Boom!!!
A black-and-blue figure crashed heavily into the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust!
Before the dust could settle, a pink-haired girl charged straight into the center of the impact!
"Roar!"
A ferocious roar erupted, instantly blowing the dust away!
"Die!"
The girl, wielding a golden staff, struck down with full force toward the figure of Yugito Nii without the slightest hesitation!
As the staff came down, the entire logistics base seemed to tremble!
Yugito narrowly dodged the powerful strike, then lunged toward Sakura, who had just exerted herself and hadn't recovered her strength yet.
But just then—an iron fist suddenly extended from the golden staff and smashed Yugito hard in the face!
The black-and-blue figure was sent flying backward by the punch and embedded straight into the distant wall!
"Don't treat me like decoration."
From within the golden staff, a muffled voice spoke as the iron fist retracted.
Sakura ignored the comment and continued her assault on Yugito—beating down the soaked… cat!
"Damn you!"
Recovering from her earlier mistake, Yugito pried herself out of the wall and once again charged toward the pink-haired girl.
However, this time, Sakura spun the staff with flair before suddenly hurling it at Yugito!
What now?
Yugito grew wary, eyes narrowing as she decided to evade the flying staff.
But—
Poof!
With a puff of white smoke, the staff transformed back into the Monkey King Enma in his true form!
"Hey, little kitty…"
Enma grinned menacingly as he brushed past Yugito.
!!
At the moment they crossed paths, Enma's powerful tail suddenly wrapped around Yugito's ankle!
The Tailed Beast chakra cloaking her meant little to Enma's nearly indestructible body—he could resist it without issue!
With her ankle entangled, Yugito lost her balance instantly!
Enma swiftly spun in place, and with a mighty hurl, flung the Two-Tails Jinchūriki straight at Sakura!
"Meow!!"
At that moment, Yugito almost lost control of the Tailed Beast chakra threatening to devour her!
Seeing Yugito flying toward her, Sakura already had her knuckle dusters on.
Die!
In that instant, Yugito seemed to see a giant kanji for "Death" flash through her mind!
Sakura stepped forward—cracking the ground beneath her with a single footstep—and charged up power. Her gaze remained cold as she met the oncoming Yugito head-on.
Her terrifying monster strength erupted through her fist, landing squarely in Yugito's midsection!
An invisible shockwave burst from the point of impact. Yugito's body instantly dissolved into black-blue flames that scattered across Sakura's body!
Another clone!
Without hesitation, Sakura shrugged off her flak jacket and threw it aside.
Her eyes locked onto the spot on the wall where Yugito had previously been embedded—and there, the black-and-blue figure reappeared once again.
"Heh, not bad."
"But that's all."
Sakura's voice was calm and indifferent, showing that she didn't take the so-called Yugito Nii seriously at all.
Now completely enveloped in the black-and-blue chakra of the Tailed Beast, Yugito's expression was unreadable.
"You think you've won, little brat?"
The voice that emerged from the beast-like Yugito was hoarse and low.
Sakura's strength had clearly exceeded her expectations.
For a moment, she couldn't even tell—who was the real Jinchūriki here?
Sakura's fierce and unrelenting fighting style made Yugito feel like she was battling someone just like herself.
Hoo...
Taking a deep breath, Yugito watched her opponent and slowly regulated her breathing. Then she began walking forward step by step.
She admitted—she had underestimated her opponent.
But now...
It wasn't too late!
Yugito's originally bright eyes transformed into slitted pupils!
A massive, terrifying wave of chakra surged outward like a tsunami, flooding the entire area!
"All units, retreat!"
Yugito's voice echoed through the battlefield.
The Cloud Shinobi who had been chasing Kiba and Shino halted immediately, their faces showing clear fear as they turned toward Yugito.
She didn't need to say more. With instinctive understanding, the Cloud Shinobi scattered in all directions, as though fleeing from a terrifying monster.
"Kiba, Shino."
"You guys leave too."
Sakura's expression grew heavy as she gave the order.
She knew of a mysterious place in the Hidden Cloud Village—Turtle Island.
On that island, there was something called the Falls of Truth.
There, a Jinchūriki could connect heart-to-heart with their Tailed Beast.
Which meant—
The Yugito before her... was a perfect Jinchūriki!
"Sakura?"
Kiba could clearly feel Akamaru's fear and fully understood just how terrifying Sakura's opponent was.
"Shino, get Kiba out of here."
Sakura slowly removed her forehead protector from around her neck and tucked it into her pouch.
She cracked her neck, producing a series of sharp pops.
Just then, a dark figure landed beside Yugito.
"You'll cover me from the perimeter," Yugito instructed.
"Sure, but take care of yourself."
"Later."
With that, Darui turned and bolted away—running as fast as he possibly could.
"Tch."
Sensing Darui's reaction, Yugito curled her lip in disdain.
Watching Darui retreat, Sakura remained expressionless.
She turned to Shino, who was trying to pull Kiba away and spoke:
"Sasuke's in the second-floor hallway, rear-left wing."
"...He's badly hurt."
"Please."
"And wait for me."
Shino looked back at the figure standing beside Enma, his emotions churning. He wanted to fight alongside his comrade—but all his words eventually condensed into just two.
"Will do."
Sakura and Yugito stared each other down cautiously. Once both of their comrades had evacuated, they attacked simultaneously!
The ground beneath Yugito's feet exploded!
Sakura's movement came from her monstrous strength combined with the Heavenly Cover Formation and Body Flicker Technique—causing the ground to shatter.
Yugito's method was simpler, more brutal.
Pure chakra. Overflowing, monstrous chakra!
"Matatabi, let's go!"
Yugito roared!
Her chakra burst into physical form!
A giant feline cloaked in blue chakra flames and marked with black patterns appeared before Sakura!
"Lord Enma!"
Sakura leapt lightly, landing on Enma's outstretched palm.
"Understood!"
With a powerful roar, Enma launched Sakura like a cannonball toward the massive beast!
The pink-haired girl shot forward like a comet!
The Byakugō Seal on her forehead lit up in a pale violet glow, and dark lines spread from her forehead down her entire body!
Byakugō Seal: Release!
(To Be Continued)
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