Did I Lose?
The Raikage gazed up at the sky, a flicker of bitterness crossing his face.
In a battle where life and death hang in the balance, even the smallest mistake can lead to a disastrous outcome.
"Father!"
"Third Raikage!"
"Lord Raikage!"
The Cloud Ninjas watching from afar were enraged by the sight before them.
The Raikage, who they had believed invincible, not only lost to his opponent but had been sliced in half!
The event unfolded too suddenly!
No one could have anticipated that the Raikage, who had been on the brink of victory and was about to deliver a decisive blow, would be abruptly defeated.
The distance prevented them from seeing the details of the battle clearly.
Yet, the grim reality was evident before their eyes. Even if they wished it were not true, the outcome remained unchanged.
The third Raikage had been severed in half!
The immense psychological shock almost caused Ai to collapse.
Had Killer B, standing by his side, not intervened to support his older brother who was on the verge of fainting, Ai might have fallen to the ground.
"Kill him, kill him!!!" Ai, regaining some composure, contorted his face with rage and hatred. His eyes twisted in fury as he pounded his fist into the ground, shouting desperately: "Kill him at all costs! Don't let him escape the Cloud Village!"
As he spoke, he gripped Killer B's arm tightly.
His fingers pressed so hard that they turned white, and the bones creaked, but Killer B gritted his teeth and made no sound.
"Big brother."
Seeing the intense hatred in Ai's eyes, Killer B seemed to understand his resolve and nodded firmly: "Don't worry, big brother, I won't let him leave the Cloud Ninja Village alive!"
Cloud ninjas from all directions began to surge toward the heart of the battlefield.
Hatred was etched on every face, as if they wished to tear apart the man who had slain their Raikage!
Leading the charge was naturally the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, encased in a blood-red chakra coat with four tails thrashing in the air, creating explosive bursts of energy.
"It was my fault for being careless."
The Raikage, cut in half, relied on his immense vitality to hold on for one last breath. "I actually forgot that you are an Uchiha."
Despite his defeat, there was no regret on his face. Instead, he showed a sense of satisfaction and pleasure.
It had been a long time since he had felt such a thrilling and evenly matched battle, not since his fight with the berserk Eight-Tails.
"Well done, Konoha ninja." The severed Raikage fixed his gaze on Uchiha Sogetsu, as if trying to etch his image deeply into his memory. "You are the only one who has defeated me head-on. Leave your name."
"Uchiha Sogetsu."
Uchiha Sogetsu paused for a moment and then stated his name.
"Uchiha Sogetsu, hahahaha!"
The Raikage savored the name with a joyful smile spreading across his face. "Good! Uchiha Sogetsu, as the ninja who defeated me, your name will surely be remembered in the new era!"
As the Cloud Ninjas approached, Uchiha Sogetsu slowly turned around and said something peculiar: "Goodbye, Third Raikage."
Goodbye?
Hearing this, the Raikage couldn't help but laugh out loud.
There would be no chance to meet again. He was fully aware of his injuries and knew he would not survive.
Watching the retreating figure, the Raikage's vision grew increasingly blurry. He was surrounded by a cacophony of sounds and could faintly hear Ai's desperate cries.
"Don't cry, Ai."
The Raikage clung to his last breath, looking at the indistinct figure before him, and said, "From now on, the Hidden Cloud Village will be in your hands."
Ai knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, crying out in anguish.
However, the Raikage could no longer hear. He slowly closed his eyes and, after uttering his final words, passed away completely.
"From now on, you are the Fourth Raikage."
"No!!!"
Ai. No, from this moment on, he should be called 'Fourth Raikage A'.
Before the lifeless Third Raikage, Ei knelt amidst a pool of blood. At this moment, he officially took on the title of 'Ai' and became the Fourth Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village. The first order given by the Fourth Raikage was to eliminate the Uchiha Sogetsu at all costs!
Ai, who had gathered the remains of the Third Raikage, with his face smeared with mud and tears, appeared to have instantly gained a new sense of composure.
Yet, in his wild eyes burned an unquenchable rage, as if fueled by all the hatred that could warp his very will. He stood amid the ruins, eyes fixed on the figure being pursued by Cloud Ninja in the distance, and declared in a hoarse voice filled with extreme loathing:
"In the name of the Fourth Raikage, I declare war on Konoha!"
At that very moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen, far away in Konoha, felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
Beside him lay a beautiful figure, wrapped in a thin sheet that accentuated her graceful and alluring form, her curves shifting gently.
Sensing his discomfort, she half-opened her eyes and gazed at him with a dazed expression: "What's wrong, Hiruzen?"
"Nothing. I might have caught a cold."
Sarutobi Hiruzen pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling uneasy but unable to pinpoint the cause. After a moment, he asked: "By the way, Danzo, what's the situation in the Hidden Mist Village and the Hidden Rock Village recently?"
Danzo's 'beauty' glanced at him reproachfully, brushing her hair aside with a charming gesture, and replied: "The Hidden Mist Village is amassing a large force at the border. We don't have clear information about them for now. The old Tsuchikage is too crafty for our Root ninjas to infiltrate, but they're likely also gathering troops."
"It's not the Hidden Mist Village, nor the Hidden Rock Village."
As Sarutobi Hiruzen was deep in thought, a sudden realization struck him. His eyes widened in alarm, and without thinking, he slapped Danzo on the rear: "Oh no, it's the Hidden Cloud Village!"
Smack~
Danzo's flesh jiggled from the impact. Angrily, he turned and slapped Hiruzen across the face: "What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"
Hiruzen, who had slapped, didn't bother to explain. He quickly donned his clothes, preparing to leave: "This isn't good; something must have happened in the Hidden Cloud Village. Uchiha Sogetsu asked me about it before he left. Could he have caused more trouble?"
"Stop dreaming; it's impossible."
Danzo, hearing the name, became enraged and sneered, "The Hidden Cloud Village is not like the Hidden Mist Village. They have two powerful Jinchuriki and the Third Raikage. Even you might not stand a chance against them, let alone that kid. What trouble could he possibly cause?"
Given this perspective, it does seem plausible!
Hiruzen's initial panic subsided, and he breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, it's the Third Raikage. He can even fight the tailed beasts. There's no way Sogetsu could cause trouble."
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
It must be because I've been around Danzo too much lately.
Sigh, I must be getting old and losing my composure. Resolving this, Hiruzen decided he would visit the Nara family tomorrow.
I've heard the Akimichi clan is skilled in making potions!
"By the way, I heard Orochimaru has made significant progress in his research on Wood Release." Danzo, reclining on the bed, suddenly said, "Did he mention this to you?"
Hiruzen was taken aback, and his expression darkened: "Where did you hear that?"
"Haha, I have a spy among his associates."
Danzo smiled enigmatically and said with a hint of amusement, "Also, according to my spy's report, Orochimaru seems to be somewhat dissatisfied with you."
"I'll talk to him about this!"
Hiruzen, not wanting to dwell on the matter, quickly dressed and left the room.
Watching the departing Hokage, Danzo half-sat up, the bed sheets slipping off to reveal her figure. With a playful smile and pursed lips, a mysterious expression crossed her face.
"Hiruzen, I'll show you who is the true candidate for the next Hokage!"
********
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