Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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"Rasa, don't expend too much chakra."

Even though he was the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa was still a junior in front of Chiyo. If he wanted to solidify his position in Sunagakure, he couldn't afford to lose her support.

"The leader of Konoha team is no simple opponent," Chiyo warned.

Her eyes were sharp, immediately noticing Konoha's strategy of using combined ninjutsu to block Rasa's attack. No matter how much sand he controlled, it wouldn't be effective against their coordinated defense.

"We outnumber them. Use Wind Release to destabilize the sand from below!" Chiyo commanded.

If they were in Konoha, with solid ground beneath them, Earth Release techniques would have been more effective. But this was the desert. Sand was fluid and couldn't integrate like soil. Therefore, when facing Konoha's Earth Flow Wall, the best approach was to destabilize it from below.

"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"

The wind and sand began to swirl violently, forming a small sandstorm around them, reducing visibility to nearly zero.

The surrounding ninja struggled to keep their eyes open due to the harsh wind and sand, relying on the walls for protection.

With no high-level combat power available and the sun high in the sky, the situation was dire for Muzan. He couldn't fully unleash his Blood Demon techniques, and even Yamanosatsu beside him had to be cautious with his ninjutsu.

This was undoubtedly a critical moment for Muzan. The blazing sun, combined with the eager Sand Ninja below, created a dire situation.

Wind and sand whipped around them, making it difficult to see. Muzan needed to think of a way to counter the opponent's attack. If he could maintain the terrain advantage and hold out until Orochimaru arrived with reinforcements, they could combine forces and defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

"After the war is over, we need to thoroughly analyze our weaknesses! Otherwise, we'll be too vulnerable in daytime battles!" Muzan muttered.

As the sandstorm subsided, the walls they used for defense began to crack. If this continued, the walls would collapse, potentially falling toward them due to the force of the wind.

This was not something Muzan wanted to see.

"Yamanosatsu, use Earth Release to stabilize the sand!"

Yamanosatsu, who was closely following Muzan, immediately rushed forward, standing on the wall and quickly forming hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth Flowing River!"

Mud rolled down from the wall, effectively suppressing the sand whipped up by the wind and clearing the surrounding visibility. At that moment, Muzan suddenly stepped forward.

To ensure the wind wouldn't blow away the mud, Muzan needed to take further action.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

The flames spread out but didn't extend too far due to the Sand Ninja's Wind Release creating strong winds. However, it was enough to solidify the mud in front of them.

Even with the diminished sand in this area, it weakened Rasa's Wind Release to a certain extent. Still, it was only a matter of time before the surrounding desert provided more sand.

At his weakest, Rasa was still at the level of an elite Jonin, and with Chiyo supporting him, he wasn't easily overwhelmed.

"Huh?" Rasa's eyes narrowed as he watched his opponent use flames to solidify the mud. The enemy in front of him was proving to be a formidable challenge.

He wasn't confident enough to charge into the heart of Konoha's forces alone. He wasn't a Jinchuriki and couldn't rely on any special advantages. His gaze shifted to Chiyo beside him.

"Take out their commander first," Chiyo instructed.

Chiyo was undoubtedly more skilled at battlefield control than Rasa. In an instant, she spotted Muzan on the wall. He was the key to Konoha's defense.

And his attire reminded Chiyo of a recent bounty—someone from the Hatake clan, dressed in black.

"Him?" Rasa stared at Muzan. She had never seen Muzan's face clearly but knew he wasn't very old and had a personal vendetta against Chiyo. Rasa didn't mind lending a hand to solve this troublesome situation.

As the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure, Rasa didn't hesitate to move to the front.

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Cube!"

Because of its magnetic properties, Rasa could gather gold dust into various shapes at will.

A high-density attack like this would seriously injure an ordinary taijutsu user just by making contact. If one wasn't careful, they could be permanently buried under the sand.

Yamanosatsu instinctively wanted to shield Muzan, but Muzan stopped him. It was important to remember that Muzan had the strength to subdue Yamanosatsu during their previous encounter.

"Strange Fist!"

*Boom!*

The terrifying power of Muzan's punch stunned everyone present. Even the frontline ninja instinctively looked back after hearing the impact.

"What?! Is that really the power a human can possess?"

"Lord Rasa's sand was smashed with a single punch!"

"I know, I know! That's Tsunade-sama's Strength Punch!"

Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, was known throughout the ninja world for her terrifying strength. Any ninja with even basic knowledge recognized her signature technique.

And Muzan, being from Konoha, would naturally know how to use Tsunade's Strength Punch.

However, Rasa, as his opponent, was clearly shocked.

Even Chiyo had to admit that Konoha's strength and prosperity still far outmatched Sunagakure's.

"Why can't a genius like this appear in Sunagakure?"

Sunagakure was facing a crisis. Among the younger generation, only Baki showed promise. Even Rasa, who had become the Fourth Kazekage, was far inferior to the Third Kazekage.

But Konoha seemed to have an endless supply of talent.

The twins of the Hatake clan, the Yellow Flash who had become famous in the Third Ninja War, the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho...

"If only Sasori…" Chiyo's thoughts trailed off as she looked up at the enemy. Konoha's geniuses must be eliminated!

Whether for personal reasons or to protect Sunagakure, allowing someone like Muzan to grow stronger would only further solidify Konoha's power. This couldn't be allowed!

"What a troublesome boy!"

In full view of everyone, Rasa's cube was shattered. This was undoubtedly beyond his expectations and would raise questions about his capability. For someone who had just taken power, this was unacceptable!

He would have to use decisive means to eliminate Muzan!

"Boy, you blocked my way! Now, die in peace!"

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Burial!"

Muzan looked at the flowing sand beneath his feet. This was a desert, after all. Even with the mud underfoot, it was no match for Rasa, who was fully mobilizing the sand.

"Come on then!" Muzan didn't panic about the Gold Dust Burial. Don't forget Muzan's unique abilities. As long as he wasn't exposed to direct sunlight, even being buried under layers of sand wouldn't be an issue.

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