I'm sorry...

"Argh!"

"Guh!"

"Hnngh!"

The agonized screams of the Five-Tails echoed across the battlefield. The beast tried to resist, waves of chakra bursting from its body in a desperate attempt to repel its tormentor.

But Luo Lei was relentless. Each kick, charged with hundreds of tons of force, connected with the beast.

The Bijū's body twisted and deformed under the assault, like a punching bag.

Boom!

The impacts resonated like thunder, each accompanied by a roar of pain from the Five-Tails. If it weren't for its nature as a chakra being, the beast would have succumbed long ago.

600 meters away, the furious advance of Iwagakure's troops came to an abrupt halt. The scene before them was so demoralizing that silence fell over their ranks.

Shibito, Sumashi, Gari, and the other leaders exchanged looks of horror and disbelief. The unspoken question hung in the air.

Had they made a catastrophic mistake?

"What... what do we do now?" Gari's voice trembled slightly.

Shibito gritted his teeth in frustration. "We have no choice! We must fight." The words sounded hollow even to himself.

"If we retreat now, we'll be hunted like animals," added Sumashi, his voice laden with forced determination. "We still have a chance..."

Suddenly, Rōshi, fully transformed into the Four-Tails, stepped forward. "Wait here," he growled hoarsely. "I'm going to save Han. He won't last much longer."

Before anyone could stop him, the huge red gorilla launched itself towards the battle.

"DAMN IT, RŌSHI!" Shibito cursed, slamming his fist into the ground in frustration. "Your impulsiveness will cost us dearly one day."

With a sigh of resignation, he gave the order to hold position.

Now they could only wait and pray that the combination of Rōshi and Han could somehow contain Luo Lei.

In fact, Han could no longer hold on.

To be more precise, the Five-Tails could no longer hold on.

Boom!

The impact resonated across the field as another of Luo Lei's kicks connected with the massive body of the Five-Tails.

The beast was thrown against the ground with brutal force, creating another crater.

The Five-Tails, once majestic and terrifying, now presented a pitiful sight. Its white fur was stained with blood and dirt. The five tails now hung limply, trembling with each painful breath.

"Han, I can't take it anymore," the Bijū's voice echoed in its Jinchūriki's mind, laden with pain and fatigue. "Even being immortal, this... this is too much."

The Five-Tails' body fluctuated, its bestial form struggling to maintain itself. Waves of chakra visibly pulsed through its skin, a clear sign that it was at the limit of its strength.

Han felt every blow, every wave of pain.

"No, wait," he pleaded mentally. "Rōshi is on his way. We still have a chance."

But the Five-Tails had reached its limit. "This guy is crazy. I'm leaving," it declared, fear evident in its tone.

In all its centuries of existence, it had never faced someone like Luo Lei.

Without further warning, the Bijū's chakra abruptly withdrew.

The massive form of the Five-Tails vanished in an instant, leaving Han exposed and vulnerable.

The Jinchūriki fell heavily to the ground, his human body revealed in all its fragility. What remained of his armor was shattered, barely covering his torso.

"Wait," Han gasped. "If you don't lend me your chakra, he'll kill me."

The Five-Tails' response was cold and ruthless: "He shouldn't kill you. After all, you're a Jinchūriki. You have value alive."

Those words plunged Han into despair.

Abandoned by the beast that was supposed to be his source of power, he found himself defenseless before a monster.

Luo Lei, momentarily surprised by the Bijū's withdrawal, recovered quickly.

In the blink of an eye, he was next to Han, his right hand closing around the Jinchūriki's neck.

"Boil Release..." Han tried to form hand seals, a last desperate effort.

But Luo Lei was faster. With a quick movement, his left hand grabbed Han's hands, ripping them off with force, causing blood to gush from his stumps.

"What...!!" Han's cry of pain resonated.

He's dead....

Without his hands, he has become completely useless.

"Damn it, stop!"

Rōshi's roar, charged with fury and desperation, was heard from nearby.

Boom!

The ground shook violently as Rōshi arrived, landing a short distance from Luo Lei. Waves of burning chakra emanated from his body, evidence of his fury.

The Four-Tails' eyes, bright as embers, fixed on the scene before him. Han, mutilated and defeated.

Luo Lei turned slowly, his eyes meeting those of the Bijū. A mocking smile curved his lips. "What did you say? Are you asking me to let him go?"

"You... how can you be so cruel?" Rōshi's voice trembled. His eyes couldn't look away from the bleeding stumps where Han's hands used to be.

But Luo Lei's smile turned sinister, his eyes glowing with a crimson gleam that made even the Four-Tails instinctively recoil. "Cruel? Oh, my dear Rōshi, you haven't seen anything yet. Have you ever wondered what a Jinchūriki's head would look like when it explodes? It must be... beautiful, don't you think?"

Rōshi was paralyzed in disbelief at these words.

Suddenly, the Five-Tails' voice resonated through Han, filled with panic, "Wait! Don't kill him. We can... we can follow your orders. From now on, I'll be Konoha's Five-Tails, see?"

The desperation in its voice was palpable.

Luo Lei turned his head towards Han, as if considering the offer. For a moment, it seemed there might be a spark of hope.

But then, his face hardened, all emotion disappearing from his features. "I'm sorry," he said in an icy voice. "I like to kill Bijū in pairs."

Sizzle!

The sound was deafening. In an instant, Luo Lei's thermal vision activated, completely vaporizing Han's head.

________

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