Hearing the voice behind him, Rasa froze in shock.
That voice... He knew it far too well. He had lost count of the number of nights he'd been jolted awake by the memories of its owner's terrifying strength.
"Uchiha Mirai…"
Just moments ago, Rasa had been stewing over how he'd discipline Mirai if they ever crossed paths. But now, his heart raced uncontrollably.
Especially when he saw who was standing beside him. Orochimaru.
A current representative of Konoha and an S-rank missing-nin from the same village—what were the two of them doing here together?
"Rasa, no need to be tense," Mirai said with a faint smile. "I'm just here to borrow something from you."
"What is it you want to borrow?" Rasa asked, frowning warily.
"Your head," Mirai replied, still smiling.
Rasa's pupils contracted sharply. If he weren't so concerned about his dignity, he might have already cursed out loud.
Borrow my head and expect me to stay calm?
Are you out of your mind?
Who loans out something like that?
Truly, the Uchiha clan was full of lunatics.
Still, recalling Mirai's fearsome reputation, Rasa forced an awkward smile onto his face.
"Uchiha Mirai, I don't recall provoking you. Since becoming Kazekage, I've kept Sunagakure in check, ensuring they don't so much as lift a finger against Konoha. We've even been paying reparations from the last war... If there's something you're dissatisfied with, just say the word, and I'll fix it."
Mirai's expression didn't change. "Rasa, I think you've misunderstood something."
"To kill you—what does that have to do with anything you've done?"
Those words struck Rasa like a thunderbolt, leaving him frozen.
Killing him could be a whim, an annoyance, or even an accident.
Destroy you? Why would it matter to me?
"Mirai-kun, let me handle this one," Orochimaru interjected. "It's been too long since I've had a proper fight. My hands are itching."
Mirai gave a small nod. "Go ahead."
After all, in the original timeline, Rasa had died at Orochimaru's hands—though it was likely a sneak attack with Kimimaro's assistance. Still, Orochimaru's strength alone should suffice.
Rasa's face turned grim as he realized he was being treated like a mere object, casually handed off between the two. His pride as the Kazekage flared to life. Silently, he began gathering gold dust, preparing to fight to the death.
Orochimaru licked his lips, taking a step forward.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Dozens of venomous snakes lunged at Rasa, fangs bared and dripping with venom.
"Hmph!" Rasa snorted.
With a wave of his hand, a torrent of gold dust rose from the ground, swallowing the snakes in an instant.
"Gold Dust Burial!"
The snakes were crushed into pulp under the immense pressure.
Orochimaru's eyes flashed with disappointment. "What a waste of good material…"
"Summoning: Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!"
In an instant, a swarm of snakes flooded the battlefield, encircling Rasa.
Rasa reacted swiftly, cocooning himself in a sphere of gold dust, leaving only a third eye crafted from the same material to observe the outside.
The snakes couldn't penetrate the defense.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
With a low growl, Rasa sent the snakes plunging into the ground, their bodies crushed and obliterated.
"Magnet Release!"
Gold dust filled the sky, forming a forest of spears that rained down on Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's lower half transformed into a serpent, slithering through the gaps in the deadly assault. But the spears grew denser and more precise, and soon he was impaled, pinned to the ground like a ragdoll.
"Hmph!" Rasa scoffed. "The so-called leader of the Sannin is nothing special after all."
But his sneer was short-lived. A flash of light sliced through his defenses—a sword cloaked in Wind Release chakra pierced his shoulder.
"Damn it!"
Rasa soared into the air, clutching his wounded shoulder. If that strike had been just a little more precise, it would have gone straight through his heart.
Looking down, he saw Orochimaru's unnaturally long neck extending from a pile of gold dust, a bloodied sword gripped between his teeth. The other end of the neck was still connected to the body pinned below.
"So that's how you got me…"
Rasa muttered, his voice trembling.
Orochimaru retracted his neck, swallowing the sword before ripping open his own mouth. A slime-covered figure crawled out of his body—completely unscathed.
"What… What is this guy?" Rasa whispered, horrified.
Even Mirai raised an eyebrow. Orochimaru's grotesque display felt more suited to the world of eldritch horrors.
"Enough."
Mirai's calm voice cut through the tension.
"You've caused enough of a commotion. If this drags on, Sunagakure might send reinforcements. Orochimaru, stand down."
"Mirai-kun, if we keep going, I'll win in the end," Orochimaru said as he slithered back to Mirai's side, his tone matter-of-fact.
Mirai raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Orochimaru wasn't usually so concerned with explaining himself. Still, he dismissed the thought as he walked toward Rasa.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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