Towering flames dyed the pupils of everyone present a deep crimson, and the scorching waves of heat made them feel, for a moment, as if the golden sun had fallen to the earth.
Wind and fire had joined as one, and with the desert terrain on top of that, the power of this combined ninjutsu had almost reached its peak.
But the teams Konoha and Sunagakure had left behind were not so easily defeated.
Although the most elite members among them had already entered the ancient city of Rōran, those sent to guard this place were by no means ordinary.
This fire was something Yamashiro Aoba, Namiashi Raidō, and Shiranui Genma could not block, but someone could.
On Sunagakure's side, three ninja dressed in quite similar clothing stepped out at the same time, their hands forming the same seals.
"Sandstorm!"
Whooo—
The wind howled, and golden sand, whipped up by the gale, rapidly rose into a tornado that connected heaven and earth, sweeping toward the sea of fire ahead.
The Sand Manipulation Technique passed down through generations in Sunagakure was undoubtedly the most suitable ninjutsu for this vast, boundless desert.
The essence of the Sand Manipulation Technique was a combination of Wind Style and Earth Style. If one's natural talent was sufficiently brilliant, then by taking it a step further, one could obtain the Kekkei Genkai known as Magnet Style. If not, then it remained an ordinary Sand Manipulation Technique.
Therefore, this could be considered a technique that sat between ordinary ninjutsu and a Kekkei Genkai, somewhat like a secret technique that had not yet been solidified into the bloodline.
The only issue was that it relied rather heavily on the environment.
That was both a good thing and a bad thing.
The bad part was that, just like Water