Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 284 Performing a Hand-Torn Shukaku

The scorching air of the Death Sand Sea was filled with the stench of blood, sand, and the suffocating terror of the tailed beasts.

Shukaku's massive body froze in place, its huge yellow eyes fixed on the Ten-Tails and Dark Nine-Tails in the distance, its inner horror sweeping over it like a storm.

'That nasty, stinky fox, the Nine-Tails! Just seeing it makes me sick!' Shukaku cursed inwardly, but its greater fear came from the Ten-Tails, which it had never seen before and which it instinctively trembled at.

Although Shukaku has never seen the Ten-Tails' true form, all nine tailed beasts originated from the Ten-Tails. The oppressive feeling of being a superior being from the same root is like a brand on the depths of its soul, causing its massive body to tremble slightly.

'Wait a minute…' Shukaku suddenly noticed that the dark red Nine-Tails, which was frantically devouring chakra while clinging to the Ten-Tails, was completely different from the golden, arrogant Kurama he knew, both in terms of the color of its chakra and the aura it emitted!
It was a sense of alienation tinged with emptiness and brutality.

'This guy... isn't Kurama?'

Just as Shukaku was stunned by this amazing discovery, the roar of Rasa and the surging torrent of golden sand below caught its attention.

"Magnetic Style: Golden Sand Waves!"

The dazzling gold dust surged into the sky like ocean waves, crashing against the suspended surface of the hemp.

Shukaku then focused its gaze entirely on the tiny human in front of it.

Upon seeing this, it was startled once again.

This human being...

It did indeed carry a trace of the Nine-Tails' chakra aura, but it was completely different from the one it was familiar with, being darker and more profound.

'What's going on? Who exactly is this kid?!'

Driven by a barrage of questions and an inexplicable sense of unease, Shukaku temporarily suppressed its fear of the Ten-Tails in the distance and turned its rage toward Menma in the sky. It let out a deep roar: "Hey! You over there! Get out of my way, I'm going to see what's going on!"

Before he finished speaking, Shukaku's enormous belly suddenly bulged out, its huge mouth opened, and an air cannon containing a massive amount of chakra and highly compressed instantly took shape!
"Wind Style: Air Training Bullet!"

A massive hurricane, accompanied by a tearing shriek, slammed into Mianma!
This strike was enough to easily destroy a small hill.

Faced with this Tailed Beast-level ninjutsu attack, Menma's figure hovered in place without moving an inch. He simply raised the seemingly inconspicuous black chakra rod in his hand and gently deflected the whistling air bullet.

The enormous windball, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, was deflected the moment it touched the black stick, as if it had hit a golf club. Its trajectory was forcibly altered, and it flew diagonally past Mianma with a resentful whistle before finally exploding violently on a sand dune in the distance!

boom--! ! !
The dust rose like a mushroom cloud, and the huge shockwave was clearly felt even from a great distance.

"What?!" Shukaku's cross-shaped pupils suddenly contracted; this time, it saw clearly!
"That...that's a black chakra rod?! How is that possible?!"

Shukaku knew all too well the origin of this ability!
That's a power that the old man of the Six Paths used, belonging to the Yin-Yang Release category!

For a thousand years, apart from that old man who has long since passed away, it has never seen anyone else condense and use such a black rod that can disrupt or even seal chakra!
Menma looked at the bewildered Shukaku ahead and was somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected Rasa to be so resolute this time, even bringing Gaara to the battlefield. Gaara should be around seven years old by now.

Looking at Shukaku's massive body, Menma had a thought: 'Perfect, let's beat this noisy tanuki back and see what Gaara looks like now.'

Shukaku completely abandoned its contempt at this moment, and at the same time felt a great threat.

The opponent can use the power of the Sage of Six Paths, so he is definitely not an ordinary ninja!
Shukaku opened its massive maw, and a huge amount of chakra began to gather and compress within it, rapidly forming a purplish-black energy ball that exuded an aura of destruction.

Tailed beast jade!
"Not good! Everyone scatter!" Upon seeing this, Rasa's expression changed drastically. He shouted a warning while activating Magnet Release again. Golden sand waves, like countless giant pythons, coiled around Menma in the air, trying to interfere with him and create an opportunity for Shukaku.

The veins around the white of his left eye bulged as he coldly glanced at the incoming gold dust wave below.

"Shenra Tianzheng."

An invisible, immense repulsive force suddenly erupted from him!
The surging waves of golden sand, upon contact with the repulsive field, seemed to crash into an invisible wall of bronze and iron, crashing back and exploding into a sky full of golden dust!
At that very moment, Shukaku's Tailed Beast Ball was fully formed!
"Take this, kid!" Shukaku roared, unleashing the Tailed Beast Ball!

call out--

The Tailed Beast Ball rips through the sky!
However, just as the Tailed Beast Ball was about to hit its target, Menma's figure vanished into thin air!
Rumble, rumble—! ! !
The Tailed Beast Ball lost its target and crashed heavily into the distant desert, creating a deafening explosion!
The blinding light instantly engulfed everything, a huge mushroom cloud mixed with sand and dust shot into the sky, and the destructive shock wave spread outwards like a tsunami!
"Ugh!"

"Get out of the way!"

Maki, Yekura, and the Sand Ninja who were already injured and closer to the explosion's epicenter had no time to mount an effective defense. They were violently thrown out like leaves in a whirlwind, falling to pieces, their screams echoing throughout the air.

Only Rasa, Chiyo, and Ebizo, with their formidable strength and timely reactions, were able to barely maintain their balance amidst the shockwave, but they were still covered in dust and looked utterly disheveled.

Luo Sha looked at his troops, which had been reduced to more than half dead or wounded in an instant and completely rendered incapable of fighting. His heart ached, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He gritted his teeth and made a decision: "Maki! Yecang! Take those who can still move and retreat immediately! Quickly!"

The battles against the Tailed Beasts are beyond the reach of ordinary ninjas like them!

Maki struggled to his feet from the sand, looked at the ravaged battlefield, gritted his teeth, helped up Ye Cang, who was badly injured not far away, and began to organize the remaining personnel to retreat.

"Elder Chiyo! Elder Ebizo! Follow me to cover our retreat!" Rasa's voice was resolute.

Shukaku's attack missed, and its massive single eye scanned the battlefield with surprise and uncertainty: "That sensory perception just now... was it a space-time ninjutsu?! This guy..."

In the instant it was stunned, Menma's figure burst out from the still-lingering sand and dust, like a black lightning bolt, and rushed straight towards Shukaku's massive body!

"Damn it! Don't underestimate me!" Shukaku roared, slapping his round belly hard with his claws!
"Wind Release·Sand Shot!"

Its body expanded rapidly as if inflated, and countless pellets made of hard sand and gravel instantly split off from its surface. Then, it opened its huge mouth and let out a deafening roar. The violent wind pressure sprayed out countless sand pellets like cannonballs!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh——!!!
The dense barrage of sand bullets formed a deathly screen, covering all of Mianma's forward paths, like a hail of bullets, ready to tear everything apart!
Menma displayed astonishing agility in the air, his figure weaving through the dense rain of sand bullets like a ghost. Occasionally, a few bullets that he couldn't avoid were precisely deflected by the black chakra rod in his hand, making a crisp "clanging" sound.

As Menma was about to break through the barrage and approach him, Shukaku's small eyes showed no panic, but instead a sly glint.

"Hahaha! You've fallen for my trap, you idiot!" Shukaku laughed triumphantly.

Suddenly, the sand projectiles that had been dodged or deflected by Mianma scattered all at once in mid-air!
Countless fine yellow sands instantly filled the space around Menma, forming a sand swamp filled with Shukaku's chakra, which greatly restricted his movements!
At the same time, Shukaku's claws, which were slamming on the ground, suddenly transformed into flowing waves of sand. As if they were alive, they rapidly spread upwards along the sand, instantly entangling Menma's feet, which were hindered from moving, and then quickly spreading upwards!
"The Desert Layer Burial Seal!"

The flowing sand, like a tide, completely engulfed Mianma, and quickly condensed and compacted, eventually forming a huge pyramid-shaped sand tomb covered with purple curse patterns!

The moment the seal was completed, a powerful sealing force spread out.

"Did...did it succeed?!" Luo Sha could hardly believe his eyes when he saw this, his voice trembling with anticipation.

Chiyo and Ebizo also stared intently at the sand pyramid, a glimmer of hope rekindling in their hearts.

However, this hope lasted only a moment!
puff!
puff!
puff--! ! !
Countless jet-black chakra rods, like the quills of a hedgehog, suddenly pierced through the inside of the pyramid!

In an instant, the sturdy sand tomb was riddled with holes! "Ouch! That hurts! You bastard!" Shukaku cried out in pain. The black rods not only physically destroyed the seal, but the Yin-Yang Release power attached to them also directly interfered with and stung the chakra connected to the seal!

Immediately afterwards, a pale green light suddenly appeared on the surface of all the black rods that pierced the pyramid!
Inside the pyramid, a calm and undisturbed voice rang out:

"Silver Wheel Rebirth Explosion".

boom--! ! !
The massive pyramid was completely burst apart from the inside by an indescribable force!

Countless black chakra rods covered in pale green light, accompanied by a violent tornado, sprayed wildly in all directions like a celestial maiden scattering flowers!
A green tornado tore through the sand dunes and shot straight into the sky!
"Watch out!" Rasa's pupils shrank sharply as he frantically activated Magnet Release, and golden sand condensed into a thick shield in front of him.

Granny Chiyo manipulated the last few intact Chikamatsu Ten Puppet Master puppets to shield herself.

Ebizo's long eyebrows twitched violently, and his hands rapidly formed hand seals, attempting to unleash a defensive ninjutsu.

However, the black chakra rods covered with the power of the Tenseigan were far more powerful than before!

puff!

puff!

The sand-gold shield formed by Luo Sha was as fragile as paper, easily pierced by the black rod that shot towards him, forcing him to retreat repeatedly and narrowly avoid vital points, but he was still slashed with several deep, bone-revealing bloodstains.

Granny Chiyo's puppet was even more vulnerable, and was destroyed instantly upon contact with the green light and black rod, turning into fragments on the ground!
A black rod shot out like lightning. Chiyo couldn't dodge in time, and her left arm was pierced through. The excruciating pain made her groan, and her face instantly turned pale.

Immediately afterwards, several more black rods shot towards her, who was unable to move easily!

"Sister!" Ebizo exclaimed. Almost without hesitation, he abandoned the hand seals, his body suddenly bursting with the last of his strength, and appeared in front of Granny Chiyo using the Body Flicker Technique!

puff!puff!puff!
Several black rods pierced through Ebizo's body without mercy!
Blood instantly stained his khaki ninja vest.

"Ebizo!!!" Granny Chiyo cried out in heart-wrenching grief as she looked at her younger brother, who was being impaled by black rods while standing in front of her.

Ebizo opened his mouth as if to say something, but only a large amount of blood gushed out. He looked at his sister with a hint of reluctance and relief in his eyes, and finally collapsed helplessly beside Chiyo. His two iconic long eyebrows also drooped limply.

"No...don't..." Granny Chiyo held her younger brother's still-warm body, tears streaming down her face.

She lost her son and daughter-in-law, and even her only grandson, Scorpion, went missing. Now, this last remaining relative died in front of her while protecting her.

Endless sorrow and despair instantly overwhelmed this weathered old man.

Mianma's figure slowly descended from the dissipating green tornado, emanating a faint green halo.

He glanced at the grief-stricken Chiyo and the dead Ebizo, his eyes showing no emotion.

He felt a sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, mixed feelings) in his heart. Although Shukaku's chakra reserves were the lowest among the tailed beasts, his combat wisdom and methods were truly extraordinary. He was not only proficient in various ninjutsu, but also knew how to set traps.

'Kyuu is absorbing the Ten-Tails with all its might; it would be best if it didn't have to borrow its chakra,' Menma thought to himself.

'Although I can't fully enter Tenseigan Chakra Mode yet, simulating some of its power with the help of the giant Tenseigan is enough to deal with the current situation.'

His gaze shifted to Shukaku, who appeared somewhat listless due to the broken seal and damaged chakra, and a smile crept onto his lips:
"Now it's my turn."

Before he finished speaking, Mianma's figure had already disappeared from the spot!
So fast!

Shukaku's yellow eyes widened suddenly; it couldn't even catch the other's movement!
The next instant, Menma appeared in front of Shukaku's enormous face!

His right fist was clenched, covered with a dense pale green light, gathering the power of the Tenseigan chakra!

"Eat my punch!"

The fist, imbued with the power of the Reincarnation Eye, slammed solidly into Shukaku's nose without any fancy moves!
boom--! ! !
A loud bang that was extremely dull!
Shukaku's enormous head, made of sand, exploded like a watermelon being smashed by a giant hammer, turning into sand grains that flew everywhere!
Shukaku let out an extremely shrill scream!

This is not over yet!

Menma's figure moved like a ghost, rapidly flashing around Shukaku's massive body, his fists covered in green light raining down like drops of water!

boom!boom!boom!boom!
Each punch contained Tenseigan chakra, leaving Shukaku's body riddled with holes, sand flying everywhere, making it impossible for him to form an effective defense.

It waved its claws in vain, unable to even touch the hem of the numb clothes, and could only let out painful howls.

But it is precisely because Shukaku's defense is amazing that it can withstand so many punches from Menma and still try to fight back.

Luo Sha on the ground stared in disbelief at the scene, his whole body turning ice-cold.

Tearing apart a tailed beast?!
What terrifying power and speed!

He couldn't even make out the other person's figure!
Rasa glanced again at Granny Chiyo, who was holding Ebizo's body, having lost all will to fight and immersed in immense grief, and knew that the situation was hopeless.

Although he is hailed as the strongest Kazekage, he could only use gold dust and a tea pot to seal and suppress Shukaku, but he could not defeat Shukaku in such a sorry state.

"Go!" Rasa gritted his teeth and, without hesitation, grabbed the dazed Chiyo, hoisted Ebizo's body onto his shoulder, glanced at the dozen or so corpses he hadn't had time to take with him in the desert, used his Body Flicker Technique, and fled in panic in the direction Maki and the others had retreated without looking back.

At this moment, the dignity of the Kazekage and the ambition to capture the Ten-Tails have vanished in the face of the absolute difference in strength and the heavy losses. Only the instinct to survive remains.

On the battlefield, Shukaku was beaten so badly that it was powerless to fight back. Its huge body became broken and battered, and even a piece of its tail was broken off. It was finally terrified.

This human is abnormally strong!

It's simply not something it can fight against!
"No...no more fighting! I'm not playing with you anymore!"

Shukaku let out a roar filled with fear and frustration, and its massive body instantly disintegrated, turning into countless grains of sand that quickly receded into the unconscious Gaara's body like a receding tide.

Without the support of Shukaku's chakra, Gaara's small body fell helplessly from the sky.

Menma's figure flashed, and he nimbly caught Gaara as he fell.

He looked at the seven-year-old child in his arms, with red hair, dark circles under his eyes, and a furrowed brow even in his unconscious state. He then glanced in the direction where Rasa and Chiyo had disappeared, but had no intention of giving chase.

Suddenly, Mianma felt something under his foot. He moved his right foot and looked down. It was a small bear doll.

Menma squatted down, picked up the teddy bear, and placed it next to Gaara. Gaara, who had been frowning just moments before, relaxed his brows after hugging the teddy bear and slept more peacefully.

[I'm attaching a picture, but I don't know if it will pass the review.]

(End of this chapter)