Chapter 230: A Birthday Present

(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)

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In the distance, two towering 'Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands' statues stood firm, watching over the battlefield.

Sealed by the Torii Seal, Hashirama and Madara who were relocated to the ground, were still able to observe the clash between Orochimaru and Colt from there. Because the ground they were on was elevated, they could easily watch over.

"How did this kid get so strong? His growth is insane!" Hashirama lay on the ground, propping his chin up with one hand, staring at the fight with mild curiosity as Orochimaru was relentlessly beaten by Colt.

"Is this really the power of the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki? It doesn't seem much stronger than the two of us were when we were fighting him."

"Hey, now, you know that's not true"

Hashirama poked Madara beside him, feeling oddly sympathetic toward Orochimaru.

Although he somewhat agreed… The poor guy was getting demolished.

Although their Chakra was sealed by the Torii Seal they could still move slightly.

Madara clenched his teeth, annoyed.

He wished he could yank out Orochimaru's eyes himself.

Useless!

'To get beaten like this after becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki... disgraceful! If it were me, I wouldn't have fallen so easily.'

'Still... Colt's strength is something even I should be wary of.'

However, Madara was confident that if he became the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, he would defeat Colt easily.

His [Rinnegan] held a terrifying power that only its true host could fully wield.

"Madara, it seems like you're hiding something from me." Hashirama gave him a curious look.

Madara turned his head away.

"What would I be hiding? We're both sealed. There's nothing left that I can do."

"Oh, maybe I'm overthinking it," Hashirama mused before the two of them resumed watching Orochimaru get pummeled while Madara silently cursed.

'Where is that useless Black Zetsu? Hasn't he found Obito yet?'

Deep underground, Black Zetsu was indeed helpless.

Obito had vanished since he entered the Kamui dimension, and being partly made of White Zetsu, Black Zetsu couldn't risk dying like this.

He still needed to lurk in the shadows, eyeing the Ten-Tails sealed within Orochimaru.

However, the real problem wasn't Obito's [Rinnegan] anymore.

It was Colt.

Watching Orochimaru being thrown around like a rag doll, Black Zetsu couldn't help but feel dazed.

'Even if Madara is resurrected, could he really deal with this?'

But Black Zetsu had no choice.

The plan had to proceed.

This was the closest they had come to reviving his mother.

Meanwhile, with the separation from the Ten-Tails, Orochimaru's strength rapidly waned.

The symbols of the Sage of Six Paths faded one by one, his Tomoe-patterned robes dissipating.

His hair and complexion returned to normal, and the Gedo Statue, once divided, fused back within Orochimaru, restoring its original form.

The eight-tailed beasts were expelled from its stomach, freed from the Rinnegan's restraint.

"It's finally over," Colt muttered, picking up Orochimaru like he was a mere rag.

"You… how are you this strong?" Orochimaru, bloodied and bruised, weakly opened his swollen eyes and looked at Colt with disbelief.

"Why, you ask?" Colt pondered for a moment.

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I've sent Shadow Clones to the Konoha Hospital every day for over ten years to heal and save people?"

Orochimaru blinked, utterly speechless.

What was this lunatic talking about?

But Colt didn't explain.

"Colt!"

Jiraiya and Naruto finally caught up to them.

"Tch..." Jiraiya sighed, looking at Orochimaru, who was now completely defenseless.

"After today, the name of the Sannin may no longer carry any meaning."

"Colt, what should we do about this Gedo Statue?" Naruto asked, pointing to the uncontrollable Ten-Tails, which had begun transforming into a massive tree in the distance.

"Naruto, isn't today your birthday?"

Colt was silent for a bit before he said.

Naruto blinked, then smacked his forehead. "That's right! I just turned seventeen!"

He felt a wave of warmth in his chest—Colt had remembered his birthday, even in the middle of all this chaos.

"Do you want a birthday present?" Colt asked nonchalantly.

Naruto was a bit taken aback. "Uh, Colt, now doesn't really seem like the time, don't you think?"

Still, curiosity got the better of him.

What kind of gift could Colt possibly give him in a situation like this?

"No, now is the perfect time." Colt placed Orochimaru on the ground and glanced at his [Rinnegan].

"Heh, heh, heh," Orochimaru chuckled weakly.

"Are you after the Rinnegan too?"

"No." Colt immediately denied it.

"You think I'd want to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki? No matter how strong someone is, they can't escape the chains of mortality."

Orochimaru's eyes widened in realization, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and excitement.

"Colt, if there's anyone who can truly control the Ten-Tails, it's you, isn't it?"

Jiraiya's face tensed, his gaze locking onto Colt as if trying to understand his true intentions.

Colt shook his head with a smile.

"You're half right. Like everyone else, I want to live longer. But I don't need the Ten-Tails for that."

He was already a being composed of divine tree energy—why would he need such a crude beast?

He was about to explain to Naruto about his gift when…

"Obito!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed.

Everyone turned to see Obito standing atop the Gedo Statue.

The Gedo Statue's chains shot out, pulling the eight-tailed beasts back into its belly before they could escape.

"I've finally found my opportunity..." Obito's face was emotionless, the gaping hole in his chest a gruesome sight.

Sasuke's earlier sneak attack had caught him off guard but had ultimately helped him.

Madara had placed a seal on his heart to prevent him from going out of control. Obito had been waiting for an opportunity to destroy his heart and then become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, allowing him to regenerate a new one.

However, Orochimaru's sudden intervention had complicated matters.

Forced to retreat to the Kamui dimension, he'd barely survived by consuming the Hashirama cells in White Zetsu's body.

But now, he finally had his chance.

"Rin, I'll be with you soon."

Obito began weaving hand signs, preparing to absorb the Ten-Tails and become its Jinchūriki, intending to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

But just as he was about to complete the final seal, a black liquid suddenly covered half his body!