The Prophecy Series cans were a chaotic mix.
Knowledge of divination—I Ching, Bagua, strategy—mingled with logic and the interplay of fates. Strength boosts were included too; without power, glimpsing the future meant little.
Jiraiya, having opened his Level 2 cans, didn't match the others' raw power but wasn't weak. Combined with his original strength, he stood as a solid mid-tier force in Konoha's lineup.
Now, everyone—combatants and spectators—watched the countdown tick down to its final thirty seconds.
At zero, a resounding bell tolled, signaling the end.
"It's over?"
"What comes next?"
"Will the Hokage really fight the Kazekage in front of us?"
"No matter how strong the Kazekage is, he can't face all of them, right?"
The wait gripped not just Jiraiya's team but the captive audience, still clueless about the surreal arena. They sensed this was a true coliseum—a clash of Konoha's elite against Sunagakure's Kazekage.
Itachi Uchiha stole a glance at Shen Mo, silent in the sky.
A gut feeling told him: this battle would redefine what combat meant.
"Here we go!" Rasa roared, clutching his staff, his tattered black robe billowing. His eyes gleamed with a mage's green energy.
"They likely have ranged attacks—stay together!" Hiruzen commanded, taking charge. "Jiraiya, Tsunade, Hiashi, one group. Ino-Shika-Chō, another. Asuma, Kakashi, Kurenai, Guy, the last."
Konoha's elite were assembled. Win or lose, Rasa's name would echo after this.
Hiruzen resolved to make it his final fight.
War with Sunagakure was inevitable, as Danzo urged. Defeat—or kill—Rasa.
"You're not coming? Then I'll start!" Rasa faced Konoha's formed ranks, a surge of pride swelling within. His power surpassed any Kazekage before him.
Raising his staff, natural energy swirled violently around him.
"Great Lord of Nature—"
"Apocalypse!"
Tsunade's shout cut him off. Slinging her cross over her back, she thrust her left hand forward. A blinding orb, like a miniature sun, ignited above the battlefield.
Pearl of Apocalypse.
Tsunade unleashed her new trump card right away. Against can openers, speed was key—hit hard with your best, leaving no time for counters.
Plus, Pearl of Apocalypse was a buff. The sooner, the better.
Hiruzen's team instantly felt the surprise Tsunade promised. The orb's warm light bathed them, boosting stamina, strength, and spirit. Their speed visibly surged.
Kakashi drew his dagger, plunging it into his arm. It morphed into a roaring dragon's head.
Might Guy erupted in blue chakra steam, opening the Fifth Gate of the Eight Gates.
Ino-Shika-Chō, Kurenai, Asuma—each unleashed their deadliest moves without hesitation.
No prior plan, but Tsunade's cry sparked a silent agreement: hit with everything.
Rasa's face twisted.
Abandoning his planned skill, he waved his staff, conjuring a wind shield around himself.
Then he roared skyward.
Before disbelieving eyes, his body grew taller, bulkier, sprouting thick fur and blazing with dark red flames. In moments, he transformed into a three-meter-tall, fire-wreathed bear—a mythical beast.
A terrifying aura spread.
The Shadow Bear skill converted Rasa's natural energy into monstrous power.
"Is that really Lord Kazekage?" a Sunagakure ninja muttered.
None knew their leader could become this.
But the assault came.
Flames, shockwaves from punches, mind-piercing genjutsu—Tsunade gritted her teeth, clenching her fist. The Pearl of Apocalypse shifted to a dark orb, firing a laser-like beam at Rasa.
The crowd couldn't even gasp.
Faces froze, some wondering if this was a dream or genjutsu.
Except for Jiraiya, using traditional ninjutsu, every attack was alien yet visually stunning, radiating danger even from afar.
Then, a deafening explosion.
BOOM!
Indescribable chaos erupted—flames, storms, shockwaves, and more collided. The shockwave swept the vast arena, rushing toward the stands.
Nobles screamed hysterically. Such unimaginable, cataclysmic combat was terrifying.
Even battle-hardened ninja paled.
They didn't know if Rasa survived, but that shockwave would kill them all.
Yet—
As it neared the stands, the shockwave vanished silently.
"The battle won't touch the audience," Shen Mo's voice rang out, its strange magic calming their fear. But worry shifted to the arena's center.
Sandstorms and blazing flames swallowed the battlefield.
"This isn't a ninja's fight," a Jōnin muttered, voicing everyone's thoughts.
Brutal, direct, devoid of ninjutsu's finesse.