Seizing the One-Tail

Whether it was Yakumo, Kakashi, and the others in the arena, or Neji and Kimimaro watching from the sidelines, they all immediately realized what Hiruko was trying to do.

Shion shouted, "No! He's absorbing the One-Tail's Chakra!"

"We have to stop him!"

Yakumo made her decision and began forming Hand Seals.

Soon, as Yakumo poured in her Chakra, the branches scattered across the arena came alive again, surging toward Shukaku and Hiruko, who stood atop his head.

Seeing Yakumo use Wood Release, Kakashi and the other Konoha Ninja sprang into action as well, charging toward Shukaku in an attempt to stop Hiruko.

As he watched the surging sea of trees and the Konoha Ninja closing in from every direction, Ranmaru gritted his teeth and activated Shadow Release again, vanishing from sight.

At the same time, he took a moment to gather himself, then activated his Dojutsu once more, creating a series of Red Eye Clones.

"Everyone, be careful! The enemy can use Shadow Release!"

As he charged toward the enemy, Kakashi hurled a large number of Kunai in Ranmaru's direction.

He hadn't thrown them as weapons. Once they spread out in midair, the little spheres attached to their tails burst open, releasing clouds of fine powder.

Ranmaru, caught among the powder, soon realized that his Shadow Release Chakra couldn't quickly assimilate it. His indistinct outline was soon revealed in the dust.

It wasn't just Kakashi's ninja tools. Almost simultaneously, the Sensory Unit at the scene activated a detection barrier, quickly revealing Ranmaru's silhouette in his Shadow Release state.

But to everyone's surprise, both the powder Kakashi had thrown and the Barrier Squad's detection barrier revealed not one target, but seven or eight!

Kakashi wondered, "Could they be Shadow Clones?"

By then, he had reached the first target. Seeing the figure's