122 Chapter 121

After the others left the room, only Kazuki, Minato, Naruto, and the four future Jinchuriki remained. Kazuki unfurled a scroll and directed everyone to stand on the designated circle. Once they had all stepped onto it, he began weaving hand signs, and in moments, their consciousness was pulled into a pristine white seal space.

"Minato-sama, go ahead," Kazuki instructed Minato, who nodded and focused on his seal. Within moments, the yin half of Kurama materialized behind him. Unlike Naruto, Minato had already formed a bond and become a perfect Jinchuriki while sealed within the Shinigami.

As the massive form of yin Kurama filled the seal space, the children were taken aback. Even Yamato couldn't help but sweat under the immense pressure emanating from the bijuu.

Shikamaru had cautiously positioned himself by Kazuki's side for added protection. Despite being around six years old, except for Yamato, the children held onto their composure, perhaps reassured by the presence of Minato Namikaze.

Detecting the presence of yin Kurama, the yang half of Kurama reacted, and since it was free to manifest itself, it quickly appeared in the seal space. Unlike the imposing form of yin Kurama, the yang half resembled a small puppy standing next to Naruto.

The yin half laughed heartily upon seeing the cute yang half beside the little kid. "Two Kyuubi!" Neji exclaimed, a mixture of fear and surprise evident in his voice. His mental recovery had been progressing well, aided by the understanding and support of his clan. Sasuke, seeking reassurance, instinctively moved towards Minato, the only full-grown adult present in the room.

It was Minato who took the lead, leveraging his reputation among the young ones. "Ahem, everyone, there are some things that we need to disclose before you officially become the Jinchuriki. Although your families have selected you as the vessel, if any of you would like to step back, now is the time. No one can force you to become Jinchuriki," Minato shared, mindful of the gravity of the decision. He was not one to force children into such a fate, knowing well the suffering it could entail. He still carried guilt over placing the yang half of Kurama within Naruto, knowing the pain the boy endured as a result.

However, all four children stood steadfast, none deciding to step back. It seemed their respective clans had instilled in them the importance of this matter, and they were resolute in their decision.

With a smile at their determination, Minato proceeded. With a series of hand signs, he planted his palm on the seal space, and suddenly, a small altar appeared in the center. Surrounding them, four massive forms of the bijuu materialized: the two tails Matatabi, the three tails Isobu, the five tails Kokuo, and finally, the seven tails Chomei. Unlike the Kyubi, which stood leisurely, currently all four bijuu are restrained by pitch-black chains. It was finally time to introduce these bijuu to their new companions and share a few secrets that might shape the future of the Shinobi world.

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Somewhere in a hidden base, Nagato, his form tattered and half-burnt, gazed upon the preserved form of Konan. Somehow, he had managed to survive the last encounter with his former master, but the price he paid was immense. Konan had sacrificed herself to buy Nagato time to escape, and her death had triggered something within him. The last vestige of humanity, or semblance of it, vanished completely.

Currently occupying Orochimaru's base, where he had recently been forced to join Akatsuki, Nagato nursed his wounds. When he returned with Konan's broken and battered body, Orochimaru had launched an attack without hesitation, recognizing Nagato as the true force behind the infamous Pain, who had defeated him earlier.

Contrary to Orochimaru's expectations, Nagato had transformed into a wild beast. The death of Konan had pushed him over the edge. Unaware of Nagato's true mindset, Orochimaru targeted Nagato's Rinnegan, seeking its power. However, what followed was a one-sided slaughter. If not for Zetsu intervening at the last minute, as they needed Orochimaru to save Obito, Nagato would have killed him. Anger had fueled Nagato's power to a whole different league altogether.

Now, Nagato's sole goal was destruction. He planned to use Orochimaru to build himself a new body capable of unleashing the full power of the Rinnegan. Nagato wasn't naive enough to believe that Orochimaru would willingly help him. Even if he did, Nagato suspected Orochimaru might leave some backdoors to betray him. Therefore, he used his soul powers granted by the Rinnegan to mark Orochimaru. If Orochimaru even entertained thoughts of betrayal, Nagato would know.

Meanwhile, inside one of the interior chambers, Orochimaru wore a gloomy expression as he worked on Obito, who was being affected by a forbidden art. Obito's body was being corroded by a mysterious poison that had infiltrated his system. This marked the first time Orochimaru had seen the true face under the mask. Recognizing him as the kid from Minato's team, Orochimaru had harbored doubts about the masked Madara's identity from the beginning. Now, everything fell into place.

Though Orochimaru desired to pluck out Obito's eye and use it for himself, he knew his current situation was delicate. Making a hasty decision would prove futile. On the side, black Zetsu watched Orochimaru's every move carefully. However, what truly unnerved the snake was the extent of the true powers of the Rinnegan. He had underestimated its capabilities and now paid the price.

As an expert in the study of souls, Orochimaru clearly understood that his soul had been marked, and he was not strong enough to erase this mark. He had become a slave to Nagato. Despite his desire to tear Nagato to pieces, Orochimaru lacked the strength. The desire for power within Orochimaru's heart grew stronger. He knew that soon enough, he would have the perfect container. With access to tissue samples from Mangekyou Sharingan and Rinnegan, he would build the ultimate body and repay Nagato for the humiliation he endured. But for that, he first needed Kimimaro to perfect his body. Orochimaru had already removed all traces of the poison from his body, and soon enough, his Kekkei Genkai would completely awaken.

Orochimaru was simply biding his time, knowing that it might take years, but ultimately, he would triumph. On the side, Black Zetsu carefully observed Orochimaru's every move. He pondered whether he could use Orochimaru to fulfill his own goals. Black Zetsu had come to understand Orochimaru's relentless pursuit of power and immortality. Over the millennia, Black Zetsu had collected many items that might empower Orochimaru, but he remained wary of Orochimaru's character. Although Nagato had already marked Orochimaru's soul, Black Zetsu knew that the snake was already making plans to retaliate. However, these things were irrelevant to Black Zetsu.

Recent events in the Shinobi world had caught him completely off guard. Even Obito's dream space was no longer a safe haven, as the young ANBU had somehow accessed the dimension and detonated a formidable Kinjutsu, contaminating the entire space. If not for Black Zetsu's quick actions, Obito might have perished. Obito had yet to regain consciousness since the incident, and even after the explosion, he was not spared in the aftermath. It seemed like the Kinjutsu was rigged with poison, which was continuously devouring Obito's body. Only Orochimaru's expertise is currently keeping him alive.

Black Zetsu had lost all faith in Nagato, as the man was already out of control. Originally, he thought he could influence Nagato to revive Madara, but the current trajectory of events has proven otherwise. Black Zetsu had no sway over Nagato, and he had not expected Nagato to gain such a massive power boost after Konan's death. Therefore, he split up and left White Zetsu by Nagato's side to keep an eye on him, just in case.

As the inhabitants of the hidden base plotted and schemed in the shadows, a young teenager appeared near the perimeter, his gaze fixed curiously on the barrier. Nagato, seated lifelessly near Konan's body, detected the newcomer's presence, swiftly rose to his feet, and flickered outside the barrier. Despite his shattered body, he radiated a potent aura of strength, ready to confront the intruder.

"Who are you?" Nagato's voice carried a menacing edge, though he refrained from attacking immediately. He recognized the immense power emanating from the youth and sought to gauge his intentions before deciding on a course of action.

Toneri, unfazed by Nagato's intimidating presence, met his gaze with a defiant stare. Observing the ripple pattern in Nagato's eyes, he pieced together the events that had transpired on the moon involving the Gedo Mazo. The summoning of the ten-tail husk had not gone unnoticed by Toneri and his father, and he now sought answers from the one responsible.

"So, it was you. You summoned the ten-tails husk to do your bidding." Toneri's accusation hung in the air, tinged with a mixture of anger and curiosity. He understood the implications of Nagato's actions and harbored a deep resentment towards those who had meddled with the balance of power in the cosmos.

Originally, Toneri had ventured towards Konoha with intentions of infiltration, seeking to capture pure-blooded Hyuga women. Armed only with his Tenseigan, bestowed upon him by his father, he harbored ambitions of awakening his own Tenseigan by acquiring Hyuga eyes. However, Konoha proved to be more formidable than he had anticipated, its ominous barrier posing a significant obstacle to his plans.

Despite his arrogance, Toneri was not foolish enough to underestimate the village's defenses. He had attempted various methods of entry, only to be thwarted at every turn. The village's ID system proved particularly perplexing, with each tag seemingly bound to its original user. Even his attempts to breach the barrier were met with swift resistance from the ANBU, leaving him frustrated and powerless.

Now, facing Nagato, Toneri braced himself for the confrontation ahead, his resolve unshaken despite the odds stacked against him. The fate of their encounter hung precariously in the balance, poised on a knife's edge as tensions simmered between them.

"Don't make me repeat myself. Who are you?" Nagato's voice thundered, his form rising higher into the air as if to emphasize his authority. Since Konan's death, Nagato's god complex has only intensified, and he wielded his power with an even greater sense of superiority.

Undeterred by Nagato's display of dominance, Toneri stood his ground, his own arrogance ingrained in his very being. Despite being aware of the capabilities of a true Rinnegan user, Toneri refused to back down. Drawing upon the chakra of his tenseigan, he prepared himself for the imminent confrontation, ready to face Nagato head-on.

As Toneri shifted into his chakra mode, the balance of power between them shifted. Though he possessed additional trump cards like the truth-seeking balls, Toneri hesitated to utilize them just yet, opting to gauge the situation before unleashing his full power.

Nagato, too, recognized the significance of Toneri's power-up. With his heightened perception granted by the Tenseigan, Toneri now posed an even greater threat. Despite Nagato's attempts to intimidate him with sheer pressure, Toneri remained steadfast, refusing to yield an inch in the face of his adversary's might.

After failing to infiltrate Konoha, Toneri found himself adrift, like a lost lamb without purpose. He considered hunting down Hyuga members who had left the village, unaware of the Hyuga massacre that had restricted their movements within the village due to their dwindling numbers.

Frustrated by his lack of progress, Toneri roamed aimlessly until one night, he detected the chakra signature of the Gedo Mazo. As one of its guardians tasked with safeguarding it, Toneri was attuned to its chakra from a young age. Sensing the abrupt disturbance in its chakra, he swiftly moved in its direction.

However, upon reaching the location, all that remained were ruins. The landscape was ravaged by lava, leaving Toneri stunned by the scale of destruction before him. He couldn't help but question if he himself was capable of such devastation. His pride in his abilities faltered as he realized the true extent of destruction that could be wrought.

Discreetly tracing the chakra signature of the Gedo Mazo, Toneri eventually found himself confronting the Rinnegan user, who had presumably summoned the Ten Tails Husk to do his bidding. As someone intent on destroying the world by weaponizing chakra and shaping the world to his vision, Toneri considered the possibility of joining forces with the Rinnegan user if their goals aligned.

White Zetsu observed everything happening from the sidelines as both formidable Dojutsu users stood poised to go at each other's throats. The only thing holding them back was perhaps their lack of knowledge about each other's true intentions and the sheer power each was emitting.