Chapter 34: A Mere Three-Tailed Beast Is Hardly a Challenge, Is It?

As the Three-Tails Isobu drew ever closer, the numerous ninjas who had just attempted to stop it with the Water Style: Water Shockwave were paralyzed with fear.

However, prompted by the warnings of Mei Terumi and Gonbei, the group snapped out of their daze and scrambled to retreat.

But—

*Splash! Splash! Splash!*

The Three-Tails suddenly slammed its massive limbs against the water, sending countless towering waves surging backward with overwhelming force.

*Crash!*

*Splash!*

The monstrous waves sent the Hidden Mist ninjas flying in every direction. It wasn't just the ninjas being tossed about by the terrifying currents; even the massive boulders on the shore and the trees in the surrounding forest were uprooted and swept away by the deluge.

"These idiots!"

Mei Terumi felt utterly exhausted. She had made preparations, but these fools wouldn't listen to her—what was she supposed to do?

Professional matters should be left to the professionals.

Uzumaki Si Xia, the task-slaying machine of the Hidden Rain Village, was undoubtedly the most professional talent available.

When Kakuzu and Kisame saw the Three-Tails, both wore serious expressions.

Kakuzu looked toward Si Xia and asked, "What is the battle plan?"

Si Xia replied casually, "Just watch from the sidelines; leave this to me."

With his current abilities, dealing with a mere Three-Tails was as easy as reaching into his pocket.

Meanwhile, the elder Genji and other high-ranking officials of the Hidden Mist, along with the leadership of the Blood Mist faction, appeared in the vicinity. Mei Terumi, Gonbei, and the others quickly made their way to Genji.

Though Genji was at an age where he was nearing the end of his life, his heart remained tethered to the village. At the first sign of trouble, he had rushed to the scene. Seeing Mei approach, he immediately asked, "What is happening here?"

Mei did not hide the truth and explained what she knew.

"Master Genji, this is the work of those scoundrels from the Blood Mist. They used a forbidden technique to incite the Three-Tails into a rampage, and now they have no idea where they've hidden."

After Mei finished, the expressions of Genji and the other high-ranking Mist officials turned grim. Genji asked with deep concern, "Do you have any way to resolve the situation before us?"

Every eye turned toward Mei Terumi. The high-ranking officials of the Mist were, in fact, already grooming her to become the Fifth Mizukage.

Mei replied truthfully, "I have hired an expert for 10 million ryo to handle this matter."

In the Land of Fire, the Leaf Village had even sacrificed a Hokage to deal with the Nine-Tails incident! The ninja Mei had hired would have to be of Kage-level—and a master among them—to have any hope of handling a Tailed Beast.

The Hidden Mist high-ranking officials unanimously concluded that Mei Terumi had almost certainly been scammed!

Genji could only ask further, "Is there a backup plan? Or perhaps we should negotiate with the Blood Mist people?"

He did not believe the ninja Mei had hired would actually show up. Even if they did, Genji did not believe they possessed the capability to resolve the Three-Tails crisis. The other high-ranking officials shared this view.

On the Blood Mist side, Koji Takiichi and Hozuki Mugetsu watched the scene with great surprise. Upon seeing the rampaging Three-Tails, Hozuki Mugetsu couldn't help but ask Kondo Takashi behind him, "Who did this?"

As members of the Blood Mist, they had the deepest research into the Three-Tails. Hozuki Mugetsu realized immediately that this was the work of their own people. Although they had reached a verbal agreement with Mei Terumi not long ago, as long as Mei couldn't produce evidence, Genji could do nothing to them.

Hozuki Mugetsu realized this was a golden opportunity. Genji and his lot could not deal with the Three-Tails. The only ones who could solve the problem in the end would be the people of the Blood Mist!

"I did it!"

The gloomy voice of Kondo No drifted out as his figure appeared behind Kondo Takashi and the others.

"You... you did well!"

Hozuki Mugetsu glanced at Kondo No, an expression of admiration in his eyes. Koji Takiichi added, "For the sake of a better future for the village, necessary sacrifices are inevitable. These people can contribute to the development of the village, so they have died for a worthy cause."

These four Blood Mist individuals were far from good men. To them, the deaths of a few villagers were trivial matters. If the village could not develop properly, even more would die should war break out.

However, the plans of the Blood Mist were about to be completely thwarted!

"What... what is that?"

Kondo Takashi's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared at the lake in the distance. Hozuki Mugetsu, Koji Takiichi, and Kondo No turned their gazes in the same direction.

*Whoosh—*

Then, they witnessed a scene that made their scalps tingle.

A flash of blue light instantly appeared in front of the Three-Tails Isobu. The figure then pressed his hands against the armor on the Three-Tails' body, pushing the mountain-sized beast backward.

"This?"

"What?"

"My god!"

Ninjas from all directions who saw this were stunned into silence. While there were rumors that the Third Raikage could engage in hand-to-hand combat with Tailed Beasts, Uzumaki Si Xia looked nothing like the dark-skinned or bronze-skinned powerhouses of the Cloud Village.

Yet, everyone watched in shock as the Three-Tails, which had been about to reach the shore, was forced to retreat steadily by Si Xia, who was pressing against its armor with a single hand.

Genji and the others, who had just been suspecting that Mei Terumi had been cheated, realized they were wrong. He was pushing the Three-Tails back using nothing but pure physical strength! How astonishing, how terrifying was such power?

Mei Terumi, Gonbei, Ao, and Chojuro had seen Si Xia in action before. They knew he was strong, but they had not expected him to be this strong!

Si Xia’s act of pushing the Three-Tails from the shore back into the heart of the lake shocked the entire crowd, but it also completely enraged the beast. The Three-Tails roared and launched an even more terrifying attack at Si Xia!

*Boom!*

*Crackle!*

The Three-Tails raised its massive claw and slammed it down toward Si Xia.

Lightning-style chakra erupted rapidly around Si Xia. The Ultimate Shield, the Lightning Style Armor, enveloped his entire body in an instant.

*Boom!*

The Three-Tails' claw struck Si Xia, but he didn't budge an inch. After being struck, Si Xia raised his head and smiled at the beast.

"Do you know what a city wall is?"

"The Ultimate Shield with the strength of the Ten-Tails, kid!"

The Three-Tails did not understand his words, but it knew that the human before it was provoking it, and that was unforgivable!

The spectators watching from all sides were stunned once again! Pushing back a Tailed Beast with one hand and standing still to let it attack at will—what kind of monster was this? Was a new generation of the God of Shinobi being born?

On Mei Terumi’s side, everyone, including Mei herself, was left speechless.

*Hiss—*

Genji and the high-ranking Mist officials all gasped in shock. Chojuro was slower to react; by the time his surprise set in, the surrounding air had already been sucked dry by the others. He could only stand there with his mouth wide open, staring in disbelief at Uzumaki Si Xia in the distance.

On the other side, Karin’s anxious heart finally settled. Ever since Si Xia had rescued her, she had been by his side. She had grown deeply reliant on this extraordinary person. Back in the Grass Village, she could never sleep properly; even when exhausted, she would only drift into a shallow slumber, living in constant fear. Now, she could even drool while riding on Si Xia’s back. But this time, Si Xia was going to face the most terrifying Tailed Beast in the ninja world single-handedly, and she had felt uneasy.

Kakuzu saw the battle and was equally astonished. "This guy... he’s definitely gotten even stronger! What kind of terrifying growth rate is this?"

While Kakuzu pondered this, Kisame watched the fight intently, his face also filled with shock. So far, Si Xia was treating the Three-Tails like a toy. First, he pushed it back with one hand, then stood still, using the Ultimate Shield—the Lightning Style Armor—to deflect its attacks. And it didn't stop there; Si Xia was now engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the Tailed Beast, just like the Third Raikage. Kisame was certain that if the rumors were true, Si Xia was far more ferocious than the Third Raikage.

The fight was not a clash of equals, but a one-sided thrashing.

"Roar—"

The Three-Tails roared repeatedly as it fought. Every time it swung a claw, Si Xia would catch it with ease. *Wait, I am a Tailed Beast!* A beast born with immense power, terrifying destructive potential, and vast reserves of chakra! What was wrong with this human? It felt as if the human were the Tailed Beast—the natural order had been inverted!

*Boom!*

In its fury, the Three-Tails opened its massive maw and lunged at Si Xia! The sight startled the many ninjas watching from all directions.

"Watch out!"

"Be careful, the Tailed Beast is attacking!"

"Oh no! He hasn't reacted!"

The crowd cried out when they saw the Three-Tails suddenly lunge, but their concerns were undoubtedly unnecessary. Si Xia then showed them the terrifying power of a human-shaped Ten-Tails.

"Up you go!"

Si Xia gripped the giant claw of the Three-Tails with both hands and, amidst countless shocked gazes, swung the massive beast into the air.

*Whoosh!*

*Boom!*

After spinning the Three-Tails around several times, Si Xia hurled it into the distance.

*Boom!*

*Rumblings!*

The mountain-sized beast descended from the sky, creating countless towering water spouts. The resulting waves surged madly in all directions. The Hidden Mist ninjas watching from the sidelines were left too shocked to speak. They had expected a perilous battle today, but they were wrong—it hadn't been dangerous at all. From the very beginning, Si Xia had completely suppressed the Three-Tails.

*Hum—*

The Three-Tails was not one to be trifled with. As it emerged from the water, it began to gather a sphere of water containing terrifying chakra fluctuations in its mouth. For the Three-Tails, this was an attack second only to the Tailed Beast Bomb.

Water Style: Iron Gun!