Chapter 238: The Difficulty of the Tailed Beast!

Night gently embraced Konoha Village.

On the brightly lit streets, pedestrians came and went—some couples walked hand in hand, while others sat alone in contemplation.

"Boom!!!"

"Boom!!!"

Two loud explosions echoed from a distance, drawing the attention of everyone on the street. A few seconds later, a powerful gust of wind swept in from outside the village, quickly engulfing Konoha.

Even the Hokage Building, located deep within Konoha, trembled as the windows rattled under the force of the wind.

"It's coming!"

"What is that?!"

The swirling wind carried an ominous presence, and its source seemed to be something rapidly approaching Konoha.

At the village gate, the guards were already alert to the unusual disturbance. Just as they were about to send someone to investigate, several massive wooden spikes suddenly pierced through the ground, impaling the guards before they could react.

The ninja stationed at the gate had no chance to raise the alarm before their lives were snuffed out.

Shortly after, a massive chakra sphere emerged from the dense forest and hurtled toward Konoha's gate. The defensive barrier activated just in time, but the impact of the chakra ball created a deafening explosion, illuminating the night sky with a fiery glow.

"Boom!!!"

The explosion of the Tailed Beast Bomb shattered a section of Konoha's barrier, allowing three figures to slip through the breach and disappear into the streets.

In the Hokage's office, Uzumaki Raiden observed the flames rising from the village gate. He frowned slightly but remained composed. He could sense the presence of intruders, but their chakra signatures were unfamiliar to him.

Once inside, the three unknown figures wasted no time and swiftly made their way toward Konoha Hospital.

"The hospital? Who could their target be? Mariko?"

"If their goal was her, they wouldn't need to make such a scene at the gate. With White Zetsu's stealth abilities, infiltrating Konoha should have been easy."

"Kushina? But why?"

"Without the Tailed Beast, Kushina shouldn't be of interest to Madara... and I've already taken precautions to protect her."

"Or am I overlooking something?"

As Raiden tracked the intruders' movements, they suddenly split up, each heading in a different direction. Without hesitation, Raiden created three shadow clones and sent them after the targets.

Meanwhile, the explosion at the gate had already drawn the attention of Konoha's remaining forces. Many ninjas rushed to investigate the commotion, while others secured their clan compounds and began patrolling the village, searching for any additional threats.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

One of the intruders reached the northern part of Konoha, swiftly finding a secluded corner. After biting his finger and forming hand seals, a massive slug-like creature appeared, its six tails thrashing wildly. Upon its summoning, it immediately crushed several buildings.

Almost simultaneously, the other two intruders completed their own summonings. In the heart of Konoha, a colossal stone giant towered over the village, blocking out the moonlight.

Elsewhere, a bizarre, vividly colored giant insect flapped its six wings as it hovered in the air. Its long tail trailed behind, releasing phosphorus powder across the village. Any structure or person it touched ignited in flames, causing devastation throughout the area.

Explosions erupted, engulfing entire streets in fire and chaos.

"This is...?! The Gedo Mazo, the Six-Tailed Saiken, and the Seven-Tailed Chōmei!"

From his office, Raiden was momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance of the three monstrous entities. He hadn't anticipated such a large-scale assault, nor the enemy's ability to summon two Tailed Beasts and the Gedo Mazo.

"This level of power could wipe out an entire nation. If Konoha fails to contain them, the entire Land of Fire will be in grave danger."

"Roar!!!"

The Gedo Mazo, stationed in the village center, let out a deafening roar. Its overwhelming chakra spread outward, obliterating buildings and burying countless villagers under the rubble. Two of the Golem's eyes opened, and thick chakra tendrils extended from its body, connecting with the two Tailed Beasts.

Instantly, the rampaging Tailed Beasts fell under the control of the Golem, their movements now dictated by its will. Witnessing this, the intruders who had summoned the creatures silently sank into the ground, disappearing without a trace.

The village's peaceful night had been utterly shattered.

The explosion at the gate had been nothing more than a diversion. While most of Konoha's forces rushed to the scene, the real threat had already infiltrated the village.

Despite being called a "village," Konoha was vast, and the distance from the gate to the village center required time to cover. As the ninjas scrambled back to defend the heart of Konoha, the Gedo Mazo and the two Tailed Beasts had already begun their rampage. Explosions, screams, and cries for help echoed through the village.

"Lord Hokage, the village is under attack by an unknown enemy!"

"We have identified three threats so far—the Six-Tails, the Seven-Tails, and a massive unknown entity."

An Anbu knelt before Uzumaki Raiden, reporting the dire situation. However, his report came too late; the destruction had already begun.

Raiden maintained his composure and swiftly issued commands:

"Issue an evacuation order. Genin are to protect civilians and guide them to safety. Chūnin will work with the barrier team to secure the shelters. All Jōnin are to engage and assist the medical unit in rescuing those trapped."

"Avoid direct confrontation with the enemy. Our priority is to ensure the villagers' safety."

"The guard squad must contain the Tailed Beasts. I've already dispatched my shadow clones to assist with barrier reinforcement."

"As for the giant in the center—I'll handle it myself. Prepare the guards."

With lightning flickering around him, Raiden vanished, heading straight toward the Gedo Mazo.

Meanwhile, amidst the chaos, Konoha Hospital remained on high alert. In one of the rooms, Nawaki stood guard over the unconscious Mariko and her daughter, refraining from joining the rescue efforts.

At that moment, the door to the ward creaked open.

(End of this chapter)