Chapter 132: No Passage Allowed!

After Gaara activated the Fake Sleep Jutsu, his consciousness receded, and the fearsome beast residing within him was fully awakened.

A massive plume of white smoke rose into the air, vaguely outlining the shape of a gigantic creature. When the smoke cleared, a massive tanuki with curse-mark patterns across its body stood before the shocked onlookers.

The sheer size and presence of the beast radiated overwhelming pressure, freezing everyone in place with terror.

"YAHOO! I'M FINALLY OUT!"

The One-Tail Shukaku, now freed, let out an excited howl. It glanced around at the humans beneath its feet, a wicked grin spreading across its face.

For years, the tailed beasts had been trapped in perpetual imprisonment, confined to the darkness of jinchūriki vessels and robbed of their freedom. The deep resentment Shukaku held for humanity had only grown stronger over time.

Now, with the chance for revenge at hand, Shukaku wasn't going to let it slip away.

"Sand Release: Sandstorm!"

With a powerful stomp of its foot, the ground beneath Shukaku's feet transformed into sand, spreading outward in waves. Shukaku's control of the sand quickly formed a massive sandstorm that swept through the area, engulfing everything in its path.

The arena where the Chūnin Exam was taking place was reduced to a desolate wasteland within moments. Countless individuals were either buried alive or blown away by the storm, their fates sealed in an instant.

"Curse the Akatsuki!"

Watching the chaos unfold, Jiraiya's eyes burned with anger, glowing as if he might awaken a Sharingan.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

With Konoha descending into chaos, Jiraiya knew there was no time for hesitation. While his fury was understandable, anger alone wouldn't resolve the situation. His focus had to be on mitigating the damage and protecting what remained of the village.

Boom!

Jiraiya bit his thumb, weaved hand signs, and slammed his palm onto the ground. In a burst of smoke, a massive red toad with a pipe in its mouth and a tanto strapped to its waist appeared.

"Gamabunta! Please help us! If possible, drive Shukaku out of Konoha's boundaries!"

Jiraiya's plea to Gamabunta was filled with urgency.

"Tch. What a pain."

Grumbling, Gamabunta complied. Unsheathing the tanto from its waist, it leapt into action, aiming a downward slash at Shukaku.

Shukaku reacted swiftly, forming a sand shield to block the attack. Gamabunta's blade struck the sand barrier with a loud clang, failing to break through.

Undeterred, the toad continued its assault, swinging its blade repeatedly at Shukaku.

Gamabunta didn't need to defeat Shukaku. All it had to do was distract the beast or drive it out of the village's boundaries.

For now, it managed to keep Shukaku occupied, but the larger crisis was far from resolved.

---

"No passage allowed!"

Jiraiya moved to assist Naruto, but his path was suddenly blocked by three figures: Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Zabuza Momochi.

Due to the injuries Itachi had sustained in his encounter with Yi, his strength was diminished. To compensate, Obito had assigned Zabuza to support him and Kisame in their mission.

"Fire Style: Giant Flame Bombs!"

Jiraiya wasted no time, immediately combining oil chakra with fire chakra to unleash a devastating fire attack. The immense flames roared toward his three adversaries, forcing them to scatter in different directions to avoid the scorching heat.

Seizing the opening, Jiraiya attempted to break through their blockade, but Itachi activated his Amaterasu, unleashing black flames to block Jiraiya's path.

Trapped by the relentless attacks, Jiraiya's face darkened. He was growing increasingly anxious about Naruto's safety, but with these three formidable opponents in his way, he was powerless to advance.

"Don't waste your energy, Jiraiya. You can't get past us," Kisame said casually, holding his massive sword, Samehada, with ease.

Jiraiya clenched his fists. "Why are you after the tailed beasts? Don't you realize your actions will provoke the wrath of the entire ninja world? Or do you think the Akatsuki can take on the whole world by itself?"

Kisame smirked, but it was Itachi who responded, his voice calm yet chilling.

"Our goal is world peace. The conflicts between the great nations have raged for far too long. The endless cycle of hatred and violence must be broken."

"World peace?" Jiraiya's disbelief was evident.

"Yes. By capturing the tailed beasts and using their power, we will cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi upon the world, trapping everyone in a dreamlike state. In that illusion, there will be no war, no suffering—only eternal peace," Itachi explained, his tone unwavering.

Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Itachi-san, isn't this information supposed to be confidential?"

Itachi dismissed Kisame's concern with a slight shake of his head. "The tailed beasts are almost all accounted for. Even if the world learns of our intentions now, it's too late to stop us."

Zabuza, however, remained silent. Unlike Kisame, he wasn't convinced by the Akatsuki's grand rhetoric.

"You're insane!" Jiraiya spat, his voice filled with fury. "Peace through eternal illusion? That's not peace—it's enslavement!"

"If that's how you see it, then try and stop us, Jiraiya. But you won't succeed," Itachi said, his Sharingan spinning.

"Tsukuyomi!"

In an instant, Jiraiya found himself pulled into Itachi's Tsukuyomi world.

---

Meanwhile, Hidan and Kakuzu had successfully intercepted Naruto.

Naruto's blue eyes burned with determination, and he clenched his fists tightly.

"You guys want the Nine-Tails? Over my dead body!"

Hidan grinned maniacally. "Oh, don't worry, kid. You'll get your wish soon enough!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, preparing for a fight he knew would be unlike any other.

---

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