Zombie Sage in Naruto

Chapter 226: Capture them and turn them into the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki; that way, they'll definitely be able to fight against Konoha.
Young ninjas may have certain expectations for their talents and potential, but for veteran ninjas like Onoki who have exhausted their potential, they have long recognized the harsh reality.

No matter how hard he trains, he can't possibly be stronger than Kaedejima, Madara, and others, nor can he overthrow Konoha, which oppresses Iwagakure and forces it to periodically sacrifice a batch of ninjas to gain a respite.

No matter how you look at it, the future is bleak. If the situation in the ninja world can continue in this way, then merely surviving might not be such a bad way to live.

But Onoki had already realized that it was impossible. Over the years, Konoha had been slowly cutting flesh away with a dull knife. Konoha had already captured and harvested too many ninjas from Iwagakure. Just like a highly skilled medical ninja, every cut would remove a little more flesh than the flesh that would grow back on its own.

Iwagakure is slowly weakening and will eventually become so weak that it will not be able to build a complete border defense. Once it can no longer supply Konoha with enough offerings, the entire village will completely collapse.

A village without any harvesting value has no reason to exist, and Tsukasa Kaede will definitely devour the entire Iwagakure village. Onoki clearly realized this.

So he had to take a gamble, while he still had the strength to fight and wasn't too old to fight, he had to do something.

"Is that the Ten-Tails? It has destroyed the Land of Rice Fields beyond recognition. This country is finished."

Ōnoki flew high in the sky, watching the Ten-Tails slowly moving in the distance, and then turned his head to look at the capital of the Land of Rice Fields, which had just been destroyed by the Ten-Tails.

This country is completely beyond saving. Even though the Ten-Tails didn't unleash a barrage of Tailed Beast Balls and its killing methods were extremely "restrained," relying solely on taijutsu, a single basic attack could still trigger a large-scale hurricane, easily devastating a prosperous city.

Countless people died. How could ordinary people, migrating on foot or with livestock, keep up with the speed of the Ten-Tails? Countless people were stuffed into the Ten-Tails' mouth and eaten.

Under Onoki's watchful eye, the Ten-Tails stuffed several Land of Rice Fields ninjas wrapped around its tail into its mouth and swallowed them whole.

"Hmph, eating people directly, they really are low-intelligence creatures, far inferior to even the nine tailed beasts." Onoki's lips curled up, making no attempt to hide his contempt.

The nine tailed beasts killed many people, but it was never heard that any of them were specifically looking to eat people—tailed beasts don't need to eat to survive, but the Ten-Tails seems to be an exception.

Is it because they are newly born, in their infancy, and have too little intelligence, that they instinctively and mindlessly eat people? Or... is there really a need to eat people to achieve some purpose?

"It only eats ninjas? It seems it's not for their flesh and blood, but for their chakra. This thing needs a lot of chakra to replenish itself?"

Onoki grew increasingly perplexed. Even from this distance, he could feel the extreme ominousness and oppressive aura emanating from the Ten-Tails, as if facing a natural disaster itself. Why would such a terrifying entity, already possessing an astonishing amount of chakra, need to replenish its chakra? And by resorting to such an inefficient and brutal method as cannibalism?

"Hmm! Shouldn't tailed beasts be a different kind of impure world resurrection, possessing a certain amount of unlimited chakra that can be automatically replenished when used up? But why does that guy look like a reincarnated starving ghost? Hmm!"

"Hmph, it seems we're on the same page. I thought so too—Deidara, you bastard, what are you doing here?!"

Onoki was focused on thinking and didn't sense any killing intent or attack, so he subconsciously responded with a sentence, then immediately realized what he had done and flew into a rage.

Deidara sat cross-legged on the large bird he had sculpted, looking very relaxed: "What does it matter? I'm already nine years old. Continuing to study at school is a waste of time. Ordinary Chunin are no match for me. It's better to train through real combat, hmm!"

Ōno Kito was completely numb.

You? Nine years old, and your training method is to fight the Ten-Tails?

Even if it were replaced by Kaede Tsukasa—oh, right, 9-year-old Kaede Tsukasa is still a good-for-nothing.

"Even Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were not as arrogant as you, calling suicide a form of training!" Onoki roared.

If it were anyone else from Iwagakure facing the hot-tempered Onoki, they would probably have chickened out long ago. Even Han and Roshi from before would have continued to argue verbally, but would have backed down in action.

Deidara wasn't afraid at all: "If we don't surpass Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, how can we save the village? Isn't this the only way to turn the tide? Having absolute strength greater than theirs can change everything?"

“That’s true, but this isn’t something you should be thinking about at your age. You haven’t even developed your Explosion Release bloodline limit yet. I absolutely will not allow you to participate in this kind of operation. Go back. You and Kurotsuchi are the future of the village, and we cannot afford to lose you.”

Onoki opened his arms and pointed them directly at Deidara: "Either I send you to outer space now using the Light-Heavy Rock Technique, or you go back by yourself and I'll capture the Ten-Tails by myself."

"Tsk, I wasn't planning on participating in the battle anyway. I was just observing from a distance. This is a brand new tailed beast. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll definitely become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki. Or are you planning to seal this guy inside yourself at your advanced age? Hmm!"

Deidara was hatching his own scheme.

He wasn't stupid, and Onoki was even more cunning. Both of them knew very well that Deidara could never reach the level of Madara and Hashirama—at least relying solely on Explosion Release bloodline limit, he could never compare to the Sharingan and Wood Release!

Both the Sharingan and Wood Release are super bloodline limits that allow one to easily pilot a Gundam or unleash devastating attacks. It has now been revealed that the ultimate bloodline limit of the Sharingan is actually the Rinnegan. Edo Tensei Madara possesses the Rinnegan, and Nagato is likely a descendant of the Uchiha clan. Even the Sage of Six Paths became a member of the Uchiha clan.

But even those who thought it was nonsense couldn't find strong evidence to refute it for a while. Madara's eyes don't lie. Based on Onoki's understanding of Madara, such an arrogant and conceited guy wouldn't use lies to cover up his true self.

As for Explosion Release... it's just an acquired bloodline limit, it can't even be inherited through bloodline, how can it compare to Sharingan and Wood Release? Although Wood Release doesn't have bloodline inheritance either, the existence of Hashirama cells is no secret now. Any cell can grow into a lush tree, the vitality of which is simply exaggerated.

Onoki was trying to find a way out of the predicament, and capturing the new tailed beast with ten tails was definitely the only clear and reliable way.

Just as Deidara said, once the capture is successful, Deidara will definitely be the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure. Judging from the power of the Ten-Tails, the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki must be stronger than Han and Roshi, right? And much stronger!
I just don't know how it compares to the Nine-Tails.

"We'll have to capture the Ten-Tails first, and then we'll see if you have the aptitude to be a vessel." Onoki stared at the Ten-Tails, completely reckless. If they didn't do this, there was no way out, and Iwagakure would be doomed sooner or later!

"Hmm! By then I'll be able to rival the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, right? Plus, with my Explosion Release, I'll definitely become the strongest Jinchuriki." Deidara thought with anticipation.

The reason for comparing it to the Nine-Tails is twofold: firstly, the Nine-Tails is recognized as the strongest tailed beast; secondly, people don't know just how strong the Nine-Tails really is!

Since the beginning of the Ninja Village era, Madara had captured the Nine-Tails. After the final battle at the Valley of the End, Hashirama brought the Nine-Tails back to Konoha and had it sealed inside Mito Uzumaki's body. Since then, the Nine-Tails has never had the chance to show its power again.

Onoki didn't have any direct knowledge of the Nine-Tails. Whether it was during Hashirama and Madara's time, or during the Third Shinobi World War when he confronted Kushina Uzumaki with Han and others, he never actually witnessed the Nine-Tails' true strength. So he could only guess.

"The power of a tailed beast is not simply determined by the number of its tails. I hope the power of the Ten-Tails will not disappoint me." Onoki began to suffer from the frustration of his Dust Release and aimed his Dust Release at the Ten-Tails from afar.

"The Ten-Tails' eyes are very strange, like a fusion of the Sharingan and Rinnegan. Old man, you need to be more vigilant. Whether I can become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki depends entirely on you. You must work hard, hmm!" Deidara looked into the distance through his binoculars.

Then he saw the Ten-Tails suddenly turn its head to look at him, its huge single eye radiating endless evil power, which made Deidara instinctively shudder.

"It's spotted us! Get out of here! If you get caught in this and die, I'll have no choice but to give the Ten-Tails to Kurotsuchi!"

Onoki roared, "Dust Release: Particle Style!"

A beam of light pierced through space and struck the Ten-Tails squarely.

However, aside from momentarily pausing the ridiculously large Ten-Tails, it failed to inflict any effective and powerful damage.

Seeing this, Deidara immediately began to urge the giant bird beneath his feet to flee frantically: "Old man, something seems wrong. Your strongest ninjutsu isn't working. Don't die! If you can't win, run!"

Onoki watched Deidara walk away and thought, "Hmph, that kid's not completely stupid..."

He immediately saw that the Ten-Tails began to condense a huge Tailed Beast Ball, aimed at the direction Deidara was fleeing.

"Don't try to succeed!"

Onoki immediately used Dust Release to blast the Tailed Beast Ball, prematurely detonating the massive ball. A large portion of the powerful explosion struck the Ten-Tails, which was very close by, catching it off guard. The Ten-Tails was engulfed by the shockwave and was violently shaken.

But that was all. The Ten-Tails quickly got up as if nothing had happened. Its huge, round eye had become flat, as if it were scrutinizing Onoki, the insect, and it made a gurgling sound that was hard to understand.

If Jigen were here, he would be very familiar with the Ten-Tails' behavior—every time he forcibly extracted the Ten-Tails' chakra, the Ten-Tails would put on this irritable yet helpless posture.

The Ten-Tails, Onoki, is not without options. Since its escape, it has killed countless people and devoured numerous ninjas, so it naturally doesn't take the natives of this planet seriously.

Moreover, the power used by these natives, called chakra, originated from the natural energy of the planet absorbed by the other Ten-Tails.

"Such a huge Tailed Beast Ball, even a close-range explosion couldn't harm it in the slightest, this is really..." Onoki felt extremely solemn, vaguely realizing that the Ten-Tails' special nature was probably beyond his comprehension.

He genuinely believed that the Ten-Tails was a newly born tailed beast, ignorant and lacking in intelligence, and that it might mature in a few years, becoming able to speak and possess its own personality like the other nine tailed beasts.

After all, the origin of the tailed beasts is a mystery. They have fought against the ninjas for a very long time, so they might be immortal creatures like the Ten-Tails, born from nature.

But now it seems...

"Could that eye really be..."

Onoki was filled with doubt and uncertainty, but he soon had no time to think about such questions because the Ten-Tails made its move.

A tail flicked slowly, then suddenly lashed out, the terrifying impact seeming to tear space itself apart, carrying a storm powerful enough to rip a human body apart, instantly traversing several kilometers.

Earth Release: Weighted Rock Technique!

Onoki descended rapidly, pressing one hand to the ground, greatly increasing the weight of the ground beneath his feet. The immense weight caused the nearby ground to quickly cave in, allowing Onoki to hide underground and successfully avoid the attack.

He looked up and watched helplessly as a section of the ground was forcibly scraped up.

Onoki had no time to hesitate. He flew at high speed close to the ground to close the distance, and at the same time used the Weighted Rock Technique again to make the Ten-Tails' body also dent. He also formed hand seals again.

"Earth Release·Shantu Technique!"

Onoki used Jitsuchi's most proficient S-rank Earth Release ninjutsu: "Jitsuchi, this time I'll use your technique to fight for the survival of Iwagakure. If we miss this chance, Iwagakure will never have another one..."

Rumble!
The earth trembled violently, and two rocky hemispheres emerged from either side of the Ten-Tails' body. As Onoki suddenly clasped his hands together, the two rocky hemispheres began to close abruptly, violently squeezing the Ten-Tails' body.

The ten-tailed creature extended its incredibly thick claws and pressed them against the rocky hemisphere, wrestling with it. As the ground trembled more intensely, its emotions became increasingly agitated.

This level of physical sealing is completely ineffective against it; on the contrary, it is only delaying its efforts to seize more chakra.

However, Onoki was unaware of this, and seeing the Ten-Tails stuck there, he was immediately excited.

First, the Weighted Rock Technique was used to restrain the Ten-Tails, then the Mountain Earth Technique was used to press the Ten-Tails down from both sides, and finally...

"Dust Release: Limit Demise Technique! I refuse to believe that you, this new tailed beast, are truly immortal! Even the strongest tailed beast will die!"

Onoki launched an even more destructive cube, which went straight for the Ten-Tails. Onoki's eyes revealed deep anticipation, hoping to see the Ten-Tails defeated by his series of tactical attacks. He hoped to personally capture a powerful tailed beast for Iwagakure to enhance the village's strength!

The Ten-Tails simply extended one of its tails to block the rocky hemisphere on one side, freeing up one hand to point a finger at the Dust Release cube.

(End of this chapter)