Next, Kaito used the same method to deal with the white phosphorus snakes troubling two other locations.
After earning considerable recognition, he hurried to where Hinata and the others were.
When Kaito arrived, Hinata, Ino, and Naruto were engaged in battle with Gaara.
With Hinata and the other girl joining, Gaara had to activate the sleeping technique early to allow Shukaku, the One-Tail, to fully awaken.
"Oh hahaha! I'm finally free!"
Shukaku's massive form jumped wildly and roared toward the sky.
"You insignificant insects, do you think you can challenge me?" Shukaku leaned forward, his tone dripping with arrogance and contempt, clearly dismissing Hinata and the others.
Hinata, Ino, and Naruto all exchanged serious looks. They now understood which other evil chakra resided inside Gaara.
In the distance, Temari quietly hid in the treetops, her face pale with horror as she watched the enormous monster. "Yes! It's him! Gaara released it!"
"Wind Style: Air Training Bullet!"
Shukaku opened his mouth, gathering dense chakra that compressed into a massive wind ball, instantly launched from his maw.
The destructive energy distorted the surrounding space slightly.
Hinata and Ino, both perception-type ninjas, sensed the chakra fluctuations from the air training bullet.
Their faces changed; without hesitation, Hinata pulled Naruto and activated the Flickering Technique.
Boom!
The earth trembled with a roar. A powerful hurricane swirled wildly, its destructive force akin to a natural disaster.
"Good, good, terrifying!" Naruto said from a nearby treetop, a mix of fear and relief glinting in his eyes.
"This… this is the monster inside that boy? How do we stand a chance against such power?" Ino murmured, frowning deeply.
"For now, we can only delay and wait for Kaito to arrive," Hinata said firmly, then glanced at Naruto. "Naruto, I'll leave Sasuke and Sakura in your care."
"Got it!" Naruto nodded. This wasn't the time for recklessness.
"Sorry for being late!" A gentle voice suddenly reached Ino and the others. Upon hearing it, the two women visibly relaxed.
'Now that he's here, we won't have to worry,' they thought, their confidence in Kaito unshaken.
"Kaito, you finally came! If you were any later, we'd be done for!"
Naruto's voice trembled slightly, haunted by the power of Shukaku's recent attack.
"Stay back. You may not withstand the next onslaught," Kaito said softly but with unprecedented solemnity.
After all, he was about to face a tailed beast. Though the weakest, its power should not be underestimated.
"Understood!" The three responded in unison before retreating.
"You should stay away too. It has lost all humanity and holds a grudge against your Sand Village," Kaito added, then surged forward in a flash of lightning.
"How did he find me?" Temari, not far away, was shocked. She cast one last glance at the monstrous beast, gritted her teeth, and hurried away.
Prepare to fight! Prepare to fight! Prepare to fight!
As Kaito neared Shukaku, the mountain-sized beast unleashed relentless wind jutsu, resembling a natural disaster.
Kaito couldn't help but marvel at the tailed beast's chakra power.
This large-scale wind style technique ranks at least A-rank, possibly S-rank.
Ordinary ninjas can only cast two or three before exhausting their chakra.
Tailed Beasts, however, wield such massive jutsu carelessly, with no concern for chakra consumption.
"Is that you?" Shukaku, seemingly amused, looked at Kaito with a mix of surprise and unease.
"You know me?" Kaito frowned, confused.
Why would Shukaku fear him?
"Don't you recognize me?" Shukaku asked, pointing to himself.
"Should I?" Kaito replied, even more puzzled.
No recognition? That's too much. More than a decade ago, you beat me to near destruction, and now you don't even remember me? Unbelievable. I could tolerate it, but you can't.
If I had the chance, I'd show you what a real fight with a tailed beast looks like.
"Ah! Hahaha! If you don't know me, then you don't know me! I've got other things to do. I'm out of here!" Shukaku laughed and retreated decisively back into Gaara's sealed space without a fight.
You think I'm a fool? You easily defeated me over ten years ago; now, more than a decade later, you expect me to believe you don't know me?
"You're probably pretending not to know me so you can catch me off guard, but I won't fall for it!"
Shukaku, thinking he'd seen through everything, kept wild thoughts in his mind.
Yet how is this kid still so young after all these years? If not for the chakra that matched the masked man from over ten years ago, he wouldn't believe they were the same.
"Forget it! There are countless secret techniques in the ninja world; why worry about this? I've had a good day outside. Now I'm going to sleep," Shukaku thought contentedly.
At the same time—
After Shukaku willingly returned to Gaara, sand poured from the sky like the Milky Way, lacking any chakra support.
Snap!
Gaara collapsed heavily.
Kaito picked Gaara up casually, sensed Naruto and the others' location, and vanished instantly.
"Hinata, do you think Kaito can defeat this monster?" Naruto asked nervously from a large tree.
"Yes!" Hinata replied firmly, full of confidence in Kaito, though worry still lingered in her eyes.
"Let's hope so. Otherwise, I'll have to summon the Toad Boss!" Naruto said confidently, though uncertainty gnawed at him.
"Look! The monster disappeared!" Ino pointed into the distance.
Indeed, it vanished. Naruto was thrilled, "Kaito is amazing!"
"That's expected!" Kaito appeared suddenly before Naruto and the others.
To be honest, he was confused about this fight.
Forget it. I'll think about it later. Now is not the time for questions.
Kaito pushed aside his doubts.