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Kumogakure, Heavyweight Training Room.
The Raikage, his neck immobilized in a thick plaster cast, was fiercely lifting a heavy barbell.
"Bee!! My little brother, I swear your blood debt will be avenged by your big brother!!"
Ever since he woke up three days ago and learned of Killer Bee and Mabui's tragic deaths, he had been consumed by rage, crying uncontrollably.
But he quickly pulled himself together, channeling his grief into strength. Day and night, he subjected himself to grueling training, determined to surpass his limits and avenge Bee and the others.
"Akatsuki!! Uzumaki Naruto!! I will never forgive you!!!!"
"Raikage-sama!!"
As the Raikage was in the middle of his intense workout, a Kumogakure ANBU member burst into the room in a hurry.
"What is it!? Can't you see I'm training?! If it's food, just leave it there!!!"
Out of habit, the Raikage tried to turn his head, but the pain in his neck made it impossible. Frustrated, he had to turn his entire body along with his neck, glaring fiercely at the ANBU while alternating his grip on the barbell.
The ANBU reported, "Our patrolling shinobi received a message scroll. The contents… you should see for yourself!"
Bang!!
The heavy barbell hit the ground with a resounding thud, shaking the entire room.
The Raikage strode forward, snatched the scroll, and read it.
"Hmm!?" His bloodshot eyes widened as he read.
"That insolent brat! I was just waiting for him to come to me!!!!"
Crack!!
He crushed the scroll in his massive hand and stormed out, breaking through a wall on his way to his temporary office.
Kumogakure's elite jonin, intelligence chief, and strategist Dodai was already waiting for him.
Dodai spoke, "Raikage-sama, the message suggests that the other party only wants the secret technique scroll and does not necessarily intend to resort to violence. My recommendation is to hand over the scroll to him."
The Raikage's eyes flared with anger. "What did you just say!?"
Dodai's expression was grave as he explained, "This is an extraordinary time. We've lost Bee-sama, and you're injured. If we go all out against them now, even if we win, it will come at a devastating cost. It could also leave us vulnerable to other villages, especially Iwagakure and Konohagakure."
The Raikage roared, "So you're saying we should grovel and submit?! I am the Raikage! I will not disgrace the honor of the Yotsuki Clan or our forebears! That Uzumaki Naruto—he's the one responsible for Bee's death!!!"
Dodai's gaze darkened. "With all due respect, Raikage-sama, the Uzumaki Naruto who calls himself 'Myōshō' may not be the same as the Akatsuki who killed Bee-sama. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to emphasize the distinction between 'Myōshō' and the Akatsuki."
Crack, crack, crack! The Raikage gritted his teeth in fury.
Before the Raikage could explode, Dodai quickly continued, "Moreover, during his last intrusion with his group, none of our shinobi were killed. That was clearly deliberate on their part, indicating that they don't wish for a complete break with us. While they've caused us significant losses, a force as powerful as Myōshō would be an invaluable ally in these times when we're beset on all sides. We shouldn't rush to make them our mortal enemies. In fact, we should consider trying to win them over!"
Bang!!!
"Shut up already!!! Enough of your noise!!!"
Unable to contain his frustration, the Raikage smashed his fist into the desk, shattering it. "I've decided to fight! I don't want to hear any more opinions!!!"
"Very well, if it's a fight..." Dodai wiped the sweat from his brow and shifted his tone. "Then we need to target his abilities."
The Raikage's eyes gleamed with determination. "That brat's abilities—I've got a pretty good grasp of them! His repulsive force that can repel close-range attacks... As long as I master the Ichiban Nukite (One-Finger Nukite), I can break through it!"
Dodai replied, "The Ichiban Nukite is the ultimate technique of the previous Raikage. It's not something that can be mastered in a short time. Forcing a breakthrough isn't the only solution. Based on my observations, there's a cooldown period between his techniques—about five seconds."
The Raikage's eyes flickered. "I noticed that too when I fought him at the Land of Iron. But his eyes have other abilities that he alternates between."
"Hmph. Even so, I can handle it with consecutive taijutsu attacks! The biggest problem is still that technique of his..."
He paused, recalling the helplessness and suffocation he felt when trapped in the darkness.
Dodai spoke, "You mean the technique that uses gravity to create a massive celestial body for sealing?"
"Yes." The Raikage clenched his fists and turned to Dodai. "Dodai, do you have a solution?"
Dodai's gaze was heavy. "I've been analyzing the process ever since I saw him perform it."
For once, the Raikage listened intently.
Dodai explained meticulously, "When he casts the technique, he throws a core resembling a gravity sphere into the sky. Then the ground begins to break apart and converge toward that core. I believe the gravity core is the key to that technique."
The Raikage nodded. "Go on."
"If we can destroy the core before we're pulled in, we can theoretically nullify the technique."
Dodai continued, "However, since the gravity core can withstand immense pressure from massive boulders, it must be extraordinarily durable. Only extremely powerful long-range ninjutsu could possibly destroy it."
Hearing this, the Raikage growled in frustration. "Speaking of long-range attacks, Bee's Tailed Beast Bomb would've been the best option! But Bee is gone!! Dodai, how many shinobi capable of long-range ninjutsu do we have?"
Dodai thought for a moment. "Roughly a thousand, with about 200 being jonin."
The Raikage asked, "How many would it take to destroy that gravity core?"
Dodai replied, "At least 300 jonin."
The Raikage frowned. "What if we substitute chunin for the missing jonin?"
Dodai explained, "To fill the gap of 100 jonin, we'd need at least 300 chunin. However, in the chaos of battle, chunin lack the mental fortitude and survival skills of jonin, which could lead to significant variables."
"That said, we do have an advantage. The gravity from that technique is indiscriminate. We can use its pull to our advantage. Without needing precise aim, we can unleash a barrage of long-range ninjutsu as the enemy casts the technique, letting the gravity pull our attacks toward the core."
"Of course, this is all based on known information. We can't rule out the possibility of hidden abilities. That's why I still recommend avoiding a direct confrontation."
The Raikage cut him off. "Dodai, you will select 500 shinobi proficient in long-range ninjutsu to join me in battle tonight! The rest will stand by to protect non-combatants and join the fight if the opportunity arises! I swear Uzumaki Naruto will not leave here alive!!"
Sigh.
Dodai sighed inwardly but complied. "Understood, Raikage-sama."
---
Under the cover of night, at the foot of Thunder Mountain, Naruto and Konan waited silently.
Naruto glanced at the clock in his palm.
Konan noticed it and thought to herself, "That mechanical clock is an entry mechanism for the Asura Path."
Click!
As the clock struck midnight, it vanished from Naruto's hand.
Naruto stood, his Akatsuki cloak billowing in the wind. Beneath his mask, his Rinnegan glowed with an unsettling brilliance.
"The time has come. Let's move."