Chapter 41: Didn't Get to Show Off

No one could deny that Gamabunta's Water Release was powerful, but Rasa controlled too much sand.

The massive water bullets crashed down, only to vanish instantly—like raindrops swallowed by the desert.

"Oi! Boss Toad! Your Water Release isn't working!" Naruto shouted as the sea of sand continued surging toward them.

Gamabunta, clearly irritated by Naruto's yelling, snapped back, "Shut up! Who told you I was good at everything?!"

"The enemy's this strong, of course I can't handle it alone!"

"Wow, that's kinda lame."

"Shut it! You should be thinking about how to survive instead of running your mouth!" The pipe in Gamabunta's mouth bobbed up and down furiously, mirroring his frustration.

"Sand Waterfall Imperial Funeral!"

A deep, commanding voice echoed across the battlefield. The rolling sand suddenly locked onto its target and came crashing down.

The sky darkened as the avalanche of sand descended, like an enormous claw blotting out the sun. From Naruto and Sasuke's perspective, it felt like the end of the world.

"Run!" Gamabunta snatched Naruto up in one hand and kicked off the ground, leaping backward.

Despite his formidable abilities, Rasa had his limits. His sand couldn't cover the entire Heaven Village at once—only a portion of it.

"Wait! Boss Toad! Sasuke and Sakura are still back there!" Naruto struggled in Gamabunta's grip, yelling desperately.

Gamabunta shot him an annoyed glance. "Relax! Your teammates are fine!"

At some point, Sasuke had summoned a massive dark-blue serpent, which was coiling protectively around him and Sakura, carrying them to safety.

"Huh?! Sasuke, you have a badass summon too?" Naruto's shock was mixed with irritation. If even that stuck-up Sasuke had a summon, then… didn't that mean Naruto hadn't gotten to show off at all?

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, ignoring him. Instead, he turned to the snake beneath him. "Take Sakura to the rear. Then we take down the enemy."

After his intense training with Orochimaru, Sasuke was just as confident in his own strength.

But Naruto and Sasuke weren't the only ones fighting here. Though most of the top-tier combatants had left, many elite warriors remained.

Zabuza. The former elite jōnin of various Hidden Villages. They were not to be underestimated.

"You three brats, get to the rear. We'll handle this." Zabuza, hefting his massive sword, spoke with authority.

Naruto and Sasuke both scowled at the dismissal.

"Oi! Eyebrow-less old man! I'm strong, okay?! Just look at my summon—Boss Toad!" Naruto retorted.

"I hate being underestimated," Sasuke added coldly.

Zabuza studied them with a sharp gaze. As a shinobi who had survived the Bloody Mist era, he didn't coddle young fighters. He despised the brutal methods of that time, but he knew battle experience was necessary.

He appreciated their resolve.

"Fine. Just don't die!" With that, he lunged into the fray, leading the charge.

As an elder figure with considerable strength, Zabuza held a high standing in the Heaven Village.

"It's you, Rasa!" As they neared the enemy, not just Zabuza but many others recognized him.

Rasa, however, only smirked arrogantly. "A bunch of ants."

Having accepted power from Mōryō, his mind was gradually being eroded by darkness.

"You bastard! Don't get cocky!" Zabuza snarled, swinging the Executioner's Blade straight at him.

Clang!

The massive blade struck solid sand, unable to cut through.

Rasa's lips curled into a smirk. "Let me show you my true power."

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Burial!"

The ground shifted as golden sand surged forth, forming irregular shapes and stabbing toward every fighter present.

"Earth Release! Earth-Style Wall!" Several elite jōnin worked together to erect a barricade, but it crumbled instantly like paper.

"Fire Release! Great Fire Annihilation!"

"Lightning Release! False Darkness!"

More jōnin launched counterattacks, but what were once their villages' strongest techniques suddenly seemed as weak as a mere chūnin's.

Well, maybe not that weak—since even genin these days were quite strong.

Clang!

Gamabunta deflected a golden sand spike with his short blade, but his movements were growing increasingly restricted. He knew he had to act.

"The strong ones, follow me! We take down the enemy's core!"

With a powerful leap, Gamabunta maneuvered through the golden sand with surprising agility, closing in on Rasa.

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Shield!"

A towering golden wall materialized in Gamabunta's path. His blade struck with full force—only for sparks to fly as it failed to cut through.

"Aoda!"

"Yes, Sasuke-sama!" At some point, Sasuke had maneuvered behind Rasa, forming a rapid series of hand seals.

"Fire Release! Great Fireball Technique!"

"Pathetic," Rasa scoffed, not even bothering with his golden sand. He merely used regular sand to block the attack.

Thud!

Aoda struck with its tail from behind—but Rasa's sand intercepted it, coiling around the snake before slamming it to the ground.

"Sand Binding Coffin!"

Aoda let out a pained hiss as its tail was crushed under the immense pressure, its body going limp.

Sasuke winced. "Aoda, return."

The serpent dipped its head apologetically. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-sama."

Though Aoda withdrew, the battle raged on. A middle-aged shinobi from the Hōzuki Clan took aim at Rasa, inhaling deeply.

"Water Release! Water Severing Wave!"

Once again, a golden sand barrier formed. It absorbed the Water Severing Wave before sprouting razor-sharp spikes, impaling the shinobi—

Schlk!

Only his liquefied body saved him from certain death.

"Hmph! Your strength is pitiful," Rasa sneered—until his words cut off abruptly.

He glanced down, eyes widening in shock at the kunai buried in his heart.

From within Rasa's shadow, a figure emerged—a sly smirk on his face.

"In battle, you should never let your guard down."

"He's right. Never drop your guard!" Rasa laughed maniacally. His hand shot out, seizing the assassin's throat.

The watching shinobi stared in horror as Rasa's voice rang out, filled with madness.

"With Lord Mōryō's power—I AM IMMORTAL!"

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

Fanfic is finished on Patreon (241 chapters in total.) 

Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)