"ROAR!"
The massive beast howled once more as it saw that tiny insect charging toward it—Sakura. With a thunderous snarl, Matatabi extended her enormous paw and swatted down toward Sakura!
"DIE!!!"
Gathering chakra into her fist, Sakura let out a furious cry and met the strike head-on with a punch!
To face off against a Tailed Beast with nothing but one's physical body—only the Third Raikage of the Hidden Cloud had dared such madness before.
But now, there was someone else!
The size difference between them was vast. It was like watching an ant flip over a mountain—utterly unbelievable!
Matatabi's enormous body was sent flying, crashing through the roof and out into the open!
"You've got to be kidding me…"
Darui, who hadn't run far, stopped in his tracks, eyes wide as he watched the Two-Tails get launched by a single punch.
"ROOOOOAR!!!"
The hit had only enraged Matatabi further. Her furious howl shook the heavens and the earth!
And it wasn't just an illusion. The whole world really was trembling!
Her roar stirred the fury of nature itself. The snow-capped mountains began to quake, echoing the beast's rage.
Then—an avalanche!
A white torrent surged forth like a stampede of ten thousand wild horses, charging with a deafening roar toward both Sakura and Matatabi!
"Aw hell no. I'm out of here!"
Darui didn't hesitate. He vanished in a flicker.
"Sarutobi-sama!"
"Protect Sasuke and the others!"
Sakura ignored the beast lunging toward her again and instead turned to call out to Enma.
"Sakura!"
"What about you?!"
The Monkey King could clearly sense the avalanche barreling their way, and his tone was filled with concern.
"I still have Katsuyu."
"Go—now!"
Facing Sakura's resolute and unyielding eyes, Enma saw in her the same golden figure who once stood alone before the Nine-Tails.
"…I understand."
"I'll come back for you."
Without further hesitation, Enma turned and dashed in the direction where Shino and the others had gone.
The avalanche's path would soon engulf the entire region. At Shino and Kiba's current speed—especially while carrying a severely injured Sasuke—they had no chance of escaping it.
Back at the battlefield, Sakura turned to face the charging Matatabi once more, a wild and fearless grin curling on her lips.
"Come on, kitty!"
There was no more reason to hold back, no more fear about triggering an avalanche—it was already on its way.
Now Sakura could finally unleash her full strength and teach this unruly feline some manners!
BOOM!
The ground beneath her shattered like glass as she launched herself forward!
The clash between girl and beast began in earnest.
Their fists and claws slammed into one another with thunderous impact, like war drums shaking the heavens.
"ROAR!!!"
The first strike from Matatabi had been casual, but now that she knew Sakura's strength, she wasn't going to hold back.
Size does equal power. And Matatabi's massive frame gave her no shortage of it.
With a sweeping motion, she brought down her massive claw to crush Sakura!
But Sakura didn't dodge.
She raised one hand and caught the paw head-on.
Even with her monstrous strength, the impact made her knees bend slightly.
Still—
With her other hand, she grabbed the edge of Matatabi's paw—and that was when the beast bared her claws!
Caught off guard, Sakura couldn't react in time. Her face was slashed, blood splattering!
"Damn it!"
What's with everyone aiming for my face lately?! Is it because I'm too damn pretty?!
"You want to beat me?!"
"Then bring the Sage of Six Paths!"
With a thunderous shout, she released all of her monstrous strength!
In an instant, the gigantic beast was lifted.
"SLAM!!!"
With a war cry, Sakura smashed Matatabi's body into the already ruined earth like a ragdoll!
"MEOW!!!"
Matatabi shrieked, flailing as she tried to rise. But just as she got her bearings, the relentless pink pest was already scaling up her limb!
"HEAVEN'S PAIN KICK!!"
Sakura launched a powerful roundhouse kick straight into Matatabi's chin!
Even the Tailed Beast saw stars and rolled her eyes from the impact.
"You damn cat!"
"Be a good kitty!"
As the behemoth staggered to her feet, Sakura charged again.
But in that moment—Matatabi's mouth opened, chakra rapidly swirling inside.
She was forming a sphere of energy—fast.
A Tailed Beast Bomb?!
No. It wasn't a full one—it was too quick. This was a Tailed Beast Bullet!
Sakura's eyes turned fierce.
She pushed her speed even further, charging straight in!
"You're a cat! Act like one!"
"You think you're so strong? Then go catch some rats, damn it!"
In a blur of pink, she appeared before Matatabi once more!
Her arms stretched wide.
With a sudden surge, she gripped the beast's upper and lower jaws—one in each hand—and forced them shut!
The Tailed Beast Bullet, trapped inside, exploded in Matatabi's mouth.
BOOM!!!
A muffled boom echoed from within Matatabi's body!
Her slim feline form ballooned slightly from the internal blast, smoke curling from her jaws.
But of course, for a creature made purely of chakra, this wasn't a fatal injury.
"MEOWWW!!!"
Matatabi howled, thrashing her head in a panic, trying to dislodge Sakura.
But no matter how she shook or rolled, the pink-haired demon wouldn't come off.
She clung to her like super glue—hitting her over and over again!
Each punch landed like a meteor. Even a Tailed Beast couldn't take that forever.
The massive Two-Tails thrashed on the ground, rolling and squirming in fury, shaking the earth beneath them.
And that only accelerated the avalanche's arrival!
"ROAR!!"
With her chakra-enhanced knuckles, Sakura landed another blow straight to Matatabi's skull.
The beast yowled like a kitten, utterly humiliated.
Once, Wu Song had slain a tiger with his bare hands.
Now, Sakura was pummeling a cat!
And then—
The avalanche hit.
Like the wrath of the gods, a white tidal wave roared across the land, filling Sakura's vision in an instant.
The deafening roar of ice and snow engulfed her and Matatabi, burying them completely!
Even the heavens and the earth seemed to scream in the face of such destructive fury.
Sakura clung to Matatabi's fur with everything she had, refusing to let go, even as they were thrown into the air like twigs in a storm.
The world spun.
Sakura felt her stomach churn, almost vomiting from the disorientation. But still—her grip never loosened.
Amid the roar of snow and ice, she could still hear Matatabi's furious howls.
And Matatabi—she could feel that same damned parasite still stuck to her!
She hadn't felt this helpless even during her fights with Kurama!
In that moment, the mighty Matatabi wanted to cry.
Dammit, Yugi—couldn't you find me a more normal opponent?!
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(End of Chapter)