"The Five-Tails."
"It's the Jinchuriki."
"How is he completely manifesting the beast's power already?"
It was utterly nonsensical. This was supposed to be the "demonstration of force" phase. Who drops their ultimate trump card right at the start? How are they supposed to play out the rest of the battle now?
From the Third Hokage down to Orochimaru, Danzo, Shikato, Jiraiya, Homura, and Koharu—the entire leadership was stunned. The rest of the Konoha ninja were equally bewildered. No one knew what the next move should be.
Do we just swarm him now, or try to talk to him again?
It wasn't just Konoha. On the sidelines, the Kazekage and Raikage were also taken aback. The Hidden Rock's behavior was the complete opposite of the image the Tsuchikage usually projected.
In most people's minds, the Rock and its Tsuchikage were always a beat behind—methodical, traditional, and stubborn. Some called it "steadfast," others called it "being an old fossil."
But today, they had thrown the rulebook for large-scale shinobi warfare out the window. Usually, you start with a show of force and some posturing, followed by shouting matches and taunts. Then, a few elite masters have some "warm-up" duels. Only after everyone has joined the fray and things get chaotic do the Kage-level powerhouses step in to stabilize the field.
To open with a "King" card... how do you follow that up?
Before the Konoha forces could figure it out, the Five-Tails opened its mouth. A sphere of black energy flickered into existence and began to expand rapidly.
The Third Hokage immediately barked a warning: "It's a Tailed Beast Bomb! Scatter!"
With a flick of his staff, the Hokage vanished into a blur.
Jiraiya's toad, Gamabunta, kicked off with his powerful legs, leaping over a hundred meters into the air and landing nearly half a kilometer away before immediately preparing for a second jump.
Orochimaru and Manda coordinated perfectly, diving straight into the earth. Within two seconds, only the tip of Manda's tail flicked once before vanishing entirely.
Danzo Shimura let out a cold snort. He commanded Baku into a dead sprint, using wind-natured jutsu to accelerate his summon, vanishing into a blur of speed that carried them hundreds of meters away.
Tetsumaru Aburame stood on the carapace of the Wind Giant Insect, looking absolutely dumbfounded. He was the only one left in the blast zone. In two seconds, the Giant Insect had managed two steps. Despite the earth-shaking rumble of its movement, it had only covered about thirty meters.
At fifteen meters per second, it wasn't exactly slow, but it depended on who it was being compared to. In the same span of time, the other three Great Summons had cleared several hundred meters. Naturally, the slowest one was left behind.
The Tailed Beast Bomb in the Five-Tails' mouth reached its peak. Seeing only one giant target left on the field, it naturally zeroed in on the Giant Insect. The black sphere of energy streaked across the battlefield—looking slow, but moving with terrifying velocity.
Knowing escape was impossible, Tetsumaru immediately ordered the Giant Insect into a defensive posture. He used a Body Flicker to reach the insect's feet and then dove into the ground using Earth Style: Hidden in Rock.
Receiving the command, the Wind Giant Insect curled its six legs and slammed its belly into the ground. Simultaneously, the runes carved across its carapace flared with light, activating its defensive ninjutsu.
Wind Style: Shinatobe!
As the jutsu triggered, a belt of wind began to spiral around the insect. In an instant, countless currents of air cocooned it, forming a massive white sphere of howling gales.
The next moment, the head-sized Tailed Beast Bomb impacted the seventy-meter-diameter wind sphere. A colossal explosion followed. Air currents roared, earth and stone were pulverized, and the rising dust completely obscured the vision of both the Leaf and the Rock forces.
Seeing the Tailed Beast Bomb score a direct hit, the Rock ninja erupted in a triumphant cheer, their morale skyrocketing.
In contrast, the Konoha ninja gasped in horror, watching their giant insect take the full brunt of the blast.
Underground, Tetsumaru shook off the disorientation of the shockwave. Through his Domain Field Barrier, he heard the frantic cries of the Leaf ninja.
"This is bad!"
"Aburame-san is in danger!"
Those were his friends or the more compassionate ninja. Tetsumaru made a mental note to remember them; those were true allies.
"The Mountain Giant is in trouble!"
Pah! You lot just want to steal my naming rights.
As the shockwave dissipated, Tetsumaru crawled back to the surface. He inspected the Giant Insect and frowned. The section of the carapace that had taken the direct hit was completely shattered. This was the thickest part of the insect—a full meter of chitinous armor combined with defensive wind-style—and it had still been pulverized.
Countless parasitic insects swarmed out from the cracks in the shell, rapidly patching the shattered plates. However, this emergency repair offered zero defensive value, and the sight of the raw white "scabs" wasn't exactly great for morale.
Time to use an attack to get everyone's eyes back on the ball. Tetsumaru ordered the insect to pivot, preparing to retaliate with the Wind-Coming Cannon.
As the dust began to thin, the Konoha side saw a series of pulsing blue lights flickering and converging within the cloud. The ninja who had participated in the battle against the Raikage recognized it immediately and began to cheer.
"He's alive! He's alive! The Mountain Giant is fine! It's preparing an attack!"
"Long live the Mountain Giant!"
Soon, the Rock side also saw the blue luminescence through the dust. Someone shouted a warning to the Five-Tails, which was currently swaying its head, observing the smoke.
"Look out! The enemy isn't dead!"
"A jutsu! It's Wind Style!"
Hearing the shouts, the Five-Tails didn't heighten its guard; instead, it tilted its head with primitive curiosity, looking at the tiny, screaming creatures behind it.
Tsuchikage Onoki's face paled. "It's over. Kuro-wan's consciousness has been suppressed. The Five-Tails is in total control now."
"What?"
The Rock ninja surrounding the Tsuchikage immediately understood the danger. In this state, the Five-Tails wouldn't distinguish between friend and foe. At any moment, it might turn its wrath on them. It could no longer be considered an asset to the Rock's combat strength.
The high-ranking Rock ninja scrambled to issue signals, desperately trying to silence their own men to avoid drawing the beast's attention.
Just then, the dust cloud swirled into a vortex. A massive sphere of compressed air screamed out, striking the Five-Tails before it could even turn its head back around.
Wind Style: Wind-Coming Cannon!
The air sphere caught the Five-Tails, lifting the beast off its feet and carrying it thirty meters away before slamming it into the ground.
Before the Five-Tails could struggle up, a second cannon hit. This time, it was dragged a dozen meters across the dirt before it managed to break free.
But the third, fourth, and fifth shots followed in rapid succession. The Five-Tails was hammered into a state of total disorientation, tumbling head-over-heels. The fifth Wind-Coming Cannon actually carried the beast on a hundred-meter slide before the energy dissipated.
After five consecutive hits—which included both the blunt force of the impact and the countless wind blades grinding inside the sphere—the Five-Tails' legendary defense finally cracked. Several deep, bleeding gashes appeared across its body.
The Rock side went silent. The rank-and-file felt a chill in their hearts, while the high-ranking ninja let out sighs of relief. Now the lines between "friend" and "foe" were clear; they didn't have to worry about their own beast attacking them.
On the other side, as the dust cleared, the Leaf ninja saw the Wind Giant Insect absolutely pummeling the Five-Tails.
Excitement surged through the ranks. Ninja waved their weapons and screamed, itching to charge in and help. If the Hokage hadn't been at the front directing the formation to split and flank, some of the more hot-blooded ones might have actually charged into the center of the battlefield to their deaths.
Tetsumaru didn't have time for idle thoughts. He maintained control over the Giant Insect, firing a sixth Wind-Coming Cannon without pause. This was the second great advantage of its massive size: beyond high defense, it had incredible stamina for repeated jutsu.
However, this shot was intercepted. The Rock ninja had regained their composure and launched dozens of massive Stone Cannons, shattering the wind sphere mid-air.
Every Jonin on the field knew that the Giant Insect's "bullying" was only temporary. Just by looking at the size difference, it was clear the Five-Tails hadn't even begun to exert its full strength; it had merely been caught off guard.
But the Rock couldn't stand it. If they watched their Tailed Beast get beaten like a dog, their morale would hit rock bottom. Furthermore, lending a hand now would help the Five-Tails regain its footing.
Sure enough, the Five-Tails flipped over and stood up. Its eyes burned with primal rage. Steam began to hiss from its body, and its size seemed to swell as its chakra levels skyrocketed.
Seeing that he could no longer suppress the beast, Tetsumaru didn't waste the seventh cannon. He aimed it directly at one of the earth mounds held by the Rock.
The Rock ninja on that mound had just used their jutsu to support the Five-Tails and couldn't cycle their chakra fast enough to defend. The Wind-Coming Cannon hit home, and dozens of Rock ninja were sent flying through the air like scattered flower petals.
Tetsumaru didn't stick around to admire his work. He commanded the Giant Insect to gather chakra again, this time taking direct control of the wind-nature transformation to meet the Five-Tails' impending charge.
The Five-Tails' chakra reached its peak. The massive beast charged, four hooves churning the earth, Boil Release steam spraying from its back with a piercing whistle. It bore down on the insect like a runaway freight train.
The Wind Giant Insect had gathered enough energy. Tetsumaru triggered the defense.
Wind Style: Shinatobe!
Under Tetsumaru's direct manipulation, the form of the jutsu changed. The center of the wind was no longer the insect's body, and the currents were no longer circular.
On the insect's flank, a spiral of wind appeared, followed by a second and a third. In an instant, a funnel-shaped vortex was constructed, its narrow tip pointed straight at the charging Five-Tails.
The Five-Tails instantly recognized the nature of the wind—it was the same stuff that had exploded earlier. It lowered its head, brandishing its four horns, and accelerated for the final impact.
Tetsumaru smiled. As expected, there's no Jinchuriki at the wheel. Perfect.
If a human ninja had seen the shape of the jutsu change, they would have stopped or diverted to avoid the center of the trap. But the beast just charged blindly.
The Five-Tails punched through the tip of the funnel without effort, but as it entered the heart of the vortex, things went wrong. The high-speed crosswinds interfered with its footing, causing its four hooves to lose their rhythm.
The beast tried to force its way through, maintaining its balance with raw power. But the closer it got, the stronger the wind became. With only twenty meters left, it finally lost control of its hooves.
As its legs tangled, the Five-Tails gave up on a clean run. It kicked off the ground with its hind legs, throwing its entire mass into a desperate lunge.
Two behemoths, both over fifty meters tall, collided with a deafening crash. The Five-Tails' four horns buried themselves deep into the Giant Insect's fleshy underbelly. Tetsumaru was thrown high into the air.
The vibration of the impact was far beyond what he had anticipated. Even with chakra anchored to his feet, he couldn't keep his balance.
Pain caused the Giant Insect to let out a shrill hiss. It began to kick at the Five-Tails with its powerful hind legs, trying to dislodge the horns. The Five-Tails, in turn, strained forward, twisting its head to widen the wound.
While the two monsters were locked in a stalemate, a giant toad plummeted from the sky, slamming onto the Five-Tails' back with its full weight.
Jiraiya's Summon: Bringing Down the House Jutsu!
Simultaneously, a shadow lashed out from beneath the Giant Insect. It struck the Five-Tails' neck and coiled tight, attempting to bind the beast's head and front legs together.
Manda's Death Coil!
Then Baku appeared at the Five-Tails' rear, opening its massive maw to tear at the beast's vitals.
The Five-Tails was both hurt and furious. Its Boil Release flared to the maximum. Scalding steam erupted in all directions. Gamabunta let out a pained croak and jumped away, while Manda simply shed his burned skin and slithered into the distance.
Only Baku was too slow to react. Its position was too precarious, and the enraged Five-Tails delivered a savage kick with its hind leg, sending the dream-eater tumbling away in a daze.
Before the Five-Tails could finish Baku off, the Giant Insect's long leg slammed into the beast's head, staggering it. Luckily for the Five-Tails, it had four legs, or it would have been knocked flat.
The beast's rage shifted back to the insect. It resumed its frantic assault, but without the momentum of a charge, it struggled to breach the thick chitinous armor.
With the Giant Insect acting as the "Main Tank" to draw aggro, the other two summons crept back for hit-and-run attacks. Only Baku, properly terrified, stayed back and used Wind Style to harass from a distance.
And so, the Leaf forces formed a challenge team: the Wind Giant Insect as the MT, Manda and Bunta as the DPS, and Baku as the "Support." Together, they took on the World Boss: The Five-Tails.
As the five giants clashed in a chaotic tumble, the Leaf and Rock ninja watched with blood boiling in their veins. Unable to join the center of the fray, they collectively bypassed the central battlefield, spreading out to engage each other along the slopes of the valley.
"Let's move back. We're too close," the Kazekage said, standing up. "Let's not interfere with their 'play'."
the Sand ninja nodded silently, retreating nearly six kilometers to a more distant peak to continue observing the largest battle the shinobi world had ever seen.
On the other side, the Raikage had long since moved to a safe distance. Since there were no suitable peaks nearby, he chose a slope facing away from the battle, relying entirely on his two sensory ninja to monitor the situation.
"Orochimaru-sama, this isn't going to work. We'll eventually lose," Tetsumaru said, jumping onto Manda's head to coordinate.
"I know," Orochimaru replied. "If only Tsunade were here."
The raid party was incomplete. The "Holy Trinity" was missing its Healer.
A Tailed Beast's chakra was effectively infinite. Although the Five-Tails didn't have the highest capacity or the fastest regeneration among its peers, without a healer to sustain the summons, the Leaf's "Giant Team" couldn't grind it down. They would eventually be whittled away before they could seal it.
To win now, they needed to destroy the Tailed Beast's physical form in a single stroke, outpacing its regeneration. That required an astronomical amount of offensive power—something even the Third Hokage's Five-Element Combo might lack.
Orochimaru turned his head, a dry chuckle escaping his lips. "Do you have any more of those 'Daikokuten Bugs'?"
"I don't have a 'Daikokuten Bug'," Tetsumaru corrected. "But I do have a Mushroom Bug."
"Good. As long as you have it."
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