Chiyo and Rasa had confidently led the One-Tailed Jinchūriki to launch an assault on the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire.
But unfortunately for them, they encountered Byakuya.
Byakuya's overwhelming strength shattered their confidence completely. After witnessing his terrifying ability to subdue tailed beasts in direct combat, they realized that Sunagakure was no match for him.
Any thoughts of invading the Land of Fire were instantly abandoned.
Now, all they wanted was to retrieve the One-Tail and retreat to the Land of Wind before suffering further losses.
"Ninjas from the Sealing Corps, follow me."
"Let's retrieve Shukaku and fall back."
Rasa and Chiyo, accompanied by a dozen elite Sand ninja skilled in sealing techniques, rushed toward the battlefield.
By this time, Shukaku had been thoroughly suppressed by Byakuya and was taking a brutal beating.
"AAAH! It hurts so much!"
"You damn bastard! You're hitting me way too hard!"
"No… This guy… He's way too strong… I can't win against him…"
Despite the regenerative abilities of tailed beasts, Shukaku was in agony from the relentless onslaught. He screamed in pain, his pride and bravado already shattered.
After enduring the one-sided beating for what felt like an eternity, Shukaku finally realized he had no chance of victory.
If he stayed, he'd only continue to suffer.
"Tch… Damn you! I'll let you off this time!"
Growling in frustration, Shukaku turned and began to flee.
He had to run.
Byakuya's strength was beyond anything Shukaku had anticipated. Staying would only mean more pain.
"You think you can run away?!"
"Stay right there!"
Byakuya's eyes flashed coldly. The torrent of negative emotions from the tailed beast had significantly boosted his power, and he wasn't about to let such a source escape.
He immediately activated his Susanoo and gave chase.
"Slash!"
The massive sword wielded by Susanoo came down with terrifying force, striking the fleeing Shukaku squarely.
BOOM!
"AAARGH!"
Shukaku howled in pain as the blade cleaved through his massive frame, splitting his body in half.
Though tailed beasts couldn't be killed so easily, the pain from such an attack was still excruciating.
"DAMN YOU! What the hell do you WANT from me?!"
Shukaku roared.
"Haha… What do I want? Isn't it obvious?"
"I want to beat the crap out of you."
With a chilling smirk, Byakuya swung his blade again.
"AAAHHH!!"
The pain wracked Shukaku's body once more.
At that moment, Chiyo and Rasa finally arrived with the Sealing Corps.
"Now! While Shukaku is weak!"
"Begin the sealing!"
They didn't hesitate.
Without even acknowledging Byakuya, they immediately initiated a high-level sealing formation around the One-Tail.
Countless black sealing marks burst from their scrolls and wrapped around Shukaku's massive form.
"No! Damn it… This is a sealing jutsu!"
"YOU WON'T SEAL ME AGAIN!"
Shukaku writhed violently, desperate to escape, but the seal was too advanced, too coordinated.
No matter how hard he fought, the jutsu tightened its grip.
"Keep going! Just a bit more!"
Chiyo urged her team forward.
But Byakuya narrowed his eyes.
They hadn't even consulted him.
Shukaku had been his target — and now these people were trying to take him like scavengers.
His displeasure turned to fury.
"You people… Get out of here."
With a swing of Susanoo's sword, a powerful shockwave burst forth.
The Sand ninja around Shukaku were caught off guard.
BOOM!
They screamed as the force slammed into them, sending their bodies flying and blood spurting from their mouths.
"Damn you, Uchiha Byakuya! What the hell are you doing?!"
Chiyo shouted furiously.
Byakuya stared down at her coldly from atop his Susanoo.
The oppressive atmosphere was so overwhelming that even Chiyo—an elder who had weathered countless storms—felt her heart tremble.
"We, the Sand Ninjas… admit defeat in this ninja war," she declared solemnly.
"Once we've sealed the One-Tail, we'll return to the Land of Wind…"
Though Chiyo was deeply unwilling, she knew that apart from their sealing techniques, the Sand Shinobi had no means left to fight.
"Hah… What a joke!"
"Give up? Did I say you could surrender!?"
Byakuya's mocking laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"What do you mean?" Chiyo's expression turned grim, sensing danger in his tone.
"Hmph… I reject your surrender," Byakuya said coldly, without hesitation.
If you want to start a war, then fight to the end. If you want to surrender, then earn it. Did the Sand Village really think they could dictate the terms of this battlefield?
Byakuya's Susanoo surged forward, colossal and merciless.
"Boom!"
Its assault came crashing down, tearing through the Sand Ninja ranks. Dozens fell instantly—some without even realizing how they died.
"Damn it… Elder Chiyo, what should we do now!?" Rasa shouted in panic, unable to resist the onslaught.
"This damned Uchiha… He actually refused our surrender…" Chiyo's voice was bitter with despair.
"Retreat! We must get out of here—now!" she cried.
"What about Shukaku?" Rasa asked, teeth clenched. "We haven't even recovered him yet…"
"Forget it—for now," Chiyo said through gritted teeth.
"With Byakuya here, we don't stand a chance of retrieving even one…"
Though Shukaku hadn't yet been sealed away again, Chiyo knew they had lost the opportunity to take him back. Byakuya's power was simply too overwhelming. If their forces lingered any longer, annihilation was all but certain.
"Withdraw—all of you!" she commanded.
"Return to the Land of Wind immediately!"
At her order, Rasa gave the signal, and the surviving Sand Ninja abandoned their positions, fleeing in haste across the dunes, leaving behind the shattered remnants of their failed invasion.
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