A cloud of sand drifted through the air as Rasa moved swiftly across the desert.
Ever since he had learned a few days ago that the Ryūmyaku had been stolen, he had rushed to Rōran to investigate the situation himself.
What infuriated him beyond measure was that his suspicions had proven correct—the Ryūmyaku was indeed gone, and the seal that had once been perfectly intact had been completely destroyed.
When he carefully examined the remnants of the shattered seal, he realized that whoever had done this possessed an extremely high level of understanding when it came to sealing techniques.
Not only that, but their method of breaking it had been remarkably sophisticated. There was no doubt in his mind that this was the work of someone skilled in fūinjutsu.
Putting all of this together only strengthened Rasa's belief that this had been done by someone from Konoha—most likely that so-called Konoha Nightingale.
Although that man, Senju Natsuhiko, had not previously displayed any obvious talent in sealing techniques, the absence of evidence did not mean the ability didn't exist.
After all, the Flying Thunder God Technique itself required special seals as a medium. Who could say whether those markings were connected to sealing arts as well?
It had to be said—Rasa truly lived up to his position as Kazekage. Analytical ability was just as important for a shinobi as raw strength, and his judgment in this regard was not lacking.
Combining his own deductions with Chiyo's warnings, Rasa even felt a rare sense of relief that he had not deployed a large force of Sunagakure shinobi for this investigation.
The lesson from before was still fresh in his mind. Even now, despite having gathered considerable information about Natsuhiko, he still did not dare to recklessly make an enemy of that man.
And yet… simply letting the matter go was something he could not accept.
What if they were wrong? What if the intruder wasn't Senju Natsuhiko after all?
In the end, Rasa made a decision—he would go there himself.
As a village Kage, he should not normally act so personally. But in the current situation, after careful consideration, he was the only one truly suited for the task.
Chiyo had been driven nearly to the brink of collapse after her last encounter with Senju Natsuhiko. Moreover, a shinobi like him was especially troublesome—utterly incompatible with conventional tactics.
And according to reports, he did not even seem to fear poison.
Sending Chiyo—or any puppet master like her—against such an opponent would be no different from sending them to their deaths.
Puppet masters were a vital force within Sunagakure. During wartime, their abilities alone could determine the outcome of entire battlefields.
Thus, Chiyo was ruled out. Large-scale deployment was also impossible. Which meant that, for Sunagakure at present, the only person with enough combat strength left…
Was Rasa himself.
It was a sad conclusion. A great village—one of the Five Great Ninja Villages—had declined to such an extent that it was almost unthinkable.
But no matter how bleak the reality was, there was no point dwelling on it now. Instead of sinking into despair, it was better to focus on what lay ahead.
Rasa might not have been a particularly admirable man, but his mentality was, at the very least, befitting of a Kage.
After finishing his inspection, he had originally intended to leave—until he noticed something unusual.
All of the residents of Rōran had disappeared.
"Could they have all evacuated… or did that Senju Natsuhiko evacuate them?"
Rasa thought silently to himself. Just moments ago, he had felt nothing but frustration and disappointment—but now, a faint glimmer of opportunity appeared in his mind.
Direct confrontation through force was unreliable. He could not even be certain that Sunagakure would come out on top if it came to that.
So instead, he would have to take a different approach—one involving diplomacy, leverage, and perhaps even the fear of other villages.
If he could spread information about Konoha—and about Senju Natsuhiko himself—he might be able to pressure Konoha indirectly through the other great nations.
A different kind of battle was beginning to take shape in his mind.
However, without any evidence—no concrete proof whatsoever—there was essentially nothing he could actually do.
But now, if he managed to track down those fleeing residents of Rōran and confirm that the one who had come here was indeed Konoha's ANBU Commander, Senju Natsuhiko, then everything would be different. He would finally have a way forward.
"What an opportunity delivered right to my doorstep… it would be a shame not to seize it properly!"
With that thought, Rasa immediately accelerated, following the traces at high speed. He knew he was already behind, but he still believed he could catch up.
A shinobi's speed was extraordinary. Even a mere genin, with the enhancement of chakra, could surpass the limits of ordinary humans in both speed and endurance.
But what were the people of Rōran?
Under Sunagakure's long-standing blockade, they were nothing more than ordinary civilians—people who had never received even the most basic ninja training.
And this wasn't just one or two individuals fleeing. It was the evacuation of an entire city. It would be a miracle if they could even move quickly at all.
"I have to catch them. Once I do, and I confirm what's going on, everything else will become much easier."
With that resolve, Rasa pushed onward once more.
After two days of relentless pursuit, the traces he followed had become increasingly clear. He even found campfire pits that were still faintly warm, proving he was closing in.
This realization lifted his spirits considerably. Even though fatigue was beginning to weigh on him, at the very least, he was nearing the completion of his objective.
"…Hm?"
Just as Rasa felt a surge of relief, a massive burst of chakra suddenly erupted from more than ten kilometers ahead.
Immediately afterward, the ground itself began to tremble violently. The once-still desert seemed to roar and churn as if it had come alive.
The sudden change left Rasa momentarily stunned. He had no idea what was happening—but he understood one thing clearly: someone extraordinary had entered the Land of Wind.
"These chakra signatures… they're terrifying. Every single one of them is dangerous. And yet… it seems like they're fighting each other. What in the world is going on?"
Rasa frowned deeply. Even so, he did not immediately consider this a good thing.
While it was true that "when two tigers fight, one is bound to lose," without accurate intelligence, everything remained uncertain.
Beings capable of emitting chakra of this magnitude—no matter how one judged their combat strength—were certainly not weak.
After weighing the situation, Rasa finally gritted his teeth.
He decided to move in and see what was happening for himself.
After all, this was the Land of Wind—his territory.
No matter who these intruders were, he could not simply ignore them.
With that thought, Rasa leapt forward, racing toward the source of the disturbance.
His speed was astonishing to begin with, and now that he was moving at full power, it was almost terrifying.
Even so, he did not forget to conceal his presence as he advanced. Against opponents of this level, caution was absolutely necessary.
BOOM!
Another deafening explosion echoed in his ears. Rasa immediately held his breath and lowered his stance.
He was close now—very close. He had to be careful.
The desert wind and sand became his best cover as he finally reached a vantage point where he could see the battlefield clearly.
What he saw made his pupils constrict.
There was a figure radiating a faint golden chakra, its presence overwhelmingly terrifying, standing alone against three others who also exuded monstrous power.
Although the golden figure could not fully engage them at close range, it was still managing to hold its own against all three opponents at once. That alone defied Rasa's expectations.
He could tell at a glance—every single one of these four was absurdly strong. So strong that even facing one of them alone would likely be beyond him.
And then… he saw someone familiar.
"That's… Sasori? And… the Third Kazekage?"
Rasa clenched his teeth so hard he nearly made a sound.
The scene before him sent a shockwave through his mind, leaving him utterly shaken—and filled with even greater confusion.
"Who… exactly are these people? What on earth is happening here?"
Countless questions churned in Rasa's mind. And then, almost immediately, an even more terrifying surge of chakra began to rise in the distance. The moment he sensed it, his expression twisted violently.
Is that... a Tailed Beast Bomb?
...
Meanwhile, Natsuhiko's words were nothing short of brazen. That arrogance instantly ignited the fury of Kakuzu and Sasori.
Both of them were proud men in their own right—how could they possibly tolerate such provocation? Even Konan was visibly angered. To be outnumbered three to one and still speak so lightly of the situation—this man had clearly decided to look down on them all.
They all reached the same conclusion.
He had to be taught a lesson.
A final, irreversible lesson.
He had to die here, so he would understand exactly who he was facing.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions echoed without end as Water Release and Fire Release techniques collided, their violent clashes filling the desert with dense mist and vapor. The already distorted heat haze of the desert became even more surreal, warping the battlefield into something half-real, half-illusion.
Above them, countless grains of black iron sand and scraps of paper drifted through the air like falling ash, turning the sky itself into a haunting, unnatural scene.
Standing atop a massive Iron Sand needle that jutted out of the ground, Natsuhiko held a kunai loosely in his hand. His posture was straight, steady, almost casual as his gaze swept across his three opponents.
And in his heart, he couldn't help but sigh.
They were strong. Undeniably strong.
Even without any coordination, the trio did not hinder each other—instead, they adapted quickly, compensating for each other's weaknesses with instinctive precision.
At the start, when he had managed to close the distance, he had overwhelmed them. Sasori's puppets had been destroyed in large numbers. Kakuzu and Konan had also suffered varying degrees of injury.
But they had responded immediately.
Once they understood his abilities, they decisively increased the distance between them and rebuilt their formation.
And that was when things became troublesome.
Sasori's puppets now restricted his movement across a wide area, compressing his space from multiple angles. The Third Kazekage's Iron Sand was equally dangerous—one wrong step and it would tear through him like a storm of blades.
Konan's paper technique was equally annoying. Even if it didn't always land a direct hit, its explosions and scattered detonations constantly disrupted his movement, shrinking his effective combat space even further.
And then there was Kakuzu—annoyingly versatile, with multiple lives and mastery over fire, wind, lightning, and water. Aside from some defensive vulnerabilities, he was almost flawless in prolonged combat.
What troubled Natsuhiko the most, however, was their coordination. The remaining masks worked in concert, while the others applied pressure and control, making it nearly impossible for him to find a clean opening to close in.
His speed was indeed overwhelming—so fast that in an instant he could appear before an enemy and deliver a killing blow.
But they were not fools.
Even if they couldn't match his speed, once they created distance, they could prepare defenses in advance. If he recklessly forced his way in, he would likely be skewered by iron sand before being torn apart by a storm of follow-up attacks.
It felt almost like an old game he used to play—where a melee character was endlessly kited by ranged enemies, unable to land a single hit.
And when he tried to use ninjutsu to break through, he still couldn't fully pierce their formation. Worse, it left him open to counterattacks.
"…In the end, I'm still not used to this," Natsuhiko muttered under his breath. "I'm too inexperienced with this style. I've relied on Flying Thunder God for too long… I'm not used to pure speed combat anymore."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh. In truth, he had only just begun adapting to this fighting style—he still needed time to refine it.
If it were Naruto, that guy would probably just throw out a swarm of shadow clones to block everything, then finish it all with a single Rasenshuriken. From there, he'd close in and end things with something like a Massive Rasengan.
"…Hm?"
Suddenly, Natsuhiko paused.
As if something had clicked in his mind, he immediately asked inwardly, "Hey… little guy. In this state, I should be able to use Tailed Beast Bomb, right?"
A voice responded within him—the Nine-Tails' voice, calm and deep.
"Yes," the Nine-Tails answered. "But you are not yet fully accustomed to your current state. Are you sure you want to use the Tailed Beast Bomb?"
"I never said I would use it," Natsuhiko replied inwardly. "Can't you just help me execute it?"
Almost at the same moment, a bolt of blue lightning suddenly shot toward him.
Natsuhiko raised an eyebrow slightly and kicked off the ground, leaping into the air to avoid it. As he did, a kunai appeared in his hand. Infused with a faint golden chakra, it shot forward like a streak of light, piercing through several layers of white paper in an instant. In the next moment, his figure blurred and vanished, reappearing directly in front of the puppet that had just rushed in.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
In an instant, accompanied by a flash of golden light, several puppets shattered into pieces one after another.
Natsuhiko's movements were clean, precise, and fluid—almost every strike was enough to destroy a puppet outright.
In Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, his physical power had been amplified severalfold. Under such overwhelming strength and speed, these relatively ordinary puppets stood no chance at all; they truly shattered at the slightest touch.
"Help you?" the little Nine-Tails responded during his counterattack. "I do want to help, but I'm afraid I can't, because—"
"I get it," Natsuhiko interrupted internally as he smashed another puppet with a kick, then flipped backward to evade a frontal blast of fire. "You still can't properly control your own power."
Without missing a beat, he formed hand seals in mid-motion, releasing a powerful Water Release technique.
A massive water dragon roared into existence, slamming head-on into the incoming iron sand and paper barrage. The impact triggered another violent explosion that tore through the sky.
"That's right," the Nine-Tails admitted with a helpless shake of his head. "As much as I hate to say it, there's nothing I can do about that right now."
But after a brief pause, he added, "Still… even if I can't directly help you, there is another way."
"Oh?" Natsuhiko paused for a split second. "What do you mean? You're going to teach me?"
"Yes," the Nine-Tails replied without hesitation. "I can teach you. It's not actually that difficult, because you already have the foundation."
Foundation?
Natsuhiko frowned slightly, then quickly understood what the Nine-Tails meant.
He was referring to Natsuhiko's exceptionally strong chakra control, as well as the fact that—thanks to the system—he already possessed a fragment of Asura's power and had access to the basic form of Yang Release.
At its core, the Tailed Beast Bomb was simply the process of rotating chakra at extreme speeds, refining its shape transformation to the absolute limit, and then compressing it into an ultra-dense sphere before releasing it as an attack.
It sounded simple in theory—but in practice, it required terrifying levels of chakra control.
Minato Namikaze's Rasengan, for example, had apparently been inspired by observing the principles behind the Tailed Beast Bomb, eventually becoming a lethal technique of its own.
With his exceptional chakra control, Minato had mastered it to a remarkable degree.
Naruto, on the other hand—while undeniably gifted—had his chakra control severely disrupted by the influence of the Nine-Tails. Compared to Minato, his control could only be described as chaotic.
That was why he needed shadow clones to assist him in using the Rasengan properly. In a way, it was also a reflection of his limitations in chakra control.
But even so, that was only the Rasengan.
The Tailed Beast Bomb was far more complex.
Because there was one crucial difference—it required the manipulation of a very special kind of power.
Not just ordinary tailed beast chakra, but a balanced fusion of Yin and Yang Release within that chakra.
For most people, even distinguishing between Yin and Yang chakra was difficult, let alone controlling both simultaneously.
But Natsuhiko was different.
Thanks to the system, he had awakened his lineage potential and, through a fragment of Asura's power, had already obtained the basic level of Yang Release.
Even if it was only at a basic level, it was still a power he could grasp. Naturally, that meant he could also distinguish what kind of chakra the Nine Tails' power within him actually belonged to.
"Come to think of it," Natsuhiko mused, standing still as the steam and smoke cleared—he sensed the Akatsuki trio also pausing—"when Naruto first used Nine-Tails Chakra Mode against the Third Raikage, he failed to form a Tailed Beast Bomb. Was it really a control issue? Or because his half of Kurama lacked Yin Release?"
The more he thought about it, the more he felt this explanation made sense. Having been in this world for so long, he had recorded the general trajectory of events in his notes, but many of the finer details were already somewhat blurred.
If he remembered correctly, Naruto only truly managed to use the Tailed Beast Bomb after gaining the acknowledgment of the tailed beasts and entering a second stage of Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
At that point, he was able to freely combine tailed beast chakra with his own techniques like the Rasengan, while also cooperating fully with Kurama to unleash the Tailed Beast Bomb.
"If that's the case, then I might actually be able to try it," Natsuhiko thought inwardly. "The Tailed Beast Bomb requires a combination of Yin and Yang Release… but what's the exact ratio again?"
"Eight to two," Kurama answered immediately. "Maintain an eight-to-two ratio of Yin and Yang Release, fuse and rotate the chakra, and compress it to the absolute limit—that's how it's done."
"Easier said than done," Natsuhiko sighed softly. Still, his expression quickly turned serious.
Since things had come to this point, if he didn't at least try, he would have a hard time breaking this deadlock.
And if it worked… he might even gain a new combat form, one that would make certain inconvenient matters much easier to handle in the future.
After all, as the ANBU Commander of Konoha, he didn't exactly have the freedom to roam wherever he pleased.
And if it didn't work, then he wouldn't dwell on it either.
Worst case scenario, he would just admit he had taken the Ryūmyaku. He had already completed a transaction with the people of Rōran anyway, so he wasn't particularly worried about others making a fuss.
At most, it would cause some political ripple effects after returning to Konoha, and perhaps complicate the village's standing in the shinobi world for a while.
But no matter how troublesome things became, Natsuhiko would never allow himself to fall into a disadvantageous position. He had no obsessive need for perfection, and even less interest in placing himself in absolute danger.
...
"You really are impressive."
At that moment, Sasori's voice suddenly rang out.
"To face the three of us alone, and even force us to avoid close combat with you… truly remarkable."
"And your chakra is indeed vast and powerful," Kakuzu added, his green eyes locked firmly onto Natsuhiko as his hands remained poised in a constant state of readiness. "But are you sure you can outlast us?"
"Just surrender," Konan said from midair, her tone calm yet firm. "We don't have any personal grudge against you. If this continues, you will die. I think we can talk this through."
"Talk?" Natsuhiko raised an eyebrow, then smiled faintly. "After all this fighting, you suddenly want to talk—why should I believe you? Besides, you were the ones who attacked first."
"Don't be ungrateful. If this continues, you will die," Konan said again, frowning slightly but still maintaining her composed, superior posture. "I already said there must be some misunderstanding here. We can resolve it through discussion… we might even become friends."
Friends?
Natsuhiko couldn't help but raise his brow at that. Not only him—even Sasori and Kakuzu briefly glanced at Konan.
Sasori remained expressionless, his body long since stripped of most human emotion, but Kakuzu's gaze turned slightly strange.
It was clear they all understood what Konan meant.
She was considering recruiting Natsuhiko.
To be honest, if it were purely for the sake of the Tailed Beast chakra "seeds," Natsuhiko might have felt a slight temptation.
But unfortunately, he didn't have the time to run errands and complete missions with these people. If he had truly intended to join Akatsuki, he wouldn't have waited until now.
"So forget about being friends," Natsuhiko said calmly, his smile fading slightly. "I don't think I could ever be friends with any of you."
Natsuhiko simply shook his head indifferently. Then, slowly, he raised his hand.
In an instant, black chakra began to surge in his palm.
It was an absolute contrast to the faint golden glow that lingered around his body. The moment that pitch-black energy appeared, a violent wind seemed to erupt around him, as if the very atmosphere itself could no longer withstand its presence.
An overwhelming sense of oppression descended in an instant. Whether it was the three members of Akatsuki or Rasa, who was hiding far away and observing the battlefield, all of them felt their breathing grow faintly difficult.
And at that moment, Natsuhiko finally spoke again.
"Also… why do you all assume this is all I've got?"
"Don't forget what I said earlier. I told you to guess how many of you would actually be able to leave here alive."
"What is that…?"
Staring at the pitch-black chakra, Konan, Sasori, and Kakuzu all felt an intense, inexplicable sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.
And yet, none of them could understand why.
Even though Natsuhiko had already displayed power that left them genuinely shaken, after this prolonged battle, they had gradually formed a rough understanding of his combat style.
His methods were powerful—terrifying speed, overwhelming strength, and chakra reserves far beyond normal standards—but at the same time, they also seemed strangely straightforward.
He didn't appear to possess a decisive, single finishing technique, nor did he show any ability to forcibly break through their layered defenses in one strike.
If he truly had such a trump card, their first exchange would have ended in disaster.
And if he had a way to instantly pierce their defenses, he would never have been forced into a drawn-out standoff like this, constantly kept at bay by their long-range suppression.
So was he hiding his true capabilities all along?
Was he deliberately probing them, waiting for the right moment to make his final move?
But if that was the case… wasn't it far too reckless?
Was he not afraid that even the slightest miscalculation would cost him his life?
"Stop wasting your effort," Kakuzu growled, forcing down the unease in his chest. "Empty threats won't work."
"Is that so?" Natsuhiko smiled faintly. "If you don't try, how would you know I'm bluffing?"
"If you want to die, that's your choice," Sasori said coldly.
"You were given a chance," Konan added, frowning slightly. "But you refused to take it. Looks like we'll have to resort to the most extreme measures."
This time, Natsuhiko did not respond.
His full attention was focused on the chakra in his hand—carefully guiding the fusion and compression of the Nine-Tails' Yin and Yang Release.
He wasn't actually unfamiliar with the technique.
As a transmigrator, he naturally knew of the Rasengan and how to use it, and he had even practiced it before. However, since it was the signature technique of the Minato Namikaze, and he had no legitimate means of learning it, he never dared to use it openly.
More importantly, the technique also demanded an extremely high level of chakra control.
At the time, with his original chakra capacity, attempting something like this would have been reckless at best.
So over time, he simply stopped pursuing it, and his combat style never relied on it.
But those past attempts were not entirely meaningless.
They had given him a certain foundation.
Now, as he manipulated the Nine-Tails' chakra, the process felt clumsy and unfamiliar—but not impossible.
In his palm, the black chakra continued to condense, gradually forming a spherical shape.
The sphere kept compressing under his control, even as the accumulating energy caused it to expand at the same time, as if struggling against itself.
A suffocating pressure spread across the entire desert.
The three members of the Akatsuki wanted to interrupt him—but the distance they had deliberately created earlier now worked against them. None of them dared to recklessly close in.
They were afraid that if they moved in, Natsuhiko would simply stop holding back—and the moment they entered his range, they would be forced to face his full power head-on.
For a brief moment, all three of them were trapped in hesitation—unable to advance, yet unable to retreat.
And in the middle of that suffocating standoff, Natsuhiko finally spoke again.
"You know… from the very beginning, I was never really serious."
Natsuhiko felt the increasingly terrifying Tailed Beast Bomb forming in his hand. Then, he suddenly smiled faintly and spoke.
"Even now, fundamentally speaking, it's still the same. After all, this combat mode I'm using… is something I'm trying for the very first time."
"First time?" Sasori's icy voice cut in immediately. "Are you saying your current power comes from the Ryūmyaku?"
"Ryūmyaku?" Natsuhiko paused for a moment, then chuckled and nodded. "You could put it that way. That wouldn't be wrong."
Since Sasori had already provided him with an explanation, he had no reason not to use it.
And in a sense, it wasn't entirely false either. His ability to enter Nine-Tails Chakra Mode really was made possible through the power of the Ryūmyaku.
Without it, the Nine-Tails would never have been able to evolve to this point, and Natsuhiko would not have been able to wield this power in such a way.
With that, he slowly raised his hand.
The black sphere in his palm had already grown to an enormous size.
Faint purple arcs of lightning flickered across its surface, while traces of other conflicting energies swirled chaotically within it.
Seeing this, Sasori immediately formed hand seals. In the next instant, countless puppets materialized in front of him.
They understood very clearly—running would only get them caught, and attacking recklessly might be exploited. Caught in this deadlock, defense was their only remaining option.
Kakuzu and Konan also shifted into defensive postures at the same time. It was obvious they all recognized the reality of their situation now—there was no better choice left.
"Then…"
Natsuhiko's hand paused slightly.
In the next instant, his golden chakra erupted with overwhelming force.
"Goodbye."
The moment those words fell, the black sphere shot forward.
It tore straight through the sea of puppets. The puppets offered no resistance whatsoever—each one disintegrated instantly, reduced to fragments accompanied by a sharp, cracking sound.
Then the sphere slammed into the defensive line formed by black iron sand and white paper techniques.
For an instant, blinding radiance exploded across the battlefield.
In this desolate desert where almost no life existed, a streak of pure light erupted into existence. In the next moment, the world itself seemed to lose both sound and color.
Only a vast expanse of white remained, filling every inch of vision, erasing everything else.
But that overwhelming whiteness quickly faded, giving way once more to color—though the world that returned seemed to exist only in stark contrast between black and white.
And within that monochrome world, something began to rise.
A massive mushroom cloud, burning with raging flames, slowly took shape.
BOOM!
At that moment, sound returned to the world.
A thunderous explosion echoed across the desert, shaking the earth violently as if it could no longer endure such catastrophic force.
The black iron sand and white paper defenses that had once stood firm were completely erased in an instant. The shockwave expanded outward in all directions like a raging tide.
Sand and wind, carrying unimaginable waves of heat, swept across the battlefield.
Even Natsuhiko himself, for a brief moment, stared blankly at the aftermath in front of him.
...
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