"A pleasure to meet you, my partner." Danzo emerged from the freshly formed forest, greeting Rasa like an old friend reuniting after a long journey.
"Danzo?..." The familiar presence made Rasa hesitant.
But this youthful appearance, this body brimming with unrestrained pressure?
The Kazekage, Rasa, instinctively took a more defensive stance, his legs shifting apart slightly as he remained on high alert.
"No need to be so tense, my friend. Do you still remember our arrangement? I helped you become the greatest Kazekage."
"If we are truly partners, then you..." Rasa's eyes flickered toward the corpse of a Sunagakure shinobi high up in the trees, its chakra completely drained.
"This was merely to avoid unnecessary trouble. After all, Sunagakure's only real ally here is you..."
Danzo turned to look at the wary Baki standing beside Rasa.
"Baki, step aside and keep watch. The Kazekage and I have matters to discuss." His words carried an almost hypnotic pull.
Baki, despite his initial vigilance, slowly lowered his guard.
"Yes," he responded mechanically before stepping away.
"When did this happen? How is this possible?" Rasa grew even warier, a sliver of fear creeping into his heart.
Baki had fallen under control without the slightest warning…
"Now that we're alone, let's talk about our partnership. You've already become the 'greatest Kazekage.' Now it's time to discuss what I want…"
"What do you want?" A deep sense of unease surged within Rasa, though he still clung to a final shred of hope.
"A fair duel—between you and Pakura. If you win, you live. If you lose, Sunagakure belongs to me… Now, let's begin."
Before Rasa could protest, Danzo leapt onto a towering boulder, rising above the forest as though overseeing a battlefield.
Rasa was momentarily bewildered. What was this situation?
However, seeing that Danzo had no intention of interfering, he relaxed slightly.
He was very familiar with Pakura's Scorch Release techniques. In fact, his Magnet Release was a direct counter to her abilities.
With the right timing, he could find an opening to escape…
Pakura, already eager for battle, formed five blazing fireballs around her.
"Scorch Release!"
Flames surged toward Rasa, distorting the already scorching desert air.
"Magnet Release: Grand Sand Burial!"
Rasa clasped his hands together, activating the jutsu he had prepared in advance.
...
Yet, instead of a flood of golden sand, only a few grains slowly rose from the ground.
Maintaining his stance, Rasa's expression darkened. He turned sharply toward Danzo atop the boulder and shouted in fury:
"Danzo! You called this a fair duel?!"
Beneath him, an intricate network of tree roots had completely ensnared his gold dust.
Before he could finish his sentence, flames engulfed him in an instant.
"Scorch Release: Overheated Execution!"
Pakura unleashed her next technique.
...
Danzo watched from above as the desert below turned to glass under Pakura's intense flames.
He couldn't help but feel a tinge of concern for the Kazekage.
Perhaps he had been too hasty in agreeing to this so-called "fair duel."
"Scorch Release:—"
Danzo suddenly appeared beside Pakura, seizing her wrist before she could release another jutsu.
"That's enough, Pakura. You've won."
"The Kazekage was this weak? But just now—" Pakura hesitated.
She recalled Rasa's peculiar actions moments before his defeat. It almost seemed like he was about to shout something at Danzo… but no sound had come out.
"Don't overthink it. The Kazekage has always been weak. They've all been weak," Danzo dismissed her suspicions casually.
"Wood Release!" He slammed his hands onto the ground.
Crack… snap…
The glassed-over earth fractured, and from the depths of the sand, a half-melted golden sphere was pushed to the surface by tree roots.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
With a precise blade of wind, Danzo sliced the sphere cleanly in half.
Inside, Rasa, semi-cooked from the heat, tumbled out.
"Good, still alive…"
Confirming Rasa's survival, Danzo exhaled in relief before glancing at Pakura, who seemed deep in thought.
Reaching out, he ruffled her hair, his tone growing firm yet oddly warm:
"Well done, Pakura. You truly are my most trusted right hand."
Pakura couldn't help but smile. Without realizing it, she leaned into Danzo's hand, rubbing her head against his palm.
With utmost sincerity, she responded:
"Don't worry, Lord Danzo. I will always follow in your footsteps…"
Danzo could clearly sense her genuine happiness.
He sighed inwardly in relief—he had successfully convinced her.
As for the concept of a "fair duel"—to Danzo, this was fairness.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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