After Kankuro left the stage, Temari and Yukimaru entered the arena at Hayate Gekko's announcement.
Uchiha Hikaru glanced at Yukimaru and immediately thought of the kunoichi Guren, who was practically inseparable from him in the original timeline.
In the anime, Guren had been one of Orochimaru's backup vessels for the Reanimation Jutsu. Like Kimimaro, she viewed Orochimaru as a god-like figure. Under Orochimaru's orders, she had killed Yukimaru's mother to bring the boy under control—because Yukimaru could resonate with and even manipulate the Three-Tails.
Despite this tragic beginning, the two eventually became each other's emotional anchors. Yukimaru even came to see Guren as a maternal figure. After going through several incidents involving Naruto and others, they eventually left the Three-Tails' habitat behind and vanished from the shinobi world, choosing a life of seclusion.
It was a bloody tale, and Uchiha Hikaru could never quite understand how a child could come to trust, let alone depend on, someone who murdered his own mother.
Still, Orochimaru's deeds in the anime… well, he was truly despicable. Even if he had "reformed" later.
Looking at Yukimaru now, Hikaru couldn't help but notice how much the boy resembled the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura. In Boruto, Yagura's grandson had shown up—could Yukimaru actually be Yagura's son? That would explain his connection to the Three-Tails.
And that kunoichi Guren—was she in Kirigakure now? Or was she wandering somewhere in the shinobi world?
In Hikaru's view, Guren's Crystal Release had massive economic potential. It could be used in architecture, high-end décor, even jewelry. If she really was living in Kirigakure, maybe it was worth having a long chat with Mei Terumi about it…
While Hikaru's thoughts wandered, the match had already begun.
Yukimaru stood hesitantly on the battlefield, his timid demeanor making it look like he didn't dare to fight.
Temari sighed inwardly.
This guy… he's way too soft. Another poor soul forced into becoming a Jinchūriki because of his talent?
She couldn't help but think of her brother Gaara, who in his childhood had also looked just like this—fragile, uncertain, and isolated.
But a ninja was still a ninja. And sometimes, emotions had to be pushed aside for the mission.
She too had once wished she could just be a normal girl—chasing after boys, wearing beautiful clothes and accessories. But as the daughter of the Kazekage and Gaara's older sister, the weight of duty was always on her.
After their uncle Yashamaru died—ordered by their father to test Gaara—Temari had done everything she could to take his place, trying to comfort Gaara when he lost control of his emotions.
Thankfully, things had been better recently. Gaara had made real friends. Temari had even seen him smile—an honest smile.
She was genuinely happy for him. He was finally beginning to escape his loneliness. Even if he couldn't lead a completely normal life, at least he had people now—his people.
With resolve, Temari pulled her giant fan from behind her and swung it into place, unfolding it to reveal one star.
"Wind Style: Kamaitachi Jutsu!"
Temari raised the massive fan with both hands and swept it forward. A violent storm burst forth, carrying countless invisible blades of vacuum pressure, roaring toward Yukimaru.
"Yukimaru, it's time to fight back," came the calm voice of the Three-Tails, Isobu, in his mind.
Yukimaru still looked like a scared little boy, but his hands began forming seals with sudden speed.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
A massive wall of water surged upward, ten meters wide and three meters tall, shielding Yukimaru from the incoming wind.
The crowd gasped in awe.
"Holy crap! That kid looked so delicate—how can he cast such a huge Water Style jutsu?!"
"He's so cute and powerful… I'm jealous!"
"Hehehe~ Little water prince~ So precious~ Hehehe~ I wanna adopt him~!"
"No, you don't! Back off, pervert!!!"
"Someone get the police! There's a creep in the stands! Lock him up and make him sew uniforms for a year!"
Temari's expression grew serious.
This was no joke. Back when Yukimaru had teamed up with Uchiha Hikaru, they were allies. Now as opponents, she was just realizing—this kid's chakra reserve was even more outrageous than Gaara's!
Yet he wasn't emitting any Tailed Beast chakra, not even a trace of negative emotion.
That meant the ninjutsu just now… was all his own.
Temari quickly opened her fan to reveal all three stars.
She couldn't afford to keep using large-scale area attacks. She needed a sharp, single-target wind-style technique—but… she didn't know any!
Fine. Time to gamble everything on her trump card.
If this didn't work, she'd just surrender. Once her opponent started tapping into the Three-Tails, there'd be no hope anyway—she'd just die.
She raised her thumb to her mouth, bit it, and smeared the blood across the fan's blades. Her chakra surged.
"Summoning Jutsu: Kamatari!"
A white, sickle-weasel appeared atop the giant fan. It clutched a scythe twice its size, its fur a pale gray, one eye hidden behind a black eyepatch, wearing a dark red and black vest.
Temari spun in place, building up force, then slammed the fan forward!
A massive wind storm exploded outward, filled with razor-sharp mini-tornadoes all aimed at Yukimaru.
Kamatari howled with glee, dancing through the storm with his scythe, becoming a wind demon incarnate, slicing through the air without resistance.
The arena howled. Even in the audience, people were nearly blown off their feet—like a giant fan was sweeping across the stadium.
The wind was so strong it stung people's skin like needles.
As the gale died down, Temari stared in front of her.
Three thick, long tails had emerged from Yukimaru's back—coiled protectively around him.
As for Kamatari…
He was lying face-down in the arena, swirly eyes spinning.
Temari sighed, then raised both hands in surrender.
She stepped forward, gently scooped up Kamatari, and softly stroked his fluffy head.
"Thanks for everything, Kamatari. Go back and rest now. You did great."
With a small poof, the weasel vanished in a puff of white smoke—returning to his own world.
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