Team 8 moved through the Forest of Death, steering clear of every unnecessary entanglement.
Still a long way from the tower, she locked onto a Chakra so violent and bloody it stood out like a crimson flag in the pale woods.
It felt like a filthy sandstorm, ceaselessly churning, pure murder and madness made manifest.
They advanced in that direction for a while.
"Stop."
Hinata spoke up suddenly.
Kiba and Shino halted, puzzled, following her gaze.
Ahead stood three Sand-nin; the air was leaden. The red-haired boy in front carried an enormous gourd, eyes empty and dead, an Aura so cold it raised hackles—Gaara.
Temari and Kankuro loomed a few steps behind him.
Facing them were several luckless Genin from some minor village, trembling in terror.
"Take our scroll—just don't kill us!"
One of them screamed in desperation.
Gaara didn't even blink.
From the gourd's mouth, living sand burst out like a golden tsunami, forming colossal hands that smashed down on the fleeing Genin with crushing force.
"No—!" The shriek was cut short.
Crunch—!
The wet snap of bone and squelch of flesh carried clearly.
The sand tightened; blood spurted between the fingers, dyeing the grass red. In an instant the Genin were pulped corpses.
The sand flowed back into the gourd, leaving only a crimson smear and unrecognisable remains.
"M-monster…"
Kiba hissed; Akamaru quivered in his arms, whining.
Even Shino, veteran of many missions, went pale behind his shades; the casual cruelty sickened them.
Gaara turned as if he'd merely swatted flies, blood-shot eyes fixing on Team 8.
His gaze settled on Hinata, standing foremost, oddly serene.
"I'll kill you all…"
More sand erupted, a roaring yellow tide racing to swallow them.
"Look out!" Kiba yelled, instinctively stepping back.
Hinata didn't move. Facing the avalanche, her pale eyes stayed calm; she raised her right hand, fingers spread.
Boom—!!
The sand slammed into an invisible wall, frozen mid-air, thrashing but powerless.
"What?!"
Temari and Kankuro gaped; they'd never seen anyone stop Gaara's sand so casually. Even Gaara's dead eyes flickered with shock.
Violet arcs danced over Hinata's palm; lightning shot forward.
Crack!
The suspended sand exploded into a glittering rain of grit.
"Impossible…"
For the first time, Gaara's voice carried emotion—rage.
"I'll kill you—absolutely!"
Sand surged anew, shaping larger hands and spears that lunged from every side, faster and heavier.
Hinata blurred, weaving through the storm.
Smash—her palm shattered a sand hand.
Slice—her fingers cut a spear in half.
She moved like a dancer, every step and strike dismantling Gaara's assault.
Defences that would trouble a Jonin looked clumsy before her.
"No way—his absolute defence—"
Kankuro stared.
Gaara, eyes blood-red, slammed his palms to the earth.
"Desert Avalanche!"
The ground liquefied into quicksand, spiked tendrils shooting up to impale her.
Hinata stepped lightly, floating clear.
She looked down at the churning sand.
"Finished playing?"
Light condensed in her hand, bright and terrible.
She aimed at the desert below.
Lightning lanced straight for Gaara's real body.
Thud.
The bolt pierced shoulder, spraying blood—his first wound ever.
"Aaaargh!"
Pain and humiliation tore a bestial howl from him.
Ichibi's Chakra burst free in a torrent.
"I'll rip you apart!"
His skin cracked, revealing red sand-like flesh; a gigantic tail whipped out, and Shukaku's markings crawled across half his face.
The One-Tail was awakening.
Gaara's voice became a guttural roar.
"He's lost it!" Temari and Kankuro scrambled back in terror.
Kiba and Shino felt the apocalyptic Chakra and went white.
"So this is Shukaku," Hinata murmured, feeling the hate-filled tide.
"Good. Let's see how a Tailed Beast fares against real power."
The fight had only just reached its climax.
In the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage and Danzo watched through the Telescope Technique, faces grave.
He no longer cared that Hinata was using Lightning instead of Gentle Fist.
He sat upright, fingers steepled, expression unreadable.
Hyuga Hinata… forcing a Jinchuriki into rampage? What is she planning?
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