Extracting the One-Tail, Facing Itachi

Meanwhile, Deidara and Sasori finally reached the Secret Cave in the Land of Rivers.

Pain's Projection was already waiting. When they arrived, he said with displeasure:

"I heard what happened this time, Deidara. Don't be so careless again!"

"Mm." Deidara's face darkened, and he gave a grudging reply through his nose.

"Then let's begin."

As Pain's Projection spoke, he formed Hand Seals and slammed his hands against the ground.

Rumble!

The enormous, fearsome Demonic Statue of the Outer Path burst from the earth and extended ten massive fingers.

Pain's Projection, Sasori, and Deidara each stood on one of its fingers.

"All right. Gather."

At Pain's command, the Projections of Konan, Zetsu, the Female Avatar, Itachi, Kisame, Hidan, and Kakuzu appeared on the statue's remaining fingers.

Including the Female Avatar, there were ten of them.

"The Sealing will take three days and three nights. Keep a close watch on your real bodies."

Pain's Projection addressed the other nine calmly.

A different character lit up beneath each person's feet.

They were Zero, Haku, Vermilion Bird, South, Virgo, Azure Dragon, North, Three, Boar, and Void.

The Female Avatar had taken Orochimaru's codename, "Void."

"Sealing Technique: Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals!"

Pain's Projection formed Hand Seals and gave a low shout.

Nine streams of blue, dragon-shaped Chakra poured from the statue's mouth and engulfed Gaara.

Gaara slowly floated into the air, immersed in the blue Chakra, his mouth gaping and his eyes rolled back.

Seven streams of red Chakra were forcibly dragged from his mouth and eyes and sucked into the statue's mouth.

That was the Chakra of Shukaku, the One-Tail.

The more of the One-Tail's Chakra the statue devoured, the wider the eyes on its face opened. Once it had swallowed all of the One-Tail inside Gaara, every one of its eyes would