Before everyone's eyes...
The Ten Tails swiftly contracted into a sphere—
a white, egg-like shell that enveloped Uchiha Obito within it.
Crack... crack...
Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface.
And then—
The shell shattered into countless crystalline fragments of chakra, floating through the air.
Suspended within those glimmering fragments was a pale figure—
his appearance still vaguely Obito's, but transformed.
His hair was now stark white.
One long horn, one short, jutted from his forehead.
His eyes: one Mangekyō Sharingan, one Rinnegan—
but they held a dazed, almost newborn gaze.
He looked...
Like an infant, newly birthed.
His flesh, white as snow, draped over him like a celestial robe.
Black tomoe markings appeared across his chest, and more horn-like growths sprouted from his back.
Floating behind him—
a circle of black Truth-Seeking Orbs.
In his hand—
a black staff, as if he held the power to remake the world.
In this moment...
Uchiha Obito had transformed.
The difference between a Ten Tails jinchūriki and any other was now painfully clear.
"This chakra..."
Edo Tensei First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, narrowed his eyes with unease.
"Feels like... it might surpass even mine..."
The other Hokage summoned by Edo Tensei fell silent.
Because...
They could all feel it: their insignificance.
"Orochimaru has fled."
Second Hokage Tobirama Senju changed the subject, quickly forming hand seals.
"Let's undo the Edo Tensei control seals."
"Understood."
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze also began unsealing themselves.
Orochimaru had once again used Edo Tensei to control them—
claiming it was to stop Lord Shigen.
And while that was partly true, they had knowingly let him do it, seeing no better alternative.
In a way—
They had been using Orochimaru too, hoping he and Obito could weaken Shigen.
But now—
Orochimaru had abandoned them.
And the Edo Tensei reanimations would now need to make their own decisions on which side to take—
if either could even be considered allies.
"Let's wait and watch,"
Tobirama instructed coldly while teaching the hand signs to the others.
"We may only have one shot at this."
Even perfected Edo Tensei required original bodies.
Except for Hashirama, Orochimaru had no more backup vessels.
Tobirama glanced sharply at Obito, who now hovered like a dazed god—
and then at the man in the wheelchair, face darkening.
"Is it just me..."
"Or is something off?"
"What's wrong, Lord Second?"
Hiruzen looked at him in surprise.
"Obito's chakra is strong,"
Tobirama said, frowning,
"but when I tried sensing Lord Shigen... I got the feeling he was even stronger..."
"It's not just you."
Hashirama nodded gravely.
"You're not strong enough to feel it clearly, Tobirama. But I can."
"Lord Shigen... is indeed stronger than Obito right now."
That...
Anyone with acute chakra sensing could tell.
Including the "newborn" Ten Tails jinchūriki himself.
Obito's eyes scanned the field, drifting over every figure.
But the moment his gaze locked on Shigen—
his body instinctively lurched backwards.
He was trying to flee.
He had just become the Ten Tails' host—
and was already trying to run.
"What is this?!"
Even Madara looked baffled.
"It's a predator-prey instinct,"
Black Zetsu muttered,
"His body knows Shigen is more powerful. He's scared—plain and simple."
"Obito hasn't yet mastered the Ten Tails. His will is weak. The beast is acting through instinct, not logic."
But—
Obito didn't get far.
His body warped grotesquely, stretching and swelling.
"He's losing control!"
Black Zetsu grinned darkly.
"The Ten Tails is fighting for control of his body!"
This—
This was their chance.
If they could defeat Obito now, they could rip the Ten Tails out of him and reclaim it.
"I knew it."
"He never had the will to control it."
But—
Black Zetsu underestimated Obito.
Inside, Obito's mind was being shredded—
but he kept reassembling himself.
He would not lose.
Because Obito had suffered far worse than mental anguish in his life.
Still—
Madara made the first move.
He flashed through hand seals and pressed a palm to Obito's chest, intent on forcibly extracting the Ten Tails.
"Madara!"
Hashirama instinctively moved to stop him.
While Obito was dangerous, letting Madara and Shigen take the Ten Tails was far worse.
Right now, a feral Obito was the safest option.
"Hashirama..."
Madara turned slowly, his Edo body sneering.
"You want to stop me now? Obito can't control the Ten Tails. And besides..."
"You're not even my equal anymore."
Madara had retained most of his power.
Hashirama's Edo body, however, had been greatly weakened.
Last time, Madara had crushed him.
This time...
He had Shigen on his side.
"Madara..."
Hashirama tried to reason with him.
"Letting Obito and the Ten Tails die together is what's best for the world."
"Hah?"
Madara laughed.
He hadn't spent decades chasing the Moon's Eye Plan just to let it all die now.
"You think I—"
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, Obito's warped body lashed out—
hurling a Truth-Seeking Orb at Madara.
"Damn it—"
Madara's eyes widened.
Even now, Obito retained a predatory instinct.
Too fast to dodge.
But—
a black portal appeared before Obito.
He hesitated.
Didn't dare enter.
And slowly recoiled.
"Back off."
"Leave this next part to me."
Shigen's voice floated from the portal.
And then—
a hand emerged.
Swathed in green chakra.
It struck Obito's chest.
Sending the Ten Tails jinchūriki flying.
Obito coughed blood, crashing through the air.
"Impossible..."
Eyes wide, clutching his chest, Obito felt the Ten Tails inside him shudder.
Trying to tear free.
No—
It wasn't impossible.
Obito desperately stitched his mind back together—
but when he looked again, and saw the wheelchair in the portal—
His face turned ashen.
"How... can this be..."
He didn't want to admit it.
But now, even as the Ten Tails' jinchūriki—
Lord Shigen's chakra was still above his own.
Was this some kind of sick cosmic joke?
Before becoming the host, Obito had believed they were equals.
Now...
He saw the gulf.
The terrible, infinite gulf.
"Now..."
"You too possess Six Paths power."
Shigen's eyes remained hidden behind cloth.
He tilted his head slightly, his voice calm—
"Do you still think you can compete with me for the Moon's Eye Plan?"
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Powerstones?
For 20 advance Chapters: /michaeltranslates