Shukaku's thirst for revenge was boiling over as he slammed against the seal, clawing at the confines of Bunpuku's body.
But before he could tear his way free, the black cat, whether tired of the game or simply finished playing, swiped a paw through the air, and another torii gate materialized above. This one descended directly onto Shukaku's head.
*Boom!*
The massive, black-and-white gate crashed down, locking his head in place. With his limbs and now his head completely pinned, the rampaging Tailed Beast finally fell silent.
"Damn you!" Shukaku roared from within the seal, his voice echoing in Bunpuku's mind. "Face me head-on, you coward! Sealing jutsu isn't a real fight!"
But it was useless. As the Gate of the Great God settled, Shukaku's strength began to drain away, his will to resist suppressed until all he wanted to do was lie still, defeated.
The entire process, which felt like an eternity, was over in less than two minutes. In that short time, the tide of the battle had completely turned.
Pakura could only stare, dumbfounded. Rasa, locked in a fierce battle with Orochimaru, was already wounded and couldn't spare a single glance.
'What the hell is that cat?' she thought, her shock quickly turning to resolve. She had to destroy those gates.
Orbs of searing fire erupted from her body, streaking across the battlefield toward the massive torii.
At that moment, Takeshi reverted to his original, smaller size. The Senjutsu had consumed a staggering amount of his chakra, and he had poured everything he had into those gates to ensure Shukaku was fully contained. The power was absolute, the jinchuriki was completely immobilized, but if those torii were destroyed...
He gathered his remaining energy, preparing to teleport the fireballs away.
However, Minato was faster. He appeared in a flash of yellow, tossing out a dozen kunai. In the next instant, he flickered between them, intercepting each fireball and teleporting it away before it could reach its target.
'Damn it,' Pakura cursed under her breath.
She could no longer sense her main volley of ninjutsu, but she had held a few orbs back. These last fireballs swung wide, curving around to strike the gates from behind.
Just then, a weird shout cut through the air.
"Aaaah!"
A green figure shot toward her at blinding speed.
*Bang!*
Pakura was sent flying by a powerful kick to the chin.
'Shadow of the Dancing Leaf.'
'Guy?' Takeshi's eyes widened before he mentally facepalmed. 'Of course. Expecting Guy to remember his instructions was a lost cause.' Still, he had to admit, the timing was perfect. Perhaps that was a talent in itself.
The other Suna shinobi saw Pakura go down and shouted out in alarm, but they had a more pressing objective: freeing their Tailed Beast. They repeatedly tried to push forward, only to be intercepted by Hizashi and his men, who formed a tight, unyielding perimeter around the sealed Shukaku. The Suna shinobi fought desperately to break through the Konoha lines, but Hizashi and his team held them back, refusing to yield an inch.
Casualties mounted on both sides. In the thick of the fighting, Kakashi and Obito moved like shadows, launching coordinated sneak attacks. They were brutally effective, especially Kakashi. His skill with ambushes and assassination, amplified by the lightning-infused Kiba blades, had allowed him to fell more enemies than anyone else. Obito and Genma were not far behind.
As for Guy, he was completely outmatched. Even with the First Gate open, he stood no chance against an elite jonin like Pakura. She was already twisting in mid-air, correcting her trajectory. If he gave her another second to recover, she would unleash a devastating counterattack. One direct hit from her Scorch Release would be all it took.
Guy had been about to open the Third Gate and press his attack, but he froze. Minato, after a moment's hesitation, saw the curving fireballs and chose to deal with them, flashing over to intercept them with the Flying Thunder God. This left Guy alone.
Pakura had planned to use the opening to incinerate the fool who had kicked her, but a black shape flickered into existence above her with a soft *whoosh*.
'That cat?' she thought, confused. 'How?' She was certain neither Minato nor the cat had placed a mark on her.
Her eyes shot down to the green-clad shinobi below. 'It must have been him.' The realization came just as several more fireballs materialized around her, their heat forming shimmering rings in the air.
Down below, a bead of cold sweat trickled down Guy's forehead. If he had charged in again, he would have been melted. He hesitated for only a second before beating a hasty retreat. The close call was enough to snap him out of his fervor. This was a fight that passion and youth alone couldn't win. If he had stubbornly pushed forward, he would have become a "hot-blooded youth" in the most literal sense. He wasn't a complete idiot.
'Those fireballs are trouble,' Takeshi thought, studying his opponent. The power of Scorch Release was immense, and he had no desire to touch those flames. After a moment of consideration, he opened his mouth and aimed downward. 'Water Release: Water Severing Wave!'
Pakura's mind went blank as she saw a powerful jet of water shoot from the cat's mouth. 'He can use Water Release?' A chill of disbelief and fear ran down her spine. 'And that jutsu... isn't that the Second Hokage's?'
She desperately ignited her fireballs, using the concussive force of the explosions to alter her position while trying to block the incoming attack. But the Water Severing Wave was a continuous stream, not a single blast. Though her Scorch Release evaporated much of the water, the jet's power was still overwhelming. It struck her in the abdomen, the force of the blow sending her spiraling downward.
As she fell, Takeshi saw strands of hair whip out from the side, wrapping around her like cables. He turned his head and saw Rin standing nearby, her hands clasped in a seal. A pair of feline ears had appeared in her hair. She was in Sage Mode.
'Nice one,' Takeshi praised her silently.
But then, with a sharp shout, Rin launched herself forward. A long tail whipped behind her for balance as she moved with incredible speed. Her hair, reinforced with senjutsu chakra, was as tough as steel, and she used it to drag the bound Pakura toward her.
Pakura was already badly injured. Now, ensnared by the senjutsu-infused hair, she couldn't move, let alone form hand seals. Before she could even process what was happening, Rin's fist slammed into her, sending her flying. She skipped across the ground like a stone before finally crashing into a small mound of earth.
"Pakura-sama!" one of the Suna shinobi screamed.
"Quick, we have to rescue her!"
"But the jinchuriki..."
The Suna's forces descended into chaos. Pakura had been their anchor, their commander. With her taken out so brutally, they were torn between rescuing her and breaking the seal on Shukaku. Both paths were blocked by formidable opponents, and they hesitated, their resolve faltering.
Rin quickly deactivated her Sage Mode. It consumed too much chakra, and by her estimation, that last blow had been enough to incapacitate Pakura. Even if it hadn't, Takeshi was there to handle it. She needed to conserve her strength for healing. No matter how capable she was in a fight, she was a medical-nin first. Her role was clear.
Takeshi gave her a thumbs-up with his paw. Rin smiled sweetly before melting back into the ranks of the Konoha forces. The first rule for a medic was to protect yourself.
'What a sensible kid,' the cat thought with approval.
Seeing the situation was under control, Minato let out a sigh of relief. Everyone was safe. Now, all that remained was to secure the jinchuriki. He created a shadow clone to stand guard while he began weaving the hand seals for a powerful sealing jutsu.
Meanwhile, Takeshi cautiously approached the spot where Pakura had landed. A woman who played with fire was far too dangerous to underestimate. He stopped a safe distance away and spat out a gentle stream of water, which coalesced into a prison around her and the dirt she was buried in.
Once she was fully enveloped, he separated the earth from the water, leaving her suspended inside. He could see her curled up, still conscious. If he had rushed in, she might have had enough strength for one last counterattack.
He wasn't willing to bet his fur on the chance that she was too injured to fight back. He finished by using Ice Release to freeze the outer layer of the prison, so he wouldn't have to maintain it with his chakra. With her secured, he turned his attention to the rest of the battlefield.
The fight between Orochimaru and Rasa was still intense, but Orochimaru clearly had the upper hand. The current Kazekage was strong, but he was a step slower than the man he would one day become. If Orochimaru summoned Manda, the fight would be over quickly.
Takeshi then looked toward Minato and Hizashi's group. Their casualties had been heavy, but they had succeeded. Under Minato's fuinjutsu, the Tailed Beast had been suppressed, and Bunpuku now lay on the ground, frail and weak. The old monk was awake, but the ordeal had clearly taken its toll.
Minato used the Flying Thunder God to transport Bunpuku to the rear of the Konoha camp. "Rin!" he called out. "Come heal him."
Though Bunpuku was an enemy, he had clearly resisted the order to unleash the Tailed Beast. For that, Minato respected him deeply.
"Yes," Rin replied, rushing over.
She still had a fair amount of chakra, but after a quick examination, she shook her head gravely. He couldn't be saved. The monk wasn't suffering from any particular injury, his body had simply been worn down by Shukaku, and his life was coming to its natural end.
The real problem was Shukaku. When Bunpuku died, the Tailed Beast would be reborn somewhere else, and Sunagakure would likely lose its mind. Minato felt a headache coming on.
"What's there to worry about?" a forceful voice said from beside him. "The Sunagakure is no match for us even with a jinchuriki. Without one, let's see what they have left. Maybe this will be the wake-up call they need."
"Tsunade-sama?" Rin's head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief. 'But... wasn't she afraid of blood?'
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