Konoha: The Honored One

After Gojo unsealed the barrier, the foam-covered figure's skin turned dark red, and a massive surge of blood-red Chakra erupted from the body. The energy roiled and flowed across the ground like a raging river, filling the air with a menacing hum.

The turbulent Chakra, vibrating with a low resonance, swept outward like a gale. The resulting shockwave obliterated towering trees, shattered boulders, and reduced the nearby terrain to ash.

"What an immense Chakra," Tsunade remarked, her usual composed demeanor giving way to concern. Her golden eyes scanned the blood-red energy flowing in chaotic waves.

It was the first time she had encountered such an overwhelming, destructive presence.

"The Chakra of the Six Tails... It's at least three times that of a Kage-level ninja!"

Even this raw outpouring of energy was enough to cause large-scale destruction. It was no wonder ninja villages across the world, including the Akatsuki, relentlessly pursued the Tailed Beasts.

Sakura stared in stunned silence at the creature now fully transformed, her heart trembling at its oppressive aura. The sheer magnitude of its power left her shaken, her panic evident in her trembling hands.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Naruto, remembering how he had once unleashed the power of the Nine Tails. A shiver ran down her spine as she muttered, "This feels just like Naruto back then..."

Sasuke also shifted his gaze toward Naruto. He could clearly sense the similarity between the blood-red Chakra now flooding the area and the terrifying energy Naruto had unleashed in the past.

"This feeling..." Naruto murmured, his expression darkening as he stepped forward, nearing the river of blood-red Chakra. He knelt down, pressing his hands to its surface as if drawn to its chaotic energy.

"Naruto?"

Team 7 watched him in confusion.

"What is he doing?" Sakura whispered, her voice tinged with concern.

Naruto's face was filled with quiet bitterness as he stared into the swirling mass.

"He's just like me... a vessel. I can feel it."

The weight of his words hung in the air like a dark cloud.

Gojo, standing lazily off to the side, glanced at Naruto and quipped, "Before you start writing a therapy journal, how about you get a grip on yourself, kid?"

Without waiting for a reply, Gojo unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into his mouth, his signature shades glinting under the eerie red glow of the Six Tails' Chakra. Through his Limitless Technique and Six Eyes, he could see that the seal had been completely undone.

"Move back if you want to survive," he added nonchalantly. "I mean, front-row seats are fun and all, but this show's about to get messy."

Sasuke snorted, grabbing Naruto by the collar and dragging him away.

"Stop being stupid. You'll just get in the way."

Though his tone was harsh, there was a glimmer of concern in his actions. Sasuke wasn't about to let Naruto get caught up in something he couldn't handle—at least not without an "I told you so" ready.

Sakura hurried after them, her heart pounding. With their current strength, Team 7 wouldn't stand a chance against the unleashed Tailed Beast.

In mere moments, the river of Chakra coiled and rose, morphing into a monstrous shape.

The colossal form of the Six Tails—Saiken—emerged, towering like a mountain. Its milky-white, slimy skin gleamed in the light, and six tails swayed ominously behind it, casting long, shifting shadows across the ruined landscape.

Sakura's eyes lit up with an unexpected sparkle.

"It's... adorable!" she whispered, clasping her hands together like she was looking at a lost puppy.

Naruto froze, his jaw dropping.

"Adorable?! Sakura-chan, are you serious? That... thing is cute to you?"

His voice was filled with incredulity as he gestured toward the massive, slimy creature wreaking havoc in the distance.

"Of course, you think Sasuke's handsome," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Sasuke shot him a glare, irritation flaring in his sharp eyes.

Before anyone could respond, Saiken roared, its bellow echoing across the battlefield. The sheer force of its cry shook the ground, while its tails lashed out, leaving devastation in their wake.

The spreading Chakra sent a wave of dread through the entire village. Ninjas froze mid-movement, their faces pale as they recognized the oppressive energy radiating outward.

"Lady Hokage!"

A squad of Anbu appeared at Tsunade's side, drawing their weapons as they prepared to intervene. At least a hundred elite ninjas had gathered, their unease palpable.

"Lady Hokage, is that...?"

They stared at the massive creature in shock, its Chakra strikingly similar to the Nine Tails.

Tsunade, maintaining her composure, issued her orders firmly.

"Alert the village. No one is to interfere with this fight."

Though confused, the Anbu obeyed without question.

Meanwhile, Gojo stood before the towering beast, his hands still casually resting in his pockets. He eyed the slimy, slug-like form of Saiken with thinly veiled disdain.

"Gross. You're like Katsuyu, but uglier. And slimier."

His words struck a nerve.

"Human," Saiken growled, its voice rumbling like an earthquake. "You dare mock me?!"

It loathed humans—those who had enslaved it and sealed it away in darkness. It longed for vengeance against the creatures who dared treat it as a mere tool.

"I'll crush you!"

Saiken's six tails lashed out, each one carrying enough destructive force to obliterate everything in its path. The air buzzed with Chakra as the ground cracked beneath the weight of its attack.

"Gojo!" Sakura screamed, terror gripping her heart.

Naruto clenched his fists, stepping forward to intervene, but Sasuke held him back.

"Stay out of this, idiot. You'll just get in the way."

As the six destructive tails closed in, Gojo didn't move. The air seemed to freeze as the massive attack stopped just inches from his body, immobilized by an unseen force.