A Dire Crisis! Utakata's Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation!

Utakata, having grown two tails, could still barely maintain control of his consciousness.

He said coldly to Menma, "There have been a few over the years who managed to push me this far.

"But for someone your age, you're the first.

"Tell me, should I kill you here and eliminate a potential threat to the Mist Village?"

Menma heard the killing intent in Utakata's voice, and his soul nearly fled his body. He hurriedly raised his hands in surrender. "I surren... urgh!"

Before he could finish speaking, a Chakra tentacle shot out from underground and slammed heavily into Menma's stomach. The final word, "der," never left his mouth, turning instead into a mouthful of blood he coughed up.

Before Menma could even hit the ground, another Chakra tentacle shot out from behind Utakata, wrapped around Menma's neck, and hoisted him into the air.

Menma desperately grabbed at the tentacle constricting his throat with both hands, but how could human strength compare to that of a Tailed Beast? His vision swam from the strangulation, severe suffocation closing in around him. He seemed to see the Sage of Six Paths on the other side of the river, beckoning to him!

"Lightning Cutter!"

Amid a sharp, deafening clamor like thousands of birds crying at once, Kakashi instantly appeared beside Menma and severed the Chakra tentacle.

Freed from his restraints, Menma fell to his knees, clutching his neck with his right hand and gulping down air.

"Enough. Konoha concedes this match!" Kakashi said sternly.

For some reason, Kakashi's words seemed to strike a nerve in Utakata. He gradually became crazed, red Chakra accumulating behind him as a third tentacle faintly began to emerge.

"Heh heh heh...

"Ho ho ho ho...

"Ahahahaha...

"You think you can stop me?!!

"Ho ya~~~~

"Ahhh~~~~~~!!!!!"

With a piercing howl, Utakata's third tail fully emerged, while a fourth tail flickered in and out of sight!

In his Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation, Utakata dropped onto all fours and roared madly at Kakashi!

The shockwave stirred up by his immense Chakra even shattered the ground around him!

After entering his Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation, Utakata had almost completely lost his reason!

He could no longer distinguish friend from foe!

His heart held nothing but hatred!

His eyes were filled with killing intent!

Looking at the rampaging Jinchuriki before them, nearly everyone's face turned deathly pale with terror!

Though Utakata's Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation could not be considered a true Tailed Beast, it was still far beyond anything they could withstand!

Even Kakashi, who was usually so calm, looked extremely grim!

He had never expected an ordinary Genin battle to force Utakata into a Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation.

At that moment, within Utakata's mental world.

Utakata knelt on the ground, head tilted back and eyes vacant, as the Six-Tails' temptation echoed in his ears.

"...Look. When Konoha's Genin encounter danger, their teacher steps forward to protect them.

"Your teacher only coveted the power inside you!

"To obtain the power within you, he even infiltrated Konoha to steal sealing techniques!

"Luckily, Konoha captured him. Otherwise, when he returned, it would have been the day you died!

"Why do you still want to save him?

"Wouldn't it be better to let him remain imprisoned in Konoha for the rest of his life?

"Wouldn't it be better to let Konoha imprison him until he died of old age?"

At the mention of his teacher, Utakata's dull, lifeless pupils shifted slightly. He murmured,

"...Master...

"Mas...

"ter..."

Outside, Zabuza Momochi flashed to Kakashi's side. Hozuki Suigetsu and Yuki Haku then rushed over and took positions behind Zabuza, forming a triangular formation.

"Calm down, Utakata!

"Have you forgotten that you still need to save your teacher?!!"

Zabuza shouted at Utakata.

At the word "teacher," Utakata froze for a moment. Then he clutched his head with both hands and let out a miserable howl!

The fourth tail behind him had also completely emerged!

Zabuza was horrified. The last time Utakata had gone berserk was before his teacher left for Konoha, and four tails had appeared then as well.

If the Mizukage had not led the Hidden Mist Village's elite forces to suppress him in time, working alongside Utakata's teacher's sealing technique, no one knew how many casualties that incident would have caused!

But now, only he and Kakashi were here. There was simply no way they could complete a suppression operation!

If it were only the two of them, that would have been fine. No matter what happened, they could escape alive from a Jinchuriki who had lost consciousness.

But both of them had Genin teams with them. They might be able to run, but could those Genin escape too?

"Hey, Kakashi, it's time to risk our lives! Otherwise, none of us will get out alive!" Zabuza told Kakashi without turning around.

"Yeah, I know. Buy me some time first. I have a secret technique, but it takes a long time to prepare!" Kakashi replied to Zabuza while making several tactical hand signals behind his back to Sasuke and Sakura.

"Got it. Hurry up, we can't hold out for long!

"Suigetsu, Haku, let's go!" Zabuza charged forward with Suigetsu and Haku.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" Zabuza spewed forth an enormous volume of water.

"Secret Technique: Shield Hat!" Hozuki Suigetsu activated his secret technique, using the water created by Zabuza to envelop Utakata.

This was a Ninjutsu Suigetsu specifically used for defense.

It covered the flesh liquefied by the Hydrification Technique with a massive amount of water, forming a gigantic water monster capable of blocking enemy attacks multiple times.

"Ice Release: Cold Moon Twin Blossoms!" Yuki Haku leaped high into the air and pressed both hands against the water monster.

Creak, creak. A tooth-grinding sound rang out as the water monster rapidly froze.

Before the water monster could freeze completely, Suigetsu released his secret technique and returned to solid form.

Seeing that Utakata had been temporarily trapped, Zabuza let out a breath of relief. Staring at the enormous block of ice before him, he shouted,

"Kakashi, how much longer until you're ready?

"We can't hold him for much longer!"

"..."

"Kakashi? Kakashi?"

Receiving no response, Zabuza turned toward where Kakashi had been. His eyes split wide with fury as he let out an earth-shaking roar. "Kakashi--!!!"

Where were Kakashi and the other Konoha Ninja now?

When Kakashi had asked Zabuza to buy time, the hand signals he gave Sakura and Sasuke had meant: take Menma and leave first; he would follow soon after.

That crafty bastard had fled without hesitation the very instant Zabuza led the Mist Village Ninja team forward!

Hearing the miserable cry from behind them, Kakashi did not look back and continued leading the three of them in a mad sprint.

Suddenly, Menma struggled free and jumped down from Sasuke's back.

Sensing the commotion behind them, Kakashi and Sakura hurriedly stopped as well.

"Teacher Kakashi, we can't leave!" Menma shook off Sasuke's support and calmly said to the three of them.

"Menma, this isn't the time for you to act up. A rampaging Jinchuriki is not something we can handle. Leave with us now!" Kakashi ordered sternly.