The moon had already risen high in the night sky.
Quiet, gentle moonlight fell over the forest below, yet it could not calm the battle raging ever more fiercely beneath it.
Boom! Boom! Boom!...
Suddenly, bright flames flared up in one part of the forest, and countless clouds of dust blasted the trees apart!
When the dust settled, the battlefield was a scene of utter devastation. The thick trees all around had long since been snapped off at the roots by the powerful shockwaves.
The ground was covered in jagged ravines, and sunken, shattered rocks littered the earth, bearing witness to the battle's earlier ferocity.
"Phew... This guy's really troublesome!"
Beneath a large, concealed tree, Jiraiya hid behind the trunk, panting heavily.
His forehead was beaded with sweat, and dust clung to his clothes, leaving him looking extremely disheveled.
Hearing him, Tsunade, who was panting just as hard nearby, narrowed her eyes slightly and said in a low voice,
"Next time we attack, create an opening for me. If I can get close to him, I can finish him in one move!"
Jiraiya was taken aback. It seemed an idea had occurred to him.
Far away, Rasa stood atop a mass of floating Gold Dust, his expression grave.
His right leg had a charred wound, and his clothes were badly tattered. The Sand Ninja who had been with him had already been killed by Jiraiya and the others in the earlier battle.
His dark-rimmed eyes narrowed slightly as he surveyed the trees below, his voice low as he muttered,
"So this is the strength of the Sannin... They're troublesome. If I'm not careful, I might die here..."
As he spoke, he slowly formed Hand Seals and called out,
"Earth Release: Sandstone Flow!"
At his command, the already devastated ground began