But then, with a crack, the Bone Whip suddenly bent and swept sideways at him. The abrupt change sent a shudder through Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
A moment later, it struck his waist. An immense force surged forth, sending him flying.
The intense pain drew a scream from him, but it also instantly cleared his head. He hurriedly braced himself, rolling dozens of meters across the ground before leaping to his feet.
Looking down, he saw a clear, bloody welt across his waist where the whip had struck.
"Shikotsumyaku!!"
Mei Terumi cried out in shock.
The white Bone Whip retracted, its stacked vertebrae rattling together. The sight was both chilling and stunning.
"How does he have Shikotsumyaku?"
Fourth Kazekage Rasa's expression changed.
Then the flames rippled, and a figure leaped out of them, crimson fire swirling around his body and a fierce smile on his face. It was Xia Le.
Holding the long Bone Whip in his right hand, he pushed off the ground with both legs and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Wind blasted into Fourth Kazekage Rasa's face, and his expression changed drastically.
The ghastly white Bone Whip had already shot ahead of Xia Le toward him, its stacked vertebrae making an ominous rattle.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust!"
He formed hand seals, and a mass of gold dust immediately gathered before him, shielding his entire body.
Crack!
The Bone Whip lashed out, sending a shower of gold particles flying.
Xia Le moved like lightning. As the Bone Whip curved in his hand, it had already wrapped halfway around Fourth Kazekage Rasa, and Xia Le himself was right before him.
"How is that possible?!"
Rasa's eyes widened in disbelief.
His opponent was far faster than he had expected, even faster than his gold