"Asshole! Are you just hiding?" the Fourth Raikage roared furiously.
Space-Time Ninjutsu was truly tricky. Had Chao Yanqian engaged the Fourth Raikage from the start, the Raikage wouldn't have had such an easy time.
Although the Fourth Raikage looked a bit battered now, Chao Yanqian's condition wasn't much better.
After continuous high-intensity clashes, Chao Yanqian's entire body was in tatters. Even with the protection of Sage Mode chakra, his flak jacket was long destroyed, and his face was smeared with ash and blood.
He looked a mess, but Chao Yanqian's condition hadn't deteriorated much. Sage Mode could offset some negative effects, and his method of enhancing cellular activity within the domain of medical ninjutsu allowed him to heal injuries the moment they occurred.
In addition, Chao Yanqian had integrated cells from the First Hokage. The immense vitality in Hashirama's cells also helped relieve his injuries to a considerable extent.
Uchiha Madara's evaluation was not exaggerated: in close combat, it was indeed advantageous to face the Raikage head-on. But to truly determine a winner between them, a battle to the absolute limit was necessary.
Only by pushing the Fourth Raikage's stamina to its end could he be defeated.
However, on a battlefield like this, if stamina and chakra were exhausted, even a Chūnin could land a fatal blow on Chao Yanqian.
Chao Yanqian's mind turned,he had a plan.
"I heard that in Kumogakure's secret techniques, there's one known as the 'strongest spear'[Hell Stab]. With your qualifications, I wonder if you've mastered it?" Chao Yanqian said calmly.
"Oh? Are you planning to die by that move?" the Fourth Raikage answered coldly.
"Let me see! This time, I definitely won't dodge!" Chao Yanqian smiled.
The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes. In previous encounters, he clearly felt that Chao Yanqian was familiar with his techniques including his trump card, [Liger Bomb]. Chao Yanqian had pre-set teleportation coordinates to evade that move.
But [Hell Stab ]as the pinnacle of Kumogakure's offensive ninjutsu was a closely-guarded secret technique. Few outsiders even knew of it. The Raikage was curious how did Chao Yanqian find out about it? Had he somehow investigated Kumogakure's forbidden techniques?
Seeing the Raikage remain silent, Chao Yanqian continued: "I want to defeat you while you're using your strongest move. After all, that's the only way to prove I'm truly superior. You're a Kage, sure, but honestly your performance just now was pathetic. You should know, taijutsu isn't even my specialty!"
The Fourth Raikage gritted his teeth and seethed. While [Hell Stab] was powerful,especially at its most concentrated form, the one-finger variant [Hell Stab: One-Fingered Assault] capable of piercing almost anything, Naruto Uzumaki had already countered it.
In the original manga, using Sage Mode and the Rasengan, Naruto redirected the Third Raikage's [Hell Stab], causing him to injure himself.
Though [Rasengan] is a high-level technique requiring great chakra control, Chao Yanqian had mastered it over a year ago.
However, compared to the destructive power of [Eight Gates Released Formation], the Rasengan was insufficient. Also, Chao Yanqian lacked the Wind Release chakra nature required to evolve Rasengan into the [Rasen Shuriken], so he rarely used it.
He had originally learned it on a whim, not expecting it to ever come in handy.
"Hmph! Since you wish to die by this move, I'll grant your wish!" The Fourth Raikage sneered, unleashing his lightning chakra to the max. His muscles swelled, his hair stood on end, and crackling lightning surrounding
If his hair were blond, Chao Yanqian might have mistaken him for a Super Saiyan 2.
Seeing the Raikage reduce his fingers,starting with [Three-Fingered Hell Stab]Chao Yanqian smirked internally. Clearly, the Raikage was enraged and going all-in, which suited him. At this speed, the Raikage wouldn't be able to dodge.
Chao Yanqian extended his right hand, rapidly spinning chakra to form a compact orb Rasengan.
"You should recognize this," Chao Yanqian said. "It's the original technique of the Fourth Hokage, Be Feng Shuimen. I heard you once fought him… or rather, it was you and Killer Bee versus him. So I'll use this to show you just how wide the gap is between you and Naruto."
"Bastard! I'll kill you!" roared the Fourth Raikage. Lightning surged under his feet as he charged forward.
As he sprinted, he retracted his fingers one by one until only the index finger remained. This was [Hell Stab: One-Fingered Assault], his strongest form.
At the moment the Raikage's attack was about to impale Chao Yanqian's head, Chao Yanqian dodged in midair. The Raikage's arm shot past him and Chao Yanqian drove the Rasengan into the Raikage's arm.
"Go to hell!"
'Thud!'
Just as Kishimoto depicted in the manga, at such speed the Raikage couldn't stop in time. Under the force of the Rasengan, his arm bent unnaturally, and his own [One-Finger Hell Stab] pierced into his own left shoulder.
"Damn…! Broken!"
The Fourth Raikage's eyes widened in disbelief as he collapsed, glaring at Chao Yanqian with hatred.
In the manga, the Third Raikage used his left hand for [One-Finger Hell Stab], allowing Naruto's Rasengan to redirect it into his right chest. But the Fourth Raikage used his right hand,so now the blow struck his left chest.
That was near the heart.
Though the wound was closer to the shoulder, Chao Yiqian wasn't certain whether the Raikage's heart had been destroyed by his explosive lightning chakra.
If the Fourth Raikage died just like this...
…it wouldn't really be a problem.
Thinking it through, Chao Yanqian realized he'd overreacted earlier. If he did kill the Raikage here, only Killer Bee and Yugito i would remain as threats from Kumogakure. If the village sought revenge, Chao Yanqian wouldn't spare them either.
And with the Raikage gone, the other leaders in Kumogakure would likely choose peace over war.
After all, he had shown mercy to their families.
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