In the end, the outcome deviated from the original plan, but it was still a success. Ye Zi had successfully handed Yugito over to White Zetsu. Now, only the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki remained.
According to the plan, White Zetsu's priority was to deliver Yugito to Nagato as quickly as possible.
The Valley of Clouds and Lightning was ten kilometers away, which was not far. It wouldn't take long to get there. However, capturing the Two-Tails Jinchūriki came at a price. Now, if he wanted to capture the Eight-Tails, he would have to face the full wrath of the Hidden Cloud Village.
Ye Zi's intention was to head straight to The Valley of Clouds and Lightning and confront the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. If he did, he might end up fighting against not only the Jinchūriki but also the Third Raikage and A at the same time. And the longer the battle dragged on, the more Cloud ninjas from the village's core forces would converge, increasing the pressure on him.
Still, Ye Zi remained confident in his ability to capture the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. He had no concerns about the dangers he was about to face.
Holding Chijin in his hand, tendrils of black lightning crackled across his body. His long sword tilted downward, its tip hovering just above the ground. A dense layer of black lightning engulfed the blade, turning it entirely pitch-black.
Rather than leaving immediately, he remained still, giving White Zetsu a head start.
The Third Raikage's initial shock lasted only a moment before it turned into a deep, simmering rage. Instead of attacking Ye Zi, he roared at the surrounding Cloud ninjas:
"Find Yugito immediately, sensory units, locate her position!"
His thunderous command snapped the Cloud ninjas out of their stupor. One by one, they landed and formed up behind the Third Raikage.
His advisor, Dodai, arrived quickly and immediately followed the order, organizing the sensory-type ninjas to track White Zetsu's location.
However, despite their best efforts, the sensory ninjas came up empty.
"Nothing. We can't sense him at all. It's as if… he's disappeared," the sensory unit reported back.
Disappeared?
Impossible. Did that black-and-white figure possess the ability to evade sensory detection? And if it absorbed Yugito into itself, was it specifically to prevent her location from being tracked?
Dodai's expression turned grim. If White Zetsu couldn't be detected, then there was no way to track him. His bizarre ability allowed him to merge directly into the ruins, it seemed almost like an advanced Earth Release technique.
Without a trace, they had no direction to pursue.
The Third Raikage's face darkened. It was clear that Ye Zi had come prepared. Neither of them moved, locked in a silent standoff.
More and more Cloud ninjas gathered, yet Ye Zi remained as composed as ever. If he wanted to leave, he could do so at any moment, and among those present, only the Third Raikage and A would be able to keep up with him.
Meanwhile, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio, as outsiders, did not participate in the battle. Instead, they stood at a safe distance, observing the standoff between Ye Zi and the Cloud ninjas.
"You can't sense him?" Shikaku murmured, his gaze locked onto Ye Zi. Their power levels were now in completely different leagues.
Inoichi's expression was slightly tense as he shook his head. "No, I can't."
"I see." Shikaku paused, deep in thought.
"Should we intervene?" Chōza asked.
"No," Shikaku replied, his eyes flickering slightly. "We're outsiders. This isn't our fight. Besides…" He glanced at the Cloud ninjas stationed nearby, clearly keeping an eye on them.
He didn't elaborate, but both Chōza and Inoichi understood.
"Ye Zi came here for the Cloud Village's Jinchūriki. His target is still the Tailed Beasts, and he succeeded. This is actually good news for us. This… this is an opportunity."
Shikaku silently contemplated.
Negotiating an alliance had been most difficult with the Hidden Cloud Village. They had no real reason to go against Ye Zi and the Hidden Rain Village. But after tonight, that reason now existed.
Perhaps, after this battle, the alliance negotiations could succeed.
Ye Zi smirked as he saw that the Cloud ninjas had failed to locate White Zetsu. It was time to head for The Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
He cast a fleeting glance at the Third Raikage, his resolve unwavering.
Earlier, he had kicked the Third Raikage's right elbow with full force, a solid, clean hit. Yet, judging by the Raikage's stance, he hadn't taken any real damage at all.
His physical endurance was exceptional, and the sheer intensity of his chakra was monstrous.
At that moment, A burst out of the rock wall he had been kicked into. In a flash, he appeared beside the Third Raikage, completely unscathed.
For both the Third Raikage and A, their true strength didn't just come from their mastery of Lightning Release. Their bodies were their greatest weapons.
Their technique involved using Lightning Release chakra to enhance their physical bodies, vastly increasing their strength and durability.
However, only those with extraordinary physical resilience, like the Third Raikage and A, could maximize the benefits of this technique.
High-intensity Lightning Release could drastically enhance the Third Raikage's body, but for most people, their cells would simply burn to ashes from the strain.
Regardless, Ye Zi's powerful kicks had done nothing to them. It was clear that if he stayed, a brutal battle was inevitable. It was time to move.
Ye Zi made his decision. He would head straight for The Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
With the Third Raikage's speed, he would likely catch up quickly.
After a brief moment of silence, the Third Raikage and A moved in unison, their speed blinding as they charged at Ye Zi from both sides.
Boom!
Ye Zi reacted instantly. Activating Inorganic Reincarnation, the ground beneath him suddenly shifted, forming a stone pillar that propelled him upward.
At the same moment, the Third Raikage and A both threw powerful punches at the base of the pillar, completely shattering it. However, the upper half remained intact, launching Ye Zi even higher into the air from the force of the impact.
Standing atop the airborne fragment of stone, Ye Zi kicked off, soaring toward the nearest mountain wall.
He was going to merge into the rock and make his way to The Valley of Clouds and Lightning at full speed.
In an instant, Ye Zi reached the rock face and, like liquid, swiftly merged into it, vanishing without a trace.
The Third Raikage and A, their bodies engulfed in surging lightning, moved at an incredible speed. Almost the very second Ye Zi disappeared into the rock, they arrived at the spot where he had entered and immediately struck it with their fists.
Boom!
The sheer force of their punches penetrated deep into the rock, instantly shattering the upper half of the mountain into rubble.
"Did he escape?"
After crushing the rocky cliff with a single punch, the Third Raikage scanned the area but found no trace of Ye Zi. The gap between Ye Zi's disappearance and their attack was less than a second.
His brows furrowed as he suddenly turned to the sensory unit and asked, "Where is he now?"
Hearing the Raikage's command, the sensory team quickly activated their abilities. This time, they managed to pinpoint Ye Zi's location with accuracy.
"He's headed east, moving incredibly fast! That direction… it's The Valley of Clouds and Lightning!" the sensory unit reported.
Upon hearing the report, the expressions of both the Third Raikage and A darkened.
"His next target is Bee?" A asked grimly, looking toward his father.
The Third Raikage turned to Dodai and ordered in a low voice, "Dodai, stay here with part of the forces and keep an eye on those Konoha ninja. Get the others reorganized as quickly as possible and send them to Unraikyō at full strength."
Then, he glanced at A and simply said, "Let's go."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the Third Raikage shot toward The Valley of Clouds and Lightning like a bolt of lightning.
Without hesitation, A followed closely behind his father.
After receiving the Raikage's orders, Dodai immediately began coordinating the forces. Proper deployment of their combat strength was crucial to maximizing their effectiveness.
Since the Third Raikage was mobilizing almost the entire village, it was clear that he was determined to kill Ye Zi. This also demonstrated how seriously he viewed the threat Ye Zi posed.
Pushing aside his thoughts, Dodai quickly issued orders.
The genin were excluded from the operation, while one-fifth of the remaining forces were left behind to guard the village. The rest, composed of chūnin and jōnin, were divided into several large squads.
Specialist teams were formed based on expertise, those proficient in taijutsu, kenjutsu, and ninjutsu were assigned to separate units.
Once the reorganization was complete, Dodai ordered the squad leaders to move out toward Unraikyō as quickly as possible.
"… Raiga, huh?"
Watching the massive force depart, Dodai's expression grew heavier.
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