Chapter 228
Zixu looked up at the sky. Uchiha Madara truly stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world, exuding an overwhelming sense of dominance. However, if the Whirlpool country were ever threatened, Zixu could still use Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique) to teleport back—though the landing point might not be precise.
Behind him, those tailing him clung like dog-skin plaster. Gaara followed along, confused. He had been fighting Rasa just fine, but somehow, the situation had spiraled out of control. It could only be said that Zixu had introduced far too many unpredictable variables.
"Hmm? Those guys over there..." Zixu narrowed his eyes. A group of odd figures appeared ahead. Leading them was a masked man—his face resembled a boiled egg, and he carried a strange weapon on his back that looked like a cello. His exposed eyes were bizarre: one Rinnegan and one Sharingan. The design matched the two magatama on the mask, though the one at the forehead was empty.
"What's with that look?" Zixu frowned. This man had to be the impostor who once claimed to be Uchiha Madara.
Behind the masked man stood several figures, clearly revived through Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation), and each bore the same eerie chakra signature. Zixu sensed a familiar aura among them.
"Two-Tails...?" he murmured. "Hmph, all of them are Jinchūriki." Zixu calmly assessed the scene. He contemplated whether he should first eliminate the nuisances behind him to conserve strength for the truly dangerous ones ahead.
"Only a few of the ones behind are troublesome. The rest can be recycled as chakra batteries. But the ones in front... now they are dangerous. I wonder if they've inherited their tailed beast abilities..."
Acting immediately, Zixu released golden chains from his body. Strange runes ignited on the land and surrounding trees. He threw several ofuda (sealing talismans), and the aura they emitted was so intense even several Kage felt their scalps tingle.
"This guy's insane..." someone muttered as they tried to flee the suction of the chains and talismans. But several were sealed instantly.
"I have a natural advantage when it comes to fighting Edo Tensei," Zixu explained casually, noticing Gaara's strange gaze.
He pointed to the Jinchūriki near the masked man and warned Gaara that if he were caught, he'd become just like them. Gaara's expression turned grim.