"This overwhelming sense of oppression! I've only ever felt this from the First Hokage!"
Kakuzu's eyes locked onto the newly reanimated Zero-Tails, his stance shifting to one of extreme caution. In just a brief moment, the threat emanating from Zero-Tails had risen to a level so intense that even someone as battle-hardened as him felt a chill run down his spine.
What stood out the most was the oppressive aura emanating from its body, a sensation that unconsciously reminded him of a man he would never forget.
Of course, Kakuzu didn't think Zero-Tails could truly rival the First Hokage in power, but he was acutely aware that the beast had undergone a profound transformation. A transformation that made it undeniably stronger.
This wasn't the hollow strength it previously displayed—it was a real, tangible power that Kakuzu could perceive and observe with clarity.
The swipe it had just landed on Shinnō demonstrated this all too well. The speed and sheer force were astonishing.
Even with his Steel Release Kekkei Genkai and the defensive buffer provided by his Earth Grudge Fear technique, Kakuzu couldn't emerge completely unscathed.
"Cough... Damn it! What have you done to my Zero-Tails?!"
Shinnō's battered and broken body began rapidly healing under the effects of his forbidden medical ninjutsu. As long as his chakra wasn't completely depleted, his technique could restore his body to full strength and functionality.
However, despite his physical recovery, Shinnō's heart was consumed by panic and fury.
It wasn't the physical injury that shook him—it was the realization that he had lost control over Zero-Tails.
Even though he still held the jutsu designed to command the beast, Zero-Tails no longer responded to his will.
"It absorbed a power it shouldn't have and was assimilated by an even higher-level energy, that's all," Kagetsu said calmly, stepping back with Shisui and the others to create more distance.
Although Zero-Tails had reawakened, it hadn't attacked Kagetsu and the others again. Instead, it thrashed about in agony within the sea.
Shinnō had been struck purely because he was too close, caught in the chaos of its rampage.
The seawater around Zero-Tails churned violently, as if boiling, with massive waves surging outward from its writhing form.
The black, tar-like surface of Zero-Tails began to change as white, bone-like plates emerged from beneath its skin. At the same time, a massive hollow cavity appeared in its tail, nearly splitting its body in two.
The white mask bearing the kanji for "Zero" on its face expanded, transforming into something that resembled a skeletal frame without flesh, fused to its head.
From its open maw, an inaudible hum spread outward. Though silent to the ear, it resonated strangely in the minds of everyone present.
It felt like a soul-piercing shriek, causing a momentary lapse in focus for everyone nearby.
"Tail Beast Ball?"
When Kakuzu saw the black sphere forming within Zero-Tails's open maw, his pupils contracted instantly. No shinobi would want to face a Tailed Beast Ball directly, even if they could withstand it.
"It's not a Tail Beast Ball. It's a Cero!" Kagetsu corrected Kakuzu's assumption.
A jet-black beam shot out from Zero-Tails's mouth like a black sword. As Zero-Tails swung its head, the beam swept across the sea, carving a deep trench into the water and exposing the shallow seabed below.
"It looks like a Tail Beast Cannon!"
Kakuzu cast a curious glance at Kagetsu. He had witnessed both the standard Tail Beast Ball and its variant, the Tail Beast Cannon. However, Zero-Tails's Cero, while similar, had an entirely different essence.
At the very least, the energy emanating from Zero-Tails carried a strange power Kakuzu couldn't recognize. This energy was stronger than chakra—more dangerous, more ominous.
While Kagetsu and Kakuzu were observing Zero-Tails, Shinnō was desperately trying to awaken the technique he had planted within the beast.
To him, Zero-Tails was more than just a source of power—it was the cornerstone of his ambitions.
Without Zero-Tails, the energy source for Ancor Vantian would be compromised.
Without Zero-Tails, he would lose his ultimate weapon to wage war against the Five Great Shinobi Villages!
Shinnō couldn't accept this outcome.
He had gone to great lengths to resurrect and control Zero-Tails. He only needed more time for it to fully integrate with Ancor Vantian.
Then, once the Five Great Nations were exhausted from prolonged conflict, he could emerge as the one who claimed the ultimate victory.
Everything had been carefully planned. Yet now, the very foundation of his plans was spiraling out of control. Where else could he find a Tailed Beast-level power source?
Every Tailed Beast was fiercely protected by its respective village. Attempting to seize one would not only provoke the village but also expose himself and the Land of Sky to the entire shinobi world.
Even now, if he couldn't deal with Kagetsu and Kakuzu, Land of Sky's existence—and his connection to it—would be laid bare.
Shinnō's relentless efforts eventually bore some fruit. At the very least, he managed to divert the pair's attention toward himself.
Zero-Tails, devoid of will and consumed by chaos and pain, seemed to sense the contract tying it to Shinnō. Slowly, its focus shifted toward him.
A peculiar desire to devour surfaced in Zero-Tails' newborn mind for the first time. It had no idea where this urge originated, but it was clear that it felt a greedy hunger for the person who kept trying to control it.
The emptiness within it was unbearable. Zero-Tails believed that by consuming that tiny insect, fusing him with itself, it could finally quell the maddening hunger and emptiness tormenting it.
Thus, Zero-Tails' body unfurled like a serpent in the ocean, slowly swimming toward Shinnō.
Watching the approaching Zero-Tails, Shinnō's expression stiffened.
He thought he had regained control of it, but there was no feedback from Zero-Tails to confirm it. Yet, to say control had failed entirely wasn't accurate either, as it seemed to obey his commands partially.
The next moment, Shinnō didn't need to guess anymore—because Zero-Tails launched an attack against him without hesitation!
"Did the summoning beast just turn on its master?" Kakuzu muttered as he watched Zero-Tails and Shinnō locked in combat. He exhaled lightly, relieved.
At least for now, they didn't have to face that strange beast directly, giving them more time to observe and gather intelligence on Zero-Tails.
"It's likely that Zero-Tails realized consuming Shinnō, the one it signed a contract with, is the only way to achieve a sense of completeness and satisfaction," murmured Kagetsu, his unblinking eyes fixed on Zero-Tails.
He was curious whether this first artificial pseudo-Hollow could transform into a true Menos Grande, possibly with some unique abilities.
Shinnō wasn't weak. With his mastery of forbidden medical techniques, he was nearly impossible to kill. Coupled with the enhancements of the Eight Gates, even the size disparity between him and Zero-Tails wasn't enough to make him an easy opponent.
Would Zero-Tails undergo another transformation and evolution after devouring Shinnō?
Kagetsu wasn't certain but remained deeply intrigued. However, he doubted that Shinnō alone would be enough to satisfy Zero-Tails' hunger. It was merely that Shinnō's actions had first drawn Zero-Tails' attention.
If all went as expected, after devouring Shinnō and completing any potential evolution, Zero-Tails' gaze would undoubtedly shift to them—or more precisely, to Ashisogi Jizō.
After all, Ashisogi Jizō's body also contained dormant Hollow energy. Although inactive and not enough to transform him, it still made him a living reservoir of Hollow power.
As a Hollow energy storage vessel, Ashisogi Jizō emitted a faint but recognizable aura that Zero-Tails could detect, prompting further combat and devouring attempts.
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