Gaara was uninjured.
The Tailed Beast transformation process had not been interrupted.
Shukaku, having made a perfect entrance, was naturally stronger than in the original story. Although still restricted to a degree, the power Shukaku displayed was undoubtedly above that of an average Kage-level ninja.
Kakashi, Asuma, and the others alone couldn't possibly contend with Shukaku. Even stalling him would be exceptionally difficult.
However, there was still someone on the scene strong enough to rival the beast.
Just as Shukaku had slaughtered hundreds of spectators with his powerful Wind Style jutsu, forced Kakashi and the others back, and was preparing to rampage further...
"Konoha Gōriki Senpū!!"
From Shukaku's blind side...
A burly figure suddenly appeared, radiating terrifying fluctuations of chakra. With a deep shout, he swung his right leg in a vicious arc.
Bang!
The kick slammed heavily into the left side of Shukaku's massive body.
Tremendous force transferred instantly.
"!?"
Not only did it scatter the chakra Shukaku was gathering, but the sheer power of the blow sent the colossal beast flying. Shukaku was launched toward the northwest, away from the stadium and clearly towards a remote, uninhabited area of the village.
Boom!
Thud!
He tumbled through the air.
With another deafening crash, Shukaku's body slammed into the earth, shaking the ground violently.
This unparalleled strike instantly drew everyone's attention.
Baki, Fugi, Kankurō, and the other Sand ninja watched in shock as their mighty One-Tail was sent flying.
That was a Tailed Beast!!!
Had Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, arrived!?
Baki hurriedly looked towards the figure that had just launched Shukaku, but it wasn't the famed Toad Sage. Instead, it was a man cloaked in a swirling aura of blue chakra.
"That is!?"
Menma dropped his maniacal grin, staring at the figure wreathed in blue steam. His eyes filled with wariness and gravity.
'Might Guy. Eight Inner Gates!!!'
Menma muttered the name coldly in his heart.
Down below, Kakashi, Genma, and the others, who had just been forced back by Shukaku, also realized who had saved them.
Relief and joy washed over their faces.
"Guy!"
Without that kick from Might Guy...
If Shukaku had continued unleashing his Wind Style jutsu, hundreds, maybe thousands more civilians in the stadium would have died.
That was a scene none of them wanted to see.
This was their home.
"I leave those guys to you, Kakashi! I'll handle the monster!"
With a high-speed leap, Might Guy landed atop a high wall. Having opened the Sixth Gate, Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey radiated a chakra aura that was terrifying, potent, and dangerous.
Although the Eight Inner Gates only truly achieved a qualitative change at the Eighth Gate...
The first seven gates were enough to boost the user's strength to an absurd degree.
Especially for Might Guy.
At the Sixth Gate, he could already rival most Kage-level powerhouses. In the original story, the Seventh Gate allowed him to defeat Kisame Hoshigaki, the "Tailed Beast without a Tail."
That was undeniably high Kage-level power.
Now, facing a One-Tail that wasn't even at its full power...
The Sixth Gate.
Was just enough.
After dropping those words...
Whoosh!
With an explosion of chakra, Might Guy charged straight toward the One-Tail Shukaku, who was just struggling to get back up not far away.
"Guy, wait a second..."
Before Kakashi could say anything more...
Guy was already gone.
"Asuma, Genma, Kurenai—I leave this place to you. I'm going to support Guy. Naruto, remember: this is a battlefield now. No matter what happens, everything has to wait until this is over. Whether it's about the village or about Menma... hesitation will only bring more pain to yourself and others. You don't want to end up completely opposed to Menma, do you!?"
Kakashi quickly gave instructions to Asuma, Kurenai, and Genma, who had been separated from their opponents by Shukaku's outburst. Then, glancing at Menma still standing on the high wall, he looked at Naruto earnestly and spoke with a stern, heavy tone.
"Yeah, don't worry, Kakashi."
"Leave this place to us!"
Genma and Asuma nodded. They understood Kakashi's point. Right now, in this stadium, the two most important targets besides Shukaku were the remaining enemies and Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Menma Uzumaki!
However, for the moment, Menma seemed relatively stable. He was only using the initial stages of the Nine-Tails' chakra and hadn't gone full Tailed Beast mode like Gaara. The priority was dealing with the fully transformed One-Tail!
That was the terrifying existence currently causing the most damage to Konoha.
As for Menma...
Kakashi felt that Asuma, Kurenai, and Genma—three Jonin—would be more than enough to handle him.
Hearing Kakashi's words, Naruto shivered as if waking from a trance. He finally seemed to regain his focus. Staring straight at Menma not far away, Naruto took a deep breath, nodded heavily, and replied, "I understand, Kakashi-niichan. I will stop Menma. Everything else can wait until later!"
Seeing Naruto regain his resolve...
Kakashi nodded with relief.
Immediately after...
He flickered away, intending to support Might Guy.
But Baki wouldn't let him leave so easily.
His figure intercepted swiftly.
Mid-path...
"Wind Style: Blade of Wind!"
Baki unleashed a rapid slash of wind.
Forcibly blocking Kakashi's path forward.
Earlier, he had pulled back because he believed Shukaku's power was enough to wipe out Kakashi and the others, and because Gaara had used the Feigning Sleep Technique. With Shukaku's consciousness in control, the beast wouldn't distinguish between friend and foe; it would attack indiscriminately. Baki and his team naturally had to scatter.
But now, seeing the One-Tail threatened... Although he didn't know Might Guy, the powerful chakra aura and the kick that sent a Tailed Beast flying were proof enough that this was a dangerous opponent.
With such a powerhouse already engaging their Tailed Beast, Baki couldn't allow Kakashi of the Sharingan to join the fray.
The One-Tail was a crucial asset in this plan.
Nothing could happen to it!
Bang!!