Above the Red Line, two titanic forces clashed with raw devastation. Susanoo and the Ten-Tails collided, unleashing shockwaves that rippled through the clouds and raised monstrous tsunamis in the ocean below.

The longer the battle continued, the more Im sensed that something was wrong.

He had assumed that the power of the Ten-Tails and the presence within him would make this fight one-sided. But now, it was painfully clear that things weren't going according to plan.

From the very beginning, Uchiha Chiga had dominated the battlefield. Im's assaults barely scratched Susanoo's defenses, while Chiga's strikes carved up the Ten-Tails repeatedly. The so-called monster beneath him was little more than a slab of meat on a cutting board.

Though Im's body possessed a form of immortality, he knew even that had limits. Energy didn't last forever. If this continued, exhaustion would set in—and for a being like him, dormancy was as good as death.

Meanwhile, Chiga showed no signs of fatigue. Susanoo moved with brutal precision under his control, cleaving through the Ten-Tails again and again with relentless force.

Im clenched his teeth and finally shouted into the void within himself:

"Hey! What's going on?! Why am I constantly on the defensive?!"

A cold, amused voice echoed in response.

"Heh... so you finally remembered me. The Ten-Tails is strong, yes, but you're not of my clan. You're not capable of drawing out its true power."

"Don't play games with me! The Ten-Tails' backlash is intensifying! If it breaks free, I'll be the one devoured, not Uchiha Chiga! Do you have a solution or not?!"

"But of course. Release my seal temporarily, and you'll witness power beyond your comprehension. Chiga won't last a second."

Im hesitated. This was dangerous—reckless even. There was no guarantee he'd regain control of his body afterward. But then—

Slash!

Susanoo's blade came down once more, slicing the Ten-Tails in half.

Im let out a grunt of pain. Several black tendrils connecting him to the Ten-Tails ruptured and didn't regenerate.

His vision blurred. The world spun.

Across from him, Chiga stood poised atop Susanoo's head, arms crossed, unreadable expression locked onto him.

Rage boiled inside Im. He grit his teeth and roared into the storm,

"Fine! Show me the Ten-Tails' true form!!"

"...A wise decision," the voice within said, almost gently.

Inside Im's mental world, a pale figure in a white robe floated within a barrier shaped like a straw hat. The moment the command was given, the shield dissolved into shimmering particles, and a strange smile crept across the figure's lips. His body transformed into a radiant ball of light that enveloped the mindscape entirely.

Back in the real world, Im convulsed. The darkness that cloaked him peeled away, replaced by a blinding white aura. His skin shimmered like moonlight. His eyes turned crimson, embedded with four ripple patterns—a pair of red Rinnegan unlike any Chiga had seen before.

Chiga's face tightened with unease. For the first time, he felt a subtle but real sense of danger.

Im gazed at his new form with fascination before bursting into manic laughter.

"Hahahaha! This sensation—this clarity—it's glorious!"

His gaze locked onto Chiga, and his tone turned curious.

"Tell me, junior... I've never heard your name in the clan. That surname of yours—Uchiha—it doesn't belong to us, does it?"

Chiga's voice was firm.

"So I should be calling myself Ōtsutsuki instead?"

Im smirked. "What, don't like the name? Are you another one of the so-called 'guardians' who betrayed us?"

"I serve no one. I come from the Uchiha Clan."

"Still pretending? What an ungrateful little junior," Im sneered. "No matter. You'll become food for the Ten-Tails soon enough."

"You talk a lot for someone who keeps losing," Chiga replied coolly.

"Don't compare me to the native who owned this body. If not for that so-called King, I'd never have been sealed inside him for so long."

Chiga narrowed his eyes. "Who are you really?"

The figure grinned.

"Ōtsutsuki Zero-shiki. Perhaps you haven't heard my name. But you've heard of my Master—Ōtsutsuki Shibai."

The name hit Chiga like a jolt of lightning.

Ōtsutsuki Shibai… The devourer of worlds. The God of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, who had consumed more Divine Tree Fruits than any other. He was said to be long dead—either perishing in the process or evolving beyond flesh itself, vanishing into dimensions unknown.

And this Zero-shiki had been his guardian?

Worse—he had betrayed him.

Zero-shiki grinned at Chiga's stunned reaction.

"My Master's body began collapsing under the weight of his power. At the brink of death, I struck. I landed the fatal blow myself. I never expected his body to transform into this unique Ten-Tails. It holds energy unlike anything else. Once I consume its fruit... even Shibai will pale in comparison!"

Chiga stared at the Ten-Tails once more. Unlike the typical white-bodied variants, this one was black as night—corrupted, ancient, and terrifying.

(Tl/N: This is not the Ten tails from Kaguya's time)

But one mystery still lingered: How did Zero-shiki end up here—in the world of pirates?

Before he could ask, Zero-shiki continued, pride dripping from his voice.

"My Master had already developed the ability to tear through dimensions. The moment his body became the Ten-Tails, a rift opened and pulled us into this world. But the beast had no loyalty to me. Just controlling it drained everything I had. I had no choice but to possess a local—this fool named Im."

Chiga gave a slow nod.

"From what I can see, it's Im that's still in control, not you."

Zero-shiki's smile faded. He extended a hand—and a miniature straw hat appeared in his palm.

His voice dropped to a growl.

"It's this damn thing. Im calls it the King. Without it, I would've completely taken over long ago!"

Chiga's eyes widened. The King—an ancient weapon—was a small straw hat?

His thoughts flickered briefly to Luffy's straw hat.

Coincidence? Or something more?

No time to dwell on it.

Zero-shiki's presence changed everything.

This wasn't a simple fight anymore. It was survival.

If he made even one mistake... he would be devoured.

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