Chapter 142: Reveal a Trump Card!

The death of Sand Ninja elder Mukade at the hands of Uzumaki Raiden cast a heavy shadow over the morale of Sand Ninja Village. Their defeat underscored the overwhelming strength of Raiden, whose battle with Mukade had been beyond the comprehension of most ninjas.

The support of the puppet squad proved futile against an opponent of Raiden's caliber. Meanwhile, Ebizo, affected by the loss of his close friend, was consumed by thoughts of vengeance.

"Rasa, Pakura, coordinate with the puppet squad," Ebizo ordered, his voice low and resolute. "Pakura's Scorch Release and the puppets' poison are our best chances to neutralize Uzumaki Raiden."

The intelligence gathered from Raiden's earlier battles informed Ebizo's strategy. The delay caused by Mukade's efforts had given Rasa the time he needed to fully mobilize the gold dust reserves beneath the village.

"Understood!" Rasa responded, raising his hand to manipulate the gold dust. A shimmering layer of gold appeared beneath Raiden's feet, forcing him to leap away. Rasa, however, did not pursue. Instead, he carefully encased Mukade's body in gold dust and moved it behind the puppet squad.

Raiden stood silently, observing Rasa's actions without interference. Despite being enemies, Raiden felt a sliver of respect for Mukade—a taijutsu master whose breathing technique rivaled the legendary Eight Gates.

"As an opponent, that old man was worthy," Raiden murmured, lowering his gaze briefly. But as Rasa secured Mukade's body and returned to his position, Raiden's expression hardened.

Boom!

Lightning exploded around Raiden as he summoned several crackling thunderballs and launched them toward Ebizo. Simultaneously, he created three shadow clones that charged at the puppet squad.

The battlefield erupted into chaos. The puppet squad engaged Raiden's shadow clones, but their efforts were in vain. The clones unleashed a relentless barrage of low-level Lightning Release techniques with terrifying speed, overwhelming the puppet masters.

Meanwhile, Raiden's main body was intercepted by Rasa's gold dust. Several of Raiden's attacks were successfully neutralized, and just as Raiden prepared to counter, Pakura entered the fray. Scorching fireballs surrounded Raiden, evaporating the moisture in the air and causing his Lightning Armor to crackle with instability.

Zzzzt!

Raiden glanced at his arm, noticing the dried and cracked skin beneath his armor.

"Her Scorch Release can penetrate even my Lightning Armor? This is dangerous," he muttered, leaping away to avoid further damage.

The combination of Rasa's Gold Dust and Pakura's Scorch Release created a near-impenetrable defense. Raiden found himself forced to retreat repeatedly, unable to land a decisive blow.

"The synergy between Rasa and Pakura's abilities is formidable. Neither their puppets nor ninjas can safely approach Scorch Release's area of effect," Raiden observed.

Hidden behind a wall of gold dust, Ebizo focused intently on his next move. His hands formed seals at blinding speed as his chakra wove intricate patterns in the air.

Raiden, now on the defensive, recognized the growing threat. The fireballs from Pakura's Scorch Release covered a wide area, distorting the air and cutting off his escape routes.

"Uzumaki Raiden, you'll regret invading Sand Ninja Village!" Rasa shouted, his confidence bolstered as he deflected Raiden's lightning arrows with Gold Dust.

Raiden's frown deepened. "So, you think you've trapped me, do you?"

Realizing that Lightning Release alone wouldn't be enough, Raiden shifted his strategy. His gaze locked onto Pakura.

"You first," he muttered.

Raiden drove the Sakegari no Tachi into the ground and formed a Rat Seal with both hands. From his back, six golden chakra chains emerged, radiating an intimidating energy.

"What is that?" Rasa and Pakura exclaimed, their vigilance spiking.

"Kongō Fūsa," Raiden announced calmly.

The six chains shot forward, splitting into two groups: three targeted Pakura, while the other three aimed for Rasa.

Rasa responded immediately, commanding his Gold Dust to intercept the chains. However, just as the chains neared, they swerved mid-air and redirected toward Ebizo, who was still hidden behind the gold wall.

"The target is Lord Ebizo!" Rasa realized, frantically fortifying the wall.

Clang!

The chakra chains struck the gold wall with a deafening impact, piercing through it despite its thickness. The chains halted mere inches from Ebizo's face, restrained by Rasa's desperate efforts.

"That was close," Ebizo muttered, cold sweat dripping down his face as his hands moved even faster to complete his jutsu.

Rasa smirked, his composure returning. "So, this is your trump card? It's been neutralized. When Lord Ebizo finishes, you're finished."

Raiden chuckled darkly. "Neutralized? You sure about that?"

Suddenly, three more golden chakra chains erupted from the ground beneath Ebizo, wrapping around him tightly and pulling him into the air. The intricate patterns he had been forming vanished as his concentration broke.

"What?!" Rasa shouted in disbelief.

Pakura attempted to attack Raiden, but the chains yanked Ebizo into Raiden's line of fire, forcing her to hesitate to avoid harming him.

Raiden smirked, his voice dripping with mockery. "You really thought I'd show all my cards at once? The Kongō Fūsa isn't limited to just six chains."

Ebizo dangled helplessly in the air, his chakra suppressed by the chains.

"Now," Raiden said, stepping closer. "Shall we have a proper conversation, Lord Ebizo?"

(End of this chapter)