Chapter 124: Gaining the Temporary Approval of the Guardian Crane

The battle was about to erupt.

Even if they had no desire to fight an SSA robot, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and face the enemy head-on. A powerful sense of urgency surged through Naruto, and he swiftly began making arrangements.

Sasuke was responsible for harassing the enemy from the flanks, providing support, and waiting for an opportunity to destroy the opposing robot. His gaze was cold and focused, like a leopard lying in wait, ready to deliver a fatal blow at the critical moment.

Sakura controlled the weapons and provided covering fire. Her hands trembled slightly, yet her eyes revealed unwavering determination. Naruto himself would spearhead the assault, draw the enemy’s attention, and lure it into exposing an opening.

He knew he had to give it everything he had.

This time, Naruto held nothing back. He removed every weapon he was carrying and distributed them among his companions.

This SSA robot was arguably the most troublesome enemy Naruto had encountered across both of his lifetimes.

Its strength was terrifyingly immense—likely beyond the Kage level recognized by the shinobi world.

If this creature were to be unleashed within the Hidden Leaf, the consequences would be unimaginable. The village itself might be reduced to ruins. Naruto merely hated the villagers’ cold treatment of him, but many of his friends still lived there.

He had no intention of watching the Hidden Leaf become a wasteland.

After several exchanges, the SSA robot gradually grasped the true strength of the enemies before it. The red lights in its eyes remained fixed on Naruto and Sasuke, like two searing lasers that sent chills down the spine.

“Adjusting tactics: engage in close-quarters combat using energy blades. Prioritize elimination of enemy technical personnel.”

The robot decisively changed its primary weapon. It armed itself with an energy blade for close combat and designated Naruto as its foremost target.

“Target locked: high-energy technical individual. Activating energy-blade system.”

Using its sensors and differential engine, the SSA robot precisely locked onto Naruto and rapidly activated its energy-blade system. Each attack was deadlier than the last, and each successive blow carried greater power. The overwhelming energy fluctuations made the air around them seem to burn.

Nearby, Kankuro and Temari were hiding beneath a shield of sand. By now, they had been rendered speechless.

Their eyes were wide with terror, their faces drained of color. Fear surged over them like an icy tide, drowning them completely. Their hands and feet had gone weak and numb, and they were utterly incapable of moving, paralyzed by the vast and terrifying battlefield before them.

Gaara, however, still retained his reason. While struggling to maintain the sand shield protecting all three of them, he used sand to drag his sister and brother away from the battlefield.

Under his control, the sand moved slowly like nimble serpents.

Gaara’s expression was resolute and composed. He did not know why he was doing this, but he nevertheless followed his instincts.

After dragging Kankuro and Temari beyond the range of the battle’s shockwaves, Gaara spoke to the One-Tail within him for the first time of his own accord.

“Hey, Shukaku. If I give you control of my body, can you defeat that thing and get us out of here?”

Shukaku’s voice echoed through Gaara’s mind, carrying a trace of arrogance.

“Ha! What are you talking about, brat? Of course I can’t! I can’t say exactly how strong that thing is, but judging from what it’s shown so far, it feels about as troublesome as that fellow Hashirama Senju. I couldn’t defeat Hashirama Senju.”

After a pause, Shukaku asked, “Why do we have to fight that thing at all? Can’t we take advantage of the situation and run?”

Gaara was silent for a moment before replying, “That monster wants to eliminate so-called high-energy individuals. It’s probably targeting jinchuriki—or, more precisely, all of you. If we don’t help those shinobi from the Leaf defeat it, we probably won’t be able to escape either.”

After pondering this for a while, Shukaku said, “You have a point, brat. I don’t know how to defeat that thing, so you take over. I’ll give you all my power, and I promise I won’t forcibly seize your body before this battle is over. Go on, brat! Get us out of here alive!”

“All right,” Gaara answered firmly.

The battle between Naruto, Sasuke, and the SSA robot raged fiercely, filling the air with tension and danger. Their figures flashed rapidly across the battlefield as the radiance of ninjutsu flickered without pause.

When Sasuke saw his Fire Release and Lightning Release strike together and leave faint scars across the SSA robot’s exterior, something stirred violently within him, as though a flash of inspiration had crossed his mind. He immediately understood that this powerful enemy’s weakness might lie precisely there.

“Naruto! Buy me some time!” Sasuke shouted. His voice was filled with urgency and resolve. “I’m going to use a ninjutsu I’ve been experimenting with!”

“All right!” Naruto answered without hesitation.

His eyes shone with fearless courage, as though assuring Sasuke: Go ahead. I’ll buy you all the time you need.

That was easier said than done. The pressure Naruto was under was greater than anything he had ever experienced. The SSA robot’s attacks came at him like a violent storm, every strike carrying tremendous force and destructive power. Naruto clenched his teeth and struggled to withstand the onslaught, sweat streaming down his cheeks.

“Magnet Release: Iron Sand Waterfall Burial!”

With a clear shout, a vast tide of yellow sand and iron sand surged forward like a raging wave, instantly drawing the SSA robot’s attention away. Gaara had joined the battle.

Gaara’s gaze was terrifyingly cold, yet an intense heat burned within him. Under his command, the sand transformed into countless shapes and launched a fierce assault on the SSA robot.

After entering Shukaku Chakra Mode, Gaara’s entire presence underwent a dramatic transformation. He floated in the air, surrounded by dense chakra, while the sand danced around him as though it had come alive.

Facing the powerful SSA robot, Gaara’s gaze remained firm and fearless.

“Magnet Release: Iron Sand Great River!”

He swept both hands outward. Vast quantities of black and yellow sand rapidly converged, forming an enormous river of sand that wound toward the SSA robot. Red light flickered in the robot’s eyes as it raised its energy blade and brought it crashing down upon the sand river.

In an instant, energy collided with sand, producing a deafening roar. The wall of sand was cleaved open, but more sand immediately surged in to fill the breach.

“Sand Coffin: Barrage!”

Gaara manipulated the sand, repeatedly reaching for the SSA robot’s various joints. Before the SSA had fully adapted to his attack patterns, Gaara crushed several of its joints in succession.

But once the SSA had adjusted, it reinforced each joint specifically against his attacks, making it difficult for Gaara to achieve any further effect.

He began manipulating the sand into ever-changing forms. At one moment it became a forest of spikes; at the next, a colossal hammer, smashing toward the SSA robot.

The SSA robot nimbly evaded the sand’s attacks while searching for an opportunity to counter. Suddenly, it unleashed a dense rain of projectiles. Gaara hurriedly formed a shield of sand to block them. The barrage collided with the sand shield, erupting in a dazzling blaze of crimson light.

Seeing that Gaara’s movements had been confined to one spot, the SSA robot detached several components from its body and assembled them into an automatic machine-gun emplacement. It continued suppressing Gaara with overwhelming firepower.

Meanwhile, it absorbed raw materials from the surrounding iron sand and replenished its damaged parts. Once repaired, it pounced toward Gaara from another direction.