In that instant, everyone's nerves were stretched to their absolute limit.
That piercing roar had announced it clearly—the strongest tailed beast in the world had fully emerged.
Its nine massive tails lashed wildly through the air, and with a single sweep, a violent gale erupted.
The sheer force of the wind bent the surrounding forest low, while the once-calm lake churned violently, waves several meters high crashing relentlessly against the shore.
Not far away, dozens of shinobi from Kumogakure and Konoha struggled just to remain standing.
The raging wind was so fierce they could barely keep their eyes open.
"Just a casual movement… and it's already this powerful?" Shisui's two-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly as disbelief crept into his voice.
If even this much made it impossible to move, how were they supposed to fight in such conditions?
And if the Nine-Tails got serious—
No… even a fraction of its true power might be enough.
For a fleeting moment, doubt surfaced again and again in his mind.
Could they really defeat something like this?
No one could answer him.
His gaze shifted instinctively toward Shimizu's back, standing not far ahead.
Was his teacher feeling the same unease?
"I think if our seniors have decided to face the Nine-Tails head-on, then they must have come prepared," Amani said, his tone brimming with confidence.
As one of Shimizu's most loyal supporters, unwavering trust came naturally to him.
"…I don't think this wind is even an attack," Satomi said calmly, her Byakugan fully activated as she traced the flow of chakra within the Nine-Tails. "It feels more like… an emotional outburst."
There was no sign of chakra guiding the movement of those tails.
In other words, the Nine-Tails was generating this terrifying storm through sheer physical strength alone.
"Another swarm of insignificant human insects…" The Nine-Tails lowered its monstrous head, glaring at the dozens of shinobi before it with undisguised contempt.
"And those forehead protectors… Konoha shinobi, I see."
Its gaze swept across them, but the figure it expected was nowhere to be found.
"Since that brat from the Senju clan isn't here... then all of you can die in his place!!"
In an instant, its crimson fur flared like living flames, blazing with a deadly brilliance.
"It's coming!" Shisui warned.
"Careful!" Satomi added, sensing the massive surge of chakra rapidly gathering within the beast.
The Third Raikage's expression tightened slightly before he roared,
"Scatter!!"
This operation revolved around him—the strongest force on the field—and the moment he gave the command, both Kumogakure and Konoha reacted without hesitation.
The formation of several dozen shinobi broke apart instantly, dispersing in all directions.
At that very moment—
Countless flaming masses, like burning meteors, rained down from the sky.
"BOOM—! BOOM—! BOOM—!!"
Explosions erupted one after another, sending waves of scorching heat across the battlefield as dust and debris billowed into the air.
Shimizu instinctively glanced back at where they had stood just moments ago.
Through the swirling dust, he could barely make out hundreds of densely packed craters.
If the Third Raikage hadn't warned them in time…
The consequences would have been unthinkable.
After all, no one here had ever faced the Nine-Tails before—not even Shimizu knew exactly how it fought beyond what little he remembered: Tailed Beast Bombs… claws… and what else?
"Thank you," Minato said sincerely to the Third Raikage.
Without that warning, Konoha alone would have suffered devastating casualties from that single strike.
As the commanding officer, he hadn't even managed to issue a timely alert.
That failure weighed heavily on him.
The Third Raikage kept his eyes locked on the colossal beast in the distance.
"Before these beasts release their techniques, they always show small signs," he said.
"I learned that from fighting the Eight-Tails."
So that was it—experience bought at a price.
"Interesting… you all managed to avoid it?" the Nine-Tails remarked, sounding faintly surprised that its attack had failed to land.
Its gaze shifted, settling on the towering man cloaked in crackling blue lightning.
"…You're somewhat amusing."
"Then try this one…"
The Nine-Tails' nine wildly swaying tails suddenly shifted, all of them beginning to rotate counterclockwise in unison.
The raging winds surged once more.
This was…?
In the next moment, everyone felt it—a growing pull, an invisible force dragging at their bodies.
As the tails spun faster and faster, that suction intensified. If this continued, it was only a matter of time before all of them would be dragged straight toward the Nine-Tails.
They had to stop it.
The Third Raikage made his decision without hesitation. "We're going in!"
Wrapped in blazing lightning, he took the lead, charging straight toward the Nine-Tails—using the overwhelming pull to propel himself forward.
Shimizu and Minato followed closely behind.
"Insignificant insects!" the Nine-Tails sneered.
Its massive forepaw rose and came crashing down toward the Third Raikage.
"Boom—!"
The Raikage, who had been advancing at incredible speed, was struck head-on in an instant and sent flying back—
Even faster than he had charged in.
"Hahaha! Die!!"
Shimizu and Minato understood immediately.
A straight-line assault was the easiest to predict. While extreme speed granted overwhelming impact, its weakness was just as obvious. Once the enemy could read your trajectory, that very speed became a double-edged blade—one that could just as easily destroy you.
Already on guard, the two of them reacted the moment the Nine-Tails followed up with another claw strike. They veered sharply aside, barely avoiding the terrifying blow.
But just as the Nine-Tails prepared to launch a fourth attack, the blue figure it had assumed to be dead… rose again.
And charged straight toward its tails.
How is that blue runt still alive? The Nine-Tails hesitated for a microsecond. Which of these bugs should I crush first? Might as well deal with the nuisances in front of me!!
It then made a decision it would come to regret: it attacked Shimizu and Minato first.
In an instant, the two Konoha ninjas, known for their speed, vanished from the Nine-Tails' field of vision.
These seem to be the fastest insects I've encountered... Its raised claw hung in the air for a moment, unsure where to strike.
In the next heartbeat, a sharp pain erupted from its tail!
"AAAAUGH!! THAT HURTS!!"
The Nine-Tails roared, twisting around in fury as it lashed out again, sending the blue figure flying once more.
The impact tore through the forest, snapping countless trees and carving out a long, straight path of destruction stretching over a hundred meters.
Yet only a few seconds later—
The blue figure stood up again, as if completely unharmed.
The Nine-Tails knew full well the sheer destructive force behind that strike, and a flicker of confusion crept into its voice.
"Why are you still standing?"
"That last hit… carried quite a bit of anger. Not bad," the Third Raikage said calmly, brushing the dust from his body. His gaze remained steady as he continued, "I've already gauged your strength."
"…But compared to the Eight-Tails—"
"It's far inferior!"
Like a cannonball, the blue-clad figure shot forward once more, charging straight at the Nine-Tails.
"What?!" Such arrogant, dismissive words naturally ignited the Nine-Tails' fury.
The Eight-Tails?! This brat dares to spout such nonsense? Saying I'm inferior to the Eight-Tails?! I... am the strongest Tailed Beast!!
In the next instant, just as it prepared to gather strength for a crushing blow against the blue figure, it noticed a massive shadow suddenly looming over it.
Something had appeared behind it!