The Barrier Team ninja were still reeling from the shock of what had just happened.
Gaara's Tailed Beast Transformation had blotted out the sky only moments ago, and Shukaku's roar had made the earth tremble.
Yet Naruto had used a single Body Flicker to seize Gaara by the throat and lift him into the air.
The ninja exchanged bewildered looks.
"That's it?!"
Someone blurted it out before they could stop themselves.
That wasn't how the Ninja World had described things for all these years—Jinchuriki were every village's ultimate weapon, their final trump card.
That display just now had been terrifying. Shukaku, huge as a giant and baring his fangs, had not even shown off for three seconds before his chakra shrank back as if someone had pulled the plug.
How could they know what Shukaku had suffered inside the sealing space?
All they saw was the Tailed Beast let out a roar as though it had been released for a stroll, then get dragged back like a prisoner being hauled into his cell without even a chance to struggle.
They even felt a strange flicker of sympathy—this guy was just too unlucky.
Gaara's entire body had gone stiff, and his connection to chakra had been completely cut off.
He stared wide-eyed at Naruto, forcing the words out of his throat. "How can this be... Why are you this strong? Where did that thing inside me go?"
Naruto did not answer. He raised a hand and slapped Gaara across the face.
The Sand Armor shattered at once, peeling away in fragments.
Pain.
Real pain pierced his skin, and Gaara's body trembled instinctively.
He had not felt something like fear in a very long time.
"Look carefully."
Naruto's voice was calm as he looked down at the terror in Gaara's eyes. "From