After a while, the monstrous creature roared and turned, exposing its terrifying form to all present.
In its eyes, humans appeared as insignificant and feeble as ants.
Its body was bloated, covered in violet curse lines arranged in a chaotic pattern.
"You wretched human insects! How dare you seal me for so long? I'm going to destroy you all!"
This creature, referred to as 'One Tail' by the Suna nins, possessed an exceedingly loud voice, accompanied by an acutely piercing quality that could cause discomfort like a knife being thrust into one's ear.
"Wind Release · Gale Bomb!"
A substantial amount of chakra began accumulating within its maw, and it commenced releasing enormous typhoon-like bursts in a fan-shaped spread, sweeping away everything in its path including the forest trees and adversaries.
An intense explosion resounded through the air.
Both its power and range surpassed that of an average ninja's techniques.
At this juncture, Suna Nins, Shiraishi, and the others ceased their combat, opting instead to seek cover and evade the fearsome typhoon onslaught.
"Hu... Hu... Are the two of you unharmed?"
Shiraishi clasped his shoulder, where his attire had been inadvertently grazed by the wind blades dispersed by the wind spheres, revealing a grievous, bleeding wound.
Truthfully, situations like these were incredibly vexing.
Misfortunes seemed to be occurring one after the other.
What had ostensibly been a routine mission to destroy supply points was now hampered and necessitated a premature retreat due to faulty information.
As a result, facing this rampant behemoth, Shiraishi was at a loss for words.
Presently, the paramount concern for Suna Shinobi was avoiding becoming ensnared within the creature's sweeping attacks.
"Fortunately, the chakra of this creature feels rather ominous. It's the most powerful chakra I've ever encountered. It's difficult to fathom such an entity existing within the ninja world."
Ayane inhaled sharply. Her Byakugan allowed her to directly perceive the terrifying nature of Chakra emanating from the creature known as 'One Tail'.
Among those she was acquainted with, Ruri already possessed formidable chakra as a ninja.
Yet, when they were exposed with this creature, they realized their chakra levels were leagues apart.
"Of course, it's Suna's tailed beast weapon. I never expected Suna to deploy such a thing onto the battlefield. We must retreat quickly."
Ruri appeared to possess some knowledge, her expression assuming a solemn expression.
"A tailed beast?"
Shiraishi raised an eyebrow. He had come across mentions of it in various documents, but this was his first encounter with the actual entity.
It was said to be a creatures ranging from one tail to nine tails from ancient times, referred to as a tailed beasts by ninjas.
Their origin remained unknown; only their existence since ancient times and their extensive lifespans were known.
Each tailed beast boasted a reservoir of chakra beyond a ninja's comprehension, capable of causing tremors with the slightest movement.
Dealing with such a creature, even when suppressed through sealing techniques, demanded significant sacrifices.
Truly a fearsome entity.
It instilled a greater sense of dread than what Shiraishi had gleaned from books.
The trio took refuge behind a boulder, defiantly facing the storm head-on. Their surface was already marred by numerous marks, like countless blades carving into them.
Sensing the oppressive atmosphere and the ceaseless tempest, Shiraishi massaged his throbbing temples.
It wasn't so much that the current situation was more perilous than before; the monster's rampage had compelled the Suna to halt their pursuit and turn their attention to the One Tail.
However, the predicament lay in One Tail's wide range attacks ensnaring the trio.
"Wait a moment!"
Ayane suddenly perceived something through her Byakugan.
"What's amiss?"
"Quickly!"
Ayane lacked the time to elaborate, merely urging Shiraishi and Ruri to move swiftly.
Shiraishi and Ruri dared not linger. Ayane must have discerned something, otherwise, her urgency wouldn't be so palpable.
Indeed, the chakra permeating the air grew increasingly intense.
The white section of its eye turned obsidian, while the pupil assumed a sandy hue—Shukaku's penetrating gaze.
The gaze was as sharp as a knife's edge, with exaggeratedly parted lips that revealed a perilous and cunning grin.
It tore open its gaping maw, and chakra began converging before its visage.
After each chakra sphere merged, it morphed into a substantial black chakra sphere. A mystic lavender halo surrounded the outer layer of the black chakra sphere.
Resembling a colossal black gem radiating purple luminescence, it formed a perfectly spherical shape.
The atmosphere stagnated, frigid tendrils penetrating the skin, inducing an unsettling trepidation.
Just as it was poised to launch, a heavy blow caused its bloated form to stagger, and the purple-hued black sphere soared skyward in a parabolic trajectory.
Despite its parabolic trajectory, the black sphere's velocity was formidable, like a fleeting gust of wind.
The trio, proceeding in the opposite direction of the encampment, lifted their heads, observing the enormous black sphere soaring above them and vanishing into the distance.
Light illuminated everything.
Figures, trees, and the earth all vanished from view.
The trio reflexively shut their eyes against the intense brilliance of the explosion.
An eerie silence prevailed for several seconds, disrupted by a resounding boom.
The forest quaked, the riverbed crumbled, creating an abrupt precipice ahead.
A tsunami-like wave of dust rolled in.
The expanse spanning kilometers transformed into a colossal crater, devoid of vegetation.
"Cough, cough!"
Shiraishi rose from the soil, his body caked in dust, his expression one of embarrassment.
He suddenly noticed Ayane and Ruri also emerging from the soil, their appearances mirroring his embarrassment.
Their sleeves and thighs showed signs of wear, stained with numerous blood spots. Their injuries appeared quite severe, and it was astounding that these injuries had been inflicted outside the blast range.
Had the chakra ball landed even slightly closer to their position, it was likely they would have been instantly obliterated.
Shiraishi shook his head and gave his ear a pat, trying to clear the dust that had settled inside.
Was this still a battle among ninjas?
As they gazed at the devastated landscape before them, Shiraishi and his companions couldn't help but entertain such a thought.
In any case, the notion of instantly sinking such a large area of land seemed utterly excessive.
If the chakra ball were to be repeatedly deployed, it didn't matter how formidable the ninja force was; it wouldn't be enough to counter this monstrous slaughter.
"Right up ahead!"
"Stop them, don't let them escape from here!"
Footsteps accompanied by fleeting shadows sounded from behind.
Scarcely had they recovered from the shock of One Tailed Beast devastating power when a realization struck: the Suna Ninjas displayed an unwavering determination, unwilling to permit their escape at this critical moment.
Was it possible that they sought to prevent the revelation of these events?
Indeed, a weapon of such extraordinary power couldn't be allowed to fall into enemy hands, potentially leading to a surprise attack.
Moreover, given the upheaval caused by the One tail rampage, the Suna Ninjas were resolute in preventing Shiraishi and his companions from fleeing. The exposure of this information might undermine their meticulously laid plans.
With the Suna nins in hot pursuit, Shiraishi and the other two had no choice but to sprint in a straight line, aiming to vacate the battlefield with all possible speed.
A silence hung over One Tail, whether due to renewed containment through the sealing technique or some other phenomenon, evading Shiraishi's understanding.
Their primary objective remained evading the pursuit of the Suna ninja.
As they traversed the barren terrain ravaged by Shouhe's onslaught, clusters of dark chakra gas, accompanied by a lavender halo, hovered in the air, distinctly visible.
Observing this, Shiraishi's thoughts were set in motion.
An intuitive grasp of One Tail power settled upon him. This power had the potential to quicken anyone's heartbeat.
Without hesitation, he retrieved a glass bottle from his ninja pouch, uncorking it, and began to collect the residual physical chakra that hadn't yet dissipated.
After a brief interval, the chakra had been collected, and Shiraishi securely returned the glass bottle to his pouch, a satisfied smile playing across his features.
Evidently, this endeavor hadn't been in vain.
If circumstances allowed, he
would have been inclined to delve further into this unique chakra, seeking a suitable location for further study. Such an investigation might yield invaluable insights.