The overwhelming torrent of gold dust Rasa conjured came crashing down like an avalanche.
Zabuza's eyes narrowed. Once, he would have retreated without hesitation. Now…
He still retreated three paces.
Bloodline Limit users were always a cut above ordinary shinobi, and Rasa was no exception. Years of sifting gold from the desert had made his Magnetic Release second nature. Even Orochimaru regarded him as a threat.
Though Zabuza had stepped into the realm of Kage-level shinobi, he dared not take this opponent lightly.
Looking up, he saw the golden sand roaring down like a river, the sheer scale of it striking a chill into his chest. With a swift Body Flicker, Zabuza leapt back, the massive Kubikiribōchō flashing into his hands. Killing intent sharpened his gaze—he was now deadly serious.
Across the battlefield, Orochimaru's expression didn't change. He had already studied Rasa's abilities in detail. With a glance, he signaled Kimimaro and Kabuto.
Then, he moved.
"Summoning Technique: Rashōmon!"
With a clap of hands, a towering demonic gate rose from the sand. Orochimaru's Rashōmon had once withstood the might of a Tailed Beast Bomb. Now, the surging gold dust slammed against it, diverted to either side without breaking through.
Rasa hadn't expected one jutsu to end them all. Even as his attack raged, Kimimaro had already closed the distance, eyes void of emotion, his body sprouting deadly bone weapons. Kabuto followed, chakra scalpels glowing faintly in his hands.
Orochimaru pressed his attack, fingers weaving seals.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
From the shifting desert floor, a massive earthen dragon surged forth, its maw opening to launch chunks of hardened earth. But the Land of Wind was Rasa's domain.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Cube!"
A colossal block of glittering gold crushed the dragon in an instant, its sheer weight and density overwhelming Orochimaru's earth technique. Chakra pulsed through the metallic grains, making them as unyielding as steel.
Orochimaru only smiled.
Kimimaro and Kabuto had reached Rasa. Bones burst from Kimimaro's arms and chest, their lethal sheen making Rasa's expression harden.
"The Kaguya Clan…" he muttered darkly.
The Kaguya were infamous—battle-crazed, with monstrous offense and defense thanks to their Shikotsumyaku. Rasa evaded with sharp reflexes, lashing out with a sudden kick that sent Kimimaro skidding back, then pivoted to strike Kabuto. Kabuto rolled clear, avoiding the crushing blow.
Spears of gold dust erupted before Rasa and shot toward Kabuto like missiles.
A flash of steel intercepted them—the Kubikiribōchō cleaving through, scattering the projectiles.
"Rasa!" Zabuza growled, blade resting across his shoulder. "It's over. You're not escaping today!"
The former Demon of the Mist relished the reversal. Once, he had fought armies alone. Now, with allies at his side, even a Kage was prey.
But Rasa ignored him. His gaze locked on Orochimaru, venom burning in his eyes.
"Orochimaru, must you go this far?!" he spat, fury twisting his voice. If he lived through this betrayal, he swore he would rally Sunagakure to tear the Snake Sannin apart.
"Rasa," Orochimaru purred, his smile cruel. "Don't be childish. Accept reality and surrender."
Even as he spoke, his hands blurred through more seals.
"Summoning Technique!"
With a thunderous bang and a plume of white smoke, a colossal serpent burst forth—Manda.
"Why have you summoned me, Orochimaru?" Manda's voice rumbled arrogantly. "Where are my sacrifices?"
"Don't waste time, Manda!" Orochimaru snapped. Rasa's chakra was surging—the desert itself was beginning to boil with power.
"Double the sacrifices," Manda hissed, but he wasted no time. With a whip of his massive tail, he smashed into the rushing gold dust, breaking its flow.
Zabuza cast a glance at the serpent. Manda's strength was unmistakable, on par with a Kage. No wonder the Sannin were so feared—each had a Summoning Beast of terrifying might.
But there was no time to dwell. Forming his own seals, Zabuza inhaled deeply.
"Hidden Mist Technique!"
Thick fog spread across the battlefield, cloaking the terrain and veiling Manda's massive form.
Zabuza's voice echoed through the haze, cold and menacing.
"You won't see me coming, Kazekage…"
"Hmph! Petty tricks!" Rasa snarled. His chakra spiked, sand spiraling into a storm.
"Earth Release: Sandstorm!"
The desert roared to life.
Rasa's expression twisted with disdain as his hands blurred through a rapid series of seals. Instantly, the air erupted—sand and wind roared outward, sweeping away much of the heavy mist that had cloaked the battlefield.
Kimimaro lunged forward, engaging Rasa head-on. Bone blades burst from his body, clashing against Rasa's strikes. The two collided with terrifying force—Rasa, shockingly, met the bone weapons barehanded.
But if one looked closer, they would notice a thin layer of sand peeling off Rasa's body with every impact—his defense hidden in plain sight.
From the sidelines, Kabuto provided support, while Zabuza scowled. His Hidden Mist Technique had been scattered, and here, surrounded by dry sand and wind, his Water Release techniques were severely weakened.
Tch. If ninjutsu wouldn't work, then he would rely on raw strength.
Vital energy flared to life around Zabuza, coiling tightly along the edge of the massive Kubikiribōchō. It was a crude but effective application of chakra flow, reinforcing the blade.
Rasa retreated a step, scanning the lineup before him. Orochimaru still hadn't made his move, and the giant serpent Manda loomed menacingly in the background, its eyes cold and hungry.
In front of him stood a bloodthirsty monster of a youth, Kimimaro. Beside him, a cunning medic-nin, and a swordsman of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. All this power gathered just to take him down?
Wasn't this bullying?
Rasa's jaw clenched, his pride boiling. He couldn't back down now. His hands blurred again, and a tidal wave of glittering gold surged into existence.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Tsunami!"
The golden flood rose like a living wall and crashed violently into Manda. The great serpent roared in pain as the impact sent it reeling back, smashing into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Enraged, Manda glared at Rasa, its scales shuddering as it tried to rise—only for a roaring sandstorm to engulf the battlefield.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a sneer. His fingers flashed through seals, and with a sharp slap to the ground, black sealing runes spread outward like venomous snakes.
The Rasa before them crumbled into a pile of sand—just a clone. The real Kazekage was wrenched from hiding, blood spraying from his lips as he crashed heavily to the ground.
Pfft!
Rasa wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes cold. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to anticipate every move.
If I can't escape… then I'll drag you all into the desert with me!
The earth trembled. Sand in every direction began to swirl and riot, hundreds of meters across. Orochimaru's expression hardened—Rasa was throwing away all restraint, burning through his chakra with reckless abandon.
Kimimaro stepped forward, planting himself between Orochimaru and the incoming sand tide. His body twisted unnaturally as bones burst from his flesh.
"Dance of the Willow!"
"Dance of the Clematis!"
Orochimaru's voice rang out sharply:
"Zabuza! Don't underestimate him—Kimimaro's attacks are indiscriminate!"
Zabuza grimaced but moved in closer, shielded behind the boy.
The desert roared forward. In response, an entire forest of white bone erupted from the ground, spears and walls of hardened marrow locking together into a barrier.
The sound was deafening—sand grinding against bone, bones shattering under pressure, sand pierced and torn apart by jagged white lances.
For a moment, they were safe within the sanctuary Kimimaro had created. But Rasa, pushing beyond his limits, poured everything into the storm. His golden sand swallowed the battlefield, pressing down even on Kimimaro's monstrous defenses.
The bones cracked, buried under the crushing tide.
...
TN:
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