Naruto: Starting with Infinite Chakra-Chapter 182: Tailed Beast Ball

Bunpuku spent the night resting at a stronghold in the Land of Wind.

At dawn, he led a group of Sunagakure shinobi toward Jiraiya's location.

"Bunpuku-sama, Jiraiya is residing in the stronghold ahead," an elite Sunagakure jōnin reported respectfully.

"Wait here. I'll handle this alone," Bunpuku replied, gazing at the distant Konoha outpost.

Without another word, he strode forward, making his way toward the Konoha base. The Sunagakure shinobi remained behind.

Bunpuku was not a perfect jinchūriki—if he fully transformed into Shukaku, he would lose control, and the Tailed Beast would take over. Shukaku harbored deep resentment toward Sunagakure, viewing its shinobi with hostility. If it seized Bunpuku's consciousness, it would have no hesitation in attacking them.

Thus, their task was to stand by. If Bunpuku entered full Tailed Beast form and annihilated the Konoha shinobi, they would be responsible for bringing him back to his senses.

...

As Bunpuku approached the Konoha outpost, a deep red chakra surged from his body, instantly enveloping him in a shroud of malevolent energy. His form distorted, shifting into a monstrous, half-Tailed Beast state.

He knew full well—if he wanted to defeat Jiraiya, he had no choice but to rely on Shukaku's power. Without it, he stood no chance.

Now fully clad in the crimson cloak of Tailed Beast chakra, his humanoid features were all but gone. The swirling, corrosive energy around him twisted the air itself.

Bunpuku came to a halt. His jaw opened wide as chakra gathered within, coalescing into a dense, growing sphere.

From the start, he had intended to use his strongest attack—Tailed Beast Ball.

There was no time for drawn-out battles. Against someone as formidable as Jiraiya, hesitation was fatal. A swift and overwhelming assault was his only path to victory.

As the sphere of chakra condensed, an oppressive aura of pure destruction radiated from Bunpuku, shaking the very ground beneath him.

...

"Going straight for a Tailed Beast Ball, huh? Guess he's not underestimating me," Jiraiya murmured from within the outpost, watching as Bunpuku prepared his attack.

The base was empty—Jiraiya had anticipated this confrontation. His intelligence sources had warned him of Bunpuku's approach.

Understanding the threat posed by a jinchūriki, he had ordered all Konoha personnel to evacuate. If his men had remained, they would have suffered heavy casualties.

A single Tailed Beast Ball would obliterate the entire outpost. No shinobi stationed here would have survived.

Thus, Jiraiya chose to face Bunpuku alone.

Slamming his hands together, he entered Sage Mode and summoned the two great toad sages.

"Looks like you've got quite the mess on your hands, kid," Fukasaku said gravely, immediately sensing the immense chakra from Bunpuku's transformation.

"It's just Shukaku. With the three of us working together, we can handle it," Jiraiya replied with a confident grin.

After all, in the original timeline, even Gamabunta alone could hold his own against Shukaku for a time. Now, in Sage Mode, with two toad sages backing him up, and his mastery of Uzumaki sealing techniques, Jiraiya was more than prepared.

This was why he had let the others retreat—he had absolute confidence in his ability to handle the situation.

If he had any doubts, he would have stationed Uchiha Raiden and other elite jōnin nearby for support.

...

The Tailed Beast Ball reached its peak density, glowing an ominous shade of deep purple and black. Then, in an instant, it shot forward.

The sheer force of the attack split the earth apart, carving a massive trench as the land caved in on itself. A storm of destruction surged forward, consuming everything in its path.

Jiraiya didn't even attempt to block it.

Instead, he dashed out of the outpost, heading straight for Bunpuku.

The stronghold, already abandoned, was expendable. The safety of Konoha's shinobi had been secured. A base could always be rebuilt.

With a deafening explosion, the Tailed Beast Ball struck its target.

A blinding light pierced the sky, the force of the blast shaking the heavens. The shockwave reduced the outpost to nothingness, leaving only a massive, scorched crater in its wake.

...

From a distant ridge, a group of Konoha shinobi watched in awe and horror.

"Was that... a Tailed Beast Ball? That power is unreal!"

"No doubt about it. I can't believe Bunpuku arrived so quickly."

"Tailed Beasts truly are monsters... to think they can unleash such devastation so easily."

A murmur of disbelief spread through the assembled shinobi as they took in the aftermath of the explosion.

One of them, clearly unsettled, turned to his comrades.

"Jiraiya-sama is still back there, alone. Shouldn't we go back and help him?"

"Jiraiya-sama knew Bunpuku was coming and still chose to face him alone," another shinobi replied firmly. "That means he's confident in his victory."

"We've fought alongside Jiraiya-sama for months. We know how powerful he is. If he wasn't absolutely sure, he wouldn't have sent us away."

"If we return now, we'll only be a burden to him."

Raiden spoke with conviction. "All we can do is wait. When Jiraiya-sama defeats the jinchūriki, we'll be ready."

Tsunade, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "Raiden's right. As much as I want to rush in, I trust Jiraiya. He won't lose."

...

Meanwhile, back at the Sunagakure encampment, excitement filled the air.

"As expected of Bunpuku-sama! He leveled the Konoha outpost in a single strike!"

"With Bunpuku-sama personally taking action, even someone like Jiraiya doesn't stand a chance. After today, we'll finally erase the shame Konoha inflicted upon us!"

The Sunagakure shinobi cheered, convinced that victory was already in their grasp.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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