Day Thirty.
Outside the Hidden Sand Village.
The desert remains vast and boundless.
When Fourth Kazekage Rasa brought Gaara to meet Akihara Kagura, the One-Tailed Shukaku unexpectedly did not appear directly but instead let Gaara and Akihara Kagura battle first.
"Hand of Sand!"
Under Gaara's control, a whirlwind of sand gathered into a huge claw resembling Shukaku's, directly grabbing towards Akihara Kagura's body!
Since the One-Tailed was willing to provide Chakra, Gaara's Jutsu power was greatly enhanced!
However…
The claw was dispersed by a punch from the Woodman!
Fourth Kazekage Rasa, watching from afar, sensed the change in his son, unable to hide his surprise and joy in his eyes, "Gaara... is this using Shukaku's power... has the Jinchuriki succeeded?"
"This method... can it actually work?"
Jiraiya couldn't help feeling a bit astonished.
Does this beast-taming method really work?
After all, Akihara Kagura's efficiency and frequency in fighting against the One-Tailed Shukaku far surpass those of previous Kazekage, perhaps this beast-taming method might really work?
However…
A change quickly occurred on the battlefield!
No matter what, Gaara couldn't be a match for the Woodman. The somewhat agitated One-Tailed Shukaku immediately revealed its true form, only to be seized by the head and beaten up by the Woodman, losing even more miserably in their first team-up!
Deep into the night.
Within the Sealing Space.
The One-Tailed Shukaku and Gaara sat here.
The fat and large tanuki cat and the short, red-haired boy both stroked their chins, appearing a bit adorably mismatched.
"We can't go on like this."
The One-Tailed Shukaku was quite dissatisfied with today's battle outcome, even passing the blame, "It's all your fault, kid, your body is too weak to unleash the power of Lord Shukaku."
"..."
Gaara simply had no words to defend himself.
As a child, Gaara hasn't learned much and doesn't understand the specifics of Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki, so he could only let Shukaku pass the blame.
"What can be done then?"
Gaara frowned, unable to come up with a solution.
"Looks like Lord Shukaku needs to use his brains to fight..."
The One-Tailed Shukaku couldn't come up with a solution, thus planning to think of setting traps during the battle tomorrow.
Time flies.
The weather in the Land of Wind remains full of yellow sand.
The villagers of the Hidden Sand Village slowly got used to one thing: the One-Tailed Shukaku never rampages in the village anymore, only getting beaten outside it.
Outside the Hidden Sand Village.
Gaara's progress is rapid!
The flowing sand on the ground surged, trapping the Woodman in quicksand!
With the support of the One-Tailed Shukaku's Chakra inside him, Gaara's Jutsu power grew increasingly stronger as the Woodman fell into the quicksand!
Under Gaara's control, clusters of yellow sand formed into a giant sandman, lunging towards Akihara Kagura's Woodman!
Through this period of fighting, Gaara and the One-Tailed Shukaku learned increasingly rich methods to deal with the Woodman Jutsu, deliberately using environmental traps during battles to limit the Woodman Jutsu's capabilities!
Nevertheless, the sandman controlled by Gaara couldn't overcome the Woodman, getting yanked and toppled by the Woodman trapped in quicksand!
Akihara Kagura controlled the Woodman to grab the sandman's head, crushing it into scattered yellow sand, then punched and shattered its chest!
"Let your inner Shukaku come out?"
Akihara Kagura, as usual, called upon the One-Tailed Shukaku within Gaara.
"..."
Gaara raised a finger silently.
The One-Tailed Shukaku suddenly showed its true self, but a sand pit appeared atop its head, encasing Gaara's body, allowing the two to fight together in this form!
"This time is different..."
Gaara raised his finger!
"I know that too!"
The One-Tailed Shukaku's palm slammed on the ground, clusters of quicksand rolled up, enveloping Akihara Kagura's Woodman, gradually forming into a pyramid shape!
Lines of black curse markings appeared on the pyramid!
This was the One-Tailed Shukaku's Fuinjutsu, capable of sealing people inside!
This battle was the best display yet by the One-Tailed Shukaku and Gaara, using traps to control the Woodman's actions, even the scattered quicksand from the destroyed sandman was planned as traps!
Because only with enough quicksand...
Could the One-Tailed Shukaku's sealing of Akihara Kagura's Woodman be supported!
As the black curse markings completely emerged on the pyramid, the One-Tailed Shukaku finally succeeded in sealing, laughing heartily, "Hahaha, let that brat die inside, Lord Shukaku is invincible!"
Bam!
Just as the One-Tailed Shukaku laughed continuously and Gaara's mouth showed a cold smile, a Woodman's fist suddenly drilled out from the pyramid!
The expressions of the two changed abruptly!
Akihara Kagura's Woodman rapidly grew, astonishingly larger than the One-Tailed Shukaku's size, stretching its hand directly on Shukaku's head, like holding down a disobedient child, quickly absorbing its Chakra!
"Impossible..."
The One-Tailed Shukaku stared incredulously at the hand pressing on its head, desperately trying to struggle, "How could my Fuinjutsu fail!"
"It's okay."
Gaara's body was still trapped within Shukaku's body. He looked up at the mountain-like Woodman, speaking in a deep voice, "You surely can come up with other battle strategies..."