"Need help?"
Even knowing Naruto was now strong beyond his imagination, Kurama still cautiously asked.
Having once been part of another Ten-Tails, he had an instinctive resistance toward the creature before him.
Just like the Otsutsuki Clan's feeling toward the [Otsutsuki Predator] presence on Naruto.
"No, no need."
"…"
Seeing Kurama silent, Naruto thought he had misunderstood and explained further.
"It's not that I think you're weak, but you're a pure Chakra aggregate, at a disadvantage against both Otsutsuki and the Ten-Tails."
"…Alright, be careful. If you can't win, remember to run."
"Haha, thanks for the concern, but don't worry. I'm quite familiar with that."
Back when he couldn't beat Kaido, Naruto was also very decisive in running away.
"Speaking of which, though…"
Ending his exchange with Kurama, Naruto looked at the huge creature slowly emerging from underground, muttering to himself.
"So they were already eaten by you? No wonder we couldn't find them back then."
When it was fully exposed to light, Naruto could finally see the Ten-Tails' form, half plant, half animal.
It was a Ten-Tails 'smaller' than the Gedo Statue, with fewer human-like traits, more like a beast compared to Kaguya's.
At the same time, organs resembling steam vents appeared on its torso, and unknown mucus dripped from its swinging tail, forming small bubbles in the air.
Clearly, the Five-Tails and Six-Tails that neither Naruto's group nor the Akatsuki had found had long fallen into Isshiki's hands.
So, strictly speaking, Isshiki's initial move against Iwagakure was understandable, as he had once snuck in there on a certain night and taken the Five-Tails' Jinchuriki, Han.
There was a successful precedent.
He just hadn't expected that, compared to the Five-Tails, the Four-Tails was much more perceptive and could also draw upon natural power.
Plus, having lost a Jinchuriki once, Onoki's reaction speed was unusually fast, forcing Isshiki, under the restriction of not resurrecting, to temporarily abandon the Four-Tails.
"I… I will… survive… I am… the Otsutsuki… God…"
On the Ten-Tails' horned forehead, Isshiki raised his head stiffly, seemingly struggling against some consciousness.
This was understandable.
Although, strictly speaking, the 'Ten-Tails' was a tool created by the Otsutsuki Clan, its ultimate fate was to become a 'vessel' absorbing the planet's life force, eventually being devoured by its 'master'.
However, this didn't mean the Ten-Tails itself lacked self-awareness.
In fact, they not only had self-awareness but could also think and evolve. The fact that the Nine Tailed Beasts all had self-awareness already hinted at this.
Kaguya's Ten-Tails, not having existed long enough, was transformed into the God Tree form and then split into Nine Tailed Beasts, so it never had a chance to grow.
But Isshiki's spare Ten-Tails was different.
During the thousand years Isshiki was in hiding, it had been imprisoned in this different space, long exceeding the 'shelf life' of an ordinary God Tree sapling.
Now, the Ten-Tails harbored an ignorant and chaotic hatred.
This hatred was directed not only at Isshiki but also at Naruto, who possessed Otsutsuki characteristics.
And now, Isshiki was doing his utmost in the mental space to restrain the unwilling Ten-Tails.
Fortunately, the Otsutsuki Clan were indeed mentally strong spacefaring race. After stammering out these words, Isshiki's body, now bearing tree-like patterns, began to move more smoothly.
"I… I will survive...… I will survive! Hahahaha! I succeeded!"
When Isshiki's eyes regained clarity, the connected Ten-Tails body also became 'docile', allowing his manipulation.
This behavior was actually very risky.
Ordinary Otsutsuki waited for the God Tree to bloom and bear fruit, then ate the fruit. Directly merging with the God Tree itself like this very easily led to losing oneself.
If one's will wasn't strong enough, they could even be taken over by the God Tree's will.
But taking risks wasn't without gains.
Like now, Isshiki could feel his 'imperfect' resurrected body being filled and repaired by another massive life force.
Swish swish swish swish!
The huge black rods stuck in the Ten-Tails' torso for sealing shot out toward Naruto in the sky under Isshiki's manipulation.
Meanwhile, Isshiki's own body rapidly underwent deeper merging with the Ten-Tails.
Bam bam!
Naruto punched away the incoming black rods with two strikes, then later couldn't be bothered to move, simply enduring the rods' thrusts and remaining motionless.
All three of his eyes were now fixed on the half-human, half-tree creature below, his mouth unconsciously widening.
"This feeling… truly powerful."
Even without fighting yet, Naruto's senses were already sending out warnings.
That meant the current Isshiki might possess the strength to injure… even kill him.
And the best part was, Isshiki not only had this strength but also the will.
His personal obsession and the Ten-Tails' instinctive killing intent intertwined during the body merging process, forming an even more determined will.
Perhaps Isshiki himself didn't feel the influence, but now his eyes no longer held thoughts of escape.
Only the violence and greed to completely kill and devour Naruto remained.
"Perfect… I haven't had my fill yet…"
Naruto's mouth widened more and more. The dozens of bowls of ramen from Ichiraku weren't even enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.
But adding the Ten-Tails before him should be enough for a 'full meal'.
Perhaps Naruto had been 'pretending' to be normal for too long, and many had forgotten that he himself was a dangerous man fanatical about both combat and food.
Glutton.
Not a single epithet on the Marines' wanted poster for him back then was undeserved.
Isshiki's merging with the Ten-Tails was very fast. As an Otsutsuki, he didn't need to use [Six Paths Ten-Tails Coffin Seal] like Madara or Obito to quickly complete merging.
The Ten-Tails' massive body flowed into Isshiki's body like liquid.
Isshiki's appearance also clearly changed.
The curved horn on his head developed rough bark-like patterns, even beginning to 'sprout' at the tip.
And in the center of his forehead, like Naruto, an eye opened open.
A crimson Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan rotated within.
Perhaps due to insecurity about his power, Isshiki's originally fairly proportionate figure became swollen after evolution completed, muscles bulging like a muscleman.
Clearly a reference to Naruto's current 'Divine Body' form with full physical release.
"I don't lack anything now!!"
The terrifying sound waves materialized, striking Naruto in mid-air, but aside from lifting his clothes, had no other effect.
Feeling the new power in his body, Isshiki's confidence instantly skyrocketed.
By a twist of fate, he had filled that weakness.
Kokugan, Byakugan, Rinnegan… three eyes gathered. Now he, like the guy opposite, possessed 'complete' Otsutsuki power.
"You should feel honored, Uzumaki Naruto!"
"As a reward for awakening a 'god', I will devour you first… then, I will devour all life on this planet!"
"Hah… enough nonsense. Come! Let's continue the fight!"
The next moment, the meteor-like fist, capable of killing the earth, appeared again, crashing toward Isshiki below.
And Isshiki, for once, didn't use Sukunahikona to shrink his body and evade, but roared and struck back upward.
"Die!"