Chapter 368: Fate, Part 2
From his hidden vantage point, Ye Wen watched the battle unfold with avid fascination. Truly, Orochimaru lived up to his reputation as a "slippery snake," a nightmare of a foe that no one could escape from without scars. In his years of searching for the "Child of Prophecy," Jiraiya had been determined to also retrieve his old friend, Orochimaru, hoping to bring him back to Konoha with a bond born of his own brand of "ninja way."
Yet, Jiraiya never questioned why Orochimaru left Konoha in the first place. In this self centered world, Jiraiya pursued his vision, oblivious to Orochimaru's true motivations. For his part, Orochimaru, driven by a relentless quest for knowledge and eternal life, had long left such naive aspirations behind. Although he would eventually return to Konoha in the original story, Ye Wen saw that as a move made out of sheer necessity. Two powerful warriors now protected the Leaf Village, and one of them aimed to eliminate any threat that posed a risk to Konoha. For Orochimaru, staying away only led to certain death, so he begrudgingly returned, accepting the constraints placed upon him in exchange for survival.
As Jiraiya and Orochimaru's clash raged, Sasori, observing the spectacle from a distance, suddenly sensed something amiss. The chakra threads entwined around the urn holding Gaara abruptly jerked, and Sasori shifted positions just in time to dodge an attack. The ground where he had just stood was engulfed by a cascade of glittering gold sand.
Sasori narrowed his eyes at the familiar sight. "Fourth Kazekage, Rasa."
Rasa, seeing he'd been spotted, abandoned his concealment. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a massive tidal wave of gold dust directly toward Sasori.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Burial!"
Though Rasa didn't hold the title of the "strongest Kazekage," his mastery of Magnet Release was on par with that of the Third Kazekage, and Sasori knew this technique inside and out. Swiftly dodging, he managed to avoid Rasa's onslaught.
Rasa, however, recognized something odd in Sasori's movements. The stranger knew his moves too well. Though he didn't recognize Sasori in his mechanical puppet form, he realized the adversary must know him intimately.
Originally, as the former Kazekage, Rasa would not have been involved in this fight. But after Suna's leadership defected to Konoha, he saw the futility of resistance. When he learned that Gaara had been captured, the pragmatist in him quickly decided to use his son as a bargaining chip. He came not to rescue Gaara, but to offer him as proof of loyalty. Whatever Konoha did to Gaara afterward mattered little to him; he was ready to sacrifice his son for his own survival.
Thus, Rasa resolved to retrieve Gaara, arriving at the scene as soon as he received the intel. Yet Sasori's evasiveness outstripped his expectations. Should he fail to retrieve Gaara, he was prepared to kill his son outright knowing that the tailed beast would eventually reform somewhere else in the world.
Rasa began to focus his chakra. As much as he disliked the enemy's slippery tactics, he knew that his opponent had partnered with Orochimaru and must be powerful in his own right. But Rasa had once held the title of Kazekage; he was no ordinary shinobi.
Determined to strike before Sasori could retaliate, Rasa unleashed his signature move.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!"
In response, a familiar yet unnerving technique suddenly countered Rasa's attack, manipulating iron sand instead of gold.
Rasa's eyes widened in shock. "That…that's…"
As the dust settled, Rasa's worst fear was confirmed. His former teacher, the Third Kazekage, stood before him albeit as a lifeless puppet under Sasori's control. A forbidden technique had brought him back in this grotesque form. The image sent Rasa's thoughts spiraling.
His former master was no more than a hollow shell, forced to obey Sasori's will. Rasa clenched his jaw, his face twisted in fury. "Who are you… How did you turn the Third Kazekage into this monstrosity?"
The smoke cleared completely, revealing a red haired young man with a piercing gaze. That red hair and cold expression were unmistakable. Rasa instantly knew who he was facing.
The shock quickly gave way to anger. Rasa's expression darkened. "So, Lady Chiyo raised quite a grandson," he sneered.
Sasori, unfazed, gave a small smile. "Family ties mean little to me, Kazekage. The true beauty lies in permanence and now, thanks to my art, the Third Kazekage will be immortal."
Rasa prepared his gold sand, unwilling to let Sasori leave unscathed. But in his mind, his thoughts lingered on the betrayal.
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