One Tail!
Captured!
Catching a Tailed Beast is no easy feat.
Decades ago, when Konoha's Nine Tails went on a rampage, countless shinobi perished. Even the Fourth Hokage had to sacrifice his life to seal it once more.
And yet—
Now another Tailed Beast has run wild. Though this time it was only the One Tail…
A Tailed Beast is still a Tailed Beast!
Nagano Yuichi.
He suppressed it before it could even turn over.
It was like watching a dream.
A crowd of shinobi stood frozen, their eyes locked on Yuichi. As Shukaku's massive form faded away, they looked as though they had been turned to stone.
Mouths hung open in disbelief. Some even forgot to breathe.
Not far away, Yuichi stood atop a giant vine.
In his hand, Gaara hung unconscious.
Yuichi turned and walked calmly toward the gathered shinobi.
"There was someone inside that monster. A shinobi of the Sand," he said lightly, lifting Gaara with one hand.
Gaara's limp body dangled like a rag doll, as if Yuichi were holding a chick by the neck.
If Gaara had been awake, he surely would have fought Yuichi to the death.
The Konoha Jōnin could only stare, speechless.
Shikaku in particular was shaken. Just seconds ago, he had been worried about how long Yuichi's chakra could last with such an overwhelming Wood Style.
Yet in the blink of an eye—
The Tailed Beast they all feared was suppressed, and its Jinchūriki captured.
Too fast.
They hadn't even had time to adjust.
Yuichi's expression was calm and natural. Even after unleashing Wood Style on such a scale, there was no trace of fatigue on his face.
This child… just how much chakra does he have? He doesn't even look strained. Monster!!
Yuichi walked forward and handed Gaara to Lu Jiu.
Caught off guard, Shikaku instinctively received him, blinking in disbelief.
"This boy isn't an ordinary shinobi. He must be kept under close watch," Yuichi said flatly, his expression unchanged.
Shikaku's mouth twitched.
Of course he isn't ordinary. He's a Jinchūriki.
Every one of the Five Great Villages guards their Jinchūriki as a vital military force.
And yet Yuichi, at his age, shouldn't even know what a Tailed Beast or Jinchūriki is.
Perhaps in his eyes, the One Tail was nothing more than a giant monster. He simply crushed it with Wood Style…
Thinking of this, Shikaku felt a twinge of pity for Shukaku. To be so easily defeated by a mere boy.
But Yuichi did know the truth. He was simply playing the part of an ignorant Genin. After all, how could a fresh graduate realistically understand the existence of Tailed Beasts?
Kakashi and Might Guy turned to Gaara's unconscious form, then exchanged looks.
Guy forced an awkward grin. "Kakashi, does this mean… we've actually captured a Tailed Beast?"
Kakashi gave a stiff nod. "Ah. It seems so."
When did capturing a Tailed Beast become something so simple?
Wood Style's suppression was terrifying.
Shikaku swept his eyes across the other Jōnin.
"This Sand shinobi's Jinchūriki is in our custody. See to his treatment, but don't let him escape under any circumstance."
The Sand's invasion of Konoha could not be forgotten. And now they held their Jinchūriki—a priceless bargaining chip for either future battle or negotiation.
After handing Gaara off, Shikaku focused once again on Yuichi.
The twelve-year-old Genin before them had shattered every expectation.
Suppressing a Tailed Beast so effortlessly—Wood Style was simply too powerful.
It was as though the First Hokage had been reborn.
Where the leaves dance, the fire burns brightly. The flames will continue to illuminate the village, and new leaves will sprout.
"Konoha's future lies in this child…"
Shikaku's heart whispered the words silently. And he was not the only one. Many shinobi were thinking the same.
The budding seedling already rivaled a towering tree.
The old tree may wither, but the sprout would rise even higher.
When Yuichi grew into adulthood, how strong would he become?
Would his Wood Style surpass even the First Hokage?
Everyone was left with that burning anticipation—including Kakashi and Might Guy.
Whoosh!
A sudden black shadow streaked into view, snapping them from their thoughts.
They turned toward the disturbance.
It was Hōshō Genma, his face pale, black blood spilling from his lips. One hand clutched the gaping wound in his abdomen, blood pouring from between his fingers.
His condition was dire.
But upon seeing Gaara captured, the tightness in his eyes eased just a little.
"Genma, what happened to you?!"
The sight stunned them.
Genma, once the personal guard of the Fourth Hokage, was no weakling. His strength was solid, his skill reliable. For him to be wounded this severely… who could have done it?
"I-It's fine," Genma rasped, forcing a breath. "The Jinchūriki was taken. My fault—I didn't guard him well enough."
His knees buckled and he collapsed.
Kakashi darted to his side in an instant, catching him before he hit the ground.
"Who did this to you?" Kakashi demanded, steadying him.
Genma gave a bitter smile. "I was careless… ambushed by Sand's Elite Jōnin, Baki."
"Baki?!"
He was still alive?
Of course. Yuichi had only blasted him out of the exam arena. The system hadn't issued any completion reward—clear proof he hadn't been killed.
Yuichi hadn't expected him to survive, let alone strike back and injure Genma.
So that explained why Shukaku had appeared.
Baki had attacked Genma to rescue Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō, pushing the plan forward to unleash Shukaku against Konoha.
And now, after witnessing Shukaku's humiliating defeat, they were undoubtedly fleeing in terror.
At Konoha's gates—
Three fleeing figures wore grim expressions.
Temari and Kankurō were pale with disbelief. To think someone could so casually crush Shukaku…
Even their father, the Fourth Kazekage, would not have been able to subdue the beast so easily.
"Damn it! Konoha has Gaara! What do we do now, sensei?!" the siblings demanded.
Baki's gaze stayed fixed on the distance. His face twitched with lingering shock before slowly regaining composure.
"Wood Style… Konoha has inherited the Wood Style bloodline… of all things."
A low laugh escaped him.
"Haha… after today… the shinobi world will be shaken to its core…"