Yugito leaped back, her two blue tails swaying behind her as she glared at Han.
"Eh? Kokuō, did you just say she is the one with personality flaws?"
Han scratched his head in the mental space. Kokuō impatiently shared its memories with Han, not bothering to explain and letting him figure it out himself.
In the memories, Matatabi had always been strong-willed, secretly provoking fights between other tailed beasts and then stepping in to take on two at once.
Back then, the other tailed beasts didn't understand such behavior and paid no mind. But after Kokuō was captured, it realized just how unpleasant this kind of personality was.
Han scratched his head again, unfazed.
"It's just like childish pranks." Kokuō sighed. "Stay put. I'll handle this."
With that, it took full control of Han's body again.
"Matatabi, enough talk. Fight me now," Han said coldly.
Yugito spread her hands. "Nekomata Ball Jutsu!"
Over twenty fireballs shot toward Han.
Han smirked.
"Pathetic!"
He jumped to evade the fireballs, then stomped down toward Yugito with his right leg.
"Five Mountains Jump!" Even in human form, Han could use this technique. Though its range was smaller than in tailed beast form, the destructive power remained the same!
"AAAAAH! Kokuō, are you seriously turning against me?!" Yugito roared.
Han didn't answer. Instead, he kept pressing the attack. But Yugito's figure suddenly turned crimson—partial tailed beast transformation!
Her claws glowed blood-red as she slashed, blocking Han's kick and even injuring his foot in the process.
Han stared at Yugito. "Matatabi, have you lost your mind? Do you have any idea how much damage partial transformation does to a Jinchūriki?"
"I've lost my mind? You're the one who's insane! Five Mountains Jump—you used Five Mountains Jump on me! Were you trying to kill me?" Yugito's voice was hoarse, her blood-red eyes locked onto Han.
Han was furious now. This guy had a persecution complex! He had held back—that kick was meant to knock her out at most. Yet she had extended her claws like that!
"Idiot!" Han spat. White horns emerged from his forearms. He was done holding back.
Matatabi's pupils shrank. "Horn Slash! Kokuō, so you were trying to kill me!"
"Shut up!" Kokuō was seething. This fight was dragging on, full of nonsense and false accusations. It was infuriating!
"Horn Slash!" Han's arms moved with precision. Yugito, still in partial transformation, didn't dare counter. Kokuō's Horn Slash was devastating—a single clean hit could take half a life.
"Kokuō, how about we both back off?" Yugito's voice softened slightly, but her eyes burned with envy.
'Damn the Sage of Six Paths for giving me so little chakra! Otherwise, a fool like Kokuō wouldn't dare act so high and mighty in front of me!'
'And Yugito's training is still lacking. This body can't handle much of my tailed beast chakra!'
"What's your offer?" Han paused, watching Yugito.
"Of course… DIE!" A point-blank Nekomata Ball exploded against Han's body. Even with Kokuō's defenses and steam armor, the consecutive explosions overwhelmed him, sending him flying.
"Fighting me? Kokuō, you're still far from ready," Matatabi said coolly, licking her claws with satisfaction.
But in the next instant, a white, five-tailed giant dog emerged from the forest, its eyes blazing with rage.
Enraged by Matatabi's treachery, Kokuō had struck a deal with Han: in exchange for full control of his body, it would protect Iwagakure and repel the Kumo forces.
Han, seeing no downside, gladly handed over control. Now in full tailed beast form, Kokuō's gaze was filled with hatred.
"I held back earlier because we're both tailed beasts. I thought we'd cross paths again someday, so I didn't want to seriously hurt you. But you just kept spamming Nekomata Balls!"
Yugito's face paled. Inside her mind, Matatabi urged, "Yugito, give me your body."
Yugito hesitated. Matatabi wasn't acting like itself—its eyes were bloodthirsty, furious, and fanatical. It seemed to be fighting for its own glory.
"If you don't hand it over, Kokuō will trample the entire Kumo army!" Matatabi pressed.
Cornered, Yugito gritted her teeth and finally relinquished control.
Matatabi grinned as it took over, transforming into a massive blue flame-covered cat. It licked its lips, staring at Kokuō.
"Kokuō, this must be your first time in perfect tailed beast form with that guy, huh? Tch, you better be careful!"
With that, Matatabi lunged as a streak of blue light. But Kokuō reacted instantly—Horn Slash! Its massive antlers struck true, making Matatabi yowl in pain.
"Impossible! How can you two sync so well on your first try?"
Kokuō smirked.
"Forgot to mention, Han's obedient. If I tell him to go east, he won't dare go west. That's why we're in perfect sync!"
There was pride in Kokuō's voice. Han was naive, yes, but he was also responsible, pure-hearted, driven, and self-sacrificing.
Tch. If not for that, no matter how much Matatabi provoked or how angry Kokuō got, it would never have made Han a perfect Jinchūriki!
"My turn, Matatabi!" Kokuō crouched, then leaped high into the air, its front legs descending like hammers.
Matatabi dodged, but Kokuō grinned. Behind Matatabi was the Kumo army.
'Oh no!'
The sudden evasion left the Kumo shinobi no time to react.
BOOM!
The shockwave wiped out 500 men instantly, with over a thousand more wounded.
Yugito panicked. "Matatabi, what have you done?! You promised to defeat Iwa and protect our shinobi!"
"I…" Matatabi faltered. It had no choice, Five Mountains Jump was too powerful to block head-on. But Yugito's outburst only made things worse.
"Hah! As expected, Matatabi. Deep down, you're just a selfish tailed beast," Kokuō snorted steam triumphantly.
Matatabi narrowed its eyes, then leaped high, forming a Tailed Beast Bomb in its mouth, aimed straight at the Iwa forces!
Kokuō panicked, charging forward on all fours. But it was too late. Remembering Han's trust, it gritted its teeth, encased itself in steam armor, and took the blast head-on!
Agony wracked its body as it roared. Inside the mental space, Han shouted, "Kokuō, retreat if you have to! You can't take this!"
"Shut up! I don't need you telling me what to do!" Kokuō endured, its stamina and chakra draining rapidly.