Chapter 416: Information About the Gold Dust

Boom!

The kunai, enhanced with a spinning wind blade, pierced through the first layer of Rasa's golden cocoon. Minato's attack was relentless, each strike carving deeper into the densely packed sand.

Inside the cocoon, Rasa watched Minato's movements through the golden eye he had formed on the surface. Despite the growing cracks in his defense, his expression remained calm, calculating. As the kunai pressed through another layer, Rasa clenched his fist, and the ground beneath Minato began to tremble.

The golden sand around Minato's feet surged upward, coiling like a snake ready to strike. But before it could ensnare him, Minato disappeared in a blur, leaving only a faint flicker of yellow light behind.

"Odama Rasengan!"

Reappearing at another angle, Minato conjured a massive spinning sphere of chakra in his palm. With a swift movement, he drove the Rasengan into the cocoon. The force of the attack was immense, shattering the layers of gold sand and sending the cocoon hurtling backward.

The cocoon slammed into the ground with a deafening crash, skidding across the battlefield and creating a temporary distance between Rasa and the ongoing battle. Minato's goal wasn't to eliminate Rasa immediately—it was to isolate him, reducing the collateral damage his large-scale techniques could inflict on Konoha's forces.

Meanwhile, the chaotic clash between the Konoha and Sunagakure forces erupted into full-scale combat. The cries of battle echoed through the desert as the two sides collided in a frenzy of blades, jutsu, and blood.

Though the Konoha forces were outnumbered three to one, their superior training and experience quickly turned the tide. The Sunagakure troops, many of them barely past childhood, faltered under the pressure. The sight of blood—their own and their comrades'—stained the sands red, adding to the horror of their first battle.

Minato, from his vantage point, glanced briefly at the chaos. His heart tightened as he saw the young, inexperienced Sunagakure ninja being cut down. This is war, he reminded himself, his jaw clenching. Mercy, while noble, was a luxury neither side could afford.

Rasa, pushed out of the fray, emerged from the wreckage of his shattered cocoon, unscathed but visibly irritated. His golden sand shifted and reformed around him, reinforcing his defenses.

"Substitution," Minato murmured as he watched Rasa materialize from a pile of golden dust. "You're good at playing defense."

The ground beneath Minato trembled again, and a massive hand of golden sand rose to grab him. Minato leaped effortlessly, dodging the attack with minimal effort.

Rasa's frustration grew. With a sharp gesture, he summoned a second hand of golden sand, aiming to crush Minato between them. But Minato's reflexes were too sharp, his movements too precise. Each attack missed by mere inches, leaving Rasa gritting his teeth in anger.

"You're fast," Rasa admitted grudgingly, his voice laced with irritation. "But let's see how long you can keep running."

The golden sand began to shift again, this time forming a towering wave that loomed over Minato. With a swift motion, Rasa sent the wave crashing down, aiming to trap Minato in its overwhelming mass.

Minato's sharp gaze darted around, calculating his options. He hurled his three-pronged kunai into the air just as the golden wave engulfed him.

Swish!

In the blink of an eye, Minato vanished, reappearing mid-air where the kunai hovered. He looked down at Rasa, his expression calm, almost taunting.

Rasa scowled. From within his reinforced cocoon, another golden eye formed, tracking Minato's every movement.

"Golden Sands Sword!"

The golden sand shifted once more, forming a rain of sharp blades. The swords shot upward, aiming to skewer Minato while he was seemingly vulnerable in mid-air.

But Minato merely smiled. As the blades approached, he disappeared again, this time reappearing near a broken fragment of Rasa's earlier golden cocoon.

Rasa's eyes widened as realization struck. The markings on the fragment—Minato's Flying Thunder God seal—glinted faintly in the light.

"You were testing me," Rasa muttered under his breath, his heart sinking.

From the very beginning, Minato's actions had been deliberate, each move designed to gather information about Rasa's abilities. The way the golden sand formed eyes, its ability to move over great distances, and its defensive and offensive properties—all of it had been analyzed and logged by Minato.

Rasa's mind raced. He knew… He planned for this.

Minato stood still for a moment, his sharp blue eyes fixed on the golden eye watching him. He had pieced together most of the puzzle. The golden sand wasn't just a tool for combat—it was an extension of Rasa's perception, allowing him to see across vast distances.

The eyes are functional, capable of remote vision. He used them to track us before we arrived at the battlefield, Minato deduced. Their range and precision rival even the Byakugan.

Minato's respect for Rasa grew, despite their enmity. The Fourth Kazekage's mastery of gold dust wasn't just a reflection of his power—it was a testament to his ingenuity.

But Minato's analysis was complete. He had all the information he needed.

"Impressive," Minato murmured, his tone calm but edged with determination. His hand tightened around the hilt of his kunai. "But we have collected almost all the information."

Within his golden cocoon, Rasa felt a chill run down his spine as he saw Minato's expression harden.

==============================================

Support me at p@treon.com/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.

=============================================