Chapter 215: A Trial Duel Against Chiyo

Outside Konoha's frontline encampment, the night burned brightly with firelight, illuminating the figures of Veigar, Minato, and Hizashi, along with several other Konoha jonin.

But aside from Veigar and Minato, the rest were nothing more than Shadow Clones.

Rasa and Chiyo, leading nearly three thousand Sunagakure shinobi, arrived in an overwhelming show of force, clearly intent on a full-frontal confrontation.

Were both Rasa and Chiyo to enter the fray, two Kage-level powerhouses, the Konoha frontlines would surely collapse under the weight of their attack.

As the saying goes: "When enemies meet, their eyes burn with hatred."

Facing off across the battlefield, Chiyo stepped forward from the Suna ranks. The instant her eyes locked onto Veigar, the long-burning fire of vengeance within her surged, uncontainable.

She took a single, deliberate step.

"Veigar Koshima, tonight you will pay in blood."

Her expression twisted into a demonic snarl, a tidal wave of murderous intent crashing down toward Veigar.

"My life is right here," Veigar replied calmly. "Advisor Chiyo, I wonder, when will you come to claim it?"

In the face of her overwhelming bloodlust, Veigar remained completely unfazed, his voice smooth, his expression unchanged.

"On the battlefield, victory and death are but two sides of the same coin."

"When your shinobi declared war on us, surely you understood that death spares no one."

His every word struck sharp and clean, a verbal blade that dug deep beneath the surface.

Chiyo's fury exploded. With a snap of her hand, she pulled a sealing scroll from her robes.

"Then tonight, you die with me."

The moment words failed, action spoke. Chiyo's move was the signal to begin Suna's assault.

"Kill."

Rasa pointed toward Veigar and Minato, issuing the command for the Suna forces to attack.

In an instant, over thirty shinobi charged toward Minato and the surrounding Shadow Clones.

Whether by instinct or design, they avoided Veigar, knowing full well he was Chiyo's target.

"If you think you can take me, come at me!"

Even as Veigar spoke, Minato dashed forward to engage.

1 versus 30.

And not a shred of hesitation.

Meanwhile, the Shadow Clones had already retreated, disappearing back into the shadows.

If their true nature as clones were discovered, Veigar's strategic plans could be compromised. So naturally, they had no intention of engaging.

White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets.

Chiyo unleashed one of her deadliest techniques immediately.

Ten human-shaped puppets burst from her scroll, whirling through the air as they lunged at Veigar with deadly precision.

Meanwhile, Rasa noticed Hizashi and the surrounding Konoha shinobi pulling back, and though he suspected a trap, he did not dwell on it.

"Full assault, drown Konoha in blood!"

At his order, over three thousand Suna shinobi surged toward the Konoha frontlines, chasing after Hizashi and the retreating defenders.

"Kill! Bleed Konoha dry!"

"Spare no one, leave no Konoha shinobi alive!"

"Make them pay for every drop of blood they've spilled!"

At the same time, a Suna shinobi beside Rasa pulled a signal flare from his chest pouch.

Fwoosh—

The flare exploded high above, bathing the sky in searing light.

It was the signal for an aerial assault, the Asuka Puppet Corps was preparing to descend.

Thunder rolled.

As the mass of Suna shinobi advanced, they began triggering traps laid along the perimeter. Explosions erupted, dozens of explosive tags detonating, slowing their momentum.

Though the chain of explosions injured many and cost some lives, the actual casualties were relatively low.

But that was by design.

Veigar had never intended for these traps to cripple the enemy, only to disrupt their momentum and dull their senses.

Elsewhere, Minato, vastly outnumbered, moved with blinding speed, not even relying on his signature Flying Raijin Technique, but instead using only Wind Style: Teleportation Jutsu and the Rasengan.

And that was more than enough.

Within moments, several Suna shinobi had already fallen to his hand.

But to prevent further losses, the Fourth Kazekage himself entered the battlefield.

Magnet Release: Gold Dust Technique.

Kunai crafted from golden sand shot toward Minato at incredible speed, forcing him to retreat.

"We meet again, Minato Namikaze."

Rasa stepped into the field, his tone grim.

"This time, you won't escape."

This wasn't their first encounter, Minato had recently infiltrated the Land of Wind on a mission, and their paths had crossed then. In fact, they'd even met earlier during prior operations.

Minato eyed Rasa with narrowed focus.

"Then come try me."

Both men, Kage-level shinobi, understood that neither could bring down the other easily.

"Leave him to me," Rasa ordered the surrounding Suna shinobi.

"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"

With the order given, the shinobi broke off, racing toward the Konoha camp.

In the next instant, Rasa and Minato clashed.

At the same time, Veigar engaged Chiyo.

Puppet Technique: Sanbō Kyūkai (Three Jewels Suction Crushing).

Chiyo activated a triad of puppets, unleashing a fierce vortex aimed to suck Veigar into their core and pulverize him.

But Veigar, already aware of this technique's power, was ready.

In a single step, he leapt clear of the pull, forming a Wind Style: Rasenshuriken in his hand and hurled it.

Boom!

The Rasenshuriken exploded within the puppet formation, unleashing a swirling maelstrom of destruction that obliterated all three puppets.

Puppet Technique: Mechanical Light Shield Block.

Caught in the storm, Chiyo quickly deployed another secret technique to form a puppet-based defense.

Even Rasa and Minato, locked in battle nearby, were forced to cease their attacks and shield themselves.

Magnet Release: Gold Dust Shield.

Flying Raijin Technique.

Rasa enclosed himself in a solid dome of gold sand, a form of absolute defense, as Minato teleported out per the plan.

He had another mission to complete, one even more important than the battle here.

And if he succeeded, half the Suna forces would never leave this battlefield alive.

Trailing behind Rasa and Chiyo was another Kage-level entity, the One-Tail jinchūriki, Bunpuku.

The turbulence from Veigar's Rasenshuriken had also disturbed the balance within Bunpuku's body.

And deep inside him, the normally placid Shukaku, the One-Tail, had begun to stir restlessly.

Wind Style, Shukaku's specialty, was now in play.

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