Konoha's former Forest of Death now had a new name—
Tailed Beast Home.
A sign bearing that name now hung high on the wire fence at the outer edge of the Forest of Death.
"Got them. How many do you..." A young man with the Byakugan arrived at the entrance carrying a basket of tomatoes. Seeing the two empty chairs before him, he knew his companions had gone inside to deal with trouble again.
He set down the basket, picked up a tomato, and took a bite. Looking up at the forest, he shook his head. "All day long, never a moment's peace. The daily work for this 'Shin' organization is way too boring."
Inside the forest.
"Huh? A little black snake like you dares call yourself Zero-Tails? Which one of us did you split off from? Who do you run with? What makes you think you're in our league, calling yourself a tailed beast?"
Shukaku looked down with a somewhat vicious gaze, cutting an especially imposing figure.
"You're absolutely right, Boss Shukaku. How could someone as insignificant as me deserve to be called a tailed beast alongside you all? I'm just a poor, helpless soul named 'Zero-Tails'..."
As Zero-Tails spoke, its masked face actually seemed to take on a sorrowful expression, as though tears might spill out at any moment.
That left Shukaku at a loss. He had only meant to put the newcomer in its place and knock it down a peg.
Ever since his seal had been lifted, Shukaku's memories had become completely clear. Of course he remembered the trouble this Zero-Tails, born from chakra gathered from humanity's malicious thoughts, had once caused.
Given Shukaku's temperament, he certainly wasn't picking a fight because Zero-Tails had once been used to endanger the shinobi world. Human affairs didn't matter