Gaara suddenly felt a sense of relief he had never known before.
The violent chakra began spreading outward from the seal on his navel. His limbs surged with strength, and for the first time, the crushing mental pressure and creeping madness vanished completely.
Since birth, the seal on Gaara's stomach had kept him in a constant, strained state of balance. It allowed for maximum chakra flow between him and the Tailed Beast, essentially granting Shukaku near-total access to his chakra. But it came at a cost—if Gaara ever lost consciousness, even for a moment, Shukaku would immediately seize control of his body. Conversely, as long as Gaara remained awake, the beast could not fully break free, and Gaara could forcibly siphon chakra from it, using his will as leverage.
But now—for the first time—he felt no struggle, no opposition.
Shukaku's chakra poured into him freely.
His body didn't morph into a monstrous form, either. Instead, a dense, orange-red chakra coat formed smoothly over his skin like a second layer of armor.
"…This is…"
Gaara looked down at his hands, now encased in the Tailed Beast's chakra for the first time without resistance.
Yuukimaru, Utakata, and Fū, who stood beside him, also had chakra cloaks flickering to life across their bodies.
"This is the Tailed Beast Cloak," Utakata explained coolly. "Haven't you ever accessed the beast's power before?"
Gaara didn't respond.
He had—though only when Shukaku went berserk. It had never been anything like this.
But then, deep within his subconscious, Shukaku's voice rumbled to life.
"Oi, brat! Don't overthink it. I've got no interest in taking over today. So, naturally, no partial transformation."
"Today's a special case, so take the damn power—but don't you dare lose to that Uchiha bastard!"
Gaara looked up at the raccoon-like beast in his mind, a strange, indescribable warmth blooming in his chest.
But he quickly snapped his attention back to reality.
The cork of his gourd popped off with a hiss, and the sand inside decomposed rapidly, forming a massive drill that burrowed into the ground beneath him, churning the stone and dirt into finer sand.
"I need time to make sand," Gaara said flatly. "Buy me that time."
Fū glanced at him, sighed dramatically, and shook her head.
"Geez, Gaara. Next time you want to bark orders, at least throw in a 'please' and a 'thank you,' yeah?"
She flipped her hand dismissively.
"But fine, I'll let it go this once~ Let's move, Yuukimaru, Utakata!"
At her command, a massive surge of Tailed Beast chakra erupted from Yuukimaru, who closed his eyes and spoke internally to the Three-Tails.
"Isobu-senpai, please."
"No need to ask, kid. Let's show them."
Yuukimaru's body surged outward, his skin evaporating into a raw, blood-red glow. Three massive tails unfurled behind him, and chakra pulsed in every direction.
"Shadow Caress!"
The three tails curved above and around his body, then whirled forward in a spiraling lance of destruction, driving straight at Saya.
But Saya didn't flinch.
Her Mangekyō Sharingan spun to life, releasing a tide of power. A red skeletal arm materialized around her, followed by a second—her Susanoo forming in a flickering burst of chakra. She crossed the arms in front of her like a shield.
As Yuukimaru's spinning tails crashed into Susanoo's guard, the impact screamed with grinding pressure, sparks flying as friction tore the air apart.
Then Saya drove her foot into the ground, shot upward, and kicked Yuukimaru from below with brutal force. She followed up instantly—Susanoo's arms flung outward, slamming him across the battlefield.
BOOM!
Yuukimaru slammed into a rock wall, the stone cratering and shattering violently. When the dust settled, he was hunched over, clutching his stomach, kneeling and retching on the ground.
Utakata eyes widened in disbelief.
What kind of strength and perception does she have?
Just one kick, and she sent Yuukimaru flying? The Three-Tails was renowned for its impenetrable defense—second only to the Nine-Tails. That kick... If it had landed on me, I'd already be coughing up blood and halfway transformed...
Of course, when it came to boasting, none of the other Tailed Beasts could outshine Kurama.
—
Tailed Beast Inner Thoughts (Unofficial Banter):
Shukaku: I can seal anything with my sand!
Matatabi: Fire-style chakra transformation is my specialty!
Isobu: My defense is unparalleled!
Son Gokū: I can melt through stone and flesh alike!
Kokuō: My steam release can blast through mountains!
Saiken: I'm slippery and corrosive—I dare you to touch me.
Chōmei: I blind and bind. They never see me coming~
Gyūki: My clones are so clean even the Sharingan can't tell the difference!
Kurama: Heh. Cute tricks. But I'm Kurama—The Nine-Tailed King. More chakra than the rest of you combined. Sit down, peasants.
—
Other Beasts: (怒｀Д´怒) "We're TIRED of your shit!"
—
Back on the battlefield, Fū saw Yuukimaru coughing up stomach acid and sighed.
This isn't going well... Guess I'll blind her first.
"Scale Powder Impact!"
Shimmering scales burst from her insect-like wings, filling the air with countless glinting specks. They glittered like starlight—beautiful, but dangerous. The refracted light clouded vision and warped depth perception.
As more scales filled the air, Saya narrowed her eyes slightly.
The brightness was overwhelming, obstructing her vision.
So, she simply closed her eyes.
Drawing on the ambient chakra from the Dragon Vein sealed within her, she shifted into sensory mode. Natural chakra flooded her senses, and the positions of everyone nearby revealed themselves in perfect clarity.
Jinchūriki were especially easy to locate—each one was a bonfire of chakra.
But Sasuke, Kankuro, and Temari were nearly invisible—their chakra signatures blurred by the scale powder in the air. It blended together.
Sakura, on the other hand, stood out like a candle in a tunnel. Her chakra was too weak to blend in.
"…So you're trying to block my Sharingan's vision?"
Saya tilted her head, eyes still shut.
"A smart move... but pointless."
As the final word left her mouth, she vanished.
Though she couldn't locate her opponents by chakra anymore, she didn't need to.
She had already marked them with Yachihoko, her Mangekyō's ability.
The mark was placed long before the scales had even begun falling.
To Fū, her plan was foolproof—sealing off vision, confusing perception, and isolating targets.
But to Saya, it was no different from trying to hide behind glass.
A futile gesture.
( ≖_≖ )
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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