Capture

"Lord Danzo, the withdrawal has been completed successfully."

Ninja were fast. Less than five minutes after the order was issued, the ninja forces across Si Ming Mountain had already scattered toward the other peaks.

Danzo nodded. With his speed, he did not need to evacuate in advance like the others.

"Pass down the order to prepare for battle. Once Si Ming Mountain suffers severe damage, everyone will immediately attack Kumogakure."

Danzo issued another command. After firing the Tailed Beast Ball, the enemy would surely use the ensuing chaos to gather their forces and launch an attack.

What Danzo intended was to strike before they could issue their attack order, seizing the initiative.

"Yes."

Ryoma nodded and vanished again.

Meanwhile, everyone in the Kumogakure forces stared at Yugito at the front of the formation, radiating an overwhelming presence.

Covered in dark crimson Tailed Beast Chakra, Yugito's eyes had turned into scarlet beast pupils. She resembled a red wildcat, a tail swaying unconsciously behind her.

"Her presence looks even stronger than Lord Killer B's!"

"I heard that as long as someone can control a Tailed Beast, their strength is at least at the jonin level."

"The suffering of a Jinchuriki is not as simple as you imagine."

The others murmured among themselves, watching Yugito with quiet envy.

They did not know how Jinchuriki were treated in the other villages, but in Kumogakure, where strength reigned supreme, any Jinchuriki who could control a Tailed Beast's power was deeply admired by the villagers.

As they spoke, a small Tailed Beast Ball had already condensed before Yugito.

Mixed with countless colors amid its blackness, the Tailed Beast Ball was not large, yet it radiated a terrifying Aura.

"That's enough. This is still the Land of Lightning's territory, so don't cause too much damage." Seeing that Yugito seemed intent on continuing to condense it, Darui could not help reminding her.

Some time had already passed. Setting aside its power, with such a long buildup and such a huge commotion, Konoha should have noticed by now.

If they waited any longer, the enemy would all be gone.

Danzo's figure flashed rapidly toward Kumogakure's position, with quite a few Root Ninja following close behind him.

The battle had begun faster than he had expected. Yugito was still exposed in everyone's sight, so Uchiha Fugaku would have to act earlier as well.

He needed to hurry to the front and help.

Screech—

A piercing roar burst from Yugito's mouth. The black Tailed Beast Ball before her, brimming with immense power, shot swiftly toward Si Ming Mountain.

Boom!

After the enormous blast, Si Ming Mountain collapsed beneath that overwhelming force as easily as a tower of playing cards.

"A-a Tailed Beast!"

The Konoha ninja stared wide-eyed toward Si Ming Mountain. Having lived through the Nine Tails' Riot, he knew full well that what had just flown over was a Tailed Beast Ball, something only Tailed Beasts could use.

"Kumogakure has deployed a Tailed Beast!"

"Are they crazy?! Don't they know Jinchuriki can't distinguish friend from foe?!"

"The Fourth Hokage is already dead! Who in Konoha can stop a Tailed Beast now?!"

Just as Danzo had predicted, a single Tailed Beast Ball threw the entire Konoha force into an uproar. Many slowed their steps, their faces stiffening.

Danzo's expression remained unchanged as he continued flashing toward Kumogakure's position. He truly had not considered this thoroughly enough.

He had not expected Kumogakure to reveal their Tailed Beast from the very start, bombarding Si Ming Mountain from afar without regard for the prisoners from their own village on the mountain.

This Darui was cold-hearted indeed. He looked lazy and laid-back in the original story, but when he turned ruthless, he was vicious enough.

Though he had not seen the enemy force, Danzo had long guessed that its leader was Darui, the Raikage's guard and the future Fifth Raikage.

Darui was not only from the Yotsuki Clan, but also someone valued by the Fourth Raikage. Among all the Kumogakure intelligence, no one was more qualified to command than him.

"Lord Danzo!"

Fugaku had been hiding in the shadows. Since Yugito revealed her identity as a Jinchuriki, he had been gathering strength, ready to spring out and capture and seal her, but Danzo stopped him.

The others were equally surprised that Danzo had rushed all the way to the front.

"The rest of you, do your best to hold off every Kumogakure ninja except the Jinchuriki. Fugaku, Kakashi, and I will handle sealing the Tailed Beast. I'll take the lead. I'll find a way to lure the Jinchuriki here. Fugaku, use Susanoo to restrain her immediately. Kakashi, perform the sealing." Danzo spoke quickly, but every word reached everyone's ears clearly.

Yugito's Tailed Beast Transformation had already taken shape. Her speed and strength had both increased significantly, and Fugaku alone could not suppress her.

His Susanoo was too slow.

"Understood!"

Everyone nodded. No one objected.

"Move!"

With the plan made clear, Danzo immediately put it into action.

As he spoke those two words, Danzo felt as though he had returned to the modern world, fighting alongside his companions on the brink of life and death.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Countless figures leaped out from every direction and charged toward the Kumogakure force at the center.

"Enemy attack!"

The instant the Konoha ninja appeared, Darui's pupils contracted. He shouted the warning, relaying it to every member of the force.

He truly had not expected Konoha to move so quickly. It seemed they had not only anticipated that Kumogakure would deploy a Tailed Beast, but had also prepared an ambush in advance.

What he did not know was that aside from those who had already been lying in wait, most of the people here were Root Ninja who had just raced here behind Danzo.

Konoha's main force was still in the rear, rushing this way at full speed.

Deep blue Chakra covered his entire body. Darui's long-restless heart erupted in an instant. He had waited for this moment for a long time.

Like a swift cheetah, Darui weaved through the battlefield, harvesting life after life.

Samui, Yugito, and the other jonin were also locked in battle. Upon discovering that the incoming enemies did not include Konoha's main force, the battlefield split into several sections.

They were using their lives to draw enemy fire, yet after Danzo gave the order, none of them hesitated.

This was the Root left behind by the original owner of this body, a Root loyal to him alone.

Disguised as a clueless Chunin, Danzo's youthful face was inconspicuous on this battlefield. Good looks would not make an enemy lower their blade.

Slowly fighting his way into Yugito's battle zone, Danzo casually killed several fearless Kumogakure ninja who approached him. As he drew closer, Yugito's violent Chakra became vividly clear to him.

Sprint!

A fierce glint flashed in Danzo's eyes. The instant he activated the skill, his speed surged to its peak, and he darted toward Yugito like a shadow.

Clang!

Though Danzo was extremely fast, Yugito had fully entered her Tailed Beast Transformation. With her significantly enhanced speed and strength, she reacted completely in time.

His longsword was blocked by her sharp cat claws.