Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Chapter 240 The Horrifying Chat Room, The Vanished Group Members

"They're so scattered, and two of them are even in the water."

As Madara Uchiha perused the information he had "borrowed" for free from the Sky Realm, he paced through the quiet forest, a thoughtful glint in his dark eyes.

According to intelligence, these tailed beasts are scattered throughout the ninja world. Some live on vast plains, some have long been entrenched in canyons, and others roam rivers, lakes, and seas, seemingly each with its own territory and without territorial conflicts.

Hasi Hot Mom's Wood Release technique probably can't be fully effective in water combat, so he can happily accept the few creatures in the water.

"These two in the water aren't in a hurry; they'll be mine sooner or later. So, let's start with the four-tailed one!"

After careful analysis, Madara Uchiha decided to target the Four-Tails, which lived on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, as his first prey.

Let's not delay, let's set off now.

Madara Uchiha's eyes narrowed, instantly turning crimson, and a blue cloak appeared around him. As he grew taller, a colossal tengu giant stood between heaven and earth, its wings spreading out, creating immense wind pressure that caused the surrounding trees to bend and collapse.

"Let's go! I, Uchiha Madara, am determined to become Hokage!"

Manipulating the completed Susanoo, Madara Uchiha locked onto his target's direction, transforming into a streak of blue lightning that instantly tore through the clouds, drawing a narrow dividing line across the azure sky.

"What a rash young man, not at all as composed as Gintoki~"

Her fair, bare feet trod on the gray roof tiles. The languid woman, who had just handed the intelligence to Uchiha Madara, tapped her pipe, smoothed her temples that had been ruffled by the strong wind, and shook her head as she watched the blue giant disappear into the horizon.

"But he's full of energy, unlike Gintoki who's so lazy~"

Meanwhile, on a vast plain within the Land of Fire, a white lightning bolt streaked across the sky, five pure white tails trailing behind it, and scorching steam billowing from its body, baking everything around it.

As usual, King Mu, who loved to run freely, was happily frolicking in his territory, completely unaware of the approaching danger. His four hooves swung wildly, and he exclaimed how exhilarating the feeling was.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

Just as King Mu was running with abandon, a voice rang in his mind. Hearing the familiar voice, he immediately stopped, tilted his head, and replied in his heart,

"Is that Shukaku's voice?"

Then, it entered the chat room reserved for the tailed beasts, looking around at the dark mass of people, with only a chubby figure standing there.

"Hmph~ Besides that stupid raccoon, who else would take the initiative to chat?"

The moment King Mu finished asking his question, a hurried voice interrupted, its tone full of schadenfreude. Then, a slender figure, clad in a fiery red robe, slowly stepped forward.

"Nine-Ra, you idiot!"

The chubby guy who started the chat, upon hearing this jarring voice, angrily cursed back.

"Stop arguing, stop arguing, Shukaku, what happened?"

Just as the two voices were about to start arguing, a gentle voice rang out, and a cat with its body glowing with eerie blue flames emerged from the shadows, kindly trying to mediate.

"Yataru, how have you been lately?"

King Mu saw the large blue cat and asked with a smile,

"It's alright, it's pretty boring~"

The large cat named Youlv lazily licked its paws and replied.

"Where are the others?"

"I'm here~" a simple, honest voice rang out, and a little turtle slowly crawled out of the darkness, its single, innocent eye filled with pure joy.

"It's so hot lately, I feel like I'm melting~" said a creature that looked like a slug, its soft voice like that of a toddler.

"I'm spinning my cocoon, please don't disturb me~" This voice came from a pure white cocoon, indicating that its owner was undergoing a transformation.

"Hey~ It's so boring, anyone want to fight!" With a rough voice, eight octopus-like tentacles suddenly appeared, topped with a burly minotaur, looking down on the whole scene.

"Looks like everyone's in good spirits. Any news lately? Tell me about it!"

Looking at the other tailed beasts, full of energy, the chubby Shukaku patted its large belly, a deep envy hidden in its beady eyes, and then asked in a muffled voice,

Ever since it was sealed away by the people of the Land of Wind, it has lost all contact with the outside world. Listening to monks ringing bells and chanting Buddhist scriptures every day is driving it crazy. It can only occasionally pop up in the Tailed Beast Chat Room to listen to the news.

"Heh, you idiot Shukaku, you're a disgrace to the tailed beasts. No wonder the old man only gave you one tail back then; he knew you'd be this weak~"

The fiery red figure grinned, glaring at the eager Shukaku, and burst into laughter, clutching its stomach.

"Using tails to measure strength is the most idiotic thing to do, Kurama!"

Upon hearing the mockery from the other party, Shukaku was furious. If it weren't for the fact that they were in a chat room, it would have given that stinky fox a few practice shots.

"Huh? Isn't that right?"

The fox, lying on the ground, squinted and asked in confusion,

"I agree with Shukaku's point of view; the number of tails doesn't mean anything~"

The big blue cat shook its head and said righteously,

"Hahaha, let's have a fight then!"

The Gyūki excitedly coiled its eight tentacles, its eyes, filled with a ferocious aura, scanning the surrounding tailed beasts, and challenged them to a duel.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't forget the old man's advice: the farther apart we tailed beasts are, the better. Ideally, we should never meet in this lifetime~"

The one-eyed turtle poked its head out, a thoughtful look in its single eye, before speaking to the other tailed beasts, reminding them...

"Um, I saw you walk past my house last week?"

The bull-demon stretched out a tentacle and scratched its horn, then asked in a puzzled voice,

"Oh, I saw a plump turtle and wanted to make friends with it, but I didn't realize I had entered your territory."

Isoo shrank back somewhat embarrassedly, his words filled with shyness. The tortoise carrying the island seemed to be controlled by humans; should he go and be the hero?

"You idiot Shukaku, what's it like to be imprisoned by humans~"

Just as the tailed beasts were chatting, Kurama, with his slightly mischievous nature, rolled his eyes and, looking at the somewhat forlorn Shukaku, asked,

"Yeah, yeah, tell us about it!"

The other tailed beasts that hadn't yet been imprisoned immediately crowded around, their large, bewildered eyes blinking as they awaited Shukaku's words.

After all, at most they've been captured by humans and used as disposable nuclear weapons; they've never experienced imprisonment.

"Hmph~ Who said I was imprisoned by humans? I'm just receiving offerings from them, and they even sing for me every day. It couldn't be more comfortable~"

Shukaku, who had been imprisoned in the temple for many years, immediately gave a defiant reply.

"Really? I seem to remember there being a tailed beast crying and wailing here before~"

Kurama was the first to disbelieve Shukaku's words, looking suspiciously at the chubby tanuki and pointing out its shortcomings.

"Seriously! I was just listening to the song, is it wrong that the singing was so moving?"

The pierced raccoon immediately jumped up, its coin-shaped eyes filled with rage, and then it shouted loudly.

"Just you wait, you idiotic fox! One day you'll be treated like a dog, being ridden around and bossed around by humans!"

"Do you think I'm an idiot like you?"

Nine-Tailed Fox rolled its eyes dramatically. Aside from the old man and his two sons, it had never been afraid of anyone.

"Wait, has anyone seen Sun Wukong?"

King Mu watched the two fighting with a smile. As a collection of chakra from the same source, these tailed beasts were essentially brothers and sisters. Just as it was scanning the other tailed beasts around, it suddenly noticed that one seemed to be missing. It then frowned and asked...

"Huh? Yeah, why isn't it here? It's usually the one who loves to warm up the atmosphere!"

Niu Gui stroked his chin, somewhat puzzled. Usually, Sun Wukong was the most enthusiastic one during gatherings and chats, so why was he acting so strangely today? They'd been chatting for so long, and the other person still hadn't come online.

"Da~Da~Da~"

The other tailed beasts also noticed that Goku was missing, and they all stopped communicating and began trying to summon the Four-Tails. After a while, a burly figure, as if receiving a summons, slowly walked out of the darkness.

"Watch out, everyone, someone's there!"

Just as the tailed beasts breathed a sigh of relief, they saw the four-tailed beast's massive figure rapidly shrinking. To their astonishment, Sun Wukong, whose face hadn't yet been revealed, mustered his last ounce of strength to utter half a sentence. Then, accompanied by a chilling power that sent shivers down the spines of the tailed beasts, his figure vanished from the tailed beast chat room.

"What happened?!"

Some of the more timid Six-Tailed Rhinoceros Hounds, upon sensing that chilling power, trembled uncontrollably as if they had encountered their natural enemy.

"This feeling... is it Indra?"

Yutaka, who was proficient in Yin Escape, felt his hair stand on end. That fleeting, chilling power was clearly the old man's ill-tempered eldest son.

These tailed beasts lived in the shadow of the old man's two sons during their childhood. One of them would glare at them at the drop of a hat, while the other, though honest and kind, would whip them with a wooden stick to prevent them from hurting people.

"Impossible! Indra has been dead for so many years!"

Kurama shook its head. As a veteran of the ninja world for many years, it knew the strength of humans like the back of its hand. Indra had long since died of old age, and although there were his descendants in the ninja world, their strength was far less than his.

"What's the deal with Sun Wukong?"

The bull demon beside him, its eight tentacles now taut, had completely lost its previous arrogant demeanor and asked with some suspicion,

"King Mu, you are closer to Sun Wukong, go and see what has happened."

Seeing the tailed beasts filled with fear and trepidation, Kurama, who considered himself the most capable, stepped forward and turned to King Mu, giving instructions.

"Okay."

Normally, King Mu might have retorted, saying, "Who isn't a tailed beast?" But the situation was a bit delicate; it seemed someone was eyeing them. For the sake of the bigger picture, it kept quiet, nodded, and then left the tailed beast chat room.

"I remember, Sun Wukong's home is over there~"

On the plain, King Mu shook his large head. After confirming the location of the volcanic cluster where the four-tailed Sun Wukong lived, he immediately took a step with his four hooves, turned into a white light, and disappeared from the spot in an instant.

"Ta-da~ Ta-da~ Ta-da~"

King Mu's four hooves clattered crisply, and the steam emanating from his body scorched everything around him. Just as he was galloping wildly, a figure with flowing long hair stood not far away on his inevitable path, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

"Uh, how come there are humans here? Oh well, they asked for it, so don't blame me."

King Mu, in his frenzied charge, suddenly caught sight of a tiny human in the distance. But just as a human wouldn't change course for an ant, a tailed beast wouldn't stop for a mere human. It immediately accelerated, charging towards the suicidal human.

Its horns are powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks!

"So this is a Tailed Beast. Just as Tobirama said, it is a dangerous creature."

Hashirama Senju, who had been waiting for a long time, frowned slightly as he watched the giant tailed beast attacking him. He could sense the boiling chakra within Koku-o's body. If this creature were thrown into a city, it would be destroyed and people would die within half an hour.

"Does this human have a death wish?"

As King Mu looked at the human about to die beneath its hooves, the thought had barely crossed its mind when it sensed a surge of immense life force. To its surprise, it suddenly realized that the human before it emanated an aura it recognized.

"Is this... the power of Asura?"

"It's fast enough, then... Wood Release: All Cloth Bag Technique!"

Hashirama Senju watched the incredibly fast and agile Kokuou, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He then slammed his hand on the ground, activating a ninjutsu he had recently mastered.

As the power of Wood Release was injected, countless giant hands instantly rose from the ground, aggressively grabbing at the bewildered King Mu.

"Huh? Really!"

Seeing the familiar Wood Release technique reaching for him, King Mu shuddered involuntarily and instinctively used his signature Boil Release technique to try and destroy the giant wooden hands before him.

"Bang!"

But things didn't go as planned. To his despair, King Mu discovered that his prized Boiling Release technique, when used against Hashirama Senju's Wood Release, was like a tickle. The wooden hands that had just been scalded quickly sprouted new shoots, one after another, reaching out to grab at him.

"Could this human be a descendant of the Asuras?"

Overwhelmed by the onslaught, King Mu had long lost his initial arrogance and was beginning to consider retreating. He prepared to run away on his hooves, but Hashirama Senju had already seen through his little scheme. Just before he retreated, Hashirama clapped his hands.

"Wood Release: Wood Man Technique"

The kind-hearted Arhat reappeared, and upon its arrival, it unleashed several wooden dragons coiled around its body, which swept towards King Mu from several tricky angles.

"not good!"

King Mu's heart tightened. He could clearly sense the terrifying aura emanating from the wooden dragons. Immediately, he opened his mouth wide, and a dark sphere began to form within it.

"Tailed Beast Ball!"

"How could I let you use it!"

The highly skilled Hashirama Senju reacted the moment he saw the Tailed Beast Ball in Kokuo's mouth. He manipulated his wooden doll to sprint forward, appearing before Kokuo a split second before the Tailed Beast Ball could be unleashed.

"Bang!"

The wooden figure's large hand pressed directly onto King Mu's forehead. The overwhelming force silenced it instantly, and the Tailed Beast Ball, containing immense destructive power, became a dud, dissipating into a shockwave.

The Tailed Beast Ball abruptly interrupted him. Enraged, King Koku disregarded any sentimentality and struggled to rise. The scorching heat emanating from his body made the surrounding air feel stifling.

"This is a bit tricky."

Hashirama Senju narrowed his eyes. Tailed beasts are not real living beings, so they cannot be knocked unconscious. Even if he suppresses it with the wooden doll, the tailed beast will continue to resist and will escape if he is not careful.

"Kuo'an entered the palace with his hands clasped."

Suddenly, Hashirama Senju seemed to remember something. He raised his right hand, and the character "座" (seat) appeared in his palm. Simultaneously, the same character appeared in the huge wooden hand of the disciple he sat on. A strange power that made King Mu drowsy emanated from the wooden hand pressing on its head.

"Huff~ Huff~ Huff~"

Before long, King Mu, who had been struggling violently just moments before, was sleeping like a log. Satisfied, Hashirama Senju withdrew his hand after confirming that it wouldn't flare up again.

"It seems that training in Shikkotsu Forest was the right choice. The ninjutsu I've learned are so useful!"

Manipulating the wooden doll to carry the sleeping King Koku, Hashirama Senju happily headed towards Konoha.

"Hehe, Mada, I'm going to win for sure~"

"King Mu, King Mu? King Mu!"

In the chat room, the Tailed Beasts, who had been waiting anxiously, were horrified to discover that no matter what they did, they could not contact King Mu, who had just left. Instantly, an atmosphere of terror filled the entire space.

The tailed beasts exchanged bewildered glances. They had never encountered such a situation before. Even those of them who were accidentally controlled by humans could, like Shukaku, freely log on and boast without hindrance.

But now, first Sun Wukong suddenly disappeared, then King Mu went unanswered when called upon. These tailed beasts, regarded by humans as natural disasters, seem to be held tightly by an invisible hand, not daring to move an inch.

"King Mu must have been so excited running around that he forgot to reply to us. Let's wait a little longer."

Seeing the tense atmosphere among the tailed beasts, Kurama spoke to ease the tension, but a deep worry lingered in his fox eyes.

"You go, again."

Turning his head, Kurama spoke to the large, dozing blue cat.

"I'm not going!"

As if its tail had been stepped on, the beast jumped up and down in a defiant manner at Kurama's arrangement, its beard bristling and eyes wide with rage.

"Isobu."

"I'm not comfortable on land, I'm just a turtle~"

Before Kurama could finish speaking, the Three-Tailed Iso rubbed its head and shrank back, directly refusing.

"Don't look at me, I'm very slow~"

The Six-Tailed Saiken shook its head. As a slug, it was destined not to be a highly mobile tailed beast.

"I am a cocoon."

That's true, nobody uses Metapod in battle; they just get beaten up.

"It's not convenient for me either~"

The demon wiggled its tentacles and spoke with absolute certainty.

"Hmph~ I can't count on anyone, I'll do it myself."

Nine-Tailed Fox rolled his eyes. These guys, one after another, are all unreliable. Looks like only I, the great one, can handle this.

"I'll go right now."

"Hey, Sun Wukong, what brings you here? Where did you go just now?"

Just as Kurama was angrily preparing to log off, Yutu suddenly exclaimed in surprise, but there was no sign of the Four-Tailed Goku nearby. It had encountered the missing Goku offline.

"It's good that you're alright~"

Kurama breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Sun Wukong had gone to find Youlu. As the (self-proclaimed) master of the tailed beasts, it had truly exhausted itself.

There's nothing I can do; it's the old man's fault for giving me so many loose ends.

The more tails you have, the greater your responsibility.

"Sun Wukong, have you gone mad?!"

Just as Nine-Lama was indulging in self-pity, there was a sudden exclamation from Youlv, who then instantly logged off.

"Another trip? Another trip!"

Somewhat bewildered by this sudden turn of events, it took Nine Lama a while to cautiously contact You Lu to ask what was going on.

"Beep~ Beep~ Beep~"

However, the only response it received was the same muffled sound as that of King Mu. In an instant, a chill enveloped the remaining tailed beasts; even as aggregates of chakra, they broke out in a cold sweat.

"This isn't funny, stop fooling around~"

After a brief silence, Kurama spoke first, shouting loudly with feigned ease, as if the disappearance of the tailed beasts was merely a prank they had planned.

"No, I need to go back to the swamp to hide for a while. Keep in touch!"

The timid six-tailed rhinoceros couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere and started to back out.

"Don't move, or you might be the next one to disappear."

Kurama frowned, watching the rhinoceros hound trying to escape, and spoke up to stop it.

"What do you mean? Are you threatening me?"

As a fellow tailed beast, why does it get to speak so loudly? Saiken wasn't going to tolerate Kurama, and as it spoke, it prepared to log off and hide.

"etc!"

Goodbye~

Ignoring Kurama's obstruction, the Rhinoceros Dog returned to reality and immediately moved its massive body towards the damp swamp, a secluded place that would be an excellent refuge.

"Excuse me, are you also a Slug Sage?"

Just as the rhinoceros was moving cautiously, a questioning voice suddenly rang out from behind it, sending a chill down its spine.

"Wait, you have six tails. Let me see... Hmm, you're a tailed beast too. I thought you were related to the Slug Sage~"

The rhinoceros lowered its head at the sound and found a long-haired black man standing at its feet, carefully examining a piece of paper and gesturing at it as he looked at it, which puzzled the dog.

"You ignorant humans, die!"

Faced with the insignificant humans, the tailed beasts had developed a habit of contempt. Even the timid Saiken was no exception. Feeling confident, it casually spewed out a stream of strong acid, intending to dissolve the human before continuing to hide.

"Indiscriminate attacks, they really are dangerous creatures."

Putting away the documents in his hand, Hashirama Senju slowly raised his head, looking at the sizzling acid. In his mind, he had already labeled the tailed beast as "dangerous."

Without further ado, Hashirama Senju clapped his hands together, his gaze sharp and menacing.

"My wooden dummy is very big, so please bear with it."

(End of this chapter)