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Hidden in the shadows, Ye Wen watched the spectacle with great interest. "No wonder he's called the 'Cheating Snake' Orochimaru. Who wouldn't have nightmares facing an opponent like him?"
As the first-generation disciple who would "drag you back even if it meant breaking your legs," Jiraiya had spent years searching for the Child of Prophecy while also relentlessly pursuing his old comrade Orochimaru, hoping to bring him back to Konoha through his own methods.
In this world of extreme individualism, Jiraiya never stopped to consider why Orochimaru had abandoned Konoha. He was solely focused on enforcing his own vision of the ninja way.
But Orochimaru, once driven by a pursuit of truth and disillusioned by various circumstances, had long since shed his former naivety. Naturally, he had no intention of returning with Jiraiya.
This ideological clash formed the root of their conflict.
Though Orochimaru eventually returned to Konoha in the original storyline, Ye Wen saw it as a forced decision.
With two overwhelmingly powerful individuals in Konoha—one of whom sought to eliminate any threat to the village—Orochimaru had no choice but to return unless he wanted to face certain death.
By then, Orochimaru had already mastered immortality techniques, so he wasn't eager to meet his end just yet. A little restriction on his lifestyle was a small price to pay.
Watching the intense battle between Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Sasori, who had been observing from afar, suddenly furrowed his brows.
The chakra threads wrapped around the jar beside him twitched violently, and his figure moved with incredible speed.
In an instant, the spot where Sasori had been standing was engulfed by massive golden sand shaped like flower petals.
Recognizing the signature kekkei genkai, Sasori muttered grimly, "Fourth Kazekage… Rasa."
Knowing he had been exposed, Rasa no longer bothered to hide. Manipulating waves of golden sand, he launched a direct assault on Sasori.
"Magnet Release: Gold Sand Great Burial!!!"
Though Rasa didn't hold the title of the strongest Kazekage, his mastery of Magnet Release was directly inherited from the Third Kazekage, widely regarded as the most powerful.
However, Sasori was already well-versed in these techniques and nimbly evaded Rasa's attack.
Rasa, whose lack of eyebrows made his furrowed expression all the more striking, narrowed his eyes.
He didn't recognize this bizarrely shaped enemy, but judging by the precision of his movements, it was clear the opponent knew everything about him.
As the former leader of Sunagakure, Rasa shouldn't have been involved in this mission. But after the entire Sand leadership defected to Konoha, Rasa realized the futility of resistance. Stubbornly clinging to power held no meaning.
Moreover, upon learning that his son, the One-Tail jinchūriki Gaara, had been captured, Rasa—a father in name only—decided to use his son as a bargaining chip. As for what might happen to Gaara once Konoha took possession of him?
Rasa didn't care. He was an utterly rational ninja, a true shinobi.
For a ninja, emotions were unnecessary.
Gaara had to be retrieved. The moment Rasa received the intelligence, he rushed over.
However, the enemy proved far more troublesome than Rasa had anticipated. By now, he had resolved that if he couldn't reclaim Gaara, he would kill him instead.
Humans could die, but tailed beasts couldn't. In time, Shukaku would surely resurrect somewhere in the ninja world.
And by taking such drastic action, Rasa believed he would finally be accepted by Konoha's shinobi. Though he had lost the Kazekage title he had painstakingly worked for over the years, at least his life would be spared.
To be honest, Rasa had grown weary over the years. He had once thought becoming the Fourth Kazekage would bring him glory and comfort, but after assuming the position, he realized how impoverished and resource-deprived the village truly was. Now, he was often forced to act as a human mining machine, sifting gold from the desert sands to subsidize the village—a frustrating and exhausting existence. But having become Kazekage, he couldn't simply quit. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure.
Still, Rasa hadn't entirely given up on improving Sunagakure through his efforts. After all, if he lacked ambition, he wouldn't have been lured by Orochimaru into the ill-fated Konoha Collapse Plan, which ultimately cost him everything.
All things considered, Rasa's love for the village was genuine, even if the job was undeniably grueling.
Having resolved not to hold back, Rasa formed hand seals.
"Magnet Release: Gold Sand Rain Shower!!!"
Countless particles of golden sand transformed into shotgun-like blasts, relentlessly assaulting Sasori.
Magnet Release wasn't weak—it was just that both previous Kazekages had fallen victim to shameful betrayals.
In an instant, smoke and dust billowed, shrouding the battlefield in thick haze.
Rasa narrowed his eyes, carefully sensing his surroundings.
Had he finished him off?
But the next moment, Rasa's eyes widened in shock. The enemy's chakra hadn't disappeared from his senses.
Yet this wasn't the most alarming part. The jar that supposedly contained Gaara had shattered under the barrage, revealing its contents—or rather, its emptiness.
The jar was empty.
Though they had found the enemy, the crucial One-Tail jinchūriki was nowhere to be seen!
Rasa instantly understood—they had been played. While these two were indeed the enemies, they had never carried the jinchūriki with them from the start. It had all been an illusion. The jinchūriki had already slipped away elsewhere.
This outcome was unacceptable. It meant his plan to defect had a critical flaw. Even if he captured these two and extracted information about their organization, his position within Konoha would remain precarious.
But there was no time for further reflection. Mistakes were mistakes. At the very least, he had to leave these two behind.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru were legendary Kage-level warriors. Their battle wouldn't end anytime soon, and they were more than capable of holding out until reinforcements arrived.
Thus, Rasa's course of action became clear.
He began channeling his chakra.
His opponent was undoubtedly formidable—after all, anyone capable of partnering with Orochimaru couldn't be weak.
But Rasa was once a Kage too!
Taking advantage of the enemy's momentary disarray, Rasa unleashed his ultimate technique.
"Magnet Release: Gold Sand Great Burial!!!"
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Great Burial!!!"
The familiar chakra and Magnet Release caused Rasa's pupils to contract sharply.
"What is this!?"
As the dust settled, Rasa's composure faltered when he recognized the enemy he was trading blows with.
"Sensei?!"
But as a former Kazekage, Rasa quickly noticed something abnormal about the Third Kazekage—the curves, the lines.
Wasn't this Sunagakure's prized puppet?
Ordinary puppets couldn't use Magnet Release. Realization dawned on Rasa, and his face darkened with rage as he clenched his teeth.
"Human Puppet!!! Who did this!? Who are you!? How did you turn my sensei into a human puppet!?"
When the dust cleared, a red-haired youth appeared before Rasa.
That unmistakable red hair and face—Rasa recognized him instantly.
At first, disbelief filled Rasa's heart, but he quickly regained his composure, his gaze turning cold and venomous as he stared at Sasori.
"Chiyo really raised a fine grandson, didn't she?"
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