Even with Hatake Kakashi's composure and battlefield experience, the moment the complete form of the One-Tail appeared, he could not fully suppress the change in his expression.
A tailed beast.
One of the Nine Great Tailed Beasts.
The memories of the Nine-Tails' rampage twelve years ago were still etched deeply into the minds of every senior shinobi of Konoha. That night of destruction, despair, and overwhelming chakra had never truly faded.
And now
Another tailed beast had manifested inside the Hidden Leaf Village once more.
Even if the One-Tail, Shukaku, was not as overwhelmingly powerful as the Nine-Tails, Kurama
It was still a tailed beast.
An existence standing at the pinnacle of chakra-based lifeforms.
Something that ordinary shinobi could not oppose head-on.
Shiranui Genma, Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, and Might Guy all changed expressions at almost the same instant.
Their instincts screamed danger.
At the same time
On the high platform of the arena, within the Four Violet Flames Formation, Sarutobi Hiruzen had just completed the summoning of his contracted beast, Enma, the Monkey King, barely escaping the relentless assault of the reanimated First Hokage's Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.
When Hiruzen saw the colossal body of Ichibi Shukaku fully emerge below, the old man's face darkened instantly.
But his grim expression was not caused by Shukaku alone.
It was also because of Menma.
From this distance, Sarutobi Hiruzen could not hear the words exchanged below. However, Menma's actions were unmistakable intercepting Naruto, standing openly with the Sunagakure forces.
That alone was enough.
"Orochimaru… damn you!"
Hiruzen's voice trembled with fury.
"You brought the One-Tail into the village… and you even manipulated Menma!"
"Manipulated?"
Orochimaru let out a low, amused laugh, his long tongue flicking across his lips.
"Now, now, Sarutobi-sensei, you shouldn't speak so irresponsibly. Menma-kun came to me of his own free will."
His snake-like eyes gleamed.
"It was in the Forest of Death. I admit, I was surprised. After all, he is the son of Minato and Kushina."
Orochimaru's smile widened.
"But once I heard what he had to say… my surprise vanished completely."
"Because Menma-kun has known his identity for a very long time."
Orochimaru leaned closer, savoring the look on his former teacher's face.
"Tell me, Sarutobi-sensei… how does it feel to hear that?"
Hiruzen's pupils contracted sharply.
Shock.
Anger.
And disbelief.
Orochimaru truly enjoyed this moment.
This time, his return to Konoha was not merely about destruction.
It was about breaking his teacher completely, mind, body, and spirit.
"What… did you say!?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen roared, rage and disbelief surging together.
Emotionally, he refused to accept Orochimaru's words.
He would rather believe Menma had been deceived.
Known his identity for a long time?
It sounded absurd.
Unacceptable.
"So this," Orochimaru continued calmly, "is the 'surprise' I mentioned earlier."
His voice turned cold.
"Enjoy the final moments of your life, Sarutobi-sensei. This village will perish together with you."
The next instant
"Attack."
The reanimated First and Second Hokage, Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama, surged forward once more, launching a merciless assault upon their former student.
Inside the barrier, Orochimaru continued his blasphemous challenge.
Outside
An even greater disaster unfolded.
"BOOM!"
Violent chakra erupted across the Chūnin Exam arena.
At the very moment of his transformation, Gaara had used the Fake Sleep Technique, surrendering his consciousness entirely and allowing Shukaku to take full control.
"Hahahahaha! I'm out! I'm finally out!"
Shukaku's insane laughter echoed across the battlefield.
Freedom.
After countless years sealed away, this moment was precious beyond measure.
It did not matter whether anyone fled or resisted.
Shukaku only wanted to vent his long-suppressed rage.
"Boom!"
A massive tail swept violently through the air, forcing Kakashi, Asuma, and Shiranui Genma to retreat at once.
Then
Shukaku slammed both hands against his own belly.
"Fūton—Air Bullets!!!"
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Two massive compressed wind spheres erupted from his mouth, screaming through the air
Straight toward the spectator stands packed with tens of thousands of civilians.
"Not good!"
Kakashi's expression changed instantly.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
He formed seals rapidly, chakra surging into the ground.
An enormous earthen wall rose abruptly, its surface engraved with massive canine heads, standing like an unyielding fortress.
Yet
"BOOM!!!"
The wind bullets shattered the wall effortlessly, punching straight through.
"CRACK!"
"CRASH!"
One blast tore into the front rows of the stands, killing several spectators instantly before they could even react.
The other struck a structural beam overhead, collapsing entire sections of stone and timber.
Might Guy reacted instantly, flashing forward and smashing apart falling debris with sheer physical power, saving countless lives
But not all.
Blood sprayed.
Screams echoed.
Broken limbs and crushed bodies littered the area, turning the arena into a scene of absolute carnage.
"Damn it…"
Kakashi clenched his teeth, fury blazing in his visible eye.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Shukaku laughed madly, delighting in the destruction.
It had been sealed for far too long.
The last time it had rampaged so freely was more than a decade ago.
"No one can stop me!!!"
Shukaku roared.
Even without rivaling the Eight-Tails or Nine-Tails, a tailed beast was invincible against ordinary shinobi.
So what if Kakashi possessed the Sharingan?
A standard Sharingan meant nothing before a tailed beast.
Only the Mangekyō Sharingan had the potential to suppress such monsters and that power demanded a terrible price.
In the original course of fate, Naruto had only defeated Shukaku by summoning Gamabunta of Mount Myōboku, a being with near Kage-level strength.
And even then
It was only by waking Gaara and forcing Shukaku's consciousness back into dormancy.
Without that, even Gamabunta could not have won a prolonged battle.
As things stood now
Kakashi, Asuma, and Shiranui Genma stood no chance of stopping the rampaging One-Tail.
Watching the chaos unfold
Watching Konoha burn
Menma stood atop a shattered wall in the distance, a cruel, twisted smile spreading across his face.
"That's it… keep venting, Shukaku."
"Let this fire burn brighter than it did twelve years ago."
"Let Konoha feel real pain… once again."