An eerie light gleamed in Tanaka's Byakugan. It didn't belong to him.
"The Rinnegan wielder, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki." The low voice continued to speak through Tanaka. "What an unexpected bounty."
Sasuke drew the Kusanagi Sword without hesitation and pointed its tip at Tanaka's throat. "Are you the leader of the Shadow Organization?"
"Leader?" Tanaka laughed, though the laugh wasn't his own. "I am beyond your understanding. But while I'm using this worthless body, I can only wield a fraction of my power."
Nagato's Rinnegan warily scanned their surroundings. "Is this some kind of long-range control technique?"
"Clever." Tanaka's head turned toward Nagato at an unnatural angle. "No wonder you're a man who possesses the Rinnegan. Unfortunately, you're still too weak."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tanaka's body began to swell, and something writhed beneath his skin.
"He's going to blow himself up!" Karin shouted.
Yuki-onna rushed to the front and formed hand seals. "Ice Release: Absolute Zero!"
Terrifying cold instantly engulfed the entire tent, completely freezing Tanaka's swelling body. The energy of the explosion was trapped inside the ice. It gave a muffled thud, then gradually subsided.
"Phew..." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for you, Yuki-onna!"
But Yuki-onna didn't respond. She was on her knees, bracing herself with both hands as she gasped for breath.
"Yuki-onna?" Sasuke noticed something was wrong.
"I... I'm fine." Yuki-onna struggled to her feet, but her face was frighteningly pale.
Karin hurriedly checked her condition, and her expression changed instantly. "How is this possible? Your Chakra is draining rapidly!"
"It's a side effect of Absolute Zero." Yuki-onna smiled weakly. "Every time I use it, it consumes a great deal of my life force."
Nagato frowned. "Why didn't you tell us before?"
"If I had, would you have let me use