บท 143: ten tails

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Killer Bee stood, stunned, as he gazed at the eight tailed beasts in front of him.

"This guy... what kind of monster is he? He can actually contain eight tailed beasts at once!" Bee thought, trying to comprehend the sheer power of the man before him.

"How did you do it?" Bee asked, his voice filled with disbelief as he looked at the tailed beasts.

He knew all too well the struggle of being a Jinchūriki. When he first became the host for Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, it took everything he had to keep the beast from breaking through the seal. A single lapse in focus, and he risked losing his mind. And that was with just one tailed beast.

But this man, Takuya, had somehow sealed all eight tailed beasts within his body. It was madness.

"I simply persuade others with my virtue," Takuya replied with a smile. "These tailed beasts follow me willingly."

"What?" Bee stared at the tailed beasts in shock. To his utter disbelief, they all nodded in unison. Tailed beasts had always resented humans the most, so why would they follow one?

"Bee, let me out. I need to talk to Kurama and the others," Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, called from within Bee.

Bee nodded, allowing Gyūki to take control. In an instant, Killer Bee transformed into the full form of the Eight-Tails.

Despite his bond with Gyūki, even Bee couldn't allow the tailed beast to freely enter and leave his body like Takuya could.

"Kurama, Shukaku... what's going on?" Gyūki asked, turning to the other tailed beasts.

"Gyūki, it's a long story. Let me show you," Kurama responded.

At Kurama's suggestion, the nine tailed beasts formed a circle and connected their fists. Soon, Gyūki was flooded with the memories of the other eight tailed beasts.

"Holy crap... this is real?" Gyūki cursed under his breath as the memories played out.

In Kurama and the others' memories, they were seen freely entering and exiting their Jinchūriki's bodies. They roamed in the sun, enjoyed good food, and even strolled through the streets of Konoha without fear. Passing shinobi respectfully greeted them as "Shukaku-sama," "Kurama-sama," and "Matatabi-sama."

This bizarre scene left Gyūki dumbfounded. In his own experience, shinobi were always wary of tailed beasts. Even though he had an agreement with Killer Bee and avoided causing trouble, he still wasn't allowed to appear in crowded areas, and every move he made was closely monitored by the Anbu.

"Gyūki, join us. Once the Ten-Tails is resurrected, we'll truly be free," Shukaku said eagerly, and the other tailed beasts nodded in agreement.

"Bee, you heard them. Although we have a decent relationship..." Gyūki said in their shared mindscape.

After learning of Takuya's plan, Bee knew that resistance was futile. He had always prided himself on being a strong Jinchūriki, but against Takuya's power, he was outmatched. The tailed beasts had chosen to follow this man willingly, and Gyūki was no exception.

"So your name is Gyūki," Bee said calmly. "I respect your decision."

Bee showed no anger, despite everything. He knew that fighting back would be pointless. It was better to surrender with dignity.

After hearing Bee's words, Gyūki relinquished control of their body.

"Killer Bee, I promised to bring you back. Though you'll lose the power of the tailed beast, you'll have more freedom. Once you're revived, you can chase your rap dreams," Takuya said, placing a seal on Bee's body.

Soon, Gyūki was sealed into Takuya's body. Although their connection was severed, Takuya chose to resurrect Killer Bee out of respect for the man. Bee's unique style and personality had always stood out to him.

Takuya didn't mind reviving Bee as long as it didn't conflict with his own interests.

"Yo, now that it's done, I'll keep rapping on the run. Peace out, fool, don't be cruel," Bee sang as he departed.

Once Bee left, Takuya's expression grew more serious as he turned to the nine tailed beasts.

"You all know what's next," Takuya said calmly. "We're returning to Konoha. Once I separate your chakra from your consciousness, you'll no longer have to endure being sealed inside Jinchūriki."

"Uh... boss, after everything is done, can we stay in Konoha?" Shukaku asked, sounding a little nervous.

The other tailed beasts perked up at the question. Over time, they had grown accustomed to the peaceful life in Konoha.

Takuya laughed heartily. "Of course! After helping me this much, I won't treat you poorly. Once the Ten-Tails is revived, if you want to stay in Konoha, you can. All your food, drinks, and entertainment expenses will be on me."

Compared to the power of the Ten-Tails, these things were trivial. And with the wealth he had accumulated, Takuya didn't mind splurging on his new allies.

"Boss, I knew you were the real deal!" Shukaku exclaimed excitedly. The other tailed beasts shared his enthusiasm, even Kurama letting out a contented snort.

"Old man, the era where humans and tailed beasts coexist peacefully, just like you envisioned... it's finally here," Kurama thought with satisfaction.

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Later, in a small tavern in Konoha, Takuya sat in a private room, quietly enjoying his meal. After a while, two men entered the room.

"Takuya, sorry to keep you waiting. The shop's been busy," Hashirama said with his signature broad smile.

"It's fine. Just a meal," Takuya replied, not bothered in the slightest.

"So, how did your mission to collect the tailed beasts go?" Madara asked as he took his seat.

"I came here to talk about that," Takuya replied with a smile. "I've collected all nine."

Madara and Hashirama exchanged a knowing glance. Although collecting all the tailed beasts was a near-impossible task for others, they weren't surprised by Takuya's success. After all, in their eyes, the entire shinobi world was already under his control.

"I have a good idea of what you're planning," Madara said, leaning back. "But if you want my help, you'll have to wait until the tavern closes. The customers would complain if we closed early."

"To hear that from you, Madara," Takuya remarked with a slight shrug. The man who once treated the entire shinobi world like a chessboard now cared about the feelings of customers at a tavern.

As Orochimaru once said, everyone changes. If someone remains the same until death, it only means they haven't lived long enough.

Later that night, after the tavern had closed, Madara led Takuya and Hashirama out of Konoha. They soon arrived at a vast, empty field far from the village.

"This should do," Takuya said quietly. Madara nodded and began forming hand seals, pressing his hands against the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!"

With a resounding crash, the massive Demonic Statue appeared before them, summoned by Madara.

"This is the shell of the Ten-Tails?" Hashirama couldn't help but marvel at the sight. Even in its dormant state, the statue exuded an overwhelming presence. The thought of the Ten-Tails being fully revived was almost too much to bear.

"Come out, everyone," Takuya murmured, and the nine tailed beasts emerged from his body. Upon seeing Madara and Hashirama, they snorted in disdain. These two men had brought so much pain to the tailed beasts through their invention of the Jinchūriki system.

"Now, I'm going to separate your consciousness from your chakra. Please cooperate," Takuya said to the tailed beasts. This wasn't a difficult task for him. Minato had divided Kurama into Yin and Yang halves, so splitting the tailed beasts' consciousness from their chakra while retaining most of their power was within Takuya's abilities.

Thanks to the tailed beasts' cooperation, the process went smoothly. Soon, miniature versions of the tailed beasts appeared, each as small as a house cat, looking soft and cute.

"We did it!"

"Haha! Boss, you're amazing! We're free now!"

"Hey, stinky fox, now that we're all the same size, you can't keep judging us by the number of tails, can you?"

"Hmph, you mangy raccoon, even at this size, you still can't beat me."

"Oh yeah? Say that again, I dare you!"

"Enough already! You two are always bickering!"

The nine tailed beasts were talking all over the place, creating a chaotic scene. Takuya ignored them and focused on the Gedo Statue.

"Madara, Hashirama, let's seal the tailed beasts' power into the Gedo Statue," Takuya ordered.

"Understood," Madara and Hashirama nodded in agreement, a bit excited. The legendary Ten Tails—how powerful would it be?

"Sealing Technique: Nine Phantom Dragons!"

With a unified shout, Takuya, Hashirama, and Madara formed seals simultaneously. The huge Chakra of the nine tailed beasts poured into the Gedo Statue. It took them less than three hours to seal all the tailed beasts' chakra into the statue, an incredibly fast pace.

In the original story, it took Pain and the entire Akatsuki organization several days to seal a single tailed beast.

With the completion of the seal, a powerful, violent, and ancient aura began to revive. The Ten Tails' body became more robust. All nine eyes on its forehead opened, and its ten massive tails flapped in the air, causing cracks on the ground.

"Is this the Ten Tails? What a terrifying presence," Madara murmured.

"Yes, completely different from ordinary tailed beasts. It feels like a qualitative change," Hashirama said with a solemn expression. He could feel the Ten Tails' immense power, far beyond anything he could have suppressed even at his peak.

"Roar!" As if responding to Hashirama's thoughts, the Ten Tails roared towards the sky. Its immense strength made even Madara feel moved.

He can seal the Ten Tails into his body, so his power must increase to another level, right?

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