At this point, Han's will was already fading, and Chōmei's Chakra continued to ravage his body. Compared to the internal injuries caused by Duy's One Thousand Years of Death, the damage this time was far more severe.
"Han, leave it to me."
"I will avenge you." Sensing an opportunity, Kokuō endured the pain and surged forward.
He no longer wanted to remain trapped in this body. This time, as long as he could seize control, he was determined to consume Han completely.
"No... it's okay," Han muttered, clinging to the last shred of resolve he had left. But it was futile.
"Haha, 'okay,' is it?" Kokuō laughed maniacally, shattering the final barrier of Han's will.
A new variable erupted in Han's half-Tailed Beast mode as his Chakra spun wildly out of control.
"Ahh!" Han screamed unconsciously, his body beginning to expand visibly. The Tailed Beast's Chakra rebelled, and the air around him grew hotter and hotter. Moments later, a white beast with five horns emerged before Tsunade—the Tailed Beast had fully manifested. Kokuō was free.
"Haha, I'm finally out!" Kokuō bellowed, his enormous voice echoing across the battlefield.
"Woman, I won't let you escape."
His massive jaws opened wide, his eyes locking onto Tsunade, who was charging toward him. The lingering pain in his hindquarters only fueled his rage.
"Grr..."
Kokuō's cruel expression deepened as he planted his hind legs firmly, leaving deep gouges in the ground. His body emitted scalding steam, accelerating rapidly. With the deafening roar of a train, Kokuō charged directly at Tsunade.
"Be careful, Kokuō's strength is immense," Chōmei warned, observing as Kokuō slightly lowered his head, aligning one of his horns directly at Tsunade.
"I know," Tsunade replied, her eyes narrowing with determination. She wanted to gauge the true extent of Kokuō's power.
The Chakra from her wings shimmered brightly as her speed increased. She refused to retreat or evade—she wanted to meet Kokuō's strength head-on.
"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
Tsunade's right foot came crashing down on the center of Kokuō's five horns.
"Oww!" Kokuō screamed in pain, momentarily stunned by the impact. His head shook violently, blood splattering as the force threw Tsunade far into the distance.
Bang!
She landed heavily, leaving a fist-sized, bleeding wound on her right leg.
"It's stronger than before," Tsunade remarked, standing up without sparing her injury a glance. The wound was already beginning to close, thanks to Creation Rebirth working as intended.
"I told you before, but you wouldn't listen. Now look at you," Chōmei chattered from within her, clearly unimpressed.
"Where's your wound?!" Chōmei exclaimed in confusion, unfamiliar with Tsunade's regenerative capabilities.
"Stop being ignorant," Tsunade muttered, brushing off the chatter. She had no time to humor her talkative companion.
Meanwhile, Kokuō shook his head, regaining his senses. His eyes sharpened with renewed focus.
"Damn it," Tsunade cursed under her breath as she noticed Kokuō opening his mouth. A massive amount of Chakra began gathering, and she immediately recognized what was coming next.
A Tailed Beast Ball.
But Tsunade wasn't fazed. She knew how to counter it. Without hesitation, she accessed Chōmei's Chakra reserves, which were supplied generously without protest. Fully transformed into her half-Tailed Beast form, Tsunade charged her own Tailed Beast Ball.
The two spheres of raw energy collided mid-air, creating a colossal explosion that shook the battlefield.
The shockwave rippled through the surroundings, causing even the most hardened Ninjas to tremble. For those nearby, it felt like a miracle to survive, but survival demanded constant vigilance in the face of such destructive power.
Both Tsunade and Kokuō, unfazed by the devastation, prepared to continue their clash.
Ōnoki, sensing the immense commotion, had already turned his attention to the scene.
However, Kawakaze was watching closely, preventing him from assisting Han for the time being. Instead, he placed his hopes on Tsunade, trusting that she might subdue the Five-Tailed Beast and give Han a chance at survival. Whether Han could be saved under Tsunade's command was not something he was currently considering. The loss of a Jinchūriki was a consequence he could not bear.
"You're still alive?" Kawakaze twisted his neck casually. Though he was no longer in Sage Mode, his condition seemed largely unaffected. His appearance was far from pleasant, but it was still better than Ōnoki's, who looked as if he could pass for an old man begging for a few extra grains of rice.
"You're not dead either," Ōnoki shot back, unwilling to let Kawakaze have the upper hand in their exchange. His expression remained unreadable, his face dark and stoic.
"I'll send you off now," Kawakaze said coldly, raising his hand. A small senbon appeared, and with a swift flick, the needles flew toward Ōnoki with a sharp, sky-piercing sound.
Ōnoki, already aware of the technique's danger, chose to dodge instead of using an Earth-Style Wall to block.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld," Ōnoki intoned, forming a hand seal. The ground beneath Kawakaze's feet liquefied, transforming into a massive swamp that quickly swallowed his calves.
"Earth Release: Sticky Earth Drop," Ōnoki followed up confidently, casting another technique. Above Kawakaze, a portal appeared, pouring a cascade of heavy mud down onto him. If the mud buried Kawakaze, Ōnoki only needed a Fire Release technique to reduce him to ash.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Kawakaze sneered, not bothering to struggle. In an instant, he vanished from the swamp using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
When he reappeared, he stood exactly where Ōnoki had been moments earlier.
"Take this punch!"
Without hesitation, Kawakaze charged directly at Ōnoki.
"Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique."
Ōnoki didn't attempt to dodge; Kawakaze's speed left him no chance. Instead, his right hand transformed into a hardened rock fist. Enhanced by the Added-Weight Rock Technique, its power was immense.
The two collided with a resounding impact. Ōnoki's rock fist shattered again, but Kawakaze felt the overwhelming force in his body. Though he wasn't sent flying, a metallic taste filled his mouth, and a trickle of blood ran from its corner—he was already injured.
"Do you feel your body getting heavier?" Ōnoki said calmly. He wasn't frustrated that his Rock Fist had been destroyed; Lightning Release naturally countered Earth Release, so the outcome didn't surprise him.
His real intent had been to increase Kawakaze's weight, slowing him down and giving himself the opportunity to leave and assist Han.
As Ōnoki spoke, his gaze shifted briefly toward Kokuō. The two full-body Tailed Beasts were locked in a fierce battle. Kokuō's attacks couldn't reach Chōmei, who hovered in the air, forcing him to fire a constant barrage of Tailed Beast Balls. The chaos in that area of the battlefield was overwhelming.
"What a clever plan," Kawakaze muttered, testing his movements. He could still move, but his speed had been significantly reduced.
Wiping the blood from his mouth, he felt his earlier injuries were already healed.
"I don't have time to mess with you," Ōnoki said firmly. He could feel the increasing ferocity of Kokuō's Tailed Beast Chakra. If the situation persisted, Han's death was inevitable. Even if Han could be saved now, his lifespan would be severely affected—but survival was still preferable.
Without waiting for a reply, Ōnoki soared into the air, heading toward Kokuō.
"Old people sure are wise," Kawakaze muttered. He attempted to run but felt his reduced speed—compared to his usual pace, he moved like a tortoise. Watching Ōnoki's figure vanish into the distance, Kawakaze clenched his fists, itching to bring him down again.
"You don't have enough Senjutsu Chakra, so don't even think about it," Lady Katsuyu remarked knowingly, her voice cutting into his thoughts.
"Forget it. I'll go find Tsunade and see what she has to say," Kawakaze muttered. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he teleported onto Chōmei's back.