The next morning, Kakashi and the others were awakened by a rapid knock at the door.
When they opened it, they found Baki, sent by Rasa with orders—Minato's team was to report immediately to the front lines.
After a quick wash and gear check, the four followed Baki out to the First Line Sky Ravine.
Across the desert, the vast Sand Shinobi army stood in disciplined formation, facing off against the 10,000-strong Cloud Shinobi force directly ahead.
"You've come just in time, Minato," Rasa said, eyes sharp. "I'll need your help restraining the Third Raikage."
He gave a quick nod to the others.
"As for your students, Baki will escort and protect them during the battle."
At this stage, Baki was still only a Jōnin. Competent, sure—but in this scale of war, a Jōnin was like a shuriken in a blizzard.
From Rasa's perspective, it was well worth assigning Baki in exchange for the power Minato brought to the table.
"Understood."
Minato nodded calmly, then created a Shadow Clone, handing it half of his chakra.
After giving Kakashi, Obito, and Rin a few instructions, the real Minato followed Rasa toward the front.
"Don't worry," the clone said gently. "I've got enough juice to last. And I can switch with the original at any time using the Flying Thunder God."
"Yeah, we believe you, Sensei," Obito said casually.
Kakashi glanced sideways, adjusting his forehead protector.
"As long as you're alive, our odds of dying drop from 'certain' to 'mildly inconvenient.' Works for me."
On the front lines, Rasa raised his hands and quickly formed seals. Gold sand surged from beneath his feet, elevating him and Minato onto a high platform, about three stories above the ground.
He surveyed his forces, his voice amplified by Wind Chakra.
"My comrades! The enemy stands before us! Behind us—our families, our clans, our very lives! What shall we do?"
"Kill them all!"
"Push them back!"
"Only fight!"
"Fight to the death!"
Cries echoed across the desert as Sand shinobi roared in unison, fired up for the bloodshed ahead.
Seeing morale peak, Rasa raised his right hand—and silence fell immediately.
"That's right. Since they want war… we give them war. In this battle, we fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death!"
"FIGHT TO THE DEATH!!"
"FIGHT TO THE DEATH!!!"
More than 7,000 Sand ninja screamed in unison, their voices shaking the dunes.
On the opposing side, a deep snort echoed across the battlefield.
The Third Raikage narrowed his eyes.
He had originally considered negotiating—maybe even taking prisoners without spilling blood. But clearly, Sand wasn't in a talking mood.
"All units—advance! Kill anyone who resists!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!!"
"KILL!!!"
The two armies surged forward.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Tens of thousands of kunai flew through the air like a metallic hailstorm.
No one aimed—there were too many targets to miss.
Boom boom boom!
As the kunai landed, Explosive Tags ignited.
"Aaargh!"
Screams followed as the weaker front-line shinobi were torn apart—either pierced by the blades or blown apart by the detonations.
The battlefield quickly turned red—blood pooled across the sand, body parts flung wide, some twitching even after death.
And then came the green smoke—poison mist unleashed from the Sand side.
Within seconds, Cloud shinobi began writhing, clawing at their skin, howling in agony.
Even seasoned veterans weren't spared. Some collapsed mid-jutsu, convulsing.
The desert turned into something more hell than war.
But amidst the chaos, a strange emptiness remained at the battlefield's center.
An untouched clearing.
No one dared step into it—only three men stood there: Rasa, Minato, and the Third Raikage.
"You're the Third Raikage. I've heard of your strength."
Rasa's eyes gleamed. "Today, my brother Minato and I are here to learn just how strong."
The aura around them shifted—a clash of Kage-level monsters.
"Minato, huh?" the Raikage muttered, eyeing the Konoha headband. "The Yellow Flash. So… Konoha's teamed up with the Sand?"
"Correct," Minato replied smoothly. "Under orders from the Hokage, we've formed an alliance. Konoha reinforcements are already en route. If you retreat now, there's still time."
"Hah!" the Raikage barked a laugh. "Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi comes in person, I won't flinch. And before that happens, I'll make sure your corpse is buried here."
He grinned savagely. "Konoha losing its little prodigy would make my week."
"Wow," Kakashi muttered from a safe distance, watching through a telescope. "This guy's personality is just lightning and bad decisions."
Rasa's expression darkened. "Enough! Let's show the Cloud what real power looks like. Today, we take a Kage's head!"
Retreat?
Ridiculous.
With Minato up front and Uchiha reinforcements on the way, Rasa had no intention of letting the Third Raikage escape.
He was done playing defense.
Minato sighed. "Understood."
He flicked both wrists—twenty Flying Thunder God kunai embedded themselves in the ground, forming a deadly perimeter.
"Lightning Release Armor: Maximum Output!"
Though he scoffed at the challenge, the Raikage activated his full power immediately.
His hair spiked, body glowing with a violent, blinding current.
It was as if the storm itself had taken human form.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
Rasa shouted as Gold Dust surged upward, forming a massive sphere around the Raikage.
From all sides, sharp pillars of gold stabbed inward—like golden spears from hell.
"Did it work?" Rasa muttered, beads of sweat forming.
The silence didn't last.
"RAAAAH!"
A thunderous roar erupted from inside the sphere—followed by a crackling surge of lightning.
Rasa's eyes widened.
Too fast!
Instinct screamed at him to dodge, but he couldn't move in time.
Just as he raised his hand to summon more sand—
Swish!
A hand touched his shoulder.
Suddenly, he was fifty meters away—dizzy, but very much alive.
"...That was the Yellow Flash?" Rasa gasped, stunned.
"You're welcome," Minato said softly, his eyes still locked on the explosion site.
If he hadn't placed a marker on Rasa earlier, he wouldn't have made it in time.
"Be careful," Minato warned. "This guy really does live up to the rumors. They say he fought the Eight-Tails with his bare hands."
"A physical fight with the Eight-Tails…" Rasa looked pale. "Is that scar on his chest from that?"
Quite possibly.
Minato had already mentioned encountering the AB combo—the Third Raikage and his son Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki.
In response, Suna had deployed its own weapon: the One-Tail's Jinchūriki, Bunpuku.
Right now, Bunpuku, Chiyo, and Pakura were facing off against the AB combo.
Whether they could win that fight was unknown.
But if they didn't end this battle fast… the consequences could be disastrous.