Shukaku's massive body was about to crush Tianyuan, but in an instant, the beast was frozen in mid-air.
Countless air bullets, wreathed in red flames and infused with the energy of Armament Haki, bombarded Shukaku relentlessly. Craters and pits continuously erupted across the sand spirit's hide.
When Tianyuan threw his final punch, the staggering force sent Shukaku's entire body tumbling backward.
"What incredible power," Rasa muttered from outside, his expression shifting slightly. "That's the same attack that almost killed me."
Back at Sunagakure, Tianyuan had relied on pure Taijutsu. Rasa hadn't even had the chance to weave a single sign before he was beaten into a daze. If not for a stroke of luck, Rasa might have truly died then.
Had that happened, he would have been the shortest-lived Kazekage in history hardly a year into the role, and only as a temporary leader at that. If future generations ever learned of it, Rasa would have been nothing more than a complete joke.
He hadn't expected that same attack to be capable of knocking Shukaku back. The sheer power was astonishing.
Chiyo watched in silence, thinking to herself that if Tianyuan had unleashed this strength against her back then, her Chikamatsu's Ten Puppets would have been annihilated instantly.
The question now was: was this Tianyuan's true limit?
Though Shukaku hadn't taken any lasting damage from the barrage, Chiyo felt a lingering sense of unease. This premonition didn't stem from any impending Konoha reinforcements, but from Tianyuan himself, even while trapped within the barrier.
"It hurts, it hurts! I haven't felt pain like this in forever! I'll kill you!" Shukaku shrieked as it slammed into the ground. It steadied its massive form and let out a deafening roar.
Immediately, it began spitting out a barrage of Wind Style Chakra Spheres toward Tianyuan.
Rumble!
Explosions filled the area surrounding Tianyuan. This time, Shukaku did not lower its guard; it focused its senses entirely on tracking Tianyuan's position. Through the heat of battle, the monster was finally regaining the sharp combat instincts of a Tailed Beast.
Outside, Rasa and the other Sand Ninja looked on with growing delight. At this rate, the Konoha shinobi was as good as dead. Given its gargantuan size, Shukaku's attacks were on a completely different level than any ordinary shinobi's.
Just one Tailed Beast Bomb was enough to level a small mountain. Ordinary Ninjutsu simply couldn't compete with that kind of scale.
Elsewhere, Kushina Uzumaki quickly located Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
"Kushina? You're saying Tianyuan went deep into enemy lines alone for reconnaissance?" Jiraiya's face darkened with concern.
"Yes, Jiraiya-sama. We must set out immediately," Kushina urged.
"That kid... even if he's strong, he shouldn't be so reckless," Jiraiya said, shaking his head helplessly.
"Relax, Jiraiya. Tianyuan has the Flying Thunder God Technique; it's more than enough to evade such dangers," Orochimaru noted.
"Space-Time Ninjutsu isn't invincible. There are always ways to counter it," Jiraiya countered.
"That, I can believe," Orochimaru said with a thin smile. He turned to Jiraiya. "So, are you coming?"
"Of course I'm going. He is my disciple, isn't he?" Orochimaru's tongue flicked out to lick his lips. He had a feeling that by going, he would witness an even greater display of Tianyuan's power.
"Then let's move," Jiraiya said.
"Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru-sama, let me come with you," Kushina said as they prepared to depart.
"Since Tianyuan is your captain, you should come along," Orochimaru said indifferently.
"Yes!" Kushina's face lit up with relief.
Jiraiya, anxious to reach his student, quickly gathered several hundred Konoha shinobi and set off in the direction Kushina pointed.
A short while later...
"What is that?" Jiraiya and Orochimaru both slowed as their expressions changed.
"That thing... is a barrier," Jiraiya said, staring at the faint, hazy glow in the distance. It was still far off, but the fact that it was visible from this distance meant the barrier was massive in both scale and height.
"A barrier, indeed. It looks like the work of the Sand Ninja," Orochimaru observed with a look of curiosity. "What could Tianyuan have done to force them to use such a thing? A barrier of that caliber is no simple feat."
"Enough talking, Orochimaru. We need to hurry!" Jiraiya snapped, terrified that Tianyuan might already be in trouble.
"Don't worry," Orochimaru replied, keeping pace.
Orochimaru wasn't truly worried about Tianyuan. It wasn't because they had a strained relationship or that they didn't particularly care for each other. It was because Orochimaru knew Tianyuan possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Legend had it that in the past, Madara Uchiha had used his Mangekyo Sharingan to easily tame the Nine-Tails. If that were true, then dealing with the One-Tail Shukaku shouldn't be a problem. Furthermore,
if anyone was going to counter the Flying Thunder God Technique, it certainly wouldn't be these Sand Ninja. If it were that easy to shut down, the difficulty of learning such a Ninjutsu wouldn't be so legendary.
At most, only another shinobi who specialized in Space-Time Ninjutsu would have a few tricks to deal with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Inside the barrier.
Shukaku continued its relentless bombardment of Tianyuan's position. Dust and sand filled the air, thick enough that even Shukaku couldn't see what was happening in front of it. One thing was certain: the ground had been pulverized into a flat wasteland.
"Is he dead yet?" Shukaku stared intently at the smoke. Suddenly, its giant pupils constricted. A small figure was walking calmly out of the dust cloud.
"Shukaku, your power is certainly formidable," Tianyuan said, looking up at the massive One-Tail. "But fighting you in this state... it's just a bit unsatisfying."
"Unsatisfying?" Shukaku tilted its head, confused.
Outside the barrier, Rasa was equally perplexed. Was Tianyuan about to try something new? Even if he could dodge Shukaku's attacks, a shinobi's Chakra could never compete with a Tailed Beast's reserves. Rasa wasn't worried about a direct confrontation; he intended to simply let Shukaku wear Tianyuan down until he was empty.
"So, Shukaku... do you remember these eyes?"
Tianyuan's eyes instantly bled into a deep crimson. Inside the pupils, three tomoe began to spin with terrifying speed.
The Sharingan. The Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
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