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Raiga's attack power sharply diminished after the power outage, like a tiger that had been defanged. This was the downside of external charging devices; a slight problem with the circuit would render them useless. That's why internal charging devices like the Nine-Tails were so popular.
Kurama-brand nuclear reactor, nine fuel rods plugged into his rear, powerful thrust, and three energy-gathering rings on his belly for lasting endurance. It was just the soon-to-appear fourth energy-gathering ring that gave Naruto a headache.
Kurama paused his skewer-eating motion. "Brat, I feel like you're harboring ill intentions toward me."
"No such thing. Big fox, don't disturb me; we're in the middle of a fight."
Raiga was currently emitting electricity all over his body, preventing close combat. Naruto could only use his two Mithril Swords, and Sasuke was also using his Kusanagi Sword to duel him. Five weapons clashed together as Raiga blocked their leaping downward strikes.
Naruto released one of the cracked Mithril Swords and threw a brick. As he pulled his hand back, he released another brick in mid-air. Sasuke understood immediately, kicking the brick while imbuing it with a small amount of lightning-style chakra.
Even though an unpleasant incident occurred during the fight with Ido where Sasuke unzipped his pants, the two still cooperated tacitly. Naruto still chose to forgive Sasuke because he believed Sasuke didn't do it on purpose. Sasuke was straight; he wouldn't intentionally do such a thing. This could be seen from the original work: even with such deep affection for the protagonist, Sasuke still ended up marrying Sakura.
With Naruto's forgiving cooperation, Raiga, whose lightning supply was cut off and whose taijutsu had regressed to that of a basic Chunin, was sent tumbling several times on the ground by the two powerhouses.
Naruto stopped. He was waiting for Kakashi. After all, this person was involved in the death of Guy's father. Perhaps Kakashi would take him back for Guy to deal with. This kind of patricidal hatred, apart from the protagonist in the original work who constantly put on the "forgiveness hat," was difficult for others to let go of. Guy wasn't a bloodthirsty person; he might not kill him, but a beating was still possible.
Just as Naruto was contemplating, Ranmaru, who had been hiding behind a rock, darted out and shielded Raiga.
"You're not allowed to bully Raiga!"
In the rain, tiny Ranmaru shielded Raiga, as if using his weak body to protect him from the wind and rain.
Naruto picked up a Mithril Sword, feigning a threat. "Brat, if you stand in the way again, believe it or not, I'll stab you to death?"
"Alright, Naruto, stop playing." Kakashi, who had been watching for a long time, finally came online.
Naruto retracted his Mithril Sword; he didn't actually want to stab anyone. He reached up to fix his hair, which had been struck by lightning, and complained, "It's annoying! A perfectly normal C-rank mission turned into this. Please, Kakashi-sensei, can you investigate missions properly next time?"
Kakashi's mission-taking ability was truly not to be complimented. The Land of Snow mission last time, and this Raiga mission, were both taken by Kakashi. Both were C-rank, yet each was harder to fight than the last. If he didn't remind him, Naruto was really afraid Kakashi might suddenly have a brain-fart and accept a C-rank mission to repair a tall tower in the Land of Rain.
"..." Kakashi said nothing.
Naruto continued to complain, "And that Tsunade, that old... maiden, can't she just promote me to Chunin? It's always missions like these. It's such a loss, you know?"
This mission, apart from increasing his combat experience, was practically a deadly loss. Not just this time, but Zabuza, and the Land of Snow incident too—defeating two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and helping restore a country, yet the mission commission wasn't even enough to eat Ichiraku Ramen for half a year. Can you believe it?
If you keep doing this, what if I suddenly need money one day? Am I supposed to tie up Asuma and sell him?
Kakashi rolled his dead fish eyes. 'You, someone who gets failing grades on exams, still wants to be a Chunin? Dream on.'
"Hahahahaha!!!" Raiga, lying on the ground, burst into maniacal laughter.
Didn't become a Chunin, so he's still a Genin, huh?
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen, once rumored to be able to wipe out a country, were defeated by a Leaf Genin. Years later, the last remaining one of them was defeated by a Leaf Genin again. How ironic.
Raiga had already envisioned his end. Whether he was taken back to Konoha and imprisoned, or sent back to the Mist Village as a bargaining chip by Konoha, he wouldn't have a good outcome. In that case...
He used chakra squeezed from his cells to send a link to the thunder in the sky.
"Ranmaru, get back!" Raiga leaped up as if experiencing a final burst of energy, pouncing on the group. "You all, you'll die with me!"
"Naruto, Sasuke, get back!"
Kakashi didn't even need to say it. The moment Raiga's chakra linked with the thunder, Sasuke had already pulled Naruto back.
"Raiga!" Everyone was retreating, only Ranmaru was pursuing.
"Boom."
The few who retreated to safety saw a white line connecting heaven and earth, followed by a deafening explosion.
Their thoughts varied.
Kakashi: [As expected of a Ninja Swordsman of the Mist, he still had a secret technique like that.]
Sasuke: [That move was good.]
Sakura: [Sasuke in thought is so handsome.]
Naruto: [???]
Naruto, clearing the battlefield, muttered to himself, holding the two Thunder Swords whose prongs had been completely broken off: "Why did he die? Why did he commit suicide for love?"
'Why is this guy like Deidara, self-destructing when he can't win!?'
In the end, Naruto, unable to figure out why, could only casually come up with the reason that "a person who commits many injustices is bound to perish by his own hand."
In the original work, Raiga liked to hold funerals for people. He would personally carry coffins, mostly for those he'd snatched from villages to work in gold mines, people who died from exhaustion or were beaten to death by his subordinates. A person who liked to profit from coffins deserved to be struck dead by lightning.
It was just Ranmaru's suicide for love that made Naruto feel a bit of pity. He had originally wanted to take him back and gift him to his brother-in-law.
'Forget it, if he's dead, he's dead.'
Perhaps it was for the best that he died. After all, this was a world where living was worse than being dead. In the original story, Kakashi could chat with his father after dying, and Obito could live a happy life with Rin after dying.
In such an odd world, dying was indeed more comfortable than living. At least one could shed all burdens and live a carefree afterlife, even if it was a bit boring.
"Sasuke, you want them?" Naruto held the Thunder Swords out to Sasuke.
Sasuke coolly twirled his Kusanagi Sword. "No." These two, though both lightning-style, were already broken and not as useful as the Kusanagi Sword. Plus, they weren't sturdy; they broke after a few swings.
'Bro, are you misunderstanding something? That Kusanagi Sword now belongs to Uzumaki, not Uchiha!'
The great leader Raiga was dead. The remaining subordinates initially tried to resist, but after Sakura charged into the crowd and unleashed a flurry of attacks, they wisely retreated, not even daring to utter a harsh word.
Before leaving, Naruto felt like he had forgotten something.
Inside the stronghold's prison, Sansho Granny's child, Shinko, was despairingly wailing, "Is anyone there? Is anyone there?!"
After shouting for a long time and realizing no one was around, Shinko could only pick up a shovel and begin to rescue himself. The shovel was deliberately left by the Kuroski clan for people to escape, only to be killed later for their funeral.
Inside Konoha Hospital, Sakura took Naruto and Sasuke to Jiraiya's hospital room. Kakashi had already left; he was going to inform the still-hospitalized mission client about the mission progress.
"Naruto, this is a hospital. Can you please take off one of those things hanging around your neck? The jingling sound will disturb others," Sakura gently suggested.
"Oh, I forgot. Sorry." Naruto thought for a moment, then took off the sealed female ghost's green crystal from his neck and shoved it into his pocket.
Naruto wasn't afraid of monsters being dangerous or anything; he had a monster recognized by all of Konoha sealed inside him. Not just Konoha, but now, if you pulled out the Sage of Six Paths, he'd shout, "Hey, Pig Demon, spit out my Kurama!"
No exaggeration, it was that real. Stroking the crystal in his pocket, Naruto consoled himself:
[Even though they're all a bit off, I've at least collected three of the five well-known mythical figures who seduce men from my previous life.]
Nine-tailed fox - Kurama. Although his was an orange fox, it still had nine tails.
Female ghost - Ido. Although his was a bit ugly, the prototype was still pretty.
Weaver Girl - Hinata. Although she ate more than anyone else, she genuinely loved knitting scarves, knitting an entire movie's worth.
Now, he just needed the White Snake Lady Bai Niangzi and the Third Holy Mother (Chenxiang's mother), and he'd have them all.
'A long and arduous journey ahead.'
"Slap!"
"Old man, if you keep looking, believe it or not, I'll break three of your legs!!"