Rasa had meant to capture Iwagakure's commander, but the stocky guy was too bold, charging upfront with dozens of ninja guarding him—grabbing him alive was no easy feat.
Kusagakure's commander was right beside him, equally inaccessible. So, both leaders were off the table for now.
Otherwise, capturing one only to mess up or fail? He'd be a lamb in a tiger's den, surrounded by enemies!
As for other ninja… they were too low-ranking to be useful. In the ninja world, capturing someone might backfire—they'd scream heroically, ["Go ahead, strike! Strike, you coward!"]
You'd end up with a useless hostage who'd only fuel their resolve to fight to the death. What a loss!
So… the walking healing pack, Karin's mother!
Why let her stay in Kusagakure, bitten by rough men, when he could take her back to heal Karura?
Maybe Kusagakure valued their only ninja skilled in [Healing] techniques, their prized medical pack?
But who'd have thought… As Konoha's ally, bound by generations of Uzumaki friendship, Kusagakure treated her like a tool.
Facing frenzied Kusagakure ninja charging him and Iwagakure observing—after all, as one of the five great villages, why would Iwagakure obey a minor village's orders?—Rasa acted.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Boundary Method!"
Instantly, sharp gold dust spikes, like bamboo shoots, rose to block the enemy, piercing several Kusagakure ninja.
Kusagakure retaliated furiously, forming seals and unleashing techniques copied from other villages.
"What's that? What's that?" Momu, that sand-brained loudmouth, started yelling.
"Rasa-sama took one of your women—so what? So angry? Is she your village leader's sweetheart?"
"Momu, shut up!" another Sand ninja snapped. "Karura-sama's waiting for Rasa-sama back in the village!"
"Exactly, Rasa-sama, this is wrong! Release… no, kill her, or Karura-sama will be furious!"
"…"
Rasa stared, speechless, at the Sand ninja—serious while taunting Iwagakure and earnestly urging him to kill the enemy. [Please, stop talking!]
I'm not that kind of person!
Countering Kusagakure's ninjutsu, Rasa glanced at the nervous Uzumaki woman beside him. Feeling his chakra drain, he whispered, "Give me… no, share your chakra. I'll get you out, offer you shelter in Sunagakure as one of us, with freedom. No one will treat you as a healing pack unless you consent. You can leave anytime."
Honestly, I don't lie!
But…
"Healing… pack?" The woman blinked at Rasa, her glistening eyes dimming as she gazed at the bite marks on her arm. Softly, numbly, she murmured, "Is that true?"
Ninja promises were unreliable. When she'd drifted to Kusagakure, they'd said the same, only to…
Wandering ninja never earned other villages' trust.
"Absolutely, I swear as the Fourth Kazekage!"
"You're the Fourth Kazekage?"
"More or less—a matter of time!"
Who else could take the role? Only he and Pakura were contenders, and Pakura wasn't interested. So, even if he didn't want it, he'd have to step up.
After all, he wielded Magnet Release—a skill to sustain the whole village!
"…"
The woman silently studied the slightly older man, his earnest smile, and the hand that had grabbed her—she'd been powerless to resist.
What choice did she, a wandering ninja, have?
Numbly, she extended her right arm, smooth but marred by countless gruesome bite marks, to Rasa's mouth.
Rasa scanned for a relatively clean spot and bit down.
Kusagakure closed in, while Iwagakure clashed with the Sand shinobi. The night lost its calm, filled with shouts, screams, and explosions. Sand obscured the darkness, turning the desert into a hellish battlefield.
Feeling his chakra surge, Rasa formed seals, eyes wide. The Uzumaki woman groaned—perhaps he'd drawn too much, her voice… cough, heart-wrenching—but he had no other thoughts now.
It was the only way!
With ample chakra and swift seals…
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
As his words fell, the desert writhed. Iwagakure, seeing the massive technique, quickly retreated from the affected area.
But…
"Again!" Rasa shouted, pale-faced.
Gritting her teeth, the weakened woman stood, offering her arm again. She had no way back.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
Another, larger-than-usual technique unleashed. Truly worthy of a ninja who'd single-handedly upheld Kusagakure's medical system!
The Uzumaki Clan's vast chakra flowed through him—most wouldn't dare use it so recklessly. Each person's chakra bore a unique signature, unlike the pure chakra of tailed beasts.
Even Kaguya needed the God Tree to reclaim chakra, and other Ōtsutsuki could absorb and convert others' chakra.
Rasa, overloaded with volatile chakra, looked ghastly, blood seeping from his body.
After the second technique, Kusagakure and Iwagakure scrambled to defend, using protective ninjutsu. The wide-range attack hit some Sand shinobi too.
"Retreat!" Rasa yelled at Momu.
"Rasa-sama…"
"Retreat now!"
"…Retreat!" Clenching his jaw, Momu shouted, "Everyone, retreat immediately!"
Once again, he recalled that evening…
Rasa-sama, with his resolute back, drawing away all Iwagakure ninja to save them.
[Rasa-sama… what an admirable ninja!]
Rasa looked down at the collapsed girl, a pang of guilt in his eyes. [One more bite. Don't worry, if I pull something to restore vitality, you'll get it first!]
He pulled out a red and blue bottle, drawn over the past two months, and pressed them into her hands. "Take these. One last bite… then we leave!"
No choice—he couldn't make a gacha pull now.
"…"
Her numb eyes met his. Without a word, she took the red bottle and drank mechanically.
Moments later, her eyes flickered, surprised, staring at the red bottle, then taking the blue one…
[Miraculous potions!]
Pale-faced, she offered her arm to Rasa again.
One last time!
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
After unleashing the technique, before Kusagakure and the impatient Iwagakure could charge, Rasa scooped up the immobile girl, activated the seal he'd placed on Momu, and flashed a smile at the enemies.
"Well then… goodbye, Iwagakure, Kusagakure."
(End of Chapter)