Pokémon Breeder In One Piece!

The ground energy rattled through Matatabi's body, causing her to feel strangely weak.

But as a Tailed Beast, she had one advantage that most ordinary Pokémon could never match: regeneration. Even if Arcanine knocked her down a million times, as long as he didn't kill her, she'd be back up in no time, ready to fight again.

Arcanine, on the other hand, didn't have this kind of recovery ability.

Unless he consumed a Zoan-type Devil Fruit.

If he were to eat a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit, he could potentially transform into a beast even more powerful than Matatabi.

But those fruits were exceedingly rare, even more so than the Ancient Zoan types.

Matatabi, as a proud Tailed Beast, wasn't about to be beaten by a mere dog. She steadied herself and leaped high into the sky, reaching over 200 meters in an instant before plummeting back down toward the battlefield.

Arcanine clung tightly to her back, his fur whipped wildly by the wind. He could barely keep his balance.

"You think you can take me on? You're a long way off!"

Feeling Arcanine's grip weaken, Matatabi shook her body violently.

In an instant, Arcanine was flung off, and Matatabi's massive claw came crashing down, slashing his face.

"Roar!"

Arcanine felt a sharp pain in his face, and his body hurtled toward the ground like a meteor.

Boom!

He smashed into the ground, creating a large crater, even crushing two shinobi in mid-battle.

"Ow…"

Arcanine staggered to his feet, opening his eyes to find his vision blurry on one side.

He had no choice but to close his right eye, relying solely on his left to see.

Matatabi's claw hadn't inflicted as much damage as the 200-meter drop to the ground, which had left him badly wounded.

But it also presented an opportunity.

'Dig.'

Spotting Matatabi still some distance above the ground, Arcanine wasted no time and began digging to escape, heading off in a different direction.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ignoring Yugito's shouting in her mind, Matatabi focused solely on Arcanine's underground movements.

This was Arcanine's oversight. For an ordinary shinobi, his escape might have worked, but Tailed Beasts were different; they could sense movement even deep underground.

Even if she couldn't sense him, Matatabi could just flush him out with a Tailed Beast Bomb.

But she wasn't thinking about that right now.

Cats, after all, love to play with their prey.

So, she decided to chase Arcanine for a while before finishing him off.

"Let's deal with you first."

Feeling Arcanine move further away, Matatabi decided not to pursue closely and turned her gaze back to the battlefield.

If she didn't take a few Konoha lives, Cloud might bring out the Eight-Tails to complain at her later.

…

Arcanine didn't return to Naruto immediately. He took a few extra twists and turns before heading back.

When he finally reached Naruto and Vulpix in their hidden tunnel, he found them huddled together, sound asleep.

He couldn't understand how these two could sleep through the tremors and chaos of the battlefield.

"Well, well~ So that's what you were running around for. I didn't expect to find two little treasures here~"

Matatabi's voice came accompanied by her massive shadow, enveloping Arcanine, Naruto, and Vulpix.

"Woof!"

Arcanine's fur bristled as he realized he hadn't sensed her approach.

If his Observation Haki had been just a bit stronger, he might have avoided this situation.

"Arcanine… You're back?"

"Awuu…"

The two little ones woke up, rubbing their eyes groggily.

As they opened their eyes, they were greeted by the sight of an enormous blue cat, and they instantly clung to each other, trembling. Had it not been for Arcanine standing between them, they might have fainted.

"Woof."

'Run.'

Arcanine looked at Naruto and Vulpix , planning to hold Matatabi back.

They were in a dangerous situation, and while any direction Naruto fled in would still be risky, staying here was even worse.

With the vast range of attacks from both himself and Matatabi, Naruto and Vulpix could easily be caught in the crossfire.

It was better for Naruto to head toward Konoha's battlefield base, where it might be a bit safer.

"… Arcanine, your eye."

But to Arcanine's surprise, Naruto and Vulpix didn't listen.

Naruto stepped forward, reaching a trembling hand toward Arcanine's injured right eye. Tears began to well up in his sky-blue eyes. "It hurts, doesn't it?"

From Naruto's perspective, he could see a large, nasty claw mark over Arcanine's right eye.

Naruto, now nine years old, had never really experienced family affection. Only Iruka and Hiruzen had shown him any warmth.

That changed with the arrival of Zefa and Arcanine.

Everyone in Konoha knew Naruto finally had family. He wasn't a demon fox.

He was just a regular kid who played in the park, got into trouble with other kids, and was scolded by his grandpa when he got home.

And every time Naruto made a mistake, Arcanine would go out of his way to cause a bigger one, making sure Zefa didn't have time to scold Naruto.

In this family, Arcanine was his most doting family member.

"Woof?"

Arcanine, grown though he was, was still just as oblivious as he'd been as a Growlithe.

He hadn't even realized that his right eye had been scratched.

"So it was you, huh!"

Naruto's gaze shifted to Matatabi, anger overtaking him.

In the next moment, dark red chakra began to ooze from his body, coating him in seconds and enveloping him completely.

In mere moments, Naruto had entered a four-tailed, half-Tailed Beast form.

"Kurama?!"

Matatabi's voice shifted as she saw the chakra. She hadn't realized this was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.

Or rather, Kurama had hidden himself the whole time, not intending for Matatabi to notice him.

'Hahaha! Matatabi, I should thank you! Soon, I'll have the chance to kill your Jinchuriki first and then set you free.'

Kurama's voice rang in Matatabi's mind, and she bristled instantly.

Among the Tailed Beasts, there was little contest for the title of strongest; Kurama was undoubtedly the first.

Kurama looked down on all the other Tailed Beasts, especially those with fewer tails.

So, Kurama had never treated Matatabi well—though perhaps slightly better than he treated Shukaku, the One-Tail.

As for Kurama's promises, Matatabi could only inwardly curse. If her Jinchuriki died, she would die too.

Kurama's words about freedom were empty promises. In reality, it meant killing her, making her wait ages to resurrect.

"Woof?!"

'Naruto?!'

Arcanine looked at Naruto, shocked.

He had no idea what was happening or why Naruto had suddenly changed like this.

But he quickly realized that this transformation likely stemmed from the presence inside Naruto.

Arcanine had never imagined that this presence would be so powerful—stronger than either him or the massive cat before him.

"Whimper…"

Next to him, Vulpix bit Naruto's pants, trying to tug him back to his senses.

But even in that brief moment, Naruto's transformation progressed; a fifth tail sprouted from behind him.

"Damn it!"

Matatabi turned, preparing to flee.

She didn't plan on dying here.

Even Yugito, her Jinchuriki, was terrified, urging Matatabi to escape and report this information immediately.

"Roar!"

Naruto, now in a berserk state, wasn't about to let Matatabi escape.

He shook off the tugging little ball at his feet, planted his forepaws on the ground, and launched himself like a cannonball, slamming into Matatabi's rear.

It didn't end there. Naruto instinctively used one of Arcanine's signature "Bite" moves, chomping down hard on the base of Matatabi's tail.

At the same time, a sixth tail appeared.

"Yowl!"

Matatabi let out a gut-wrenching howl, her body thrashing violently.

Afraid Naruto might get hurt by Matatabi's struggle, Arcanine used 'Heavy Slam' to press her down, trying to restrict her movements.

"Grr!"

Naruto, like a monster, clung to one of Matatabi's tails with his six tails and two hands, pulling it with all his strength.

Before long, a seventh tail sprouted from Naruto, pushing him further into a crazed state.

'Yes, that's it! Kill them! Kill them all!'

Kurama's voice echoed in Naruto's mind, urging him into deeper darkness.

Once all nine tails appeared, Kurama would be free.

Rip!

With a mighty sound, Naruto, now with seven tails, tore one of Matatabi's tails clean off.

A sharp cat's scream echoed across the entire battlefield.

(End of Chapter)