Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 196: The Vermilion Bird

Uchiha Fugaku's Great Fire Annihilation was originally a crimson inferno. However, when augmented by Tonari's chakra, the flames transformed into a chilling pale blue.

The Sand Ninjas who had attempted to counter the attack with Wind Release: Great Breakthrough were engulfed almost instantly by the azure blaze. Agonized screams echoed through the inferno.

"Magnet Release: Sand Burial!"

Golden sands erupted wildly from the perimeter of the oasis, sweeping across the flames. The rising inferno was extinguished in moments, buried under a cascade of sand.

Tonari and Fugaku halted their assault simultaneously, observing the sandstorm's aftermath. Behind them, Hyūga Hizashi stared at Tonari, his Byakugan reflecting astonishment.

Moments earlier, when Tonari unleashed his chakra to fuel the blue flames, Hizashi had instinctively activated his Byakugan to examine Tonari's body. What he saw left him shaken.

From Tonari's abdomen emanated a mass of chakra, turbulent and steeped in negative emotions. This was not his own chakra—it was something else entirely.

Tonari's identity as a Jinchūriki was a secret known only to a select few in Konoha. But in that moment, Hizashi pieced together the truth.

Noticing Hizashi's gaze, Tonari gave him a playful wink before turning his attention to a figure emerging from the sands.

It was Rasa.

Rasa's sharp eyes locked onto Tonari, his face grim.

"I've been waiting for you," Rasa said coldly.

"Oh? I didn't expect someone like Rasa-sama to personally greet us. Truly an honor," Tonari replied, his tone teetering between mockery and amusement.

Rasa's expression didn't waver, but the unspoken challenge in his eyes was unmistakable. Tonari's smile only grew brighter, sensing the man's inner turmoil.

"However," Tonari continued, "just you alone doesn't seem like enough."

No sooner had Tonari spoken than two more figures appeared. One was an orange-haired woman, the Sand Village's Scorch Release user Pakura. The other was an unidentified ninja whose stance and presence suggested he outranked even Pakura.

The tension snapped taut as combat threatened to erupt.

"Stay alert!"

Both Fugaku and Hizashi braced themselves, recognizing the danger emanating from their opponents.

With a faint step, Tonari disappeared, his blade flashing as he launched a preemptive strike at Rasa.

Fugaku and Hizashi moved in tandem, each targeting one of the other enemies.

---

Tonari's blade clashed against Rasa's reinforced kunai, emitting a crisp metallic ring.

"It seems you've already half-destroyed this oasis yourselves," Tonari remarked with a smirk.

Rasa grimaced, his arms straining as he held Tonari's blade at bay. "The oasis means nothing if it allows us to bury you here!"

Using the force of Rasa's counter, Tonari flipped back, his foot tapping the ground lightly before launching another strike.

This time, Rasa didn't parry with his kunai. Instead, he raised a wall of golden sand.

"Hm?"

Tonari's blade halted mid-swing, suspended inches from the sand wall. It felt as though some unseen force had arrested his strike.

"It's magnetic repulsion, isn't it?" Tonari murmured, intrigued.

Rasa smirked. "Did you really think I wouldn't prepare for your swordsmanship after our previous encounters?"

"Well then," Tonari said with a grin, "let's test its limits!"

He swung his blade again, only to meet the same resistance. Despite his repeated attempts, the sand wall remained impervious.

"You won't break through," Rasa declared confidently. "This technique was designed by my master to counter Hatake Sakumo's swordsmanship. No matter how skilled you are, it's useless if you can't hit me."

Unfazed, Tonari stepped back and adjusted his grip. "Let's see about that."

Focusing his energy, Tonari delivered a powerful slash.

Clang!

For the first time, his blade left a visible mark on the golden sand. It wasn't deep, but it was there—a small victory against the seemingly impenetrable defense.

"It's not as unbreakable as you claim," Tonari said, his smile widening.

Rasa's face darkened. With a wave of his hand, the sand around Tonari surged.

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Burial!"

Golden sand swirled into a massive wave, attempting to encase Tonari. Meanwhile, streams of gold continued to flow from the surrounding desert, reinforcing the attack.

Unfazed, Tonari continued to swing his blade, each slash releasing concentrated energy.

"Force can overcome magnetism," he muttered, as if speaking to himself—or perhaps to Rasa.

The final strike was near-invisible, leaving only a flash of white light in its wake.

The impact sent Rasa reeling. His golden defenses wavered under the relentless assault, but he wasn't ready to admit defeat.

"Magnet Release: Flowing Sand Waterfall!" Rasa roared, unleashing a torrent of sand that threatened to engulf the battlefield.

---

The Sixth Gate: View Gate

Just as Rasa's sandstorm threatened to overwhelm him, Tonari unleashed a surge of green energy.

The ground beneath him cracked as he activated the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates technique.

Tonari's body was enveloped in a green aura. His muscles swelled, veins bulging across his forehead.

"First time opening the Sixth Gate," he muttered. "The pain is unbearable, but nothing I can't handle."

With the green energy surging around him, Tonari broke free of the encroaching sand. His movements became blindingly fast, leaving afterimages as he closed in on Rasa.

Rasa's golden sand defenses couldn't keep up. Tonari shattered them with a single, devastating kick.

"You call that magnetism?" Tonari taunted, slashing at the air.

The friction from his blade generated massive heat, igniting the air itself. Flaming orbs materialized with each strike, surrounding Rasa like predatory eyes.

Within moments, the flames coalesced into the shape of a massive bird.

A phoenix.

The blazing creature hovered in the air, its wings spread wide as it let out an ear-piercing cry.

"Vermilion Bird!" Tonari shouted.

With a single command, the fiery phoenix dove toward Rasa.

---

Rasa's golden defenses melted under the bird's onslaught. Molten gold dripped to the ground as the phoenix erupted in a dazzling explosion.

When the dust settled, Rasa was left unconscious, his body shielded by a remaining sliver of golden sand.

Tonari descended slowly, his green aura fading as his body began to recover from the strain.

But his expression was grim.

"Who's there?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

A shadowy figure emerged from the sandstorm, walking slowly toward him.

(End of Chapter)

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