Chapter 424: Mecha vs. Giant Beast
"Oh yeah! They want me to help investigate this newly surfaced organization? That's awesome! Just the right time to show them what a One-Star Music Shinobi is made of!"
Upon returning home, Killer Bee was summoned to the Raikage's office. Hearing the mission briefing from his big brother, his interest was instantly piqued.
A newly emerged organization...
It had been a long time since he last got to stretch his limbs and loosen up, and this mission happened to fall on the exact day he earned his Music Shinobi title—talk about perfect timing!
He loved it!
Darui stood by listening, alongside Mabui.
Once the briefing concluded, Mabui spoke up in a serious tone, "Please remain cautious. The objective of this group remains unknown. They could be a terrorist organization on par with the Akatsuki—perhaps even one targeting the Tailed Beasts."
"Relax! Over the past few years, I've been training in spaces with several times normal gravity. I'm strong as hell now! Even my lung capacity has improved—my singing voice is way louder!" Killer Bee assured her, completely unfazed.
Mabui let out a tired sigh. This guy... "There is one more matter. The Fourth Raikage is preparing to step down from his position and pass the title of Fifth Raikage to Darui next month. During the inauguration ceremony, you are scheduled to perform on stage while the Fourth Raikage dances along."
"...Say what?! Big brother is going up on stage to dance?!"
Killer Bee gaped in absolute shock.
"What's the matter? If you can sing, why can't I dance?" A grumbled, his overbearing presence flaring instantly.
Just because Bee had spent some time training in gravity chambers lately didn't mean he could hold his head higher than him. He was still the Raikage!
"No, I mean... I just never expected Big Brother to know how to dance! I couldn't tell at all!" Bee blurted out hastily.
A folded his arm with a hand in his pocket, boasting with supreme pride, "In order to welcome a perfect retirement, I've been preparing for quite some time. Coupled with your music, our A-Bee Duo will definitely echo throughout the Shinobi World—in a completely whole new way!"
"Is that so? That's fantastic! In that case, I need to get my lyrics ready to go! We're definitely going to show everyone what us two brothers are capable of!"
Killer Bee grinned, overflowing with passion.
"Darui, get yourself ready to inherit the title of Fifth Raikage. Do not dishonor the name, understand?" The Raikage turned his gaze toward Darui.
Darui replied lazily, "Understood. I will definitely carry out the duty."
Honestly... never mind that the Fourth Raikage hasn't found a wife yet despite his age; I was actually hoping to find a wife first before taking over as Raikage. Looks like that dream is completely dead now.
...
Clang! Clang!
Across the vast, boundless desert, a colossal mech soared through the sky over the dunes. Swirling sand and wind battered against its hull, producing heavy metallic clangs.
It possessed no jet thrusters—only magnetic levitation.
Relying on Sunagakure's deep research into Magnet Release, the Puppet Corps led by Kankuro had finally engineered a functional, levitating mecha that could be operated without any lag or obstruction.
"Wahahaha! I'm definitely getting promoted to Two-Star Puppet Shinobi after this! I really am the greatest genius puppet master in the entire world!"
Kankuro's triumphant laughter echoed from within the cockpit, broadcast across the desert through the mecha's speakers.
"Hey, kid! What good is a giant toy that can only fly? Can it actually fight?!" Shukaku popped up out of the sand dunes, staring up at the mecha—which matched his own towering stature—and asked mockingly.
This new toy looked like fun.
Kankuro barked back, "Of course it can! Do you dare test it out? I'll beat you so bad you'll be calling me daddy!"
To think this raccoon dared insult his absolute crowning masterpiece—unforgivable!
Shukaku blinked, momentarily taken aback. Did this guy really think getting himself a bigger body made him hot stuff?
Didn't Kankuro know that he was the One-Tail—the most studious and eager-to-learn among all the Tailed Beasts? His progress over these past few years was anything but small!
"Come on then! Let me taste the strength of your big metallic hunk!"
ROAR!
A fierce raccoon roar echoed across miles of open desert.
A wall of sand began to churn, billowing into a sky-blotting sandstorm that surged directly toward the mecha.
"Bring it on! Taste my Magnetic Levitation Field!"
Seeing the incoming storm from inside the cockpit, Kankuro's face flushed with excitement as he channeled his chakra to pilot the machine.
Click!
A massive crystal embedded in the mecha's chest gleamed with blinding light. Ancient runes spread rapidly across the hull, unleashing a powerful energy forcefield.
All the incoming sand and wind ground to a complete halt right outside the protective barrier, unable to push even a millimeter further.
"Energy Cannon!"
Filled with thrill, Kankuro brought the mecha's massive arm up, aiming it straight at Shukaku.
An immense quantity of chakra condensed into a single point.
BOOM!
"Whoa! That attack packs a real punch! But I'm no pushover either—Sealing Technique: Modification of the Sealing Suction!"
Shukaku wasn't afraid of pure energy blasts. Weaving hand seals rapidly, a massive barrier materialized right in front of him.
This technique was something he had developed himself. Based on intel regarding Pain's abilities and his own diligent study of sealing arts while working as an Academy teacher, his thousand-year-old foundation had allowed his skills to advance at an astounding rate.
The cannon blast slammed into the sealing barrier, shrinking rapidly as its energy was absorbed.
Yet the sheer power of the mecha's attack wasn't to be understated—it caused Shukaku's barrier to ripple and fluctuate violently. Had it not been for Shukaku's vast chakra reserves and refined sealing mastery, the barrier might very well have cracked under the pressure.
"Is that all you've got, kid? Heheh! Looks like your mecha puppet can't keep up with my sealing techniques after all! I'm the true genius here! Next time I run into the Nine-Tails, just watch me beat him until he doesn't know north from south!"
Shukaku burst into boisterous laughter, openly declaring his ambitions.
Even though peace had arrived and Tailed Beasts coexisted with humanity, Shukaku still held a deep desire to give the Nine-Tails a good thrashing.
Hearing his boasting, Kankuro smirked inside the cockpit. "It's not that simple! If that was all it had, how could I dare claim the title of Two-Star Puppet Shinobi? Vector Shift!"
The energy cannon attack transformed in an instant. The raw chakra energy shifted into an invisible physical force—the power of Magnet Release.
Shukaku's massive frame was lifted slowly off the ground, floating in midair.
"What?! You actually had a trick like this up your sleeve? But this power was derived from studying me in the first place—you're underestimating me way too much!"
Magnet Release was a power originally researched from Shukaku's own capabilities, so naturally, he knew how to counter it.
A massive anti-field barrier erupted from his entire body, repelling the Magnet Release force field and sending his massive body crashing back down to the sand.
"Air Bullet!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The clash between the two giant monsters echoed violently across the desert, sending nearby summoned beasts and desert predators fleeing in absolute terror.
Those were two true leviathans battling out there!
"So this is the Puppet Corps' latest research achievement... It really is impressive. To think it can go toe-to-toe with Shukaku for this long without falling behind at all."
Standing on the edge of the desert, Baki watched the distant battle alongside Gaara.
Seeing a monster that had once brought sheer terror to their village being held at bay by Kankuro alone felt nothing short of incredible. If they had possessed this kind of technology back in the day, would Sunagakure ever have lost?
Gaara observed calmly, "It's still lacking a bit. The materials required for a mecha like that are far too expensive. The entire village can barely afford the development and maintenance of a single unit. Compared to genuine top-tier shinobi, it still has a long way to go."
Holding its ground against Shukaku wasn't enough. There were shinobi out there far stronger than any Tailed Beast.
Figures like Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, and many of the Kage. Even among living shinobi, there were plenty who could take on Shukaku single-handedly—such as Tobitake Tonbo, Naruto, and Sasuke.
"Haha, that's true," Baki sighed softly. "Looking at Shira's current strength, if he opens his Eight Inner Gates, even Shukaku would get utterly thrashed!"
The present era was truly night and day compared to the past.
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