Chapter 145: Power of Shukaku, Perfect Jinchūriki?

"Shuichi-kun, how do you think we should deal with the Sand shinobi next?"

Under the starry sky, with the evening breeze blowing, Orochimaru stood on a hilltop overlooking the busy Konoha shinobi below. He asked this question with a smile, clearly in a good mood after the annihilation of the Mist shinobi.

Shūichi responded with a question of his own, "Orochimaru-sama must already have a plan, right?"

Orochimaru chuckled, "How about we cut off the Sand shinobi's communication, making them believe we're still locked in battle with the Mist, while also drawing their forces to where we want them? What do you think?"

Shūichi nodded, genuinely impressed, "As expected of one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru-sama. I agree that this is the best approach. Even though we now have enough forces to launch a direct attack on the Sand shinobi, the casualties would be high."

"By following the original plan and luring the Sand shinobi into a trap, we can minimize our losses. With our increased numbers, we can handle things more smoothly."

Orochimaru teased, "With how outstandingly you're performing, Shūichi-kun, as the commander, I naturally want to make our victory even more impressive."

"Then, I'll leave the task of cutting off their communication to you."

Shūichi immediately accepted, "Understood!"

…

After parting ways with Orochimaru, Shūichi returned to the forest where Asuka and the others were resting.

"Shūichi, Shisui made fish soup. Come have some!" Asuka called out with a smile.

"It's been a while since I had Shisui's cooking," Shūichi grinned, sitting down and taking the bamboo cup filled with fish soup from Asuka. He enjoyed it thoroughly.

After eating, Uchiha Shisui asked, "Shūichi, are we going to attack the Sand shinobi next?"

Asuka added with a smile, "With our current forces, we could easily attack from both sides."

Shūichi glanced at Pakura, who had been quiet, and shook his head, "Not just yet. Our next mission is to cut off the Sand shinobi's communication with the now-defeated Mist shinobi."

Then he turned to Pakura, "Scorch, return to the Land of Fire and prepare for the battle with the Mist shinobi."

Pakura was momentarily surprised, but quickly nodded, "Understood, Lord Shūichi!"

She was about to get up when Shūichi waved his hand, "Leave tomorrow morning."

"Alright, everyone, get some rest."

The group split up and retreated to their tents for the night.

The night passed uneventfully, and by early morning, Shūichi was feeling refreshed as he began his daily physical training.

As always, he used Earth and Water Release to create a waterfall, under which he practiced wielding his large sword—a custom-made weapon he kept sealed in his ninja tool scroll.

After two hours of training, the Konoha camp had become bustling with activity.

Asuka and Shisui were roasting rabbits and simmering fish soup.

Just as Shūichi finished his workout, Pakura appeared, "Lord Shūichi, I'm heading out."

"Alright," Shūichi nodded. "Stop by the research base first. I'll come find you later."

"Yes!" Pakura bowed respectfully and left.

Shūichi watched her go, a smile tugging at his lips. Good, she's becoming more obedient.

…

After breakfast, Orochimaru led the army's retreat.

Some of the forces escorted the injured and the Mist shinobi prisoners back to Konoha, while the majority followed Orochimaru.

Shūichi sent out shadow clones to monitor the movements of the Sand shinobi. After finishing breakfast, he, Shisui, and Asuka, along with the shadow clones, began the task of cutting off communication between the Sand shinobi and the no-longer-existing Mist forces.

This mission was relatively easy.

When the Sand shinobi saw Shūichi, they turned and fled.

If they had sensory ninja, they would detect Shūichi's chakra from a distance and immediately retreat.

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, two days had gone by.

In the Sand shinobi's main camp, Chiyo frowned.

Two days had passed without any communication from the Mist shinobi.

That brat, Shūichi Hoshita, hadn't come to harass them but had instead cut off their communication with the Mist forces.

What exactly was going on?

"Is Konoha in a critical situation?"

Chiyo pondered, If it were truly that urgent, why would they leave someone like Shūichi, even if it were only a shadow clone?

"So, is the Mist in trouble?"

"Has Konoha's reinforcements arrived, or have they secretly gathered forces to eliminate the Mist first?"

There were many possibilities.

With no intelligence coming from the direction of the Land of Rain, Chiyo wasn't sure whether Konoha had sent reinforcements.

But there had been no unusual movements from the Konoha shinobi in the past two days.

At that moment, a voice came from outside, "Chiyo-sama, there's intelligence from the Land of Rain."

Chiyo's heart lifted, "Come in!"

A young Sand shinobi brought in a scroll. Chiyo quickly scanned it.

Konoha hasn't sent reinforcements!

"So, they must have redeployed their front-line forces?"

Chiyo turned to the map. "Koharu Utatane wouldn't have the guts for this. It must be the work of Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin. As expected of someone so young!"

Though in her eyes, the thirty-something Orochimaru was still considered young.

Despite having pieced together her theory, and after probing Konoha's defenses over the past two days, Chiyo refrained from launching an all-out attack.

That night, Chiyo gave the order for a more aggressive assault, targeting the previously identified weak points in Konoha's defenses.

However, the attack was met with fierce resistance from Konoha shinobi, shattering their assumptions about those weak spots.

Back in her brightly lit command tent, Chiyo listened to the reports from the front lines while studying the map. Her confidence in her theory only grew stronger.

"Konoha's flying ninja beasts have been monitoring our movements, so they can anticipate our attacks. Konoha must have a specialized unit that can quickly support these points, which is why the previously weak areas suddenly became so well-defended."

As Chiyo analyzed the situation, a voice from outside interrupted her, this time brimming with excitement, "Chiyo-sama, the reinforcements from the village have arrived!"

Finally!

Chiyo's face lit up with joy as she stepped out of the tent, only to see her brother and the One-Tail Jinchūriki, Bunpuku!

Without delay, she summoned all the present jōnin for a meeting.

There was no need to wait any longer.

...

By a river, Shūichi raised an eyebrow as he received the memory feedback from his shadow clone: "The One-Tails' Jinchūriki has arrived!"

"It seems the Sand Shinobi are preparing for an all-out attack!"

Shūichi stood up and turned to Shisui and Asuka, saying, "We need to return to the main camp. The Sand Shinobi are likely preparing for a full-scale assault!"

Both of them were taken aback.

Shisui quickly asked, "Shūichi, did something change with the Sand Shinobi?"

"Yes," Shūichi nodded, "They've received reinforcements, including the One-Tails' Jinchūriki."

With a light chuckle, he added, "They might have sent him just to deal with me."

Asuka immediately tensed and said seriously, "I've heard the Tailed Beasts are terrifying. Shūichi, I can help you with a sealing technique when the time comes."

"Of course!" Shūichi responded with a smile.

Shisui added, "My Sharingan might come in handy too."

"Don't worry, I won't leave you guys behind!"

"Let's go!"

With that, Shūichi leaped forward, leading the way.

The three of them rushed toward the Konoha main camp at full speed, but Shūichi left a few shadow clones behind to continue monitoring the Sand Shinobi. These clones could shift to airborne surveillance once their interception role was no longer needed.

Two hours later, the trio arrived back at the main camp on the Land of Fire side.

By this time, Orochimaru and the others had already learned of the arrival of the Tailed Beast Jinchūriki at the front lines.

Naturally, Konoha wasn't relying solely on Shūichi to keep an eye on the Sand Shinobi; the Land of Wind's direction was another key area of surveillance.

As soon as Shūichi entered the tent, Koharu Utatane spoke up, "Shūichi, you've come at the right time. I assume you're aware of the One-Tails' Jinchūriki arriving?"

Shūichi nodded, "Yes, I've encountered the One-Tails during the battle between the Sand and Stone Shinobi before, so I'm quite familiar with its chakra."

"It seems likely that the Sand Shinobi will launch their main offensive today."

Koharu nodded gravely, "The key issue is the Tailed Beast..."

Jōnin Sarutobi Shinichi asked, "Shūichi, as someone who's witnessed a battle between the One-Tails and Four-Tails, how strong are they?"

Everyone in the tent turned their attention to Shūichi.

Most had never witnessed the power of a Tailed Beast firsthand.

Apart from Shūichi, only Koharu and Orochimaru had seen them in action—Koharu due to her vast experience, and Orochimaru, because he had once tried to ambush the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki.

After a brief pause, Shūichi explained, "The Four-Tails' Jinchūriki is different from the One-Tails'. The Four-Tails' Jinchūriki has already mastered the Tailed Beast's power and even gained the Lava Release Kekkei Genkai through it."

"So, the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki typically fights using the Tailed Beast's power, mainly employing Lava Release."

"In general, there are three stages."

Shūichi went into detail: "The first stage is when the Jinchūriki uses their own strength. The second is when they don the Tailed Beast's cloak, using the One-Tail form while still in human shape."

"The next step is partial Tailed Beast transformation, reaching the Four-Tails state. In this form, their speed and other abilities increase dramatically, and they can also use the Tailed Beast Bomb, an attack strong enough to destroy an entire town."

"During the last battle with the One-Tails, the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki was forced to fully release the Four-Tails because he was losing, but that's something non-perfect Jinchūriki resort to as a last-ditch effort, and there's a high risk of losing control. At that point, it's the Tailed Beast itself fighting."

Someone asked, "Shūichi, how does this Tailed Beast Bomb compare to the move you used a few days ago?"

How could they compare? The power varies depending on how much chakra is put into the attack.

Still, after a moment of thought, Shūichi answered, "My technique is an S-rank forbidden jutsu, so with equal chakra, they should be about the same."

"However, my chakra can't be compared to a Tailed Beast's, so against a Tailed Beast, the most crucial thing is sealing techniques."

Koharu immediately said, "Shūichi, you've trained in sealing jutsu with Minato's team, right?"

"Hmm?"

Shūichi nodded, "Indeed."

"The One-Tails is different from the Four-Tails. The One-Tails' Jinchūriki, Bunpuku, doesn't seem to have mastered the Tailed Beast's power, yet he can still control the One-Tails."

Orochimaru, who had been silent until now, asked, "Shūichi-kun, what do you mean by that?"

Shūichi explained, "In the last battle, Bunpuku released the One-Tails directly, so he hasn't mastered its power for his own combat use."

"But he has an extremely powerful sealing ability that can restrain the One-Tails and prevent it from going berserk and attacking the Sand Shinobi."

"Additionally, aside from the Tailed Beast Bomb, the One-Tails' Wind Release is incredibly strong."

After thinking for a moment, Shūichi added, "It's probably on par with my own."

The Jōnin in the tent couldn't help but smile wryly, while Shimura Feiyan's face darkened. "This brat—so full of himself!"

Orochimaru remarked, "According to Shūichi-kun, ordinary shinobi shouldn't get close to the Tailed Beast at all."

Shūichi nodded, "Yes, normal attacks are like scratches to a Tailed Beast."

"Moreover, the One-Tails has formidable defense. Especially in the desert, its power is amplified—it can manipulate sand and even turn its own body into sand."

"Last time, when the Four-Tails broke its front limb, the fallen limb turned into sand, and the One-Tails quickly regrew it."

Everyone in the tent grew increasingly serious.

Even Orochimaru felt a weight in the air.

Though he had once taken down the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki, he didn't underestimate the power of the Tailed Beasts.

In a direct confrontation, he had to admit he didn't have many effective means to deal with such a massive force.

One Tailed Beast Bomb could force you to either flee or rely on Rashōmon to block it.

As for summoning Manda, that snake couldn't be counted on.

"Well then, Shūichi-kun, I'll leave the One-Tails to you."

Orochimaru said, "There isn't a sealing squad available right now, and it's too late to request one from the village."

Shūichi nodded, "No problem, Asuka also knows sealing jutsu."

"But once the One-Tails appears, everyone needs to stay far away!"

Koharu quickly added, "We'll make sure that message gets out!"

"Understood!" everyone responded.

Shortly after, the meeting concluded, and everyone went about their tasks. Koharu led a group back to the medical camp, while command of the front lines was officially handed over to Orochimaru.

Orochimaru efficiently organized the troops, showing his skill in leadership.

The skirmishes along the Fire Country border appeared unchanged, but both Konoha and the Sand were preparing for a larger conflict.

As time passed, night fell.

Shūichi, Shisui, and Asuka waited quietly, while Shūichi's shadow clones in the form of hawks continued to monitor the Sand Shinobi from the skies.

But as midnight approached, the Sand Shinobi remained inactive, just like the previous days.

"Are they waiting for dawn to launch their attack?"

Shūichi frowned.

Orochimaru quickly ordered the Konoha ninjas to rest in shifts—otherwise, they'd lose the advantage of striking after preparation.

Both sides acted like everything was normal, yet continued to quietly prepare.

...

As the moments before dawn arrived, the time when people are most exhausted, Shūichi Hoshita, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them wide. "They're coming!"

"Shisui!" he shouted as he stood up. "Go inform Lord Orochimaru. The Sand Shinobi are moving, target point 3!"

"Understood!" Uchiha Shisui immediately used his Body Flicker Technique and vanished, while Shūichi and Asuka headed straight for the front lines.

Soon after, the Konoha forces stirred. The previously resting ninja quickly mobilized in their squads and began moving toward their assigned locations.

Target point 3 was one of the three traps set by Orochimaru.

Meanwhile, in the darkness, Chiyo, advancing at high speed, glanced at the disappearing flying beast overhead but didn't alter her course.

The Sand Army, advancing rapidly, crossed the border between the two countries within half an hour and arrived at Konoha's defensive line.

Konoha's defense was based around the vast forest, their most favorable battleground.

...

Whistle! Whistle!

As the Sand Shinobi approached, sharp whistles echoed through the forest. When the Sand forces charged across rivers into the forest, Konoha ninja began a tactical retreat.

"Wind Style!"

The leading Sand Jonin and Chunin shouted as the rear forces immediately began forming hand seals.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the darkness, the sound of projectiles cutting through the air arose. A barrage of shuriken was launched, but the vanguard of the Sand forces intercepted them all. Then, they stepped aside, allowing the completed Wind Style users to unleash a fierce gale, whipping forward with a thunderous roar.

Within the forest, Konoha ninja took cover behind trees, but many of the traps set, especially the explosive tags, were destroyed by the wind.

Most importantly, the blast of wind temporarily thinned the air, rendering explosive tags ineffective.

Although the forest favored Konoha, the Sand Shinobi had their own means to neutralize the traps.

As soon as the windstorm subsided, the Sand Jonin and Chunin commanders ordered, "Move quickly!"

The Sand forces pressed forward through the now relatively safe area, clashing head-on with Konoha ninja as short-range combat began.

The Sand forces, bolstered by their numbers, advanced quickly. Konoha ninja fought while retreating, the clash of steel ringing through the forest, punctuated by the occasional screams of the wounded.

But as the Sand Shinobi pushed deeper, the resistance they encountered grew stronger. More and more Konoha ninja appeared from both flanks.

Boom!

A Konoha ninja fell, only to explode into a cloud of smoke.

"A clone?"

A Sand ninja scoffed.

The same scene played out in the distance.

At that moment, the sound of projectiles filled the air from the front and both sides. The Sand forces, on high alert, shouted, "Careful, Konoha is launching a counterattack!"

To their surprise, however, what was thrown at them was not aimed directly at them, nor were they shuriken. Instead, strange egg-shaped objects flew through the air.

Though unfamiliar, every Sand ninja knew these were likely some form of ninja tool.

Almost instinctively, they began to distance themselves from the objects.

Before they could react, the "eggs" exploded—Konoha's version of hand grenades.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Countless tiny steel balls shot out like a storm, scattering in all directions.

Splatter! Splatter!

Blood sprayed as Sand ninja were hit, and their screams of agony filled the forest.

Caught off guard, many were hit, some falling dead on the spot, riddled with holes, while others, less fortunate, were left writhing in pain on the ground. A few quick-moving Sand ninjas managed to avoid the attack with Body Flicker.

"Don't let those things get close!"

The Sand forces warned each other, throwing shuriken to intercept the incoming grenades or using Wind Style to blow them away.

But just then, more grenades exploded underground and from the trees above, lighting up the night with flashes of fire. Steel balls once again sprayed through the air.

The grenades hidden underground were strung together with steel wire, designed to be triggered and launched into the air before exploding. However, many had lost their functionality due to the Sand's earlier Wind Style, exploding beneath the ground with reduced power.

But those set in the trees remained intact. These were aimed at the Sand's advancing direction, their explosive force focused outward.

These well-concealed traps caught even the more experienced Sand Jonin off guard, some of whom were too close to dodge the dense spray of steel balls and were turned into human sieves.

Meanwhile, the Konoha ninja who had been fighting the Sand forces up close were also hit—but instead of being injured, they vanished into puffs of smoke.

Clones!

They were all clones—Shadow Clones, Earth Clones, Water Clones.

Realizing this, the Sand forces suddenly understood: they had walked into a trap!

Amidst the flashing explosions and the sight of their comrades falling like wheat, Chiyo's face darkened as she issued orders for the forces to pull back and tighten their defenses. At the same time, she instructed those skilled in Fire Style to set the surrounding grass and trees ablaze to provide light.

The darkness, which had once been their cover, had now become their enemy, aiding Konoha in thinning their ranks.

The Sand forces deployed all sorts of defensive techniques—Earth Style to shield them, Wind Style to blow away incoming grenades, and shuriken to destroy the explosive tags within the grenades—yet despite their efforts, more Sand shinobi fell to the relentless bombardment of steel balls.

A few moments later, the explosions ceased. By the light of the fires, the Sand ninja could see a large number of Konoha ninja appearing ahead and on both sides.

"Lady Chiyo, we're...we're surrounded!" the sensory ninja reported, sweat beading on his forehead. "At least 700 enemies!"

Ebizo asked, "Is the rear blocked off by a large force of Konoha ninja?"

The sensory ninja quickly replied, "There's no large force behind us."

Chiyo, however, remained calm. "There will be, but they haven't shown themselves yet."

"If we try to turn back now, we'll walk right into an ambush. They'll strike us from the flanks and split our forces in two!"

Ebizo nodded grimly. "Then our only option is to break through the enemy in front of us!"

Chiyo agreed, her voice resolute. "Yes. We push forward, break through, and then redirect our attack to Konoha's weak point."

Ebizo turned to Bunpuku. "Let the One-Tail open a path."

Chiyo also looked at Bunpuku expectantly.

By now, the Konoha forces had begun to engage the Sand ninja on the front and flanks, and the real battle had begun.

Amidst the screams outside, Bunpuku sighed and nodded. "Understood."

"I've already spoken to the One-Tail. Follow behind him closely."

"However, after this battle, he'll want to play with sand for a whole month."

Chiyo quickly agreed. "No problem. I will personally speak with the Fourth about that. Of course, the Sealing Team will be there to keep watch."

"Of course."

Bunpuku leaped forward.

"That monk—he's the One-Tail's Jinchūriki!"

"Retreat!"

"Scatter!"

At that moment, both the Sand ninja on the front lines and the Konoha forces on the flanks quickly began to fall back.

In front of the Sand forces, Shūichi and Orochimaru also revealed themselves.

"The One-Tail's Jinchūriki...just like the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki from back then," Orochimaru muttered, his eyes fixed intently on Bunpuku as he moved to the forefront of the Sand forces, a smirk playing on his lips. "Shūichi-kun, I imagine you're eager to get your hands on the One-Tail's chakra?"

Shūichi responded with a question, "And what about you, Lord Orochimaru? Aren't you just as interested?"

Orochimaru chuckled lightly. "Then I suppose you'll have to work hard for it, won't you?"

At that moment, Bunpuku spoke up, "Konoha shinobi, would you consider letting us pass?"

Orochimaru laughed. "As the invaders, making such a request is quite bold."

"If you surrender, I can ask Lord Third Hokage to allow the Fourth Kazekage to ransom you back!"

Before Bunpuku could respond, a Sand ninja shouted angrily, "Never!"

"That's right! Even if we die here, we will never surrender, especially since the battle isn't over yet!"

"Do you think you can stop the One-Tail's power?"

"Charge! Kill them all and avenge our fallen comrades!"

...

The Sand shinobi's eyes turned bloodshot as they shouted and cursed.

Orochimaru paid them no attention and retreated further.

Without saying another word, Bunpuku lowered his gaze, and a surge of crimson chakra erupted from his body, transforming into a colossal figure.

Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast, had appeared!

"This… is this a Tailed Beast?"

"It's enormous!"

"That chakra is overwhelming! No wonder we were ordered to retreat!"

…

One by one, the Konoha shinobi looked up in awe at Shukaku, who towered over even the tallest trees, swallowing nervously.

It was huge!

Especially in the dim light, it seemed even more terrifying.

"Continue retreating!" Orochimaru commanded.

Almost simultaneously, Chiyo ordered the Sand shinobi to fall back as well.

Shūichi glanced up at the roaring Shukaku and said to Shisui and Asuka behind him, "Shisui, Asuka, you should retreat for now as well."

"Understood!"

Without hesitation, Shisui and Asuka withdrew.

In an instant, Shūichi flickered and appeared on top of a tree.

Even from here, he had to crane his neck to look up at the towering Shukaku. As the dawn light gradually broke through, the scene became clearer.

"A little brat?" Shukaku looked down at Shūichi, then glanced at the Konoha shinobi hiding in the forest and chuckled, "There are quite a few of you. I should've stayed sealed for another month."

Shūichi entered Fire Release Chakra Mode, catching Shukaku's attention. The beast's eyes narrowed, "A mere human shinobi can reach this level? No wonder you dare to stand before me."

"Very well, in that case… die!"

Shukaku's voice grew sharp as he pressed his left forelimb to his stomach and fired a massive wind bullet straight at Shūichi.

Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet!

"Such a bad temper!" Shūichi muttered as he drew his sword. As the Totsuka Blade unsheathed, a crescent-shaped blue slash shot out.

Blue Flame Vacuum Slash!

The blade of light collided with the wind bullet, causing a massive explosion that sent violent shockwaves in all directions. Orochimaru and the others took cover behind the trees to avoid the blast.

Shūichi leaped into the air, his blade surging with power, and in the blink of an eye, a giant sword tens of meters long materialized, slashing down towards Shukaku.

Blue Flame Waterfall Blade!

Shukaku raised a claw to block, but with a deft twist of his hands, Shūichi redirected the massive blade mid-swing, slicing cleanly through Shukaku's right claw.

Boom!

The enormous claw crashed to the ground, turning into a pile of sand.

"Damn it!"

"I'm going to kill you!"

Enraged, Shukaku launched a series of wind bullets at Shūichi, who nimbly dodged each one while simultaneously releasing high-temperature rays from a dragon-shaped apparition on his shoulder. The rays scorched Shukaku's body, but the beast quickly healed the charred holes, growing even more furious.

Shukaku leaped into the air, unleashing more wind bullets from above. Shūichi swung his sword, cutting through them.

"Brat, I'll kill them all first!" Shukaku sneered, aiming his wind bullets at the Konoha shinobi in the forest.

But the Konoha shinobi worked together to block the attack.

Meanwhile, Shūichi appeared beside Shukaku, his Blue Flame Waterfall Blade slashing toward the beast's head. He wondered if Shukaku could regenerate even after being decapitated.

Just as the massive sword came down, Shukaku's claw caught the blade, followed by a quick Drilling Air Bullet fired directly at Shūichi.

The Blue Flame Waterfall Blade dissipated as Shūichi raised his sword and palm, activating a sealing technique. The wind bullet vanished in front of him, only to explode violently in the distance, raising a fierce gale.

Shūichi then hurled the Totsuka Blade at Shukaku's eye.

Shukaku leapt backward, firing more Drilling Air Bullets in quick succession.

Shūichi, now higher in the air, didn't have to worry about hitting the Konoha forces below. Blue lotus flowers bloomed around him, allowing him to move swiftly while dodging Shukaku's attacks and closing the distance.

"Persistent brat!" Shukaku grumbled, as he gathered a massive amount of chakra in his mouth. A Tailed Beast Ball began to form and was launched directly at the Konoha shinobi on the front lines.

In an instant, the ball obliterated everything in its path.

But Shūichi had completed his Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, throwing it to intercept the attack.

Boom!

A brilliant flash of light erupted, like a miniature sun consuming the forest, followed by a devastating shockwave.

The once dense forest was reduced to a barren wasteland with a massive crater at its center.

Orochimaru ordered another retreat.

Chiyo did the same, realizing things had spiraled out of control.

She had thought Shukaku would be enough to deal with Shūichi, but now it seemed less like a battle between a shinobi and a Tailed Beast, and more like a clash between two Tailed Beasts.

In the air.

After throwing one Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, Shūichi quickly formed two more, hurling them one after the other at Shukaku.

From earlier exchanges, he could tell that his Dragon Flame Breath and Blue Flame Waterfall Blade weren't doing much against the beast.

Boom! Boom!

The Rasenshurikens collided with Shukaku's wind bullets, creating destructive storms.

For a moment, all the shinobi, both Konoha and Sand, were left in stunned silence.

Shūichi, encased in blooming blue lotus flowers, charged headlong into the storm, defying the violent winds.

When the storm subsided, he threw several Flying Thunder God Kunai at Shukaku.

Shukaku responded by spitting out a barrage of sand bullets instead of wind bullets.

Swish!

Shūichi disappeared midair and reappeared beside the Totsuka Blade.

The next moment, both Shūichi and his blade vanished.

When Shūichi reappeared, he was right in front of Shukaku, grabbing a Flying Thunder God Kunai.

At that moment, Shukaku's claw was about to crush all the kunai, trying to prevent Shūichi's teleportation.

Seeing Shūichi appear, Shukaku's eyes widened, his strength and speed suddenly surging. "Die!"

With a loud clang, chains shot out from Shūichi's back, wrapping around Shukaku's claws, head, body, legs, and tail.

"You can't move!"

"What…?"

Shukaku's pupils dilated in shock. "A sealing technique?!"

"I can't use my chakra... how is this possible?!"

Shūichi gritted his teeth, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "As expected of a full-power One-Tail. You're on a whole other level compared to the Four-Tails' single tail."

The chains from the Fire Nether Chains strained, making cracking sounds as if they could snap at any moment.

Asuka, who had been watching from the back, immediately moved. "Shisui, let's go!"

Shisui followed closely as both rushed toward Shukaku.

At the same time, Chiyo and the others, realizing the danger, shouted in alarm.

"Charge! We can't let Konoha seal the One-Tail!"

Chiyo ordered the Sand shinobi to attack.

Orochimaru also gave the command to engage the Sand shinobi the moment Asuka and Shisui started moving.

By now, the sun was fully up. From above, Konoha's forces resembled three surging waves avoiding Shukaku, crashing into the Sand shinobi.

The Sand forces, in contrast, formed a single stream, charging straight toward Shukaku.

Quickly, the Sand shinobi were split in half by the Konoha forces, and those continuing to charge forward collided with Orochimaru's group.

Meanwhile, Shūichi unlocked the seals on his stomach and heart that he had been holding back.

His chakra surged as even more chains shot from his abdomen, piercing Shukaku's body.

Crimson chakra began to flow out of Shukaku, through the Fire Nether Chains, and into Shūichi.

He couldn't drag Shukaku out all at once, so instead, he was slowly draining Shukaku's chakra to weaken him.

"Damn you!"

Shukaku roared, trying to gather chakra for another Tailed Beast Ball, but the intense pain made it impossible.

"Shukaku, lend me your power!"

"I'll handle his sealing technique!"

Bunpuku's voice echoed within Shukaku, who quickly agreed. "Fine!"

Shūichi frowned as he sensed another force inside Shukaku's body.

"Bunpuku?"

"They've teamed up now… I suppose it's to be expected."

Shūichi was slightly surprised but quickly came to terms with it.

Shukaku was smart, and he had surrendered rather decisively.

"This power... it's also a sealing technique!"

Shūichi's gaze sharpened as he saw black runes linking together like a black serpent crawling up his Fire Nether Chains, blocking the power of his sealing technique while continuing to entwine around it.

Then, crimson chakra appeared on the black runes, causing them to tighten immediately.

Crack!

Crack!

The Fire Nether Chains started to fracture!

"What an incredible Monk Bunpuku!" Shūichi thought, astonished. He raised his right hand, and a Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken quickly formed.

At that moment, the Fire Nether Chain shattered completely.

Shūichi flung the Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken and vanished, reappearing next to the just-arrived Asuka.

Meanwhile, Shukaku blocked the Rasenshuriken with his left claw, but it was destroyed in the process.

"I'm going to kill you all!" Shukaku roared in fury, launching a Tailed Beast Bomb straight at Shūichi and his two companions.

And as soon as he launched the first one, he started preparing another.

Shūichi snorted coldly, expanding the Flying Thunder God seal to swallow the Tailed Beast Bomb.

On a mountain in the Land of Rivers, the Tailed Beast Bomb suddenly appeared and exploded, causing the entire peak to collapse and disintegrate.

As Shukaku was about to unleash a second Tailed Beast Bomb, a massive toad descended from the sky, landing on top of him.

The Tailed Beast Bomb exploded in Shukaku's mouth, and he let out a painful grunt.

Gamabunta glanced down. "This guy… Shukaku..."

He quickly jumped up and landed with a thud behind Shūichi and the other two. Bowing slightly, he said, "You're Minato's disciple, right?"

"First time meeting, and it's already this intense... Shukaku is no easy foe."

Shūichi quickly apologized, "Sorry for summoning you at such a tough time!"

At that moment, golden chains burst from the ground, attempting to bind Shukaku.

Uchiha Shisui also locked onto Shukaku with a genjutsu, but it was broken almost instantly.

Simultaneously, black rune-formed chains, tainted with scarlet chakra, shot out from Shukaku's body, blocking Asuka's Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Shukaku then turned his head, preparing to fire an Air Bullet at Orochimaru's group.

Shūichi appeared above Shukaku's head in an instant, then vanished again, reappearing at the Land of Rivers' border.

Boom!

The Air Bullet blasted a massive hole in a mountain, causing the ground to shake violently.

As Shukaku tried to catch Shūichi with sand, Shūichi disappeared from above Shukaku's head and reappeared next to Asuka once again.

"Gamabunta, can you help us stop Shukaku?"

Shūichi, Asuka, and Shisui stood atop Gamabunta's head.

"No problem!" Gamabunta replied, leaping into the air, then muttered, "But the heat from your chakra mode is a bit too much…"

Shūichi quickly dispelled his Fire Release Chakra Mode after hearing that.

Fortunately, it hadn't spread to Gamabunta's body earlier.

...

Gamabunta was incredibly fast. In no time, they intercepted the returning Shukaku in the Land of Rivers.

Water and wind spheres expanded, transforming into a downpour.

Shukaku stopped in his tracks, his gaze locked onto Gamabunta and Shūichi. "You damn toad!"

Gamabunta snorted coldly. "You wretched tanuki, looking all beaten up!"

"Maybe today's the day we take you down!"

"Damn toad, let's see you try!" Shukaku spat his threat, but hesitated to make the first move, his tail swaying cautiously.

The opponents in front of him were no pushovers.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield behind them, Chiyo decisively risked turning back to break through, only to be pursued by Orochimaru and the Konoha forces.

After breaking through the border, three hundred Konoha ninja suddenly ambushed from the right, cutting off the Sand shinobi's retreat.

Chiyo gritted her teeth and sacrificed part of her forces to continue retreating with the rest.

The One-Tail absolutely could not be captured!

Orochimaru, leading some Konoha forces in pursuit, knew that while Shūichi had the Flying Thunder God technique, he couldn't allow Shūichi's team to face both the One-Tail and the retreating Sand shinobi alone.

The chase continued as both sides neared the standoff between Shūichi and Shukaku.

Seeing that the One-Tail was unharmed, Chiyo sighed in relief.

However, she didn't dare get too close. Instead, she led her forces in a swift retreat to the west.

At that moment, Shukaku moved, launching an Air Bullet at the pursuing Orochimaru and his forces.

Shūichi gathered another Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken and called out, "Gamabunta!"

"Got it!" Gamabunta nodded slightly, then spat a Water Cannon to intercept the Air Bullet.

Shukaku fired three more Air Bullets in quick succession, forming a triangular attack to trap Gamabunta.

At that moment, Shūichi disappeared again, flashing above Shukaku's head and throwing down the Rasenshuriken before returning to Gamabunta's side.

Gamabunta shot another Water Cannon, blocking the first Air Bullet. Uchiha Shisui, having activated his cursed seal, unleashed a powerful Fireball, while Shūichi used an Earth Dragon Bullet, stopping the second Air Bullet. The third was obliterated by Asuka's Adamantine Chains.

On the other side, a massive fireball enveloped Shukaku.

Meanwhile, Chiyo and the retreating Sand shinobi halted at a distance.

As the fierce light and heatwave receded, Shūichi narrowed his eyes. The molten sand on Shukaku's body had peeled away, revealing his undamaged form underneath, with even his previously destroyed limbs fully restored.

"Is he really this tough?"

"He seemed so much weaker in the original story..."

Shūichi frowned. "Is it because the Jinchūriki has achieved perfect cooperation with the Tailed Beast, making him almost like a perfect Jinchūriki?"

If the Wind-Fire Rasenshuriken didn't work, the Lava Release Rasenshuriken likely wouldn't either.

Even with a power boost from the cursed seal, Shukaku's sand body would probably still block the attack.

He's just like Orochimaru, able to shed his skin…

Tailed Beasts really are meant to be sealed away!

(End of Chapter)

T/N: 5.8k Words 😪

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