A battle that could be called earth-shattering in the eyes of ordinary ninja.
The elite Cloud ninja unit led by Darui versus the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata.
The latter goes without saying. Even in his normal human mode, he already possessed power approaching the quasi-Kage level. Not to mention after mobilizing Tailed Beast chakra, this Six-Tails Jinchuriki's strength was absolutely comparable to the general Five Kage level.
Especially with the massive size of the Tailed Beast and the terrifying suppressive force it added.
Ordinary ninja couldn't even get close.
But the Cloud ninja following Darui this time were all top-notch in strength. The weakest were Elite Chunin with special abilities, and there were a full seven or eight Jonin. Their coordinated attacks...
Rumble!!
"Lightning Style!"
"Fire Style!"
"Water Style!"
The assault jutsu covering the area...
Even the fully transformed Utakata would more or less suffer a certain degree of damage and threat. The nine Tailed Beasts were said to be equal existences, but in fact, they were divided into three very distinct tiers. The Nine-Tails was in a tier of its own. Although the Eight-Tails was significantly weaker than the Nine-Tails and absolutely no match in a one-on-one, it could easily suppress any of the subsequent seven Tailed Beasts, so it could also be classified as a tier.
As for the One-Tail to the Seven-Tails, there was no substantial difference in power.
Unlike with the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails, where any ordinary ninja would truly only serve as cannon fodder—even Jonin, unless they were truly strong in a certain aspect, would just be higher-level cannon fodder (so-called Jonin like Asuma or Genma Shiranui wouldn't qualify to stand before the Eight-Tails or Nine-Tails)...
The One-Tail to the Seven-Tails were different.
As long as one's strength level reached the height of a Jonin...
One could still exchange a few moves with these seven Tailed Beasts.
As long as there was a true main force holding the front—just like now, with Darui at the very forefront taking the brunt of Utakata's attention and firepower—the remaining Cloud ninja elites could weave in and out freely, assisting Darui in suppressing Utakata.
This blatant strong attack posture...
Screech!!!
Even Saiken, the Six-Tails in its complete form, found it hard to defend against.
Bang!
"Storm Style: Laser Circus!"
From the front.
Darui assumed a stance rapidly. The next moment, multiple incredibly sharp lasers flashed out swiftly, bombarding the massive body of the Six-Tails Saiken with precision guidance.
Rumble!!
The transmitted powerful impact caused the Six-Tails Saiken's body to shake violently, and it let out a miserable scream.
This was enough to prove that Darui's attack had indeed inflicted relatively heavy trauma on the Six-Tails.
"Sealing Squad!"
"Yes!"
Seeing the aura weakened further...
Seizing the obvious opportunity...
Under Darui's deep shout...
In the back, three or four Cloud ninja with slightly weaker chakra auras flashed out immediately.
Distributed around the area, they formed seals synchronously at high speed.
"Four-Corner Suppression Jutsu!"
Massive amounts of chakra were released.
Accompanied by the completed jutsu...
A giant pale silver net appeared abruptly in the void, manifesting high in the sky.
Whoosh!
Spreading out...
With a width sufficient to blot out the sky and sun...
Under the control of those four Cloud ninja, it covered down abruptly, tightly binding the Six-Tails Saiken below, who had just been suppressed by Darui.
Winding up...
Bzzt, bzzt, bzzt!
Electric sparks bloomed simultaneously.
Screech, screech, screech!!
Saiken let out painful screams again.
The four Cloud ninja took this opportunity to pull forcefully toward the four corners. This taut sealing net...
Forcibly confined the Six-Tails Saiken.
"Roar!!!"
But the Six-Tails was still the Six-Tails.
How could it be suppressed so easily?
Feeling this sensation of suppression and confinement, the Six-Tails Saiken instantly became even more berserk. Its ravaging aura...
Rumble!!
Struggling and rolling violently...
"Not good!?"
"So heavy!"
"Can't hold it down much longer!"
The faces of the four Cloud ninja, who had thought they had controlled the Six-Tails Saiken, changed drastically in this moment.
The giant chakra net that had already been pressed down...
Was forcibly lifted more than halfway.
That naked situation of failing to suppress it...
"Lord Darui!"
Words shouted sternly.
Darui on the side had already noticed the Six-Tails' riot a step earlier.
This fierce degree of resistance...
Indeed exceeded Darui's expectations.
He truly hadn't expected that the Six-Tails, already bombarded by so many jutsu earlier, could still erupt with such strong power under such a powerful sealing jutsu.
Worthy of being a Tailed Beast, huh!?
Darui took a deep breath.
Clap!
Clapping his hands together...
Chakra was refined once again.
Around the area...
Other Cloud ninja swarmed up synchronously.
"Lightning Style: False Darkness."
"Lightning Style: Lightning Explosion."
"Lightning Style: Ground Runner."
"Lightning Style: Flash Break."
Seals completed one after another.
Rumble!!
Bzzt, bzzt, bzzt!
Around them, lightning flashed instantly. Accompanied by the powerful Lightning Style jutsu released by Darui as well...
"Lightning Style: Black Panther!"
A berserk pitch-black panther manifested. In the angle of rushing up wildly...
It assaulted the Six-Tails Saiken's massive figure swiftly.
Adding fierce attacks on top...
Screech, screech, screech!!!
Further grievous injuries...
Only stimulated the Six-Tails Saiken's ferocity even more.
But its momentum was obviously suppressed. Unlike the fierce resistance just now, the struggle at this moment seemed weaker.
The four Cloud ninja controlling the sealing jutsu each showed joy on their faces.
Further refined chakra...
Increased control intensity...
Suppressed the Six-Tails firmly once again.
Attribute suppression via mutual generation and restriction—this was a powerful sealing jutsu their Hidden Cloud Village had researched for years and tested multiple times on their own Two-Tails and Eight-Tails. In their view, it was absolutely impossible for the heavily injured Six-Tails to force its way out.
Bit by bit, the aura weakened, and the resistance grew fainter.
Seeing that they were about to completely control the Six-Tails, Darui on the side also revealed a look of joy.
Next, they just needed to make this Six-Tails Jinchuriki completely lose the ability to resist, forcing him to release the full Tailed Beast transformation, and this capture mission would be successfully completed.
But Darui ultimately underestimated Utakata, and underestimated the power the Six-Tails could unleash.
Under desperate circumstances, the most massive wave of chakra was fully released.
A miniature crimson chakra sphere appeared above its mouth.
"Hmm!?"
The moment Darui saw it, his expression changed involuntarily.
Tailed Beast Ball!?
This terrifying killer move exclusive to Tailed Beasts was instantly recognizable.
Even though this scale was obviously far smaller than the conventional Tailed Beast Ball form...
The specs were small, but it condensed fast too!
Expanding and contracting...
"Scatter quickly!"
Obviously too late to stop it...
Darui shouted sternly.
Whoosh!
Whoosh
Whoosh!
A few quick-reacting Cloud ninja, with their speed boosted to the limit, followed behind Darui and leaped away.
But at close range, the remaining Cloud ninja, whose reactions were a beat slower, didn't have time to dodge.
Boom!
Even a super-miniature Tailed Beast Ball condensed more than ten times...
Was enough to cover this area below.
The moment it exploded instantly...
Dazzling light and shadow, the terrifying roaring sound that erupted, and the rolling blast wave whipped up accordingly...
Directly covered this area.
Those Cloud ninja who didn't have time to escape were all swallowed up, dying directly under this Tailed Beast Ball.
Even the most miniature Tailed Beast Ball wasn't an existence ordinary ninja could resist.
Instant annihilation was the only outcome for these Cloud ninja.
These Cloud ninja died in battle, but Utakata inside didn't feel good either. A Tailed Beast Ball explosion at close range was an indiscriminate attack.
Injuries on top of injuries...
Plus the massive consumption of chakra...
Made Utakata unable to maintain his Tailed Beast transformation, reverting directly to human form. That wretched appearance, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and that extremely weak aura...
All proved that Utakata had reached a terrible state.
Continuing to fight, Utakata might be able to drag a few more people down with him, but he himself would definitely be kept here.
"Cough, cough..."
Seizing this hard-won gap...
Utakata exploded with the last bit of chakra.
Whoosh!
With a leap, he fled rapidly in another direction.
And less than ten seconds after Utakata retreated...
Darui returned with the surviving Cloud ninja.
Looking at the surrounding Cloud ninja whose corpses were almost non-existent, the look on his face was as ugly as could be.
In the initial battle, the Cloud ninja only lost two people, with a few injured. But now!?
Except for the three or four strongest Jonin still following him, the remaining Cloud ninja had all died under that miniature Tailed Beast Ball.
Nearly ten Cloud ninja comrades died in battle.
And Utakata still managed to escape. How could Darui not feel angry?
"Pursue!!"
Although he couldn't see Utakata's state and specific retreat direction clearly due to the explosion just now, Darui didn't believe Utakata could remain unharmed under a Tailed Beast Ball explosion at such close range. If he could really maintain ample combat power, why flee!?
Having pushed the prey to the last moment and paid such a tragic price, Darui absolutely couldn't let Utakata slip away!
"Yes!"
The surviving few Cloud ninja behind responded in unison.
Whoosh
Whoosh
Whoosh
Each exploding chakra from their soles, they chased rapidly in the direction Utakata's chakra faded.
Six-Tails! You will definitely belong to our Hidden Cloud Village!
A rare look of chill appeared on Darui's face.
An unforeseen battle.
The unexpectedly arrived Cloud ninja troops...
Were the first to engage in a fierce fight with Utakata.
And just as the two sides fought a great battle, subsequently launching a high-intensity pursuit...
In less than half an hour...
At the location of the great battle.
Whoosh
Whoosh
Whoosh
Whoosh
More than ten figures flashed in together.
Although it was only a super-miniature Tailed Beast Ball, the sound it produced still far exceeded general ninjutsu. Not to mention the previous battle was considered high-intensity in the ninja world; as long as one wasn't too far away, they would definitely be attracted.
This group obviously rushed over rapidly upon detecting the aftershocks of the battle here.
The iconic Leaf forehead protectors on their foreheads and their black attire all proved that this team was from the Hidden Leaf Village's Anbu.
After arriving...
Under the leader's command, they quickly dispersed to conduct the most thorough reconnaissance of the surroundings.
"Large-scale Lightning Style? Did the Mist ninja send reinforcements again? Or is it the Cloud ninja!?"
Upon receiving the information fed back by subordinates in the shortest time, a look of solemnity appeared on the Anbu leader's face.
"You go notify Lord Jiraiya immediately. Report the information here in detail. The rest, follow me to pursue!"
This wasn't the Root elite dispatched by Danzo.
But the Hokage's direct Anbu sent by Tsunade's order.
The Six-Tails Jinchuriki!
This was also an existence belonging to the nuclear bomb level.
If he was just recaptured by the Hidden Mist Village, Tsunade wouldn't think much of it. But if he fell into Orochimaru's hands, Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, couldn't accept it.
Now, traces of suspected elite Cloud ninja troops had appeared.
As the Anbu captain trusted by Tsunade to lead the team to the Land of Spring, he knew his Hokage's plan very well.
"Yes!"
Immediately.
After dispatching a subordinate to report intelligence immediately...
Whoosh
Whoosh
Whoosh
Whoosh
He led the remaining Anbu members, chasing rapidly in the direction they could roughly distinguish.
Now, this Anbu leader only hoped the worst-case scenario wouldn't occur.
He also hoped even more that his Lord Jiraiya could hurry over to rendezvous. He believed that as long as this hero, one of the Sannin, was there to control the scene, no one could threaten their Hidden Leaf Village side.
Three parties converging.
This pursuit unfolding one after another.
On the other side, Kabuto Yakushi, after spending nearly half a day, finally contacted Orochimaru's subordinates who were previously responsible for tracking Utakata.
The feedback received was much less than expected.
Because they lost Utakata and were discovered by those Mist ninja, leading to a fierce fight between them.
Paying the price of two deaths, only one managed to escape smoothly.
It must be said that those dispatched by the Hidden Mist Village to hunt the Six-Tails were relatively elite existences among Mist ninja.
It was only natural for Orochimaru's subordinates to have their tracks exposed.
However, when Kabuto received this feedback, his face became somewhat ugly.