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"It's coming out!"
With a unified shout from the Allied Shinobi Forces, all nine Tailed Beast chakras were successfully extracted.
The Two-Tails, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Eight-Tails materialized and fell to the ground in their original forms. The remaining Tailed Beasts' chakra was reabsorbed by their respective hosts.
"Thank you," the Tailed Beasts expressed their heartfelt gratitude to everyone.
Obito coughed up another mouthful of blood and plummeted from the sky. The white from his body faded, and all the traits granted by the Ten-Tails' power vanished.
"Why… why are you stopping me? All I wanted… was to create a world without war or darkness…"
"So pitiful, Obito."
A mass of black goo began slithering over his body, wrapping around him like venomous armour.
"Zetsu? What are you doing?" Obito's eyes widened as he realized his body was no longer responding. His hands began forming the seals for the Rinne Rebirth technique against his will.
"Obviously, I'm reviving Madara. I told you to do it ages ago. You turned a golden opportunity into a disaster."
"Wait! It's not over yet! I haven't given up not for Rin!" Obito struggled to resist Black Zetsu's control. Using Rinne Rebirth meant death. He didn't want to die so pointlessly.
"No, your role is finished. As for Rin? That was a lie from the very beginning." Black Zetsu's tone grew gleeful as he shattered Obito's will with words.
"What… did you say?" Obito's eyes widened in disbelief.
"That girl Rin? She was nothing more than a pawn to stir up the darkness in your heart…" Black Zetsu pressed on, sensing Obito's resistance weakening, and began revealing the truth behind the past.
He explained how, during one of Minato's missions, he manipulated events so that Kakashi and Rin would be sent on a dangerous assignment. How he had Mist shinobi seal the Three-Tails into Rin and arranged for her to be hunted down.
Rin, fearing the damage the Three-Tails could bring to the village, and bound by a sealing jutsu that prevented her from harming herself, had no choice but to impale herself on Kakashi's Chidori.
There was, of course, a glaring flaw in this plan: Kushina should have still been in the village at the time. Had Rin returned safely, Konoha might have welcomed another Jinchūriki.
But perhaps Rin never realized just how capable her mentor's wife truly was.
Obito was shattered by the truth. All his years of effort, plotting, and conviction had been based on a lie. He had been serving the very enemy who had orchestrated his suffering.
"No need for that look. Once the plan succeeds, you'll still live in that ideal world. Rin will be revived, and you'll live happily ever after."
Seeing his words work, Black Zetsu kept pushing. "Right now, our only hope is to revive Madara. Come on, help me finish this."
While Black Zetsu tried to sweet-talk Obito, Naruto wasted no time. He had Kushina lead a crash course for Gaara, Yagura, and Ōnoki on one specific technique: Four Red Yang Formation.
They had a once-in-a-millennium shot at sealing this guy. If they let him slip away now, who knew when they'd get another chance?
As for whether Madara would revive? That was a minor issue. Naruto had already used Shadow Clones to send off the Tailed Beasts and Jinchūriki to different locations for safety.
Even if Madara showed up now, what could he do? Get beaten up?
With his Six Paths Cloak, Naruto was confident he could make the newly revived Madara break into a dance battle for five minutes straight without retaliation.
Obito had been bullied so badly that he didn't even have time to plant the God Tree. Was Black Zetsu going to drag Madara to the moon or something?
"Four Red Yang Formation!" ×4
Kushina, the Kazekage, Mizukage, and Tsuchikage formed the barrier together. Four translucent red walls rose, sealing the area. Everyone else had already evacuated. Only Minato, Naruto, Obito, and Black Zetsu remained inside.
Meanwhile, seeing the barrier form, Black Zetsu panicked. "Quickly! This is our last chance!"
Obito's expression wavered. After a moment, he muttered, "...I understand."
Relieved that Obito was cooperating, Black Zetsu urged him along, eager to finish the technique before Obito died:
"Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!"
A surge of invisible energy burst forth, channelled through the Rinnegan. In an instant, Obito's hair turned grey, and his already weakened body became frail and hollow.
Black Zetsu clung tightly to Obito. He didn't dare leave his host's body not with Minato and Naruto staring them down like hawks.
Naruto transformed a Truth-Seeking Orb into a butcher's blade and held it against Obito's neck. Minato had told him not to kill yet, but he was seriously considering whether he could slice Black Zetsu off like peeling a fruit.
Black Zetsu could feel the Yin-Yang Release energy vibrating through the blade. He didn't dare move. These guys had so much chakra he desperately hoped Madara would hurry.
Looking at Obito's pitiful state, Minato's gaze turned complex. "Obito… even now, are you still clinging to your ideals?"
"Sensei…" Obito smiled weakly. "Even now, you're trying to change my mind?"
Minato was momentarily surprised by his tone, then smiled. "Of course. Didn't you just call me your teacher?"
"Did I?" Obito stared blankly at the sky. "All this time, I've been someone else's pawn. Even after gaining all this power, I was still a fool being used. I've only just now begun to make up for my sins…"
Black Zetsu suddenly sensed something was off. "Obito! What did you do?!"
"Ha… cough…" Obito laughed bitterly. "You saw it. I used Rinne Rebirth. But I didn't revive Madara I brought back all the people who died in this war."
"WHAT!? Why would you do that?!" Black Zetsu exploded with rage. This idiot! What's wrong with his head?!
"Why? You've been lying to me from the start. Rin was a lie. So why not the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Even as the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, I couldn't birth a will like yours. Maybe you even fooled Madara too."
Obito no longer had any faith in Black Zetsu. "Even if I die… I won't let the one who killed Rin get what he wants!"
"You bastard!!" Black Zetsu screamed internally. I waited a thousand years for this! It's all ruined!
He wanted to strangle Obito, but he didn't dare.
He knew Minato and Naruto hadn't finished him off yet because he was still fused with Obito. Once Obito died, he was sure they'd kill him instantly.
But Obito wouldn't last much longer after using Rinne Rebirth. Black Zetsu had to escape!
If he could just stay alive, he'd find a way to save Mother. Even if it took centuries more.
Having made up his mind, Black Zetsu launched himself from Obito's body at lightning speed and burrowed underground.
The barrier surrounded them, and escape might be impossible but underground was his only chance.
I, Black Zetsu… I MUST survive!
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