Night had fallen over the Kumogakure camp, and a deep silence blanketed the air.
Every shinobi sat in dejected silence, unwilling to speak. The weather, dismal throughout the day, continued to reflect their mood; rain poured down, and lightning flashed intermittently, accompanied by the crash of thunder.
Some gazed at the lightning in the sky, haunted by memories of the afternoon—visions of the colossal lightning blade piercing from heaven to earth.
This day had plunged the shinobi of Kumogakure into total darkness.
They had lost their leader, the Second Raikage, along with the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails Jinchūriki, their sole swordmaster of Kage level, a bloodline-limit Kage, level shinobi and over three hundred comrades.
The magnitude of these losses was staggering, almost too much to bear.
All of these lives had been claimed by one man: Konoha's ghost, Mochizuki Hui. But in their hearts, Kumogakure's shinobi had come to think of him as something far beyond a ghost.
To them, he was no longer simply the "Knonoha's Ghost"—he was now the "Thunder God of Konoha."
They had marched out with high spirits, intent on sweeping through the Land of Fire, annihilating Konoha, and killing Mochizuki Hui.
Yet, before even passing through the neighbouring Land of Moon, they had been halted by Hui alone at Moonfall Ridge.
In this single encounter, Kumogakure's mighty leaders had fallen to his hand. This battle had left no will to fight, no desire to press on.
Their foe was not human but a god—one who commanded thunder itself.
Inside the main tent, a similar quiet pervaded. The elite shinobi who had gathered to strategize were silent, utterly demoralized.
Just the night before, they had analyzed several counter-strategies with confidence, certain of their victory.
Now, not only were those strategists gone—turned to ash by Hui's lightning—but their confidence had vanished as well.
The Third Raikage sat among them, looking like he had aged a decade. His gaze no longer held its usual spark of resolve.
Though he had regained his composure, he felt at a loss for words. He knew he was expected to lead, but what could he say?
Finally, someone broke the silence.
"The Second Raikage has fallen. We need to decide our next steps. Kumogakure needs a new Raikage, someone to guide us forward. I propose we elect the Third Raikage."
One of the elite shinobi spoke heavily, his tone somber. He knew that Kumogakure could not remain in this state; they had to regroup and press on.
The other shinobi nodded in agreement and looked toward the Third Raikage. The identity of the new Raikage had already been clear, and today, the Second Raikage had made that choice unmistakably clear.
The Third Raikage looked at the expectant faces of those around him, understanding that he had to stand up and bear the responsibility.
Rising to his feet, he spoke firmly: "I understand. From this day forward, I will be the Third Raikage of Kumogakure."
A heavy weight seemed to settle on his shoulders, but his tone was unwavering.
The other shinobi relaxed, reassured by his words. They awaited his next decision, whether to continue the campaign or to withdraw.
The Third Raikage felt the weight of their anticipation and the pressure to make a clear decision. He could not give a vague or hesitant answer—they needed a definitive path forward.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke:
"I know that today's battle has hit us hard. We've lost too much…including my mentor, the Second Raikage. None of us could have anticipated that Mochizuki Hui would reach such a level of power—one that rivals the legendary God of Shinobi. But he has not yet reached that level!"
A ripple of surprise went through the shinobi around him as he continued;
"If he truly were at the level of the God of Shinobi, our losses today would have been even greater. The entire army might have been annihilated.
"The technique he used, the one called 'Divine Judgment,' was powerful beyond belief. But it did not come solely from his own strength; it drew upon the forces of nature itself."
The Third Raikage paused, letting the truth of his words sink in. "The attack required specific natural conditions. So yes, Mochizuki Hui is powerful, but he has not reached an invincible level. Last night, here in this very tent, the Second Raikage laid out our plans for the battle. I still believe that we can win this war!"
The Third Raikage's firm words brought a shift in the atmosphere as he continued, "This war still favors us. We have the advantage of overwhelming numbers, and we're allied with the other three Great Shinobi Villages.
"We have no reason to lose. Even if we can't take over Moonfall Mountain, even if we can't kill Mochizuki Hui here, we only need to keep him pinned down. Once our allies finish on their respective battlefronts and converge here, Hui's fate will be sealed."
Standing tall, the Third Raikage issued his first order as Kumogakure's new leader. "Therefore, as the Third Raikage, I command that we proceed with the division of our forces!"
Despite the crushing blow of their losses, the Third Raikage's words carried an undeniable conviction that pierced through the despair.
Mochizuki Hui was formidable—strong enough to hold back nearly ten thousand shinobi on his own, to slay five Kage-level ninjas from Kumogakure. But the Raikage had seen through the secret of Hui's Divine Judgment technique.
He knew that Hui's strength was not yet on par with the God of Shinobi, that he could not, with his power alone, obliterate all of Kumogakure's forces.
This war, therefore, was not yet over. Victory was still within reach.
The camp fell silent, the shinobi absorbing the weight of his speech before a glint of resolve ignited in their eyes.
They realized that the awe Hui had inspired in them had been born of sheer shock as his display of power had been staggering to witness.
Yet, the Third Raikage was right—Hui was not invincible. And this was not just a battle between Konoha and Kumogakure; it was a war of the Four Great Shinobi Villages against Konoha.
Whether or not they could overcome Moonfall Mountain no longer mattered. Their task was merely to hold Hui there. When the three allied villages arrived, Hui's fate would be sealed.
"Although our task is only to stall Mochizuki Hui, it will still be challenging in our current state. So, please spread my analysis to all our forces—we must all regain our fighting spirit."
The Third Raikage bowed to his comrades, who responded in unison, "Yes, Raikage-sama!"
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[tl/n: well, that was a twist I was not expecting!]