The Arrogant Manda

A vast stretch of forest was swallowed by the sandstorm. Countless giant trees were toppled and buried, while others were torn up by the roots and shredded to pieces in the swirling sand.

Sen Chisato stood on a treetop not far away, his face full of wonder. "So this is the power of a Tailed Beast."

Even if he went all out, he could pull this off—and perhaps make it even more spectacular. But if a few words could get someone else to do the work for him, why bother lifting a finger?

He did have plenty of chakra, but nowhere near enough to be called a monster. Every little bit saved was worth it.

But...

He glanced in the direction Rasa and Shukaku were moving, then immediately followed them.

This wouldn't do. How could they head that way? The battlefield was in the other direction.

That was right!

After tracking down Rasa and Shukaku, Sen Chisato's greed had grown even further.

He wanted Rasa. He wanted Shukaku, too. He wanted everyone on the front lines—and he certainly wasn't going to pass up the tremendous prestige this battle would bring!

Shukaku was still controlling the sandstorm to chase Rasa. But after pursuing him for several kilometers without catching up, Shukaku began to lose patience.

"Damn you! Stop running if you've got the guts!" Shukaku roared, withdrawing his chakra and giving up on burying Rasa with the sandstorm.

"Hmph!"

Rasa smiled disdainfully, controlling his sand platform as it floated slowly above Shukaku. Looking down at him, he said, "Shukaku, have you had enough? It's time to stop throwing a childish tantrum."

Rasa had expected Shukaku to get even angrier at those words. To his surprise, Shukaku burst out laughing. "Ahahahaha! You idiot! Let's see you dodge this!"

Shukaku took a deep breath, gathering a huge amount of chakra in his belly. Then he slapped his stomach hard. "Wind Release: Air Bullet!"

A massive sphere of wind packed with chakra shot out. Rasa's pupils contracted, and he immediately steered his sand platform to the side.

He was just about to dodge the Air Bullet when a terrifying gust of wind swept toward him, forcing him right back into its path.

"Damn it!"

Rasa hurriedly controlled the Gold Sand to wrap around him. In the last moment before his vision was completely blocked, he saw Sen Chisato standing on a treetop, smiling as he lowered his hands after forming Hand Seals.

The next moment—

Boom!

A violent explosion erupted in midair.

After taking a direct hit from Shukaku's Air Bullet, the Gold Sand burst apart like fireworks.

"Ha ha ha! That's what you get for ordering me around!" Shukaku laughed, clutching his belly. He glanced at Sen Chisato and, for some reason, found the human brat much more likable.

Rasa plummeted from the sky. He wasn't injured, but he looked thoroughly disheveled.

He raised a hand and pulled the Gold Sand back together beneath him, stopping himself in midair. His expression darkened. "Looks like I shouldn't have expected anything from a beast like you. I'll seal you away again right now!"

He took a deep breath and clasped his hands together, unleashing his chakra in full.

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust!"

Like a volcanic eruption, a massive surge of Gold Sand burst from the ground.

The word "beast" enraged Shukaku once more, making his voice even shriller. "What did you say!? You lowly human!"

He slammed both hands into the ground, raising another sandstorm. Yellow sand and Gold Sand collided like towering waves.

Boom!

The forest in the area was devastated once again.

Sen Chisato's figure flickered as he leaped from treetop to treetop, finally landing somewhere safe.

As far as he could see, the forest within several kilometers had been completely destroyed, leaving a vast sea of sand.

The yellow sand and Gold Sand repeatedly crushed and swallowed each other until they eventually became mixed together.

The yellow sand, now mixed with Gold Sand, grew heavier and heavier, while its chakra was steadily eroded. In the end, Shukaku lost control of the yellow sand, and the sandstorm gradually died down.

A chilling rustle filled the air. The Gold Sand shifted and gathered once more, then crept onto Shukaku while he wasn't paying attention.

Shukaku immediately struggled when he sensed something was wrong, but the Gold Sand kept crawling upward, gradually swallowing half his body.

"Damn it, let go of me!"

Shukaku roared, even shedding the yellow sand covering his body in an attempt to cast off the Gold Sand with it.

But it didn't work.

The Gold Sand slipped free of the layer of yellow sand and crawled onto Shukaku's body again.

A chakra that wasn't his own enveloped him. If the Gold Sand swallowed him, he would surely be completely suppressed and sealed away again.

Realizing this, Shukaku grew frantic. As he struggled, he looked toward Sen Chisato and shouted, "Human brat, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and help me!"

"Ah, One-Tail Shukaku... You look pretty useless."

Sen Chisato had meant to keep watching, but now he sighed helplessly and offered his advice. "Aren't you Tailed Beasts able to use a Tailed Beast Bomb? Hit him with one!"

"You think I don't want to? If not for— Just hurry up and help me, damn it! If you don't, the next time I get out, I'll bury you first!" Shukaku seemed to have something he couldn't say. He changed the subject, then threatened Sen Chisato without hesitation.

"If you could really do that, you wouldn't be so useless." Sen Chisato's mouth twitched.

He still wanted to bury him?

Trying to steal his business?

He'd make sure to bury this stinking raccoon first!

That said, he couldn't let Rasa seal Shukaku away for real.

Sen Chisato leaped down from the treetop, forming Hand Seals rapidly while he was still in midair. "Summoning Jutsu!"

Poof!

A huge cloud of smoke burst out. Before it could clear, a twisting body tore right through it.

A giant viper nearly a hundred meters long, its body covered in purple stripes, appeared on the battlefield.

Before it had even figured out what was happening, the giant snake arrogantly declared, "Orochimaru, what kind of mess have you gotten yourself into this time? Like we agreed, I want a hundred live humans as sacrifices. Otherwise, I'll swallow you whole!"

Sen Chisato stood atop the giant snake's head, speechless.

Why was everyone so arrogant? Why did they all show up with "I want this, I want that" on their lips?

A summoning beast that was so conceited and demanded so much could only be one thing.

"I'm Lord Orochimaru's disciple."

Sen Chisato introduced himself, then pointed ahead. "Those two over there—if you can handle either one of them, forget a hundred sacrifices. I'll double it."

"Tch, are you questioning my strength, you li—li'l brat... What kind of monster is that?"

Manda had been annoyed at being questioned, but after looking up, even his tone changed.

"You mean that giant raccoon dog? That's One-Tail Shukaku. Do you know him?" Sen Chisato spoke calmly, though his face wore a gleeful smile.

Go on, keep bragging!

Manda: "..."

"You cause even more trouble than Orochimaru, brat," Manda remarked. Then he warned him, "A hundred live humans as sacrifices. If even one is missing, I'll swallow you whole!"

As he spoke, Manda coiled up, his body tensing as he took an attack stance.

Seeing this, Sen Chisato stopped joking and pointed at Rasa in the air. "Don't get the target wrong. He's our enemy."

Manda shifted his head slightly and finally noticed Rasa before Shukaku.

He had no idea who Rasa was, and his arrogance immediately returned. "He's just a human. Watch me swallow him whole!"

With that, Manda shot forward, jaws wide as he lunged at Rasa.