"Yulín, maintain this height."
"I'm making my move!"
Yulín had heard Kinrin and the others praise Kazuyama's strength endlessly, and now her curiosity was piqued. She adjusted her energy output, keeping herself steadily afloat.
Kazuyama's hands moved rapidly through the seals for Fire Release.
In an instant, he was ready.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
A rain of fireballs poured down from the sky.
At this stage, his ninjutsu and chakra had completely evolved.
What was once a simple technique became something entirely different in his hands. The sheer number of fireballs was staggering, and each one was large enough to be a serious threat.
"Hmph, Kazuyama! Your opponent is me!"
"Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
Rasa, standing amidst his troops, watched the descending fireballs and the massive flying serpent above. His eyes burned with cold fury.
The hatred he held for Kazuyama erupted all at once.
He raised his hands, and waves of Gold Dust surged upward, forming a protective shield over his forces, blocking every last fireball.
"Don't think you're safe just because you're in the air!"
"Flying means nothing—you think Sunagakure is so easy to trample?"
With his defense secured, Rasa launched himself into the sky, standing atop his Gold Dust.
Crossing his arms, he manipulated the dust, forming long golden spears.
This was the true advantage of Magnet Release—so long as there was enough chakra, it allowed him to wield his Gold Dust with absolute precision.
"Hmph, Rasa, you already lost to me once. You think I'd be scared of you?"
"If you wanna fight, I'll gladly oblige! Yulín, charge! Bite his head off!"
Despite his words, Kazuyama had no intention of engaging directly.
The next second, he directed Yulín into an attack.
Flying snakes were highly mobile, and Yulín was the pinnacle of them all.
Her massive body burst forward at incredible speed, closing the gap in an instant.
Meanwhile, Rasa's Gold Dust spears couldn't even touch her.
It was as if a protective barrier surrounded her, blocking his attacks before they could land.
Rasa's brow furrowed.
"A wall of wind?"
"Tch, I'll just increase the density! Mere wind won't stop my Gold Dust!"
Now standing on his golden platform, Rasa fully displayed his Kage-level combat prowess.
He moved with the dust, blocking Yulín's advances while simultaneously condensing his spears into an even denser form.
Kazuyama, watching the Gold Dust harden and sharpen, raised an eyebrow.
This guy... he could actually compress Gold Dust.
For a moment, he thought of Gaara's Shield of Shukaku from the future—a technique that also relied on highly compressed sand reinforced with chakra.
Tsk, like father, like son.
Even as his mind wandered, his hands never stopped moving. He casually tossed a kunai downward.
"Yulín, back off. That attack might be too much for your body to handle."
Before he even finished speaking, Yulín had already sensed the danger. She swiftly pulled away, putting more distance between them.
"I'll shoot you down!"
At that moment, her massive form became a prime target.
Rasa didn't even need to aim—he simply flicked his wrist, sending the high-density Gold Dust lance hurtling straight toward her, a golden streak slicing through the air.
"Hmph, Rasa, did you forget something?"
"I can fly!"
Kazuyama's mocking voice rang out just as the Gold Dust Lance was about to pierce through Yulín. In the blink of an eye, he vanished along with the massive serpent, reappearing on the ground below.
Rasa's face twisted in anger as his attack once again missed its mark.
"Hmph! If you've got the guts, just keep running!"
"Go!"
Chakra surged as the golden spear adjusted its trajectory, now hurtling downward in pursuit.
"This guy just won't let up… Yulín, I'll drop you in the middle of the battlefield—Rasa is mine to handle."
Yulín gave a short nod before Kazuyama activated the Flying Thunder God once more.
A kunai embedded in the battlefield flickered—the same one he had tossed from the air earlier.
In an instant, the teleportation was complete, and the Giant Snake Crushing Technique came into play again.
Even though Yulín wasn't specialized in brute force, her sheer size alone was overwhelming.
Dropping her into the enemy ranks felt like unleashing a tiger into a flock of sheep.
Pure carnage.
With Yulín sent into the chaos, Kazuyama turned to face the Gold Dust Lance now inches from his body. Without hesitation, he activated Transparent Escape, vanishing from sight.
Rasa's eyes flashed with displeasure, but as the future Kazekage, his combat instincts were razor-sharp. He quickly recalled the lance and formed a defensive barrier of Gold Dust around himself.
"Hmph! You think hiding will save you?"
"Release the One-Tail!"
Losing sight of his target, Rasa immediately resorted to Sunagakure's deadliest weapon.
In the heart of the battlefield, Bunpuku, the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail, had already arrived, flanked by a squad of Sunagakure shinobi.
Upon Rasa's command, the surrounding ninja scattered in all directions.
Bunpuku pressed his palms together, murmuring a solemn prayer.
"Shukaku… I leave it to you…"
As he spread his arms, a surge of sand erupted across the battlefield.
A monstrous chakra filled the air, sending shivers through both friend and foe.
The Sunagakure ninja wasted no time—immediately retreating to avoid being caught in the beast's rampage.
Konoha's forces, however, were visibly tense. Many had witnessed Shukaku's destructive power firsthand, and the mere sight of the Tailed Beast filled them with dread.
"Hold your ground! The Land of Fire is behind us!"
"We must stop them here!"
A defiant voice rang out from the rear of Konoha's ranks.
"It's just One-Tail! One measly tail! What the hell are you all afraid of?!"
"Vacuum Sword!"
Shirakumo gripped his blade in reverse, sweeping it through the air.
Countless slashes materialized, cutting through the swirling sand with devastating force.
"Bastard! Who the hell just mocked me?!"
"I'LL EAT YOU ALIVE!"
Shukaku fully emerged—his massive body covered in jagged purple markings, his aura bursting forth in sheer ferocity.
"Outta my way, you vermin!"
With a swing of his colossal arm, he sent a figure hurtling through the sky, swallowed by the storm of sand.
"Dammit! Kazuyama, let me out!"
"You damned raccoon! You dare throw me like that?! I'll tear you apart!"
Chōmei's furious voice roared in Kazuyama's mind.
Yes.
The one who had just been swatted like a ragdoll—was Kazuyama himself.
Shukaku might not have been the strongest of the Tailed Beasts, but a Tailed Beast was still a Tailed Beast.
That single strike had sent him flying, dealing a devastating blow.
Amidst the swirling sand, a streak of crimson stood out—a stark reminder of just how close he had been.
"Goddammit! I was one step away! Rasa, you son of a—!"
Kazuyama had been charging straight for Bunpuku the moment he activated Transparent Escape.
But the second Rasa called for Shukaku, everything fell apart.
His entire plan had been ruined in an instant.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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