Controlling the Nine-Tails

At those words, the next moment.

Whoosh! Naruto's consciousness drifted into his inner world like a gentle breeze.

"What?!" Kurama's fox face was full of astonishment. He'd only been secretly watching the show—how had he gotten dragged into this?!

Naruto reached out toward Kurama, beaming as he said, "Kurama, come on! It's time to pay your rent!"

The Nine-Tails came to its senses, then suddenly realized something was wrong. "Hey! Brat, how do you know my name?!"

"Don't worry about that. Hand over your chakra first!" Naruto urged.

"Damn you!" Kurama flew into a rage and roared, "Get lost! I'd rather die in this seal, strangled by the chains, than give you even a bit of my chakra!"

Kurama had already seen from Naruto's many battles that his strength far surpassed that of the Fourth Hokage.

But as long as Naruto hadn't reached the level of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, Kurama still had its own pride!

Not convinced?!

Then grow yourself a pair of Sharingan and try controlling me!

Seeing this, Naruto's lips curled up. He waved a hand. "Forget it. I don't feel like using Talk no Jutsu... so I'll just have to use force!"

At those words, in an instant.

Whoosh—

An overwhelmingly terrifying pressure surged from Naruto, crashing into every corner of the sealed space.

"How is this possible?! What is this?!" Kurama was struck dumb with shock.

It knew this pressure all too well! This was unmistakably the ocular power unique to the Mangekyō Sharingan!

It was almost exactly like that bastard Madara Uchiha's!

At the thought,

Kurama's gaze shot toward Naruto. Its pupils contracted sharply, and its body began to tremble involuntarily. Its voice quavered as it cried, "What?! How does someone like you have the Mangekyō Sharingan?!"

The scene shifted. At that moment,

"Whoosh—" Naruto's blue eyes had vanished, replaced by the mighty Creation Mangekyo. As his eyes turned, they seemed to shimmer like stars, and terrifying ocular power continued to spread from them.

Naruto's Mangekyō stared straight at the Nine-Tails. He let out a soft laugh. "Sink into the Mangekyō's genjutsu!"

"Instant Kotoamatsukami!"

In the blink of an eye,

Boom—!

An earthshaking surge of ocular power burst from Naruto's right eye. The light of Kotoamatsukami fell upon the Nine-Tails' massive body in an instant.

"You... How is this possible?!" Kurama's pupils instantly took the shape of a Mangekyō, and it let out one final, desperate cry of disbelief.

It couldn't understand why Naruto had the Mangekyō. Was it Minato's moral decline, or Fugaku's shameless depravity...

The moment that thought flashed through its mind,

Kurama opened its eyes again, but there was no trace of violence left in its pupils. In its place was a strange clarity—and stupidity.

"Husky, come here," Naruto said, raising his right hand toward the Nine-Tails with a warm smile.

"Woof, woof, woof!" Kurama immediately yapped excitedly like a happy little puppy, then pressed its head firmly against the seal gate.

Naruto placed his hand on its head and gently rubbed it. He couldn't help praising it. "Now this is a fox the people can be proud of!"

With the Kotoamatsukami he'd just used, Naruto had temporarily made the Nine-Tails into an obedient Husky...

That was why Kurama was acting like this.

"All right! Now give me your power," Naruto said softly, lifting his hand.

"Understood, master!" Kurama immediately stuck out its tongue, looking utterly ingratiating, just like a little dog trying to please its owner.

At those words, the next moment.

Rumble—!

Terrifying crimson chakra surged from Kurama. It was filled with endless hatred and murderous intent, writhing in the air until a dazzling golden light flashed. Then all the chakra rushed toward Naruto's chest.

Naruto's eyes lifted slightly, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. "So this is the Nine-Tails' power. It really is extraordinary!"

"Ahem! Husky!"

"Woof!"

Outside.

"Roar..." The towering Demon God Mechanical Giant lifted its head to the sky and let out a deafening roar.

With that roar, its presence was fully revealed to the world...

The residents within ten miles were immediately drawn to the earthshaking roar. They all looked toward the Mechanical Giant, their pupils contracting as their bodies shook violently.

"What is that?! How can it be so huge?!"

"Terrifying! How could such a colossal thing appear in our country?!"

"Run! It must be a demon from hell, come to punish us!"

In an instant,

The crowd scattered in every direction, chaos and panic spreading everywhere.

Kakashi and the others, who were on their way, naturally noticed the strange sight as well.

"What kind of monster is that?!" Sakura's pupils contracted. She looked utterly disbelieving, as if she'd seen the end of the world.

Chiyo narrowed her eyes slightly as she gazed at the Mechanical Giant in the distance. Uncertainty filled her voice. "It looks like a giant mechanical puppet... If it's over in that direction, could it be Sasori's creation? Has he really reached this level?!"

"What?!" Kakashi was startled. Then he said urgently, "If that really is Sasori's puppet, then Naruto's already fighting them. We have to hurry over and back him up!"

At those words, Kakashi flashed away and immediately picked up speed.

Sakura and Chiyo were both astonished, but they followed right behind him without hesitation!!!

At that moment, the atmosphere on the battlefield was suffocating.

After roaring, the Mechanical Giant fixed its terrifying eyes on Naruto below, its gaze like that of the Grim Reaper.

In an instant, heaven and earth changed color.

Boom! Intense crimson light blazed from its eyes, covering everything around it.

Nothing could hide where the light fell!

Whoosh! The Mechanical Giant abruptly turned its head, its gaze shooting like lightning toward the distant shade of the trees.

Black White Zetsu was shocked. "Madara! It's spotted us!"

Obito's body trembled. He was about to use Kamui to turn intangible, but then forced down his anxiety and said with feigned calm, "It's fine! That should be Sasori's consciousness controlling it! It won't do anything to us!"

Sure enough, the next moment,

The Mechanical Giant withdrew its terrifying gaze. Then its eyes turned into two dazzling beams of light, once again shining down on Naruto.

The terrible pressure descended on Naruto, and even the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly.

Yet Naruto had his eyes closed and seemed completely unaffected.

It seemed to think Naruto was looking down on it!

"Roar!" The Mechanical Giant immediately bellowed, then raised its right arm. With an overwhelming force that threatened to crush everything, it slammed down toward Naruto.

And that wasn't all.

Boom! Its right arm erupted with blinding light in midair. Terrifyingly hot flames blasted from its elbow, and it struck with even greater speed and force!

In the blink of an eye, it had reached him!

Yet Naruto still hadn't reacted!

"What's Uzumaki Naruto doing?!" Black White Zetsu asked, utterly confused.

But just as he finished speaking,

At the very instant Naruto seemed about to be crushed to death,

Suddenly, something unexpected happened!

Buzz! The Mechanical Giant's hand came to a sudden, dead stop in midair!

Because, at that moment,

Rumble!

An incomparably terrifying crimson-gold fox head suddenly appeared in the air. Its sharp teeth clamped firmly around the Mechanical Giant's hand, leaving it unable to move!