Chapter 194: Perception of Malevolence, the Terrifying Ability Amplified by Compound Synergies!
Zero-Tails—a being born entirely from an amalgamation of negative emotions, a creature of malevolent chakra formed through the accumulation of negativity.
In contrast, the Nine Tailed Beasts, from One-Tail to Nine-Tails, are chakra beings created when the Sage of Six Paths split the Ten-Tails during ancient times. Their essence is purer than that of Zero-Tails.
Unlike Zero-Tails, the malicious chakra within the Nine-Tails stems from centuries of war, hatred, and betrayal. This emotional burden transforms its chakra into one suffused with hatred, influencing its Jinchūriki and driving them to lose rationality.
However, if a Jinchūriki reconciles with their Tailed Beast and suppresses the malicious intent, they can harness the ability to perceive malevolence—a skill refined over a millennium.
Yet, the Zero-Tails, right from its inception, inherently possesses this ability.
Although the Zero-Tails cannot unleash Tailed Beast Bombs, shroud its Jinchūriki in a "red cloak" or "yellow cloak," or even store a substantial amount of chakra compared to other Tailed Beasts, Uchiha Ci has often doubted whether the full-power Zero-Tails could even surpass Kisame Hoshigaki, the so-called "Tailed Beast without a Tail," in chakra reserves.
However, the Zero-Tails wields an unparalleled skill: as a pure embodiment of negativity, no other Tailed Beast understands the essence of malevolence as deeply as it does.
Because of its juvenile state inside Uchiha Ci, this ability is limited to a radius of five meters around him.
Such a short range is often useless, especially since Uchiha Ci frequently battles Kage-level opponents. During his fight with Chiyo, this ability was quickly identified and countered by increasing the combat distance.
When forced into long-range confrontations, Uchiha Ci's battles devolve into mundane exchanges of powerful techniques, diminishing the effectiveness of his masterful shurikenjutsu.
This isn't due to a lack of skill but because his sensory capabilities are insufficient.
But now—
"Chirp!"
The juvenile Zero-Tails in his body nodded eagerly and resolutely, confirming its intent.
Uchiha Ci narrowed his eyes. By absorbing the Nine-Tails' dispersed chakra from the air, not only could Zero-Tails merge it into dark chakra to fuel his combat needs, but this creature, which grows only by devouring malevolence and negativity, could temporarily amplify its innate abilities.
No, it wasn't merely an amplification—it was a temporary release of its true potential!
Imagining the possibilities of this ability, Uchiha Ci immediately ignored Orochimaru's daytime warnings and disregarded the potential emergence of a "Dragonized Persona."
Without hesitation, he activated the Curse Seal of Heaven!
Black petal-like patterns spread from his legs, altering his muscle and skeletal structure. Uchiha Ci gained the speed of a black mamba!
Following the path of a Tailed Beast Bomb, he lunged forward, becoming a barely visible blur as shockwaves erupted around him.
He sped towards the explosion's epicenter—the massive mushroom cloud rising in the distance, where the chakra concentration was densest!
Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails-controlled Kushina glared furiously as Uchiha Ci turned and ran after making a taunt. In him, the beast saw a ghost of a hated figure—someone who had once mocked it while perched atop its head.
The same hairstyle, the same laughter, the same tone, the same arrogance—and those eyes!
Those Sharingan, filled with madness and a thirst for battle, betrayed the unmistakable joy Uchiha Ci took in fighting.
He was savoring it!
Yes, the Nine-Tails recognized it immediately—this brat was nothing less than a young Madara Uchiha!
"This one cannot be allowed to live!"
If left unchecked, he could become another maniac who would one day ride on its head, laughing wildly.
"Argh!"
Grinding its teeth in frustration, the Nine-Tails let out a guttural growl, like an enraged dog. Its slitted pupils radiated murderous intent, fixated on Uchiha Ci's retreating figure.
"I will kill you, Uchiha Ci!"
Without hesitation, it ignored the imminent destruction of Konoha behind it and leapt through the barrier's breach, heading into the Forest of Death.
Sniffing the air for Uchiha Ci's scent, it began a wild chase, forming a Tailed Beast Bomb at its mouth with an 80:20 chakra ratio. The terrifying black sphere launched violently toward Uchiha Ci's back.
Whoosh!
Boom!!!
Another deafening explosion erupted, carving a deep trench into the earth.
At this perilous moment, Uchiha Ci suddenly sensed a shift in his perception of the world.
While dashing forward, Zero-Tails frantically absorbed the residual Nine-Tails chakra from the air. As malevolence accumulated, its body began to swell visibly.
Chakra surged within Uchiha Ci, an endless torrent of power overflowing from his body. His sensory range, initially limited to five meters, expanded silently.
Five meters.
Ten meters.
Fifty meters.
A hundred meters.
Five hundred meters!
At a range of 500 meters, Uchiha Ci immediately sensed an overwhelming concentration of hatred and malevolence, like a blazing pillar locking onto him.
Simultaneously, his S+-grade innate talent—Battle Intuition—also expanded!
Originally effective only in close combat, this intuitive skill now covered a radius of 500 meters and continued to grow.
With this expanded perception, countless battle strategies surged into Uchiha Ci's mind.
Moreover, this compounded expansion triggered another transformation—his ability to sense natural energy also increased!
At this moment, Uchiha Ci abruptly turned to face the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb. Behind him loomed the mushroom cloud from the previous explosion. Standing at the center of this destruction, an endless stream of power seemed to flow into Zero-Tails, which quickly produced vast quantities of dark chakra.
Uchiha Ci widened his eyes and raised his hands, feeling his chakra pathways surging with a terrifying amount of energy, as if about to burst.
"This power…
Is this the Nine-Tails?!"
Unable to contain himself, Uchiha Ci threw his head back and laughed maniacally.
"Hahahahahahahahahaha!"
"It's time!"
Lifting his chin arrogantly, Uchiha Ci sneered at the Nine-Tails.
"Nine-Tails, feel the power of a Sage!"
With that, he clasped his hands together and roared:
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"
In an instant, the ground around him shifted violently, reshaping itself to his will. Giant stone pillars, each five meters thick, spiraled upward in an Archimedean helix, encircling the Nine-Tails.
Standing atop one of the towering stone pillars, Uchiha Ci looked down at the Nine-Tails below.
With a mighty stomp, the ground transformed into a cascading torrent of soil and rock, crashing down upon the Nine-Tails like a massive waterfall.