With Gamabunta and Manda restraining the raging torrent of golden sand, Jiraiya and Orochimaru vanished from atop their summons.
In war—
There was no fairness.
Only strength.
Jiraiya's hands blurred through a series of seals, his sharp gaze locking onto the clustered Sunagakure forces behind the golden tide.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, tearing through the air with explosive force.
The battlefield lit up in blazing orange.
Golden sand rose to intercept—
And instantly melted, collapsing into glittering fragments under the overwhelming heat.
At the same time—
"Ninja Art: Many Hidden Snakes Formation!"
Orochimaru's jaw opened unnaturally wide.
A flood of serpents poured forth.
Thousands.
Tens of thousands.
They surged like a living catastrophe—hissing, writhing, devouring everything in their path as they bypassed the golden defenses and descended upon Sunagakure's formation from all directions.
From the flanks.
From above.
From below.
Devour. Constrict. Poison.
The battlefield tilted.
Just as the balance was about to collapse—
A scorching chakra erupted into the sky.
Violent.
Blazing.
Absolute.
Like the rising sun descending upon the battlefield.
"Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
A sharp voice cut through everything.
More than a dozen blazing spheres appeared overhead—each one burning with terrifying intensity, orange on the outside, white-hot at the core.
They shot forward.
Like judgment.
Puff—Puff—Puff—
No explosions.
Only death.
The snakes froze mid-motion—
Then shriveled instantly.
Every drop of moisture in their bodies vanished.
They collapsed into blackened husks before even hitting the ground.
Even Jiraiya's flames—
Were suppressed.
Extinguished.
Overpowered.
A figure descended.
Light.
Graceful.
Untouchable.
She landed atop a towering wall of golden sand, white sparks drifting around her like remnants of a dying sun.
Her expression was cold.
Calm.
Unshaken.
Scorch Release spheres floated around her—
Like divine punishment made manifest.
"It's Lady Pakura!"
Hope exploded within Sunagakure's ranks.
Their formation stabilized instantly.
Their morale surged.
Pakura's gaze swept across the battlefield before settling on Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
"The Sannin of Konoha…"
"Your opponent… is not only Rasa."
"Pakura…"
Rasa exhaled slowly, tension in his chest easing slightly.
With her here—
He no longer needed to divide his focus.
The summons…
Were no longer the real threat.
Without hesitation—
Pakura moved.
She vanished from her position—
Reappearing before a Konoha squad.
The spheres beside her followed like executioners.
"Spread out! It's Pakura!"
Too late.
One sphere brushed a chūnin's arm.
For a split second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
His body collapsed inward.
Skin shriveled.
Eyes hollowed.
Moisture erased.
In less than a breath—
He became a dried corpse.
Frozen.
Silent.
Dead.
The battlefield… faltered.
Even seasoned ninja felt their hearts tighten.
Jiraiya's expression hardened.
Orochimaru's killing intent surged like a living thing.
Without a word—
He moved.
A blur.
Target locked on Pakura.
Jiraiya, however—
Saw something else.
The battlefield.
The numbers.
The positioning.
Rasa above.
Pakura within.
Konoha—
Deep in enemy territory.
Outnumbered.
Outpaced.
Outmatched.
If this continued—
They would lose.
Killing Rasa? Impossible.
Pakura? Untouchable under golden sand.
And once they withdrew—
Sunagakure would rebuild.
But Konoha?
This was everything they had.
Even so—
Jiraiya didn't hesitate.
Another Great Flame Bullet roared forward, incinerating a group of enemy ninja.
Then—
It came.
A pressure that made even the air tremble.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Great Wave!"
Rasa had finished preparing.
Both hands thrust forward.
And the world—
Turned gold.
A colossal tidal wave of sand rose into the sky.
Dozens of meters high.
Endless.
Crushing.
It surged forward like a natural disaster.
Everything in its path—
Was erased.
Rocks shattered.
Trees vanished.
Flames died instantly.
Before such power—
Individual strength meant nothing.
Gamabunta inhaled deeply.
His body expanded—
Then—
He fired.
Massive water spheres exploded outward like artillery.
They collided with the golden wave—
Detonating into glittering storms.
But it wasn't enough.
Not nearly enough.
And then—
Manda made its choice.
Its massive head lowered.
Its jaws opened—
And swallowed fleeing ninja from both sides without hesitation.
"I'll take these sacrifices first, Orochimaru."
Before anyone could react—
It vanished.
Gone.
Returning to Ryūchi Cave.
"Damn it!"
Gamabunta roared.
"That snake ran off! I can't hold this alone!"
Jiraiya's eyes sharpened.
Decision made.
"Retreat! Alternate cover!"
He leapt onto Gamabunta's head.
Perfect synchronization.
"Bunta—!"
"I know!"
Gamabunta's belly swelled to its limit.
Black oil erupted like a flood.
At the same time—
Jiraiya's chakra ignited.
"Combination Ninjutsu: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"
Fire met oil.
And became something far more terrifying.
A sea of flames—
Devouring the sky.
It crashed into the golden wave.
"BOOM—!!!"
The collision tore the battlefield apart.
Fire.
Sand.
Destruction.
Everything collided in a violent, world-shaking explosion.
A wall of flames rose—
Towering.
Absolute.
Dividing the battlefield into two worlds.
Life—
And death.
Separated.
Orochimaru stood within the chaos.
Laughing softly.
Cold.
Amused.
He cast one final glance toward Rasa and Pakura through the inferno.
Then—
Sank into the earth.
Gone.
Under the cover of flames—
Konoha forces moved.
Disciplined.
Precise.
Groups splitting—
Covering—
Retreating.
Like shadows fading into the forest.
No panic.
Only survival.
When the flames began to settle—
Only ruins remained.
And fire.
Endless fire.
Rasa stood atop the golden sand.
Watching.
Silent.
He did not give chase.
"Clean the battlefield."
"Reinforce defenses."
Below him—
The wounded screamed.
The dead lay scattered.
Smoke rose into the sky.
His fists tightened.
Veins stood out.
"Konoha…"
His voice was low.
Cold.
Filled with killing intent.
"This isn't over."
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