43 Shukaku

"This floods my mind with memories!" Zeus grinned maniacally, his eyes fixated on the towering monster before him. The One-Tailed beast appeared nothing like the fox from Naruto. If Zeus were to describe it, he'd call it an immense sand fortress adorned with captivating inscriptions.

Yet, the beast seemed to lack its full power, as Gaara, still alive and hidden within its body, obstructed its movements. As Zeus examined the monster, the ground beneath him suddenly softened, golden tendrils ensnaring his feet and impeding his mobility.

Zeus didn't resist, his fascination with the monster intensifying. The One-Tailed Beast seemed to regain its senses, a peculiar smile spreading across its face. Thrusting its hands into the air, the beast bellowed with exultation, "Finally free!! Hahahahah!"

Zeus's hair danced in the wake of the monster's powerful voice, earning his approving smile. Perhaps now he could truly unleash his full potential, for the Third Kazekage posed little resistance.

The monster's laughter continued for several exhilarating minutes before its gaze locked onto Zeus. After scanning the surroundings a few more times, the beast searched for Rasa. "Where the hell is that bastard Rasa?! I know he's hiding somewhere! Does he think he can defeat me now?!"

Zeus stood undeterred, his movements still hindered by Rasa's golden sand. He, too, searched for the man, surprised that he couldn't sense Rasa's current location. However, he knew activating his sage mode would change that.

"Are you ignoring me?!" Shukaku's childish voice reverberated through the air, finally getting under Zeus's skin. Shukaku leaned back, its voice deepening. Yet, there was no need for further words, especially from a beast that had endured enslavement and relentless beatings for over a decade.

Unleashing its anger through wind jutsu, Shukaku clenched its mouth, propelling a powerful gust of wind towards Zeus like a meteor. It should have obliterated Zeus from head to toe, but he merely shrugged. With a raised hand, a translucent lightning shield materialized in front of him, effortlessly blocking the wind.

Shukaku's attack dissipated, leaving the beast momentarily silent. Taking a step forward, its tail swiped through the sand, aiming for Zeus. Unfazed, Zeus shifted his shield sideways, countering the strike.

The collision protected Zeus, but the force was immense. He was sent flying like a ragdoll, released from the grip of the golden sand that had held his feet. The shield, however, remained intact, indicating minimal damage.

"Now that's more exhilarating," Zeus mumbled as he steadied himself through the sand. Just as he paused, another wind charge hurtled towards him. Zeus blocked it with his still-active shield. Shukaku persisted, convinced that eventually the shield would shatter.

And he wasn't entirely wrong. After a few more clashes, the shield began to crack until it dissipated entirely. However, as Zeus was revealed behind the shield, a lightning bow materialized in his hands, an ethereal arrow ready to be unleashed upon the beast. Without hesitation, Zeus released the arrow, which streaked towards Shukaku's left eye at a breathtaking speed.

"AHHHH!!" The monster screamed in agony, clutching its head. But Shukaku barely dwelled on the pain; anger clouded its mind. Sensing the ground beneath him shift, Zeus was caught off guard as a colossal crater suddenly formed. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he found himself free-falling into the abyss below, helpless.

Summoning a shield beneath his feet, Zeus landed atop it, using every ounce of strength to stabilize himself. And then, he leapt, soaring back to the surface. However, an unexpected golden tendril emerged from the depths, ensnaring Zeus by the leg and hurling him back into the darkness of the crater. This time, he was powerless, as the path out had been swallowed by the sand.

"That Kazekage is getting on my last nerve. Not only did he use his child to fight in his place, but he's also meddling and denying me the joy of a true battle," Zeus sighed, strangely unperturbed while trapped beneath the ground. In fact, the lack of oxygen and light evoked a hint of nostalgia, reminiscent of Hades' realm.

Above ground, Shukaku still clutched its face, spewing curses left and right. Rasa remained unseen, perhaps awaiting confirmation of Zeus's demise. However, neither of them anticipated the resounding explosion from beneath the ground.

The earth vibrated as if alive, and Shukaku's body trembled, unable to withstand the quakes.

"What's happening?!" Shukaku bellowed as the final explosion erupted, creating yet another crater. Dust and fire engulfed the vicinity, revealing a figure standing amidst the chaos. It was Zeus, emanating an aura of sheer menace with his senjutsu mode activated.

"Sage Mode?! Impossible! How could someone like you master senjutsu?!" Shukaku sensed the flow of natural energy drawn toward Zeus and recoiled in discomfort. Shukaku was nature incarnate, so how could a mere human attract more natural energy than the beast itself?

"Is this all you've got to show me?" Zeus chuckled, his body a chakra-infused bomb. "Come on, reveal your true inner beast!"

With those words, Zeus thrust his hands forward, and Shukaku's entire form darkened. Gradually, the One-Tailed Beast lifted its eyes, only to be confronted by a colossal lightning shield descending upon it from above. The shield materialized out of thin air, catching Shukaku off guard. In a desperate attempt, the sand beneath him rose to intercept the shield, and he raised his hands to halt it.

But just as Shukaku prepared to act, lightning chains erupted from the ground, binding his hands. With otherworldly strength, the chains pulled the monster to the ground, forcing him onto his back and causing the vicinity to quake.

Although Shukaku's sand managed to block the descending shield, it was futile in the end. Another shield plummeted from the sky, colliding with the first one and scattering the sand in all directions. Shukaku felt the weight of two massive objects pressing into his abdomen, pinning him to the ground.

"Doesn't feel so great to be trapped, does it?" Zeus's voice echoed through the area, compelling Shukaku to shout in defiance. Infuriated, Shukaku wriggled his tail, causing a mound of sand to soar into the air.

The sand transformed into two colossal hands, seizing the base of the first shield and pulling them away from Shukaku. However, the strain was evident on Shukaku. Zeus, who stood some distance away, also realized the difficulty in maintaining the shields. Thus, he released the jutsu, granting Shukaku a brief respite.

"You annoying little fuck!" Shukaku howled, struggling to rise to his feet. "I'm going to kill you!"

Zeus remained composed, a smile stretching across his face.

He was done playing games.

It was time to test his new jutsu.

***

Gif: Claustrophobia

Shout out for getting the most likes on the previous Gif: Cris_Vilas

Patreon 5 chaps ahead.

https://www.patreon.com/Zerga3

Discord: https://discord.gg/djq6WyTrUW