Everyone in Konoha Village felt the ground shaking violently.
Two giant beasts, moving like massive mountains, were charging at each other at incredible speeds, like natural disasters on a collision course.
In that moment, survival instincts kicked in. People felt a rush of fear and anxiety, as if an invisible hand was squeezing their hearts, making them feel suffocated.
It was as if they were dreaming of ancient times, watching weak humans cower as giant beasts fought fiercely.
The ground, which had been solid and compacted, cracked and split into lines like veins under the crushing weight and stamping of the two beasts.
Smoke, dust, and debris were blasted into the air, rising dozens of meters high.
The tremors grew more intense, shaking even the mountain behind Konoha. Rocks tumbled down, and a giant rock with the names of past Hokage had a massive crack running across it, as if the Hokage of the past were mourning the devastation.
Though it felt like an eternity, only a few seconds had passed. Thousands of eyes watched as the two beasts collided with the force of a meteor hitting Earth.
Boom boom—!!!
When they hit, an explosive shockwave erupted. A deafening roar filled the sky, and the collision sent a tsunami-like wave of air and destruction, swallowing everything in sight.
The impact created a vacuum, expelling air from a wide radius. The shockwave overturned the ground, sending shattered rocks and flames shooting in all directions.
After a brief silence, the air rushed back in forcefully, filling the vacuum and creating a noisy whirlwind that surged skyward.
From a distance, the swirling air currents rose hundreds of meters, forming a massive column that stirred the dark clouds above.
Boom!
Lightning flashed and thunder roared as if the gods were furious, and torrents of rain poured down.
The destructive power of the tailed beasts had left a deep impression on everyone. It was no longer just something written in textbooks or talked about by elders. It was a real and tangible force, felt deeply in both body and mind.
But the battle between the tailed beasts was far from over.
The true disaster was just beginning.
In their direct clash, the Nine-Tails had been knocked away.
Its massive body scraped through the wreckage, creating a wide path dozens of meters long.
"Nine-Tails, it's been so long since we last met. Is this all you've got?" The Eight-Tails pounded the ground with its fists, eyes burning with battle spirit. "This isn't your real power. Hurry up and deal with that human. Show your true strength!"
"Roar--!"
The Nine-Tails roared in response to the insult, eyes flashing with fury and malice.
But soon, that rage was controlled again. The eyes cleared, revealing that it was not the Nine-Tails' true self in control, but Uzumaki Kushina.
"Heh, a mighty Nine-Tails can't even handle a human? How pathetic."
The Eight-Tails sneered, then stomped the ground and leaped into the air, flying hundreds of meters. It threw a powerful punch: "Let me help you with this!"
BANG!!!
Kushina, struggling to control the Nine-Tails' consciousness, couldn't regain control of her body in time.
The Eight-Tails' fist, packed with tremendous force, struck the Nine-Tails in the face like a meteorite.
The impact was so powerful it created a sonic boom. The shockwave spread fiercely, and the explosion was strong enough to hurt the ears of people several kilometers away.
Amid the rising smoke and debris, the Nine-Tails was sent crashing again, tumbling across the ground in distress.
The Eight-Tailed Octopus wasn't going to back down easily. It swung its massive body and used its eight tentacles and tail to slam down.
Boom!
The Nine-Tailed Fox was slammed into the ground by the Eight-Tailed's huge tail, like a sandbag being hit repeatedly.
For the first time, the Nine-Tailed Fox let out a painful whine and showed a hint of human-like suffering in its eyes.
"Hey, woman. Give me your body!"
The Nine-Tails inside Kushina was furious, ready to explode. It roared, "Let me teach this bastard a lesson!"
"Shut up!"
Kushina bit her lip, letting blood flow, and said firmly, "I will not let you take control, Kyuubi. This is my battle!"
Outside, in the real world, the Eight-Tails took advantage and jumped onto the Nine-Tails, attacking with a flurry of punches.
Each punch was filled with intense killing intent, infused with huge amounts of chakra, pounding the ground beneath the Nine-Tails and causing it to collapse further and further.
"Don't underestimate me!"
The Nine-Tailed Fox suddenly unleashed countless chains from its abdomen.
"The Uzumaki clan's sealing technique?"
The Eight-Tailed Fox realized something was wrong but couldn't escape at such close range.
Golden chains wrapped around the Eight-Tails' fists, and the powerful suppressing force made it feel the same pressure as the Nine-Tails. Even the will of the tailed beasts seemed to be restrained!
"Human, stop being so arrogant!"
The Eight-Tails' eyes flashed with rage. It opened its bloody mouth towards the Nine-Tails below.
The atmosphere around them seemed to collapse under intense pressure, and this was due to the ultra-dense chakra gathering in its mouth.
"Kushina, use the Tailed Beast Ball!"
The Nine-Tails inside him instantly sensed the danger and loudly alerted its Jinchūriki.
Even though it wouldn't die, being hit by a Tailed Beast Ball up close would still be extremely painful.
"I know!" Kushina shouted back instinctively. Yet, her survival instincts kicked in, and she began forming the Tailed Beast Ball.
Both tailed beasts, one above and one below, started preparing their ultimate attacks, the Tailed Beast Balls, ready to clash at close range.
To everyone else, this scene was a nightmare.
Who could stop them now? Despair filled everyone's faces, and even those with weaker endurance began to collapse and cry.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was jolted awake by the commotion.
"What happened?"
He opened his eyes, dazed, only to see the two tailed beasts in the center of Konoha, gearing up to fight with their Tailed Beast Balls.
Wait, am I still dreaming?
Sarutobi Hiruzen paused for a moment, and as reality hit him, anger surged. "What's going on? Why are the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails fighting in Konoha? Where are the others? Where's Danzo? What's he doing?"
"Hokage-sama, you're awake!" Elephant, who had collapsed beside him, cried in distress. "Danzo made a mistake in command, and the Cloud Ninjas have attacked us!"
"Damn it!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes widened with rage, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Elephant, who had long been displeased with Danzo, didn't care if the Hokage could handle the shock. He poured out everything Danzo had done: "He sent away everyone who opposed him and took control of the power while you were asleep. He even tried to kill Uchiha Sogetsu, Hokage!"
"Ugh--!" Sarutobi Hiruzen spat out more blood, his face turning as pale as paper, with veins bulging on his forehead.
He never imagined that being unconscious for such a short time would push Konoha to the brink of destruction. The shock and anger caused his already fragile state to worsen, nearly making his heart stop.
But he forced himself to stay conscious and think quickly.
Who else can take charge of the banner and save Konoha from danger? Is it Minato Namikaze?
If the abduction by the Cloud Ninja hadn't happened, perhaps he could be entrusted with the task.
But right now, he couldn't risk it. He wasn't sure if the Cloud Ninja had hidden means when they kidnapped Minato Namikaze, so he ruled him out.
Tsunade and Jiraiya don't seem to be in the village, so they're not options.
The only remaining candidate is Orochimaru. As a former disciple, he should be a suitable choice, though his motives are more complex.
"Hurry up."
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with a trembling voice and with his last ounce of strength said, "Go and ask Sogetsu to come back and help calm the situation!"
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