Chapter 293: Terror Chat Room, the Disappearing Group Members

"To think they are so scattered, and two are only in the water."

Flipping through the intelligence "freeloaded" from the Void Realm, Uchiha Madara paced through the quiet jungle. A faint light flickered in his pitch-black eyes, which were filled with deep thought.

According to the intelligence, these Tailed Beasts were spread across every corner of the ninja world. Some lived on vast plains, some were long entrenched between canyons, and others wandered in rivers, lakes, and seas, as if each had its own territory and did not cause territorial conflicts.

Haxi-lama's Wood Style should not be able to exert its full power when fighting on water, so he would graciously accept those few in the water.

"No rush for the two in the water; they will be in my pocket sooner or later. So, let's start with the Four-Tails!"

After some analysis, Uchiha Madara chose the Four-Tails, which lived at the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, as his first prey.

No time like the present; set off now.

Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed, instantly turning scarlet, and a layer of blue cloak emerged around his body. As he rose layer by layer, a massive tengu giant stood between heaven and earth. With a spread of its wings, the immense wind pressure blew the surrounding trees into disarray.

"Set off! Hokage, I, Uchiha Madara, am destined to be it!"

Controlling the Complete Body Susanoo, Uchiha Madara locked onto the direction of his target and transformed into a bolt of blue lightning. In an instant, he tore through the floating clouds in the sky, carving a long, narrow dividing line across the azure heavens.

"What a rash young man, not at all as steady as Gin-san~"

Her fair, bare feet stepping on the gray tiles of the roof, the lazy woman who had just handed the intelligence to Uchiha Madara tapped the smoking pipe in her hand. She smoothed out her sideburns, which had been ruffled by the powerful wind pressure, and shook her head as she evaluated the blue giant disappearing into the skyline.

"But he is full of drive, unlike Gin-san who is so sluggish~"

On the other side, on a vast plain within the Land of Fire, a bolt of white lightning was galloping. Five pure white tails fluttered behind it, and scorching steam boiled around its body, roasting everything in its vicinity.

Today, as usual, King Mu, who loved to run freely, was happily frolicking in its territory, not sensing the arrival of danger at all. Its four hooves moved fast, and this comfortable feeling made it exclaim how pleasant it was.

"Hey, hey, hey, is anyone there?"

Just as King Mu was running in self-oblivion, a voice rang out in its mind. Hearing the familiar voice, it immediately braked its hooves, tilted its head, and replied in its heart.

"This voice, is it Shukaku?"

Immediately, it entered the chat room exclusive to Tailed Beasts, looking at the pitch-black surroundings where only one chubby figure stood.

"Hmph~ besides that stupid raccoon, who else would take the initiative to chat~"

Just as King Mu finished asking, a flustered voice cut in, full of schadenfreude. Then, a slender figure draped in a fiery red cloak slowly paced out.

"Kurama, you idiot!"

The chubby one who initiated the chat, upon hearing this harsh voice, cursed in a fit of exasperation.

"Stop arguing, stop arguing. Shukaku, what happened?"

Just as the two voices were about to quarrel, a gentle voice sounded. A cat with a body glowing with ghostly blue flames emerged from the shadows, kindly trying to mediate the fight.

"Matatabi, how have you been lately?"

Seeing the big blue cat, King Mu asked with a smile.

"Not bad, feeling quite bored~"

Licking its own paws, the big cat named Matatabi answered lazily.

"What about the others?"

"I'm here~" A simple, honest voice sounded. A small turtle slowly crawled out from the darkness, its ignorant single eye filled with innocence.

"It's so hot lately, I feel like I'm going to melt~" A creature shaped like a slug said in a soft, toddler-like voice.

"I am cocooning, do not disturb~" This voice came from a pure white cocoon; it seemed its owner was undergoing a transformation.

"Hi~ it's so stuffy! Does anyone want to have a fight!" Following a rough voice, eight octopus-like tentacles suddenly appeared, topped by a burly minotaur looking down on the whole scene.

"Looks like everyone is in high spirits. Any news lately? Tell me about it~"

Looking at the lively other Tailed Beasts, the chubby Shukaku rubbed its big belly, a deep sense of envy hidden in its copper-coin eyes, and then asked in a muffled voice.

Ever since being sealed by the people of the Land of Wind, it had lost contact with the outside world. Listening to monks chanting and ringing bells every day, it was going crazy and could only pop into the Tailed Beast chat room from time to time to listen to news.

"Heh, stupid Shukaku, you are simply the shame of the Tailed Beasts. No wonder the old man only gave you one tail back then; he must have foreseen that you would be this pathetic~"

The fiery red figure bared its teeth, looking at the longing Shukaku, and laughed while clutching its stomach.

"Using tails to measure strength is the most idiotic approach, Kurama!"

Hearing the mockery of its arch-rival, Shukaku was instantly furious. If it weren't for being in the chat room, it would have definitely made this stinky fox eat a few Air Bullets.

"Ha~ isn't it?"

The fox lying on the ground asked with narrowed eyes, puzzled.

"I agree with Shukaku's point; the number of tails doesn't represent anything~"

The big blue cat shook its head and said righteously.

"Hahaha, then let's have a fight!"

Gyuki excitedly curled its eight tentacles, its eyes full of irritable energy scanning the surrounding Tailed Beasts, and issued a challenge.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't forget the old man's instructions. We Tailed Beasts should stay as far away from each other as possible; it's best if we never meet in this lifetime~"

The one-eyed turtle poked its head out, its single eye filled with thought, and then reminded the Tailed Beasts.

"Uh, then why did I see you passing by my place last week?"

Stretching out a tentacle to scratch its horns, Gyuki asked in confusion.

"That? I saw a plump turtle and wanted to make friends with it; I didn't notice I had entered your territory."

Isobu shrank its head in embarrassment, its words full of shyness. That turtle carrying an island seemed to be controlled by humans; should it go and play the hero saving the beauty~

"Stupid Shukaku, what does it feel like to be imprisoned by humans~"

Just as the few Tailed Beasts were chatting, Kurama, whose heart was a bit mischievous, rolled its eyes and asked the somewhat lonely Shukaku.

"Yeah, yeah, tell us~"

The other Tailed Beasts who hadn't been imprisoned yet immediately crowded around, their ignorant big eyes blinking as they waited for Shukaku to speak.

After all, at most they had been captured by humans and used as disposable nuclear weapons; they hadn't tasted the bitterness of imprisonment yet.

"Hmph~ who says I was imprisoned by humans? I am merely accepting the offerings of humans. They even sing to me every day; it couldn't be more comfortable~"

Having been imprisoned in the temple for many years, Shukaku immediately answered with a stiff neck.

"Really? How come I remember that a Tailed Beast was crying and wailing here before~"

Regarding Shukaku's words, Kurama was the first not to believe it. It looked suspiciously at the chubby raccoon and exposed the truth.

"Shut up! I was listening to songs; can't the singing be too moving?"

The exposed raccoon immediately jumped up, its copper-coin-like eyes full of anger, and then shouted loudly.

"Just wait, you idiot fox, one day you will also be ridden by humans like a dog, being ordered around!"

"You think I'm an idiot like you?"

Kurama rolled its eyes. Besides the old man and his two sons, it hadn't been afraid of anyone~

"Wait, has anyone seen Sun Wukong?"

King Mu looked at the two fighting with a smile. As a collection of chakra belonging to the same source, they Tailed Beasts were essentially brothers and sisters. Just as it scanned the other Tailed Beasts around, it suddenly realized one seemed to be missing, and then asked with a frown.

"Huh? Yeah, why didn't it come? It's usually the one who loves warming up the crowd the most~"

Gyuki touched its chin, also feeling a bit strange. During usual gatherings, Sun Wukong was the most active one. Why was it so abnormal today? They had been chatting for so long, and the other party still hadn't logged on.

"Da~ da~ da~"

The other Tailed Beasts also noticed the absence of Sun Wukong and stopped communicating, starting to try to call the Four-Tails. After a long while, a sturdy figure, as if receiving a summons, slowly paced out from the darkness.

"Everyone, be careful, someone is—"

Just as the Tailed Beasts breathed a sigh of relief, they saw the sturdy figure of the Four-Tails rapidly shrinking. In the astonished eyes of the Tailed Beasts, Sun Wukong, who hadn't even shown its face, squeezed out half a sentence with its last bit of strength. Then, accompanied by a cold force that chilled the Tailed Beasts to the bone, its figure disappeared from the Tailed Beast chat room.

"What happened!"

The somewhat timid Six-Tails Saiken, upon sensing that cold force, felt as if it had encountered a natural enemy and couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.

"This feeling, is it Indra?"

Matatabi, who was proficient in Yin Release, felt its hair stand on end. That fleeting cold force was clearly the old man's bad-tempered eldest son.

They Tailed Beasts had all lived in the shadow of the old man's two sons during their youth. One would glare at them at every turn, and the other, although honest and simple, would also beat them with wooden sticks to prevent them from hurting people.

"Impossible, how many years has Indra been dead!"

Kurama shook its head. As a wanderer who had roamed the ninja world for many years, it knew human strength like the back of its hand. Indra had long since died of old age. Although there were his descendants in the ninja world now, their strength was far from as formidable as his.

"Then what's going on with Sun Wukong?"

Gyuki, on the side, had its eight tentacles pulled tight, sweeping away its previous arrogant posture, and asked with some suspicion and uncertainty.

"King Mu, you are closer to Sun Wukong, go see what happened."

Seeing the Tailed Beasts were all panic-stricken, Kurama, who considered itself the big brother, stood out and turned to instruct King Mu.

"Uh, okay."

If it were usual times, King Mu might have retorted a couple of times—who wasn't a Tailed Beast? But the situation was a bit subtle now; it seemed someone was coveting them. For the sake of the big picture, it didn't say anything more, nodded, and then exited the Tailed Beast chat room.

"I remember, Sun Wukong's home is over there~"

On the plain, King Mu shook its big head. After confirming the location of the volcanic group where the Four-Tails Sun Wukong lived, it immediately stepped out with its four hooves, turned into a white light, and disappeared from the spot in an instant.

"Deng~ deng~ deng~"

King Mu's four hooves made a crisp sound, and the steam radiating from its body roasted everything around it. Just as it was charging headlong, on the only path ahead not far away, a figure with long hair fluttering stood there, rubbing its hands and waiting for its arrival.

"Uh, why is there a human here? Forget it, seeking death on your own, can't blame me."

King Mu, in the middle of its gallop, suddenly glanced at a tiny human not far away. But just as humans wouldn't change their path for an ant, it, as a Tailed Beast, wouldn't stop its pace for a mere human. It then accelerated, crashing toward the human who was seeking its own death.

The horns on its head could split mountains and crack rocks~

"Is this a Tailed Beast? Indeed, as Tobirama said, it is a dangerous creature."

Senju Hashirama, who had been waiting for a long time, looked at the huge Tailed Beast charging at him, his brows slightly furrowed. He could sense the boiling chakra in King Mu's body. If this creature were thrown into a city, it wouldn't take half an hour for the city to be destroyed and its people killed.

"This human, does he not want to live?"

King Mu looked at the human who was about to die under its hooves. Just as this thought flashed through its mind, it sensed a surge of energy full of majestic vitality. In surprise, it suddenly discovered that the human in front of it was actually emitting an aura it was familiar with.

"This is... Asura's power?"

"Fast speed, then. Wood Style: Deep Forest Bloom!"

Hashirama Senju watched the extremely fast and agile Matatabi, a flash of contemplation in his eyes, then slapped his hands on the ground to activate the ninjutsu he had only recently mastered.

Following the infusion of Wood Style power, in an instant, countless giant hands sprouted from the ground, aggressively reaching out to grab the bewildered Matatabi.

"Huh? Seriously!"

Seeing the familiar Wood Style reaching for it, Matatabi shuddered reflexively and instinctively used its signature Boil Style, attempting to destroy these giant wooden hands before it.

"Boom!"

But things went contrary to its wishes; Matatabi discovered in despair that its pride-and-joy Boil Style, when hitting Hashirama Senju's Wood Style, was like a tickle. The wooden hands that had just been scorched and shattered quickly sprouted new buds, one after another, reaching out to grab it.

"Could this human be a descendant of Asura?"

Overwhelmed, Matatabi had long since lost its initial arrogance. With thoughts of retreat, it prepared to use its hooves to run away, but Hashirama Senju had already seen through its little scheme. The moment before it retreated, he clapped his hands.

"Wood Style: Wood Human Technique."

The simple-minded Arhat appeared once again. As soon as it emerged, it whipped out the several wooden dragons coiled around its body, curling toward Matatabi from several tricky angles.

"Oh no!"

Matatabi's heart tightened; it could clearly sense the terrifying aura contained within those wooden dragons. It immediately opened its large mouth, and a dark sphere began to brew inside.

"Tailed Beast Bomb!"

"How could I let you pull that off!"

With his superior combat instincts, the moment Hashirama Senju saw the Tailed Beast Bomb in Matatabi's mouth, his body moved. He steered the Wood Human in a wild sprint, appearing before Matatabi a second before the Tailed Beast Bomb could be fired.

"Boom!"

The Wood Human's giant hand pressed directly onto Matatabi's forehead. The overwhelming force made it shut its mouth instantly, and that ball of Tailed Beast Bomb, containing immense destructive power, became a dud, dissipating into a wave of air that scattered in all directions.

With the Tailed Beast Bomb forcibly interrupted, the furious Matatabi could no longer care about nostalgia. It struggled to stand up, the scorching aura radiating from its body making the surrounding air stiflingly hot.

"This is a bit troublesome~"

Hashirama Senju narrowed his eyes. Tailed Beasts were not true living beings, so they could not be knocked unconscious. Even if he suppressed it with the Wood Human, this Tailed Beast would continue to resist, and if he were the least bit careless, it would escape.

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence."

Suddenly, Hashirama Senju seemed to remember something. He raised his right hand, and the character for "Seat" appeared on his palm. The Wood Human he sat upon also simultaneously manifested this character on its giant wooden palm. A strange, sleep-inducing power emanated from the wooden palm pressed against Matatabi's head.

"Hoo~ hoo~ hoo~"

Before long, Matatabi, which had been struggling violently just moments ago, was now sleeping like a dead pig. Satisfied that it would not suddenly lash out again, Hashirama Senju withdrew his hand.

"It seems training at Shikkotsu Forest was the right choice. These ninjutsu I've realized are actually so useful~"

Controlling the Wood Human to hoist the soundly sleeping Matatabi, Hashirama Senju headed toward the Hidden Leaf Village in high spirits.

"Hehe, Madara, I'm sure to win~"

"Matatabi, Matatabi? Matatabi!"

In the chat room, the Tailed Beasts waiting anxiously were horrified to discover that no matter what, they could not contact Matatabi, who had just left. In an instant, an aura called terror permeated the entire space.

The Tailed Beasts looked at each other in dismay. They had never encountered such a situation before. Even if some of them were accidentally controlled by humans, they could still, like Shukaku, log in to brag and chat without any obstruction.

But now, first there was Sun Wukong who suddenly went offline, and then Matatabi who didn't respond to calls. These Tailed Beasts, viewed by humans as natural disasters, seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible hand, not daring to move a muscle.

"Matatabi must be having too much fun running around and forgot to reply to us. Let's wait a bit longer."

Kurama, seeing that the other Tailed Beasts were feeling tense, spoke up to ease the atmosphere, but deep worry was hidden within its fox eyes.

"Yugito, you go—"

Turning its head, Kurama spoke toward the blue cat dozing off.

"I'm not going!"

Yugito jumped up as if its tail had been stepped on. Faced with Kurama's arrangement, it bristled with anger.

"Isobu..."

"It's not convenient for me on land. I'm just a turtle~"

Before Kurama could finish, the Three-Tails Isobu retracted its head and refused directly.

"Don't look at me, I'm very slow~"

Saiken shook its head. As a slug, it was destined not to be a Tailed Beast with high mobility.

"I am a cocoon."

That's right, who uses a Metapod to fight? It's just asking to be beaten.

"It's not convenient for me either~"

Gyuki waved its tentacles and said with conviction.

"Hmph~ none of you are reliable. I'll go myself."

Kurama rolled its eyes. These guys, one by one, were all unreliable. It seemed only it could take the lead~

"Watch me go now—"

"Eh, Sun Wukong, why are you here? Where did you just go?"

Just as Kurama was about to log off in a huff, Yugito suddenly made a sound of surprise. However, there was no sign of the Four-Tails Sun Wukong nearby; it must have encountered the missing Sun Wukong offline.

"It's good that you're okay~"

Hearing that Sun Wukong had gone to find Yugito, Kurama finally breathed a sigh of relief. As the (self-proclaimed) leader of the Tailed Beasts, it was truly exhausted.

There was no help for it; who told the Old Man to give it so many tails?

The more tails, the greater the responsibility~

"Sun Wukong, have you lost your mind!"

Just as Kurama was lost in self-admiration, it heard Yugito let out a cry of alarm, and then it instantly went offline.

"Yugito? Yugito!"

Bewildered by this sudden turn of events, after a long while, Kurama cautiously connected to Yugito, wanting to ask what was going on.

"Beep~ beep~ beep~"

However, the only response was the same busy signal as Matatabi's. In an instant, a chill enveloped the remaining Tailed Beasts. As aggregates of chakra, they were actually breaking out in a cold sweat.

"This isn't funny, stop messing around~"

After a brief silence, Kurama spoke first, pretending to be relaxed as it shouted loudly, as if the disappearance of the few Tailed Beasts was just a prank they had agreed upon.

"No, I'm going back to the swamp to hide. Let's stay in touch~"

The timid Saiken could no longer endure this oppressive atmosphere and decided to retreat.

"Don't move recklessly, or the next one to disappear might be you."

Kurama frowned, looking at Saiken, who wanted to slip away, and spoke up to stop it.

"What do you mean? Are you threatening me?"

As fellow Tailed Beasts, why should you be the one to raise your voice? Saiken didn't care about Kurama's status; as it spoke, it prepared to log off and hide.

"Wait!"

"Goodbye to you~"

Ignoring Kurama's obstruction, Saiken returned to reality and immediately moved its massive body toward the damp swamp. That place was sparsely populated and was an excellent shelter.

"Excuse me, are you also a Slug Sage?"

Just as Saiken was moving cautiously, a puzzled voice sounded abruptly from behind it, sending a chill down its spine.

"No, that's not right, you have six tails. Let me see... hmm, you're a Tailed Beast too. I thought you were a relative of the Slug Sage~"

Hearing this, Saiken lowered its head and found a man with long black hair standing at its feet, holding a piece of paper and examining it carefully. He was gesturing toward it while looking, which made it feel quite baffled.

"Ignorant human, go to hell."

Faced with a tiny human, Tailed Beasts had developed a habit of contempt. Even the timid Saiken was no exception. Feeling confident, it casually spat out a stream of strong acid, intending to melt this human and then continue hiding.

"Indiscriminate attack. Truly a dangerous creature."

Putting away the documents in his hand, Hashirama Senju slowly raised his head. Looking at the hissing strong acid, he had already labeled the Tailed Beast as "dangerous" in his heart.

Without further ado, Hashirama Senju clapped his hands, his gaze deep and frightening.

"My Wood Human is very large, you'll have to endure it..."

(End of chapter)