Chapter 174: Chapter 173: Rasa
Chapter 173: Rasa
When the blade of the Circular Dance Blade touched Rasa's body, Tonari immediately sensed something was off. It didn't feel like piercing flesh.
The blade sank into Rasa's body, but his form crumbled into sand.
Tonari wasn't surprised. With a sharp shake of his arm, sparks of lightning surged outward, dispersing all the sand at his feet.
The scattered sand grains quickly gathered a short distance away, reshaping into Rasa's figure.
Although he managed to avoid the attack by transforming into sand, the sheer sharpness and lethality of the Circular Dance Blade left him shaken. Even the slightest graze could have resulted in deep wounds.
From beyond the oasis, streams of golden sand coalesced, forming tiny golden rivers that swirled around Rasa's feet.
In the desert, even in an oasis, Rasa was at home.
But the sanctity of the oasis—a precious resource in the desert—prevented him from unleashing his full power, limiting his combat options.
"Impressive, Blue Cat. Such a sharp weapon," Rasa said, raising his right hand. The golden sand at his feet spiraled upward, forming a glowing golden orb that hovered above his palm.
Tonari ignored the remark, extending his left hand. His tone was cold: "The scroll."
Rasa frowned. He hadn't expected this ANBU operative to be so impervious to flattery.
A flicker of pride flared in Rasa's heart. The golden sand around him thickened as he smirked. "Defeat me, and it's yours!"
"You court death," Tonari muttered, his figure vanishing in an instant.
Rasa's sharp reflexes kicked in. He twisted his shoulder, conjuring a curved golden shield of sand behind him.
Clang!
Sparks flew as Tonari's blade struck the golden shield. Lightning crackled around the Circular Dance Blade, forcing its way through the golden shield with ease.
Through the crack in the shield, Rasa's confident smile was visible.
He extended his hand, and the golden sand shifted direction, rushing to entangle Tonari's weapon.
"Sand Binding Coffin!" Rasa growled.
The golden sand surged faster, threatening to envelop Tonari entirely.
Tonari's body shimmered as dazzling white lightning surged from his blade. A sound reminiscent of chirping birds echoed, the heat and energy melting the sand's surface.
Tonari wrenched his blade free and escaped the sand's clutches just in time.
Rasa smirked and raised his hand again. The sand once more lunged at Tonari with uncanny precision.
"The speed of the sand depends on my eyes. As long as I can see you, the sand will always find you," Rasa taunted.
The golden sand closed in on Tonari's legs, ready to immobilize him.
Tonari narrowed his eyes. His body twisted midair, executing an unnaturally sharp maneuver to evade the incoming sand.
Boom!
He landed heavily on the ground, but the lingering grains of sand clung to his foot. The additional weight and resistance made movement noticeably harder.
"It's futile," Rasa said, his tone dripping with confidence. "Even if you evade the bulk of the sand, a single touch is enough. The sand clings to you, weighing you down and slowing your movements."
Rasa's magnetic release was different from the Third Kazekage's. While the Third preferred using dense iron sand for brute force, Rasa combined his gold dust with advanced sand manipulation techniques.
This made his methods versatile—capable of offense, defense, and even control.
Tonari muttered, "The speed of your eyes, is it?"
White energy surged around his feet, and faint green light began to glow around his body.
"If I surpass the speed of your perception, your sand becomes useless."
"Gate of Life, open!"
Tonari's movements grew lighter, his speed significantly faster. The golden sand struggled to keep up.
Rasa's expression darkened. He poured all his focus into controlling the sand, barely managing to keep pace.
From beneath his mask, Tonari's lips curved into a mocking smile.
"Is this your limit?"
"Gate of Pain, open!"
"Gate of Closing, open!"
Without hesitation, Tonari activated the Fifth Gate, the Gate of Closing.
Boom!
The ground beneath his feet cracked as he launched himself forward, leaving behind a shallow crater.
To Rasa's dismay, Tonari's figure disappeared entirely.
Before he could react, a crushing force slammed into his jaw, propelling him skyward like a ragdoll.
The golden sand responded a fraction too late, rushing upward to shield him.
Just as the sand reached him, another fist smashed into Rasa's face, sending him flying in a different direction.
"Crack!"
The metallic sound of gold breaking echoed as the protective layer of gold sand on Rasa's face began to crumble.
A third punch connected, this time shattering his last layer of defense. Blood sprayed from Rasa's mouth as his vision dimmed.
To an observer from afar, it might have appeared as though a white-and-blue streak was darting around a helpless target, delivering relentless blows.
Each strike dislodged fragments of gold sand from Rasa's armor, while the remaining sand swirled helplessly, trying and failing to protect its master.
Rasa, however, gradually adapted to the rhythm of the attacks. Using the remaining gold dust, he created a half-shield that intercepted the strikes, reducing their impact.
While enduring the relentless assault, Rasa's eyes glinted coldly. The sandstorm outside the oasis intensified, building into a colossal wave that loomed over the battlefield.
The sky darkened as the massive sand wave surged forward, threatening to engulf the oasis.
"Quicksand Waterfall!"
Rasa hesitated for a brief moment. The oasis was a vital resource for Sunagakure, both strategically and environmentally. Destroying it would be a devastating loss.
But if Tonari pushed him further, Rasa resolved to abandon restraint.
Noticing the encroaching wave, Tonari realized it was time to end things. Killing Rasa wasn't his goal. If it were, he would have used his blade instead of his fists.
Rasa's death would undoubtedly escalate tensions between Konoha and Sunagakure, undoing the fragile peace established by the treaty.
Tonari delivered one final blow, shattering Rasa's shield, then retreated.
Panting heavily, Tonari deactivated the Eight Gates. Though his body had grown stronger, opening the Fifth Gate still took a toll.
Rasa landed unsteadily, his body coated in gold dust that quickly re-formed into armor.
Despite his injuries, Rasa maintained a composed demeanor. His gaze locked onto the scroll in Tonari's hand—the object of their confrontation.
The scroll represented Sunagakure's obligation to share 20% of their mission revenues with Konoha, a humiliating stipulation of their treaty.
Though Rasa had lost this bout, his resolve remained unbroken. He would bide his time.
Tonari, too, observed Rasa with newfound respect. This man's ability to adapt and his political cunning made him a formidable figure.
"Rasa," Tonari thought, "you truly are destined to lead Sunagakure."
(End of Chapter)
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