Kushina's skin cracked, scorched, and began to peel away.
In just the blink of an eye, her entire body was engulfed by the blood-red chakra of the Tailed Beast. Even her face was obscured beneath the demonic cloak, transforming her into a half-human, half-beast figure of pure rage.
"Jiraiya-sensei…"
ROAR!!
The scarlet beast howled skyward, and the surging waves of chakra it unleashed swept across the battlefield like an explosion. Everyone present felt a suffocating pressure descend upon them.
Especially Yoru—who now bore the brunt of Kushina's wrath.
Faced with that overwhelming, sky-piercing force, even Yoru found it hard to breathe under the oppressive weight of the chakra.
"The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki…"
Yagura gripped his pitch-black khakkhara tightly, sweeping his gaze over the battered and bloodied ranks of the Mist ninja.
The rage-fueled retaliation by Fukasaku's Sage Art Water Cutter had decimated their forces. Even Yagura himself had barely avoided having his arm severed.
His eyes turned toward Yoru.
"Can you still fight?"
Yoru shook his head slightly.
"Not looking good. My chakra's almost drained."
The battle against Jiraiya, the full-force casting of Hado #90 Kurohitsugi, and the defensive Danku barrier had drained him nearly dry. Even with his shikai-enhanced power, his reserves were nearly gone.
If the fight dragged on…
"…Hm?"
Yoru's eyes lowered to Hyōrinmaru in his hand.
"You're saying... use spiritual energy instead?"
BOOM!!
A gust of violent chakra pressure surged forth.
Yoru's expression shifted as he vanished in a flash. The next moment, the very ground he'd just been standing on exploded under the impact of terrifying energy, trees uprooted and earth shattered as corpses, ice shards, and boulders were blasted skyward in a horrific mix.
Kushina's figure flashed—closing the distance to Yoru in a heartbeat. Her first strike missed, and her burning gaze turned toward Yagura.
The one who killed Jiraiya-sensei.
The one who led to so much death.
The ones from Kirigakure…
They all deserve to die!
Kushina opened her mouth wide—drawing in a massive quantity of chakra particles.
"No!"
Yagura's face paled. He immediately performed a Water Release technique—summoning a water clone within his Mirror Jutsu that perfectly mimicked Kushina's Tailed Beast transformation.
Two Tailed Beast Bombs began to form—simultaneously!
And then—both were fired!
"I'm out of chakra…"
Yagura staggered. His face turned deathly pale. Casting the Water Mirror Jutsu to mimic Kushina's Version 2 Tailed Beast form and replicate a Bijūdama had completely drained his reserves.
The technique could mimic any jutsu, any opponent—but the chakra consumption was immense.
BOOOOM!!
Twin orbs of jet-black chakra collided mid-air.
The sheer destructive force erupted into a cataclysmic explosion that swallowed the surrounding kilometer of land. Everything—earth, stone, and life—was devoured by the release of energy.
At the last possible moment, Yoru flash-stepped behind Yagura, grabbed him, and escaped the blast zone just in time.
Trees, soil, and dismembered bodies—
Everything was obliterated.
Meanwhile—
After successfully repelling a group of Mist pursuers, Uchiha Fugaku regrouped with Sarutobi Shin'nosuke.
But before they could catch their breath, another dozen Mist ninja appeared ahead.
Among them: shinobi wielding the Longsword: Nuibari and the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, and one who radiated immense heat and melting mist—
A kunoichi who possessed both Boil Release and Lava Release kekkei genkai.
"That acidic mist from earlier… it was her. Terumī Mei, the prodigy of the Terumī Clan."
Shin'nosuke's face darkened. The longer this chase went on, the more uneasy he felt.
Konoha had always ranked Kirigakure near the bottom of the Five Great Nations—on par with Sunagakure.
But now? The Hidden Mist's display of raw genius and talent was far beyond anything Shin'nosuke had anticipated.
Yuki Yoru…
Hōzuki Mangetsu…
Ameyuri Ringo…
And now Terumī Mei—dual kekkei genkai?
These weren't just talented—they were monsters. Once fully grown, every one of them would be Kage-tier threats.
"Could it be… is this the result of the Blood Mist policy?"
Shin'nosuke murmured internally.
That brutal regime—long regarded by Konoha as a disgraceful failure—had somehow produced not only survivors but prodigies.
Perhaps… there was something to be learned.
"Fugaku, take your men and retreat. I'll stay behind to hold them off—"
BOOM!!
Before he could finish, a shockwave from the Bijūdama detonation rolled across the battlefield.
A monstrous gust swept over them, flattening trees, hurling rocks, and flinging debris like a typhoon.
Everyone—Leaf and Mist alike—froze.
"She really went full Tailed Beast mode…?"
"How bad is it over there if Kushina unleashed that the moment she arrived?!"
Fugaku and Shin'nosuke's expressions turned grim.
The Mist ninja were just as shaken.
Though they currently lacked a jinchūriki, Kirigakure's past wasn't devoid of Tailed Beast experience. They knew well what this chakra meant.
"Damn you, Konoha… You sent your jinchūriki to the front lines?!"
"First Jiraiya of the Sannin, now the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki…"
This level of force chilled the hearts of every Mist shinobi present. They couldn't help but worry—
What had happened to Yoru and Yagura?
As the smoke and shockwaves finally cleared—
Both sides fell into a stunned silence.
Though enemies stood before them, neither Konoha nor Kirigakure made a move. All eyes turned toward the distant battlefield.
Until finally—
A signal flare streaked through the sky. The Mist ordered a full withdrawal, vanishing once more into the fog.
"No—we have to find Kushina!"
Shin'nosuke's voice was firm.
Fugaku hesitated, then nodded.
"I'm coming with you. If the Mist are retreating, it means Kushina and Jiraiya caused serious damage. Let's go find her together."
"Right."
The two sprinted toward the explosion site—only to freeze in place after just a few steps.
A blood-red figure emerged before them.
Behind her, six tails writhed, releasing a killing intent so intense it was hard to breathe.
"Kushina?!"
ROOOAAARR!!