An egg dropped from the eighth floor could crack a skull, an iron nail falling from the eighteenth floor might pierce a person's brain, and even a watermelon rind from the twenty-fifth floor could cause instant death.
So the question becomes, what happens when something as massive as a Tailed Beast, comparable to a small mountain, drops directly into a tightly packed Iwagakure formation?
The answer was already written in blood and debris.
Hundreds of Iwagakure ninja who failed to escape were instantly crushed into a mangled mess, while a massive crater tore through the battlefield like a wound in the earth.
Countless brutal realities confirmed one thing, never underestimate what falls from above, especially when it is a Tailed Beast.
Shukaku's landing carried destructive force comparable to an S-rank ninjutsu. Yet, surprisingly, the beast itself remained unharmed and eerily still.
The reason for its silence was simple. Its original feral consciousness had been suppressed, and its yellow beast eyes had been replaced by Sharingan control.
From Hayashi's perspective, Shukaku still saw him as an enemy. If it retained full awareness, it would likely turn on him immediately.
Direct control was the safest option.
Otherwise, it might behave like Manda, attacking allies without hesitation.
Meanwhile, the Iwagakure forces were far from silent.
Panic erupted the moment such a massive entity appeared inside their formation.
Every ninja instinctively looked up at the colossal beast standing in their midst, then at the young man standing calmly on its head.
"Fire!"
At that moment, Shukaku was like a living artillery platform, and Hayashi's presence above it was unnervingly composed.
"Roar!"
At his command, Shukaku lifted its head. Chakra rapidly condensed inside its mouth.
Roshi's expression changed instantly.
"A Tailed Beast Ball! Stop it immediately!"
The Tailed Beast Ball required charge time, and interrupting Shukaku before completion was the obvious countermeasure.
In theory.
But Hayashi already understood that weakness very well.
With a sharp metallic sound, multiple Rashomon Gates descended from above, slamming into place between Shukaku and the incoming Iwagakure forces.
One gate, then a second, then a third, forming layered defenses that enclosed the battlefield space.
Following that, Earth Release: Earth Style Walls rose in sequence, reinforcing the barrier with dense defensive formations.
Such preparation ensured that interference would be nearly impossible.
Inside this fortified space, Yin and Yang Chakra condensed rapidly in Shukaku's mouth, forming a massive spherical mass of energy.
A purplish black Tailed Beast Ball hovered ominously, radiating pressure that made nearby ninja instinctively step back.
"Disperse!" Fūga shouted.
But thousands of ninja packed together could not simply scatter in an instant.
Hayashi released his control over the Rashomon Gates.
The Tailed Beast Ball fired.
A deafening explosion followed, with waves of fire and shock rippling across the battlefield in layers.
Chaos erupted immediately.
Roshi's expression darkened sharply.
At this rate, no matter how many troops Iwagakure had, they would be worn down.
They were too densely packed. There was no room to dodge, no time to retreat, and every explosion meant mass casualties.
Meanwhile, Konoha's main force remained at a distance, not engaging directly.
Shukaku's rampage only affected Iwagakure.
"Son!"
Roshi roared as red chakra erupted from his body. He charged straight toward Shukaku without hesitation.
At the same time, Shukaku had already formed its next Tailed Beast Ball.
Hayashi immediately noticed Roshi's movement.
The attack was redirected.
The Tailed Beast Ball locked onto Roshi.
If it hit directly, even a Jinchūriki would be obliterated without a trace.
If Roshi dodged, the blast would strike the Iwagakure command center instead.
A perfect pressure point.
However, Fūga stepped forward at the same moment, followed by ten elite Iwagakure ninja.
"Earth Release: Rising Stone Spikes!"
The ground shook violently.
Under coordinated control from multiple ninja, the terrain within a hundred meter radius rose rapidly, forming a massive earthen barrier tens of meters high around Shukaku.
The Tailed Beast Ball shot upward instead, passing over the formation and detonating far in the distance against a distant mountain range.
Hayashi observed calmly.
A Tailed Beast alone, even one as powerful as Shukaku, could be restrained when facing coordinated ninja forces.
This battlefield was not one where a beast could dominate freely.
Still, the damage already done was significant.
Two Tailed Beast Ball attacks had already shattered Iwagakure's numerical advantage.
That alone was a major gain.
Once a Tailed Beast entered the battlefield, proper usage could shift the entire war balance instantly.
Ironically, Sunagakure had never fully utilized Shukaku's true value, even allowing situations where Gaara wandered into Konoha unattended.
A wasted asset.
Meanwhile, Roshi had closed the distance.
He now stood near Shukaku.
At this range, another Tailed Beast Ball could no longer be fired freely.
"Lava Release…"
Hayashi could already feel the intense heat radiating from Roshi's body.
His Lava Release Chakra Mode covered him in molten energy, making direct contact impossible.
Anything he touched would melt instantly.
It was both offense and defense, a technique that surpassed most close combat styles in raw lethality.
Roshi activated it immediately, likely anticipating Hayashi's Lightning Release capabilities.
But Hayashi had no intention of relying on simple clashes.
This was not a duel of basic counters.
Roshi was alone. No bodyguards. No backup.
Behind Hayashi, three shadow clones suddenly dispersed into smoke.
A black pattern spread across his face.
He stepped forward, then calmly leapt down from Shukaku's head.
"Four Tails… I'm taking you."
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