After defeating the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Ryosuke Uchiha made his way toward the final battlefield—the one where Hyuga Hiashi was engaged in battle with the Fourth Raikage.
Once this battle ended, the entire war would be over.
The battlefield was vast and barren, riddled with craters and scorch marks—testament to the fierce and relentless combat that had taken place.
At that moment, Hiashi stood facing the Fourth Raikage, who had activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. A bitter look lingered in Hiashi's eyes.
He had hoped to rely on the Gentle Fist to gradually disable the enemy's chakra network, slowly gaining the upper hand until he could finally take down the Raikage.
But ideals were beautiful—reality was cruel. The Raikage's Lightning Armor was far tougher than Hiashi had anticipated.
Even though the Gentle Fist techniques were partially effective, the chakra that Hiashi sent into the Raikage's body would be rapidly expelled. He couldn't inflict substantial damage.
Naturally, this put him at a disadvantage.
The Raikage let out a mocking grin. "What's the matter? Running out of steam already?"
The Lightning Chakra Mode made his body hyperactive and resistant. It gave him the edge in endurance. While Hiashi could rely on the absolute defense of the Rotation (Hakkeshō Kaiten), that defense came at the cost of massive chakra expenditure.
It was a powerful technique—but not something that could be used repeatedly in a drawn-out battle.
Hiashi felt the sting of truth in those words. The Raikage's speed was astonishing. Even with his Byakugan, Hiashi struggled to keep up, forced to rely on multiple Rotations just to survive.
The Raikage had clearly figured out that Rotation drained Hiashi's chakra significantly and had deliberately clashed with him head-on multiple times to wear him down.
If this continued, there was no doubt who would lose—Hiashi.
Still, in his heart, Hiashi held onto hope. The main battlefield should be settled by now. Perhaps Ryosuke Uchiha and the others had already secured victory.
If that were the case, then everyone could regroup and deal with the Raikage together.
But what if something unexpected had happened on the frontlines?
Hiashi quickly shook off that dangerous thought. There was no room for negativity. If he wavered now, he would surely die.
The Fourth Raikage demanded full concentration.
And there was no way the Uchiha clan would gamble their entire future on a reckless plan. If they lost this war, the Uchiha would suffer just as much.
Hiashi's gaze hardened. "Then let's fight."
He had only one choice now: keep fighting while gradually shifting closer to the main battlefield.
The Raikage frowned at Hiashi's resolve. It seemed even after all this, he hadn't gone all out. That needed to change.
With a growl, the Raikage's chakra surged wildly. His hair stood on end, and the Lightning Release Chakra Armor flared violently around his body.
"Maximum Armor—Ultimate Lightning Shield!"
The aura around him grew even more intense. This was his strongest mode, passed down from his father—the same mode his father once used to subdue the Eight-Tails.
It came at a cost, draining huge amounts of chakra, but the Raikage didn't care. His only focus was defeating Hiashi.
Seeing the Raikage's transformation, Hiashi's eyes widened in alarm. The oppressive chakra rolling off his opponent now was unlike anything before.
The Raikage stared him down. "The moment I activate this form... the fight is already over."
With that declaration, his body blurred into motion, appearing like a bolt of lightning headed straight for Hiashi.
Hiashi's heart pounded. The Raikage had become so fast that even the Byakugan struggled to track his movements. He could only react to an afterimage rushing at him.
He had no choice.
Rotation!
Spinning rapidly, Hiashi released massive chakra outward, creating a protective sphere of chakra around him. The ground beneath his feet was carved out in a circular path as the defensive dome flared to life.
This was the Gentle Fist's ultimate defense—360-degree coverage against all attacks.
The Raikage didn't flinch. Instead, he charged harder, determined to pierce the defense.
Previously, Hiashi had used this technique to neutralize his attacks, but now he wanted to see whether Hiashi could still withstand a fully powered assault.
BOOM!
This time, Rotation didn't instantly repel the Raikage. Instead, both forces clashed in a deadlock.
Hiashi's heart raced. He poured even more chakra into his spin, increasing the speed and force. At last, the momentum shifted, and the Raikage was thrown back—fifty meters away.
That spoke volumes about his terrifying speed.
Still, the Raikage stood up, grinning. "Not bad. You managed to deflect even my strongest attack. But how many more times can you use that move?"
Unlike Hiashi, his chakra reserves were far from depleted.
He charged again.
Hiashi, already shaken and low on chakra, tried once more to activate Rotation, but this time, his body couldn't keep up.
The impact launched him into the air. He crashed down hard.
His chakra was exhausted.
Hiashi's instincts screamed—he had to flee now or he would die.
Turning toward the direction of the main battlefield, he bolted.
But the Raikage's cold voice called out behind him.
"Trying to run now? Isn't it a little late for that?"
His chakra exploded once again as he closed the gap in an instant, launching a brutal strike at Hiashi's exposed back.
"You're finished."
Hiashi, using his Byakugan, saw the attack coming and turned to deliver a desperate counter.
"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
The compressed blast of chakra struck the Raikage mid-charge, sending him flying back again.
Though injured, the Raikage staggered to his feet, blood trickling down his face.
"You actually managed to wound me in this form... Impressive." He wiped the blood with the back of his hand. "But that was your last shot, wasn't it?"
His eyes gleamed with malice. "I think I'll be taking those eyes of yours for the Cloud."
Hiashi gasped for breath. He had nothing left—no chakra, no strength. But there was one thing he could still do.
Reaching up with trembling hands, he moved toward his own eyes.
Even if he died here, he would not let these despicable Cloud shinobi claim the Byakugan.
The Raikage's face twisted in shock as he realized Hiashi's intent.
"Damn it—he's going to destroy them himself!"
The Byakugan was highly strategic. Only the Hyuga Main Family's eyes could be transplanted. The Branch Family's had a curse mark that rendered them useless. But the Main Family's eyes…
They were a prize the Cloud could not afford to lose.
The Raikage, wounded as he was, roared and surged forward, desperate to stop Hiashi.
Hiashi sneered.
"No matter how fast you are… you'll never be faster than my own hands."
His right hand drew closer to his eye—millimeters away.
But then… another hand suddenly appeared, catching his wrist mid-motion.
A familiar voice echoed in his ears.
"Lord Hiashi, now is not the time to destroy your eyes."
A silhouette materialized beside him.
Ryosuke Uchiha had arrived.
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