The battle between the Tailed Beasts was simple and unadorned—just a series of collisions and counterattacks.
Chōmei and Kokuō were no different, except that Chōmei, in his current chakra form, couldn't be hurt. Even if his chakra was scattered, he could just reform it with little effort. On the other hand, Kokuō was beginning to show visible wounds, all caused by Chōmei's claws.
"Damn it! Why aren't you flesh and blood!"
"Isn't he your Jinchūriki? What's going on here?"
The more Kokuō fought, the more frustrated she became. The Chōmei before her was definitely Chōmei—she would never mistake his chakra signature.
But why was Chōmei in a pure chakra form? Could a fully manifested Tailed Beast still fight like this? And what about that Jinchūriki—why was he still able to move? Since when could Jinchūriki and their Tailed Beasts function like this?
Even Kurama couldn't manage this, right?
Of course, if Kazuyama Gekkō could hear her thoughts, he'd surely respond, "Oh honey, just wait. Kurama actually can in the future—he just needs to stay inside the Jinchūriki."
"Hahaha! Why do you care!"
"Keep fighting! I'm beating you down today!"
Chōmei had never felt this good. His last fight with Shukaku ended too quickly—barely satisfying at all. And besides, Shukaku wasn't even that harsh on him. Compared to Kokuō or Son Gokū, the tanuki was downright gentle. Then again, all of Shukaku's attention was always on Kurama.
No surprise there. One tail vs. nine tails—of course there'd be friction.
This time, though, with his Tailed Beast synchronization ability, Chōmei was finally letting off years of pent-up frustration.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Steam exploded from Kokuō's body as her power surged again. She looked like an enraged red bull as she rammed headlong into Chōmei.
A single brutal hit sent Chōmei flying. In the next instant, a monstrous wave of chakra began to form.
Another Tailed Beast Ball. This time, Kokuō poured even more terrifying chakra into it. If physical attacks didn't work, she'd end it in one shot with a full-power blast.
"Chōmei, fall back!"
"We're coming in!"
Kazuyama had no intention of dragging this out. A measly Five-Tails—he was already bored.
For someone as lazy as him, this much fighting was already a rare thing.
"Alright!"
"Kazuyama, which one are we using? You gonna smack her with the Tailed Beast Ball? Or blast her?"
Chōmei knew exactly how terrifying Kazuyama's use of Tailed Beast Balls could be. To this day, he still didn't understand how Kazuyama managed to hold one in his hand and use it like a grenade.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
"No need. Just focus on charging—leave the rest to me."
Kazuyama stood atop Chōmei's head, forming a hand seal and helping channel chakra.
In no time, their combined chakra formed into a perfect sphere. The Tailed Beast Ball materialized instantly.
Now, two massive beasts stood facing each other, their attacks about to collide.
"Who says Tailed Beast Balls have to be round?"
"Chōmei, let me show you something new."
Kazuyama extended both hands, and suddenly Chōmei felt like he was losing control of his own chakra body.
His six wings wrapped tightly around the Tailed Beast Ball, and his six razor-sharp claws gripped it.
Normally, the unstable chakra in a Tailed Beast Ball would detonate instantly under pressure. But somehow, Chōmei's movements didn't trigger an explosion.
Then, just as the Tailed Beast Ball was absorbed into Chōmei's body, his voice rang out in alarm.
"What the hell! Kazuyama, what are you doing?! I can't move!"
"Eh? Eh? Eh?"
"I! #@¥! #¥!"
Kazuyama took over all further actions.
"Tailed Beast Ball—Beam!"
The moment the Tailed Beast Ball was absorbed into Chōmei, it exploded with violent force. Black light burst from his horns.
It was the result of the chakra condensing to the extreme—the Tailed Beast Ball shifting in nature.
A black beam shot forth.
At the same moment, Kokuō's Tailed Beast Ball was released.
Boom!
The two attacks collided. But instead of a normal Tailed Beast Ball clash, something shocking happened.
Kazuyama and Chōmei's beam pierced straight through Kokuō's Tailed Beast Ball.
"No way!"
Kokuō was stunned. That was a full-fledged Tailed Beast Ball. Not even Kurama could punch through it with equal power.
"AAHHH!!"
"Bastard!!"
A moment later, unbearable pain tore through her as the beam struck directly. The power behind it went far beyond anything she'd ever experienced.
She'd taken hits from Tailed Beast Balls before—but none of them hurt like this.
"Holy crap!! Kazuyama, that was amazing!"
"Keep it going! More power!"
"All my chakra's yours!"
Chōmei was overjoyed by the sight. He tried to channel more chakra to help, but realized he didn't need to—his chakra was already moving on its own.
Kazuyama said nothing, just continued to fire the Tailed Beast Ball Beam.
Its overwhelming power blasted Kokuō straight into the ocean. It wasn't that she didn't want to stand on the surface—it was that she couldn't.
That beam was too strong.
"AAAHHH!!"
Screaming in pain, Kokuō was now just a fish in the sea—a very miserable one.
"Chōmei, how do you kill a Tailed Beast?"
"Kill the Jinchūriki."
"No kidding. But where is the Jinchūriki now?"
"Beats me. You figure it out."
Kazuyama sighed. Why had he even asked? Totally useless answer.
Still, there was no other way. He'd just have to press on.
Once the beam stopped, Kazuyama returned to the ocean's surface, with Chōmei right behind him.
"Why hasn't she resurfaced yet?"
"How would I know? Wanna go look?"
Kazuyama had only said it offhandedly, but Chōmei actually dove in.
A massive wave surged up, nearly drowning Kazuyama.
"Damn you, Chōmei! Couldn't give me a heads-up first?!"
"Shit!"
He managed to dodge the wave, grumbling to himself.
But not long after, Chōmei burst out of the water again—with someone hooked on his tail.
"Oh?"
"Back to human form?"
Kazuyama looked at the unconscious Jinchūriki, Han, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Perfect. That meant the Tailed Beast Ball Beam had worked brilliantly. It had forcibly driven Kokuō back into Han's body.
Which made sense. Unless the Jinchūriki was perfect, they couldn't use the Tailed Beast's power indefinitely, and the Beast couldn't roam free.
Clearly, Han was no perfect Jinchūriki.