Dark clouds gathered overhead as the two figures faced each other, tension crackling in the air like the threat of a coming storm. Isshin's gaze was cold, unyielding, his stance exuding an unbreakable resolve. Across from him stood Shin, wearing a twisted smile that hinted at something sinister beneath the surface.
"Long time no see, Isshin," Shin said, voice dripping with a mix of disdain and amusement. "Last time we met, you killed me."
"…!!??" At the revelation, Isshin's two allies—the Uchiha with his blood-red Mangekyo Sharingan blazing and the Senju wielding the power of the wood style—were visibly shaken, their eyes widening in shock.
Isshin's expression remained icy, unmoved by the words. "That day, I made sure you were six feet deep in the ground. How… No, it doesn't matter." His voice hardened as he spoke, each word sharp as a blade. "Are you still obsessed with your plans to rule the world?"
Shin chuckled, the sound hollow and filled with mockery. "So cold, dear brother. Tell me—are these new friends of yours? A Mangekyo-wielding Uchiha and a Senju, no less. Troublesome, perhaps," he sneered, glancing between them dismissively. "But hardly a threat I can't manage."
The Uchiha, eyes glinting with suspicion and contempt, couldn't hold back. "Why are you after all the tailed beasts? What could you possibly gain from it?" His voice cut through the air like a challenge.
Isshin didn't reply, but his silence was answer enough, leaving the question to hang ominously in the tension-filled air. Shin's smirk widened, a gleam of arrogance in his eyes.
"As sharp as ever, aren't you?" he sneered, taunting Isshin. "Nothing in this world slips by your sight. But now that ninety percent of my plan is complete, I suppose it's only fair to let you in on the fun."
"I will become the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails," he declared, he stood tall, exuding an aura of twisted pride and conviction, his voice resounding with confidence. "And fulfill my destiny—to bring true peace by summoning the Moon Princess, Kaguya, in her full glory."
A stunned silence settled briefly over the battlefield, broken only by the furious roar of Kurama, the Nine-Tails, who surged forward, his eyes blazing with unbridled wrath. "You've lost your goddamn mind, *human*!"
Shin sneered, the corners of his lips twisting with disdain. "Shut the hell up, you filthy beast," he spat, his tone dripping with scorn. "You're nothing more than a scrap of chakra—a mistake by the Sage of Six Paths that I'm here to correct."
Kurama's fury erupted, his massive frame trembling with barely contained rage. "Shut up!" he bellowed, charging up a colossal Tailed Beast Bomb. The dark, swirling sphere of energy pulsed with power, crackling with raw destruction, as Kurama prepared to unleash devastation on everything within range.
Shin merely scoffed, unfazed. With a swift, practiced movement, he activated the red and black tail beast cloak of chakra—the power of the Tailed Beasts wrapping around him in a sinister red glow. Jagged bones jutted out from his back, head and shoulders, forming an armor of malice and chakra.
"It's useless against me," he replied, his voice chillingly calm. The red chakra pulsed around him.
The battlefield seemed to hold its breath, suspended in a deadly standoff, as the immense power of the Tailed Beast Bomb clashed with Shin's fearless stance, hinting at the devastating explosion.
As Shin timed his tail beast bomb to deflect Kurama blast which was successful.
"Oh, and Isshin," Shin continued, his tone taunting, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. "If the so-called strongest shinobi are here by your side… who's protecting your beloved village?" He leaned in, savoring Isshin's silence before driving his point home. "After all, I assume you didn't forget that detail. Or did you?"
A flicker of alarm crossed Isshin's face, and his fists clenched. "You sick bastard," he muttered, his voice filled with both fury and dread. "You've sent the Tailed Beasts to attack it, haven't you?"
Shin's mocking laugh echoed through the battlefield. "Heh-heh. Bingo! But…" He paused, his grin widening in a wicked twist. "There's more."
Isshin turned sharply to his two companions, his voice steeled with newfound urgency. "Change of plans, boys. I'm sending you both back to the village—immediately. This lunatic has crossed every line, and he's putting every life on Earth at risk for his fanatic dream." He raised his hands, summoning an intense surge of yellow-goldish chakra that pulsed with a fierce, protective barrier. "I'll share some of my chakra with you both. Go. Now."
The Uchiha Madara—frowned, his sharp eyes flicking between Shin and Isshin, suspicion lingering in his gaze. "Isshin… do you trust him?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. The thought of leaving their leader here, alone with such an adversary, was almost unthinkable.
Isshin's jaw tightened, but his gaze remained resolute. "No," he replied, his tone unyielding as he patted both Hashirama and Madara while sharing some chakra of Kurama just to be doubly sure. "But I trust in our duty to protect what matters. Go—and don't look back."
A grim silence passed between them as they nodded, their faces hardened with resolve. "He's unpredictable," one of them muttered, eyes narrowed. "Always does the opposite of what's expected. I don't want to take any chances with him."
Hashirama shot a wary look at Isshin. "Can you take him on alone?"
Isshin's gaze remained fixed on Shin, unwavering. "No," he admitted, his voice steady. Then, glancing at his companion, he allowed a hint of a smirk to surface. "But I have you, right, partner?"
A grunt of agreement came in response. "Humph."
Shin's mocking laugh rang out, sharp and cutting. "I'm disappointed, brother. All these years, and you're still relying on such cheap methods?" His eyes glinted with disdain as he spat the words, clearly relishing the frustration he saw Isshin still throwing away handfuls of Kunai with a special tag engraved in them.
Unfazed, Isshin took a step back, his hands forming a swift seal. "With the Flying Raijin, I'll teleport you both back to the village."
But Shin's expression twisted into a smirk, and in an instant, he sprang forward, chakra flaring around him. "Like I'll let that happen!" he snarled, his hand igniting with deadly intent as he lunged to intercept.