Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

Zixu, who had transformed into a divine dragon, roared to intimidate Shukaku and Naruto, who had entered their tailed beast forms. His eyes widened as his gaze fixed on Shukaku's rotund body.

Shukaku felt a shiver run down his spine under Zixu's stare. Forcing himself to suppress the instinct to retreat, his already bloated belly expanded further, swelling like an inflated balloon. Finally, Shukaku slapped his stomach with a claw and expelled a massive sphere of energy infused with sand and razor-sharp winds, hurtling it toward Zixu.

Zixu parted his mouth slightly, unleashing a barrage of wind blades. The sheer cutting force shredded the sand barrier, and even the thunderclouds above showed signs of being sliced apart, revealing glimpses of the bright blue sky behind them.

"Arashi Kaze (Storm Wind)!" The extreme cutting force and the sand sphere eroded one another. Although the sand sphere posed little direct threat to Zixu, the continuously shifting granules inside acted as a grinding force, wearing down the wind blades. However, the wind blades continued penetrating deeper and deeper.

Naruto, in his tailed beast state, snapped out of his trance. He dropped to all fours like a feral beast, his fangs bared and claws extended as he locked eyes with Zixu's dragon form. More and more pale skulls manifested around him, while a dark red sphere of densely concentrated chakra began forming in his mouth.

It resembled a miniature black hole, relentlessly pulling in surrounding chakra. If released, it would surely obliterate the entire forest, leaving Sasuke, Temari, and the others without any hope of survival.

Zixu abandoned his playful demeanor. Crimson clouds of fire rose as Shukaku and Naruto's bodies lifted into the air, seemingly weightless. The wind blades had already pierced the sand sphere, leaving a deep scar on Shukaku's massive tail—though fortunately, it remained intact.

"Hmph." A power even more terrifying than before erupted, but this time, the dragon's aura carried something else—something far more oppressive.

Chakra, boundless like an ocean, surged outward with Zixu at its center. Shukaku, trapped in the storm's eye, felt its full force. The sheer magnitude of chakra emanating from Zixu alone was enough to disrupt Naruto's Tailed Beast Bomb before it could fully condense.

And this was just the beginning. A tyrannical aura, reminiscent of a sovereign gazing down from the heavens, swept through the forest. The wild beasts that had previously bowed to Zixu's dragon authority now fled in terror. The sheer dominance exuding from him drained them of the will to resist; weaker creatures even collapsed in fright.

The very air seemed to crackle with murderous intent, thick and tangible, causing even the berserk Naruto to tremble. The creatures of the forest scattered like leaves in a storm, turning the once-lush woodland into a scene from the depths of hell.

Natural energy surged as black lightning flashed through the sky, further blocking any escape routes for Shukaku and Naruto. Trapped in a burning storm, with a dragon wielding thunder in its claws, Shukaku found himself bowing his massive head in submission.

The gap in strength was insurmountable. No path to victory remained. Instinct screamed at him—if he did not yield, he would perish completely.

Naruto, however, was not ready to concede. He thrashed in midair, roaring defiantly. His jaws snapped at the space around Zixu, as though attempting to suffocate him. His form increasingly resembled that of a monstrous fox; canine fangs emerged from his pale skull, while his flickering red chakra sculpted fox-like ears. Without realizing it, his tails had grown to seven in number. Yet, his rational mind had long been lost to madness, leaving only brute force and raw chakra at his disposal—tools Zixu easily toyed with.

With a single powerful swing of his tail, Zixu swatted Naruto aside. Then, golden chains snaked out from Zixu's slender dragon body, striking toward Shukaku like a dragon diving from the heavens. Shukaku tensed but soon ceased struggling, sensing no hostile intent from the chains as they passed through him.

Zixu deliberated for a moment before inserting the chains deeper into Shukaku's form. The bloated, sand-colored tanuki rapidly shrank, revealing Gaara, unconscious at its core. Strengthening Shukaku's seal slightly, Zixu chose to leave him be for now.

The air, once thick with oppressive energy, quieted as the natural energy dissipated. On the battlefield's edge, Temari and Kankuro watched in confusion. The dragon had not only spared Gaara but reinforced his seal—was he an ally?

Naruto's incomplete Tailed Beast Ball still lingered in his mouth. Zixu approached, shifting from his dragon form into a towering humanoid figure clad in dragon scales. Clenching his fists, he reached forward, gripping the fox skull adorning Naruto's transformed visage.

"Hakkeshou Tengai (Eight Trigrams Heavenly Cap)!"

With a thunderous impact, Naruto—despite his incomplete transformation—was stunned as his own skull was weaponized against him. The unstable Tailed Beast Ball detonated inside his mouth, leaving even his frenzied eyes looking dazed and innocent. The ominous tailed beast cloak receded, and Naruto collapsed into a childlike slumber.

Drained from the battle, Zixu exhaled heavily. The barrier around them dissipated, and he reverted to his normal form, half-squatting as exhaustion overtook him.

The use of chakra required physical endurance. With only half of his chakra remaining due to his clone, and the additional strain from his Devil Fruit abilities, fatigue weighed on him. His stomach let out a growl.

"I need a proper meal after this. I'm starving..."

Zixu turned toward Gaara's unconscious form, hoisting him over his shoulder before gesturing for Temari and Kankuro to follow. Seeing their brother in the stranger's grasp, they cautiously pursued him out of concern for Gaara's well-being.

Just as Zixu reached Naruto, contemplating whether to take him along as well, a massive, icy blade slammed into the ground between them.

A colossal, red-skinned toad with a pipe in its mouth descended from the sky. Given the earlier clash with Zixu's dragon form, Temari and Kankuro were no longer fazed; in fact, the toad seemed almost small in comparison.

Jiraiya landed gracefully, his wooden clogs creaking softly. He strode toward Naruto, lifting the unconscious boy with ease before leaping back onto the giant toad. With a few powerful hops, they vanished into the distance.

Zixu made no move to stop them, simply watching in silence. An unspoken understanding passed between them. As Jiraiya disappeared, Zixu turned back, signaling for Temari and Kankuro to follow.

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