"Good thing it wasn't that kid..." Orochimaru muttered to himself. After using his uniquely developed Substitution Technique, he had narrowly escaped the combined assault of two Kage Level opponents. However, his condition had deteriorated once again.
This Substitution Technique, while boasting a higher success rate than ordinary elemental substitution methods and even capable of healing injuries, came with the drawback of consuming a significant amount of Chakra.
At the moment, Orochimaru's body was still covered in the sticky residue left behind by the technique, giving him an unsightly appearance.
Yet, a sense of relief flickered in his heart. If the one attacking him had been that golden sand kid, the situation would have been far worse. The boy's golden sand techniques were invariably infused with sealing jutsu. Under such circumstances, performing his Substitution Technique would have been exponentially more difficult.
"Hah! The power of your Magnet Release seems inferior to that of a junior from your own village..." Orochimaru reappeared to the side, his gaze falling mockingly on Rasa, who stood dozens of meters away.
"Hmph!" Rasa's brows furrowed, and his expression darkened with displeasure.
He had long noticed how Sōmi's reputation as a rising star in Sunagakure was growing. Both he and Sōmi were users of Magnet Release with golden sand, yet whenever Magnet Release was mentioned, people only seemed to talk about the Third Kazekage or that young prodigy.
As someone who had once mentored Sōmi, Rasa couldn't help but feel bitter about the situation.
Earlier in the war, Rasa had accompanied the Third Kazekage to the Land of Stone, where they had encountered Iwagakure's forces head-on.
Not only had Rasa failed to distinguish himself, but he had also been utterly outmatched by the Third Tsuchikage's Dust Release. If not for the Kazekage's intervention, his life would likely have ended in the Land of Stone.
After spending a long time recovering from his injuries, Rasa was eager to regain his reputation. He wanted the other villages to know that Sunagakure's Magnet Release users weren't limited to just two people!
"You'll find out how powerful it is soon enough!" Rasa retorted coldly.
He formed several hand seals and raised both hands. Instantly, a wave of golden sand surged from the ground, rushing toward Orochimaru like a tidal wave.
Orochimaru let out a sinister laugh as he formed seals and pressed his hands to the ground.
Bang!
Three enormous dark-gray serpents, each over ten meters long, emerged in front of Orochimaru. Some lashed their tails, while others used their bodies to block the golden sand wave.
Not only did the serpents halt the advance of the golden sand, but they also began slithering forward, like water snakes swimming against the current.
Rasa's face darkened as he swiftly changed his hand seals. From the surging golden sand, several thick golden spears materialized and shot toward the serpents.
Hiss!
The golden spears pierced straight into the serpents' bodies, causing blood to gush out. Writhing in pain, the serpents thrashed about even more violently, their expressions growing increasingly frenzied.
As the serpents drew closer to Rasa, a dangerous glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. He suddenly formed hand seals.
"Cursed Serpent Arm Detonation!"
The three serpents leaped forward, their massive jaws wide open. Despite the golden sand pouring into their mouths, they showed no signs of retreating.
At the same time, their bodies began to swell, as if inflating like balloons.
Rasa's expression shifted. Sensing the imminent danger, he hastily pressed his hands to the ground, raising a wall of golden sand in front of him to shield himself.
Just as he finished, the serpents exploded with a thunderous boom!
Chunks of bloodied flesh and a foul stench filled the air, while a powerful shockwave carried purple venom that hissed and sizzled as it struck the golden sand wall.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Orochimaru seized the opportunity to attack, exhaling a powerful gust of wind that roared toward Rasa.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
What would have been a simple Wind Release technique in the hands of an ordinary ninja became a high-pressure wind cannon when unleashed by Orochimaru. Even the air seemed to wail in protest.
The golden sand covering the ground was blown away layer by layer. The sand wall Rasa had raised barely held for a moment before shattering, and Rasa himself was swept into the air by the raging wind.
When the chaos subsided, the ground was left in ruins. The area ahead looked as though countless blades of wind had scoured it clean.
Yet Orochimaru's eyes remained fixed on the figure hovering in mid-air.
"Having the ability to fly seems quite useful..." A curious light shone in Orochimaru's eyes. In a world where flight was exceedingly rare, Sunagakure had somehow produced three Magnet Release users capable of such a feat.
Rasa was now standing on a golden platform, suspended in mid-air. His body was slightly hunched, and a crimson wound was visible on his waist.
After confirming that his injury wasn't serious, Rasa raised his hands once more. This time, he decided not to take any risks. He intended to fight Orochimaru from the safety of his golden platform.
Swish!
The golden sand around Orochimaru began to stir again, converging to trap him at the center.
On another part of the battlefield, the Third Kazekage soared through the air, his wide iron sand wings cutting a path forward. Dense iron sand needles rained down continuously, piercing the ground below.
Under the coordinated assault of Sunagakure's forces, the Konohagakure ninja stationed at Kikyō Mountain were nearly wiped out. Their morale had plummeted to an all-time low.
As the Third Kazekage gazed at the towering mountain before him, imagining how this victory would carve out a significant chunk of the Land of Fire's territory, he suddenly heard cheers erupting from the Konohagakure side.
"Sorry, everyone. I'm late..."
A young man with golden hair and blue eyes stepped out from the forest. He wore a green Jōnin vest over a blue bodysuit, and a Konoha forehead protector adorned his head.
Sunlight filtered through the green leaves, casting a warm glow over his figure.
The young ninja's gentle smile radiated a warmth akin to the sun itself, filling the hearts of the remaining Konohagakure ninja with hope.
"Lord Minato is here! We're saved!"
"Yes! Lord Minato!"
"Finally, Lord Minato has arrived..."
The dozen or so remaining Konohagakure ninja gathered around Minato Namikaze. Only when they stood behind this legendary figure did they feel their fears dissipate.
Minato surveyed the injured ninja around him. Some had tears of relief welling in their eyes, grateful to have survived.
"All you need to do is throw these kunai with all your strength. Leave the rest to me!" Minato's voice was like a refreshing stream, soothing their parched spirits.
As he spoke, Minato removed a backpack from his shoulder and pulled out dozens of specially crafted kunai. Each had a unique design, with the handle engraved with the formula for the "Flying Thunder God" technique.
The kunai, resembling short swords, gleamed with a bright, cold light.
"So, you're Minato Namikaze?"
The Third Kazekage spread his iron sand wings and swooped down in front of Minato, stirring up a dusty gust that forced the nearby Konohagakure ninja to shield their eyes.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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