With Gamabunta and Manda holding back the torrent of golden sand, the figures of Jiraiya and Orochimaru vanished from atop their respective summons.
If you strike first, I'll answer in kind.
Among shinobi, there was no such thing as nobility—only strength.
Jiraiya formed hand seals, his target shifting beyond the golden sand tide to the Sunagakure forces gathered behind it.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
He inhaled deeply, then unleashed a blazing torrent. A massive orange fireball roared forward like a jet, its violent combustion shrieking through the air. Golden sand rose to intercept it—only to melt instantly into crystalline residue.
"Ninja Art: Snake Authority Spell!"
Orochimaru opened his mouth—and an endless stream of living snakes poured forth.
In an instant, thousands upon thousands of serpents of every color and venom flooded the battlefield like a broken dam. They formed a writhing, horrifying tide, hissing in unison as they surged toward the Sunagakure ranks behind the golden sand defenses.
The swarm spread wide and moved fast, intent on bypassing the frontal barrier—striking from the flanks and even above to devour, bind, and poison the enemy.
Just as the Konoha assault was about to turn the tide—
A searing, overwhelming chakra flared to life in the darkest moment before dawn.
Like a rising sun, it ignited above the Sunagakure lines.
"Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
A sharp, commanding voice cut through the chaos.
Dozens of blazing spheres appeared—each the size of a human head, orange on the outside, pure white at the core, radiating terrifying heat.
They shot across the battlefield like intercepting missiles, colliding with Orochimaru's snake swarm and portions of the incoming flames.
Pff! Pff! Pff!
There were no explosions.
Only heat—absolute, merciless heat.
The snakes were instantly drained of all moisture, reduced to charred husks. Even the raging flames were forcibly extinguished and scattered by the overwhelming temperature.
A graceful figure descended, accompanied by fading white motes of light, landing lightly atop a towering golden sand wall.
She wore the standard uniform of Sunagakure. Strands of orange-yellow hair framed her face, fluttering in the heated air.
Her expression was cold and resolute, her presence commanding. The floating orbs of Scorch Release chakra around her illuminated her like a savior descending upon the battlefield.
"Lady Pakura!"
A relieved cry rang out among the Sunagakure forces.
Under the leadership of their jōnin, their ranks reformed, and the battle reignited with even greater ferocity.
Pakura swept her gaze across the battlefield before locking onto Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
"The Sannin of Konoha… you're not facing Rasa alone."
"Pakura…"
Rasa glanced briefly at her arrival, his tension easing slightly as he refocused on suppressing the two massive summons.
Powerful as they were, they were no tailed beasts.
In the end—
They were still just animals.
Below, Pakura moved without hesitation, charging toward the nearest Konoha shinobi.
The blazing orbs at her side curved through the chaotic battlefield under her control, targeting Konoha squads attempting to press their advantage.
"Scatter! It's Pakura!" a Konoha commander shouted urgently.
Too late.
One of the scorching spheres brushed a Konoha chūnin's arm.
What followed was horrifying.
He didn't even have time to scream.
All the moisture in his body evaporated instantly.
In the blink of an eye, he collapsed into a shriveled corpse—his face frozen in terror.
The gruesome sight darkened both Jiraiya's and Orochimaru's expressions.
Orochimaru's killing intent thickened, his figure blurring as he lunged toward Pakura.
Jiraiya's eyes swept across the battlefield, sharp and calculating.
With Rasa and Pakura fighting together, Sunagakure's morale surged.
Konoha's forces, though valiant, were struggling on enemy ground.
They were already outnumbered.
If the battle continued, the best outcome would be forcing Sunagakure to retreat—but killing Rasa, who could fly, was nearly impossible.
Pakura, too, could withdraw safely with the support of golden sand.
And afterward—
Sunagakure could simply regroup and deploy fresh forces.
But Konoha?
Their reserves were already stretched thin.
Even as these thoughts ran through his mind, Jiraiya didn't stop attacking. Another Great Flame Bullet erupted from his mouth, incinerating a squad of Sunagakure shinobi into ash.
Then—
A massive surge of chakra erupted above.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Grand Wave!"
Given more time to prepare, Rasa unleashed an even more terrifying technique.
With a forceful push of both hands, the golden sand gathered into a towering wave—dozens of meters high—sweeping across the entire valley like a golden tsunami, crashing toward Konoha's forces.
Where it passed, rocks shattered, trees were swallowed, and even flames were smothered and extinguished.
Before such overwhelming power—
Individual strength felt insignificant.
Gamabunta inhaled deeply, his massive belly swelling before he spat out several gigantic water bullets, each the size of a house.
Water Release: Iron Cannonballs.
They crashed into the golden tide, exploding into showers of golden rain, barely slowing its advance.
Meanwhile, Manda had no intention of risking itself for mere "food."
At the height of the battle, it suddenly lunged downward, its jaws opening wide—
Swallowing several Sunagakure and Konoha shinobi alike in one gulp.
"I'll take these as my offering, Orochimaru."
With that hoarse whisper, it vanished in a burst of white smoke—returning to Ryūchi Cave without waiting for a response.
"Damn it!"
Gamabunta roared.
"That bastard snake ran! I can't hold this alone!"
"Retreat! Rotate and cover!"
Jiraiya made the call instantly.
He leapt onto Gamabunta's head, their thoughts perfectly aligned.
"Let's use it, Bunta!"
"Been waiting for it!"
Gamabunta's massive body swelled as he expelled a torrent of thick black oil.
At the same time, Jiraiya formed seals, fire chakra surging through his throat.
"Combination Ninjutsu: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"
The black oil and blazing flames merged midair, forming a vast inferno that blanketed the sky.
With a terrifying roar, it collided head-on with the golden wave.
BOOM—!!!
Fire and sand clashed violently, devouring and resisting one another. Flames and smoke erupted skyward, forming a blazing barrier that split the battlefield between life and death.
Orochimaru let out a cold laugh, casting one last glance at the faint silhouettes of Rasa and Pakura beyond the flames—
Then sank into the ground.
Under the cover of the inferno, Konoha's forces moved with discipline. Dividing into waves, they retreated in coordinated succession, disappearing into the forest behind them.
Only chaos remained.
And a towering wall of fire that continued to burn.
Standing atop his golden sand, Rasa watched as the Konoha forces vanished into the woods.
He did not give chase.
"Clear the battlefield. Reinforce our defenses."
Turning his gaze to the devastated camp below—now illuminated by the rising sun—his fists clenched tightly.
"Konoha… this won't end here."
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