Lao Zi raised his head to the sky and howled — a sound full of violence and soul-deep exhilaration.
Uchiha Tatsumi also stared at Lao Zi in the distance.
The latter's body hadn't undergone a full transformation, but red chakra now cloaked him — a clear sign of a Version 1 Tailed Beast Cloak.
Though Lao Zi appeared frenzied, he still retained his consciousness. Emotionally, the influence of the Tailed Beast Chakra made him violently aggressive.
He beat his chest with both hands like a gorilla — fitting for someone influenced by Son Gokū, the Four-Tails, a beast often associated with great physical strength.
"He's already able to control the Tailed Beast's power to this degree?" Uchiha Tatsumi frowned.
Lao Zi's chakra surged. "Come then! Show me the true power of Konoha's shinobi!"
To him, killing these two ninja was mere sport.
It was no surprise he thought so. In the world of shinobi, Jinchūriki were often among the strongest weapons a village possessed.
With such confidence, he couldn't help underestimating Sakumo.
Sakumo Hatake remained silent. A man of few words, especially in battle, he had no habit of wasting breath on enemies.
The brief pause after their exchange was for him to recover chakra. That last blow had taken more than expected — not enough to empty his reserves, but enough to warrant a moment's breath.
Lao Zi wasn't about to let him. He dashed forward, driving a powerful punch toward Sakumo. This time, he was clearly faster — significantly so.
In his current state, enhanced by the Four-Tails' chakra, Lao Zi's movements were almost like those seen in the Lightning Release Chakra Mode used by the Third Raikage — swift and explosive.
After enduring a few powerful strikes, Sakumo realized the rhythm was off. He used the Body Flicker Technique to evade and gain distance.
"Not bad speed," Lao Zi sneered.
With the Tailed Beast's chakra fueling him, Lao Zi's speed and strength were nothing short of extraordinary. Most shinobi wouldn't even be able to track his movements.
Sakumo turned toward Uchiha Tatsumi. Tatsumi instantly understood: Sakumo needed time — and that meant he had to create an opening.
However, Tatsumi wasn't entirely confident that genjutsu would still be effective on Lao Zi in this state. Tailed Beasts could interfere with or outright cancel genjutsu by disrupting their Jinchūriki's chakra flow.
But judging by Lao Zi's behavior, his bond with the Four-Tails didn't seem harmonious. So Tatsumi decided to try.
His Sharingan spun rapidly, and though his chakra reserves were strained, he poured enough into casting a genjutsu to momentarily halt Lao Zi's charge.
"It's working," Tatsumi muttered, watching Lao Zi's steps falter.
In that brief window, Sakumo's hands blurred through a series of seals. "Hachigi Secret Art!"
Chakra surged within him, and his presence grew more intense.
Once Lao Zi broke free of the genjutsu, he roared — flames and chakra erupting around him, distorting the air itself with the heat.
"Lava Release: Flower-Fruit Mountain!"
Molten chakra poured from his body. Magma surged across the battlefield, spreading out like a blazing tide.
The sea of lava scorched the ground, racing to encircle Sakumo. But the White Fang didn't flinch — his short sword flashed once, splitting the earth and parting the magma with raw chakra and precision.
Lao Zi narrowed his eyes. Something had changed. Sakumo's strength had jumped.
But he knew this couldn't last. Secret techniques came with limits.
Lao Zi pushed in again, fist glowing with searing heat. The punch targeted Sakumo's chest — only to be intercepted by the short sword. The impact, however, felt like a hammer, not a blade.
The force of it sent Lao Zi skidding backward.
Sakumo was relentless. Powered by the secret art, his chakra-infused short sword glowed like lightning, and this time, his attack sent Lao Zi flying.
The forest shook with the impact. Thunderous clashes echoed as trees withered under the raw elemental force.
Despite the Tailed Beast Cloak, Lao Zi was driven to one knee. The white blade pierced his left arm, slicing through the chakra shroud and drawing blood.
Red droplets fell.
"I haven't been wounded in years… You're stronger than I expected," Lao Zi admitted.
He had rarely met opponents who could pierce the defenses granted by the Four-Tails — but Sakumo Hatake had done it with sheer skill and force.
"You're the first who's dared to meet my strength head-on," Sakumo replied coldly.
Yet even he was troubled. Despite unleashing his secret art, it had taken several strikes just to injure Lao Zi — a testament to the Jinchūriki's raw durability.
"In that case… Lightning Release: Gale Blade!"
This was a jutsu Sakumo had spent years refining — blending kenjutsu and Lightning Release. Though not yet perfected, it was his trump card.
Bolts of lightning exploded from his blade, filling the air.
In an instant, the battlefield was flooded with crackling energy. Thunder and lightning surged like a net, spreading across the sky and ground.
Sakumo's figure blurred, dancing between arcs of lightning, while Lao Zi was engulfed.
Uchiha Tatsumi's heart raced. Watching this technique, he could hardly resist the urge to memorize it — a forbidden brilliance he craved to replicate.
Moments later, the storm subsided.
From the center of the ruin, a figure staggered out — Lao Zi.
His body was burned and bleeding. The red chakra shroud was torn and flickering.
The tortoise shell… had finally cracked.
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