In the shinobi world, the strength of the Tailed Beasts was universally acknowledged as terrifying.
Aside from an extremely small number of shinobi who could contend with them, the overwhelming majority of ninja had only one response when facing a Tailed Beast—
Fear.
And the Tailed Beast Ball was the signature technique of the Tailed Beasts.
It compressed an enormous amount of chakra, then fired it like a cannon shell.
Once it struck its target, it would erupt with devastating destructive power.
Even a top-tier shinobi of the ninja world like Minato Namikaze had been unable to block it head-on. He could only use the Flying Thunder God Technique to transfer the Tailed Beast Ball elsewhere.
From that alone, one could see just how powerful the Tailed Beast Ball truly was.
"But my strength has long since surpassed Minato Namikaze by far."
A complex pattern began to rotate within Rasa's eyes.
"Toyokumono!"
A special power appeared upon the sand.
That sand surged toward the Tailed Beast Ball like bone-burrowing insects, clinging tightly to its surface.
Wave after wave of attraction force began absorbing the chakra within the Tailed Beast Ball.
Once one grain of sand was filled, another immediately replaced it.
Obito Uchiha's pupils contracted violently.
Because he saw the chakra within the Tailed Beast Ball decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"What is this?"
"A chakra absorption technique?"
"When did Rasa master such a powerful chakra absorption technique?"
But Rasa was not surprised by the effect.
After all, this was a Mangekyo Sharingan ability.
Not only did the sand absorb chakra extremely quickly, there was also an enormous amount of it.
Given enough time, this sand could completely drain the Tailed Beast Ball dry.
However, the Nine-Tails was too close to Sunagakure.
That forced Rasa to use additional measures.
"Sand Rain!"
An S-rank ninjutsu.
By infusing sand with a special technique, the sand gained the ability to neutralize ninjutsu.
It was called Sand Rain, but it did not necessarily have to appear in the form of rain.
With a thought from Rasa, the sand immediately wove itself into the shape of a net.
It blocked directly in front of the Tailed Beast Ball.
Bang!
The Tailed Beast Ball slammed violently into the sand net.
The massive impact caused the sand net to deform at tremendous speed.
Obito Uchiha snorted coldly.
"You think a mere net like that can stop a Tailed Beast Ball? Rasa, what kind of delusion are you indulging in?"
Obito did not think this sand net could obstruct the Tailed Beast Ball in any meaningful way.
On the contrary, Rasa's use of the sand net made Obito believe that Rasa's chakra absorption technique had already reached its limit.
Rasa's chakra absorption technique had indeed affected the Tailed Beast Ball.
But the Tailed Beast Ball would still fall upon Sunagakure.
Yet in the next moment, Obito noticed something was wrong again.
After the Tailed Beast Ball struck the sand net, the chakra within it began draining even faster.
"What technique is it this time?"
Obito looked at the increasingly shrinking Tailed Beast Ball, anxiety rising in his heart.
But Rasa had no intention of answering him.
At this moment, all of Rasa's attention was focused on that Tailed Beast Ball.
"Almost there."
"At this level, blocking it is already entirely possible."
With a thought from Rasa—
A mass of gold dust immediately lifted his figure into the sky.
He positioned himself between the Tailed Beast Ball and Sunagakure.
Then Rasa reached behind him and drew Samehada.
Facing the Tailed Beast Ball that had already been greatly weakened by Toyokumono and Sand Rain, he charged straight toward it and slashed down with Samehada's blade.
At the same time, Samehada sensed the Nine-Tails' chakra within it.
To Samehada, even without Rasa's command, it would still absorb with all its might.
After all, this was a rare delicacy!
Bang!
The two collided.
Obito Uchiha watched in shock as the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball was forcibly split in half beneath Rasa's slash.
Immediately afterward, countless grains of sand swarmed forward and wrapped around it.
The sand resembled a swarm of crazed insects, devouring the two halves of the Tailed Beast Ball until nothing remained.
Obito Uchiha was dumbfounded.
Even with dual Mangekyo Sharingan, Obito absolutely did not dare underestimate a Tailed Beast Ball.
Especially not one from the Nine-Tails.
Obito had never imagined there would be someone capable of receiving a Tailed Beast Ball so perfectly.
"How did Rasa do that?"
"Just how strong is Rasa?"
Obito's expression shifted repeatedly.
"But the more that is the case, Rasa, the more I must kill you."
"Before, Rasa was only roughly on par with Teacher Minato. Now, he has actually become this strong."
"If I want to kill Rasa, this is the best opportunity. The longer I delay, the stronger Rasa will likely become."
"I absolutely cannot allow that!"
"My Eye of the Moon Plan must succeed!"
"Rin is still waiting for me!"
"No matter who it is, no one can stop my plan!"
A ruthless expression appeared on Obito Uchiha's face.
An order descended upon the Nine-Tails.
The next moment, the Nine-Tails immediately entered a berserk state.
And its target was not Rasa.
Its target was Sunagakure.
The Nine-Tails charged madly toward Sunagakure.
Rasa immediately understood Obito Uchiha's intention.
He wanted to create a Nine-Tails' Rampage in Sunagakure as well.
He wanted to force Rasa to his death, just as he had forced Minato Namikaze to his death.
In the past, with the vast chakra reserves of a Tailed Beast, it truly would have caused Rasa no small amount of trouble.
Just like when Yagura Karatachi had crossed a thousand li to launch a surprise attack on Sunagakure.
Back then, Rasa had relied on the Sun Disk to suppress and kill Yagura Karatachi.
But now, the situation was already completely different.
Rasa's strength was far greater.
He possessed many powerful ninjutsu he had not had before.
And Samehada, which had given Yagura Karatachi so much help back then, was now in Rasa's hands.
"Antlion Hell!"
All at once, the ground beneath the Nine-Tails collapsed.
Both of the Nine-Tails' legs sank into the quicksand.
And this was not the end.
It was only the beginning.
"Toyokumono!"
A massive amount of sand surged from every direction toward the Nine-Tails. Every grain carried the special effect of Toyokumono, clinging tightly to the Nine-Tails' body and absorbing its chakra.
The chakra absorbed was then used on other sand.
It wrapped around the Nine-Tails and bound it even more tightly.
The two sides began a contest of chakra volume.
Obito Uchiha's first reaction was that it was laughable.
Someone was actually taking the initiative to compete in chakra volume against a Tailed Beast.
And not just any Tailed Beast, but the Nine-Tails.
This was simply seeking death.
But when he thought of the techniques Rasa had just used, Obito could not help feeling worried.
"He possesses an extremely powerful chakra absorption technique, and he has Samehada. Earlier, he even completely blocked the Tailed Beast Ball."
"After dragging the Nine-Tails into a contest of chakra volume… this guy wouldn't really be able to win, would he?"
"Winning against a Tailed Beast in a contest of chakra volume with a human body?"