At that moment, the Fourth Raikage pressed all ten fingers together in a knife-hand form and began to spin rapidly, his entire body moving in sync with a violent rhythm—like a human meat grinder.
In his youth, he had used this very technique to sever one of the Eight-Tails' horns. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, he had even split apart Uchiha Madara's Susano'o.
Despite his rough appearance and impulsive demeanor, the Fourth Raikage wasn't some mindless brute. His combat IQ was nothing to scoff at.
Unfortunately for him, Naruto had already seen through all his moves. Naruto's fists blurred into a storm of afterimages, crashing toward the Raikage like a flurry of meteor strikes.
"Muda muda muda muda muda muda—!"
The Millennium Lightning Dance was shattered in the most direct and brutal way imaginable.
The Raikage's hand-chops couldn't even graze Naruto. Even his so-called absolute defense, the Lightning Release Armor, began to crack under the onslaught. Each punch Naruto landed left a deep impact mark on the Raikage's body.
Seven punches—Naruto left seven distinct fist-shaped scars on him.
With the final punch, the Fourth Raikage was sent flying through the air like a broken rag doll and came crashing down hard.
"Lord Raikage!"
A black figure darted in just in time to catch his falling body. It was a white-haired young shinobi, carrying a large sword on his back.
Darui, the man known as the "Second Hand" of the Fourth Raikage.
Footsteps thundered from all directions as more Cloud ninja arrived on the scene—too late.
"Lord Raikage!" several elite jonin hurried to support their fallen leader.
The Hidden Cloud Village was always a bit… unique. A mix of dark- and light-skinned citizens. They were brash, aggressive, and quick to place blame or twist narratives—like in the infamous Hyūga kidnapping incident. They were also known for stealing techniques, kidnapping shinobi, and developing chakra tech well ahead of other nations.
…Starting to feel familiar?
"Don't let him escape!" Despite being barely able to stand, the Raikage's first words were still about Naruto.
Over 40% of his bones had been broken. His internal organs had all sustained varying levels of trauma. The fact he wasn't dead on the spot was already a miracle.
"Escape?"
Naruto, who had originally planned to leave with Yugito Nii, halted his steps. He turned around and stared at the Raikage.
"Did you just say escape?"
'Hahahaha, brat, why not go ahead and wreck this village like you did the last one,' Kurama cackled in Naruto's mind, giddy with chaos.
Watching Naruto pummel loudmouths was his favorite pastime.
"Oh no!"
Seeing the cold, murderous glint in the lone visible eye of Naruto's mask, the Raikage's heart sank.
He knew what Naruto was capable of. And though he didn't want to admit it—this opponent was beyond unbeatable.
The next instant, Naruto appeared midair, hovering less than three meters away, looking down at the Raikage.
"Sever your own arm… and I'll spare your lives."
His words were laced with an unquestionable, imperial authority.
Several foolish Cloud ninja leapt toward Naruto, trying to attack. Naruto casually reached out and pinched each of their necks lightly—ending their lives as effortlessly as snapping twigs.
More shinobi charged forward, but Naruto moved among them like a wolf in a pen of lambs.
Untouchable. Unstoppable.
Fists, feet—even his fingers—could take lives with terrifying ease.
Not a single Cloud ninja could last even a single exchange.
At that moment, Naruto was like Tao Pai Pai in his first appearance—except Naruto wasn't into weird tricks like killing with his tongue. He preferred using his fingers.
In just a moment, dozens of Cloud ninja lay dead or dying.
"Stop!!" the Raikage roared.
"Since when do weaklings have the right to tell me to stop?" Naruto replied coldly. He drove a single finger through another ninja's skull, ending yet another life.
His gaze, filled with utter contempt—as if watching ants—cut deeply into the Raikage's pride.
When had the Fourth Raikage ever been looked down on like this?
That's when Darui, who had remained silent all this time, quietly drew the greatsword on his back.
"Storm Release: Laser Circus!"
Several high-speed laser beams shot out from his mouth, piercing the air like arrows, aimed directly at Naruto.
"No!" the Raikage cried out in panic.
Naruto caught the beams with one hand, their destructive power doing nothing. With just two fingers, he grabbed Darui's sword.
"Back off."
With a casual flick, the sword snapped in two.
Darui flew backward like a ragdoll.
Compared to the Raikage, his strength was pitiful.
"Let that be a lesson."
The broken blade spun through the air—whish—and embedded itself in Darui's chest.
He collapsed into a pool of blood, his condition unknown.
"I said stop!!!"
The Fourth Raikage shoved away the shinobi helping him up and roared to the sky. Blue lightning surged from his body again, as a thunderbolt cracked across the heavens.
In that moment, he seemed like a god of thunder incarnate.
"Lord Raikage!" Cloud ninja all around him cried out in awe.
The invincible Raikage had returned.
It was as though extreme rage had triggered something inside him—his speed and strength now surpassing even his uninjured self.
Too bad his opponent… was Naruto. A Naruto trained in the Kame-Sen'nin way.
The Raikage's mighty punch was effortlessly caught by Naruto.
"I said I want an arm. So I'll take an arm."
With a sharp yank, the Raikage's arm tore off.
Naruto tossed him aside like garbage.
The invincible Raikage had fallen.
"Lord Raikage!" Jonin Mabui rushed forward and caught him, followed closely by other Cloud shinobi who surrounded him protectively.
"Kill him! Avenge Lord Raikage!"
But the moment a ninja shouted this—thud—he fell dead, a finger-sized hole in his forehead.
The culprit? Just a small stone Naruto flicked from his fingers.
"The disrespectful shall die."
Naruto spoke without emotion.
The battlefield fell into a heavy silence. Not a single person dared move.
"Heh. Cloud ninja…" Naruto let out a cold, mocking laugh and turned to resume his walk toward Yugito.
"…Who are you?" Mabui asked, summoning every ounce of courage.
With the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki gone, the Raikage gravely injured, and Darui potentially dead, she was now the highest-ranking officer present. She had to at least try to identify the enemy, even if she couldn't stop him.
Naruto paused for a moment. From the corner of his eye, he subtly glanced at a certain spot in the distance.
"Kashin Koji."
He pointed to himself and said,
"My name is Kashin Koji, disciple of Lord Madara."
Kashin Koji? Who?
Not just Mabui—many were filled with confusion.
Disciple of Lord Madara? Mabui etched that name into her mind. That "Madara" was clearly the key.
"Be thankful. I'm not in the mood to kill you all yet. Enjoy what little time you have left."
Lifting Yugito Nii over his shoulder, Naruto began to float upward before the terrified eyes of the Cloud shinobi.
None dared stop him.
As Naruto disappeared into the sky, moments later, on a large tree branch not far from the battlefield, space began to distort.
A man wearing a matching spiral mask stepped out of the void.
At the same time, back in the Hidden Cloud Village, the medical team managed to stabilize the Fourth Raikage.
He opened his eyes slowly, and once again—his furious roar echoed through the sky.
Only this time, that roar carried undeniable weakness.
"B… Find B and bring him back to me!"
Wrapped in bandages, the Raikage's expression was pitch-black with rage.
"The next time I see him… I swear I'll kill him!"
The A-B brothers are ready to return to the stage.
With the Chakra Cannon, the Six Paths Treasure: Amber Purifying Bottle, the Eighth-Tails Jinchūriki, and the Fourth Raikage—perhaps they would finally be able to face Kashin Koji head-on.
That was the true foundation of the Hidden Cloud. The reason the Raikage had dared to stand so tall.
That very night, the Six Paths treasure—the Amber Purifying Bottle—was stolen.
A small note was left in its place.
"Nice item. It's mine now."
"Kashin Koji… Madara… I swear I'll kill you!!"
The Raikage coughed up blood again and collapsed. The slight recovery he had made was immediately undone.
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