Chapter 266

"Huh? My clone just sent back some strange news."

"What news?"

Black Zetsu asked. Sharing a body with White Zetsu, they used the same mouth to speak, though their voices remained distinct.

"It looks like there are three reanimated bodies capturing large beasts. Maybe they're trying to create summoning animals? But what's strange is that these reanimated bodies have tailed beast chakra."

White Zetsu was astonished as he described the scene transmitted by his clone. "It looks like the Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers from Kumogakure, and another one I don't recognize—probably the previous Two-Tails Jinchuriki from Kumogakure."

"How are you so sure?"

"Because he has the Two-Tails' chakra. Why are you asking such a strange question, Black Zetsu?"

Black Zetsu fell silent, slightly irritated that this fool had managed to turn the question back on him. However, the presence of the Nine-Tails' and Two-Tails' chakra was too important to ignore. Black Zetsu then directly tapped into White Zetsu's chakra, accessing the transmitted imagery himself.

"Indeed, they are reanimated bodies... and their chakra is substantial. White Zetsu, didn't your clone locate the one controlling them?"

"No, I searched the area thoroughly but found nothing. The reanimated bodies don't seem to have any intelligence, suggesting they're under special orders."

Upon hearing this, Black Zetsu realized this was a great opportunity. The tailed beast chakra within these reanimated bodies, while not on par with the real tailed beasts, was at least one-third of the original. It would be more than enough to resurrect the Ten-Tails.

This was a perfect backup plan handed to them by fate.

Although it was strange for these reanimated bodies to appear here, Black Zetsu couldn't afford to pass up a chance to revive his mother.

"Report this to Madara."

Once the decision was made, Black Zetsu immediately took control and burrowed underground with White Zetsu in tow, heading straight to where Madara was stationed.

Madara Uchiha, having nothing better to do, was waiting for information on the Eight-Tails. Since he couldn't actively provoke Hashirama and risk disrupting his plans prematurely, he spent his days sitting idly in his base.

Patience, however, was something Madara excelled at. After all, he'd once waited decades just to awaken the Rinnegan. A few more weeks for news of the tailed beasts was nothing to him.

"Madara-sama," Black Zetsu called out as he emerged from the ground.

"Any news on the Eight-Tails?" Madara asked immediately.

"Not yet, but White Zetsu discovered both Nine-Tails and Two-Tails chakra nearby—inside the reanimated bodies of Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and the previous Two-Tails Jinchuriki. These reanimated bodies are carrying a significant amount of tailed beast chakra and might serve as an excellent substitute."

Madara's interest was piqued.

"One-third of a tailed beast's chakra... That should be enough to start the transformation of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. These are likely Konoha's reanimated bodies. But why would they be capturing large beasts?"

Before Madara could speculate further, White Zetsu interjected, "Maybe they're going to use them as summoning beasts?"

Madara cast a glance at White Zetsu but said nothing. Engaging with White Zetsu was a waste of time.

"Show me where they are, Black Zetsu."

"Yes."

After Black Zetsu provided the coordinates, Madara realized the location was quite close to his temporary base. Grabbing his weapon, he swiftly leapt outside, with Black and White Zetsu following closely behind. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path remained at the base, ready for Madara to summon at any time.

Both moved with remarkable speed. White Zetsu's underground travel allowed him to cross the Land of Fire in half a day, and Madara's chakra-fueled movement rivaled teleportation. It didn't take long before they arrived at the site of the reanimated bodies.

The three reanimated figures were in the process of knocking out several large beasts, piling them up in a nearby valley.

Madara sensed the powerful chakra emanating from the reanimated bodies and remarked, "Indeed, this is unexpected. Konoha must have sealed a large amount of tailed beast chakra into these bodies to enhance their strength."

Emerging from the ground, Black Zetsu added, "Madara-sama, these reanimated bodies should serve as acceptable substitutes, right?"

"Just barely. Let's see if we can find who's controlling them first."

Madara's Rinnegan activated, and he used one of his signature techniques: Limbo: Border Jail.

Three invisible shadows emerged, undetectable to all but those with Rinnegan or powers on par with the Six Paths. These shadows quickly bound Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and the former Two-Tails Jinchuriki.

As Madara's Limbo clones attempted to remove the control seals from their minds, the three reanimated bodies suddenly regained consciousness.

"What's going on? I'm... not dead?"

"Seems like it, Ginkaku. But you don't look alive either. Feels like that filthy Edo Tensei jutsu the Second Hokage used!"

"Wait, Kinkaku, isn't that guy dead too?! Who brought us back from the Pure Land?"

As the Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers bickered, they noticed the massive amount of Nine-Tails chakra within them. They immediately began to unleash it, transforming into their Version 2 forms.

Despite their efforts, they couldn't break free from the invisible restraints, and their chakra tails lashed out wildly to no avail.

Seeing this, Madara knew that the one controlling them had severed the link to avoid detection.

"Quite the cunning individual, leaving no trace behind."

Black Zetsu commented, "Only Konoha shinobi could use Edo Tensei. Still, this mistake has delivered three bodies with tailed beast chakra into our hands. Now we only need the Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Eight-Tails."

Mother... she would soon be revived!

"Let's go. The Nine-Tails should be sealed last. For now, we'll take these three back."

Madara commanded as he began leading the three reanimated bodies back to his base.

Once they were long gone, a figure appeared atop a giant tree, the space around him distorting.

"Finally, that worked out. Moving around constantly paid off. Only three tailed beasts remain now. Reviving the Ten-Tails shouldn't take much longer."

Yoichi's Kamui clone spoke to himself before vanishing back to Konoha, knowing that the former Two-Tails Jinchuriki had been sealed or returned to the Pure Land.

Madara was really letting his enemies do all the work for him, gathering the tailed beasts with their help.

"What was that just now? It felt like I sensed Nine-Tails chakra..."

At home, Kushina paused while preparing dinner, sensing something unusual. It felt like a faint trace of Nine-Tails chakra had appeared nearby. Just as she was about to enter her Nine-Tails Chakra Mode to investigate further, she recalled how Yoichi had recently taken some of her chakra.

"It's probably just that bastard messing with things again... Forget it."

Kushina decided to let it go. She'd mention it to Minato later, letting him pass the message to that troublemaker.

She wasn't about to seek Yoichi out herself. Otherwise, who knows what kind of situation she might find herself in with that man?

Setting the thought aside, Kushina focused on making curry. She had gone out early to buy some special magical lamb, which was now simmering in the pot.

As the curry neared completion, she served herself a small plate to taste-test.

"Seems good... I'll go call Naruto... Ugh!"

Before she could set the plate down, a sudden wave of nausea hit her. Rushing to the sink, she dry-heaved for a few moments before it passed.

After rinsing her mouth and feeling slightly better, Kushina glanced at the pot of curry with confusion. "What was that? Why do I suddenly feel so sick? Did I mess up the curry somehow?"

Tentatively, she tasted it again, but this time the nausea didn't return.

"Must've just been my imagination."

Taking off her apron, Kushina stepped outside the kitchen and called upstairs, "Naruto, dinner's ready!"

(End of Chapter)

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