Volume One, Chapter 11: Scorpion vs. Luo Sha

“Sigh, brother, do you think it’s really necessary to stay on guard this late?”

“There’s no choice, brother. Ever since the Third Kazekage was assassinated, the great nations around have been eyeing our Hidden Sand Village greedily. It’s just unavoidable…”

At the entrance of the Hidden Sand Village, two guards chatted intermittently. They had been on watch from dawn till dusk, their condition utterly exhausted.

But there was no alternative. After the Third Kazekage’s assassination, the entire Hidden Sand Village had to face scrutiny from foreign nations. Their endurance so far was thanks to the timely intervention of Lord Rasa, a formidable warrior.

“I heard the higher-ups are planning to nominate Lord Rasa as the Fourth Kazekage. Do you think that’s true?”

“Sigh, brother, that’s beyond what ordinary Chunin like us can concern ourselves with. Let’s just keep standing guard honestly…”

“Hey, you know, after standing here so long, my eyes are playing tricks on me. Just now, I thought I saw the Third Kazekage himself…”

“Ha ha ha, you must be seeing things. How could the Third Kazekage appear before you?”

Just as the words fell, the Third Kazekage’s puppet suddenly appeared before them. Its mouth continuously spewed highly toxic iron sand, and in the span of a single breath, it severely injured the two guards!

“How… is this possible…? Is this the Third… Third Kazekage?”

One guard’s eyes fixed unblinkingly on the puppet, disbelief shining through his voice. But soon, the poison took effect; his consciousness blurred, as if he was about to fall asleep at any moment.

The other guard, enduring the poison’s effects, pulled out a kunai and stabbed it fiercely into his palm. The sudden pain briefly overcame the poison and restored a sliver of clarity!

He gritted his teeth, trembling as he drew a signal flare, releasing it with all his remaining strength.

Instantly, the sky over the Hidden Sand Village lit up brightly, as if day had returned.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Stay alert!”

“Where’s Rasa? Where is Lord Rasa?”

The villagers, previously asleep, were awakened by the bright flare. Panic filled their eyes. Some, under the guidance of the village’s ninja, fled into underground passages; others donned their combat uniforms and headed toward the northern gate where the signal originated.

“Hmph, what a bore…”

At that moment, Sasori stood at the northern gate, disdain etched across his face.

He laid out several scrolls before him and was about to continue when his gaze suddenly sharpened, fixating in a certain direction.

“Hmph!”

Sasori let out a cold snort. The chakra threads on his fingers twitched rhythmically. Under his control, the Third Kazekage’s puppet appeared before him, releasing vast quantities of iron sand, forming a massive protective shield around him.

Almost simultaneously, to his east, a sea of golden sand surged forward, filled with murderous intent.

Countless grains of golden sand engulfed Sasori, and then a figure appeared, stepping atop clouds formed by the golden sand.

“The farce ends here, Sasori!”

The figure was none other than Rasa, who was about to become the Fourth Kazekage.

Rasa stood firmly upon the golden sand clouds, surrounded by ripples of natural energy. The golden sand around him seemed to obey his command.

He slowly raised his right hand, palm upward. With a low chant, the golden sand surrounding Sasori suddenly receded like a tide, revealing Sasori and his iron sand shield, which was impenetrably dense.

Surprise flickered in Sasori’s eyes but quickly gave way to cold indifference.

Manipulating the Third Kazekage’s puppet, the chakra threads in his hands tightened once more, readying for battle.

“Rasa, do you really think you can defeat me with just this?” Sasori’s voice came through the puppet, dripping with disdain.

Rasa smiled faintly but said nothing. Instead, he gently waved his arm. The golden sand around began moving in a strange, rhythmic pattern, weaving intricate patterns in the air like ancient runes glowing faintly.

This was a long-lost Hidden Sand Village secret technique—the Golden Sand Barrier—which could immobilize enemies and absorb their chakra.

“This is a recent discovery of mine: the Golden Sand Barrier. It will show you the true power of the golden sand,” Rasa’s confident voice echoed within the barrier.

Under Rasa’s control, countless grains of golden sand slowly enveloped Sasori. Mysterious glimmers of sealing light flickered atop the sand—signs of a sealing technique.

Sasori’s handsome face grew serious as he continued manipulating the Third Kazekage puppet, releasing endless iron sand to merge and disrupt the golden sand’s movement.

However, Rasa merely snorted coldly. Raising his palm, he summoned even more golden sand to assault Sasori, seemingly intent on burying him completely.

Yet Sasori’s figure flickered, vanishing from within the sand’s embrace.

Rasa furrowed his brow, immediately sensing that Sasori hadn’t fled but had concealed his presence with some secret technique.

“Hmph, trying to escape?”

Rasa snorted and quickly formed hand seals. The golden sand around obeyed his command, weaving into a massive net that covered every inch of the airspace, awaiting Sasori’s reappearance.

At that moment, Sasori’s voice whispered mockingly into Rasa’s ear:

“Do you really think you can trap me like this? Rasa, you’re far too naive.”

Rasa spun around sharply, but only caught a shadow flickering past—Sasori was behind him, his chakra threads silently wrapping around Rasa’s neck like venomous snakes.

Rasa reacted swiftly, twisting his body just in time to narrowly dodge the strike.

“Not bad reaction speed,” Sasori chuckled lightly before vanishing again like a phantom.

Rasa narrowed his eyes, carefully sensing every sound around him while manipulating the golden sand to swirl defensively and to capture Sasori.

But as time passed, Sasori’s figure failed to reappear, leaving Rasa in rare contemplation.

At that moment, several figures emerged beside Rasa. Their chakra was unstable, clearly drained from hastily rushing to the northern gate.

“Lord Rasa, what is the situation?” one Jonin of the Hidden Sand Village asked, his eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings, his expression tense.

“It’s Sasori. I just fought him, but he suddenly vanished. I don’t know what his aim is,” Rasa replied, resting his hand on his chin, pondering the seemingly absurd situation.

How could Sasori, a rogue ninja, so brazenly attack the Hidden Sand Village? Could he have some secret agenda?

Two things in the village attracted him: Granny Chiyo and…

“Not good, his target is the One-Tail! You all, return and defend at once!”

Suddenly recalling something, Rasa shouted and swiftly turned, heading toward a certain direction in the Hidden Sand Village.

At that moment, a mocking voice whispered into his ear:

“Where do you think you’re going, my dear Lord Rasa…”