Gamabunta disappeared in a puff of smoke, his task complete. Shukaku, now alone, cast a wary glance toward Minato. The One-Tail's massive form shuddered with pent-up frustration, but its instincts were clear—this human wasn't one to trifle with.
With a guttural growl, Shukaku turned and bolted toward the border of the Land of Wind, the sand rippling in its wake.
Minato, standing tall amidst the swirling sands, watched the beast retreat with a faint smile. Then, in a flash of yellow light, he vanished, reappearing above Shukaku's head in the blink of an eye.
Shukaku sensed Minato's presence immediately but showed no anger. Instead, its voice rumbled with irritation.
"You're a persistent one, aren't you?"
Minato chuckled, his voice calm and deliberate.
In an instant, the massive form of Shukaku vanished from the River Country's chaotic border.
"Boom!"
When the dust settled, Shukaku found itself in the heart of the desert, its home terrain. The sight of endless sands filled it with a twisted kind of joy, but its jubilation was short-lived.
Shukaku glanced upward to find Minato still standing on its head, unshaken and calm.
The beast roared, summoning waves of sand that radiated outward like a tsunami. The ground quaked as the desert itself seemed to rise against Minato.
"Boom! Boom!"
The waves of quicksand swept across the battlefield, engulfing Shukaku's massive body. But Minato had already teleported a hundred meters away, his movements as fluid and unpredictable as ever.
Emerging from the waves of sand, Shukaku's colossal form loomed once more. Its severed arm, which had been a liability in their earlier battle, was now fully regenerated.
In its home terrain, Shukaku's strength was unmatched. The desert amplified its abilities, granting it near-unlimited resources to manipulate.
But Minato remained composed, observing the beast's every move.
Shukaku paused for a moment, sensing something. Turning its massive head, it focused on Minato with narrowed eyes.
"You've noticed, haven't you?" Minato murmured.
Shukaku didn't reply, but its actions spoke volumes. The beast had realized something crucial—the Flying Thunder God Technique left behind traces of Minato's chakra. While it couldn't understand the intricacies of the jutsu, its sharp instincts had detected the marks Minato had left on its body.
By shedding a portion of its own sandy form, Shukaku had rid itself of Minato's tracking marks.
Minato smirked. "Clever."
Rather than engage in further combat, Shukaku turned and fled deeper into the desert, raising massive sandwaves in its wake to deter pursuit.
Minato stood motionless, watching as the One-Tail disappeared into the horizon. Only when the beast was completely out of sight did he let out a small sigh of relief.
"The first battle of the Third Ninja World War," Minato murmured, "a victory for Konoha."
While the Sunagakure had not suffered crippling losses, the strategic victory was undeniable. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was injured and out of commission for the foreseeable future. More importantly, Shukaku had escaped Sunagakure's control.
Minato knew that recapturing the One-Tail would be no small task for Sunagakure. And even if they managed to secure the beast, selecting a new Jinchūriki was a complex and risky endeavor.
With Sunagakure preoccupied, Konoha's border with the Land of Wind would remain relatively stable, at least for a time.
Minato's lips curved into a faint smile. His plan had worked.
A flash of yellow light marked Minato's return to the River Country's border. He appeared beside a group of Konoha ninjas, his sudden arrival startling some of the younger shinobi.
"Minato-sama!" an older jonin exclaimed, his face lighting up with relief. "Are you alright?"
The jonin, a veteran of the Second Ninja World War, had fought alongside Minato when the latter was only eleven years old.
"I'm fine," Minato replied with a reassuring nod. "The threat has been neutralized. But we can't afford to let our guard down. We need to return to Konoha immediately."
The troops, though weary, moved swiftly under Minato's guidance. Thanks to his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato was able to teleport the remaining 400 Konoha ninjas back to the village in small groups.
When the final group arrived safely in Konoha, Minato exhaled deeply, his breath ragged.
He had accomplished feats of immense power during this battle—transporting hundreds of shinobi, creating barriers to protect his comrades, defeating Rasa, and relocating Shukaku. Even for someone of his caliber, the strain was evident.
"Take some time to rest," Minato instructed the gathered ninjas. "Make sure the seriously injured are taken to Konoha Hospital immediately. I'll report the outcome to the Hokage."
With that, he disappeared once again.
In the combat meeting room of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi and several senior advisors sat in tense silence. The atmosphere was heavy; none of them had slept since the battle began.
When Minato suddenly appeared before them, all eyes turned to him.
"Minato," Hiruzen said, his voice steady but urgent. "What's the outcome?"
"We've won."
The words, spoken with calm confidence, sent a wave of relief through the room.
Hiruzen allowed himself a small smile, but his eyes remained sharp. "Details?"
Minato quickly recounted the events of the battle—the defeat of Rasa, the release of Shukaku, and the safe retreat of Konoha's forces.
When he finished, Hiruzen's expression turned contemplative.
"I didn't expect Sunagakure to go as far as deploying the One-Tail's Jinchūriki," Hiruzen murmured. "But your decision to release Shukaku was the right one. It would have been too dangerous to bring it back to Konoha in the current situation."
Danzo, seated nearby, remained silent, though his narrowed eyes betrayed his unease. Minato's performance in this battle had solidified his position as one of Konoha's most formidable shinobi—a figure even Danzo could no longer hope to control.
"What are the casualties?" Hiruzen finally asked.
"Sixty-three dead, six critically injured," Minato replied. "Thanks to the medical teams, those injured were stabilized and are now at Konoha Hospital."
Hiruzen nodded gravely. While any loss of life was painful, the relatively low number of casualties was a testament to Minato's leadership.
"Excellent work, Minato," Hiruzen said, his voice firm. "Your actions have secured a crucial victory for Konoha. Take some time to rest—you've more than earned it."
Minato bowed slightly. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
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