Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

The tailed beast that suddenly appeared on the battlefield threw all the Rock ninjas into chaos, and even the Konoha forces in the distance became tense when they saw Kokuō waving its five tails.

At this moment, Hatake Sakumo didn't care whether the members of the barrier team still had the strength and ordered them to quickly repair the barrier. The violent chakra of the Five-Tails pierced through the massive hole in the barrier, exerting immense pressure on everyone present.

"That bastard! How dare he. How dare he!"

Roshi gritted his teeth, glaring at Kokuo, who had appeared before him. From the corner of his eye, he saw Han lying motionless on the ground not far away. He could feel Han's life force slipping away.

Without the Tailed Beast's chakra, there was no chance of survival.

Kokuō, whose chakra had surged to its peak, had fully regained consciousness. Twisting its neck, it let out a sharp roar—a sound reminiscent of a horse but far more piercing. With that roar, an explosive surge of chakra erupted from Kokuō, creating powerful gusts of wind that swept across the battlefield.

"Oh, wow! What an overwhelming presence," someone exclaimed.

"It's just Five-Tails, but the sense of oppression is incredible!"

Raiden leaned forward slightly, carefully sensing Kokuō's power. This was the first time he had truly seen a Tailed Beast outside its cage. The immense pressure was startling, even for him.

Suddenly, Kokuō turned its head, ignoring the Rock ninjas in front of it. Its eyes pierced through the night mist and locked onto Raiden. Chakra began to condense in its mouth.

"Damnit (What the heck)!"

"Why am I the target?"

Raiden's back shivered. Kokuō's gaze filled him with a profound sense of danger. Quickly, he leapt away, narrowly avoiding the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb. The attack obliterated the mountaintop, reducing its height by tens of meters in an instant.

Shards of rock scattered everywhere as the mountain shattered, and fiery explosions illuminated the night sky. Even the stars seemed to dim in comparison.

After unleashing the attack, Kokuō hesitated, unable to sense Raiden's presence. Reluctantly, it turned its focus elsewhere. Just then, several Rock ninjas, holding a massive scroll, leapt forward. As Kokuō turned its head, they unfurled the scroll, attempting to entrap it.

Enraged, Kokuō unleashed a torrent of water from its hooves, instantly tearing through the scroll and flooding the battlefield. The area transformed into a swampy river, scattering the Rock ninjas caught in the sudden deluge.

"A good opportunity!"

Hidden in the shadows, Raiden's eyes lit up as he saw the chaos. Lightning-style ninjutsu flashed in the night sky as he entered the water. The electric current surged through the water, shocking any ninjas unable to evade it. Even Kokuō, at the center, bore the brunt of the attack.

"Roar!"

The pain drove Kokuō into a frenzy, launching indiscriminate attacks. The remaining Rock ninjas, overwhelmed by Raiden's ambush and Kokuō's rampage, fell one after another. The river became a graveyard, stained red with blood.

Under Kokuō's onslaught, the Rock ninjas suffered heavy casualties.

"Quick, regroup here!"

Ignoring Raiden in the shadows, Roshi withdrew to a stone platform, rallying the surviving ninjas. A few elite Jonin gathered around him, weapons in hand, scanning their surroundings vigilantly.

"Use the Iron Prison!"

Under Roshi's orders, the ninjas formed seals and shouted in unison: "Earth Style: Iron Prison!"

An iron wall materialized around Kokuō, encasing it completely. Even the water flowing from its hooves was blocked. As more ninjas regrouped, Roshi commanded, "Use the Core Pit!"

The ground beneath Kokuō's hooves began to sink, forming a massive pit. Kokuō tried to leap free, but Roshi, partially transformed into a tailed beast state, appeared overhead and unleashed a Tailed Beast Bomb, forcing Kokuō deeper into the pit.

"Boom!"

Kokuō crashed into the pit, glaring upward with fury.

Raiden, observing from the shadows, was stunned. He hadn't expected the Rock ninjas to trap Kokuō so easily. While Earth Style was effective against grounded tailed beasts, Kokuō's immense power made such suppression remarkable.

"This Roshi is far more tactical than the Third Hokage or Minato," Raiden muttered. "He didn't send his ninjas into a mindless charge but used Earth Style to restrict Kokuō's movements—a far wiser approach than the old man's reckless strategies."

As Raiden contemplated, the Rock ninjas prepared a massive boulder adorned with sealing tags. Just as the boulder was about to fall, a lightning arrow shattered it, destroying the seals in an instant.

Roshi's expression darkened. "Focus on restraining the Tailed Beast with Rock Pillars. Be cautious—he might attack again. I'll deal with him!"

Roshi quickly pursued the source of the lightning arrow, leaving the remaining ninjas to reinforce the restraints. Pillars of rock surged from the pit's walls, pinning Kokuō in place. Despite its struggles, the tailed beast's movements were entirely restricted.

"Impressive. They've managed to suppress Kokuō," Raiden remarked. "But it's only temporary. The Tailed Beast's chakra is limitless, unlike the ninjas' chakra. Once they're exhausted, Kokuō will break free."

Drawing the Sakegari no Tachi, Raiden smirked. "Time to keep Roshi busy."

Roshi, now fully transformed into his tailed beast state, launched a fierce punch at Raiden, but Raiden parried with his blade. Sparks flew as their clash sent shockwaves across the battlefield.

Though injured, Roshi's chakra flared brighter than before, encasing him in molten armor. With his transformation incomplete, Roshi stood like a monster, radiating overwhelming power.

Raiden narrowed his eyes, lightning sparking around him. The real battle had just begun.

(End of Chapter)