By rights, Rasa alone had enough power to suppress the One-Tail; there was no need to request help from Konoha. But Sunagakure lacked sealing technique expertise, and the One-Tail actually knew sealing techniques, making it difficult to restrict him with normal methods.
Therefore, the sealing of the One-Tail had to be done with great care—otherwise, they risked creating a Jinchuriki that could go berserk at any moment.
Sunagakure suffered a full defeat in the Third Great Ninja War, with heavy financial losses, and even had to pay part of their mission bounties to Konoha.
In the original timeline, Suna was in better shape than it was now. But currently, they clearly couldn't endure more turmoil.
After much deliberation, Rasa and Chiyo had finally decided to seek Konoha's help.
"Lord Kazekage, I can help you reinforce the seal—but have you prepared your Jinchuriki?" Uchiha Yuan asked.
"Of course. My youngest son Gaara—he'll be our new One-Tail Jinchuriki from birth," Rasa responded.
Yuan was stunned. Gaara was already born? That's not right...
It was currently June of Konoha Year 47. Gaara was born in January of Year 48. By the timeline, he shouldn't be born for another half year.
What Yuan didn't realize was that in the original series, the Battle of Kikyo Pass occurred after the Third Great Ninja War had basically ended. But here, the war had broken out near its end, about half a year earlier.
Which meant Suna surrendered half a year early, and Rasa returned home earlier too—so naturally, Gaara was born earlier.
Yuan had always been someone who didn't dwell too long on what couldn't be figured out.
Since he had decided to help, Yuan began considering which sealing technique would be most suitable.
In the original, Minato used a combination of two Four Symbols Seals to form the Eight Trigrams Seal when sealing the Nine-Tails into Naruto.
The Eight Trigrams Seal allowed for a second extraction of chakra leaking from the Four Symbols Seals, converting it into Naruto's own chakra.
This greatly reduced the negative emotions within the Nine-Tails' chakra, letting Naruto easily use small amounts of it.
Yuan had just learned the Four Symbols Seal. As for the Eight Trigrams Seal, he didn't know it. Besides, he felt it wasn't suitable for the One-Tail.
The One-Tail's chakra was leagues below the Nine-Tails'. Using an Eight Trigrams Seal might prevent the Jinchuriki from sensing it at all.
Therefore, Yuan ultimately decided to use the Four Symbols Seal, but would enhance it with additional sealing techniques for greater suppression.
As he was about to tell Rasa this plan, a massive chakra suddenly appeared on the outskirts of Sunagakure.
It was a chakra Yuan was incredibly familiar with—he had encountered it countless times on the battlefield.
"Lord Kazekage, I meant to discuss the sealing technique with you—but it's too late. The One-Tail has already appeared."
Startled, Rasa ran to the window and threw it open—sure enough, a massive figure loomed in the distance.
Rasa jumped out immediately and rushed toward it. Yuan called Kakashi, and the two followed closely.
Sunagakure was located in a desert, and the One-Tail's body could infinitely regenerate using sand, making it the perfect battlefield for him.
When the three arrived, a large number of Suna-nin were already engaged in combat with the One-Tail.
"Kakashi, this is a rare chance. Want to try fighting a Tailed Beast?" Yuan asked.
Kakashi didn't refuse. He lifted his forehead protector to reveal the Sharingan, then drew his short blade and channeled Lightning Release chakra into it, wrapping the blade in lightning.
With Obito's Sharingan and the refinement of Chidori, and under Yuan's guidance, Kakashi had developed multiple Chidori-derived jutsu, incorporating his own understanding.
The Lightning Release chakra now coating Kakashi's short blade was a further evolution of Chidori Blade, greatly increasing its destructive power.
Using the Sharingan, Kakashi found an opening in the One-Tail's movements. With lightning speed, he stimulated his cells with chakra and slashed at the One-Tail's tail.
With a flash of lightning, the tail was severed.
"So Hatake-style kenjutsu can be used like this? Kakashi really is a genius," Yuan couldn't help but praise.
But this was the desert—the One-Tail's body was made of sand. Kakashi's strike caused no real damage and he was nearly hit by the reformed tail.
Frowning, Kakashi adjusted his approach and attacked again, but still failed to inflict lasting damage.
Kakashi's current combat style relied on a blend of taijutsu, Lightning Release, and Hatake-style kenjutsu, lacking large-scale destructive jutsu—not enough against a regenerating Tailed Beast.
Having watched enough, Yuan entered Lightning Release Chakra Mode. A purple Rasengan crackling with lightning arcs formed in his hand.
Seeing it, Rasa instinctively backed away. His instincts screamed that this Rasengan was dangerously lethal.
"Lord Kazekage, please have your men withdraw. Don't want friendly fire. Kakashi, you too," Yuan called.
The Suna-nin quickly retreated. Kakashi also fell back.
The next moment, Yuan vanished—and with a deafening thunderclap, half of the One-Tail's body was blasted apart.
This wasn't just a Lightning Release Rasengan—it was an Electromagnetic Rasengan, just like Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, but infused with both nature transformation and form transformation in Lightning Release form.
Its power was no less than the Rasenshuriken. Even with the protection of Lightning Chakra Mode's armor, Yuan's arm still went numb from the impact.
The One-Tail, half-destroyed, lost mobility. Even in the desert, regeneration would take time.
Yuan pressed the attack, his katana appearing in hand. He instantly teleported to the other side of the One-Tail. The Chidori Blade infused his sword—and with a slash, another limb was severed.
"Lord Kazekage! While the One-Tail is still regenerating, bring your chosen Jinchuriki now!" Yuan shouted.
Rasa sprang into action, running home and soon returned cradling the newborn Gaara.
A few minutes later, he returned to the battlefield with Gaara and a boy about twelve or thirteen.
Throughout this time, Yuan continued attacking Shukaku, breaking its body again and again, preventing it from reforming.
After glancing at the sleeping Gaara, Yuan once more unleashed his Electromagnetic Rasengan, blasting apart a large portion of Shukaku's body.
Then he began preparing the seal. The foundation was a Four Symbols Seal, reinforced with additional sealing arrays.
He then sealed the regenerating One-Tail into Gaara using the upgraded seal.
As a precaution, Yuan added a layer of ocular power over the outer array of the seal.
This would prevent Shukaku's chakra from affecting Gaara before he turned three—at which point, when Gaara began refining chakra, the ocular power would naturally dissipate.
With the sealing complete, Yuan picked up Gaara and handed him to Rasa.
"It's done, Lord Kazekage. That's the best I can do. The rest is up to you."
Rasa nodded, then called over the pre-teen boy and handed Gaara to him with a solemn instruction: "Yashamaru, you must take good care of Gaara."
(To Be Continued...)