The battlefield was in chaos.
"Raikage-sama!!!"
"No! This can't be true!"
"Hurry! Retrieve Raikage-sama's body!"
The First Raikage, a formidable leader and symbol of Kumogakure's strength, had been defeated in a single move by Hyūga Tennin. This shocking news would undoubtedly shake the world and bring unimaginable disgrace to Kumogakure. However, the current Kumo-nin had no time to dwell on their village's honor.
Their commander had fallen. The army was leaderless, and without their pillar of strength, the battle was rapidly losing meaning.
A few quick-thinking Kumo Jōnin immediately acted, realizing that now wasn't the time to mourn. Covering each other, they rushed to retrieve the severed arm of the Raikage.
For shinobi, dying on the battlefield was an all-too-common fate. Their comrades' final act of respect was to ensure that they were honored in death, their remains buried with dignity.
For the First Raikage, all that remained in this world was a single arm—his last proof of existence, the only token of his legacy.
"Retreat! Fall back now!"
The Kumo-nin carrying the Raikage's arm roared the order, and the rest of the Kumogakure forces immediately responded. They moved swiftly, retreating under heavy pressure.
In mere minutes, the tides of the battlefield shifted dramatically.
The Kumo-nin were now fleeing in disarray. Meanwhile, after a brief moment of shock, the Konoha forces erupted in celebration upon realizing that the First Raikage had fallen. Their morale soared.
"Don't let those Kumo rats escape! Chase them down!"
"It's time to teach them a lesson they'll never forget!"
"Haha! Kill! Kill them all! Don't let a single one of those savages get away!"
Years of skirmishes along the border had forged a deep hatred in the hearts of the Konoha shinobi. They had witnessed comrades fall to enemy blades countless times and barely survived the edge of death themselves.
Finally, the opportunity for vengeance had come. The Konoha shinobi pursued the retreating Kumo-nin with savage determination, eager to take as many lives as they could to avenge their fallen.
Nearly half the Konoha forces surged forward in a frenzied pursuit, leaving no effort spared.
Standing at the rear, Hyūga Tennin, the Konoha commander, watched the scene unfold without giving any orders. He simply stood silently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Tennin-sama!!!"
His personal guards cried out in alarm. But Hyūga Tennin didn't seem to hear them. His body suddenly went rigid and collapsed straight to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust on the chaotic battlefield.
It happened so quickly that even the Konoha shinobi nearby were stunned, frozen in place. Their elation turned to despair in the blink of an eye.
A group of Konoha shinobi rushed forward, lifting Hyūga Tennin's head and calling his name in panic.
The battlefield descended into utter confusion.
Both Konoha and Kumogakure forces were in disarray.
Fortunately for Konoha, Hyūga Tennin had collapsed only after the Kumo forces had fully retreated. Overall, Konoha still held the advantage, and this could be seen as Hyūga Tennin's final contribution to the village.
High on a cliff overlooking the battlefield, the wind howled fiercely, carrying the sounds of war across the desolate landscape.
The harsh wind also whipped at Kakuzu's cloak, making it flutter noisily.
Watching the chaos below, Kakuzu rubbed his hands together, his sharp eyes narrowing in thought.
"Tailing and killing a Kage-level shinobi is never a simple task," he muttered. "It requires a steep price—Hyūga or not…"
His gaze lingered on the fallen Hyūga Tennin, a descendant of the ancient Ōtsutsuki clan.
Habitually, Kakuzu reached for his neck, tilting his head as he stood upright on the cliff. He hadn't come here to spectate—he was here to collect a debt.
"Konoha, Kumogakure... Your petty conflicts don't concern me. But interrupting me while I was doing something important? That was your mistake."
He gritted his teeth, the memory still fresh in his mind—he had been meticulously counting his earnings when the battle spilled over and disrupted him. Now, he couldn't even remember if he had miscounted or genuinely lost 20,000 ryo.
That frustration gnawed at him like an itch he couldn't scratch.
It was akin to being interrupted during his favorite activity, an insult he simply couldn't let slide.
"Konoha and Kumogakure... You'll both pay a price for this."
Kakuzu's gaze swept across the battlefield, first to the fallen Hyūga Tennin, who was now surrounded by dozens of anxious Konoha shinobi.
At this point, two outcomes were likely. Either Tennin was dead, or he was clinging to life by a thread.
Kakuzu's mind worked like a machine, rapidly calculating the possibilities and weighing his options.
Next, his attention shifted to the fleeing Kumogakure forces. A portion of the Kumo-nin had stayed behind to cover their retreat.
Among them, one particular individual caught Kakuzu's interest.
Ten minutes later, deep within the forest, several Kumo-nin raced through the dense undergrowth, carrying a severed arm. Their expressions were heavy, filled with grief.
This arm, the last remnant of their Raikage, had to be brought back to Kumogakure. Once there, they could begin the process of electing a new Raikage.
But as they pressed forward, one white-haired Kumo-nin suddenly froze, sensing something ominous in the air...
He swiftly leaped forward, raising his arm to block the path of the other Kumogakure shinobi.
"What's wrong, Raimei?"
Raimei stood still, his eyes fixed on the shadow leaning against the large tree ahead. The other Kumo shinobi quickly followed his gaze, their nerves immediately on edge. How could someone from Konoha have arrived so quickly? And worse, how had they gotten ahead of them?
Just as the Kumo shinobi were preparing to form a battle formation, Raimei spoke up sharply:
"Protect the Raikage and return to the village. Selecting the next Raikage is the top priority! Leave this to me!"
Kumogakure's strength showed in their swift decisiveness. They didn't waste time hesitating or arguing.
"Understood, Raimei. We're counting on you. Make sure you come back alive."
With that, the remaining Kumo shinobi planted their feet and darted to the side, disappearing into the distance.
Kakuzu didn't chase after them. He merely glanced at the retreating shinobi with mild disinterest.
"A shame about that 80-million bounty," he muttered, shaking his head. It wasn't that he didn't want to pursue them, but the bounty was on the Raikage's head—not his severed arm. Trading an arm for the full reward wasn't a guarantee anyone could verify. And Kakuzu knew better than most: if someone actually managed to cash in such a claim, the entire bounty exchange network would spiral into chaos.
It wouldn't take long before people started bringing in endless arms, all claiming to belong to the Raikage. Chaos like that would completely ruin the system.
So Kakuzu's interest wasn't in the Raikage's arm. His focus was now on the man named Raimei.
Raimei watched as Kakuzu stepped out of the shadows, his figure gradually revealed in the dappled light. When Raimei got a good look at him, he frowned.
"You're not from Konoha. Who are you, really?"
"Heh," Kakuzu chuckled. "You don't need to know that. All you need to know is that I'm the one who's going to kill you."
Hearing those words, Raimei immediately understood that Kakuzu had come specifically for him. A slight smile played at the corner of Raimei's lips.
"Looks like I'm being underestimated."
He sheathed the sword in his hand, realizing that a mere weapon wouldn't be enough against someone like Kakuzu. If he wanted to stand a chance, he'd need to bring out the big guns.
"Today's going to be an exhilarating fight."
Raimei formed a series of hand seals, faint sparks of lightning dancing across his body.
Kakuzu watched with a faint smirk, unfazed. "Who knows?"
"Tch, you're a tough one. But I'm no pushover either!"
"Storm Release: Water Dragon!"
With a loud crack, Raimei completed his hand seals, his chakra surging. Around him, a torrent of water materialized, swirling rapidly as flashes of lightning crackled within.
Then came the roar.
A massive water dragon surged into the air, its body writhing with violent electrical currents. This was the power of his kekkei genkai—Storm Release.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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