Night lay heavy over the village.
Pale moonlight shone across Konoha.
In every corner of the village, dark figures and flashes of cold steel appeared without warning. Screams rose and fell on all sides, laying bare the cruelty of war.
In one stretch of ruined ground within the village,
sand shifted and flowed with a soft rustle. In the middle of a vast sandy pit, two colossal beasts remained locked together, motionless.
In a concealed spot some distance away, the Konoha Ninja who had been watching the battle had gone pale.
Watching two enormous creatures fight at such close range had left them feeling utterly powerless. Against monsters like these, they could think of no way for people as small as themselves to fight back.
Every move the beasts made unleashed staggering force and destruction. The sight awed the ninja, but it also cast a shadow over their hearts that they could not shake.
Now the ninja hiding there had only one hope!
They wanted the two beasts to kill each other. If the ninja rushed in themselves, they would be little more than snacks for the monsters.
But the battle seemed to be heading toward a disappointing end. The giant bear appeared no match for Shukaku and was taking a terrible beating.
If this continued, the fight would be over before the Third Hokage arrived.
At the thought of One-Tail Shukaku's terrifying destructive power, a middle-aged Konoha ninja's expression darkened.
Just then,
"Captain Morita, th-that thing's moving again!" said a ninja watching the fight, his face pale.
"What!?"
Morita hurriedly looked over, hoping the giant bear could hold out a little longer.
In the distance, Kumamoto, who had stopped moving, suddenly stirred. He slammed a paw onto the massive tail of Shukaku, still trapped in his arms.
Shukaku's face