Buried without misery

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Muzan fell from the high wall as the impact of the cube caused the structure beneath his feet to fracture.

Gazing up at the sky, all he could see was the endless expanse of yellow sand.

Rasa aimed to crush his opponent with a single decisive move. This was his signature technique—no one had ever survived his *Gold Dust Burial*.

"*Earth Dragon Flame Flow!*"

Muzan was a chakra prodigy, capable of mastering all five elemental natures. Many believed he was merely an exceptional medical ninja, but he was also a master of various ninjutsu, including combination techniques.

The speed at which he shifted between chakra natures and the sheer volume of his chakra were extraordinary.

The fusion of Earth and Fire Release formed a devastating attack, combining *Fire Dragon Bullets* and *Earth Dragon Bullets*, which he unleashed directly at the *Gold Dust Burial* threatening to engulf him.

A series of explosions lit up the sky like fireworks, with smoldering gravel raining down. But Rasa, standing below, remained calm and collected.

"Go to hell!"

In the end, Muzan's body was pulled into the ground. The sight shocked many onlookers. If Muzan were to die here, it would spell disaster for Konoha.

"Boom!"

The ground sank under the immense weight of the sand, creating a deafening noise that echoed across the battlefield.

"This…"

Yamanosatsu watched the scene in disbelief but did not panic. His sensory perception still detected Muzan's presence underground. He was confident that a mere sand trap wouldn't be enough to kill someone like Muzan.

Muzan was temporarily sealed beneath the ground, and Yamanosatsu planned to dig him out once the battle was over.

However, the other Konoha ninja weren't aware of this. They saw Muzan being buried alive under the immense weight of the sand, which continued to compact.

" Muzan-Sama! We have to save him!"

"Are you crazy? No one could survive under that much sand!"

"We must avenge Muzan-Sama! Kill them all!"

"Charge! Avenge Muzan-Sama!"

The sight of Muzan being buried alive ignited fury on the battlefield. Many had been saved by Muzan's medical skills, and now, everyone began to surge forward in a rage.

Rasa had compacted the area with a terrifying amount of pressure that could crush even stone, let alone a human body.

He was convinced no one could survive this, but he hadn't anticipated Konoha's counterattack to be so fierce.

"You should all die too!"

"*Magnet Release: Sand Wave!*"

"Boom!"

The desert was Rasa's domain. With the sand under his control, every jutsu he performed had devastating power. The sweeping wave of sand threatened to engulf everyone in its path. But at that crucial moment, three massive gates appeared out of nowhere!

"*Triple Rashomon!*"

The three gates successfully blocked Rasa's attack. Rashomon was among the most powerful defensive jutsu. Orochimaru stood atop the gate, his eyes cold and calculating.

He had witnessed Muzan being sealed underground.

"With that much sand pressure, is there any hope of survival?"

"Even the strongest eventually perish…"

"I hope you surprise me, Muzan."

As one of the few who knew Muzan's true identity, Orochimaru had also received firsthand information from Kirigakure. Muzan had once survived being shredded by a Tailed Beast Ball. If he could be killed by sand, Orochimaru would have no need for further research.

Orochimaru's arrival turned the battle into a confrontation of top-tier shinobi. Chiyo, who had been observing from a distance, immediately joined Rasa's side.

It would be impossible for the Fourth Kazekage to handle Orochimaru alone.

"Crack!"

Orochimaru didn't retreat despite being outnumbered. He raised his hand to his mouth, bit down, and let the blood flow.

"*Summoning Jutsu!*"

Meanwhile, underground, Muzan was in a desperate situation. He was tightly pressed under the sand, unable to move due to the immense weight bearing down on him.

It was effectively a seal.

Even if he wanted to use Earth Release jutsu, his hands were pinned, preventing him from forming seals, and the sand was so densely packed it felt like solid rock.

This was the only way to truly trap Muzan. Although Rasa didn't know Muzan's physical condition, he had unintentionally targeted his weakness.

"Damn it!"

He could use his vampiric technique to create some space with the vines derived from it, but Muzan wasn't certain of his exact location, so digging would be slow.

And if he expanded his body, his clothes would tear. If he faced the sun immediately upon emerging, Muzan would likely be incinerated in no time.

Fortunately, this wasn't a specialized sealing method; otherwise, Muzan would be in serious trouble.

"Let's get started!"

"*Black Blood Thorn!*"

The thorns entwined around his body layer by layer, but the process was painfully slow. Muzan, however, was in no rush.

If someone were above Muzan, they might notice the sand's surface vibrating slightly. This was due to the thorns expanding beneath, pushing against the sand.

Muzan needed to stabilize the space to prevent the sand from collapsing back in. He couldn't afford to let his efforts go to waste due to a misstep.

To achieve this, he needed a different approach.

Mimicking the chakra rotation of the *Rasengan*, Muzan, who was also an expert medical ninja, demonstrated superior chakra control.

Precision wasn't necessary; he simply bombarded the sand in front of him with raw chakra force.

"Boom!"

The result was that his entire palm exploded.

But this damage was within Muzan's tolerance.

Yamanosatsu, who was above ground, ignored the fierce battle raging around him and focused on digging rapidly with Earth Release. The nearby Konoha ninja noticed his efforts but didn't interfere.

After all, this was where Muzan had been buried, and considering Muzan's reputation, it made sense for his followers to be this devoted.

Some Konoha ninja even began gathering around Yamanosatsu.

" Muzan-Sama must be down there…"

Halfway through the excavation, Yamanosatsu noticed the slight bulge in the sand and saw something moving beneath the surface.

Both sides were digging. A quarter of an hour later, Muzan's hand broke through the sand. At the same time, he pulled out a set of clothes from a sealing scroll. His original black attire had been shredded by the pressure.

" Muzan-Sama…"

Yamanosatsu stood respectfully to the side. His eyes fell on the deep pit Muzan had emerged from, still marked with the crisscrossing thorns. The fact that Muzan could use his vampiric technique under such intense pressure was a testament to his immense strength.

Muzan, freshly freed, noticed Orochimaru at the front, riding atop Manda. Any ordinary shinobi who ventured too close would be devoured by the giant serpent.

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