"So this is the One-Tail Shukaku of the Sand Village?"
"Bringing a Tailed Beast to the meeting, Lord Kazekage, it seems your intentions aren't so pure either!" Kisame said as he stared at the massive beast in the distance, showing no sign of fear.
"Though the Sand Village's current Jinchūriki is just a child, right? Even if Shukaku has temporarily taken control of the body, how much power can it really unleash?"
"Don't worry about my Water Release being absorbed by the sand. As long as we hold out for a few minutes, my teammates can easily take down that Tailed Beast," Kisame said confidently. After all, neither Deidara nor Itachi were ordinary shinobi, and he had absolute faith in his comrades.
"Oh? What's this? A giant water sphere in the middle of the desert?"
"I hate water! It makes my body sluggish and clumsy!" Shukaku roared.
"Let me destroy it!"
"Sand Burial!"
A massive surge of yellow sand erupted from the ground, rising to the sky like a giant hand, slamming down on Kisame's Water Release.
"Fall back!" everyone shouted as they retreated.
The combination of sand and water didn't cause any earth-shattering reaction, but being buried under a massive amount of wet sand wouldn't be pleasant either. Shukaku's strength was clearly beyond expectations—it could manipulate such an enormous amount of sand with ease, instantly neutralizing Kisame's Water Release.
"To think it could unleash such power—it's truly beyond expectations," Kisame remarked.
"But it doesn't matter. My companion Deidara is quite skilled at dealing with Tailed Beasts. If he takes action, even a fully unleashed Shukaku wouldn't be a problem."
"Right, Deidara?" Kisame said confidently, slinging Samehada over his shoulder as he turned to Deidara.
Deidara replied with a smirk, "Kisame, you might be disappointed. This is just one of my clones."
Kisame: "..."
"Deidara, why are you just a clone?"
"Oh, I get it. You're afraid of Itachi-san, aren't you?" Kisame teased with a mischievous grin. "But it doesn't matter. Even if Shukaku is powerful, there's no way Rasa can fully control it. After all, the hatred between Tailed Beasts and humans runs deep."
Sure enough, as Shukaku turned towards Rasa and the Sand ninja, it let out a furious roar. "Rasa, you despicable human! How dare you seal me!"
"Today, I'm going to kill you!"
"See?" Kisame said, wearing an expression as if he were watching an entertaining drama.
"Shukaku, if you don't want to die, stop this nonsense."
"I've planted a curse seal inside Gaara. If I activate it, Gaara will die instantly, and you'll vanish along with him," Rasa said sinisterly. "Of course, you can resurrect later, but I doubt you'd want to experience that kind of death so casually."
"Damn you, you filthy human!"
The immense yellow sand swirled violently in the air, mirroring Shukaku's frustrated and furious mood.
"On the contrary, you should have noticed by now. I've temporarily enhanced Gaara's body. During this time, you can unleash your full power. Why not take the opportunity to wreak havoc and enjoy yourself?"
"Rasa! Mark my words!" Shukaku roared in rage. "If I ever get the chance, I'll kill you!"
Then, turning towards Deidara and the others, Shukaku raised its arms. Massive waves of sand surged forward like a tsunami, threatening to bury everything in their path.
"Fall back!" everyone shouted as they scrambled to dodge. Faced with these waves larger than any ocean tsunami, they looked utterly pathetic.
"Now Shukaku and Rasa are on the same side," Deidara muttered.
Kisame: "..."
"Don't worry. Even if Shukaku—"
"Shut up, Kisame!" Itachi finally snapped, his voice sharp and commanding.
Kisame: "..."
Itachi-san, have you stopped loving me?
"The Kazekage's guards are your responsibility. Leave Rasa and Shukaku to us. Understood?" Itachi ordered.
Though the situation was frustrating, there was no choice but to engage. This was their first mission together, and an important one at that. Besides, in a desert, outrunning Shukaku and Magnet Release was simply impossible.
"Understood," the Root squad leader replied.
While Danzo's training methods for Root operatives were inhumane, they proved useful in situations like this. Unlike the ANBU or the Kazekage's guards, who were visibly hesitant in the face of such a high-level battle, the Root operatives showed no reaction at all.
"Itachi, how do you plan to fight this?" Deidara asked. After all, Itachi was the main force here.
"Just escort me closer," Itachi replied, clearly intending to use his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"So it's you, Uchiha Itachi!"
"No wonder your genjutsu is so refined!" Rasa exclaimed as he saw Itachi dispel his disguise. That earlier genjutsu had been dangerously close to ending him. If not for his own killing intent keeping his mind sharp, he might have been killed instantly.
"But in this desert of endless sand, this is my domain!"
"Your Sharingan's genjutsu may be strong, but as long as I don't look at you, it's useless."
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Waves!"
Under Rasa's control, the Gold Dust gathered in the air, mixing with the sand below to form waves that surged towards Deidara, Itachi, and Kisame.
Though not as massive as Shukaku's sand waves, Rasa's Gold Dust waves were far tougher and more durable.
"C2 Standard Type: Sand Worms!"
A swarm of clay sand worms burrowed into the rolling sand. As the Gold Dust waves approached, several worms burst out from beneath the sand.
"Hah!"
Boom!
The Gold Dust waves were momentarily blasted open, creating a gap through which the three leapt. But waiting for them on the other side was a trap—a convergence of sand and Gold Dust.
"You three ran straight into the sand? How foolish!" Rasa laughed.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Burial!"
The Gold Dust, which had been rushing forward, suddenly reversed direction, closing in on the trio and forming a sharp mound around them.
With a light press of Rasa's hands, the mound collapsed with a deafening crash, sending tremors through the ground. Under such immense pressure, any enemy would surely be crushed to dust.
Huh? What's that?
A flaming longsword pierced through the Gold Dust mound. Moments later, a massive figure clad in red armor emerged from within.
"This sinister aura—it's the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan!" Shukaku exclaimed, leaning back slightly. Its bulky form made it appear as though it had been scared into sitting down.
It couldn't be helped. Over the centuries, the Tailed Beasts had been repeatedly subdued by the Mangekyō Sharingan. They were all too familiar with Susanoo.
"Shukaku, what is that thing that's scaring you so much?" Rasa asked, his expression serious. Seeing the usually fearless Shukaku in such a state made him uneasy.
"Ridiculous!" Shukaku roared. "Why would I be scared? It's just Susanoo! Do you think he's Uchiha Madara?"
Rasa's words seemed to tear away Shukaku's facade, enraging the beast. After all, it was a Tailed Beast!
It was the One-Tail Shukaku! In this desert, only that fox could surpass it!
And the one before it was merely a young Uchiha brat!
"Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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