"He can even fly." Kawakaze did not attack Rasa. If he did, the Third Kazekage would never spare the two younger boys.
"You can't even use a sword." The Third Kazekage caught the mockery in Kawakaze's tone and naturally wouldn't tolerate it.
"Hmph." Kawakaze's expression darkened instantly—this guy was constantly belittling him, testing his patience.
"Sage Art: Heavenly Thunder of the Nine Skies!"
This was an advanced version of Palm Lightning, a technique Kawakaze had been perfecting. Of course, the name was borrowed from Taoist traditions. Initially, he had considered calling it Lightning Art, but he thought it didn't sound impressive enough to match his striking appearance.
Suddenly, without warning, several arm-thick bolts of lightning descended from the sky, striking the area where the Third Kazekage stood. His entire body was shielded by iron sand, resembling a human-shaped lightning rod.
"I'm going to electrocute you to death today!"
Not satisfied, Kawakaze waved his right hand. A ray of lightning shot from his palm and struck the Third Kazekage again.
"You're not done yet!"
The Third Kazekage's face was pale with terror, though he refused to admit defeat. There was no time to hesitate. Having just recovered from the paralysis, he dared not endure another hit.
"Sand Replacement Technique!"
At the last moment, the Third Kazekage shed his iron sand armor, blending seamlessly into the surrounding yellow sand. Being in the desert saved him; anywhere else, this move might have been impossible.
"You've got some skills."
Kawakaze watched as lightning turned the yellow sand black. The Third Kazekage reemerged, battered but alive. Although he had avoided the brunt of the attack, he was still injured.
Magnet Release had always been his ultimate weapon, capable of overpowering nearly any technique. Yet, Lightning Release proved to counter his iron sand effectively. His robe was torn and scorched, his face marked with blackened streaks of sand and ash. The once-mighty image of the Kazekage was utterly ruined.
"Kawakaze Hatake, you've gone too far!"
The Third Kazekage roared, disregarding his injuries. A mass of iron sand gathered in midair.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shuriken!"
Countless Fūma Shuriken took shape in the sky, spinning rapidly and whipping up fierce winds. With a commanding gesture, the Kazekage sent the deadly swarm of shuriken hurtling toward Kawakaze.
"Too slow, still too slow."
Kawakaze's expression showed disdain, as if to say, No matter how powerful your attack is, it's useless if it can't hit.
The speed of his Body Flicker Technique made it easy to evade the barrage of shuriken. Just as Kawakaze prepared to unleash another Lightning Release attack on the Third Kazekage, he noticed a shift in his opponent's tactics. The Third Kazekage had condensed his iron sand into wings and was now flying toward Shukaku.
"How dare you!"
Kawakaze shouted angrily. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he appeared instantly beside Tsunade—faster than the Third Kazekage could react.
At that moment, Tsunade was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Shukaku. Each punch and kick, infused with crimson chakra, sent bursts of dust flying from Shukaku's massive frame.
"Fists of Thunder!"
Kawakaze's sudden arrival caught Shukaku off guard. His punch, far stronger than Tsunade's attacks even with her enhancements, sent Shukaku hurtling backward.
"Why are you here?"
Tsunade asked, confused, as she failed to notice the movements of the Third Kazekage.
"Be careful."
Kawakaze grabbed Tsunade's arm and pulled her away from the trajectory of a massive iron sand cylinder. The attack narrowly missed them.
The Third Kazekage now stood next to Shukaku.
"Master Bunpuku, thank you."
Shukaku nodded reluctantly at the acknowledgment, glancing at the Third Kazekage perched on his shoulders.
"I don't want to fight alongside this guy," Shukaku grumbled internally, displeased with the Third Kazekage. Memories of being captured and sealed by the Second Kazekage still festered in his mind.
"This is no time for grudges," Bunpuku's calm voice replied, soothing the restless beast. Shukaku gradually settled, allowing Bunpuku to retain control.
The battlefield was now split into two sides: Kawakaze and Tsunade against Shukaku and the Third Kazekage. The air bristled with tension as the four opponents faced off.
"You will regret this decision," Kawakaze warned, forming the seals of the Gate of the Great God with his hands—a powerful sealing technique designed for Tailed Beasts. The situation was tilting in Kawakaze's favor. With Shukaku sealed, the Third Kazekage wouldn't stand a chance against the combined strength of Kawakaze and Tsunade.
"We will see," the Third Kazekage replied coldly. He had no choice but to draw on Shukaku's power to unleash an even greater technique.
"Go!"
Kawakaze and Tsunade charged forward—a streak of lightning and a crimson blur. In the blink of an eye, they were upon Shukaku and the Third Kazekage.
"Wind Release: Sand Buckshot!"
Shukaku opened his massive mouth, and with the Third Kazekage's assistance, used Wind Release to enhance the power and range of the Iron Sand Bombs. In an instant, a powerful gale carried countless black iron sand projectiles directly at Kawakaze and Tsunade.
"Get out of the way!"
Kawakaze, having experienced this attack before, understood its danger. This time, the attack's range was broader, and its speed, amplified by Wind Release, was staggering.
Tsunade flapped her wings, attempting to evade, but she couldn't match the speed of Kawakaze's Flying Thunder God Technique. The iron sand struck her directly.
"Tsunade!"
Kawakaze managed to dodge the assault, but it was too late to prevent Tsunade from being hit. Although her injuries weren't critical due to her regenerative abilities, the real threat lay elsewhere. The Third Kazekage's aim wasn't just to cause harm—it was to immobilize. The iron sand embedded in Tsunade's body significantly restricted her movements.
"Desert Layered Imperial Funeral Seal!"
The Third Kazekage extended his hand, manipulating the iron sand to further bind Tsunade. Simultaneously, Shukaku thrust his arms into the surrounding yellow sand, merging them and spreading them toward Tsunade. The sand morphed into tentacle-like structures, wrapping her body in black runes.
In an instant, a three-layered pyramid formed around her, with the black runes connecting its apex and base. Tsunade was completely sealed. This technique, used by Gaara in the original story to seal Madara Uchiha, left no room for resistance—especially for someone without a Susano'o.
If this dragged on, Tsunade would be crushed within the pyramid.
"Sage Art: Gate of the Great God!"
Kawakaze's worry was palpable as he watched helplessly, wishing he could take Tsunade's place. He hadn't anticipated the sheer power of the Third Hokage's Fūinjutsu combined with Shukaku's might.
Shukaku, busy maintaining the seal on Tsunade, moved sluggishly. Red Torii Gates began descending from the sky, their weight bearing down on him.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Rectangular Prism!"
The Third Kazekage tried to support Shukaku by creating a massive iron sand rectangular prism to block the gates. It managed to deflect one, but the effort drained its energy. The remaining gates pinned Shukaku to the ground, sealing his chakra and halting his movement.
The runes on the pyramid began to weaken, and sensing this, the Third Kazekage shifted tactics. He decided to destroy Tsunade within the seal rather than let her escape.
"Magnet Release: Multiple Iron Sand Spinning Tops!"
Expending significant chakra, the Third Kazekage created over a dozen spinning iron sand tops. They whirled in midair before flying toward the pyramid.
"Sage Art: Heavenly Thunder of the Nine Skies!"
Unable to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach Tsunade in time, Kawakaze launched a counterattack. Lightning crackled from the heavens, its purpose to break the pyramid and release Tsunade before the Kazekage's spinning tops could hit.
It was a race against time.
Pinned by the Gate of the Great God, Shukaku was helpless, reduced to a screaming victim as bolts of lightning struck him. Smoke rose from his scorched body, and his massive frame began to shrink. The pyramid started to collapse as Shukaku's chakra drained away.
The Third Kazekage's spinning tops, however, had already reached the pyramid's apex.