Jiraiya made his move!
His Fire Release struck the rampaging Nine-Tails head-on, but it only managed to slow the beast down slightly. Protected by its dense chakra shroud, the Nine-Tails wasn't harmed in the least.
With a furious snarl, the Nine-Tails turned its gaze toward Jiraiya while one of its massive tails lashed out toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's Soft Physique Modification allowed his body to twist and contort like a serpent, bending and stretching unnaturally. He narrowly dodged the sweeping tail, slipping past its crushing force.
In that instant, the Nine-Tails lunged straight at Jiraiya.
"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
Jiraiya's hands blurred through a series of seals. His long white hair suddenly came alive, stretching out like dozens of tendrils that whipped toward the charging Naruto.
But the Nine-Tails' tail met the attack with overwhelming strength—Jiraiya's hair was shredded apart in an instant.
The beast pounced. Its massive claws gleamed, slicing through the air and tearing through what remained of Jiraiya's defense.
Its claws were already poised to pierce Jiraiya's heart.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizō!"
His hair hardened into a spiky armor that wrapped around his body—a defensive jutsu that could deflect blows and wound attackers simultaneously.
But this was no ordinary enemy.
He was facing the rampaging Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
The claws of the beast ripped through the hardened hair as if it were paper, raking across Jiraiya's chest and leaving three deep, bleeding gashes.
Jiraiya staggered backward, face pale and breath ragged. "Damn it… this isn't good. This is really bad…"
Across the battlefield, Tsunade had activated the Strength of a Hundred Seal and begun using Creation Rebirth, but when she saw her own blood dripping to the ground, her body trembled uncontrollably.
Her old phobia had returned. She couldn't fight.
Just as Jiraiya was about to be impaled through the heart, a sudden strike interrupted the Nine-Tails' motion.
"Stop it!"
Shizune's desperate attack hit the Nine-Tails from the side, drawing its attention. The beast slowly turned its head, crimson eyes locking onto her.
That single glare made Shizune's body freeze—her blood ran cold as if her very soul had been seized. She couldn't move. Couldn't even breathe.
The Nine-Tails began to walk toward her.
Jiraiya, kneeling on one knee, gasped for air, sweat pouring down his forehead.
This is bad. Shigure's already down—there's no one left who can stop the Nine-Tails.
To bring Naruto back to his senses, Jiraiya needed time to enter Sage Mode. The only other person capable of stopping the beast was Orochimaru—and judging from how he'd only focused on escaping earlier, that clearly wasn't going to happen.
Meanwhile, Shizune was trembling, panic flooding her mind.
No, no, no! I'm going to die. He's targeting me—there's no way to escape. Damn it… why did I even attack!?
The Nine-Tails loomed closer.
Tsunade lifted her head weakly, eyes widening in horror.
The Nine-Tails… it's going after Shizune!
She tried to move, but her body refused to obey. The sight of blood, the trauma—it all came rushing back. Her limbs felt heavy as lead.
She could only watch helplessly as the beast advanced.
Her mind flashed back to the moment Shigure had been struck down by the rampaging Nine-Tails. Even though Shigure was a Jinchūriki himself, the gap between their power was staggering. The Nine-Tails was simply on a different level.
If that boy had possessed the Six-Tails instead, perhaps… just perhaps, the situation would've been different.
But now, all she could do was watch.
The Nine-Tails stopped in front of Shizune, raising one massive claw. The razor-sharp tip hovered just inches from her neck.
A single motion—and her life would be over.
Cold sweat streamed down Shizune's face, dripping from her chin. Her body was shaking uncontrollably.
Am I… going to die?
As the beast's killing intent erupted, the air itself grew heavy and cold. Shizune felt as if she had fallen into a world of ice and snow, stripped of all warmth.
And then—
Rustle.
Footsteps echoed softly.
A familiar voice followed, calm yet heavy with exhaustion.
"That really hurts…"
The voice froze everyone on the battlefield.
Slowly, they turned toward the direction of the sound.
The figure slowly approaching through the dust and rubble—was Shigure.
The dense Tailed Beast Chakra swirling around him hadn't weakened in the slightest. It surged and boiled like a storm, distorting the air around him. That oppressive aura made even the rampaging Nine-Tails turn its head sharply. Its crimson eyes locked on Shigure's silhouette.
A low growl rumbled from the beast's throat—then, in the next instant, the Nine-Tails lunged forward like a crimson blur.
Facing the charging monster, Shigure's eyes narrowed slightly.
He didn't dodge.
He didn't flinch.
Instead, he raised his right hand and threw a punch.
"Boil Release: Matchless Monstrous Strength!"
BOOM!!
A deafening impact tore through the air.
Shigure's fist slammed squarely into the Nine-Tails' skull, the shockwave rippling outward like a thunderclap. Dust and shattered debris exploded in every direction as the massive fox was lifted off its feet—its colossal body sent hurtling backward in front of the stunned Sannin.
Shigure lowered his arm and shook his hand with a small grimace.
"Damn, his head's really hard…"
From Tsunade's position, she could see it clearly—Shigure's right hand was broken, the bones twisted and his fingers bent at odd angles.
The sheer power behind that strike had been monstrous.
But even more shocking was what came next.
The cracks and deformities began to vanish almost immediately as his body started to heal. Under the Great Sage's control, the Ichibi's Chakra activated the Liquefaction Healing Technique, rapidly mending the damage. The Shikotsumyaku reinforced the recovery, aligning and regenerating the shattered bones until his hand looked good as new.
Shigure had done the unthinkable—he had sent the rampaging Nine-Tails flying.
Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief.
That kid... he actually fought a rampaging Nine-Tails head-on?!
How… how is that even possible!?
The Nine-Tails skidded across the ground, landing in a twisted crouch before digging its claws in to stabilize itself. It let out an enraged roar that shook the air.
A violent surge of chakra exploded from its body, pressing down on the battlefield like a tidal wave of malice and fury. Even the ground beneath Shigure's feet cracked from the pressure.
It was as if the beast was trying to crush him through sheer intimidation.
But Shigure stood there calmly, his expression unreadable.
"So this is six tails' worth of power, huh? That's about two-thirds of the Nine-Tails' full strength…"
He exhaled slowly, the corner of his mouth curving upward.
"It's strong, I'll give you that."
"However…"
The air trembled again.
Behind Shigure, chakra surged violently—and then, before their eyes, tails began to emerge one after another.
One. Two. Three…
Six tails flared, then nine.
Nine tails made entirely of condensed Tailed Beast Chakra waved behind him like burning banners.
"Nine tails!?"
Jiraiya's jaw dropped. He rubbed his eyes hard.
He even pinched himself. "Ow… nope, I'm not hallucinating!"
It was real.
There were nine tails behind Shigure.
But that couldn't be possible. The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was Uzumaki Naruto. So what the hell was this?
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Impossible… How could you possibly become the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki?"
Shigure cast a sidelong glance at him, his tone almost playful.
"Who said I'm the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki?"
He smirked faintly.
"Just because it's not the Nine-Tails doesn't mean someone can't have nine tails."
And then, his voice turned calm—almost proud.
"I am the joint Jinchūriki of the Six-Tails and the Three-Tails."
Silence.
The words struck like a thunderbolt.
The three Sannin froze, staring at Shigure as if they couldn't believe what they'd just heard.
One man—
Holding two Tailed Beasts within him.
A dual Jinchūriki.
Something that shouldn't even be possible.
...
TN:
🔟 Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin (Support me! 😊)