"The plan to encircle and suppress Uchiha Madara failed because I didn't think it through. I can't let the elite Sand-nin perish here."
"Kankurō, take Gaara and Temari and retreat. I'm leaving him in your care. I trust you."
Rasa turned his head with a rare smile on his usually stern face as he addressed Kankurō.
At that moment, Rasa's eyes were filled with determination. He had already resolved himself to die. Uchiha Madara's power far exceeded his expectations. Rasa had assumed Madara's strength was, at most, only a bit greater than that of Uchiha Fugaku, the patriarch of Konoha's Uchiha clan—but now, he realized how wrong he was.
So many Iwa-nin had been annihilated in a single wave of Madara's assault. Having witnessed his strength firsthand, Rasa understood that even with all their elite forces, the Sand couldn't stand against him. The only thing he could do now was ensure the survival of his own village's future.
"Father?! You plan to stay here?!"
"No! Retreat with us—you'll die if you stay!"
Kankurō recognized his father's intent and shouted in panic.
"Enough nonsense!"
"If no one stays behind, our people will be overtaken and annihilated."
"As Kazekage, how can I allow that?"
"You three are the future of our village! Sunagakure can live without the present—but not without its future!"
"Now go!"
With a deep shout, Rasa extended both arms. Gold dust from the ground rapidly condensed before him, forming a massive inverted pyramid. Its pointed tip pierced deep into the ground, its shape strange and striking.
And just as the pyramid formed, Susanoo swung its arms—two arcs of purple sword light tore through the earth, speeding toward the retreating Sand-nin.
Boom!!!
The sword beams struck the golden pyramid, scattering massive chunks of gold dust. Despite the resistance, the sword light still pushed forward—threatening to tear through and reach Rasa and the others.
"I can't stop it! Kankurō, go—now!"
Rasa had unleashed his strongest defensive technique. Seeing the pyramid about to be breached, he shouted behind him in desperation.
"Father!" Kankurō gritted his teeth and tried to run to Rasa's side, unwilling to abandon him—but Temari grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing?!" Kankurō barked at her.
"Let's go." Temari's voice was calm.
"What… did you say?" Kankurō was stunned, not expecting such words from her.
Rasa smiled faintly upon hearing this. His eldest daughter saw the bigger picture.
"I said we're going!" Temari repeated, head lowered. She turned and pulled Kankurō toward the forest. As he was about to resist, a raindrop landed on his face. Looking up, he saw that the once-clear sky was now overcast.
Kankurō lowered his head, ready to struggle—until he saw tears running down Temari's face, glinting faintly in the dim light. It was then he realized: Temari wasn't heartless. She was enduring great pain to make this decision.
Ashamed of his earlier judgment, Kankurō fell silent and let Temari lead him into the woods.
Puff!!!
Moments after the Sand-nin withdrew, the purple sword light broke through Rasa's pyramid completely—though its trajectory had shifted slightly. It struck the distant forest, vaporizing everything in its path. The ninja stationed in that area didn't even have time to scream before they vanished—leaving not even bones behind.
"That level of attack... there can't be many in the entire shinobi world who could withstand it."
"My abilities can only stall him briefly by relying on the nature of Magnet Release. In direct combat, I stand no chance."
Rasa analyzed the force behind Madara's attack, his heart heavy. Watching the Sand-nin retreat, his body dissolved into gold dust and merged with the surrounding sand.
The golden pyramid disintegrated. Countless particles of gold swirled into a massive storm, rushing toward Uchiha Madara. From within Susanoo, Madara raised an eyebrow and slashed at the incoming dust.
Though the gold dust was scattered by the sword beams, it quickly regrouped and swirled tighter around Susanoo, trying to bury him.
"The Kazekage is stronger than most... but still just an ant."
Madara folded his arms, unfazed. He formed a "tiger" seal with Susanoo's hands as chakra began peeling away from the gold dust and flowing into Madara's body.
"Hmph!" He scoffed, sensing the absorbed energy. "Is this it? Pathetic."
"In this era, I still stand at the summit of the ninja world."
As Madara spoke, the gold dust fell away from Susanoo, having lost its potency. Rasa reformed hundreds of meters away—but the moment his body took shape, he collapsed to his knees.
"What… what's happening?"
"My gold dust has no chakra—and neither does my body."
He leaned forward, hands trembling, sweat dripping from his face.
"That's because of my power."
A deep voice came from above. Rasa looked up to see Madara standing over him, arms folded, mismatched eyes locked onto him with icy dominance. His shadow engulfed Rasa.
"Uchiha Madara!" Rasa growled, trying to stand. But before he could rise, Madara stepped down on his head, driving him into the sand. With each breath, golden particles blew from Rasa's mouth.
"Resent me all you want—for your own weakness."
"This world has no place for the weak."
"But it doesn't matter. I will soon create a world where even the weak can live happily."
"Your death will become the foundation of that world."
Madara drew a kunai. As his hand lowered, the kunai flew toward Rasa's back.
Clink!
A roll of yellow sand erupted from the ground, intercepting the kunai. More sand swirled around Rasa and lifted him from danger.
Madara's gaze shifted, his eyes narrowing.
A red-haired boy with a gray gourd on his back stood in the distance, his right hand raised in a commanding motion.
"The One-Tail Jinchūriki."
"Heh… this saves me the trouble of hunting you down."
Madara smiled faintly. Though surprised, he was pleased—Gaara's presence would make things much easier.
"Gaara?! What are you doing here?!"
"I told you to stay in the village! Why are you here?!"
Though barely able to speak, Rasa roared in disbelief. Before departing to confront Madara, he had left strict orders: if they didn't return within two days, the village elders were to escort Gaara to Konoha.
But now—Gaara had come to the battlefield.
Gaara said nothing. His gaze fixed on Madara, face expressionless. Clenching his fist, yellow sand erupted from the ground and surged toward Madara.
"Sand Coffin!"
The sand enveloped Madara completely. Just before it sealed him entirely, a smirk appeared on his face.
But instead of blood, the sand slid off harmlessly. Gaara's eyes widened.
"The exact same technique... useless against me."
Madara's voice was calm. In a flash, he vanished.
Gaara's heart leapt. Sand spread along the ground in all directions, his sensory technique activating.
"Looking for me?"
Madara's voice echoed behind him. Gaara froze—then was struck hard in the back and sent flying.
He spat blood midair. His sand armor had offered no defense at all.
Boom!
He crashed to the ground—though, thanks to the softened terrain of gold dust, he wasn't injured further.
Before he could recover, Madara appeared before him.
"The One-Tail... I'll be taking it now."
He knelt and grabbed Gaara by the neck, lifting him into the air.
Gaara wanted to counterattack, but as Madara's hand tightened, his body went limp. His strength drained.
Behind Madara, a grotesque face with an open maw appeared.
"W-What is that?!"
Gaara's eyes widened in horror. A fleshy tongue slithered toward him as he struggled—but Madara's grip was absolute.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you—yet," Madara said softly, smiling as he gazed at Gaara.
Behind him, Uchiha Sasuke, the masked man, and White Zetsu appeared. All three stared at Gaara.
"Did you handle the remaining Iwa-nin?" Madara asked.
He hadn't pursued them after using Deep Forest Emergence, assuming the others took care of it.
"The Iwa-nin? Handle what?" the masked man asked, puzzled. Sasuke also gave Madara a confused look.
Madara suddenly turned his gaze to the darkness. He sensed something.
From the ground, several clay insects emerged—creeping toward his feet.
"What's this?!" the masked man exclaimed. Anticipating danger, he vanished instantly.
Sasuke flinched—but Madara calmly stepped on the bugs. There was no explosion. He lifted his foot; the insects had died silently.
Thousands of meters away, Kurotsuchi and Deidara lay on a massive rock, peering through scopes.
"Hey, Deidara, is your plan working? Doesn't look like it did anything..."
Below, Loess and Akatsuchi sat cross-legged, watching.
"Shut up! I need to concentrate—this plan will work!" Deidara hissed.
Just then, Madara's gaze shifted and locked directly onto him.
Deidara panicked, somersaulting off the rock. "We've been spotted!"
He tossed a lump of clay, and a giant white bird formed instantly. Leaping onto it, he shouted:
"Move! If we stay, we die!"
Loess and Akatsuchi exchanged glances and jumped aboard. Kurotsuchi followed moments later.
The bird soared into the night sky.
Madara noticed them but didn't bother to pursue. He turned his attention back to Gaara.
Behind him, the fleshy tongues of the Gedo Mazo coiled toward Gaara.
As one tongue touched him, Gaara's soul began to separate—an ethereal form identical to his body rising from within.
Boom!!
Thunder rumbled through the heavens. Rain fell, heavy and unrelenting.
Uchiha Madara held Gaara in one hand, preparing to seal his soul and extract the One-Tail, Shukaku.
(End Of Chapter)
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