Ch. 461Mutation: The Ten-Tails!
Plot points and events
- The Ten-Tails awakens on the Desert Planet, triggering catastrophic “Judgment”: crimson lightning, tornadoes, earthquakes, magma, hail, and acid rain.
- Obito survives the barrage with his phasing ability and uses Divine Illumination to destroy incoming lava, treating the disaster as an entertaining test.
- Sasuke protects himself with the Nine-Tails Demon Fox’s fiery power, then attacks the Ten-Tails with a Blaze Release Tailed Beast Bomb.
- The blast engulfs the creature, but it emerges covered in powerful Susanoo armor. Black Zetsu celebrates, believing his mother, Kaguya, remains safe inside.
- Madara’s attempt to seal the Ten-Tails fails, apparently because of its armor. He climbs its tail, avoiding the black flames Sasuke could direct at him, and realizes Sasuke is holding back to protect Naruto.
- A Ten-Tails fission clone blocks Madara. It wears Hashirama’s face and armor, and Madara discovers it has a Rinnegan. The clone fires a Tailed Beast Bomb through its eyes, sending Madara flying.
- Elsewhere, two unidentified characters sense the immense chakra and feel as if they are close to its source.
Character developments and interactions
- Obito remains composed and playful amid world-ending danger, though he recognizes the threat the Ten-Tails would pose to Earth.
- Sasuke demonstrates formidable control and power, while his concern for Naruto constrains his attack on Madara.
- Madara is frustrated by the failed sealing attempt but eager for the challenge. He is deeply shaken by the Hashirama-faced clone, then quickly turns to combat.
- Black Zetsu fears for Kaguya after Sasuke’s attack, then rejoices when the Ten-Tails’ armor appears intact.
- Sasuke and Madara’s tactical conflict is shaped by Sasuke’s protection of Naruto; Madara taunts him for allowing emotion to limit his ambition.
Significant themes
- Uncontrollable destruction: The Ten-Tails’ awakening unleashes disasters on a planetary scale.
- Power and adaptation: The Ten-Tails’ Susanoo armor and eye-fired attack make familiar strategies ineffective.
- Emotion versus ambition: Madara sees Sasuke’s attachment to Naruto as weakness, while Sasuke’s restraint reflects loyalty and concern.
- Distorted identity and shock: The clone’s resemblance to Hashirama—and possession of a Rinnegan—turns Madara’s memories into a weapon.