sometimes from within hidden blind spots, sometimes vanishing, sometimes launching full-range assaults…
Obito's Ten-Tails transformation deepened.
He roared wildly, Yin–Yang Release splitting into countless arrow-shaped projectiles that clashed against Shigeo's black rods in midair.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Too incredible…"
The Four Hokage of Konoha stared in disbelief.
This level of battle was far beyond anything they could join.
The ground quaked.
The sky distorted.
It felt as if even the entire universe trembled before the collision of their powers.
"So this is all you've got? Hahaha! In the end, you're still inferior to me!"
Others couldn't sense it, but Obito could.
Shigeo was strong—
His Rinnegan and Senjutsu techniques were genuinely hurting him.
But—
Shigeo had spread his chakra too thin.
There were clones everywhere across the battlefield, each carrying part of his power.
Obito sneered internally.
His attacks were weakening.
His speed had noticeably dropped.
"Is this all?" Obito shouted as his fingers curled.
He used his Sharingan space-time technique—
And teleported directly behind Shigeo, attempting to rip out his heart with a single thrust.
Shigeo dodged, but—
Obito's Kamui warped the space again.
Because of the Ten-Tails, the five-second cooldown no longer existed.
He could use Kamui anytime, anywhere, endlessly chaining transitions.
And because Obito had opened so many Kamui portals—
Itachi and Sasuke were suddenly expelled from the dimension.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of Kamui portals blossomed across the battlefield like flowers, and Obito's arms and Yin–Yang chains emerged from each one, attacking Shigeo from all directions.
At last—
Shigeo failed to dodge one strike.
A hand pierced clean through his chest.
"Shigeo!!"
Itachi shouted, rushing forward.
But after a few steps, he froze.
Because—
Obito's chest was bleeding too?
"What's going on?"
The sight reminded them both of Hidan's curse technique, as if it were Jashin's ritual…
As Obito hesitated—
The Shigeo he had just killed suddenly turned into a wooden clone.
The real Shigeo stood a hundred meters behind him.
His arm raised—
Half of it missing, the other half emerging from behind Obito, driving a black rod straight through Obito's chest.
Obito had used Kamui covertly.
Shigeo had used it simultaneously—
Without sound, without presence—
A perfect assassination.
"The same trick…?"
Obito roared and lunged at Shigeo.
But at that exact instant—
The black rod inside Obito's body suddenly twisted…
And transformed into a jagged iron caltrop.
It detonated inside him.
Dozens of spikes pierced outward from within his body.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Obito's body collapsed—
Completely beyond saving.
The Ten-Tails ripped free from his dying form.
Black Zetsu surged forward, devouring Obito's corpse and stealing both Sharingan and Rinnegan.
A sudden cold wind swept across the land.
Madara appeared.
The Ten-Tails lunged at him instantly—
And Madara did not dodge.
Before everyone's stunned eyes—
Madara became the new Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
At the same moment, a massive tree erupted from underground—
Twisting upward into the heavens.
Branches whipped out in all directions, grasping at the nearby shinobi.
One unlucky ninja was caught—
And in an instant, his entire chakra was sucked dry, leaving behind a shriveled corpse.
"It's the Divine Tree! Everyone, stay back—!"
Shigeo shouted.
With a burst of power, Little Ten leapt out from within him—
And dove straight into the earth.
"What is that thing?"
Sasuke asked, bewildered.
Little Ten radiated golden chakra light, and with Shigeo's Sage-enhanced nurturing, it looked like a glittering miniature tree spirit, practically glowing like a lucky charm.
"My Ten-Tails," Shigeo replied.
"What…?"
Even Madara froze for a moment.
Black Zetsu had told him that the young upstart named Shigeo possessed all nine tailed beasts inside him.
But he never imagined—
He also had a Ten-Tails.
But why—
Why was the enemy's Ten-Tails so elegant, so adorable, almost like a cute pet…
While their Ten-Tails was a grotesque, twisted abomination?
Indeed—
After two years under Shigeo's care, Little Ten had developed a sense of morality.
Its appearance had changed accordingly.
Two bright eyes, a tiny nose, a small mouth—
It looked almost like a miniature Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, except adorned with a crown of vibrant green leaves.
A creature brimming with life.
"A second Ten-Tails actually exists…?"
Madara muttered, utterly bewildered.
All their decades of planning—
All their schemes and hardships—
Were they truly being outdone…
By the bloodline mutation of one man?
(End of Chapter)
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