Chapter 41: Duel with the One-Tail!

"BunTai, do Itachi know those two old men?"

Fujinaka Genma pretended not to recognize Bunko.

"Hmm!"

BunTai gave a low reply, then drew a deep breath and exhaled smoke.

Meanwhile, the Sand Ninja retreated in disorder.

Komaizou wasted no time: "We'll rely on Itachi now!"

Bunko looked up at Fujinaka Genma atop BunTai’s head, sighed, said nothing, and let his eyelids fall.

Immediately, terrifying chakra erupted from his body.

Komaizou swiftly retreated.

"Little Genma, be careful—the monster is coming out!"

BunTai shouted a warning.

Fujinaka Genma’s heart involuntarily tightened.

The mission to kill ten thousand enemies—surely not simple!

The One-Tail? It’s no ordinary thing!

Powerful wind techniques, and sealing arts!

"Yohoh!"

A triumphant shriek rang out.

Amidst a massive surge of chakra, a monstrous tanuki covered in purple markings had replaced Bunko.

"I’m finally out!"

Shukaku awoke and roared long and loud.

Jiraiya, pinned down by Granny Chiyo’s group, heard the sound and turned pale: "The One-Tail’s out!"

He looked up—indeed, two colossal beings now faced each other.

Granny Chiyo’s expression changed instantly; she gave the order: "Withdraw!"

When the One-Tail goes berserk, it doesn’t distinguish friend from foe.

The Sand Ninja retreated en masse.

"Lord Jiraiya, what do we do?"

"Genma’s child is over there facing that monster!"

Sarutobi Haruno cried out anxiously.

Jiraiya hadn’t expected the Sand Ninja to release the One-Tail so decisively; his face darkened and he waved his hand: "Alert everyone to avoid that area."

"I’ll go myself!"

Before he finished speaking, Jiraiya vanished from his spot.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru, rushing toward the scene, saw Shukaku: "This is going to be troublesome."

"Jiraiya, and that child—don’t die so easily now!"

…

Looking at Shukaku, whose size dwarfed BunTai’s, Fujinaka Genma exhaled a heavy breath.

Today, it looks like I’ll have to fight to the death!

But.

A thought crept into his mind.

Could I try seizing Shukaku and sealing it inside myself?

"Forget it!"

"With my current chakra, even Golden Sealing might not fully contain him!"

"Besides, I must still prepare for sealing the Nine-Tails!"

As he thought this, Fujinaka Genma feigned curiosity to BunTai: "What is this monster? Such immense chakra!"

"A Tailed Beast!"

"A chakra monster!"

"This one’s called Shukaku!"

BunTai quickly explained.

Across from them, Shukaku had fixed his gaze on them: "Yohoh! I’ll kill Itachi!"

"Watch out—I’m jumping!"

BunTai sheathed his blade.

Then Fujinaka Genma saw Shukaku press one paw to his belly, open his mouth, and spit out a massive wind sphere crowned with white light, roaring toward them.

Wind Style: Wind Ball!

BunTai pushed off with his hind legs, leapt into the air, brought his forelegs together, and spat out a colossal water sphere.

Shukaku looked up and fired three in rapid succession.

Water spheres and wind spheres collided and exploded, drenching the entire area in torrential rain, soaking both the Hidden Leaf and Sand Ninja alike.

Jiraiya, rushing toward the battlefield, was caught in the blast and flung backward.

Summoning Jutsu!

Jiraiya bit his finger and performed the Summoning Jutsu again, calling forth Gamabunta.

…

Seeing the familiar scene, Fujinaka Genma summoned a Wind Style: Rasengan and hurled it, canceling out Shukaku’s third Wind Ball.

"Well done!"

BunTai praised, landing and spinning around swiftly.

"BunTai, restrain his movements—I’ll finish him!"

Fujinaka Genma shouted.

"That’s a tough ask!"

BunTai sighed helplessly: "I don’t have claws or fangs."

"Simple—I’ll use Transformation Jutsu!"

Fujinaka Genma formed hand seals and created another Shadow Clone.

"Then let’s begin!"

"Destroy this lowly monster!"

BunTai roared.

Meanwhile, Shukaku turned around, shrieked, and spat out a torrent of sand bullets—hissing like rain, engulfing BunTai and Fujinaka Genma.

BunTai had no choice but to cast another technique, summoning a massive water curtain to block every incoming sand bullet.

"Charge!"

Fujinaka Genma shouted.

"Got it!"

BunTai charged forward.

The Shadow Clone prepared Transformation Jutsu, while Fujinaka Genma himself formed a Wind Style: Rasengan in each hand.

Whoosh!

BunTai tore through his own water curtain; Fujinaka Genma immediately hurled both Rasengans.

"Such a technique… appearing in a mere human child…"

"But then, I must kill Itachi even more thoroughly!"

Shukaku’s eyes narrowed, and the Wind Ball reappeared.

And again, instinctively, three in a row.

Two collided with two Rasengans, sending up billowing dust; the third streaked straight toward the charging BunTai.

"Die, toad!"

Shukaku shrieked with glee.

"Lowly monster!"

BunTai roared in fury.

"Leave it to me!"

Fujinaka Genma watched the roaring wind sphere hurtling toward him; golden chakra glowed faintly around his body, and chains clinked as they extended.

Four Golden Chains shot out like four divine dragons, shattering the oncoming wind sphere.

Then BunTai tore through the dust, the Transformation Jutsu completed in an instant—he became a golden divine dragon with five-clawed paws.

Jiraiya, arriving atop Gamabunta’s head, saw this and laughed aloud: "Brilliant idea!"

The dragon-form BunTai seized Shukaku’s forelimbs with ease, coiled his tail around Shukaku’s body, and immobilized him completely.

Meanwhile, Fujinaka Genma’s body crackled with white lightning; on his Thunder Fang, a pure blade of lightning extended.

Then, with both hands, he brought the blade down.

High-Frequency Thunder Blade!

Shukaku sensed danger; at the last moment, he twisted his head—so Fujinaka Genma’s blade struck his forelimb instead, cleanly severing the entire massive right limb.

Boom!

After the right forelimb of Shukaku broke free from its body, it immediately turned into a vast expanse of sand and fell to the ground.

“Fall back!”

Fujinaka Genma sheathed his blade and shouted, while his shadow clone leapt down from above Bunta’s head, holding a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken in his hands.

The transformation ended, and Bunta retreated.

The shadow clone thrust the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken directly into Shukaku’s face.

The Wind Release: Rasenshuriken erupted, its rapidly expanding sphere engulfing Shukaku, blinding light making it impossible to look directly.

“Good job, Genma!”

Bunta landed and sincerely praised.

On the other side, Gamabunta halted, and Jiraiya atop its head smiled: “Precise and perfect response!”

Gamabunta nodded in deep agreement: “It seems Minato has indeed taken on an extraordinary student!”

The light sphere faded; after the storm, the scene at the center of the jutsu’s explosion emerged.

Fujinaka Genma stared in surprise, then exclaimed: “Incredible!”

The face-strike attack had been blocked by Shukaku!

Blocked with sand!

But the cost was clearly enormous.

“I’ll remember Itachi!”

“Next time, I’ll kill Itachi all!”

Shukaku cast one final deep glance at Fujinaka Genma, then vanished.