The Third Kazekage focused on his surroundings. He could sense every grain of Iron Sand around him.
Fugaku appeared silently beneath the Kazekage and formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!"
A massive fire dragon surged into the sky, jaws wide as it lunged to swallow the Kazekage.
The scattered Iron Sand gathered the instant the fire dragon appeared, forming a huge black barrier that stopped it cold.
At the same time, a conical spike of Iron Sand pierced through the fire dragon and stabbed toward where Fugaku had stood.
Body Flicker Technique.
The iron spike grazed Fugaku and plunged into the desert behind him, vanishing from sight.
Fugaku released Black Mist Invisibility and appeared in the desert beside the Kazekage. He hurled eight kunai.
The kunai collided repeatedly in midair, changing direction. Explosive Tags were attached to four of them, and their fuses were already burning.
Iron Sand gathered in rapid succession, forming barriers around the Kazekage to block the kunai.
The four Explosive Tags exploded one after another. Shattered Iron Sand flew everywhere, and a vast cloud of dust engulfed the Third Kazekage.
Fugaku took a Signal Flare from his Ninja Tool Pouch and fired it. A brilliant purple burst exploded in the sky.
It was a Signal Flare made specially by Konoha. The intelligence officers in the Hokage's party would recognize it as a call for help.
At his current strength, Fugaku could keep the Third Kazekage occupied with ease. He simply did not want to waste such a perfect opportunity.
The Kazekage had personally left the village to hunt him down. Sunagakure would surely be leaderless, making this the ideal time to seize it.
"Calling for help?" The Kazekage scoffed. "I've already sent a force to intercept the Hokage.
They'll hold him there for a