Chapter 43 – The One-Tail Goes on a Rampage, and Konoha's Evacuation Turns into a Stampede
"Oh yeah! I can literally turn into lightning, why am I even scared?!"
Carina nearly cried at her own stupidity. She had embarrassed herself in front of Aike and Izumi.
She instantly blamed Nami.
"It's your fault for dragging me down with you!"
"What did I do?! You're the one whose brain short-circuited!"
Before the fight could escalate, Aike's hands shot out like twin missiles.
One firm smack on each of their plush rears.
The two froze, faces crimson, instantly silenced.
Izumi and Kaya weren't much better; both turned away with burning cheeks.
After a long, awkward silence, Kaya finally spoke.
"If the village really explodes… what about all the civilians?"
Kind-hearted as ever, she couldn't bear the thought of innocent people dying.
"Don't worry. Someone already planned for that."
Aike patted her head reassuringly.
Back to the arena.
Another figure had joined the Shukaku beatdown: Sasuke.
Now it was four Kage-level fighters ganging up on one very angry tanuki.
"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"
"Blaze Style: Emperor Flame!"
"Lightning Style: White Fang Chidori!"
"Morning Peacock!"
With Guy running interference, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi unleashed combo after combo.
Shukaku was getting absolutely bullied.
Naruto didn't just hit hard; he layered sealing formulas mid-combo.
Paired with Sasuke's Sharingan locking down movements, Shukaku couldn't even charge a Tailed Beast Bomb.
All it could do was swing its giant sandy arms and cry.
Within minutes, the four had full control and began herding the beast outside the village.
The reinforcements who had just arrived breathed massive sighs of relief.
Thank the Sage they didn't have to fight that thing.
Contestant stands.
"We're… so far behind Naruto and the others."
Shikamaru stared at the fading battle, bitterness in his voice.
Even a lazy genius felt the sting.
Sakura's expression was complicated.
She watched Sasuke's retreating back.
The distance between them felt impossibly vast…
Streets of Konoha.
The festive atmosphere was long gone.
Panic everywhere.
Civilians running, shinobi trying to herd them.
"Don't panic!"
"With Lord Hokage here, the chaos will be over soon!"
Iruka shouted over the crowd.
"Head to the shelters in order! Everything will be back to normal soon!"
His efforts, plus the other chunin, slowly calmed people.
The name "strongest Hokage in history" still carried weight.
The evacuation lines became orderly again.
Iruka and the others finally relaxed.
They had managed to prevent a total disaster.
He had heard the intel: Sand had brought their tailed beast and released it in the arena.
He knew exactly how destructive those things were.
Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tails had nearly wiped Konoha off the map.
Countless civilians, countless shinobi, even the Fourth Hokage had died.
His own parents among them.
That's why Iruka was giving everything to protect the people.
But then—
BOOOOOOM!!
The ground shook violently.
A colossal silhouette appeared on the horizon.
"That's… Sand's tailed beast…"
Iruka's teeth chattered.
"MONSTER?!"
"RUN!!!"
The tiny bit of calm the Hokage's name had given shattered instantly.
Civilians screamed and bolted.
Even several chunin and genin joined the stampede toward the shelters.
Total chaos.
On the battlefield.
"Shit!"
"There's an evacuation group over there!"
Kakashi caught sight of Iruka's team in the corner of his eye.
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