Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 278 Stealing the Ten-Tails, Jigen's Defenses Are Breached
Within the unique alternate dimension of Isshiki Otsutsuki, beneath an eternally unchanging dark purple sky, the ancient altar, inscribed with the marks of countless Otsutsuki clan members, stands silently.

In the center of the altar, beneath that bottomless void, the Ten-Tails, bound by several thick chakra chains and black rods, was emitting a muffled and painful panting.

A black and red vortex portal opened above the altar.

Cixian staggered out, his white feather robe even more tattered than before, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth, and a fine crack appearing on the horn on his forehead. Clearly, he had suffered a great loss of energy and serious injuries in the previous battle.

His appearance immediately triggered a violent reaction from the Ten-Tails below.

The tailed beast, imprisoned for countless years, suddenly raised its head, opened its Rinnegan containing six tomoe, filled with savagery and madness, and opened its massive maw full of fangs, letting out a deafening roar filled with anger and resentment!
"Roar!!!"

Its massive body writhed wildly, trying to break free from the black rods and chains that bound it, causing the entire altar to tremble slightly and the chains to rattle.

Jigen hovered in mid-air, coldly looking down at the struggling Ten-Tails below, as if looking at a tool about to be used.

He slowly raised his hand, covered in black markings, towards the Ten-Tails, his tone carrying a condescending, insincere apology:

"I'm sorry, little pet. I wanted you to accumulate more strength... but the enemies outside are more troublesome than expected." He paused, a glint of greed and ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

"But don't worry, I'll catch that arrogant little bug soon and give it to you as a snack... Now, obediently offer up your chakra!"

As he spoke, the black wedge-shaped mark on his palm glowed with a deep, eerie light once more! A powerful suction force was instantly generated!
"Roar--!!!"

The Ten-Tails let out an even more painful and ferocious roar. The dark red tailed beast chakra on its huge body, which was so dense that it was almost tangible, was forcibly stripped away by an invisible force and turned into surging torrents of energy that rushed madly toward Jigen's palm!

The black patterns on Jigen's body greedily devoured this power, emitting an even deeper, eerie light. His injuries began to heal rapidly, and even his appearance began to subtly change towards the characteristics of Isshiki Otsutsuki's original form. His aura was also steadily increasing.

However, at this crucial moment of power transfer—

hum!
An extremely abrupt sense of intrusion pierced Cixian's senses like a needle!
Almost at the same instant he noticed the anomaly, less than two meters to his side, the space did not distort in any way, but the figure of Mianma appeared out of thin air without any warning!
He didn't even give Jigen any time to react. His right leg, covered in dark red chakra, was like a battle axe that had been ready for a long time. With a sharp whistle that tore through space, it delivered a powerful flying kick that landed precisely on Jigen's side waist!
boom--! ! !
A heavy thud was accompanied by the faint sound of bones cracking!
Cixian had no time to defend or dodge; he was kicked away by the immense force like a kite with a broken string.

It was like a cannonball crashing into the wall at the edge of the altar, which was covered with large wooden carvings!
"Ugh!" Cixian let out a painful groan, spitting out blood again.

What angered and terrified him even more was that this sudden and heavy blow forcibly interrupted his absorption of the Ten-Tails' chakra!

The power that had been flowing into his body suddenly stopped, and the backlash made his internal organs feel like they were being churned up.

Cixian slammed heavily against the wall, slowly sliding down until she knelt on one knee in a disheveled state. She suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with disbelief, horror, and rage!
Above the hole where the Ten-Tails was sealed, Menma's figure stood proudly.

And beneath his feet was the Dark Nine-Tailed Fox, radiating an aura of nothingness and savagery!
The Nine-Tails' nine fiery tails danced wildly in the air, its scarlet eyes fixed on the Ten-Tails below, letting out a low growl filled with provocation and greed.

Menma looked down at the disheveled Jigen from his high position. On his left hand, the terrifying "Small Spiral Wheel" filled with dark chakra had instantly taken shape.

He aimed the ominous energy ball at the altar plaza below.

That key structure that seals the Ten-Tails!

"You bastard!" Cixian roared in extreme anger!
He didn't have time to think about how the other party had broken through the barrier of his alternate dimension and accurately located himself here!

Now, he must stop them from breaking the seal!

He endured the excruciating pain and slammed his hands against the wall behind him, which was covered with markings, frantically pouring the remaining chakra in his body into it!
Om-! ! !
The ancient and mysterious engravings on the wall suddenly lit up!

Especially the marks of Isshiki, Kaguya, Momoshiki, Kinshiki, Urashiki, and other core Otsutsuki at the highest point shone the brightest!
The next moment, several translucent phantoms of Otsutsuki clan members, made of pure energy, rapidly coalesced on the altar plaza!

The phantom of Momoshiki opened its Rinnegan in its palm, the phantom of Kinshiki brandished a giant axe-like weapon, the phantom of Urashiki swung its fishing rod, and even the phantom of Kaguya Otsutsuki raised its hand expressionlessly...

Although these phantoms were less than one ten-thousandth the strength of the original body, when they joined forces, they still exuded a formidable pressure, all aimed at the face above, poised to attack!

However, Mianma's movements were even faster than the coalescing of these phantoms!

"too slow."

His cold voice rang out, and his left hand suddenly swung downwards!
The dark purple "small spiral wheel" was like a falling star of death, carrying an aura of annihilation. Ignoring the newly formed phantoms, it struck the center of the altar plaza with unparalleled precision.

The top of the hole, which was sealed off like a pot lid, was filled with the Ten-Tails!
boom! !

A deafening explosion swept through the entire alternate dimension!
Dark purple chakra spread out like a small nuclear bomb!
The once-solid altar plaza, under the impact of that otherworldly force, was like fragile glass, instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks, before shattering and collapsing with a deafening roar!
A large amount of rubble fell into the cavity below.

The newly formed Otsutsuki phantoms, before they could even launch a decent attack, were completely destroyed by the violent energy impact and structural damage. They flickered violently a few times like candles in the wind before vanishing without a trace.

The seal has been forcibly broken!
"Roar--!!!"

Sensing the sudden weakening of the binding force, the Ten-Tails below unleashed a deafening roar, a mixture of ecstasy and rage!

It struggled frantically, and although its tail was still pinned down by the black rod, its upper body had gained more room to move.

"Little Nine! It's your turn!" Mianma shouted at the Dark Nine-Tailed Fox at his feet.

"Awooo—!!!" The Dark Nine-Tails couldn't wait any longer and let out an excited roar. Its huge body leaped down from the edge of the broken plaza like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, rushing straight toward the Ten-Tails struggling in the hollow below!

The two ferocious beasts, both of enormous size, instantly began to wrestle in the confined space!
With its greater agility and power from another world, the Dark Nine-Tails leaped and bit at the Ten-Tails' massive body. Its dark red chakra tentacles wrapped around it like bloodsucking leeches, frantically drawing out the Ten-Tails' vast, ocean-like chakra!
For Dark Nine-Tails, which had absorbed the chakra of the other eight tailed beasts in the "Limited Tsukuyomi World," absorbing the chakra of the other tailed beasts was as easy as eating.

The Ten-Tails, which was being "absorbed," roared in pain and rage.

It opened its huge mouth, trying to condense a Tailed Beast Ball or bite with its sharp teeth, but its tail was firmly nailed down, restricting its movements. In addition, the Dark Nine-Tails' movements were extremely tricky and slippery, so its counterattacks repeatedly missed. It could only passively endure the Dark Nine-Tails' devouring and attacks in its rage!
As one side weakens and the other gains, the aura of the Dark Nine-Tails becomes increasingly terrifying at a visible speed, while the struggle of the Ten-Tails gradually reveals a hint of weakness.

"You bastard! Your target... is actually the Ten-Tails?!" Jigen finally understood Menma's intentions completely. He was so angry that he trembled all over and his eyes were about to burst!

He grabbed a black chakra rod, sprang up with overwhelming killing intent, and charged straight at Menma, who was standing at the edge of the shattered plaza!

"How could you know?! How could you possibly know it existed?! Even that bitch Kaguya didn't know!!!" Jigen's roar was filled with incomprehensible confusion and extreme anger.

Mianma met the attack without fear, and a black rod also materialized in his hand.

clang!clang!clang!
The two engaged in another fierce close-quarters battle in the air!
Sparks flew everywhere as the black rods clashed, moving so fast that only two blurry figures remained.

Cixian appeared like a madman, his attacks like a raging storm, each strike imbued with a hatred that seemed intent on tearing his opponent apart.

Meanwhile, Menma remained calm and composed, his defense impeccable, and his occasional sharp counterattacks forced Cixian to be cautious.

The more they fought, the greater the horror in Cixian's heart became.

The other party seemed to know everything about him. Not only was their strength unlike that of the natives of this planet, but they also completely countered his spatial combination techniques and even possessed an unheard-of otherworldly tailed beast!
Who is he?
where is he from?
Why do they know so much about themselves and the Otsutsuki clan?!

Countless questions nearly made Cixian's brain explode.

In the midst of this intense battle, Jigen keenly noticed that Menma's right eye, which had always emitted a pale green light, seemed to have dimmed considerably, and his movements were also slightly slower than when he was at his peak!
'That's it! This alternate dimension is isolated from the outside world, and the supply of unknown power linked to his Byakugan can't keep up!' This thought flashed through Cixian's mind in an instant, as if he had seen a ray of light in the darkness!
Just moments ago, Jigen was completely suppressed by Menma, but now he has gradually turned the tide. The two fought back and forth in the air, and were locked in a stalemate with equal strength!
The clanging of the black rods continued incessantly, and energy shockwaves constantly vibrated the already unstable space.

But Cixian felt no joy whatsoever.

He knew perfectly well that if this continued, once the Ten-Tails was completely drained by that strange Dark Nine-Tails and lost its most important source of chakra, his already broken vessel would come to an end, and he wouldn't even have the chance to be forcibly reincarnated!

His face was extremely gloomy, and a hint of determination and madness flashed in his eyes.

'There's no other way... I have to prematurely unfreeze the 'Karma' and reincarnate! Although this vessel is far from perfect, and I might only have a few days to live after reincarnation... only by fully restoring my original power can I completely crush this damned guy and reclaim the Ten-Tails!'

Just as Cixian made this do-or-die decision in his heart, his offensive slowed down slightly, and he prepared to retreat to accumulate strength to launch the Rebirth. At that moment, Mianma, who had been calmly observing the battle, seemed to have keenly sensed his fleeting determination.

'Trying to reincarnate early? Hmph, even at its full potential, I'm not confident I can handle that now…'

Even if he reincarnated early, Isshiki's strength was still among the top of the Otsutsuki clan. Among the known Otsutsuki, only the "ascended" Otsutsuki Shibai and the Otsutsuki Kaguya after eating the fruit of the Divine Tree were stronger than him.

In a flash, Mianma made a quick decision.

You can't go head-to-head with a single move!

He deliberately created an opening. When Cixian launched a powerful sweeping leg attack, he did not take it head-on. Instead, he used the momentum to fly backward like a willow catkin, heading straight for the black hole where the two tailed beasts were fighting below!

His figure landed lightly on the head of the Ten-Tails, which was amidst a scene of chaos and whose chakra was being frantically drained by the Dark Nine-Tails.

The Ten-Tails let out an angry but powerless roar, but it was unable to shake him off.

Menma quickly formed a hand seal, then slammed his right palm down on the top of the wrinkled head of the ten-tailed beast!
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Om-! ! !
A powerful spacetime fluctuation instantly enveloped the vast area centered on him!
Not only him, but also the Ten-Tails beneath his feet and the Dark Nine-Tails feasting on the Ten-Tails, were all firmly locked in place by an invisible spatial force!

"You bastard!!!" Just as Jigen had regained his footing and was about to initiate the reincarnation ritual, he saw this scene and let out a heart-wrenching roar filled with despair and rage!

He rushed forward frantically, trying to stop him, but it was too late!
The next moment, under Jigen's gaze that was almost spitting fire, the figures of the Ten-Tails, the Dark Nine-Tails, and Menma standing on the head of the Ten-Tails disappeared without a trace from this alternate dimension as if they had been erased by an eraser!

All that remained was the utterly destroyed altar, the empty, dark seal cavity, scattered rubble, and the chakra chains that were still swaying slightly... And there was Jigen, who was suspended in mid-air, trembling violently from extreme anger, resentment, and the complete shattering of his plan, and who could no longer maintain his divine posture.

At this moment, Cixian let out a roar filled with endless resentment and frustration, like a wounded beast, which resounded throughout the entire alternate dimension.

"what--!!"

This roar seemed to transcend time and space, resonating with the despair of that night a thousand years ago when Kaguya betrayed him.

………………

The Land of Winds, an endless desert.

The scorching sun hung high in the sky, baking the golden sand sea with waves of heat.

A massive caravan of hundreds of camels moved slowly, like a swarm of ants, winding its way through the sand dunes.

The sound of camel bells, mixed with the shouts of caravan members and the heavy breathing of camels, formed the only melody of life in this sea of ​​death.

Midway through the caravan, Tsunade and Shizune each rode on an exceptionally robust Bactrian camel.

Tsunade was still wearing her tea-green jacket, and the prominent "gamble" character on the back swayed slightly with the camel's steps.

She held a brownish-red gourd in her hand, occasionally tilting her head back to take a sip. The spicy liquid seemed to dispel the desert heat and the slight unease in her heart caused by Jiraiya's departure and the unknown of the Land of Stars.

Shizune, holding her pink and white piglet Ton-Ton, stood behind Tsunade, her wary gaze sweeping over the surroundings from time to time.

A few days ago, after parting ways with Jiraiya in the Land of Grass, they embarked on their journey to the Land of Stars.

The two first arrived at the capital of the Wind Kingdom, trying to find a caravan that went directly to the Star Kingdom, but found that all the publicly listed caravans were tight-lipped about it, only saying that they were going to the border area near the Star Kingdom.

Finally, they found the large caravan led by a middle-aged merchant named Sharo.

Sharo has the dark skin typical of desert peoples, a carefully groomed mustache above his lips, and shrewd and cautious eyes.

At first, Sara was somewhat wary of the two unidentified female ninjas, but after encountering several groups of fierce desert bandits during their journey across the desert, and after Shizune easily defeated all the attackers with her excellent throwing weapons and ninjutsu, Sara's attitude immediately became extremely warm and respectful.

He not only arranged comfortable mounts for the two of them, but also generously provided the caravan with the finest wines and food.

At this moment, Sara was riding his lead white camel, walking alongside Tsunade, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

“Lady Tsunade, if we continue for another half a day, we will see the boundary marker of the Land of Stars.” Sara pointed to the boundless sea of ​​sand ahead and said, “The situation over there is completely different from that of the Land of Wind.”

Tsunade shook her sake gourd and asked casually, "Oh? I heard that a few years ago, the Land of Stars wiped out all the old nobles and daimyo, and now it's a country without nobles? Aren't you merchants afraid of being slaughtered like lambs if you go there?"

Upon hearing this, Sharo quickly waved his hand and lowered his voice, saying, "My lord, you've simply believed the rumors circulating outside! The rules in the Star Kingdom... are indeed different from ours, but they're by no means lawless. They have a very strict set of business laws. As long as you pay taxes according to the regulations and operate legally, not only is your safety guaranteed, but your profits are also much higher than in the Wind Kingdom!"

He paused, a hint of emotion on his face: "To be honest, who wouldn't be afraid at first? But after going a few times, you'll understand. There are no aristocratic sons who bully and plunder the market there, nor are there tax officials who exploit you at every level. Everything is done according to the rules. Although the tax rate looks high on the surface, without those underhanded bribes and extortions, in reality, we earn more and feel more at ease."

Holding Tun Tun, Shizune couldn't help but interject, "Mr. Sharo, since you're actually going to the capital of the Star Kingdom, why didn't any caravans dare to admit it when we inquired in the market of the Wind Kingdom's capital?"

Sharo's shrewd smile faded slightly. He glanced around, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Miss Shizune, you are unaware of this. The Daimyo Prefecture of the Wind Kingdom has explicitly prohibited any form of trade with the Star Kingdom, and violators will be severely punished! How could we merchants dare to openly say that we are going to the Star Kingdom? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble? We can only say that we are going to a nearby border town, and everyone understands the unspoken agreement."

Shizune frowned and continued to press, "Then... what if we encounter border patrol ninjas from Sunagakure checking us? Won't they stop us?"

Sara hesitated for a moment, then glanced subconsciously at Tsunade, who was drinking with her head tilted back. Seeing that she didn't seem to care, she rubbed her hands together and said with a somewhat mercenary and habitual expression, "Well... usually, it's just a matter of spending some money to smooth things over."

Seeing the disapproval and doubt in Shizune's eyes, he further explained, "Although the Daimyo officially forbids it, goods produced in the Star Country are simply too popular."

"It's not just the food, salt, timber, and medicine that the Land of Wind is in short supply, but also those exquisitely crafted luxury goods with miraculous effects, such as chakra-warming jade that is said to be able to regulate the body, highly effective wound ointments, and even sealing scrolls that can preserve food for a long time... These are things that even the noble lords in the capital of the Land of Wind and the people in the daimyo's mansion are willing to pay high prices to secretly acquire."

Sara shrugged, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "So, this ban is just that—a ban. The adults in Sunagakure need to eat and maintain the village's expenses. As long as we're sensible, they usually turn a blind eye. After all, nobody turns down money."

As Shizune listened to this explanation, her brows furrowed even more. Although she was from Konoha and knew about the dark side of the ninja world, the blatant exposure of bribery and unspoken rules still made her feel uncomfortable.

Tsunade simply chuckled and took another swig of sake, as if she were already used to such things.

She had traveled to many countries over the years and had seen far more sordid deals than this.

Just then, several figures suddenly appeared on the sand dunes ahead.

They were dressed in standard ninja uniforms from Sunagakure, with headscarves wrapped around their heads to protect them from the sand. The leader, with sharp eyes, raised his hand to signal the caravan to stop.

"It's a patrol from Sunagakure!" A slight commotion arose in the caravan, and the camel bells stopped ringing.

Sharo's expression changed slightly, and she muttered under her breath, "What bad luck, how did I run into them..."

But he quickly put on that smooth-talking smile again, nimbly jumped off the camel, and jogged to meet her.

He skillfully pulled a heavy-looking small cloth bag from his pocket, and respectfully handed it to the Sand Village squad leader with both hands, his face full of humble smiles.

"My lords, you've had a long journey! This is just a small token, please buy some drinks to quench your thirst..."

The Sand Village squad leader took the bag expressionlessly, weighed it in his hand, and then surprisingly opened the bag and peeked inside.

Upon seeing the gleaming yellow coins inside, a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction appeared on his face. He then casually tucked the money pouch into his pocket.

He casually waved his hand and led his team halfway around the caravan, his gaze sweeping over the goods and people, especially lingering on Tsunade and Shizune for a few seconds, as if he had noticed their identities as ninjas, but in the end he said nothing.

"Alright, no problem, go on." The squad leader lazily ordered, then turned around with his men to leave and continue their "patrol".

Sharo breathed a sigh of relief and quickly urged the caravan to continue on its way.

Shizune watched the departing figures of the Sand Village ninja, her lips moved, but she swallowed back what she wanted to say and simply sighed softly.

Tsunade, however, was unfazed. She raised her sake jug, preparing to take another sip to wash away the dryness of the desert and the slight irritation brought on by what had just happened.

However, just as her lips touched the rim of the pot, and the wine was about to rush into her throat—

Rumble...! ! !
A dull, violent tremor, as if it came from the depths of the earth, suddenly struck without warning!

"Ugh——!"

The camels in the caravan were instantly startled, neighing in terror and pacing restlessly. Some even tried to break free of their reins and escape!

The caravan members were also startled by the sudden earthquake and screamed in terror, causing their formation to fall into chaos!

The Sand Village ninjas, who were just about to leave, hurriedly drew their kunai and other weapons.

"what happened?!"

"Is there an earthquake?!"

"Quickly, steady the camel!"

Tsunade slammed down the sake jug, spilling sake all over her, but she was completely unaware.

Shizune immediately hugged Tun Tun tightly, stood up alertly, and looked in the direction from which the vibration came.

On the distant horizon, a massive "sand dune" is slowly rising!
No, that's not a sand dune!
As it rose higher, it revealed a massive, twisted, pale body that resembled a withered tree, with tails like giant pythons waving wildly behind it, stirring up the yellow sand that filled the sky!

Most chillingly, at the top of that colossal creature, a gigantic single eye, brimming with an aura of madness and savagery, suddenly opened!

“Ouch——!!!”

A terrifying roar, seemingly filled with endless destructive desire, stirred up giant waves in the sea of ​​sand, instantly sweeping across the entire desert!
The immense chakra pressure contained in the voice caused everyone and the camels present to feel a shiver and suffocation from the depths of their souls!
Tsunade suddenly spat out the mouthful of sake she had just drunk!

Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes widened instantly, her face filled with unprecedented shock and disbelief. She stared intently at the terrifying behemoth in the distance that seemed to connect heaven and earth, and exclaimed in a trembling voice, "That's... a tailed beast?! How is this possible?! This chakra... this size... could it be... the One-Tailed Shukaku going berserk?!"

The fact that Shukaku, a ninja from Sunagakure, is prone to berserk behavior is not a secret to the higher-ups of the various ninja villages.

Meanwhile, Shizune, holding the trembling Tonton in her arms, stared in disbelief as she counted the tails behind the giant beast in the distance.

"One, two, three... nine... ten?!"

"Lady Tsunade! Ten...ten tails?!"

[PS: Here's a picture of Tsunade with glasses from "Road to Ninja the Movie." She's been nerfed to an epic degree, but the glasses have added a slightly lewd vibe, making her look easy to bully.]

(End of this chapter)