The Third Kazekage (Part 3)

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

Tomorrow was the day Kato Dan's squad would take Uchiha Chiba to destroy the special Sunagakure outpost.

After Chiba brought Minazuki Kokona back, he had only left an unconscious Blood Clone by her side. However, this orphan of the Yuki Clan seemed to have caught Tsunade's eye. She was now following Tsunade around, helping with chores and learning medical ninjutsu. Although Tsunade had intended to teach Uchiha Chiba medical ninjutsu as well, having the little girl follow Chiba meant teaching one extra person was just an added insurance. Since the girl couldn't bear to be apart from Chiba anyway, it was better to keep her there; it made for good company.

In a secluded spot within the Land of Wind:

"My Lord, the traps have all been set," a Sunagakure ninja said, looking at the man before him.

The man nodded. He looked into the distance, two pairs of Iron Sand Wings sprouting from his back. He spoke slowly, "According to intelligence, the Sannin of Konoha are powerful individuals. Since the intel on this outpost has leaked, there is no need to continue setting traps. I want to see if these Sannin, named by Hanzo the Salamander himself, have the guts to try and intimidate me."

That man was none other than the Third Kazekage, his unique Iron Sand Technique highly distinctive.

"The Kazekage is right. Mere Sannin are naturally no match for you. We shall go and dismantle these useless traps now," a Sunagakure ninja said, bowing his head in flattery.

The Third Kazekage waved his hand.

The Iron Sand Wings dissipated, and countless black iron sand particles hid themselves within the cave.

"I am truly looking forward to tomorrow. By the way, send word to Chiyo. Tell her to launch an attack on the front lines immediately. Once I finish off the enemies here, I will strike from the rear," the Third Kazekage commanded, looking at a ninja behind him.

"Yes! Lord Kazekage!" The ninja's figure vanished in an instant.

The next morning:

The Sannin squad received word that on the front lines of the Second Shinobi World War between Sunagakure and Konoha, Chiyo had suddenly launched an all-out offensive. Smoke billowed, and the fires of war raged.

Originally, Tsunade had intended to accompany them, but Chiyo's sudden attack left her unable to break away, forcing her to focus on neutralizing Chiyo's poisons. Regrettably, she could not follow Kato Dan.

At this moment:

Kato Dan was leading his squad into the desert of the Land of Wind—a place from which they would never return. Including Chiba, who had joined them temporarily, there were six in total.

They traversed the desert, the sky filled with yellow sand that blotted out the sun...

Kato Dan's gaze was firm and profound, his pale blue hair swaying in the wind. He looked at Chiba beside him and said with a smile, "You must be Tsunade's student. I am Kato Dan, your master's lover, so to speak. This mission was rushed, and I have nothing to give you, so take this... A-rank ninjutsu, Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet."

As he spoke, Kato Dan didn't slow down, simply tossing the scroll to Uchiha Chiba. Chiba took a casual glance at the scroll with his Sharingan, then burned it with Fire Style.

This child... even without the aid of the Sharingan, he must be a genius. His talent is truly terrifying, Kato Dan muttered to himself.

It had to be said that the members of Kato Dan's squad were of high caliber. They were battle-hardened elites who trusted and supported one another, allowing them to cooperate with seamless synergy and emerge victorious in every past engagement.

Because it was a forced march, they quickly arrived at the cave near the target location. As it was not yet dawn, the area was exceptionally silent.

"Be careful, it's too quiet," Kato Dan frowned, signaling his team to stop. He then formed hand seals.

"Spirit Transformation Technique."

The Spirit Transformation Technique was a mysterious art that allowed the user to separate their soul from their body, existing in the world as a spirit. This technique not only granted the user a massive advantage in combat but also allowed for the exploration of otherwise inaccessible places for assassinations or reconnaissance. Its drawback, however, was that if the physical body were harmed, the soul would suffer as well.

A blue soul instantly flew out of Kato Dan's body.

A long while later:

Kato Dan's soul flew back and returned to his body.

"Inside the cave, there are about thirty Jonin. It seems there are no Kage-level shinobi. Let's hurry; the front lines have already engaged, and we cannot waste time," Kato Dan said, tightening his ninja tool pouch with a serious expression.

"Don't worry, Dan. Do you still doubt our strength?" one of the squad members said with a smile.

"I trust you, of course. After all, we are comrades-in-arms," Kato Dan shook his head and smiled.

Under normal circumstances, even if a reconnaissance error led them to a Kage-level powerhouse, it would be manageable. Kato Dan himself was a half-step Kage, and with several elite Jonin teammates, ganging up on a single Kage was easy.

BOOM! BOOM!

Countless black iron sand suddenly erupted from the depths of the cave.

"That is? Iron Sand?" Uchiha Chiba frowned. Ever since they started the journey, his ominous premonition had grown stronger, and at this moment, that feeling had turned into a warning from his own body.

"What a pity... to think the so-called Sannin aren't here," a cold voice rang out, seemingly from above.

Everyone looked up.

A man stood in mid-air, a pair of Iron Sand Wings sprouting from his back, looking down at them from above.

"Prepare for combat!" Kato Dan drew his kunai, thinking to himself, The Kazekage? Can I hold him off? I hope so...

Kato Dan: I'm fighting the Kazekage? Is this for real?

Chiba: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

This time, they were facing an unprecedentedly powerful enemy—the Third Kazekage. This legendary leader of Sunagakure hovered in mid-air, controlling countless particles of iron sand as if he were the Grim Reaper himself!

"Forget it. You seemed to use a special technique earlier, so killing you won't be a total loss. Now, die!" The Third Kazekage waved his hand, and the terrifying iron sand on the ground instantly surged toward them!

The next second:

"Wind Style: Great Jade Sphere!"

BANG!

A burst of smoke dissipated.

It was a ninjutsu thrown by the members of Kato Dan's squad, which appeared to have been brushed aside by this man with effortless ease.

The Third Kazekage stood amidst the iron sand storm, his gaze cold and majestic. He raised his hand slightly, and the surrounding iron sand surged toward Kato Dan's squad like a raging sea. The squad members scattered rapidly, unleashing their respective ninjutsu to defend themselves.

Some ninjas summoned water currents in an attempt to disperse the sand waves, while others utilized Earth Style to construct sturdy barriers. Kato Dan took the lead, his chakra surging within him as he attempted to enter the Spirit Transformation Technique once more. He wanted to use the technique to send the intelligence back; after all, the reason the front line wasn't advancing was precisely because they didn't know the Third Kazekage's location!

But the Third Kazekage's strength far exceeded their imagination. Under his control, the iron sand bypassed attack after attack, coiling toward the squad members like agile serpents. One member failed to dodge in time and was instantly bound tightly by the sand. He struggled desperately but could not break free, forced to watch helplessly as the sand gradually engulfed him, followed by the sound of a blood explosion.

Seeing this, Kato Dan was burning with anxiety. The glow of chakra on his body flickered and vanished as he canceled the Spirit Transformation Technique. Regardless of the danger, he rushed toward the bound member, the ninja tool in his hand glinting with a cold light as he attempted to sever the lethal sand.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song!"

At this very moment, Uchiha Chiba finally appeared from the side. His hands formed seals, not only blocking the attack for Kato Dan but also casually manifesting several fire dragons.

Just now, he had been observing the Third Kazekage.

At the same time.

He was also pondering a question.

How did Sasori manage to kill this thing?

"A bit interesting," the Third Kazekage said, glancing at Uchiha Chiba.

The Third Kazekage launched another attack. He manipulated the iron sand to form sharp weapons, which rained down upon the squad members. In an instant, blood splattered as more members were struck by the iron sand, falling with miserable screams.

Uchiha Chiba's figure was like a ghost; he not only protected the few remaining members from time to time but also had to be careful not to be hit by the iron sand. He looked at Kato Dan nearby, only to see him in such a sorry state... though, after all, he wasn't a taijutsu-type ninja to begin with.

However, the Third Kazekage merely dodged slightly, evading all the attacks. Immediately after, he formed hand seals, and the sand beneath the ground rose up as if it had a life of its own, trapping Kato Dan within it as well.

Kato Dan struggled in the sand, his strength fading bit by bit, yet he remained unwilling to give up. His heart was filled with a desire for survival and guilt toward his teammates.

"Chiba! Get out of here! His iron sand! It can absorb chakra! My chakra is almost bottomed out! Don't get caught by his sand and iron sand!" No sooner had Kato Dan finished speaking than he felt his body lighten; he had been violently hooked by Chiba's scythe, struggling with difficulty to break free from the quicksand attack.

Uchiha Chiba nodded. Seeing that the people on this side were nearly all dead, he immediately stopped in his tracks.

"If I weren't afraid of hurting them with the scythe, I would have chopped you up long ago." Uchiha Chiba, gripping the Blood Scythe, suddenly appeared above the Third Kazekage, who was suspended in mid-air!

The next second.

BOOM!!!!!

A short blade held firm against the Blood Scythe in Chiba's hand!

"Did you not eat?" the Third Kazekage said coldly.