Chapter 12: Striking First
"Enemy attack!"
The Grass Ninja Village reacted swiftly. As a minor village that had managed to forge ties with the mighty Konohagakure, their strength wasn't to be underestimated.
At the very least, they now dared to provoke one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations—Sunagakure.
Without wasting time, Rasa had already infiltrated the temporary encampment of the Grass Ninja Village under the cover of night and hidden himself beneath the desert sands.
His recent gold-mining exploits hadn't just enriched him with resources; they had also granted him considerable boosts in his stats. His chakra control had improved noticeably, to the point where creating a temporary underground passage in the desert was no longer a problem.
With his enhanced stamina, mental resilience, and chakra reserves, his ninjutsu had become significantly more potent.
He believed that perhaps in the near future, just like how Yamato could casually erect a [Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Jutsu] in the wilderness, he too could one day summon a [Magnet Release: Fortress of Golden Sand] on the fly. No more lugging around tents during missions.
But now wasn't the time to be fantasizing about using ninjutsu for creature comforts.
Once beneath the Grass Ninja encampment, Rasa began to execute his plan, carefully suppressing his chakra signature. He mapped out the camp layout and began his assault accordingly...
It didn't take long.
A massive, spiraling sand drill erupted from the ground, towering skyward with swirling might and momentum!
It was a tremendous success. Though his chakra couldn't cover the entire camp, the strike was enough to make the Grass Nin weep.
That place was filled with weaklings—mostly chunin and genin. As a small village, Grass lacked the number of elite jonin that the Five Great Nations boasted.
If it weren't for their ties to both Konoha and Iwagakure, Sunagakure would have flattened them ages ago.
"Damn it! That's Magnet Release?!"
The golden glint of sand shimmering under the moonlight immediately gave away the attacker's identity. The Grass nin reacted quickly, unleashing their own jutsu in defense.
But—
Wasn't this guy supposed to be dead?!
There he stood, high atop a platform of shimmering golden sand, his figure bathed in the moonlight.
Half-turned, his face bore a quiet, mature handsomeness tinged with fatigue and sorrow. He gazed at the nearly full moon with wistful, weary eyes.
But no one was in the mood for poetry.
After all, they had just suffered massive casualties from a single sneak attack—what was there to reflect on?
Just one word came to mind—
Attack!
Dozens of Grass ninjas charged at him, eyes burning with rage.
"Don't be afraid—it's just one man! We can take him!"
"Iwagakure isn't far from here. With all this commotion, they'll send reinforcements soon!"
"Kill him! That lunatic! We'll show him that the Grass Ninja Village isn't so easy to mess with!"
"Get the wounded to the med-nin! That woman's there too—she'll take care of them!"
Shouting words of encouragement, they stormed forward as one, ready to take down the man who stood proudly above them.
But of course—
Would Rasa have made his move without being fully prepared?
He let out a soft sigh as he glanced at the interface before him, eyes falling on yet another precious card.
"One minute this time, huh?"
[Sand Crocodile · Crocodile]: Possesses the Sand-Sand Fruit (Suna Suna no Mi). Grants elementalization and access to techniques like Desert Spada. Weakness: Vulnerable to water; water-based attacks deal double damage.
[Desert Spada]: Manipulates underground water veins to control the flow of sand dunes, creating deadly quicksand that swallows enemies whole—earning it the moniker 'Graveless Desert Coffin'.
What a terrifying ability.
Without hesitation, Rasa activated the card—and even dropped all attempts at defense. With elementalization active, he didn't believe these Grass shinobi had any hope of harming him.
Besides, this was the desert.
His domain.
Rasa extended both hands toward the sandy terrain and shouted:
"Desert Spada!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire stretch of desert began to writhe and churn with an eerie, rustling saa-saa sound. Not long after…
The entire Grass Shinobi camp began to sink—its center collapsing into a massive, bowl-shaped depression.
The Grass ninja barely had time to register their shock before—
"Damn it! What's wrong? No, what's happening to you?!"
"You—you—!"
"Shit! You're drying up?!"
All around, Grass ninja watched in horror as their comrades began to shrivel and collapse. Some were reduced to motionless husks. Others—turned into full-on mummified corpses.
A wave of panic and fear swept through them.
"Get out of that pit! Get out of that pit—now!!"
Realizing the danger, the surviving Grass ninja shouted frantically, urging their companions to flee from the massive deathtrap of a crater.
"What kind of jutsu is this?! It has to be a forbidden technique! I've never heard of anything like it!"
Thanks to their comrades' warnings, some Grass ninja managed to react in time—fleeing the giant sinkhole with their own jutsu. At the same time, they launched a counterattack at Rasa, who stood defiantly atop his golden sand platform.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Earth Style: Fissure Palm!"
"Earth Style: Mudflow Cutter!"
…
As expected of a village renowned for studying and replicating other nations' jutsu—most of their techniques came from elsewhere.
Rasa didn't dodge.
He couldn't afford to waste this precious time. With the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit enhancing his connection to the desert, his control over sand had become sharper, smoother—as if the desert itself were an extension of his own body.
BOOM!
"Was that a Shadow Clone?!"
Seeing Rasa explode into a cloud of dust under their assault, the Grass ninja's expressions changed. They were about to regroup, sensing an incoming attack, when—
"Magnet Release: Grand Burial of Golden Sand!"
"Magnet Release: Golden Sand!"
"Magnet Release—"
Rasa had already formed the seals and unleashed his next wave of powerful jutsu.
---
At that very moment—
The sandstorm blotted out the moon, and both the Iwa-nin and the distant Sunagakure forces stationed nearby noticed the disturbance.
Especially when they caught sight of the brilliant glimmer of golden sand dancing in the air—many of their hearts skipped a beat.
Rasa-sama?!
After all, there was only one shinobi in the entire village who wielded Magnet Release: Golden Sand—Lord Rasa himself!
Excitement surged through the Suna ranks. They immediately rallied every available shinobi and prepared to advance.
Just from the scene alone, it was clear—Rasa-sama had stormed the Grass Shinobi's temporary encampment.
If there was ever a time to strike—it was now.
Especially for Mōmu...
Ever since Lord Rasa had chosen to face off against the Iwa-nin alone and entrusted him with the command of the Suna forces—tasking him with defending the Land of Wind—Mōmu had been under immense pressure.
Every day, he watched as comrades fell—while young recruits, barely introduced to the battlefield, came face-to-face with the brutal truth of war and the shinobi world.
Who would have known… that each night, he stared silently up at the moon, tears slipping down his face?
"Damn it—finally… I don't have to play this damned commander anymore."