Why did the usually irritable Shukaku suddenly cry out in shock? What had he seen to make his eyes widen in disbelief?
It was a chakra signature familiar to him—crimson, unmistakable, and radiating the presence of a Tailed Beast.
"Damn it! That's the Seven-Tails' chakra!"
"You little brat—you're a Jinchūriki?!"
"No wonder... no wonder your chakra reserves are even greater than that bastard Rasa's. So, the Seven-Tails is backing you up!"
"Hmph! But don't think for a second that having the Seven-Tails means I'll be afraid of you!"
"In a fight, that damned bug is no match for me!"
Though Shukaku was only the One-Tail, he was supremely confident in his own strength. He especially resented the other Tailed Beasts that had more tails than he did—none more so than that damn fox, the Nine-Tails!
"Hmph! Shukaku, just because you know some Ninjutsu and Fūinjutsu doesn't mean you're all that."
"Chōmei has been itching to beat you down for ages!"
"But for now, I'll take the lead!"
"Chōmei! Partial Tailed Beast Transformation!"
Hearing that name sent another shock through Shukaku.
Chōmei… the Seven-Tails. How long had it been since he'd last heard that name—one so familiar to him?
"Chōmei… you even know the Seven-Tails' name…"
"It looks like the two of you are close—at least closer than I am with that old monk."
"Hmph! But don't think that's enough to defeat me! If you want to fight me, let Chōmei come out himself!"
"I'll say it again—the desert is my domain!"
"Quicksand Waterfall Flow!"
Shukaku plunged both hands into the sands, and the desert erupted into chaos.
Wave after wave of crushing sand surged toward Kazuyama Gekkō.
"Kazuyama, with the chakra from your five tails, you've got plenty to go wild with this time!"
"Go beat him down for me!"
Chōmei fully unleashed his chakra, and Kazuyama's body transformed into a crimson Half-Tailed Beast form, five tails unfurling behind him.
A carapace-like armor, reminiscent of an insect's shell, covered his body.
"Leave it to me!"
"Let's go!"
With the battle cry raised, the five tails flared out like wings, propelling the red beast forward.
Even as the raging waves of sandstorm bore down on him, Kazuyama didn't hesitate for an instant.
"I'll bury you!"
"In your dreams!"
Both Shukaku and Kazuyama roared in unison.
In the heart of the desert, far from the rest of the world, the battle between the Tailed Beast and Jinchūriki had begun in full force.
While Partial Tailed Beast Transformation couldn't compare to a full transformation, it had its own advantages—namely, speed and agility.
This suited someone like Kazuyama perfectly, someone accustomed to maneuvering through crowds.
With precise strikes, he pierced through the waves of sand, his raw power cutting through even Shukaku's enhanced assaults. Large-scale attacks could never match the sheer impact of focused blows.
Taking a mouthful of sand in the process, Kazuyama burst through the Quicksand Waterfall, leaped high into the air, clasped his hands together, and brought both fists crashing down onto Shukaku's head.
Sand exploded in all directions.
"You think I'd let you hit me in the face twice...?"
"Ouch! You bastard! Think you're tough just because you have more tails?!"
Shukaku blocked the punch with his sand, but there was no stopping the fact that Kazuyama had five tails at the moment.
A series of slaps followed—his five tails became the perfect weapons, striking Shukaku's face in rapid succession.
For a moment, Shukaku was dazed.
He was already bitter about only having one tail, resenting those with more. And now, this little punk had the audacity to smack him in the face with his tails?!
The tanuki had had enough!
[Ding! Host has been detected using his tails to slap Shukaku in the face. Damage is minimal, but the humiliation is immense! Special reward: Tailed Beast Ball Optimization +10%. Note: Additional optimizations can be unlocked at 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%.]
Sure enough, bullying the tanuki paid off with a nice reward.
The consequence? Shukaku's massive hand grabbed Kazuyama and hurled him through the air.
"Wind Release! Drilling Air Bullet!"
"You little brat! Die!"
Boom!
Three consecutive air bullets blasted toward Kazuyama as he soared through the sky. At the last moment, he twisted his body midair, pulling all five tails in front of him to absorb the impact.
The Drilling Air Bullet was powerful, but it was still a ninjutsu. In his Half-Tailed Beast form, Kazuyama wasn't too concerned.
The raging wind kicked up some trouble, but nothing he couldn't handle.
As the blasts dissipated, white smoke rose from Kazuyama's body—a result of the air bullets' impact.
"Chōmei, give me the power of one more tail."
"Got it! And don't forget—you can fly!"
Chōmei reminded him, just in case he overlooked his biggest advantage. Unlike the other Tailed Beasts, the Seven-Tails had the ability to fly, even in Partial Tailed Beast Transformation.
"Relax, I know! Just watch!"
A sixth tail emerged, and all six tails shifted into wing-like shapes. Kazuyama shot into the sky, then, in the blink of an eye, dove straight down.
The sheer speed of his descent produced a sharp whistling sound.
"Stupid raccoon!"
"Come on, keep it up!"
Kazuyama abandoned all unnecessary moves. If a meteor crashing into the earth had a human equivalent, this was it.
Under the force of six tails, his head sprouted Chōmei's signature antennae—except his were razor-sharp.
Using his speed to amplify the impact, he transformed himself into a living kunai, plunging straight toward Shukaku.
Swish!
The sound of penetration echoed through the air. The next second, Kazuyama disappeared into the sand.
Meanwhile, a gaping hole had appeared in Shukaku's shoulder.
"Aaaargh! I'll kill you!"
Shukaku's rage ignited, burning through every inch of his being. Even if Bunpuku, the monk within him, tried to calm him with chants, there was no way to suppress his fury now.
The One-Tail had completely lost control.
"Hmph! Going berserk, huh?"
"Even better!"
Kazuyama climbed out of the sand, facing Shukaku's blood-red eyes. The Tailed Beast was already gathering a Tailed Beast Ball, swirling with red and blue chakra.
But there wasn't a trace of fear in Kazuyama's gaze.
"So what if it's a Tailed Beast Ball? I've got one too!"
Matching red and blue chakra rapidly condensed in front of him. Though still in Half-Tailed Beast form, he could still form a Tailed Beast Ball of his own.
It was smaller than Shukaku's, but a Tailed Beast Ball was a Tailed Beast Ball.
"Kazuyama, you can't stop it like this. A fully transformed Tailed Beast's attack is denser, bigger, and way more powerful!"
"Don't worry, Chōmei. I've got this."
With unwavering confidence, Kazuyama finished forming his own Tailed Beast Ball.
"Die!"
"You wish!"
Both attacks fired at once—a massive sphere against a smaller one—colliding in a blinding explosion.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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