Chapter 217: You Are Next
Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 217: You Are Next
"Where are you going?!" Yamato called out in alarm as he watched Naruto heading toward the lake and moving closer to the colossal turtle.
"You two stay here and rest. I have one last thing to do," Naruto replied without stopping.
Kakashi wanted to step forward, intending to intervene, but it was clear from Naruto's tone and demeanor that his decision was final.
Naruto leaped onto the lake's surface, landing on the water without sinking.
The demonic turtle glared at him warily.
"You have nothing to say? The Kyūbi liked to complain a lot... I guess this is better," Naruto said casually before vanishing from the spot in an explosive burst of speed.
In an instant, he closed the distance between himself and the Three-Tails, who must have realized that escape was impossible. The beast launched an attack.
A massive wall of water surged up between them, its surface firing a barrage of high-speed water bullets aimed directly at Naruto.
Naruto avoided the projectiles with a nimble leap into the air, soaring above the wall.
He descended swiftly, landing atop the turtle's head with a resounding impact.
"Don't get it wrong...this isn't a fight," Naruto said coldly as he drove his fist into the turtle's skull.
The blow unleashed a shockwave that pushed the surrounding water outward, stunning the massive beast.
"To me, demon, you're nothing more than a resource I must consume to get stronger."
Naruto jumped onto the turtle's shell, raising his hand. "Cosmic Assimilation... Absorb!"
The Three-Tailed beast roared, its voice echoing in desperation across the lake.
Yamato and Kakashi watched the surreal scene unfold from the shore.
"What is happening?!" Yamato exclaimed in disbelief.
"What is Naruto doing?... Why is he standing on its back like that?"
Kakashi muttered, his Sharingan fixed on the spectacle.
Before they could make sense of it, they witnessed something extraordinary.
A vortex formed in Naruto's palm, pulling the colossal turtle into it.
As a creature made entirely of chakra, the Three-Tails' physical body began to break apart, its mass was transforming into countless particles of light.
The particles were then drawn into the vortex, vanishing into Naruto's body.
Despite the beast's immense quantity of chakra, the absorption process lasted only seconds, and when it was over, Naruto floated down gently and landed on the lake's surface.
"What in Kami's name just happened?!" Yamato shouted.
"It looked like he sealed the Bijū inside him... but..." Kakashi trailed off. He didn't need to say it aloud... as such a feat should have been impossible.
Even if Naruto's earlier claim about no longer having the Kyūbi was true, there was no denying he had the Nibi. Kakashi had seen him use the Two-Tails' chakra mode with his own eyes.
"Having two or more Bijū inside one container is impossible," Yamato said, echoing Kakashi's thoughts.
"We'll have to ask him," Kakashi said as Naruto approached the shore.
Before they could question him, Naruto seemed distracted, muttering to himself. They could pick up some words here and there.
"I'm close... maybe with this..." he glanced at the sky. "It might be better here."
"Naruto?" Kakashi called out. Naruto appeared to have made a decision, but neither of them could guess what he was planning.
Reaching the shore, Naruto sat down cross-legged. "I need you to guard me for a bit. Don't let anyone disturb me, not even for a second."
"Hold on. What do you mean? What are you trying to do now?" Kakashi demanded.
"Yeah, and what did you do to that Bijū? Did you seal it inside you?" Yamato added.
Naruto looked at them, unsurprised by their questions but unwilling to spend too much time explaining. "You could say that, yes. I sealed it inside me." There was more to that, of course. But it would take to long to make them understand.
"But what about the Kyūbi? Or the Two-Tails you showed before?" Kakashi pressed.
"Let's just say I have a method that allows me to consume others' chakra and add it to my own," Naruto replied. "The Kyubi and Two Tails no longer exist."
Kakashi frowned. "Absorbing other ninjas' chakra is one thing, but a Bijū? What kind of technique is that?"
"There's no jutsu in Konoha capable of doing what you just described," Yamato said, bewildered.
Naruto's gaze sharpened. "I never said it was a jutsu from Konoha, or even a ninja technique for that matter."
Kakashi's expression turned serious. "So, the Kyūbi is truly gone, as you said before?"
'Half of it, at least,' Naruto thought. Out loud, he replied, "Yes, it's gone. And so is the Two-Tails. In a moment, I'll do the same with the Three-Tails I just absorbed. But it'll take some time, and I need you to make sure no one interrupts me."
Kakashi frowned. "Very well..." He decided that it was better not to dwell for too long on the same thing. He can always get explanations later on. " But why do you insist on doing this right now, and here of all places? You know how dangerous it is for us to stay here."
"Exactly! One of them just escaped!" Yamato added.
"I'm aware," Naruto replied. "But reinforcements won't arrive for at least a week or two. I only need a day at most."
He paused, calculating. The Kyūbi had taken longer because he hadn't been able to contain its chakra properly at the time. But now, he was nearing the peak of the 'Golden Core Stage'. The Three-Tails' chakra would allow him to break through to the 'Nascent Soul Stage'.
Once he gets to that point, he won't be lacking storage space for all that energy.
"Normally, I would have done this back home, where I wouldn't have to worry about interruptions. But if I did that now... Konoha could be destroyed."
"What?!" Yamato exclaimed.
"Destroyed? By what?" Kakashi demanded.
Naruto's eyes darkened. "A Heavenly Tribulation."
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