142 Naruto Mobile Game

"Quick! Look! I won, hahaha!"

The Akatsuki bunch of unemployed drifters, just like everyone else, gathered together to watch the Unlimited Class Tournament.

After seeing his Ultimate Scene pop up on the screen, Hidan immediately got so excited that he started slapping Kisame on the shoulder beside him.

"Hey, hey, don't just slap me like that." Kisame complained and shoved Hidan away.

Hidan didn't care and instead wore a smug expression.

"See that, all of you? In the Unlimited Class Tournament, my performance is way better than yours!"

"Correction—it's not you, it's an A-rank ninja named 'Hidan.'" Deidara couldn't stand Hidan's smug look.

"But I am Hidan!" Hidan said with a face that screamed what nonsense are you talking about.

Deidara choked on his words and shut his mouth in annoyance.

Still, Hidan really did perform outstandingly in the Unlimited Class Tournament and was very popular with the contestants.

Just like the First Hokage's wood dragon pursuit, once you got caught in Hidan's spinning pursuit rhythm, even Shikaku would have to be taken out.

"That's enough, Hidan. Come brag again after you actually make it into the finals yourself." Sasori said in a low voice.

Hidan curled his lips. Although he felt these guys were just jealous, he didn't push it further—if he pissed them off and got ganged up on, it wouldn't be worth it.

"But I really didn't expect Tobi to lose. That guy isn't as strong as he brags about." Deidara said, thinking of something.

"The ones sitting here right now are all people who didn't make it out of the main tournament." Kisame chuckled casually.

What he meant was that even though Tobi lost a round in the finals, he was still far stronger than people like them who could only watch.

Deidara shot Kisame a speechless glance. He seriously suspected this guy had something going on with Tobi.

If the Unlimited Class Tournament didn't prevent getting the same matchup every round and didn't allow picking Sage Naruto, he would've taken the championship in minutes, okay!

"More importantly, the leader is up."

Kakuzu's words drew everyone's attention. They all shut up and lowered their heads, each going back to their own phones.

They all understood Nagato's fighting style, so they greatly admired the feat of his main body staying in the Hidden in the Rain while the controlled body was fighting at the competition venue.

Originally, the connection between Nagato and Pain had prerequisites. The main body acted like a signal source, and Pain received it through chakra receivers.

The conditions of high position and not-too-great distance had to be met for smooth control over Pain.

But the ninja-specific version of Ninja Mobile Game was obviously not the bad servers from Kuroda's past life—there was absolutely no way you'd lose because of network issues!

So Nagato's long-distance connection to Pain was, in a way, an alternative kind of network.

Stable network—everything else was obligatory!

Pain: Deva Path sat down in his seat, and not far to his left was his opponent for this match.

What good luck. Deva Path thought. To meet him here and have a match.

Naruto Uzumaki...

Nagato was indeed excited. Even though the entire ninja world had seen his battle with Naruto in the story, for him, this was the first time in reality.

Let me see it. Nagato's eyes burned with intensity. We senior and junior brothers should settle this once more!

...

Unlike Nagato, Naruto was actually doing fine.

In Naruto's eyes, Nagato was different from the other Akatsuki members. Same as always—after all, they were senior and junior brothers.

However, Naruto was very troubled right now. He held his headset with both hands and rolled his eyes from time to time.

"I'm telling you, Nine-Tails, stop making noise already. There's no way I'm letting you appear. Give it up!"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why! Because it wouldn't be fair! How could I use your power to compete!"

"Pfft—hahahahaha!"

The Nine-Tails inside Naruto was instantly hit in the funny bone and started laughing wildly, tail swishing.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing!" Naruto complained.

"Naruto, you really are an idiot. In the story, haven't you used my power plenty of times? Without me, forget Pain—you wouldn't even get past Haku."

"Haku? Oh right, I haven't heard any news about him. I wonder how he and Zabuza are doing now."

"...Can you focus on the point?"

"Hmph!"

"Listen. There's a saying that a perfect jinchūriki isn't afraid of genjutsu. Why do you think that is?"

"Trying to test me? Obviously because if either side gets hit by genjutsu, the other can help dispel it!"

"The Fourth Hokage told you that, right? Then on the battlefield, has anyone ever said that this is unfair to other ninja?"

Naruto fell silent, and the Nine-Tails continued.

"Have you heard of tactics to deal with the Uchiha Sharingan? One-on-one, run away; two-on-one, attack from behind… So why has no one ever told the Uchiha not to use the Sharingan when fighting?"

By this point, Naruto completely understood what the Nine-Tails meant, though he still muttered inwardly.

Who says no one's ever said that? I've said it!

"Because you're a genius!"

"Eh—eh eh eh eh eh?! Nine-Tails, you can hear my thoughts?"

"Sigh. So aren't we always communicating in our minds?"

"..."

"Naruto, I have to tell you—when it comes to this, you've already surpassed all previous Hokage."

"Shut up! Nine-Tails, baka baka!!"

Hearing Naruto's stomping rage, the Nine-Tails chuckled lightly and steered the topic back.

"So you get it now, right? My power belongs to you, Naruto. We… are a two-man squad!"

Naruto's heart trembled. He couldn't help placing his hand on his stomach, as if he could feel through his clothes the tailed beast that had lived inside him for over twelve years…

"Give me a break. You just want to use me. You make it sound so nice—do you really think I'm that stupid?" Naruto snorted.

The Nine-Tails froze, waves stirring in its heart.

No—what's going on with this guy? His intelligence has clearly gone up. He saw through my purpose that easily?

Then why did I endure the disgust and say all this to Naruto in the first place! Damn it!

"Speaking of which," Naruto said softly, "the Eight-Tails, Gyūki, asked me to pass along his greetings to you."

Hm?!

The Nine-Tails straightened up immediately. The Eight-Tails? When did that happen? How come I didn't know?

"It was back backstage. Killer Bee-san suddenly came over to chat with me, though he was quickly beaten flat by the Raikage and dragged away…"

"Hm? You can tell what I'm thinking? Don't tell me… our hearts are connected? Impossible! Absolutely impossible with you!!"

"The Nine-Tails really has gotten dumb, hasn't it? Haven't we always been talking in our minds?"

"...You bastard, Naruto! It's all your fault!"

"Hey, hey, when are you going to fix that temper of yours? Can you stop blowing up over nothing? Seriously."

Naruto plugged his ears and only lowered his hands after the Nine-Tails finished yelling. Then he thought of something, scratched his cheek, and asked.

"By the way, do you tailed beasts all have names? One-Tail Shukaku, Eight-Tails Gyūki… Nine-Tails, what's your name?"

As soon as Naruto finished speaking, the Nine-Tails abruptly cut off the connection unilaterally, as if abandoning its original purpose for approaching Naruto.

Naruto paused briefly, then smiled.

From that chakra thread that had connected them for years, fragile enough to snap at a touch, came the final ripple.

"Kurama—that's my name!"