Kakashi's eyes slowly widened, his mind unable to process what he had just witnessed.
Raikiri—
A technique sharp enough to cut through lightning itself…had been split in half.
The severed Raikiri flickered and fell from his hand like a dying fragment of light.
Just before it touched the ground—
BOOM!
The remnants of the technique exploded violently. Kakashi flickered away with the Body Flicker Technique just in time.
Stray lightning crackled outward—
and Shigure casually caught the scattered bolts in his hand.
As easily as grabbing a handful of straw.
Shigure looked toward Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei… your lightning is impressive."
He smiled lightly.
"Let me return it."
He tossed the handful of lightning back.
It arced through the air like a living spear.
Countless questions surged in Kakashi's mind.
How?
Why can he simply grasp thunder?
What is he doing to these techniques?
And he wasn't the only one confused—everyone watching felt the same.
A heavy tremor shook the ground.
With effort, the Third Tsuchikage lowered the bisected hill Shigure had previously sent flying and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Even at my age," he muttered, "I'm still doing this kind of heavy lifting… my back won't survive it."
A small Katsuyu clone climbed onto his shoulder.
"Let me restore your chakra, Tsuchikage-sama."
Ōnoki nodded. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
He then turned his gaze back toward Shigure.
The Fourth Raikage blitzed forward at the same moment Gaara's sand and iron sand swept in from both sides, closing around Shigure like twin jaws.
Shigure merely raised his hand.
Boom. Boom.
Two towering ice walls burst up, blocking the sand and iron instantly.
Before the sand could reform, Shigure drew his blade—
and in a single flash, he severed both waves of sand in countless fragments.
He vanished, reappearing as he rushed straight toward Sasori, who hovered in the distance cloaked in Iron Sand.
Sasori gathered the Iron Sand into a massive barrier.
But Shigure inhaled sharply.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The roaring wind slammed forward—
—and the Iron Sand wall dissolved like smoke.
Shigure smirked.
He had completely mastered the battlefield use of Don't-Be-a-God — Extreme.
It allowed him not only to create attacks from nothing,
but also to alter the nature of an opponent's technique.
And if the Iron Sand was turned into smoke…
no amount of chakra could hold it together.
"One strike."
A metallic clang rang out.
Shigure's blade met resistance—
a kunai deflected his strike.
As he passed, he turned sharply.
Might Guy stood there.
Shigure landed, steadied himself, and looked straight at him.
"Guy-sensei… why stop me?"
Guy's expression tightened.
"Shigure, I am a shinobi of Konoha. It is my duty to protect my village—and to protect the Hokage."
"If you truly intend to turn against the Four Villages, I will not hold back."
It wasn't empty bravado.
This was the man who nearly kicked Madara to death.
Facing the power of the Eight Gates…even Shigure didn't want that fight casually.
But Guy had made his stand.
"Different positions, that's all," Shigure said quietly.
"If you insist on stopping me… then come."
"I've always wanted to face Konoha's Blue Beast."
Before either could move—
A blazing white beam dropped from the sky.
Dust Release.
Shigure raised his hand and grabbed it.
This time, he didn't use Gluttony to devour it.
He simply altered its nature—turning it from an erasing light into something solid and harmless.
Then he spun and hurled it aside.
Straight toward the Fourth Raikage's path.
The Raikage's eyes widened.
Not good!
Being hit by Dust Release—even with Lightning Chakra Mode—could be fatal.
He flickered aside just in time—
BOOM!
The beam detonated on the ground, carving a crater where he had stood.
A thunderous roar tore through the battlefield again.
Shigure lifted his gaze toward the airborne Third Tsuchikage, irritation flickering across his face.
"You're getting on my nerves… old man."
Ōnoki gave a strained smile, as if hoping Shigure might reconsider the path he'd chosen.
But the next instant—
Shigure teleported.
Ōnoki's eyes widened as Shigure appeared right before him, the blade already descending.
He looked up to see the edge of the sword resting at his forehead.
I'm finished…?
The thought froze him in place.
Was the Third Tsuchikage truly going to die here?
"Old man! Protect yourself!"
Deidara's voice snapped Ōnoki back to reality. He immediately wrapped himself in chakra.
A heartbeat later—
Boom!!
A spider-like explosive doll jumped from Ōnoki's cloak and detonated point-blank against Shigure.
Flames billowed outward, swallowing the area.
Even Ōnoki was blasted back, only saved when Deidara caught him midair.
"You alright, you stubborn fossil?!"
Ōnoki coughed, then managed a smile.
"I didn't expect one of your explosives to actually help."
Deidara grinned proudly.
"Of course! It's perfect art."
As the explosion's flames faded, a shimmering barrier of starlight evaporated around Shigure.
He stood completely unharmed.
Ōnoki let out a slow breath.
"Impressive… but his defenses are frighteningly strong."
Deidara crossed his arms in frustration. "I did save you, though!"
"Lord Raikage!"
The Fourth Raikage descended from the sky like a thunderbolt, lightning erupting violently across his body.
"This time, it's our turn to strike back, brat!"
Lightning Release: Liger Bomb!
Lightning Release: Ax Kick!
His heel smashed down with crushing force—
the ground split like a spiderweb under the impact—
—but Shigure's form vanished again.
A sudden pulse of danger surged through the Raikage.
Behind me—!!
He snapped his head up.
A blade thrust straight toward his chest.
Pchhk—
The sword pierced clean through, blood running down its length.
Shigure spoke calmly.
"Your speed is impressive… but compared to spatial ninjutsu, it's still too slow."
He slid the blade free.
Blood dripped onto the cracked earth.
A faint smile curved Shigure's lips.
A flash.
And the Fourth Raikage's head flew into the air.
Silence crashed over the battlefield.
Shigure…had killed the Raikage.
Tsunade frowned, a complicated, helpless expression crossing her face.
But before the shock settled, Shigure casually grabbed the falling head from midair.
He tossed it lightly in his palm.
Meanwhile, the Raikage's eyes darted around in confusion.
"Hm? Am I dead? Why… doesn't it feel like dying at all?"
(End of Chapter)
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