Smash!
A fully formed "tail," thick as a tentacle, slammed into the rock wall. The wall burst apart and collapsed, sending dust billowing everywhere!
"Ah—!" A scream rang out as two Kirigakure ninja were buried.
"Utakata! Calm down—!" Harusame's eyes flew wide, but the ritual had reached its crucial stage... If he could hold on a little longer!
Just a little longer!
Then he could safely extract the Tailed Beast from Utakata's body without hurting him!
Schk—!
A pointed tail pierced his chest. Its thick tip, like a sharpened utility pole, ran straight through him!
Blood splashed across Harusame's face and body.
His glasses were smeared with blood.
"Hh—hh—"
A rasp like a broken bellows escaped his throat. He struggled to lower his head and stared at the gaping hole in his chest, disbelief filling his eyes.
"Utakata... Utakata..."
"Ah—!"
Utakata let out a furious roar and completed his Complete Tailed Beast Transformation!
The enormous Six-Tails Saiken looked like a giant octopus hauled onto land, or some grotesque, many-tailed insect. He thrashed his limbs as slime dripped from his body.
Inside the Cave.
Every Kirigakure ninja sank into despair. They were Harusame's students, Harusame's friends, members of an older generation who could no longer bear to see the Bloody Mist Village go on as it was.
They were...
Kindhearted people who wanted to free someone as innocent, pitiful, and good as Utakata from his suffering...
They didn't want to die!
But.
Against a Tailed Beast Jinchūriki whose power seemed godlike to ordinary ninja, they were helpless, no better than ants waiting to be crushed!
In a heartbeat.
Blood stained the entire cavern red...
At last, Six-Tails Saiken, who had brought down the cave ceiling, lowered his gaze to Harusame. The old man still hung from his tail, barely breathing, his