Shukaku's shrill voice cracked with panic; it thrashed wildly, trying to condense more sand to burst and crush the Wood Dragon.
But the dragon clung like bone-seeking rot, coiling tighter, its chakra-absorption rate climbing by the second!
Shukaku could feel its strength draining, fury flaring in an instant!
"Damn it! Damn it all!! Let go! Let me go!!!"
Shukaku's roar shook the fields, yet the terror beneath it was unmistakable.
Now the titanic chakra it prided itself on was nothing but fodder freely plundered by this wooden serpent!
…Far away, several Anbu assigned to monitor the battlefield watched the scene unfold, their masked faces too stunned to remain expressive.
"It can… actually absorb even a Tailed Beast's chakra…"
"Wood Release… so this is the power the First Hokage used to pacify an era…"
"Yet it's still Wood Release… why is Captain Yamato's so different…?"
"…Maybe Captain Yamato's Wood Release is just too merciful!?"
…Still farther in the shadows, Orochimaru's vertical pupils locked on the fight, flickering with undisguised shock and greed.
"Truly… a terrifying ability."
He rasped the words, his long tongue unconsciously wetting his lips.
Even he would need considerable effort against a fully-formed Shukaku, and certainly couldn't suppress it so effortlessly!
'Is it because Wood Release naturally restrains Tailed Beasts? No—there's more to it…'
Orochimaru recalled the Wood Release experiments he had overseen, and the mediocre power Yamato gained via cell transplantation.
'The same Wood Release—why such a gulf? First Hokage Senju Hashirama… what is the true nature of his strength?' His eyes blazed with research-madness. 'Seems past studies were too narrow… perhaps deeper investigation is in order!!'
Then, watching the Wood Dragon under Tejima Shinichi's control tame the Tailed Beast like a wild animal, an irresistible notion surged within Orochimaru.
'Compared to the Sharingan… your body is quite the prize as well… Shinichi-kun!'
…All this, in the span of a heartbeat—
At the battlefield's center, Tejima Shinichi gazed calmly at Shukaku entwined by the Wood Dragon.
Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique—created specifically to suppress Tailed Beasts!
Uchiha Madara once said: "This was the Wood Dragon of Hashirama that once chained my Nine-Tails!"
Even Naruto in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode found this technique troublesome when Madara unleashed it!
Though Tejima Shinichi's Wood Release doesn't reach Hashirama's level, Shukaku is no Kurama either!
'So by inequality calculus… Tejima Shinichi equals Senju Hashirama. Shukaku equals Kurama. Final estimate: Tejima Shinichi is greater than Shukaku!!'
'Flawless logic!'
Just as he marveled, Tejima Shinichi froze.
In his sight, faint, warped violet streaks quietly surfaced along the dark-brown Wood Dragon coiling Shukaku.
That hue… that shape… resembled the eerie patterns on Shukaku itself!
"W-what…?!"
Though only sporadic dots, barely visible, the anomaly still made his heart lurch.
'This is…? Wood Dragon Technique… no such change is recorded! What is this phenomenon?'
Tejima Shinichi was stunned.
The Wood Dragon devours Tailed Beast chakra, converting it to reinforce its bindings—yet this…?
His brows knitted, uneasy and puzzled by the sudden twist.
'Is it due to Shukaku's unique chakra? Or some unknown trait of his own Wood Release?'
For the moment, he couldn't be sure.
At the very instant Shinichi's focus wavered—
Roar!!
"Think I'm out of tricks, brat?!"
Shukaku, still constricted, gave up the futile physical struggle; its colossal head reared, jaws lined with fangs gaping wide.
Positive and negative chakra mixed in an 8-to-2 ratio, wildly condensing within its maw!
A pitch-black energy sphere formed at blinding speed, the surrounding space warping under its power.
"Taste this! Tailed Beast Ball—!!!"
With a hysterical bellow, Shukaku blasted the black orb—holding most of its remaining strength—point-blank into the dragon wrapped around it.
At such close range, with such berserk force!
Boom—!!!
A deafening explosion tore through the sky, blinding black light swallowing everything.
Even the chakra-absorbing Wood Dragon reached its limit against that apocalyptic energy.
Shinichi's face paled as, from the point of impact, the gigantic dragon fractured inch by inch, collapsing into charred chunks and dust scattered by the shockwave.
The binding was forcibly broken!
Shukaku stared, dumbstruck, then burst into shrill laughter.
"Heh heh heh—!!! See that, you little runt?! Your crummy wood is still just wood! Before my absolute might it's nothing but kindling!!!"
Its lone remaining paw slapped its rotund belly, sand grains sifting down as it strutted arrogantly, venting all the frustration of being drained moments earlier.
Tejima Shinichi stood motionless, his robes whipping in the blast's aftermath.
He offered no retort, his mind still fixed on those violet streaks that had marred the dragon.
'Absorbing chakra yet echoing its traits… Is it Shukaku's peculiarity… or is my Wood Release malfunctioning?'
The unknown seeded unease; Tejima Shinichi felt a jolt of alarm.
After all, his inborn Wood Release was already bizarre… now this scene—how could he stay calm!?
He drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly, eyes regaining their calm.
"Enough." His low murmur scattered the turmoil with the air. "Face what comes. Variation or not, as long as the power is strong and serves me, it's a boon!"
With that, Shinichi shook off the unresolved doubts and fixed a cold stare on the distant, still-taunting Shukaku.
"Had your fun?"
The earlier alarm had rattled him, letting anger seep into his tone.
"Seems that last hit didn't wake you up." His voice rose sharply, icy killing intent unconcealed. "One dragon wasn't enough? Then let's add something weightier—so you'll remember exactly who rules here!!!"
He brought his hands together at chest level; vaster chakra than before surged around him.
"Combo control is still rough, but against the current you… it should suffice."
Shukaku's laughter cut short, beast pupils narrowing warily; danger prickled its instincts once more.
"Wood Release—"
The earth beneath Tejima Shinichi heaved, countless thick tree-roots writhing like living things, interlacing and shaping.
A wooden colossus taller than the previous dragon erupted from the ground.
The giant rose ancient and imposing, hands clasped, its towering frame casting a vast shadow until it stood almost eye-to-eye with Shukaku.
Simultaneously, a Wood Dragon spiraled up from the giant's feet, its head rearing alongside its master to gaze down at Shukaku.
—Wood Release: Wood Human Technique! Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!
The Wood Human and the Wood Dragon!!!