Sowing Discord, the Big Raccoon Dog Gets Manipulated

Seeing this, Rasa shot Shukaku a disdainful glance.

That guy had been out for so long and hadn't done a thing!

"Don't think you're getting away. You're all staying right here." After sending more than ten Sand Ninja to the side, Rasa immediately controlled the Gold Sand and sent it after the Konoha Ninja.

The Gold Sand crashed down like a raging tidal wave, and Rasa tried to bury them all in one fell swoop.

Seeing this, Sen Chisato decisively dashed in front of the Gold Sand. He formed Hand Seals, opened his mouth, and unleashed a terrifying torrent. "Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Fueled by an enormous amount of chakra, the torrent became a raging wave the moment it hit the ground.

Boom!

The golden sea of sand collided with the waves, each relentlessly bearing down on the other as they struggled to overpower their opponent.

As they remained locked in a stalemate, the water swept up the Gold Sand and poured through a collapsed opening at the side, flowing into the canyon below.

The Konoha Ninja had finally finished retreating. The Sand Ninja had wanted to pursue them, but the ninjutsu clashing between Sen Chisato and Rasa blocked their way.

Both men had plenty of chakra, and both excelled at large-scale ninjutsu. The immense power and wide reach of their techniques made it difficult for the Sand Ninja to get past while the two remained locked in their clash.

Instead, this ended up covering the Konoha Ninja's successful retreat.

At the same time, the tremendous commotion the two had caused finally caught Shukaku's attention.

Shukaku's ears twitched several hundred meters away. The moment he turned his head, the glittering Gold Sand caught his eye.

That familiar technique, that similar way of manipulating chakra... It was impossible for a beast to forget. It was etched into his very bones!

"Ha ha ha! You bastards from the Sand Hidden, die!"

After a couple of quick steps, Shukaku's enormous body leaped into the air.

Sen Chisato and Rasa were locked in a ninjutsu clash when they felt the ground shake twice. The next second, a massive shadow fell over them.

They looked up and simultaneously cut off the chakra sustaining their techniques, then quickly retreated.

Boom!

Like a bomb dropping from the sky, Shukaku slammed into the earth and left a massive crater. Water sprayed everywhere, Gold Sand scattered, and countless cracks spread outward. The already battered cliff nearly collapsed again.

Gale-force winds swept in every direction. Rasa, crouching on a cushion of sand, raised his hands in front of his face and was blown dozens of meters through the air.

The Sand Ninja were once again caught up in a battle that had nothing to do with them. Some were crushed beneath Shukaku's feet, while others were swept away by the wind.

This time, even Rasa didn't have a chance to save them.

That stupid raccoon dog! Rasa cursed under his breath.

Didn't that old geezer Bunpuku ever keep him in line? Didn't he know why Shukaku had been let out?

If he hadn't dodged fast enough, he would've been crushed just now!

As the gale battered him, Sen Chisato kept hopping backward to put some distance between himself and Shukaku. He looked just as speechless.

He hadn't even done anything to him. Why had he been included in the attack?

Oh, right.

Shukaku was a Tailed Beast. He hated all humans; the only difference was how much he hated them.

I need to find a way to make Rasa and Shukaku fight each other first. Sen Chisato quietly considered his options.

The next second, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Shukaku let out a long, triumphant howl, venting the pent-up frustration he'd carried for years. Then he looked down and realized he hadn't killed a single person. He immediately searched for a target, and his gaze settled on Sen Chisato.

"Little bug, you're pretty quick on your feet."

He taunted Sen Chisato in a shrill voice, then stomped on the ground.

In an instant, the earth cracked apart and was ground into fine yellow sand. The sand churned like waves, then, under Shukaku's control, came crashing down on Sen Chisato like a giant breaker.

"What's your problem? Why are you picking on me?"

Sen Chisato retreated again helplessly and quickly formed Hand Seals. "Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

The waves surged once more and collided with the yellow sand. The two forces bore down on each other, locked in a stalemate for a moment, then the yellow sand mixed with the water and grew heavier and heavier. At last, it crashed down and piled up into a small hill on the open ground beside the cliff.

Shukaku looked at the hill, his small eyes full of disdain. "I hate you Water Style users more than anything!"

He roared, then lumbered toward Sen Chisato, his body as big as a hill.

"Wait!" Sen Chisato quickly raised a hand.

"Hm?" Shukaku stopped and asked suspiciously, "What else do you have to say, little bug?"

Sen Chisato's mouth fell open. Shukaku had actually stopped!

He's really that obedient?

Quickly putting aside his less-than-kind thoughts about Shukaku, Sen Chisato pointed behind him. "Come on, that guy over there is the one who's really your enemy. I'm a Konoha Ninja. We've never even met."

If he'd said that to another Tailed Beast, it wouldn't just have been useless—it would've been like asking for trouble.

After all, almost all the Tailed Beasts had a grudge against Konoha. The First, Senju Hashirama, had been the one to capture them and distribute them among the villages.

But it was different with the One-Tail Shukaku.

By the time the First had taken action, the Sand Hidden had already captured and sealed him.

Sure enough, Shukaku immediately turned his head when he heard this. He glanced at the Gold Sand covering the ground, then fixed his gaze on Rasa.

"See? You've got a grudge against him, and so do I. Even if you want to kill me, shouldn't he come first?"

Sen Chisato kept trying to sway him. Seeing Shukaku gradually being won over, he decisively provoked him. "Just say you want to take him down, and I'll help! Or are you scared, so you're only willing to go after me?"

"Shut up! Why would I be afraid of a human!?" Shukaku roared.

He remembered how he'd been minding his own business in the desert, only for a group of Sand Hidden Ninja to seal him away and shove him inside a human... The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Shukaku's fury flared.

"You're right! First, I'm going to stomp that bastard who copied my sand tricks into the ground!"

Shukaku decisively changed targets and strode toward Rasa.

Rasa, who'd been watching the show, turned grim.

What an idiot!

It was bad enough that Shukaku refused to obey him. Now he'd even let the enemy manipulate him!

"One-Tail, stop right there!" Rasa shouted.

"Tch, who do you think you are, ordering me around?" Shukaku snapped back, then swung a palm at Rasa.

Rasa controlled his sand cushion and drifted backward, easily dodging the blow. His face cold, he said, "Stop! I'm the Fourth Kazekage! If you don't behave and obey me, I'll seal you away again!"

Shukaku froze when he heard that, then grew even more furious.

"You bastard! You still want to seal me away? Die!"

Shukaku slammed both hands onto the ground. The sand on his arms began to flow, pouring into the earth.

Rumble!

The earth trembled as countless rocks and clods were crushed into grains of sand. A vast desert began to spread.

Shukaku raised a hand, lifting a huge sandstorm that came crashing toward Rasa like a tsunami.

Rasa's expression darkened as he controlled his sand cushion and flew backward, but the sandstorm stayed right on his heels, as if it wouldn't rest until it had killed him.