Chapter 84: Rasa vs. Danzo (Part 1)

Outside the Four Purple Flame Formation

After adapting to the battlefield and shedding blood in the process, the jōnin of Konohagakure finally figured out how to counter the massive tanuki warriors.

However, understanding their weaknesses was one thing. Defeating them was another. Their absurdly strong defenses and overwhelming destructive power made it nearly impossible for the jōnin to take them down in a short time.

Just as the Konoha jōnin were struggling to hold their ground, the colossal tanuki creatures suddenly crumbled into sand.

"What's going on?"

The Konoha jōnin were instantly filled with confusion. Their first instinct was that Danzo, inside the barrier, had forced the Kazekage to cancel his technique. A wave of relief spread among them.

But before they could even exhale completely, the next scene made their eyes widen in shock once more.

The sand from the fallen tanuki warriors did not disperse. Instead, it swirled violently like a raging sandstorm, gathering together and merging into an enormous beast the size of a mountain.

A deep, guttural roar tore through the battlefield.

ROAR!

The force of the howl created a shockwave that stirred up a violent gale, sending debris flying in all directions.

The Root ninja, trained extensively in intelligence gathering, immediately recognized the technique. It was the same jutsu that had once left even Jiraiya and Minato helpless.

Meanwhile, the Sunagakure shinobi seized the opportunity and swiftly retreated, leaping onto the massive monster's head.

Without hesitation, the towering form of the Shukaku's Avatar raised its enormous tail before swinging it with devastating force. A torrential rain of sandpaper shuriken hurtled toward the Konoha ninja.

Inside the Four Purple Flame Formation

The monstrous figure looming over the battlefield was impossible to miss.

With his wealth of experience, Danzo quickly deduced the reasoning behind Rasa's actions. His gaze shifted briefly toward the colossal beast in the distance before he spoke, his tone calm and calculating.

"It seems controlling that many puppets is no easy task. But dividing your attention while fighting me? That is bold."

Rasa snorted coldly, his voice sharp with confidence.

"If I were facing Minato or Jiraiya, I wouldn't dare. But against you? This is more than enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, Rasa leaped down from his golden dust cloud, landing gracefully atop the treetops of the dense forest.

His eyes gleamed with amusement as he smirked at Danzo's cold expression.

"I hope you won't disappoint me. Don't let this fight end too quickly."

Danzo's face darkened. His fingers formed a rapid hand seal.

"You won't be disappointed. Wind Style: Vacuum Wave!"

The battle had begun.

Like the cutting edge of a Kamaitachi, a razor-sharp wind blade surged forward, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

"Hmph. Shukaku's Shield!"

Rasa remained motionless as a massive sand barrier, shaped in the image of the One-Tailed Beast, materialized from thin air. The barrier intercepted the Vacuum Wave completely.

The wind technique failed to advance even an inch. The trees on either side of the battlefield, however, were not so lucky. Severed cleanly, they collapsed with a thunderous crash, shaking the earth beneath them.

"What an impressive defense…"

Danzo's face remained grim, but his body moved without hesitation. His figure became a blur within the barrier as he repositioned himself. Rasa's Shukaku Shield was strong, but it could only block attacks from one direction at a time.

Realizing this, Danzo quickly formed another hand seal.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves!"

Countless wind blades surged forward in rapid succession, slicing through the air from all directions as Danzo moved, surrounding Rasa in a storm of razor-sharp currents.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Two more Shukaku Shields materialized at an angle, forming an impenetrable wall around Rasa. The attacks struck the barriers but failed to break through.

Danzo narrowed his eyes.

"Is this a Bloodline Limit?"

Compared to jutsu that required hand seals, a Bloodline Limit granted overwhelming advantages in speed and execution. Danzo frowned slightly, already forming a new seal to counter.

However, before he could react, his sharp senses warned him of something deadly. His instincts screamed at him to move.

From the three Shukaku Shields, countless spikes suddenly shot outward, gleaming with a golden hue.

"Sage Art - Magnet Release - Gold Sand Shuriken!"

The golden projectiles tore through the air at terrifying speed.

Danzo immediately dashed across the battlefield, dodging the barrage with precise movements. His footwork remained steady, but his expression darkened as he noticed something unusual.

The shuriken did not scatter after missing. Instead, they twisted midair, locking onto him like guided missiles.

"What!?"

This was the result of Rasa's Magnet Release enhanced by Sage Chakra. Unlike before, when he had to refine his chakra into magnetic energy, he now relied on natural energy itself to generate the magnetic force. The result was perfect precision and control over his attacks.

The golden shuriken chased Danzo relentlessly.

Despite the rising tension, Danzo's hands moved without hesitation.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

A violent gust erupted from his mouth, generating a powerful shockwave. The gale blasted the pursuing shuriken away, scattering them into the forest. Trees were uprooted and thrown into the air, debris flying in all directions.

Above, on her floating cloud of gold sand, Hana squinted through the swirling dust. She could no longer see what was happening and had to rely on her sensory abilities.

"Be careful!"

Under normal circumstances, as a surviving member of the Uzumaki Clan, she would never warn Danzo. Konohagakure had abandoned her people when Uzushiogakure fell. But after seeing the grotesque abomination that was Danzo's right arm, she understood one thing.

If she fell into his hands, her fate would be worse than death.

Just as her warning left her lips, a white blur shot out from the storm of dust.

Danzo moved at blinding speed, wielding a long sword, his lone Sharingan eye gleaming with murderous intent as he lunged straight at Rasa.

"Die!"

Confidence filled Danzo's mind. His blade was only inches from Rasa's throat when—

A golden mass surged between them.

In an instant, an enormous hand of gold sand formed and clamped down on Danzo's sword, stopping it midair.

"Gold Sand Hand!"

Danzo's eyes widened.

"What!?"

He tried to yank his sword free, but it refused to budge. It was as if the metal had fused with the golden sand itself.

Danzo did not waste time. Abandoning the weapon, he lunged forward with his bare hands and swung a punch directly at Rasa's face.

Boom!

His fist never landed.

A massive sand fist surged forward, striking Danzo before he could react.

Boom!

The force of the impact sent him hurtling backward. Though he crossed his arms in defense, the sheer power of the blow shattered his guard. Blood spewed from his mouth as his body was flung across the battlefield.

Yet, despite the obvious damage, his expression remained eerily calm. There was no pain. No struggle.

From above, Hana's eyes narrowed as realization dawned upon her.

"Careful! It's a clone! His real body is below!"

But the warning came an instant too late.

Beneath Rasa, a completely unharmed Danzo emerged, his body materializing like a ghost from the shadows. His right hand, covered in the cursed markings of the Uchiha, shot forward, reaching for Rasa's back.

A victorious smirk tugged at the corner of Danzo's lips.

"The battle is over."

But before he could make contact, a voice—calm, yet chilling—echoed through the air.

"Oh really~?"

Danzo's eyes widened.

"What?!"

An unnatural gleam flashed before his vision.

Too late.

From behind Rasa, Danzo's own abandoned sword shot toward him, controlled effortlessly by Magnet Release. The blade sliced through the air, aiming straight for his head.

With Rasa blocking his line of sight, he never saw it coming.

Slash!