Just as the golden sand spears raged and Konoha's offensive faltered, a massive shadow descended upon half the battlefield, accompanied by a thunderous roar that shook the air.
"Summoning Jutsu: Toad Mouth Bind!"
A colossal toad, its size rivaling a small mountain, materialized out of thin air. Carrying overwhelming force, it crashed down toward the airborne Rasa. The terrifying pressure of its descent caused the golden sand clouds below to begin collapsing.
"One of the Sannin—Jiraiya!"
Sensing the immense surge of chakra, Rasa knew that remaining in midair made him a perfect target. His defenses were already prepared.
Still, his brow furrowed.
The one leading the assault was Jiraiya, whose methods were notoriously fierce. Taking this head-on would be no easy feat.
The golden sand beneath his feet surged violently, reshaping itself into a thick, solid barrier that rose upward with brute force.
At the same time, he used the recoil to propel himself downward like a falling meteor, attempting to escape the deadly shadow above.
"BOOM—!!!"
Gamabunta's mountainous body slammed into the golden sand barrier with unstoppable force.
It held for only a brief instant.
Then, with a grating crack, the barrier shattered.
The massive toad continued its descent, crashing into the ground and leaving behind a gigantic crater. Spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly across the earth.
A violent shockwave erupted outward like an invisible tsunami, carrying rubble and dust in all directions.
Within dozens of meters, both Konoha shinobi pressing the attack and Sunagakure shinobi scrambling to defend were thrown into the air, sent tumbling as their formations collapsed into chaos.
Rasa, though not directly struck, landed in a disheveled state. His feet slammed into the ground, but the immense inertia forced him to slide backward uncontrollably.
Just as his balance wavered—his attention fully drawn to Gamabunta above and Jiraiya ahead—
The situation changed again.
The ground behind him suddenly turned soft and muddy. A ferocious purple snake shot out like lightning, its jaws wide open as the Kusanagi Sword flashed with a deadly cold gleam, stabbing straight toward Rasa's back.
It was Orochimaru, lying in wait.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
The strike was vicious and precise, perfectly timed at the moment when Rasa's old strength had faded and new force had yet to form.
"Lord Rasa, watch out!"
From afar, the young Maki shouted in alarm.
But Rasa was a battle-hardened Kage. At the critical moment, he twisted his body forcefully, golden sand flowing behind him to form a dense, compact shield.
Clang!
A piercing metallic clash rang out.
The Kusanagi Sword scraped past the edge of the golden sand shield, sending a spray of brilliant sparks into the air.
Though the strike failed to fully penetrate, the sharp sword aura still sliced through Rasa's clothing, leaving a shallow but striking wound across his shoulder blade. Blood immediately splattered outward.
Not fatal—but the icy brush of death sent a chill down his spine, cold sweat breaking across his back.
"Did it land?!"
Standing atop Gamabunta, Jiraiya's face lit up with excitement.
But Orochimaru, feeling the resistance at his blade tip, knew the ambush had failed. Without hesitation, he disengaged and retreated immediately.
"Jiraiya… every time you summon me, it's nothing but trouble."
Gamabunta's deep voice rumbled like distant thunder across the battlefield. His massive eyes swept over the burning camp and the chaos below, instantly understanding the situation.
His towering presence rivaled that of a tailed beast, his shadow covering nearly half of Sunagakure's forward camp.
"Haha, don't say that, Bunta!" Jiraiya stood atop his head, hands on his hips, laughing boldly.
"That's Rasa of the Magnet Release—Sunagakure's toughest nut. A battlefield like this wouldn't be complete without you!"
"Cut the crap. You'd better treat me to drinks afterward!"
Gamabunta snorted, pipe clenched in his mouth, as his massive tantō slid free with a sharp flash.
The cold gleam of the blade reflected the flickering firelight as he shot Jiraiya a displeased glance.
"Make it quick. You might not have a woman waiting, but I've got somewhere to be."
On the other side of the battlefield, Orochimaru bit his thumb, cold chakra surging as he slammed his hand onto the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Black sealing patterns spread rapidly, followed by a burst of thick white smoke.
A gigantic purple serpent, no smaller than Gamabunta, appeared instantly. Its scales gleamed with a chilling luster, and its eyes burned with cruelty and savagery.
Manda of Ryūchi Cave.
"Orochimaru—one hundred sacrifices. Or I'll devour you first."
Manda hissed menacingly the moment it appeared.
"Relax. There's plenty here."
Standing atop Manda's head, Orochimaru met Rasa's gaze from afar, a cold smile curling his lips.
"Let the feast begin."
One toad. One serpent.
Two powerful summons from different sacred lands appeared simultaneously on the battlefield.
The visual impact—and psychological pressure—was overwhelming.
Konoha's morale surged.
Sunagakure's forces showed clear signs of fear.
Rasa's expression darkened to the extreme.
Facing two mountain-like summons and the predatory gaze of Konoha's two Sannin, he knew he had to act decisively.
Otherwise—
Sunagakure's entire front line would collapse.
And that was a consequence the village could not afford.
"They can't be allowed to run wild!"
Rasa roared, unleashing his immense chakra without restraint.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Great Funeral!"
This time, the scale far surpassed before.
With a deafening rumble, it felt as though the entire river valley had been hollowed out. Endless golden sand surged upward like a vast ocean, crashing skyward.
With overwhelming force, it swept toward both summons—and the mass of Konoha shinobi behind them.
His objective was clear.
A wide-area attack that left no room to evade.
Force them to take it head-on.
Because if those beasts leapt into Sunagakure's ranks—
The casualties would be catastrophic.
"Damn it!"
Jiraiya cursed.
Gamabunta could have dodged—but he understood.
If he moved, the Konoha shinobi behind him would be slaughtered.
So instead, he stood firm.
His massive body became a shield as he swung his enormous blade, hacking at the incoming tide of golden sand.
"Orochimaru—you're charging extra for this!"
Under Orochimaru's coercion, Manda hissed in clear displeasure as well.
Its massive tail whipped through the air, smashing apart chunks of the golden sand wave.
Seeing both summons restrained by his tactic, Rasa reached behind him—
Touching the black teapot sealed at his back.
The container of the One-Tail.
His eyes flickered.
Then it became cold.
Locked onto Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
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