"ROAR!"
Six-Tails Saiken roared, then quickly dropped his Complete Tailed Beast Transformation. Utakata's human form reappeared, kneeling amid the ruins.
Shinji withdrew his Adamantine Sealing Chains at the same time.
He leaned against a boulder, arms folded, and watched him.
Scrape—
Utakata's ten fingers clawed at the rock, leaving ten distinct bloody trails. "Heh... heh heh heh, hahaha!"
Utakata straightened, long hair falling across his face. He laughed and cried as tears rolled down like pearls slipping from a broken string.
They pattered onto the ground.
And mingled with the blood.
He understood...
He understood everything now. But it was too late... He had killed, with his own hands, the only teacher in the world who had cared for him unconditionally!
"Aah!"
Utakata let out an anguished roar, then collapsed against the rock and fainted.
"..."
Shinji shook his head calmly. "Mm... people can react like that when grief overwhelms them. Understandable."
He walked over, hoisted Utakata up, and slung him over his shoulder.
Shinji looked around.
Yep, they were all dead. That saved him some trouble.
"But..."
Shinji's doubts only deepened. "What exactly is Obito doing? Isobu and Six-Tails Saiken are both out of his reach now..."
"Doesn't he realize that once I control the Tailed Beasts, he'll never get his hands on them?"
"Tch... Uchiha Itachi hasn't sent any word lately, either. No idea what he's up to."
What a headache.
With a sigh, Shinji turned to leave, but the system's voice sounded again.
[Challenge Quest: Kill Karatachi Yagura, who longs for death out of guilt, or redeem Karatachi Yagura. Choose one. Complete!] [Objective achieved: Redeem Karatachi Yagura!] [Rewards: One-third of Isobu's Chakra (juvenile Three-Tails form; can grow by devouring Tailed Beast Chakra), complete collection of Water Release Ninjutsu, 100 Gold Coins!]
"Huh?"
"A juvenile Three-Tails?