Another Jonin, witnessing the devastation, panicked.
"No, before I die, I must alert the village! This Ashveil is far too dangerous!"
He quickly retrieved a scroll from his pouch, unfurling it as signal flares shot skyward, filling the heavens with a cascade of light.
Before he could finish, Ashveil's colossal Conqueror's Haki-infused palm struck him. Instantly, the Jonin was obliterated into dust, just like the previous casualties.
Fortunately, the signal flares had already been released. Across the Earth Country, people looked up, frowning as the hundreds of thousands of flares illuminated the sky.
Inside the Tsuchikage's office, Onoki's eyes narrowed as he observed the display.
"Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi, Capture those Akatsuki intruders immediately! They will suffer before they die!" Onoki commanded with a resolute glare.
"Daring to enter my territory… they don't know what's coming!" he added sternly. Onoki, ever-stubborn, would show no mercy to Akatsuki members.
Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi didn't hesitate. Utilizing their Earth Style, they propelled themselves through the air using the Lightweight Boulder Jutsu.
Even Deidara and Tobi noticed the flares from afar. Tobi's mouth twitched nervously.
"Deidara-senpai, it seems Ashveil has been discovered…"
"That idiot! These flares are unique to the Earth Country, used only in extreme danger!" Deidara said, anger rising. He realized that once Ashveil's location was known, their own positions were compromised, making the hunt for the Five-Tails infinitely harder.
"If that's true, could Ashveil have actually found the Five-Tails Jinchuriki?" Tobi asked thoughtfully.
Deidara's expression darkened. "It's possible… if Onoki interferes, our mission just got a lot harder. Let's move!" He summoned the giant clay dragon, and the group soared toward Ashveil's location.
......
On the battlefield, Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki giant palm loomed over the Five-Tails Jinchuriki. The previous Jonin had been reduced to dust under its force, leaving Han highly cautious.
Han activated his Tailed Beast cloak, bolstering his defenses and maintaining partial control over his mind. With a powerful leap, he attempted to evade Ashveil's immense strike.
Yet Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki was omnipresent. The giant palm descended with crushing inevitability, slamming into Han. The Tailed Beast cloak mitigated the damage, but the impact was enough to send him soaring and render him unconscious.
Inside Han, the Five-Tails roared, enraged by the assault. Its eyes blazed open as it transformed into a colossal centaur-like form, massive horns gleaming.
Horn Slash!
The Five-Tails launched a devastating attack, aiming to shatter Ashveil's barrier. Yet even this immense power was powerless against Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki, which remained unbroken.
"Not bad… much stronger than the Four-Tails," Ashveil observed with a faint smile.
The collision shattered the Five-Tails' horns, and it roared in agony, its sound echoing across the Earth Country.
Villagers and ninjas alike paused, astonished by the unprecedented event.
"What happened? The Five-Tails is berserk!"
"Could Akatsuki members be responsible?"
Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi, en route to the battle, grew alarmed.
"This… the Five-Tails' roar… something must have happened!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed.
"We must hurry!" Akatsuchi ordered, speeding toward Ashveil.
Even Onoki, finishing his tea, stood and issued orders to his assistant before rushing to the scene. His flying speed rivaled lightning itself.
......
The Five-Tails, writhing in pain, released dense, corrosive fog across the battlefield. Trees and forests succumbed to its destructive power, yet the fog met Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki barrier and disintegrated instantly.
Furious, the Five-Tails stomped, crushing mountain peaks, and prepared its ultimate attack: a massive spherical Tailed Beast Bomb condensed from its chakra.
Ashveil's eyes narrowed. He mobilized his own Conqueror's Haki, infusing it with Magma Fruit power to form a Conqueror's Haki bomb, mirroring the destructive force of Han's Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Let's see whose energy prevails," Ashveil murmured, launching the attack.
The two immense energies collided midair, shaking the world. Forests were uprooted, winds tore through the land, and the sky itself seemed to split under the impact.
The Tailed Beast Bomb dissipated, but Ashveil's Magma Conqueror's Haki bomb surged forward, undeterred, scorching the air with its fiery intensity.
The Five-Tails, stunned, tried to counter with another massive Tailed Beast Bomb. The attacks collided in its mouth, exploding violently, obliterating the Five-Tails' jaw and sending its colossal body crashing to the ground. Mountains shattered under the impact.
Roars of agony echoed across the battlefield.
Deidara and Tobi, approaching, froze at the horrifying display.
"This… the scream of the Tailed Beast. Ashveil really found the Five-Tails," Deidara muttered gravely.
_____
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