After capturing Killer Bee, Akira didn't bother hiding his actions. Instead, he carried the sealed Killer Bee on his shoulder, swaggering openly through the Cloud Village!
Even though it was night, there were still plenty of shinobi on patrol in the Hidden Cloud Village. Upon seeing Akira's actions, the patrolling shinobi didn't dare to intervene directly but quickly reported the situation to the Fourth Raikage.
At the time, the Fourth Raikage had just lain down to rest when a few trusted subordinates barged into his courtyard. "Raikage-sama, there's been an incident!"
"What's happened?" Raikage pulled on a robe and stepped out of his room, his voice stern.
"It's Bee-sama. He's been defeated by Akira and has been dragged back to the guest quarters!" the shinobi urgently explained to Raikage.
"What!? How dare he!?" Upon hearing this, the Fourth Raikage's face twisted in rage. He didn't waste another moment and immediately headed towards the guest quarters.
Naturally, with the Fourth Raikage's movement, a number of Cloud shinobi followed closely behind.
"Akira-sama, what are you doing?"
Inside the guest quarters, Roshi and the others, seeing Akira return with Killer Bee, were all astonished. Their faces showed their shock.
"This is the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. It won't be long before the Fourth Raikage himself comes to see me," Akira said, a smile playing on his lips.
"Brother-in-law, that's so bold!" Hanabi looked at Akira with an expression of pure admiration and gave him a big thumbs-up.
At Hanabi's words, Naruto and the others nearby nodded in agreement.
Capturing Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, in the middle of the Cloud Village, and forcing the Fourth Raikage to come to meet him—if that wasn't bold, then what was?
Killer Bee was the second strongest in the Cloud Village, and he had subdued him without making much of a commotion.
Just this display of strength alone was enough to awe anyone.
Before long, as Akira and his group waited, the Fourth Raikage and his entourage arrived at the guest quarters.
"Akira, you have gone too far! How dare you attack my brother in the middle of the Cloud Village!?" The Fourth Raikage's demeanor remained as fierce as ever, and he immediately confronted Akira upon entering.
"Raikage-sama must be extremely busy, managing all these matters. I told you to come see me when you had the time, and it seems you're only free now, in the middle of the night," Akira replied casually, ignoring the accusation and subtly turning the meaning of the Raikage's visit from one of seeking accountability to simply a personal meeting.
"I didn't come here for that...!" The Fourth Raikage's face flushed as Akira twisted the narrative, and he hurriedly began to clarify.
However, before Raikage could finish, Akira interrupted, "Anyway, Raikage-sama, it is good that you came. After all, we, as Leaf emissaries, are your guests, aren't we?
"But your Cloud shinobi chose to attack us in the dead of night. Shouldn't Raikage-sama provide some sort of explanation for that?"
"You're lying...!"
A Cloud shinobi, enraged by Akira's audacious accusation, couldn't help but shout, "It was you who attacked Bee-sama! Now you're trying to frame us!?"
"Raikage-sama, if we take his word for it, it seems that the second-strongest in the Cloud Village, one of the famous AB Brothers, was beaten without anyone even realizing it happened," Akira said, turning his gaze back to the Fourth Raikage.
"Enough, Darui, stay quiet!" Raikage commanded, hearing Akira's words.
The Fourth Raikage's expression darkened as he stared at Akira.
Everyone knew the truth of the situation.
However, since Killer Bee had been beaten—completely unnoticed—if this were to escalate, the Cloud Village would only face disgrace.
"Akira, what exactly do you want?" After a moment of silence, the Fourth Raikage finally spoke, his voice filled with frustration.
What did he want? Just because Raikage kept him waiting half a day, did that warrant taking Killer Bee as a hostage?
Wasn't this retaliation a little too much?
"What do I want?" Akira smiled at Raikage's question.
His smile was like someone who had heard something hilariously absurd.
That smile made the Fourth Raikage's brow furrow even more tightly.
There was something inherently infuriating about that smile of Akira's.
"Raikage-sama, let me introduce you to someone," Akira said, abruptly changing the topic instead of stating his intentions. He started making introductions.
"This is my girlfriend, Hinata Hyuga. Do you remember her, Raikage-sama?" Akira gestured towards Hinata as he spoke.
"Hinata Hyuga? From the Hyuga clan?" Raikage's expression darkened at Akira's words.
Raikage did not know Hinata personally, but he was well aware of her as the princess of the Hyuga clan. He soon remembered the events that had transpired ten years ago.
"It seems you do remember, Raikage-sama." Seeing the change in Raikage's face, Akira knew that he had recalled those past events.
"Back then, when the Cloud Village came to the Leaf, we were supposed to be negotiating peace. However, your shinobi ended up killed by the Hyuga clan, and this matter was settled long ago!" Raikage insisted, refusing to back down, sticking firmly to the claim that the Leaf was at fault.
"Exactly..."
Upon hearing Raikage's response, a cold glint flashed through Akira's eyes, though his face remained composed. "And today is just the same, isn't it?"
"We of the Leaf Village have come here in good faith!
"But your Cloud shinobi, Killer Bee, attacked us. So, is this revenge for what happened back then?
"I remember that during the Third Hokage's term, the Cloud was given a satisfying answer regarding that incident, wasn't it?
"Now, don't you think it's your turn to give me a satisfactory answer, Raikage-sama!?"
Akira didn't bother arguing over the rights and wrongs of what happened back then. Instead, he took Raikage's words and continued with them.
If back then, the Leaf had been at fault, well, then today, the Cloud was in the wrong, wasn't it?
This entire situation was a direct response to what had happened in the past!
"Brother-in-law, back then, Uncle Hizashi gave up his life as compensation to the Cloud Village!" Hanabi interjected, providing Akira with an excellent assist.
Back then, it was actually Hiashi Hyuga who fought. However, for the sake of so-called diplomacy, the Third Hokage forced the Hyuga clan to offer Hizashi's life in compensation.
Because Hizashi was Hiashi's twin, the Leaf claimed that Hizashi was responsible.
Thus, Hizashi's death was the price that satisfied the Cloud Village.
It was a huge disgrace for the Hyuga clan.
Today, with Akira standing up for the Hyuga, Hanabi knew exactly what to say.
"Exactly. Back then, Hizashi gave his life to satisfy the Cloud. Shouldn't Killer Bee do the same today?" Akira said, looking approvingly at Hanabi before nodding.
With that, Akira raised his hand, and a Kusanagi sword appeared in his palm.
He lifted the sword, aiming it towards Killer Bee.
"Stop!" Seeing that Killer Bee was about to die before his eyes, the Fourth Raikage couldn't just stand by any longer. He shouted as he lunged towards Akira, lightning surging around his body as he charged like a furious beast.
The three-tomoe Sharingan appeared in Akira's eyes. He wasn't surprised by the Fourth Raikage's reaction—it had been entirely within his expectations.
With his Kusanagi sword, Akira swung towards Raikage's incoming fist with an indomitable spirit.
Boom! The sword and Raikage's fist collided with immense force.
Powerful chakra erupted, yet neither of them budged an inch.
In terms of raw strength, Akira was evenly matched with Raikage.
To think, Tsunade once arm-wrestled the Fourth Raikage and lost.
In terms of sheer power, Raikage was considered the strongest in the shinobi world.
Yet, Akira's sword strike could match the strength of the Fourth Raikage.
An incredible feat indeed.
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POWER STONE!!!
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