Chapter 185 – Two-Tails, Eight-Tails… You're Too Strong, I'll Have to Go All Out
"That's… Wood Release?"
"So massive?"
"Is someone from the Leaf here?"
"Damn it, the Eight-Tails is out!"
The moment Kitagawa Gen unleashed his Wood Release, the Cloud ninja—already mobilized due to explosions across the village—immediately sensed something was wrong.
They watched in shock as the imposing Raikage Tower crumbled in an instant, replaced by a towering tree that pierced the sky.
Streets all around were torn apart and transformed into a forest. Every Hidden Cloud Shinobi froze in terror.
When the Eight-Tails appeared, that fear only intensified. Everyone knew exactly what that meant.
"How… how did it come to this?"
Darui's usual laid-back expression was gone, replaced by shock and disbelief.
"The legendary Wood Release… what's going on?"
"Damn it, a Leaf ninja…"
Samui's gaze turned cold, eyes locking on Killer B.
"Our teacher's been pushed this far… damn!"
"The Leaf must have ambushed the high council meeting. We need to keep our heads," C said, forcing himself to stay calm—he knew panic now would doom them.
"That battlefield is beyond us. Priority one—find Yugito immediately and have her join forces with Lord B. And remember, the enemy isn't just one person…"
Even as he spoke, all eyes turned skyward—bombs were still raining down from above.
They exchanged glances, silently agreeing: whoever was in the sky had to be brought down.
---
"How huge… perfect for blowing up! Mm!"
Up above, Deidara stared at the massive Eight-Tails and the forest surging skyward. Not only was he unafraid, he was almost disappointed.
"What a shame… and here I didn't even get to use my art. Tch."
"Wood Release might be even more effective than your so-called art against tailed beasts," Terumi Mei remarked, keeping her composure despite the spectacle.
"Stay ready to support Kitagawa Gen—and keep your guard up. Fighting a tailed beast is no joke."
Having survived the Hidden Mist incident, she hadn't forgotten how terrifying a fully transformed Four-Tails could be. One wrong move here could wipe them all out.
And then she noticed something else—beams of light lancing toward them.
"Watch out—we're being targeted."
"Tch, perfect!"
Deidara grinned, unfazed by the crackling currents.
"I've been dying for a good fight!"
---
Roooar!
Deidara's excitement bordered on mania—but the Eight-Tails' frenzy was different. Beneath the roars was fear.
"Wood Release? You're kidding me?!"
"Relax, it's fine," Killer B reassured him, sensing his partner's unease.
"Fine? You've clearly never felt how terrifying Wood Release really is!"
Unlike B, the Eight-Tails had taken a beating from it before. Seeing those vast wooden constructs rising again sent panic through him.
"Who is this guy? Why does he make me feel even worse than when I fought Hashirama himself?!"
It wasn't just fear—something in this man's Wood Release struck at the Eight-Tails' very soul, as if it could consume him entirely.
"B, use a Tailed Beast Bomb—this one's too dangerous!"
"No way! Firing that here would kill way too many people!"
Before they could argue further, Kitagawa Gen's voice cut in.
"Done chatting?"
He stood atop a thick branch, raised high, smiling down at the massive beast.
"If you're done… then it's my turn. Though I'll admit—my Wood Release isn't exactly refined."
With one hand raised, chakra surged from his body.
"But I can use it well enough."
Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!
Trees below writhed and twisted together, swelling in size until a colossal wooden warrior stood before them. Its sheer presence and overwhelming chakra made even the Eight-Tails shudder.
"What… what is that?"
All around, Cloud ninja stared wide-eyed.
Now, two titans—one flesh and chakra, one wood and will—towered like mountains.
The sight dragged an old legend to the forefront of every mind:
"They say the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, ended the Warring States era with his Wood Release…"
"Could it really be true?"
They never lived that age, so most dismissed it as Leaf propaganda. But now…
---
BOOM!
The golem struck first—its massive fist slammed into the Eight-Tails, a shockwave of chakra rippling outward.
The ground quaked violently. Cracks spiderwebbed out in every direction.
Though caught off guard, the Eight-Tails lashed back—its tails sweeping sideways and leveling buildings in their path.
But the golem's wooden hands caught one tail—only for the others to whip toward Kitagawa Gen himself.
"Tch."
Unlike Susanoo, the golem had no protective ribcage. But Kitagawa didn't flinch—again he raised one hand, chakra surging.
Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!
From the golem's body, thick trunks twisted upward, merging into a massive dragon of wood. Its roar was sharp and grating, sending chills through all who heard it.
The dragon launched, coiling around the Eight-Tails' flailing tails.
BOOM!
The impact was like a tsunami hitting stone, dust billowing in all directions.
Houses crumbled, debris blasted outward, and the shockwave bowled ninja over. Some were crushed instantly by falling rubble.
---
The wood dragon, barely damaged, tightened its coils. The Eight-Tails struggled—only to feel its chakra being sucked away at a horrifying rate.
"Damn… my chakra…"
It was draining even faster than when he fought Hashirama.
"Not bad," Kitagawa Gen murmured. His Wood Release came from the Divine Tree's essence—not something he had mastered fully, but enough to mimic the First Hokage's style.
And right now, that was enough.
"Now then…"
With the Eight-Tails bound, Kitagawa raised his hand. Sharp wooden spikes erupted from his palm while the golem's fist drew back.
With a roar, the spikes pierced the beast's hide, forcing a scream from it—just as the golem's punch swung toward its head.
But—
VMMM!
A sudden surge of chakra erupted. Kitagawa's eyes snapped toward it—
A massive, deep-purple sphere flecked with blue chakra hurtled toward the golem at blinding speed.
It would be on them in an instant.
"Tch."
Kitagawa Gen arched an eyebrow, but the wooden giant's movements didn't falter. Just as its fist came crashing down toward the Eight-Tails, a towering wooden wall surged up from the ground.
"Wood Release: Locking Technique!"
BOOM!
The punch smashed into the Eight-Tails with such force that its head was nearly knocked sideways.
Under the impact, even the wooden dragon couldn't keep its coils locked; the beast's massive body was hurled away like a fired cannonball.
Mountains shattered at the slightest touch of its bulk. Clouds of dust rose in great waves, carrying endless tremors that echoed through the air.
Meanwhile, the Locking Technique stood firm before Kitagawa Gen like a colossal shield.
BOOM!
The explosion roared in an instant. From afar, a mushroom cloud bloomed into the sky.
The shockwave, visible to the naked eye, tore through the village like a living thing. Rows of still-standing houses collapsed in unison.
Cracks raced across the ground, and even the towering mountains that cradled the Hidden Cloud began to sway dangerously.
It was clear—the battle had pushed this peak to the edge of collapse.
---
"Damn you—die!"
The moment the Tailed Beast Bomb's aftershocks faded, a roar rang in Kitagawa's ears.
A massive, feline monster wreathed in blue chakra flames leapt high, front claws slashing down toward the wooden giant.
Kitagawa raised an eyebrow, immediately directing the golem to strike at the Two-Tails.
But the creature was far faster than expected. Roaring, her mountain-sized frame moved like the wind—slipping past the golem's punch and surging forward like a phantom.
"Oh? Not bad."
Kitagawa nodded lightly, and the golem's massive body twisted mid-motion, swinging again toward the Two-Tails.
BOOM!
This time, she met it head-on—her claws clashing with the golem's fist.
The impact thundered through the air. The golem might look crude, but the raw power it held could rival even the mightiest of Tailed Beasts.
After all, this was a creation capable of clashing evenly with a full Susanoo.
With a heavy thud, the Two-Tails was sent flying. Her tails whipped through the air to stabilize her, and she landed in a crouch, claws gouging deep furrows in the earth.
Her eyes locked on the golem, the flames around her blazing ever brighter—pure rage made manifest.
---
A roar split the battlefield.
The Eight-Tails, battered and bleeding, had returned.
Wounds crisscrossed his body, but his gaze burned with fury.
"Don't look at me like that," Kitagawa said, shaking his head slightly. "It's as if you think you're the wronged ones here."
"I've always wondered… why do you act like victims? Have you ever thought about the villages you've attacked and plundered? What happened to them?"
"Enough useless talk!" the Two-Tails cut him off, her chakra surging wildly.
"The destruction you've caused today—we'll pay it back double. Starting with you!"
"You're not leaving here," the Eight-Tails added. His eyes swept the broken ruins of the Hidden Cloud—the flames still burning, the village half-destroyed despite the timely evacuation.
No one could accept such devastation.
"You'll pay for this. Every last bit."
---
"Is that so?" Kitagawa sighed, chakra beginning to swirl violently around him.
"I see now—you're just masters of self-deception."
He clasped his hands together.
"No wonder you sent an emissary to kidnap the Hyūga clan's heiress… then blamed the Leaf when you failed, just to push for war."
"No wonder you steal bloodlines and forbidden techniques without shame, acting as if it's your right. You're nothing but bandits dressed as shinobi."
The earth trembled beneath his feet as his chakra flared, suffocating in its intensity. Cracks spiderwebbed outward, and the ground itself split apart.
The Two-Tails and Eight-Tails exchanged a glance—they could feel it. Something terrible was coming.
---
"So… two Tailed Beasts, huh? That's your trump card?"
Kitagawa's voice was calm, but a sharp edge ran through it.
"As expected… Two-Tails, Eight-Tails—you're strong. Strong enough that I'll have to go all out."
The quake grew violent. Every wooden construct, every twisting vine on the battlefield surged toward a single point.
Chakra roared like thunder. And then—
A colossal Buddha emerged, towering into the clouds, its back bristling with layer upon layer of a thousand hands.
"Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands."
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