Chapter 86: Rasa vs. Danzo (Part 3)

Among the two great dōjutsu of the ninja world, both the Sharingan and the Byakugan can perceive the flow of chakra within a ninja's body. However, the key difference lies in how they function. The Sharingan's perception is based on its ability to detect the presence of chakra itself.

In other words, while the Sharingan can observe the movement of chakra inside a ninja, it cannot pinpoint chakra points. If the target lacks chakra altogether, then the Sharingan perceives nothing.

At this very moment, that was the exact predicament Danzo faced.

Upon activating the power of his right eye's Sharingan to analyze Rasa's chakra flow and prepare for any hidden techniques, he was stunned to discover that he saw absolutely nothing.

This inexplicable sight caused his pupils to contract. Without hesitation, he abandoned his advantageous position—where he had already closed in on Rasa—and swiftly retreated. At the same time, his spinning Sharingan worked frantically to analyze the technique Rasa had used.

"No chakra… still no traces of chakra!"

Whether it was the sand under Rasa's control or the gold dust swirling around, there was no visible chakra within them.

A deep sense of unease crept over Danzo once again.

In the past, he would have withdrawn immediately, prioritizing caution. But now, as his gaze lingered on Rasa, his peripheral vision caught sight of the Uzumaki orphan hovering in the sky. The enormous prize dangling before him made retreat an impossible option.

"In that case…"

Dodging the encroaching Sand Gold Barrier, Danzo secretly formed a series of hand seals. On his right arm, a three-tomoe Sharingan began to spin.

Rasa, ever perceptive, noticed it instantly. After all, this was the moment he had been waiting for. The real battle was about to begin.

Whoosh!

Despite having previously withdrawn, Danzo abruptly launched forward again.

With incredible agility, he weaved past all of Rasa's attacks and swiftly closed the gap between them. As Danzo approached, Rasa extended his hand, summoning a golden iron staff, swinging it directly at Danzo's Wind Blade.

Although Rasa did not possess the Monkey King Enma as the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, did, his mastery over Magnet Release, combined with Inorganic Reincarnation and chakra absorption abilities, allowed him to forge the Gold Dragon Staff. In terms of power, it was in no way inferior to Enma.

Clang!

The golden staff and the Wind Blade clashed in a fierce collision.

The sharp edge of the wind blade scraped against the solid metal, creating an eruption of sparks that scattered in every direction.

While Wind Release is renowned for its sharpness, its greatest strength lies in its cutting ability. However, when it comes to raw destructive force and penetrative power, it falls short compared to Lightning Release—let alone Rasa's staff, which, infused with senjutsu energy, possessed the ability to absorb chakra.

Visibly, the wind chakra infused into Danzo's Wind Blade was drawn into Rasa's golden staff and absorbed completely.

"How is this possible?!"

Danzo's pupils contracted. Before he could react, an overwhelming force came crashing down upon him.

"Gold Dragon Staff—Expand!"

Under the influence of Inorganic Reincarnation, the senjutsu energy within the staff transformed into gold dust and iron sand, causing it to expand tenfold in an instant. Its weight surged beyond ten tons.

"What?! This is Hiruzen's technique!"

The sheer impact smashed into Danzo's arm, causing his expression to twist in pain as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Fortunately, Danzo was still relatively young at this time, just shy of sixty. He had yet to become the aged veteran who later fought Sasuke. This level of injury was not enough to take him out of the fight.

Moreover, his past battles against Hiruzen had given him the necessary experience to use the momentum from his fall to evade the incoming staff at the last moment.

"Oi, it's not over yet?"

Despite its immense size—now half a meter thick, over twenty to thirty meters long, and weighing more than ten tons—Rasa wielded the Gold Dragon Staff with ease, thanks to his Magnet Release. However, brute force was not the only way he could use it.

"Gold Dragon Staff—Extend!"

In an instant, the staff in Rasa's grip elongated like a whip, thrusting toward Danzo with terrifying speed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each strike carved deep craters into the ground.

"This won't do! I can't keep going like this!"

Even though Danzo was younger than he would later become, his chakra reserves were depleting at an alarming rate. A significant portion was already being used to suppress the Hashirama cells in his arm, while another portion was needed to maintain the Sharingan's power. If he dragged this battle out any longer, he would lose.

He had to act now.

With this thought, Danzo faced the incoming Gold Dragon Staff and swiftly formed a series of hand seals.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"

A massive blast of wind erupted, sending the colossal staff flying and forcing Rasa to retreat several steps.

Danzo seized the opportunity. He leaped into the air, using the extended Gold Dragon Staff as leverage to propel himself toward Rasa. The sudden burst of chakra in his body pushed his speed beyond its usual limits.

Rasa noticed instantly and swung the staff to knock Danzo away. However, in midair, Danzo quickly formed another set of hand seals.

The three-tomoe Sharingan in his right eye spun wildly, morphing into the shape of a great windmill.

"So, that's what is going on…"

In that instant, Rasa found his answer. He had wondered whether the Sharingan's dōjutsu could affect his senjutsu energy.

The answer was yes.

A sharp, excruciating sensation of being torn apart flooded his senses. It felt as if his body had been split into five separate pieces—his head, arms, legs, and torso disconnected from each other, leaving him suspended in a surreal state of detachment.

Snap!

As the genjutsu took hold, Danzo exhaled deeply, landing atop Rasa's immobilized Gold Dragon Staff. His gaze locked onto Rasa's motionless form, and in a low, controlled voice, he spoke.

"This is my dear friend Kagami Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan dōjutsu—Kuna Ten. It severs the connection between the target's brain and body, rendering them completely paralyzed…!"

He was not wrong. At this moment, Rasa could no longer feel any link between his thoughts and his physical form. It was as if his consciousness drifted in an empty void, cut off from everything.

Yet, he did not panic.

From the moment he noticed Danzo subtly weaving hand seals, he had already activated his elemental transformation.

In a world like Naruto's, where no known intelligence existed on such a technique, there was no way for anyone to predict or counter it. In this form, he was untouchable—immune to harm. That made this the perfect opportunity to analyze the dōjutsu and figure out how to break free.

With that in mind, he steadied himself completely.

Danzo, watching Rasa remain utterly still, finally allowed himself to relax. Slowly, he stepped forward.

"Kagami… even in death, your eyes continue to serve the village."

Murmuring under his breath, Danzo advanced along the length of the Gold Dragon Staff, the distance between them shrinking with every step. Strange, intricate sealing marks appeared on both of his hands.

This was the Root's forbidden Self-Curse Sealing Mark.

The Mangekyō Sharingan's genjutsu required a continuous flow of chakra to sustain and would not last forever. Only by applying a sealing jutsu on Rasa could he ensure absolute control over him.

But just as Danzo's palm was about to make contact, locking Rasa in place—

"Shhk!"

A sharp, jagged Shukaku Spear tore through Danzo's body causing bright red blood erupted from the wound and splattering across the golden staff.