Beating Shukaku!

Inside Gaara.

The Sealing Space.

"Wood Release? Damn it!! It's Hashirama Senju's Wood Release!!!"

Shukaku's shrill, bizarre voice exploded through the sealing space.

It clawed at the bars furiously, and the entire space trembled.

"Why is there Wood Release? Why can that Uchiha brat use Hashirama Senju's Wood Release?"

The fear of being dominated by the First Hokage rose from deep within. Shukaku flew into a rage and lost all reason.

"Gaara!!"

Shukaku roared furiously. "Hand your body over to me right now!! I'm going to tear that Wood Release brat to pieces!"

"Wood Release... Shukaku... you're afraid of this too...?"

Gaara whispered, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Shukaku.

"Fine... just as you wish... kill them... kill every last one!"

Gaara stopped suppressing Shukaku. Instead, he willingly loosened his hold over him and formed a special hand seal.

"False Sleep Technique!"

Gaara's head slowly drooped as he fell into a deep sleep.

Then—

An overwhelmingly violent surge of chakra erupted from within Gaara.

"Raaaargh!!!"

With a roar that shook the heavens and earth, endless yellow sand surged around Gaara, swelling and expanding.

Under the horrified gazes of the crowd, Gaara's body began to undergo a terrifying transformation, growing enormous.

His skin turned to sand, and a huge tail made entirely of sand and chakra whipped out.

In the space of a few breaths—

A plump tanuki, dozens of meters tall, made entirely of sand and earth and covered in purple cursed markings, appeared in the arena.

One-Tail Shukaku...

Had fully awakened!

"What is that monster?"

"It's a Tailed Beast!"

"Sunagakure's Tailed Beast!!"

"Run!!"

Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and the others paled.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened completely.

Sunagakure had brought a weapon of war to Konoha, and now they had made their Jinchuriki transform into a Tailed Beast.

Were they trying to start a war?

"Gahaha... I'm finally out... Gahaha!"

Shukaku let out a shrill cackle, bouncing around in unbridled excitement.

Crash!!!

Crack!!!

The sturdy tower shattered and collapsed as easily as a pile of building blocks.

Huge bricks and wooden beams tumbled down through the clouds of dust.

"Watch out!!"

"Get out of here!"

Chaos erupted in an instant.

Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, Kurenai, and the other Jōnin sprang into action, rushing to the front.

Some shattered falling debris with ninjutsu, while others put up defenses and quickly directed their students to evacuate.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Sakura! Move! Get out of the tower's range!"

"Hinata, retreat!"

Naruto, Sasuke, and the others were already white with shock.

They only snapped out of it and scrambled to flee when they heard their teachers' orders.

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi retreated to the top of a relatively intact statue and shouted sternly:

"Jōnin Baki! Your village actually allowed the One-Tail's Jinchuriki to take part in the Chunin Ninja Exams—and then let him fully transform into a Tailed Beast! What are you trying to do?"

Sweat beaded on Baki's forehead. He wasn't sure how to answer.

They had indeed come prepared for this Chunin Ninja Exam.

But Gaara releasing Shukaku now hadn't been part of the plan.

"This Gaara..."

Baki gritted his teeth.

Gaara's outburst had completely thrown their plans into disarray. Baki wasn't even sure how he would explain this to the Kazekage.

In the blink of an eye—

Only two figures remained facing each other across the collapsed ruins.

On one side stood One-Tail Shukaku, as massive as a mountain and radiating boundless rage and destruction.

On the other, Uchiha Yao stood before the ruined Demon-Faced Giant Shield, tiny as an ant.

Shukaku's roar shook the surrounding area. "Wood Release brat, I'm going to kill you! Die!"

Shukaku sucked in a deep breath, his belly swelling grotesquely. Then he opened his enormous mouth. "Wind Release: Void Ball!"

Highly compressed balls of raging wind fired out one after another like cannonballs, ripping through the air as they shot toward Yao.

Facing a Wind Release assault capable of destroying an entire city block, Yao remained calm. He pressed his hands together, chakra surging through him.

"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

The ground burst apart.

A wooden dragon erupted from beneath the earth, coiling into the sky as it bared its claws and fangs at the incoming Void Balls.

A rich vitality emanated from the Wood Dragon, naturally suppressing Shukaku's chakra.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Void Balls slammed into the Wood Dragon one after another, bursting into turbulent gusts as wood splinters flew everywhere.

The Wood Dragon shuddered and sustained damage, but stubbornly held together. It twisted around and lunged at the gaping mouth that was spitting out the wind blasts.

"Grr! Damn Wood Release!"

Shukaku was both shocked and furious. The Wood Dragon's appearance had once again dredged up a terrible memory.

Back then—

Hashirama Senju's Wood Release had pinned him to the ground and beaten him senseless, leaving him powerless to fight back.

"I couldn't beat Hashirama Senju, but I can beat you!"

Shukaku swung his huge claw. Ignoring the Wood Dragon, he brought it crashing down toward Yao on the ground.

Before the claw even reached him, the terrifying pressure of its wind had already cracked the ground apart.

"Just what I was waiting for!"

A gleam flashed in Yao's eyes as he released his chakra without holding back.

"Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!"

Rumble!!!

The earth beneath Yao surged upward, and countless enormous wooden structures rapidly grew and rose.

In the blink of an eye—

A towering giant, dozens of meters tall, clad in simple wooden armor and wearing a face as stern as a wrathful guardian deity, rose from the earth and stood before Shukaku.

As soon as the Wood Golem took shape, it clenched its fist and met Shukaku's descending claw head-on.

Bang!!!!!

A visible shockwave burst outward, instantly leveling the remaining ruins around them.

"Th-that's..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the towering Wood Golem. "He's even mastered the Wood Golem Technique?"

Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, and the others stared in stunned silence, feeling as though their entire worldview had been shaken.

Mastering the First Hokage's Wood Release was one thing, but he'd even learned advanced Wood Release techniques like the Wood Dragon Technique?

What kind of monster was he?

Naruto's mouth hung open, his jaw nearly hitting the ground. "A-amazing! Is that Yao?!"

Sasuke stared fixedly at the battlefield, his thoughts in turmoil.

"The Wood Golem... Is this the true power my brother has been hiding? He can even fight a monster like that..."

Sasuke knew Yao was strong, and he had always been desperately trying to catch up.

But at that moment—

The strength Yao had displayed far exceeded Sasuke's imagination.

He could even stand against a terrifying monster like that. When would Sasuke ever catch up to Yao? He felt hopeless!

Temari and Kankuro were already pale, cold sweat soaking their backs.

They had always feared Shukaku.

In their eyes, Shukaku was a nightmare—a living nightmare!

But they had never imagined anyone could face Shukaku head-on. And the other person was a Konoha Genin, of all things!

What a joke!

Just what kind of monster was that Uchiha Yao?

"Yaaagh! It hurts! Damn it!! I'm in so much pain!"

Shukaku shrieked and pulled his claw back, attacking even more wildly. Void Balls hammered into the Wood Golem like a barrage of cannon fire.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Wood Golem's enormous frame made it a perfect target.

The fierce Wind Release tore through its sturdy wooden body, blasting hole after hole in it as splinters flew everywhere.

"You brute, all you know is how to use your strength! Feel the terror of Wood Release again!"

Standing atop the Wood Golem's head, Yao changed his hand seals and shouted, "Wood Release Secret Technique: Birth of Tree World!"

Boom!!!!

A surging vitality burst out of Yao in an instant.

Countless thick trees and vines burst from the earth, growing and spreading at an impossible speed.

In the blink of an eye—

The ruined arena had become a primeval forest.

The forest seemed to possess a will of its own. Trees and vines writhed and coiled, closing in on Shukaku at the center!

"This is..."

Shukaku was horrified. He tried to move, but countless tough roots had wound around his huge feet and pinned them in place.

Thick vines raced up his legs and body.

Countless branches also thrust toward him like sharp spears.

"Grr!! Let go of me! Aaaagh! Damn it!"

Shukaku struggled frantically, his monstrous strength snapping countless trees.

But even more trees and vines surged in to take their place, an endless tide.

Worse still—

As the wooden tendrils wrapped around him, they began draining his chakra. His strength rapidly ebbed away.

At the same time—

The Wood Golem strode toward Shukaku, who was bound tightly by the trees, raised its heavy wooden fist, and smashed it into Shukaku's jaw.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

One punch!

Then another!

The dull, drumlike impacts echoed over the Forest of Death.

Pinned in place by the trees, Shukaku could barely move. The Wood Golem pounded him at close range, drawing pained roars from him as the sandy armor covering his body crumbled away.

The forest was spreading!

The vines were tightening!

The Wood Golem was beating him to a pulp!

Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at this incredible sight.

A terrifying Tailed Beast was being brutally pummeled by a Genin wielding a forest and giant made with Wood Release!

Were they dreaming, or had the world gone completely mad?