Orochimaru appeared focused on the experiment in his hands, pulling out one organ after another, carefully stripping away the cells on them. Yet, in reality, his peripheral vision never left Kaede Tsukasa's every move.
It was a serpent's instinct. To say Orochimaru was constantly searching for a flaw in Kaede Tsukasa in order to strike mercilessly would be an exaggeration—there was no need for that.
Orochimaru couldn't use powerful genjutsu, so he couldn't extract valuable forbidden jutsu information from Kaede Tsukasa's mouth. His imagined Zombie Release technique wasn't complete, so taking over Kaede Tsukasa's body immediately was impossible.
But being unable to touch Kaede Tsukasa didn't stop his instinct from observing him. In his dilated pupils, there was always a small corner filled with Kaede Tsukasa, reflecting his every action.
"Eight-Tails chakra… certainly interesting."
Kaede Tsukasa paused, tossing the heart in his hand to Orochimaru. "Explain your plan in detail."
Orochimaru carefully placed each organ aside—these were all consumables for advancing his experiment, unlike Kaede Tsukasa, who commanded resurrection techniques.
"The spies I planted in Kumogakure have sent reports. Over the past year, the village has been in constant turmoil."
"Turmoil? They keep launching invasive operations against us, killing many of our comrades, destroying supplies sent to the frontlines, forcing Lord Suo to constantly deploy teams to fend off these intrusions," Kaede Tsukasa feigned ignorance.
In reality, he had already guessed what Orochimaru intended to say.
"That's why they've been aggressively invading Konoha and Iwagakure, projecting a hardline stance as if ready to intervene in the ninja world war at any time, covering up their village's internal problems… The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki are losing control more frequently."
Orochimaru's eyes glimmered with bloodlust—this was the person controlling a Tailed Beast. Obtaining the corpse would surely have immense research value.
"I see, so that's your plan."
Kaede Tsukasa washed the blood from his hands in the pool. The sound of the water flowing was unusually clear and pleasant in the otherwise silent, oppressive laboratory.
At this point, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki should be Blue B. A deeper investigation would confirm the cause of Blue B's death in the original timeline.
In the anime timeline, Orochimaru attacked Blue B, breaking the Iron Armor Seal with Five Elements Release, freeing the Eight-Tails, and causing Blue B's death.
Orochimaru scraped some fragments from the Eight-Tails' dropped horn and spent over a decade growing it into a massive horn, allowing the resurrected Blue B to enter a semi-tailed beast form.
In the manga timeline, none of this happened.
Before Blue B became the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Kumogakure exhausted every effort to restrain the Eight-Tails, paying huge sacrifices each time to seal it in an Amber Purification Vessel. After the Eight-Tails rested and broke free, it was sealed again, repeating the cycle.
Even after Blue B became the Jinchūriki, the situation didn't change. The Iron Armor Seal's strength could not compare to Konoha's Eight Trigrams Seal, and Blue B still lost control at times, eventually dying in an Eight-Tails rampage.
"Time-wise… it's about right…"
Kaede Tsukasa thought silently.
Killer B should be around thirteen now, roughly the same generation as Minato Namikaze. After Blue B's death, Kumogakure returned to the old method of sealing the Eight-Tails in the Amber Purification Vessel, until Killer B became the village's second Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
If Orochimaru had designs on the Eight-Tails, now was indeed a good opportunity. During the period of the Eight-Tails' most frequent loss of control, they could fish for useful results. With the strength of the two of them, they could easily obtain something valuable.
And he had a reason prepared—why had Konoha always been targeted by Kumogakure's invasive operations? Previously, it was because of the Second Great Ninja War, dealing with attacks from Sunagakure and Iwagakure at the most difficult moments.
Now it was different. The Second Great Ninja War had ended some time ago, and it was the perfect moment for Kumogakure to enact revenge.
"But the Hokage might not agree. Though I haven't interacted much with the Hokage, unlike you who are his student and know him well… based on my observation, he wouldn't easily start a war."
Kaede Tsukasa shook the water off his hands.
Orochimaru sneered, "The Third would never do it, but Danzo would! Even if the Third knew, he'd stay silent, letting things ferment on their own—that's always been his style."
"Lord Danzo seems to be in a passive position because of Lady Mito's situation, probably unable to take special action. So you want us to fill the militant gap left by Lord Danzo? Quite the brilliant idea."
Kaede Tsukasa smiled. "Orochimaru, it seems we often reach consensus on many things. I'm sure we can achieve some good results together."
"Consensus, you say? It seems we've deepened our understanding of each other. I look forward to working with you." Orochimaru's smile grew even more disarming.
He felt he needed to rethink his perception of Kaede Tsukasa. He couldn't rely on old ways of thinking—not that Kaede Tsukasa's nature required reassessment. After all, a person who built his path by manipulating corpses couldn't possibly be a bright, sunny soul like Minato Namikaze.
Anyone with a shred of sense wouldn't think that way about Kaede Tsukasa. Even the Third Hokage would, at most, trust that Kaede Tsukasa wouldn't betray the village—but would never believe he was cheerful and sunny.
Calling him a cold little moon from the underworld wasn't quite right either. But Orochimaru decided it didn't matter. The key was that he needed to adjust his mindset as a "short-lived" being and strive to view Kaede Tsukasa's words and actions from the perspective of an "immortal" being.
Yes, an immortal—a term that made Orochimaru's heart tingle with desire. It represented the lifeform he had always dreamed of becoming.
But for Kaede Tsukasa, it was commonplace; he had started out already as an immortal.
"Your gaze seems to have changed, Orochimaru. It makes me uncomfortable," Kaede Tsukasa said suddenly.
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "No, I'm just suddenly jealous of you. You already possess immortality, and you started out that way. Who knows how high you'll reach in the future."
Kaede Tsukasa said lightly, "Not bad. My techniques still have room for improvement."
"In the future, I may need you to perform techniques on me. I too desire to extend my life… If I help you obtain the Eight-Tails chakra, Kaede, you'll help me in return, won't you?"
"That's a minor matter."
For Kaede Tsukasa, the Eight-Tails chakra held far greater value.
After leaving the laboratory, they immediately prepared to depart. By the next night, Kaede Tsukasa brought Orochimaru into the Land of Hot Water using the Void Space Technique.
They then moved rapidly northeast, saving themselves at least three to four days of travel time.
"Such a convenient technique. Immortality and mastery of high-speed space-time ninjutsu—no one in this world could kill you now."
"There are still a few who could. I never let my guard down," Kaede Tsukasa said.
"Oh? A few? I'm curious… would it be the Third Raikage? I heard his speed is incredible. Who else could it be? Even catching you would be a challenge."
"Heh. You'll find out in time."
Kaede Tsukasa didn't continue the conversation. Along the way, he even pulled out more than ten zombies, using the Self-Life Reincarnation Technique to restore their vitality, making Orochimaru's eyes widen.
It was the first time Orochimaru had seen such a direct transfer of life force. The surge of vitality made his mouth water.
Zombie Release and the Self-Life Reincarnation Technique—truly a perfect combination.
"Once we enter the Land of Lightning, what will you do? Wait patiently? No one knows how often the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki loses control," Kaede Tsukasa said casually.
Orochimaru smiled. "Normally, it happens once every two to three months. But if you're eager, we can actively search for the Eight-Tails and force it into transformation, saving time. It's risky, though. Which would you choose?"
"Locate him, and take action. Our time is precious, and there are many experimental problems still unresolved," Kaede Tsukasa said.
Orochimaru licked his lips, sensing something off. An immortal shouldn't lack patience. Waiting centuries for a goal would be normal.
Or perhaps Kaede Tsukasa wanted something from human experiments. But what could it be—Hashirama cells? Corpses of people who died after having Hashirama cells injected? Hard to guess.
Orochimaru could only think that far. He would never imagine Kaede Tsukasa intended to cultivate a perfect body to replace his own.
"Very well, Kaede. Your will must be carried out. I have need of you. According to my intelligence, there are roughly seven suspected hiding places for the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."
Orochimaru reached into his mouth and pulled out a damp scroll, showing Kaede Tsukasa the information.
"Seems you have some excellent spies."
"More precisely, they're Danzo's spies. Danzo has always cultivated cheap operatives, sending them on missions to various countries. He doesn't care if they die—obtaining intelligence is just a bonus. That's his style; he never values the lives of his subordinates," Orochimaru said.
"Are you sure the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki isn't inside Kumogakure?"
"No. Kumogakure wouldn't place such a volatile creature in a densely populated village."
"Then the Eight-Tails is here." Kaede Tsukasa pointed to a mark on the map.
"Valley of Clouds and Lightning? Not too far from us. It seems you've been tracking the Eight-Tails earlier than I have. You've already arranged many corpses in the Land of Lightning without the village knowing?"
"You could put it that way."
Kaede Tsukasa didn't bother explaining further to Orochimaru.
Valley of Clouds and Lightning was the Eight-Tails' old home and daily residence.
Ever since the Sage of Six Paths divided the Tailed Beasts into nine, the Eight-Tails had long resided in Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
After the Battle of the Valley of the End, Hashirama Senju struck hard, capturing all the Tailed Beasts and redistributing them among the nations, giving the Eight-Tails to Kumogakure.
Kumogakure managed to suppress the Eight-Tails for decades using the Kohaku no Jōhei, and later developed the Iron Armor Seal, giving rise to Blue B, the first Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
Both Blue B and the latter Killer B had a special fondness for Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
It was unclear where the Iron Armor Seal originally came from—perhaps after wiping out Uzushiogakure early in the Second Great Ninja War, Kumogakure took some sealing techniques from the Uzumaki clan and further developed them.
But that didn't matter. Kaede Tsukasa had no interest in avenging the Uzumaki. This time, obtaining the Eight-Tails chakra was the best opportunity.
Miss this chance, and they'd have to wait until the Third Great Ninja War to seize it from a fully grown Killer B.
Before long, the two arrived at the edge of the Valley of Clouds and Lightning, where many of Kumogakure's ANBU operatives were indeed hidden.
"Only one entrance and exit? Heavily guarded… Five kilometers northeast of the valley is a 200-man force. Aren't they worried the rampaging Eight-Tails might destroy them with a Bijuu Dama? These soldiers are meant to be sacrificed, to hold back the Eight-Tails long enough for the main force… Inside the Valley, seventeen Kumogakure ninja remain. They look like elite operatives, not easy to deal with."
Orochimaru's summoned snakes slithered in all directions, using their sense of smell to gauge enemy numbers, then returned to him one by one.
This method was far more covert than Kaede Tsukasa running around with corpses, which made him even more eager to obtain a Byakugan ninja corpse.
Kaede Tsukasa formed a hand seal and said slowly, "Seventeen elites, but not all may excel in combat. Kumogakure likely sent their best sealing specialists here. If we act quickly, eliminate these people, and seize the Eight-Tails chakra before the outer 200-man force notices and arrives, we can retreat immediately."
He was here to take the chakra, not capture or kill the Eight-Tails.
Summoning Technique!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of coffins erupted from the ground.
Kaede Tsukasa summoned his strongest group of zombies, focused on eliminating these enemies as quickly as possible.
"Araki, Terai, and several Root operatives… Danzo took a heavy loss. Not only was he reprimanded by the Third, but he secretly lost so many personnel—Root has suffered a serious blow."
Orochimaru was also surprised, staring at Terai for several seconds.
Even he would have to exert effort if suddenly confronted by a strong opponent like Terai. If Terai tried to flee, Orochimaru couldn't guarantee he could kill him.
The difference between elite jonin and Kage-level strength lies mainly in bloodline, chakra quantity, and large-scale, high-power techniques. For example, Orochimaru could use Triple Rashōmon, but Terai could not, relying only on his blade.
In terms of combat experience, battlefield analysis, and emergency decision-making—the "soft skills"—the gap wasn't as pronounced, sometimes negligible.
"Hmph, some gains at least. Danzo was too stubborn, insisting on spying on me and opposing me. He could have done nothing and been fine, yet he caused a series of problems."
"That makes me even more curious, Kaede. Can you tell me how Lady Mito died? Not many could have killed her… Could it actually have been you…?"
"…Your imagination is far too vivid. That's not a good habit."
"Imagination is exactly what a researcher needs. I must fully stimulate my highly imaginative brain to secure the research results you desire, Kaede Tsukasa."
Orochimaru laughed. That was already the most straightforward statement of mutual benefit he could make.
"Move!" Kaede Tsukasa barked.
Including Orochimaru, over a dozen figures spread out quickly, rushing toward the seventeen Kumogakure ninja.
From a distance, their movements could be concealed; the closer they got, the higher the risk of exposure.
"Who's there?!"
"It's not the Eight-Tails rampaging… an enemy invasion? Damn, how did they find Valley of Clouds and Lightning?!"
"There are so many of them. We don't know which village they're from. Just in case, launch signal flares—request backup!"
A Kumogakure ninja atop a watchtower panicked, reaching for a signal flare to fire skyward.
They had never expected this—enemy forces secretly infiltrating Valley of Clouds and Lightning? In decades, this had never happened!
Since Kumogakure received the Eight-Tails from the First Hokage, the village's greatest concern had been periodic losses from the Tailed Beast's rampages. Never had an external enemy infiltrated with large-scale attacks.
This battle was unprecedented, catching the Kumogakure ninja, who constantly monitored the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, off guard.
And being caught off guard meant deaths—many would fall in the first wave.
Screams echoed as half of the Kumogakure ninja fell instantly.
Elite jonin Araki and Terai led their teams, and together with Orochimaru and a swarm of venomous snakes, their kill speed was astonishing.
"As expected, these are all ninja trained in sealing techniques, systematically cultivated by Kumogakure. Each is skilled in using iron chains inscribed with sealing formulas."
Kaede Tsukasa remained in place, sitting cross-legged on a stone, watching the battle unfold below in Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
Every time the Eight-Tails rampaged, a group of Kumogakure ninja would fling iron chains to restrain it. Now, it seemed all of them would die. Reproducing this many sealing specialists with Eight-Tails experience would consume even more of Kumogakure's resources.
"The corpses won't go to waste. I'll recover all of them, effectively gaining a small sealing squad. Even if their combined power may not match a Four Symbols Seal, they're still valuable."
Kaede Tsukasa didn't mind. He hadn't systematically studied sealing techniques; besides Shikigami Full Recovery, he could only seal objects using summoning scrolls.
With this group, even filling in during emergencies would be worthwhile.
Soon, Kaede Tsukasa cast a technique, and the fallen ninja immediately rose, attacking nearby Kumogakure operatives. Three more were killed instantly.
"Kaede Tsukasa is openly using the Zombie Release secret technique to convert corpses. He doesn't care about exposure at all…? This could cause a diplomatic incident."
Orochimaru's hoarse laughter echoed. From his position in the watchtower, a thick venomous snake slithered from his sleeve, tightly coiling around the Kumogakure ninja preparing to fire the signal flare.
"Who… who are you? These people are already dead… Could you be from Konoha? You're plotting against the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. Kumogakure will never forgive you!!"
The Kumogakure ninja gasped for air, speaking with his last strength.
"That's not right. Even if we didn't do this, you wouldn't let us be. Even now, your village constantly launches invasive operations against the Land of Fire, doesn't it?"
Orochimaru flicked his arm; the snake snapped the ninja's neck.
He stood still, silently calculating time, soon seeing the recently killed ninja rise again.
"Less than five minutes. I wonder if this rate of conversion is due to Kaede Tsukasa accelerating at all costs or if it's the normal effect." Orochimaru's eyes showed a strong hint of caution.
It must be accelerated at all costs—Kaede Tsukasa had just replenished a wave of life force, likely for this very purpose.
If it were the normal effect and over a slightly wider range, Zombie Release would already surpass normal ninjutsu. Even a Kage-level ninja couldn't achieve this.
"That lazy bastard, Orochimaru, even counting the snakes, has only taken out five people so far."
Kaede Tsukasa observed Orochimaru through the eyes of the zombies, unsurprised by Orochimaru squatting among the corpses—this was how he always behaved once he deemed a situation controllable.
All the Kumogakure ninja had been eliminated without raising much noise. The surrounding 200-man unit had not noticed anything unusual, and Kumogakure itself was completely unaware.
Time was pressing. Kaede Tsukasa wasn't sure how frequently the seventeen ninja communicated with the 200-man unit; if it exceeded the expected interval, Kumogakure would definitely notice something was wrong.
"Hm, accelerating the conversion of these corpses has consumed too much chakra. I need to hurry."
Kaede Tsukasa first recalled all the zombie ninja skilled in sealing techniques, recovering them one by one. He then ordered Araki to manipulate the dust, surging it toward the small cabin in the Valley.
But it seemed unnecessary—because the lone Eight-Tails Jinchūriki had already sensed something was off.
"Who's there?"
The exhausted Blue B opened the door, looking up at the zombies silently surrounding him.
Orochimaru leapt from the watchtower, touching down on the lake briefly before reaching the shore and standing in front of Blue B.
"You are the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki? Judging by your appearance, you show none of the usual traits of a Jinchūriki. You've gained nothing from the Eight-Tails and are being gradually drained of your energy."
Orochimaru regarded Blue B intently.
"Konoha people? And these corpses… The legendary Konoha Corpse Master has personally come? You are Kaede Tsukasa?" Blue B's expression turned cold.
"Konoha Corpse Master? That title has even reached Kumogakure. Hanzo's efficiency is as high as ever," Orochimaru said, exasperated.
Blue B's chakra began to surge. Coldly, he said, "A fierce battle erupted in the Land of Rain. Each village sent operatives to gather intelligence. Most spies were killed, but some information made it back."
"Then you'll be disappointed. I'm not the Konoha Corpse Master—I'm just his subordinate, assisting him in hunting you."
"Then all of you will die here. Don't equate the Eight-Tails' power with that of the Four-Tails or Five-Tails—it's extremely strong. Kill you, and the Eight-Tails will find the hiding Konoha Corpse Master and kill him too."
Blue B had no intention of holding back.
Attacking without using Eight-Tails chakra personally? Don't be ridiculous. Even without recognizing Orochimaru, Blue B knew this was an extremely dangerous opponent. And the Corpse Master controlling these zombies from behind the scenes would be even more formidable.
If he engaged personally and was killed, it would be true disaster. The Eight-Tails within him would die as well, and the loss to Kumogakure would be immeasurable.
"So he's going straight into Tailed Beast transformation—decisive, but understandable. Your failed creation is always on the verge of losing control. Even without us, you're barely holding it together."
Shadow Snake Hands!
Orochimaru first grabbed Blue B, then summoned countless venomous snakes to swarm him—but it was useless.
The Jinchūriki was far too unique. Just the Tailed Beast cloak alone was like a super battery, a super bulletproof vest, and a medical pack. Even numerous venomous snakes could not pierce its protection.
Whoosh!
The zombies also sprang into action. Terai, the strongest solo fighter, coated his blade with chakra and immediately stabbed through Blue B's heart.
Such decisiveness made Orochimaru raise an eyebrow.
"Incredible. Kaede Tsukasa's audacity surpasses my expectations—he isn't afraid of accidentally killing the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."
Orochimaru's excitement surged—working with someone unafraid of consequences brought unparalleled thrill.
Of course, the risk increased dramatically.
"Ahhhh!!!"
Blue B screamed in agony, immediately entering the half-Tailed Beast transformation. His size expanded rapidly, reaching full Tailed Beast form on the spot.
This meant Blue B's consciousness was once again suppressed—the Eight-Tails had gone online.
"You humans, again, trying to take advantage of me? Endless, relentless… not this time!"
The Eight-Tails burst through the cabin, glancing at the blade embedded in its body. A single finger flicked it away, hot air blasting from its nostrils, but it soon made a slight, curious sound.
It realized it was no longer facing Kumogakure's sealing squad and that no iron chains were reaching for it.
"…Looks like this time is different from before. Kumogakure has been attacked by outsiders, and even the ones sealing me are all dead, right? Hahaha!!" The Eight-Tails erupted into an ear-splitting, boisterous laugh, mocking them extravagantly.
The Eight-Tails had never truly fought in either the First or Second Great Ninja Wars, usually just skirmishing with Kumogakure over the years.
If one were to compare it to how the Nine-Tails hated Konoha, the Eight-Tails didn't harbor that level of resentment toward Kumogakure. Its most painful defeat had merely been when it was captured by Hashirama Senju.
Other than that single crushing loss, its skirmishes with Kumogakure had caused frustration and anger, but it had never truly been humiliated.
At most, it occasionally dueled the Third Raikage one-on-one until both were exhausted, after which Kumogakure's main force would seize the opportunity to seal it in the Amber Purification Bottle. From the Eight-Tails' perspective, losing was just losing; a stalemate with a human was nothing worth complaining about.
It was nothing like the Nine-Tails, repeatedly slaughtered by Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju, then kept bound like a dog by Mito Uzumaki for decades—the pressure and humiliation inflicted by those three were immense.
The Eight-Tails had been particularly displeased over the past two years, all because Kumogakure changed tactics, forcing it into Blue B's body using the iron armor seal.
And Blue B, being psychologically unstable, was constantly anxious and distressed about being a vessel. Facing the Eight-Tails with that mindset, how could it earn its respect?
Only someone like Killer B—with a straightforward, cheerful, and simple-minded personality—would appeal to the Eight-Tails. That's why years later, they became partners, shining in the Third Great Ninja War, and became a stepping stone that elevated Minato Namikaze's prestige.
"Come on, humans! No matter where you come from, since you dare appear before the Eight-Tails, you better be ready to meet death!"
The Eight-Tails aimed at Orochimaru and threw a single punch.
Its massive body and thick arms meant that even a basic punch had destructive power far beyond what ordinary ninja could achieve in a lifetime.
Boom!
The ground cracked, the lake erupted into waves, and torrents surged violently.
"Tailed beasts… I still don't know where these things even come from, or why they exist. They can casually cause such staggering destruction with a single strike."
Orochimaru licked his lips. Facing such a giant, the problem was that, in addition to its fists, there were a multitude of tentacles capable of attacking freely. Outside of using jutsu, there seemed to be no effective countermeasure.
But what technique should he use? Summon ten thousand snakes?
"Even if ten thousand snakes came, it wouldn't help much. The strongest summoned creatures can't defeat the weakest tailed beasts, and this Eight-Tails looks very strong, probably among the top-tier of tailed beasts."
Orochimaru stepped backward across the lake, carefully weighing pros and cons.
Mainly, summoning ten thousand snakes against a giant beast would create a commotion so loud that anyone from Kumogakure watching from afar would immediately recognize Orochimaru attacking the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
If word got out afterward, Orochimaru would have to explain himself to the Third Raikage—too troublesome. Though he had reasons ready, nothing warned Kumogakure more effectively than directly attacking the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
Thinking it through, Orochimaru realized he had no truly powerful means to suppress a tailed beast. In this era, the kind of attacks seen in the Valley of the End or the Fourth Great Ninja War were far out of reach.
No giant-scale attacks, and without strong sealing techniques, facing an Eight-Tails—the second strongest tailed beast after the Nine-Tails—he felt at a loss.
"Then, let's try this."
Summoning Technique: Triple Rashomon!
Three enormous demonic gates descended from the sky—not as a shield in front of Orochimaru, but as projectiles smashing into the Eight-Tails.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three massive impacts struck, and the gates slammed into the ground beside the Eight-Tails.
"This is the first time I've used this S-rank summoning like this—unexpectedly effective." Orochimaru felt pleased, having found a method to counter tailed beasts.
Indeed, even Orochimaru hadn't accumulated much combat experience against tailed beasts. The large-scale use of tailed beast weapons didn't really start until the Third Great Ninja War.
After that war, any ninja not prepared with techniques against tailed beasts couldn't even claim to be at the level of a Kage.
Later on, even if Orochimaru lost both arms and couldn't perform hand seals, he could still shoot a Kusanagi blade from his mouth to strike tailed beasts—or simply bite and use the Cursed Seal to restrain massive enemies.
If it were the current Jiraiya and Tsunade taking action, they still wouldn't have a reliable way to handle a tailed beast. Even if the Third Hokage, revered as a "professor," personally came, no one could confidently say they could defeat the Eight-Tails. Perhaps they could use the Nyoi Staff to restrain it, then bombard it with all five nature release techniques—but that would only work if the Third Hokage had an enormous supply of chakra.
The Third Raikage, on the other hand, had verifiable results. Using his Lightning Release chakra mode, combining the strongest spear and strongest shield, he could match the Eight-Tails in a war of attrition until both were exhausted and collapsed—though technically, both just fainted from fatigue.
The Third Tsuchikage would likely have no problem either. His earth-shattering Dust Release was so devastating that hitting the Eight-Tails with it could create unimaginable, horrific injuries.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! That hurts! Damn it, hitting me with this thing!"
The Eight-Tails' numerous tentacles probed from its sides, slamming against the Rashomon gates. The high-frequency strikes allowed it to quickly break free.
Orochimaru frowned, glancing at the zombies that had scattered.
"Not going to take action yet? I'm curious, Kaima-kun, how exactly do you plan to deal with this giant? You're not really expecting me to handle everything, are you?"
Orochimaru quickly lost interest in the Eight-Tails. His part was done; now his attention shifted to Kaima's next move.
Kaima observed everything from a distance, taking it all in.
"So this is the Eight-Tails, the second-strongest tailed beast… quite interesting," he thought, nodding slightly. He had witnessed the full power of the Nine-Tails before, and now seeing the Eight-Tails firsthand gave him a clearer understanding of tailed beasts' true strength.
This is precisely why capturing a tailed beast's chakra was so valuable.
"Found you!!"
The Eight-Tails lifted its head, glaring at Kaima sitting on a rock. "So it's you controlling those weird corpses from afar? I'll turn you into a corpse myself, so you can stay with them forever!"
Buzz!
The Eight-Tails instantly condensed a Bijuu Dama, blasting it toward Kaima.
The enormous shockwave tore through the air, carving a deep chasm across the lake and ground. Earth shook and mountains quaked, the destructive force threatening to completely erase Kaima from existence.
Neither Orochimaru nor Kaima paid any attention to the Bijuu Dama.
Corpse Conversion: Void Realm Technique!
Kaima instantly appeared before the Eight-Tails. A glance at his substitute zombies showed them tightly pressed against the Bijuu Dama, gradually being crushed by the terrifying force.
Only when the ball hit the distant ground did it suddenly explode.
The two-hundred-strong Kumogakure unit was utterly obliterated.
"What's going on? Did the Eight-Tails go berserk again?"
"We haven't received any communication from our comrades… something's wrong!"
"Hey, look! There's a Bijuu Dama coming toward us from the sky!!"
A massive explosion obliterated the two-hundred-strong unit—almost none survived.
The Eight-Tails froze for a moment, realizing it had made a huge mistake.
Yes, a mistake. In the tug-of-war between Kumogakure and the Eight-Tails, deaths were expected, but usually only a handful of sealing ninjas would perish. Never before had a single encounter wiped out two hundred ninjas at once.
Now it had happened.
This incident further escalated the hatred between the Eight-Tails and Kumogakure.
"What a foolish beast… did you really think I would sit casually on an obvious rock for you to find?"
Kaima shook his head. "Even if you charged at me directly, using fists and tails to attack, nothing like this would happen. But I should thank you—you've successfully weakened Kumogakure's forces."
And in the future, it would weaken them even more. After an event like this, Kumogakure would no longer hold back against the Eight-Tails; any semblance of "mutual understanding" between them was utterly destroyed.
"You infuriating human! Watch me kill you to vent my anger!" The Eight-Tails glared at Kaima, genuinely angry now—mocked and insulted as a mere beast, it felt humiliated.
Kaima calculated the time.
"Hmm, Kumogakure should have reacted by now. The Third Raikage and the future Fourth Raikage will arrive as quickly as possible. My time is limited, but it should be enough—I'm not here to kill the Eight-Tails, just to steal some chakra."
Under Orochimaru's intensely expectant gaze, Kaima acted.
He slapped the lake surface with one hand, instantly summoning a jutsu that rippled across the water, rising upward.
Bang! A coffin was summoned by Kaima's technique.
"Is this it? Kaima-kun's method against the Eight-Tails… summoning a zombie? But what zombie could be more useful than Araki Sandstorm and Terai…?"
Orochimaru was puzzled, then saw Kaima vanish from his spot, replaced by one of the zombies at his side.
"The next part isn't for you to see, Orochimaru. I'll take you somewhere else for a look around."
Ignoring Orochimaru's protests, Kaima forcibly used the Void Realm Technique to transport him away, then returned alone to quietly watch the coffin.
Creak!
The coffin lid opened.
An extremely aged human, hunched and frail, slowly emerged.
The Eight-Tails was stunned, its expression almost humanly confused—an impossibly old human? Was this for real?
Only in Kaima's calm gaze was there a trace of anticipation.
"Come… while I can still use you freely, let me see where your limits lie… Madara."
---
If you can, support me on pa treon:
Pa treon. com/ RightTranslations (No spaces)
Up to 50 chapters ahead.
You can also support by leaving a review