Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

The next day, the smoke from the battle resumed. Kawakaze had already marched halfway with the supply team. The sky was filled with yellow sand, and Kawakaze led from the front.

Suddenly, the Hyūga beside him fixed his gaze on something and shouted, "Someone's here!" His Byakugan had detected the human chakra concealed within the swirling yellow sand.

"Prepare to meet the enemy." Kawakaze raised his hand, gripped his sword tightly, and stared ahead. The Konoha ninja behind him scattered, quickly assuming battle positions. Two younger members of the team stood back-to-back, scanning their surroundings.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"

A figure emerged from the yellow sand, soaring upward with massive black wings formed from compressed iron sand. Waves of iron sand surged before him, morphing into countless thin needles that shot toward the Konoha ninja at high speed.

This technique had an immense attack range, lasted for a prolonged period, was difficult to evade, and carried deadly lethality.

"Third Kazekage," Kawakaze murmured, his eyes narrowing as he instantly recognized the formidable opponent.

Without hesitation, Kawakaze activated Sage Mode, his body enveloped in Lightning Attribute Chakra. "Kenjutsu: Flaming Thunder God!" he roared. Kawakaze transformed into a blazing Thunder Dragon, breaking free from gravity and hurtling toward the Third Kazekage in midair.

As he charged, the iron sand needles were knocked aside, though many still rained down upon the Konoha camp.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" Several Konoha ninja hastily used Earth Release to defend themselves, but not all were fast enough. Those who delayed were pierced by the deadly needles, dying with a sense of bitter grievance. Others, whose Earth Release techniques were insufficiently strong, found their walls penetrated, leaving them wounded.

The Third Kazekage's single attack had inflicted heavy casualties on the Konoha forces. However, Kawakaze's swift assault reached the Kazekage, halting him from launching another devastating strike.

The title of Strongest Kazekage was no mere boast. Kawakaze clenched his teeth, silently admitting he had underestimated his opponent.

He had once thought the Kazekage, killed by the young Sasori in the original story, couldn't have been so powerful. But now, he realized there might be more to that tale than he had believed.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall."

The Third Kazekage's lips curled into a faint smirk as Kawakaze's thunderous assault neared. A sturdy barrier of black sand and iron materialized in front of him, absorbing the brunt of the attack. Sparks erupted as Kawakaze's sword collided with the iron sand.

"Kawakaze Hatake, it seems your sword isn't quite up to the task," the Kazekage taunted.

Kawakaze quickly noticed the iron sand clinging to his blade. The sword began to resist his control, and the chakra infused within it turned unstable.

"It's been affected by your Magnet Release, hasn't it?" he remarked, his tone edged with frustration. With no other choice, Kawakaze sheathed his sword and retreated to reassess.

Meanwhile, the Suna and Konoha ninja clashed fiercely. Amid the chaos, the two younger ninja, working in perfect harmony, cut down one Suna shinobi after another, evading the earlier onslaught of iron sand.

"Magnet Release: Gold Sand Rain!"

A cascade of golden needles rained down, forcing the two back and saving a Suna ninja from their assault. A figure stepped forward—it was Rasa.

"Is Konoha so short on manpower that they're sending kids like you to the battlefield?" Rasa's expression was grave, his tone that of a young adult striving to sound authoritative.

"Age doesn't matter on the battlefield. Fight us first, then talk big," Nawaki shot back, his voice brimming with resentment as he glared at Rasa, who didn't seem much older than himself.

"Be careful," Minato cautioned, his sharp gaze fixed on Rasa. He sensed that the opponent's techniques carried a resemblance to the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release.

"Go!" Nawaki nodded in acknowledgment, gripping his sword tightly before charging toward Rasa.

"Swordplay is useless against me," Rasa sneered, standing his ground as the two young ninja attacked.

The realization struck them too late—their swords had no effect. Instead, the weapons' force was absorbed into Rasa's body, rendering their strikes powerless.

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral."

Rasa formed a hand seal, and sharp spikes of sand and gold shot up from the ground like bamboo shoots, targeting the two children.

"Retreat quickly!" Minato shouted. The two immediately dropped their swords and leaped back. Even a moment's hesitation would have meant being skewered by the deadly sand and gold.

"You responded quite quickly. I'll return your swords."

Rasa's gaze fixed on the children. When they made no move, he manipulated the two abandoned swords, sending them hurtling toward Minato and Nawaki.

The two dodged, and the swords, out of control, sank deep into the yellow sand.

"I can still beat you up without my swords!" Nawaki growled, his frustration evident. It was the first time he had been disarmed, and anger flashed in his eyes. He recalled Kawakaze's teasing words: "As long as the sword is there, so is the person; as long as the sword is gone, so is the person."

"Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!"

Drawing on his recent practice of Tobirama's Water Release techniques, Nawaki unleashed one of the few moves he had mastered. After forming a hand seal, he spat high-speed water needles from his mouth, aiming at Rasa's throat, heart, and other vital points.

"Magnet Release: Gold Sand Wall."

Unable to evade, Rasa swiftly raised a one-meter-tall wall of gold sand, which absorbed Nawaki's attack.

At that moment, Minato darted around to Rasa's back, moving with incredible speed.

"Leaf Whirlwind!"

Taught by Duy in Taijutsu, Minato executed a flawless low kick, followed by a high kick, knocking Rasa off balance. Unable to defend himself, Rasa was sent flying.

"Water Release: Water Blade Technique!"

Seeing the opportunity, Nawaki acted immediately. He gathered a large amount of water chakra in his hands, shaping it into a sharp blade. Jumping high into the air, he struck down at the fallen Rasa.

The impact seemed successful—Rasa's body, cracked from Minato's earlier kicks, began peeling apart, revealing golden sand beneath.

"It's a Sand Clone!"

As the clone disintegrated into scattered golden sand, it surged toward Nawaki, aiming to ensnare him.

"Be careful!" Minato shouted, kicking Nawaki away just in time. The golden sand missed its target, leaving Nawaki unharmed.

Rasa's real body appeared not far away.

"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Strong Spear."

A drill-shaped formation of golden sand concentrated into a sharp spear and thrust toward the two young shinobi with relentless speed.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" x2

Two earthen walls rose before the children, blocking the spear's path. Yet the golden sand drill pierced through both barriers, halting just inches from Minato and Nawaki. Beads of cold sweat streamed down their faces; they had narrowly avoided serious injury—or worse.

"Two stinking brats," Rasa muttered under his breath. The continuous use of advanced Ninjutsu was rapidly depleting his chakra. He retrieved a Military Rations Pill from his pouch and swallowed it quickly.

"The desert environment is too harsh, there are techniques I can't even use here."

Nawaki clenched his fists in frustration and pounded the sand. "If we were fighting near water, I'd show him what I'm capable of!"

"I can't use my sword either," Minato added, his tone restrained but focused. "And Taijutsu isn't very effective against him."

"Don't aim to kill—just delay him," Minato suggested, analyzing the situation.

Nawaki nodded, and the two exchanged a determined glance before splitting up and moving constantly to flank Rasa from both sides.

For a time, Rasa struggled to keep up with their coordinated movements. He couldn't pin them down, and the back-and-forth exchanges made for a chaotic yet lively scene.

"Your disciple?"

Kawakaze's voice carried across the battlefield as he dodged the massive iron sand hand sent by the Third Kazekage. A moment ago, Kawakaze had almost rushed to save Minato and Nawaki, but their resilience had proven it unnecessary—so far.

He had already identified Rasa as their opponent.

"Unfortunately, I didn't kill those two children," the Third Kazekage said with an air of indifference, his sharp gaze flicking toward the younger shinobi. It was clear to him that Nawaki and Minato were connected to Kawakaze—both their sword techniques carried the same signature style.

"If they die, I'll ensure that you all follow them."

Kawakaze's voice turned ice-cold, his eyes brimming with a fierce intensity. For him, those he considered family were an inviolable taboo.

"How dare you!"

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Triangular Spike!"

The Third Kazekage formed a hand seal, and a massive triangular spike of iron sand materialized before him, hurtling toward Kawakaze with incredible speed.