This time, it was the Sunagakure ninjas who wore horrified expressions.
This was the unstable aspect of the Tailed Beast Weapon known as Shukaku.
It recognized neither friend nor foe and acted on a whim.
It could even... go berserk on the spot!
To the Tailed Beasts, humans were their enemies.
The humans who imprisoned them deserved to die the most.
On top of that, Shukaku had a playful personality.
It was arguably the most willful of the Nine Great Tailed Beasts.
So...
It simply turned its aim around and casually targeted them again on a whim.
"Ahhh~~!"
"Run~~!!"
Screams rang across the battlefield.
The Sunagakure ninjas were routed.
They had not been frightened into collapse by Konoha. Instead, they were intimidated by their own Tailed Beast Weapon.
"..."
Fourth Kazekage: Rasa frowned sharply.
His expression darkened.
He raised both hands, preparing to stop their Shukaku.
One of the requirements for becoming Kazekage was neither Magnet Release nor bloodline.
It was...
"the ability to suppress Shukaku."
As the Tailed Beast Weapon that Sunagakure had to retain, this was something the village's Kage had to be capable of.
During the Warring States Period, First Kazekage Reto, who had unified the chaos of the Land of Wind, could do it.
Second Kazekage: Shamon, who established the Puppet Master Department and developed Magnet Release, could do it as well.
The Third Kazekage, renowned as the Strongest Kazekage for manipulating iron sand, could do it too.
Then...
The Fourth Kazekage had to be able to do it. He inevitably could.
One of Rasa's training exercises before becoming Kazekage...
was using Magnet Release to suppress Shukaku's rampage.
Now.
He was preparing to make a move and stop Shukaku from condensing its Tailed Beast Ball.
But...
At that moment.
Clatter, clatter...!!
The sound of metal chains