74. Unleashing the Beast, Transformation

A flood of curses and sneers surged through Naruto's mind, faces twisted in hate and contempt flashing before his eyes. He couldn't recognize who they were, but they all wore the same expression—disgust, loathing, rejection, coldness.

"I didn't do anything... why... why do they treat me like this..."

Clutching his head, Naruto trembled violently, and his once-blue eyes contracted—turning into glowing red slits.

"ROOOAAARRR!!!"

With a feral scream, a red aura erupted from his body, dyeing the cold moonlight crimson.

"There!"

Hinata's eyes narrowed as a beam of scarlet light shot up from the waterfall. As she'd predicted, Naruto had overused his Shadow Clones to accelerate his training, which overtaxed the seal holding back the Nine-Tails. Now, the beast's chakra was leaking through.

"What's happening?! Even my bugs are terrified! I've never seen them act like this!"

Shino, beside her, was shaken. For the first time, the insects he bonded with were scared.

"Less talk, more moving!"

Sasuke barked the order and took off toward the light. Kakashi and Asuma followed, their faces tight with worry. They knew—better than anyone—what might be awakening.

Down by the falls, Naruto crouched on all fours. A red, bubbling chakra cloak swirled around him, forming a swaying tail behind his back. His body began to take on a beast-like form.

There was no doubt about it. Naruto was undergoing partial Tailed Beast Transformation—Level One at best, but still terrifying.

"Naruto?!"

Even Shikamaru was sweating now. He could feel the violent chakra—like rage and hatred made tangible.

"What is that...?"

Sasuke, too, was frozen. Those red eyes—pupils slitted like a fox—filled him with a primal fear. Waterfall. Shadow clone training. The Mizuki incident...

He remembered. Naruto wasn't just some dumb troublemaker. He was a vessel—a jinchūriki.

"What's happening to him?!"

Sakura and Ino trembled behind the group. This was their first time seeing a Tailed Beast's chakra—and it was horrifying.

"I didn't expect this…"

Kakashi's voice hardened as he stepped forward, no longer pretending to be a mere cameraman. He pulled a kunai from his pouch.

"You all need to leave. I'll hold him off. Go back to the village and warn them!"

"But—what about Naruto?!"

Chōji panicked. He couldn't just leave a friend behind like that.

"There's no time! Move!"

Asuma joined Kakashi, chakra blades drawn. That red glare reminded him too much of that terrible night eleven years ago—the night the Nine-Tails nearly destroyed Konoha.

And just when the panic peaked—

"ENOUGH!"

Hinata's sharp voice cut through the chaos like lightning.

Standing firm in front of the group, her tone was calm, commanding. "So Naruto's lost control a little. And? Since when did we get scared over something like that?"

"But Hinata—"

"You know him. That idiot would never willingly hurt anyone. So what's there to be afraid of?"

Her words landed. The fear began to lift.

Shikamaru exhaled. "Yeah… it's still Naruto. So, what do we do?"

Hinata smirked.

"Well... when a TV starts glitching—static, flickering—you know what we do?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Sakura lit up. "we smacks the back of it. Fixes it right up!"

"Exactly."

Hinata cracked her knuckles.

"So why not apply the same method to Naruto?"

The group stared in stunned silence.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"If you've made up your mind, hurry up. That idiot's twitching is making me nervous."

"Wait—!" Kakashi tried to warn them.

"Alright!" Hinata cut him off, voice crisp and clear. "Everyone, listen up!"

"Me and Sasuke go in. Shikamaru and Ino, support and restrain. Chōji, defensive midline. Sakura, stay back and prep for healing. Shino, monitor the chakra levels. Let's go!"

No hesitation. Everyone moved into position.

Naruto, meanwhile, crouched and snarled. He hadn't attacked—yet. Some trace of his consciousness remained, holding the beast back.

"Let's check if your audio system is working, Naruto! Hidden Hook Strike!"

With a low shout, Hinata's right hand lit up with blazing orange chakra. She thrust it forward, sending a bolt of fire zipping across the ground like lightning, right toward Naruto.

"RAAAARGH!!"

Naruto recoiled in pain, leaping high into the air on instinct.

"Stellar Claw Barrage!"

Sasuke's voice rang out as he unleashed a flurry of shuriken, crackling with lightning chakra. Naruto, mid-air, couldn't dodge.

But—

CLANG! The shuriken bounced off harmlessly.

Despite being only partially transformed, Naruto's red cloak deflected the attacks with ease. This was the same cloak that even Orochimaru's Kusanagi couldn't pierce.

"Tch… not over yet! Lightning Style: Chidori Wire Net!"

Sasuke tugged sharply. Fine wires, laced with lightning chakra, snapped taut around Naruto, binding him. The current surged, sending sparks through the cloak.

Naruto roared in pain.

But—he didn't stop.

SNAP! With an angry howl, Naruto gripped the wires and tore them apart like threads.

"Insane strength... Everyone, stay back unless you're me or Sasuke!"

Hinata activated her Byakugan, veins pulsing around her eyes. She could see it now—his cloak wasn't just chakra. It was solid, like extra limbs, capable of independent movement. Without advanced vision like hers or Sasuke's Sharingan, reading his attacks would be impossible.

"Shikamaru! Ino! We need an opening. Sasuke—prepare Chidori."

She stepped back, mentally scolding herself. She'd been slacking in her own training. She had nothing strong enough for this. After this was over, she needed to develop a finisher.

This wasn't going to be easy.

But it was still Naruto.

And she wasn't going to lose him.

Not now.