Whoosh!
In an instant, a coffin engraved with the kanji for "three" shot up from the sand. A billowing cloud of dust erupted outward, and within the haze, the grating sound of metal hinges echoed as the lid slammed heavily onto the ground.
The dust cleared, revealing a figure with deep blue hair, clad in the robes of the Kazekage.
"The Third Kazekage!"
Rasa's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He whipped his head toward Orochimaru, his expression twisting into something ferocious. "Damn bastard! It was you!"
"His sudden disappearance... you assassinated him!"
The decline of the Hidden Sand began the moment the Third Kazekage vanished, leaving the village without leadership. Countless resources were wasted in the search, sparking wars and plunging the Land of Wind into chaos. It was then that the Daimyo of the Land of Wind began to harbor deep resentment toward the village, leading to funding cuts and fewer commissions.
"Hehehe, I didn't kill him," Orochimaru replied with a wicked grin, leaping backward toward the coffin. "I just saw others using it quite effectively, so I took some DNA from the corpse and made one for myself."
A kunai with a talisman appeared in his hand. Inside the coffin, the Third Kazekage—once motionless like a corpse—suddenly moved. He slowly emerged, his gaze locking onto Rasa.
Rasa took a step back, confusion battling with his rage. "The corpse is moving! Wait... did you turn him into a puppet?!"
Turning the Third Kazekage into a puppet was the ultimate insult to Hidden Sand.
Before Orochimaru could answer, the Third Kazekage spoke. "Hmm... Rasa? I didn't expect to meet you again under these circumstances. You've grown up, haven't you? Matured quite a bit... I must have been dead a long time."
Rasa's angry expression froze. "Third-generation teacher! You still have your own consciousness?!"
The Third Kazekage glanced at the grinning Orochimaru, then spoke quickly, seizing the brief window before he was fully controlled. "This is a forbidden jutsu that temporarily revives the dead for battle. Orochimaru used it to summon me against Sasori before."
"And my disappearance back then? Sasori ambushed and killed me. He turned me into a puppet."
"What? Sasori killed you?" The truth hit Rasa like a physical blow, but it made sense. To kill the Third Kazekage in Hidden Sand and escape unscathed, only someone with intimate knowledge of the village could manage it. And Sasori was Chiyo's grandson.
"Exactly," the Third Kazekage said, his voice filled with regret. "I was too careless back then."
"Alright, our pleasant reminiscing is over," Orochimaru cut in, his voice sharp. "As the price for knowing this information, Rasa, it's time for you to go."
Pop!
Ripples like waves appeared on the back of the Third Kazekage's head as Orochimaru plunged the kunai deeply.
The next second, mist rose around the Third Kazekage. His skin regained a rosy complexion, looking as if he were alive.
"You actually perfected this technique..." the Third Kazekage gasped. Then, the life in his eyes vanished, replaced by the cold, puppet-like stillness of a reanimated corpse.
"Damn it, stop!" Rasa shouted. "Magnet Release: Gold Dust Rain!"
The gold dust floating around Rasa instantly hardened into countless fine needles, filling the air. They whistled as they shot forward.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Orochimaru didn't move. Instead, the Third Kazekage flashed forward, swinging his hand to create a massive wall of iron sand.
"Iron Sand Wall!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gold needles slammed into the wall but couldn't penetrate an inch.
"It's useless, Rasa," Orochimaru mocked. "All your gold dust will be blocked by the iron sand. And you... you'll have to face my attack."
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Taking advantage of the pause in the gold dust attack, a massive snake shot from Orochimaru's sleeve, lunging at Rasa.
Rasa's expression hardened. He condensed the surrounding gold dust, enveloping the python and crushing it into blood and gore. But when he looked up—
"Where are you looking?"
Orochimaru's voice came from behind.
Rasa didn't turn around, and gold dust formed a small shield at his back instantly.
Clang!
The Kusanagi sword struck, and was deflected off the shield.
At the same time, Rasa condensed the remaining gold dust in the sky into a massive, sharp cone.
"You have gold dust, but I have iron sand!"
The iron sand surrounding the Third Kazekage flew to intercept, forming a cylinder that collided with the gold cone.
BOOM!
The gold cone shattered—but not into dust. It crumbled into ordinary, non-magnetized sand.
"Got you, Orochimaru," Rasa smirked. "The gold cone was a decoy."
With a wave of his hand, the gold dust Rasa had hidden beneath the sand all surged upward, covering the ground beneath the Third Kazekage's feet.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Burial!"
The flowing sand mixed with gold dust instantly engulfed and sealed the Third Kazekage.
Rasa, intent on this attack, didn't realize the implications. By sealing the Third Kazekage, the iron sand that held Orochimaru's assault at bay instantly dissipated. Behind him, he hastily formed a new gold shield to block the Kusanagi sword thrusting toward his back.
"Hmph. What tricks do you have left?" Rasa turned his head, a cold smile on his lips.
He was cut short by a sharp pain in his chest.
He looked down.
Kabuto, covered in wounds, was emerging from the sand beneath his feet. A hand, glowing with blue-green chakra, was buried deep in Rasa's chest.
"You..." Rasa's eyes widened in disbelief. He hadn't sensed anyone hiding there.
Before he could finish the sentence, the Kusanagi sword pierced through his back, silencing him forever.
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