Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

Under the blood-red moon, at the far end of the horizon, a monstrous being loomed like an immense seed. The Ten Tails stared straight at the distant Ninja Alliance with its blood-red, Rinnegan adorned with six tomoe.

Although it had successfully been revived and no one was restraining its movements, the Ten Tails remained motionless, occasionally shifting its frightening gaze. It seemed to be waiting for something.

"Is that monster waiting for the masked man?" TenTen, casually holding her fishing rod, stared uneasily at the colossal figure in the distance. She muttered to herself, "If he can control such a terrifying creature, it's going to be an incredibly tough fight…"

Even though she wielded powerful ninja tools like the Bashōsen and fishing rod, TenTen felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She hadn't expected these tools—ones that made her proud in normal battles—to have such limited impact in this war.

"Ah…" The cheers of the Ninja Alliance reached her ears, breaking her thoughts.

"Lady Tsunade is always so heroic!" TenTen glanced at Tsunade, standing at the forefront of the Five Kage, a mix of admiration and envy in her gaze. So this is what it means to be a 'legendary kunoichi.' Even with powerful tools, I still have a long way to go.

Determined to do better, TenTen's gaze bypassed Tsunade to scan the crowd for Kirito. She had seen the earlier scene when Kirito suppressed Susanoo with Myojinmon, so she was sure he was on the battlefield. But no matter where she looked, she couldn't find him.

"Really, where are you…" she murmured, feeling a little annoyed.

Suddenly—

Slap!

A palm lightly landed on TenTen's shoulder, startling her.

Whoosh! Instinctively, she jumped back, gripping the Bashōsen tightly and holding it across her chest. Her eyes widened when she saw the familiar white-haired boy smiling at her.

Though she let out a sigh of relief, her ninja instincts reminded her to stay sharp—this was still a dangerous battlefield. A sudden attack like that could have ended her if the person had been an enemy.

"You scared me, you jerk!" TenTen scowled at Kirito, who was clearly amused.

"Hey, I was just messing with you since you seemed distracted. I'm sorry!" Kirito apologized with a grin. "So, how's it going? Getting used to it?"

Still frowning, TenTen held up the Bashōsen and waved it proudly. "It's incredible! It's really easy to use!"

She twirled it slightly, continuing, "No matter what I want to summon—waves, wind, lightning—as long as I can think of it, it happens.

"The only downside is that it drains chakra like crazy. If it weren't for the medicine you gave me, I'd have collapsed a long time ago."

"Keep it if you like it. You earned it as a spoil of war," Kirito replied nonchalantly.

"Really? Isn't this a treasure of the Cloud Village? What if they come to claim it after the war?" TenTen asked, her worry returning.

"This treasure originally belonged to the Sage of Six Paths, not the Cloud Village," Kirito said, shrugging. "If they want it back, tell them to come talk to me."

Hearing Kirito's confident assurance, TenTen finally relaxed. She looked down at the Bashōsen with a joyful expression, feeling grateful and proud.

Meanwhile, Tsunade and the other Kage arrived at the forefront of the Ninja Alliance.

"Shikaku, do we have a plan to deal with the Ten Tails?" Tsunade asked through telepathic communication.

"There's a preliminary strategy based on our previous experience dealing with tailed beasts. However, the lack of information about the Ten Tails means we can't guarantee success," Shikaku responded.

Tsunade pondered for a moment. "So, someone needs to test its strength first."

"Yes," Shikaku confirmed.

While it was labeled as a "test," Tsunade knew it would be as good as sending someone to their death. That's why she hesitated to give the order.

"First Division, ready!" Darui stepped forward to report.

"Second Division, ready!" Kurotsuchi announced firmly.

"Third Division, ready!" Kakashi called out.

Tsunade and the other Kage passed through the ranks of ninja, organizing their forces as they went. Despite heavy casualties, the coalition remained strong and united.

"Hokage, we should strike now while that monster remains inactive," said Raikage, clenching his fists.

"I agree," Onoki added, floating mid-air. "This is our chance to test its abilities and gain the upper hand. If we wait too long, it'll be too late."

Seeing no objections, Tsunade nodded. "Let's proceed."

"Understood," Shikaku's calm voice echoed in their minds. "All forces must move close enough to engage the Ten Tails. Long-range attacks are ineffective at this distance."

He then linked all the coalition forces telepathically, ensuring everyone received the plan.

"Next, all coalition forces will advance and attack the Ten Tails together!" Tsunade shouted.

"OOOH!!" The collective roar of the Ninja Alliance filled the air as they charged toward the monstrous Ten Tails.

On the other side of the battlefield, Obito landed on the massive forehead of the Ten Tails.

Clack! As he touched down, a tentacle-like appendage extended from the Ten Tails and connected to the back of Obito's head.

"Roar!!"

The previously still Ten Tails let out a deafening roar that echoed across the battlefield.

(End of this chapter)