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The Cloud ninja's massive mobilization, with thousands of ninja heading to the battlefield, was impossible to conceal.
The Leaf village employed various scouting techniques, including sensor ninjas, the Yamanaka clan's Mind Body Transmission technique for controlling birds to monitor in real time, and the Byakugan to observe from long distances.
While it was impossible to monitor every Cloud ninja squad, once a large Cloud force invaded the Land of Fire, the news was certain to be relayed back immediately.
The Leaf ninja arrived at the battlefield first and prepared everything in advance. Although ninja warfare didn't involve firearms, trenches were still essential for effective defense against ninjutsu by providing cover in deep pits.
However, Yōichi questioned this method. "Why not develop firearms?" he thought. True, mid and high-level ninja could evade bullets, but the main forces in ninja wars were low and mid-level ninja, with high-level ninja being quite rare. Moreover, once caught under gunfire, even mid-level ninja would struggle to escape without using powerful jutsu for defense.
Pain's Asura Path had used missiles to kill numerous ninja. Although the ninja world's development of firearms wasn't slow, their actual deployment was limited.
The Cloud Village even secretly researched chakra cannons, which proved dazzlingly powerful when unveiled, having a range even wider than the Tailed Beast Bomb.
Soon, Yōichi's senses detected the approaching Cloud forces.
A member of the Yamanaka clan sitting beside Sakumo suddenly opened his eyes and reported, "The bird I was controlling flew too low and has been spotted. However, I only saw the Third Raikage; I didn't find anyone resembling the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."
It was easy to recognize the Third Raikage. Yōichi had described the features of the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, but the Yamanaka couldn't spot them in the short time available, suggesting the Cloud might have hidden him.
Sakumo responded, "I'll handle the Third Raikage. But if the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki doesn't show up, they're probably planning to attack our forces with the Tailed Beast Bomb."
Despite the Third Raikage's broken arm and Sakumo's proficiency in wind-style jutsu, he was confident in containing the Raikage but was concerned about the Eight-Tails.
"If they don't want to come out, we'll force them to!" declared Yōichi decisively. "Prepare for the Tailed Beast Bomb now, but the Cloud may not be able to handle me."
With his Sharingan evolved to the Mangekyō level, enhancing his perception and genjutsu abilities, along with doubled chakra and lightning-fast speed and reflexes, Yōichi was as formidable as a tailed beast to the Cloud ninja.
As the Cloud forces drew closer, within a kilometer now, Yōichi suggested, "Sakumo-senpai, we should strike first. He who acts first is in control."
Both Yōichi and Sakumo were adept at avoiding small-scale jutsu through their speed, though large-scale jutsu posed more of a challenge.
"Agreed," Sakumo concluded after a moment of thought. They needed to draw the Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki away to another battlefield; leaving them be would lead to heavy casualties for the Leaf ninja.
Amidst the intensifying thunder, Yōichi's body surged with electricity, lightning wrapping around him in a crackling aura. This was many Leaf ninja's first time seeing the Leaf's Raijin in action, just the chakra mode alone being a technique worth learning for a lifetime.
With a blast, he shot forward like a sudden current, speeding towards the Cloud forces.
Sakumo had already briefed his team to follow up, and he too charged towards the Cloud ninja camp.
"There's the Leaf's Raijin! He's charging at us!" A fearful shout echoed through the Cloud camp, followed by a command to attack, unleashing a barrage of shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags towards Yōichi.
However, with his enhanced dynamic vision from the Sharingan and the speed from his Raiton Chakra Mode, Yōichi easily evaded these attacks.
When he closed to within forty meters, a Cloud ninja shouted, "Use jutsu!" Several front-line Cloud ninja began forming seals to release jutsu to block Yōichi.
But the lightning around Yōichi surged violently as he pushed his chakra flow to its limit. The front-line Cloud ninja couldn't react in time, only seeing a flash of lightning before two of them were cut
down across the neck by Uchiha Yōichi as he sped past them.
"Kill him!" Enraged that someone dared to charge alone into their formation, several Cloud jōnin shouted, determined to slay the infamous Leaf's Raijin then and there.
However, if Yōichi were so easily killed, the Third Raikage would have succeeded long ago. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, surveying every move around him.
With his enhanced dynamic visual perception, the movements of the Cloud ninja appeared to him as if in slow motion, making it easy for him to anticipate and counter their attacks.
In a mere moment, he had closed in, and his Raijin sword—crackling with lightning—pierced through hearts, sliced off heads, and dodged incoming kunai with minimal movements, a testament to his heightened reflexes and speed.
As he moved, every kill left a scorched mark, thanks to the electrical discharge from his blade.
As he advanced, one brave yet reckless Cloud ninja attempted a surprise attack from behind, aiming a heavy strike with a sword.
Clang! The blade struck Yōichi, but upon contact with the electrically charged aura surrounding him, it shattered into pieces.
"Who are you calling weak?" Yōichi sneered, grabbing the Cloud ninja's neck and effortlessly crushing it. He then swiftly attached an exploding tag to the body and kicked it back towards the enemy lines.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
With his body radiating intense heat, Yōichi unleashed a massive wave of fire that transformed into a devastating inferno, incinerating any Cloud ninja unable to escape its wrath.
"Damn it, stop him!" someone yelled from behind. Yōichi turned to see 'A', the future Raikage, leap down from above with his fist raised, aiming a powerful blow at him.
With a thunderous crash, their fists collided, sending a shockwave through the area. The force of the impact created a crater beneath Yōichi's feet, but his robust physique ensured he remained largely unharmed.
"Heh," Yōichi chuckled coldly, staring down the Raikage with a gaze that promised death. "If that's all you've got, then you're going to die here today."
"What did you say?" A was infuriated, but as he prepared to strike again, he caught sight of Yōichi's Sharingan, which was unlike any other, bereft of its usual tomoe.
Ishimikumari activated.
For the first time, Yōichi deployed his Mangekyō Sharingan technique against an opponent as formidable as the future Fourth Raikage. His left eye wept blood due to the strain.
A suddenly felt his body weaken dramatically; his chakra slowed, sapping his strength and almost paralyzing his limbs.
"I told you, you're going to die."
As Yōichi spoke, he drew his Raijin sword and aimed for A's neck.
At that critical moment, a massive tentacle swept in, wrapping around A and attempting to drag him away.
Although A was rescued, the tentacle was severed by Yōichi's swift strike.
"Big brother, what's wrong?"
Killer B appeared, his voice laced with concern, not even in the mood for his usual rhymes given the gravity of facing such a powerful adversary.
"My body suddenly went weak. It wasn't genjutsu. His Sharingan is special...be careful," A cautioned, trying to recover.
"No worries, I won't go full Eight-Tails against him, but Gyūki will help me," B declared, as he began to transform, enveloping himself in a reddish chakra cloak that formed a skeletal structure and six chakra tails.
"Brother, let's drive him off the battlefield. It's disadvantageous for us to fight here."
"Alright, B. Let's make sure he dies here today!" A's strength returned, his body crackling with renewed electrical energy.
"Two against one? Let's see how it goes," Yōichi said calmly, readying his Raijin sword as he crouched slightly.
Meanwhile, Sakumo had successfully drawn the Third Raikage away, ensuring that neither side would let their high-level fighters wreak unchecked havoc on their forces.
As Yōichi's initial assault had already claimed the lives of over forty Cloud ninja, the battlefield was tense with anticipation for the next move.
Imamura , seeing Sakumo depart, shouted, "Attack!" Immediately, Earth Release techniques opened the way, followed by a barrage of shuriken, kunai, and explosive tags raining down on the Cloud camp.
(End of Chapter)