NOVEL NEXT Chapter 83: One tail loses
The battle between Sasuke and the growing Shukaku was intense. Despite Gaara's transformation not yet being complete, Shukaku's influence was steadily amplifying, his size continuing to increase as sand enveloped his form, building up into a monstrous shape. Sasuke, however, kept his focus razor-sharp, knowing that his goal wasn't to kill Gaara but to incapacitate Shukaku before the beast could unleash full-scale destruction on Konoha.
Using his Sharingan to track Shukaku's movements, Sasuke dodged the sweeping attacks of sand with fluid precision, closing in on Gaara with bursts of speed and well-timed strikes. Lightning chakra crackled in his hands as he channeled it through his attacks, each bolt of energy cutting through the sand armor that Shukaku tried to use for defense. This lightning affinity was Sasuke's advantage, as it directly countered Shukaku's earth-based sand, allowing him to break through layers of defense and disrupt the transformation.
Yet, as the battle continued, Shukaku's power surged, and his attacks grew more relentless. Waves of sand lashed out with greater force, forcing Sasuke to dodge with increasing urgency. Still, he pressed on, determined to find a way to reach Gaara within the swirling storm of sand and overpower Shukaku's influence before the transformation completed.
Shukaku had finally reached his full form, towering over the trees with a size that dwarfed anything in sight. His massive body of compacted sand cast a shadow across the forest, and Sasuke's attacks, which had previously disrupted Gaara's defenses, now seemed barely effective against the sheer bulk of Shukaku's fully manifested form. Every strike from his katana merely chipped away at the sand, failing to cause any significant damage to the beast.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun with its three tomoe, tracking Shukaku's movements and defenses, but he knew he'd reached a limit. The three-tomoe Sharingan allowed him to read and predict Shukaku's attacks, but it wasn't enough to match this immense power. His lightning techniques were dwarfed by Shukaku's sheer mass, and every attempt to close in was met with powerful waves of sand that forced him back.
Sasuke darted around Shukaku, his Sharingan blazing as he analyzed each of the giant tanuki's destructive moves. Shukaku's claws tore through trees and rocks, siending waves of sand crashing around the forest. But Sasuke stayed one step ahead, weaving through the chaos with swift, precise movements.
"Stay still, little Uchiha!" Shukaku roared, his voice echoing across the forest as he sent a torrent of sand hurling toward Sasuke.
Sasuke smirked, charging his katana with lightning chakra. "Not a chance, beast. You'll have to try harder than that."
With a swift flick of his blade, Sasuke sliced through the sand wave, his lightning chakra overpowering the earth-based sand. As he moved, he kept his eyes on Shukaku's core, waiting for an opening to strike. He knew the key to victory lay in taking down Gaara, who was deep in the trance of his transformation.
"Chidori!" Sasuke shouted, his hand crackling with the high-pitched chirp of lightning as he charged at Shukaku's massive body. He aimed his Chidori at one of Shukaku's arms, hoping to weaken the beast's defenses.
The Chidori tore through Shukaku's sandy arm, causing the beast to bellow in pain. Sand scattered into the air as Sasuke skidded back, watching as the arm slowly reformed, though the beast seemed more irritated than before.
"You're starting to annoy me, brat!" Shukaku roared, swinging his tail in a massive arc toward Sasuke.
But Sasuke anticipated the move, leaping high into the air and charging another Chidori in his hand. With a burst of speed, he closed in on Shukaku's head, aiming directly for Gaara.
Just as Sasuke was about to land the blow, Shukaku formed a wall of sand, blocking Sasuke's attack and sending him flying back. Sasuke landed gracefully, narrowing his eyes as he assessed the situation. "This won't be easy… but I can't let him reach the village."
As Shukaku prepared for another attack, Sasuke decided to up his game. He activated the second level of his cursed seal, feeling the dark power surge through him as markings spread across his body, increasing his strength and speed.
"Alright, Shukaku," Sasuke said, his voice filled with newfound confidence. "Let's see how well you handle this."
With renewed energy, Sasuke dashed toward Shukaku once more, ready to end the battle before the beast could wreak any more havoc.
Sasuke moved with exceptional agility, weaving through Shukaku's massive attacks with precision and speed that left the Tailed Beast visibly frustrated. Shukaku roared, each swipe of his colossal arms tearing up trees and sending waves of sand crashing through the forest, but Sasuke was always a step ahead, darting in and out of range before the strikes could land.
Although Sasuke's attacks lacked the scale to damage Shukaku significantly, his relentless speed and ability to evade were beginning to wear down Gaara's control over the beast. Shukaku's patience was thinning, and his strikes grew more erratic as he tried to catch the nimble Uchiha, who continued to close the distance only to withdraw again, staying just beyond reach.
Realizing that frustrating Shukaku was buying him precious time, Sasuke kept up the strategy, waiting for an opening. He needed to push Gaara to the brink, to exhaust the chakra keeping Shukaku in control, if he had any hope of bringing the beast to a halt. As Shukaku's roars echoed through the forest, Sasuke knew he was edging closer to his goal—but he also sensed he was running out of time before Gaara's chakra fully aligned with Shukaku's, which would make the beast nearly unstoppable.
Realizing the sheer magnitude of chakra that Shukaku held, Sasuke knew he had to go all out to bring the beast down before it overwhelmed him. He steadied his stance, summoning every ounce of his chakra to form his most powerful lightning technique yet.
"Let's put an end to this," he murmured with determination, his hands moving swiftly to form the necessary seals. Channeling his lightning chakra to its peak, he unleashed
Lightning Style: Kirin.
A massive lightning dragon roared to life above him, its serpentine form crackling with electric energy, illuminating the sky as it surged toward Shukaku.
The beast, already weakened by Sasuke's previous strikes, was unable to withstand the full force of the massive lightning dragon. The intense bolt of lightning tore through Shukaku's sandy body, disintegrating it from within. Unable to maintain its form any longer, Shukaku collapsed, his chakra dispersing back into Gaara, causing the Tailed Beast's massive form to dissolve.
Gaara, his energy completely drained, reverted back to his normal state and fell to the ground, unconscious. The forest grew quiet once more, and Sasuke, though exhausted, stood victorious, his Sharingan fading as he caught his breath.