Battle Against the Five-Tails Jinchuriki

Moonlight spilled across the battlefield, its silvery radiance like water, reflecting the two figures standing in confrontation.

A man wearing a red conical hat and red armor had a single tail protruding from his back.

Violent chakra surged from his body, radiating an ominous aura.

"So this is the legendary Tailed Beast chakra," Uchiha Iori remarked, "what terrifying power."

Although Konoha possessed the Nine-Tails, thanks to the powerful sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan and the village's strict confidentiality measures, it remained a secret.

Even if you were to pass Kushina Uzumaki on the street, you would never notice anything different about her compared to an ordinary person.

The Uchiha clan, where Iori resided, was a primary target of the village's surveillance, and they were strictly forbidden from approaching the Jinchuriki.

"It looks like I'll have to risk my life today," Uchiha Iori shook his head lightly, the corners of his mouth curling up involuntarily.

Fighting monsters—that, too, was a man's romance.

He felt his blood boiling and his body trembling with excitement.

This battle was different from his sparring sessions with Jiraiya; both sides were fighting with the intent to kill.

Quickly steadying his mind, Uchiha Iori focused all his attention on his Sharingan.

Opposite him, steam erupted from Han's back, and using the thrust, he charged forward at high speed.

Like a steam locomotive, every time Han stepped on the ground, he shattered it into a deep crater.

"Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength."

Han leaped high into the air, aiming a kick at Iori's head.

The moment Han moved, Iori began preparing his evasion.

It had to be said, the advantage the Sharingan provided in dynamic vision was overwhelming.

Without the Sharingan, Iori would never be able to move with such ease in battle.

The instant Han raised his leg, Iori used a Body Flicker technique to dodge.

Scorching steam brushed past his face.

It made his Sharingan glow an even deeper crimson.

"Steam Ninja Han, Jinchuriki of the Five-Tails."

"Specializing in Nintaijutsu that combines taijutsu with Boil Release."

"Having reached an agreement with the Five-Tails, he is capable of partial Tailed Beast transformation."

Uchiha Iori recited calmly as he evaded the attack.

"How do you know I can perform a Tailed Beast transformation?" Han asked, his face showing shock.

Ninja intelligence was top secret, and information regarding a Jinchuriki was the most classified of all.

Han had never used a partial Tailed Beast transformation in front of outsiders, let alone a full one.

Only the village leader and a few elite jonin were aware of this fact.

Iori had reviewed the files provided by the village, and finding no such information, he decided to exploit the information asymmetry to shake Han's confidence in the Iwagakure Ninja.

The lie was clumsy, but as long as it disrupted his thoughts, it was a success.

"Hmph, it doesn't matter; I trust my village," Han sneered, remaining unshaken.

"As long as I kill you, I can just go back and root out the spy."

Han had served Iwagakure for many years, after all; simple provocation could only distract him for a moment.

"Trace on."

Iori whispered, and the twin swords that appeared in his hands glinted with cold light, pointing directly at Han.

Han did not flinch, the steam on his back erupting instantly.

"Jet Fist."

He punched toward Iori's sword, the impact of the steam knocking Gan Jiang out of his hand in one blow.

Crack.

A Mo Ye flew up from the ground; unable to change direction mid-attack, Han could only struggle to adjust his body.

Mo Ye sliced through his armor and caught up with the flying Gan Jiang.

"How despicable, using words to shake my will while setting a trap?"

Han clutched his wound, the Tailed Beast chakra quickly stopping the bleeding.

"You set a trap the moment you first dodged, then attacked me while using words to distract me so I wouldn't notice."

"Don't say such naive things on the battlefield; if we're talking about fairness, you're the one fighting two-on-one."

Uchiha Iori said with disdain.

He tossed the Mo Ye in his hand aside and projected the Gae Bolg.

"Round two, begin."

Uchiha Iori gripped his spear tightly, his gaze sharp as he charged toward Han.

"Still trying the same old tricks? That move won't work twice."

"Steam Armor Kick."

Han leaped high into the air, and the specialized vents on his armor erupted with a massive amount of steam.

Propelled by the steam, Han shot toward Iori like a cannonball.

Good grief, is this a Rider Kick or a Leo Kick? Iori muttered to himself.

After assessing the power, speed, and the chakra enveloping the attack, Iori abandoned the idea of a head-on collision.

Body Flicker Technique.

Under the guidance of Minato Namikaze, Iori's speed with the Body Flicker Technique had reached a level of divine swiftness unreachable by ordinary people.

Combined with the observation of his Sharingan, Han's attacks always returned empty-handed.

Every time Han attacked, he smashed a massive crater into the ground, sometimes using the cover of smoke to bury Explosive Tags as traps within the pits.

Yet, under the scrutiny of the Sharingan, all of this proved futile.

This won't do. My stamina and chakra will be exhausted long before his, Iori pondered.

The opponent is a Jinchuriki; his chakra and stamina far exceed my own.

Should I run?

No, that would be selling out my teammates who are still destroying the outpost.

I have no choice but to gamble.

Uchiha Iori felt a headache coming on; because he had successfully suppressed Jiraiya during their last spar, he had somewhat underestimated the top-tier powerhouses of the Ninja World.

The combat compatibility between a "mechanic-type" fighter and a "stat-check" fighter was entirely different.

Gáe Bolg, currently his strongest single-target lethal weapon, had two fatal weaknesses.

First, if the target's physical defense exceeded the destructive power of the spear, it could not pierce the heart.

Second, if the opponent possessed great luck, it also could not pierce the enemy's heart.

Facing a Tailed Beast involved both risks.

Under the defense of the Tailed Beast Cloak, the Demonic Spear might not be able to pierce through or kill.

And as a Tailed Beast was part of the God Tree, it was hard to say whether it possessed the attribute of great luck.

If the attack failed, he would have to resort to backup Plan A or even Plan B.

If he could help it, Iori did not want to gamble on those odds.

"I will be taking your life," Iori shouted, a flash of determination in his eyes.

"Gáe Bolg!"

Iori reset his stance, leveled his spear, and charged at Han.

Powerful chakra gathered on the Demonic Spear.

The tip of the spear glowed with a crimson light.

With his scarlet eyes, the scarlet spear, and his ferocious expression as he exerted force, Iori looked like a demon from hell.

Han sensed danger from this ominous chakra; he crossed his arms in front of his chest, steam billowing behind him, ready to strike.

"No, transform quickly, Han! You will die!" Kokuō, the Five-Tails, said anxiously.

He and Han got along quite well; while they couldn't be called a perfect Jinchuriki pair, they were at least friends.

Han did not hesitate and chose to follow the Five-Tails' advice.

Ominous chakra surged from Han's entire body, and while he maintained his human form, his body underwent a distinct change.

The feeling he projected had completely shifted into that of a monster.

Dark red chakra formed a Tailed Beast Cloak, and five tails swayed behind him.

He exhaled hot steam, one hand striking toward the Demonic Spear while the other prepared to punch Iori.

Iori had no retreat; he could only pray his attack would take effect while activating Beagalltach.

He hoped the defensive boost it provided would save his life.

The fist struck the Demonic Spear, but the spear underwent an incredible deflection.

Following the laws of causality, it thrust toward Han's heart, yet while the spear pierced Han's body, it failed to destroy his heart.

At the same time, Han's other fist struck Iori's left shoulder, sending him flying.

"A pity, your spear failed to kill me," Han said, lingering fear in his voice as cold sweat evaporated from his body.

The Demonic Spear hadn't fully taken effect; the spear had grazed the edge of his heart, and Han had been a hair's breadth away from death.

Though his current injuries were severe, in his semi-Tailed Beast state, his combat effectiveness had barely dropped.

After being sent flying, Iori crashed heavily into the ground, creating a deep crater.

The pit was filled with smoke, making it impossible to see his condition.

Han condensed a Tailed Beast Bomb in his mouth, preparing to use this move to kill him once and for all.