On a narrow forest path deep in the Land of Rivers, two groups faced each other.
Calling it a standoff was generous. Yohei's team wanted nothing more than to disappear, but reality wasn't giving them that option. As Rasa and his guards stepped closer, the exhausted Leaf shinobi could only retreat. They weren't lacking courage—they were simply out of gas. Every one of them was running on fus.
Rasa, for his part, wasn't exactly thrilled either. He'd expected so famous Leaf veteran who'd been making Sand look incompetent. Instead he was staring at a bunch of kids. The oldest looked maybe thirteen or fourteen.
Leaf really was blessed with talent. One generation after another, monsters kept appearing. The mory of the last one who'd almost cost him his position as Kazekage flashed through his mind—that boy had been even younger than these.
"Leaf shinobi," Rasa said with calm dignity, even though he wanted them all dead. "Do you know Matsushita Taiichi?"
The five of them glanced at each other warily but said nothing.
Rasa's smile turned mocking. "I see. Leaf's so-called elites don't even have the courage to speak to ."
Obito, still riding the emotional high of his newly awakened Sharingan, couldn't hold his tongue.
"Of course we know him! He's our friend—ride-or-die kind of friend!"
Yohei's hand cracked across the back of Obito's head, but it was too late.
Rasa's eyes lit up. "Excellent. Capturing you will make things very interesting for Matsushita Taiichi."
Obito imdiately realized he'd screwed up. He shut his mouth and waited for Yohei's inevitable punishnt.
Kakashi and Rin were already sliding into quiet despair. Even at full strength, surviving a fight against the Kazekage would've been a long shot. Right now? They were barely standing.
Yohei and Saori exchanged a look. They both knew what had to happen. Taiichi was the only card left to play.
Yohei reached into his pouch and pulled out the special kunai Taiichi had given him. Chakra flared along the etched markings.
Two seconds later, Taiichi appeared beside him in a swirl of leaves—white coat, short blade in hand, eyes already scanning the battlefield.
He took in the battered state of his friends first, then the tense Sand group across from them. His mouth twitched.
Great. I step out for five minutes and I'm already staring down the Fourth Kazekage. Thanks, Yohei.
Without looking away from Rasa, Taiichi tossed a bottle of his custom soldier pills to Yohei. "Eat. All of you. Now."
Then he stepped forward, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Kazekage-sama, isn't it a little beneath you to personally hunt down a bunch of Leaf teenagers? So might call that bullying the weak."
Rasa didn't flinch. "Matsushita Taiichi. Bold of you to appear so calm. You think this is still the sa night we last t?"
While he spoke, Rasa quietly poured chakra into the ground, refining gold dust beneath the surface. Taiichi's senses caught it instantly.
"Looks like the great Kazekage isn't quite as confident as he pretends," Taiichi said, slashing his blade into the dirt between them. A blazing arc of fire carved a half-ter crater and sent glittering gold dust spraying everywhere.
Rasa's face darkened for half a second before his politician's mask slid back into place.
"Every battle requires full commitnt," he said smoothly. "The real question is whether you've decided how you want to die, boy."
Taiichi spun his blade in a lazy flourish. "Who lives and who dies is never certain. For all you know, Sand might be choosing its Fifth Kazekage tomorrow."
Rasa's eyes narrowed. "Sharp tongue. The afterlife will suit you perfectly."
He attacked without warning.
Massive waves of gold dust erupted from the earth, forming a choking golden sky that blotted out the sun. Taiichi created two shadow clones and sent them to guard his friends.
Rasa snarled and hurled a storm of gold dust needles straight at the clones.
Taiichi didn't bother with hand seals. He simply took a deep breath and exhaled.
A massive golden fireball roared forward, punching a huge hole through the incoming needles and lighting up the forest.
"Looks like you still haven't learned, Kazekage. That trick doesn't work on anymore."
He flickered forward, closing the distance fast. Rasa t him with another wave of gold dust, forcing Taiichi to weave and circle. The four remaining Sand Jonin opened fire from range—wind blades, fireballs, lightning orbs raining down.
Taiichi sneered. "You really think ganging up works on ?"
He flicked four special kunai toward the Jonin and another four toward Rasa. The mont they left his hand, he vanished.
He reappeared behind one of the Sand Jonin and drove his short blade deep into the man's shoulder. The Phoenix Sage Fire technique followed instantly—bright golden flas engulfed the wounded ninja before he could even scream.
One down.
Rasa roared in fury. "You little bastard!"
He ordered the remaining three Jonin to chase after Yohei's team and turned his full attention on Taiichi.
The real fight began.
For thirty brutal minutes they clashed. Rasa's gold dust waves crashed against Taiichi's fire style and Flying Thunder God strikes. Neither could land a decisive blow. Taiichi lacked a one-hit-kill answer to magnet release. Rasa lacked the numbers to pin down soone who could teleport at will.
They broke apart, both breathing hard, both recovering chakra as fast as they could.
More Sand shinobi were arriving from every direction, drawn by the noise and the signal flares. Rasa smiled coldly.
"Matsushita Taiichi, surrender. You're still young. Leaf can't offer you what Sand can. Join us and you'll have power, wealth, respect—anything you want."
Taiichi stared at him like he'd grown a second head.
Then he laughed.
"Kazekage, you really think a few extra Sand rats are going to keep here?" He gestured at the five new squads that had just arrived. "Go ho and train another hundred years. You're not ready for ."
User Comments
0 comments from readers