The next second.
A lava meteor, trailing a long tail of flame, came crashing down like a shooting star!
The instant it struck the Gold Dust dam, time seemed to freeze—
As Rasa stared in horror and every Sunagakure ninja sank into despair, the dam caved inward like flimsy paper. A shock wave swept across the desert in a ring!
The dam, dozens of meters high, broke apart into sand that sprayed skyward, then melted under the terrifying heat into a molten, red-gold flood.
Like lava from an erupting volcano, it spread in every direction!
At that moment.
This stretch of desert became hell on earth.
"Roar—"
On the battlefield, the One-Tail Shukaku let out a miserable cry from inside the Prison.
Shinji slapped his forehead.
"I almost forgot about you. You can't die yet!"
Whoosh!
The Heavenly Jeweled Spear appeared in Susanoo's hand. Flames ignited along its pitch-black shaft, then faded.
The black spear had turned dark gold!
Hum!
Controlling Susanoo, Shinji hurled the spear!
It crossed space in an instant and struck the One-Tail Shukaku!
Hum—
Rasa watched in utter anguish.
Susanoo, towering between heaven and earth, suddenly vanished.
The One-Tail Shukaku, struggling in the inferno, vanished with it!
Pakura stared, dumbfounded.
Wait...
How had someone that huge just disappeared?
And besides.
They were hundreds of meters up!
Rumble!
While Pakura was still gripped by fear.
Rasa raised his hands and formed Hand Seals. A Quicksand Hand surged up and caught Pakura in its palm...
The two exchanged a glance.
Then they looked toward the center of the battlefield.
Neither said a word.
They both knew the truth.
From this moment on, Sunagakure would likely exist in name only.
Granny Chiyo was still in the village, and the forces left behind had yet to be deployed, but the