---
When discussing cooperation with Orochimaru, the first thought was naturally Edo Tensei summoning the past Hokage to gang up on Obito. However, only Hashirama, with his Sage Jutsu, could reliably injure him. Tobirama's Flying Thunder God might help but for the others? Their effectiveness was questionable at best.
So everyone stared at Orochimaru, wondering what exactly he had planned.
"That man is strong because he possesses power on a level far beyond ours," Orochimaru began. "Although those who have mastered Sage Jutsu can harm him, it's still extremely difficult. But… what if we had the same level of power as him?"
As he spoke, he licked his lips in anticipation—only to remember that, in this body, he didn't have his usual flexible tongue.
Ōnoki immediately caught on. "You mean… create another Ten-Tails Jinchūriki? That's impossible."
"Why would it be?" Orochimaru replied smoothly. "A Ten-Tails Jinchūriki is merely the combination of the nine-Tailed Beasts' chakra and the husk of the Ten-Tails—the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
His gaze flickered between Naruto and Kushina. "As for the Nine-Tailed Beasts' chakra… we already have most of it, don't we?"
Minato gave Kushina a nod, signalling that it was fine to share the information.
Kushina answered, "Aside from the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, Naruto and I have the chakra of the other seven."
Yagura, the former Three-Tails Jinchūriki, responded, "If Isobu is willing, I can extract some of its chakras. As for the Six-Tails, I can try talking to Utakata… But even if we gather all nine, where are we supposed to find the Ten-Tails' husk?"
Orochimaru smirked. "That's already been taken care of."
He had the Edo Tensei-controlled Jirō form a seal.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Despite being reanimated, and therefore lacking blood, Jirō was still able to perform the summoning. Naruto didn't quite understand the mechanics of it—but he had long since given up trying to make sense of Orochimaru's bugs.
Two small snakes, less than a meter long, appeared. Each one spat out a glass container far larger than their own bodies before vanishing.
Naruto squinted. "Wait… is that—Demonic Statues of the Outer Path?"
Inside the containers were two miniature versions of the statue, standing just over a foot tall.
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Everyone was stunned.
Had Orochimaru actually created Demonic Statues?
---
Orochimaru, clearly enjoying their reactions, took his time explaining.
The process required two primary materials.
The first was actual shavings from the real Demonic Statue—harvested directly from its foot.
The second was the shell fragments and shed scales left behind during Obito's transformation into the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki—materials that closely resembled the Ten-Tails' body.
For additional components, Orochimaru extracted special substances from White Zetsu and Hashirama's cells during his research.
Hashirama's cells, he discovered, possessed an innate ability to harness Sage Jutsu, even when devoid of consciousness or a soul—proof that the title "God of Shinobi" was no exaggeration.
White Zetsu, meanwhile, had originated from humans who had been trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi in ancient times—intimately tied to the God Tree and, by extension, the Ten-Tails.
For years, Orochimaru had focused on developing the Kuyōra Technique (obtained from Hiruko) and refining body regeneration techniques (from Shinnō of the Sky Ninja).
By combining all of these—Hashirama's unparalleled life force, White Zetsu's connection to the Ten-Tails, and his own vast knowledge of biological modification—Orochimaru had successfully engineered two miniaturized Demonic Statues.
This, he declared, was his greatest masterpiece.
If he weren't so concerned about self-preservation, he would have loved to test his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique on them.
---
Orochimaru spoke with enthusiasm—this was, after all, his life's work. And his audience?
They were some of the most powerful shinobi in the world. It gave him a certain satisfaction, much like when he had once boasted about his Living Corpse Reincarnation to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Of course, the more excited he got, the more confused his listeners became.
This… this was simply too absurd.
Even for ninjas, this defied all logic.
---
Finally, it was Guy who broke the silence.
"I see! You used impossible materials and impossible techniques to create something that can rival the Ten-Tails! Impressive, Orochimaru-san!"
Lee's eyes sparkled. "Ohhh~~! So that's how it is! As expected of Guy-sensei—he understood immediately!"
"…No, that's not what happened," Tenten muttered, exasperated.
Neji could only shake his head in silent resignation.
Still, the comedic relief did help break the tension.
Minato, gathering his thoughts, finally spoke. "This is an incredible feat… So if we infuse the nine-Tailed Beasts' chakra into them, we'll have two Ten-Tails?"
Orochimaru nodded. "Theoretically, yes."
Naruto frowned. "But doesn't the Ten-Tails require a Rinnegan to control? We don't have one. What if they get hijacked instead?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Ah, yes. That is a risk. To prevent that, the very moment they form, they must be sealed inside a Jinchūriki. And without a Rinnegan to suppress them, the Jinchūriki will have to rely entirely on their own willpower to keep them under control."
His tone grew serious. "Even though these are small-scale versions of the Ten-Tails, the process will be excruciating. If the host fails, they could lose their mind—or worse, be completely overtaken and become a true monster."
"…And Obito is almost fully recovered," Orochimaru added. "We don't have much time. So… who will become the Jinchūriki?"
---
Sasuke hesitated.
He was confident in his willpower—certain that he wouldn't lose to that fraud Uchiha Obito.
If he could claim such power, he might finally surpass Naruto, finally, leave his shadow behind—!
Minato, too, was considering the role.
Not out of a desire for power, but because he refused to let anyone else take on such a dangerous burden.
But before either of them could speak—
"Let me do it."
---
Everyone turned.
It was Kurama.
Before anyone could respond, both Naruto and Kushina's stomachs glowed.
A moment later, two small foxes—formed from Kurama's chakra—materialized in front of them.
Kurama explained, "These aren't just clones—they're fragments of me. Though made of chakra, they exist physically and can replace a Jinchūriki."
He continued, "Even if something goes wrong, the worst-case scenario is that I lose a split body. And with my will guiding them, there's no way they'll be overtaken by those weird abominations."
Silence.
And then, realization dawned.
Orochimaru had proposed an unprecedented idea—sealing a Tailed Beast inside another being.
But Kurama had just taken it a step further.
Why not seal a Tailed Beast inside itself?
A Tailed Beast Jinchūriki.
----