Just as the Gold Dust spears ran rampant and Konoha's assault faltered, a colossal shadow fell over half the battlefield, accompanied by a deafening roar.
"Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique!"
A giant toad, as large as a small mountain, appeared out of thin air. With tremendous force, it came crashing down on Rasa, who was hovering in midair. The terrifying pressure from its descent sent the Gold Dust clouds below scattering.
"One of the Sannin—Jiraiya!"
Feeling the immense Chakra, Rasa knew full well that standing in the air made him a sitting duck. He had already prepared his defenses.
What made him frown was that Jiraiya had come to ambush them, and his methods were exceptionally powerful. Rasa couldn't afford to meet the attack head-on.
The Gold Dust cloud beneath his feet surged and took shape in an instant, transforming into a thick, sturdy barrier that thrust upward to meet the attack.
At the same time, he used the violent recoil to propel himself downward at high speed, like a shooting star, trying to escape the deadly shadow.
"BOOM—!!!"
Gamabunta's mountain-like bulk slammed into the Gold Dust barrier with unstoppable force.
The two sides held for only a moment. Then, with a teeth-grating crack, the barrier shattered!
Gamabunta's momentum barely slowed. His enormous body crashed into the ground, smashing a huge crater into the hard earth as spiderweb cracks spread wildly around it.
The violent shockwave rolled out like an invisible tsunami, hurling gravel and dust in every direction.
Within dozens of meters, Konoha Ninja who had been preparing to attack and Sunagakure Ninja scrambling to defend themselves alike were swept off their feet by the tremendous force. They tumbled across the ground, their formations thrown into chaos.
Though Rasa had avoided a direct hit, he landed on the ground in a sorry state. His feet struck hard, and the immense inertia sent him sliding backward beyond his control.
Just as he had yet to regain his balance, his attention fixed entirely on Gamabunta overhead and Jiraiya in front of him, another sudden change occurred!
The ground behind Rasa turned muddy without warning. A vicious purple snake shot out like lightning, jaws gaping, the cold gleam of the Kusanagi Sword aimed straight at his back!
It was Orochimaru, lying in wait!
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
The strike was vicious and cunning, timed perfectly for the moment when Rasa's previous force had dissipated and he had yet to gather new strength.
"Lord Rasa, watch out!"
In the distance, the young Baki witnessed the scene and cried out in alarm.
Rasa had weathered countless fierce battles and was Kage Level, after all. At the last possible moment, he forced his body to twist as the flowing Gold Dust gathered into a small, dense shield behind him.
"CLANG!"
The shrill clash of metal rang out!
The Kusanagi Sword's icy tip scraped past the edge of the Gold Dust shield by the narrowest margin, spraying a string of dazzling sparks.
The sharp sword energy was not fully blocked. It still sliced through the back of Rasa's robe, leaving a shallow but conspicuous gash near his shoulder blade. Beads of blood sprayed into the air.
The wound wasn't fatal, but the cold touch and faint sting sent a chill down Rasa's spine and left him in a cold sweat.
"Did we get him?!"
Seeing this from atop Gamabunta's head, Jiraiya looked delighted, thinking the strike had landed cleanly.
Orochimaru felt the resistance at the sword tip and knew it hadn't pierced through. He abandoned the attack without hesitation and immediately leaped back.
"Jiraiya, you bastard... Every time you summon me, it's nothing but trouble!"
Gamabunta's deep voice rolled across the battlefield like muffled thunder. His enormous eyes swiveled, taking in the burning camp and the figures flying through the air. He immediately realized where he was.
The pressure exuded by his mountain-sized body was no less than that of a Tailed Beast. His shadow covered almost half of Sunagakure's forward position.
"Haha, Gamabunta, don't be like that!" Jiraiya stood atop Gamabunta's head, hands on his hips, and laughed heartily.
"We're up against Rasa, the famous hardcase with Magnet Release from Sunagakure. How could I leave you out of a big fight like this?"
"Spare me the flattery! Remember to buy me a drink afterward!"
Gamabunta grumbled around his pipe, but his enormous Toad Short Sword had already slid from its sheath with a sharp shing.
The blade's cold gleam reflected the leaping flames as Gamabunta added a teasing remark that made Jiraiya's face darken.
"Let's finish this quickly. It's the middle of the night. You don't have a wife, but I need to get back home!"
Above the other side of the battlefield, Orochimaru bit his thumb, then pressed one hand to the ground. A chilling wave of Chakra rippled around him.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Black seals rapidly spread across the ground, followed by a vast cloud of white smoke.
A purple giant snake, every bit as large as Gamabunta, appeared out of thin air. Cold light glinted off its scales, and its snake eyes were full of cruelty and savagery. It was Manda of Ryūchi Cave!
"Orochimaru, a hundred sacrifices, or I'll eat you first!" Manda let out a threatening hiss the moment he appeared.
"Don't worry. There's plenty to go around."
Standing atop Manda's head, Orochimaru fixed his snake-like eyes on Rasa in the distance and smiled coldly. "Now, let the feast begin."
A toad and a giant snake—two mighty summoning beasts from different sacred lands—had appeared on the battlefield at once. Their visual impact and the fear they inspired were unparalleled.
Konoha's morale surged, while the Sunagakure Ninja looked on in horror.
Rasa's face darkened until it seemed ready to drip with fury.
Faced with two mountain-sized summoning beasts and two Konoha Ninja watching him like hawks, he knew he had to strike with overwhelming force. Otherwise, the Sunagakure front would collapse.
The disaster that would bring was more than Sunagakure could bear!
"We can't let them run rampant!"
Rasa growled and unleashed every bit of his immense Chakra without holding back.
"Magnet Release: Sand Gold Funeral!"
This time, the scale was far greater than before!
Amid a thunderous rumble, it was as if the entire valley floor had been hollowed out. Endless Gold Dust surged skyward like a real ocean turning upside down!
With even greater force, it swept toward the two summoning beasts and the mass of Konoha Ninja behind them—
His goal was clear: use a wide-area attack to force the two giants to take the full brunt of it, with nowhere to dodge!
If they leaped into his ranks, the Sunagakure Ninja would suffer devastating losses.
"Damn it!"
Jiraiya cursed.
Gamabunta wanted to dodge, but understood what his partner meant.
His enormous body could leap nimbly, but the Konoha Ninja behind him would be in trouble.
With no choice, he used his massive bulk as a barrier and swung his dozen-meter-long Toad Short Sword, furiously hacking at the oncoming waves of Gold Dust.
"Orochimaru, you're paying extra!"
Under Orochimaru's orders, Manda let out an equally displeased hiss.
His thick tail swept across the battlefield, scattering a swath of Gold Dust.
Watching the two summoning beasts pinned down by his strategy, Rasa reached behind him and touched the Black Tea Kettle that sealed the One-Tail.
His eyes flickering, he turned a cold gaze on Jiraiya and Orochimaru.