"Are we tied up? Hahaha! Thunder – Heavy Torrent!"
A roared, his grin twisted with cruelty.
Violent lightning crackled across his body, wrapping around him like a raging serpent. In a flash, his figure turned into blinding blue lightning, striking toward Ryoma like a hammer of thunder.
Team Seven clenched their fists nervously.
Minato instantly prepared the Flying Thunder God Technique, his body vanishing in a flicker of light.
Kushina and Mikoto tensed, eyes wide, as Ryoma stepped forward, shielding them with his back. The sight of him standing there, unwavering, filled them with relief. They exchanged a glance, their hearts steadied.
Ryoma's hand erupted with dazzling lightning.
"Chidori!"
Boom!
The two forces collided with an earth-shaking roar. A shockwave erupted from the impact, spreading outward like a storm.
The ground split apart with spiderweb cracks, while the makeshift battlefield began to collapse.
A's expression twisted, his arms trembling as he was forced back several steps.
Such power!!
Ryoma stood firm, his figure unmoving, not retreating an inch.
"Big Brother, be careful!"
Killer B shouted, immediately striking. His target was Minato, who had just reappeared with the Flying Thunder God.
Sensing the sudden danger, Minato reacted instinctively. His body twisted midair, redirecting his strike—originally aimed at A—towards Killer B instead.
A, completely trusting his brother, didn't even glance back, keeping his sharp gaze locked on Ryoma.
This guy is strange. His Suiton was overwhelming, his Raiton just as terrifying... and his taijutsu isn't any weaker than mine.
He grit his teeth. The thought of Ryoma rivaling him physically was unbearable, yet undeniable.
"The way of the shinobi is to face difficulties head-on!" A roared. "Come! Show me your strength!"
"Liger Bomb!"
A leapt high, his legs wrapped in searing thunder. His kick descended like a divine axe, enough to crush even the toughest Jōnin beneath it.
Ryoma's eyes narrowed. His hands formed seals.
"Flying Thunder God!"
Minato froze mid-battle, eyes wide.
What?! He's using the Flying Thunder God?!
Even more shocking—Ryoma wielded it with smoother precision than Minato himself.
Impossible… I've never even seen him use this technique before…
Boom!
A's thunderous kick smashed into the ground, carving a massive crater.
Meanwhile, Kushina and Mikoto quickly pulled the younger members back, retreating to safety.
But two Kumogakure Jōnin suddenly appeared behind them.
"Hmph. We'll capture them and use them against Ryoma and Minato—"
"Watch out!" Mikoto cried, spreading her arms in front of everyone.
But Ryoma appeared instantly, his voice like ice.
"Courting death!"
"Wood Release – Tree World!"
From the ground, countless thick roots and vines erupted, wrapping around the two attackers in an instant. In the blink of an eye, both Jōnin were bound tightly, struggling like helpless prey.
A's eyes widened. He can even use the Wood Release—the First Hokage's power?!
The longer this dragged on, the worse it became. Yet A clenched his fists. He had to stall Ryoma—the success of his father's plan depended on it.
But what A didn't know was that the Third Raikage was already fleeing, pursued relentlessly by one of Ryoma's shadow clones.
"You're strong," A admitted through gritted teeth. "The strongest young shinobi I've ever seen."
Ryoma sneered. "You're not qualified to judge me."
His hands flashed through seals.
"Enough playing around."
The ground trembled as countless roots surged toward A, swallowing the battlefield in a storm of wood.
The younger Kumo-nin stared in awe. None of them had ever witnessed the Wood Release of Hashirama Senju. The sight was overwhelming, godlike.
Can Lord A really win against this?
Even Killer B faltered, doubt flickering in his heart. But retreat was never an option.
A was the son of the Third Raikage—the future Fourth Raikage. He bore the pride of Kumogakure. He could not back down.
"Thunder Release – Lariat!"
His body became a blazing bolt of thunder, tearing through the forest of roots at blistering speed.
"Ryoma, watch out!" Kushina cried from behind.
Ryoma's hands blurred again.
"Wood Release – Wood Locking Wall!"
A massive wooden barrier rose, vines interlocking into a shield.
"Raaagh!"
A roared as he smashed into it. The wall splintered instantly, shattering into fragments.
In the next heartbeat, his arm was already inches from Ryoma's face—
"Wood Release – Wooden Golem Technique!"
At that moment, a massive wooden figure erupted from beneath Ryoma's feet—the Wood Release: Wooden Golem Technique.
A, already weakened after repeated clashes with his Lightning Release: Liger Bomb, crashed head-on into the towering construct.
Boom!
The wooden giant staggered back two heavy steps, but even as it retreated, its colossal fists swung forward.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Like a relentless pile driver, the wooden golem hammered down on A, each strike shaking the battlefield, clouds of dust and debris rising with every blow.
Just as A tried to force his way out, countless roots surged up from the ground, entangling his body and dragging him back into the storm of attacks.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The onslaught seemed endless.
Finally, the golem halted its strikes. The smoke slowly cleared, revealing A's battered form. His body was imprinted deep into the earth, pinned inside a massive crater. Thick wooden roots bound his limbs, leaving him unable to move.
"Urgh!"
A spat a mouthful of blood. The lightning that had cloaked his body flickered out and vanished.
He had lost.
Killer B and the other Kumogakure shinobi froze in shock.
Even Konoha's side was stunned.
The son of the Third Raikage—the man destined to become the Fourth Raikage, the pride of Kumogakure—had been defeated.
Beaten into the ground by Ryoma's wooden giant.
With a weak voice, A croaked, "Killer B… go…"
"No, Big Brother!" B shouted.
"Run, or it'll be too late!"
One of the Kumogakure Jōnin grabbed B's arm. "Lord B, we must go! Lord Raikage will exchange hostages for Lord A!"
Ryoma smirked. "Hostages? Do you really think the Raikage has any leverage left?" He turned. "Minato, bind A."
Killer B's eyes widened with fury, but before he could act, the other Kumogakure shinobi dragged him away. Reluctantly, he was forced to retreat, leaving behind his gravely injured brother.
"Tch."
Minato sighed, looking a bit dejected. "Great… I didn't catch anyone, and now I have to deal with him. I'm basically stuck with all the grunt work."
Ryoma patted his shoulder with a grin. "Minato, I'll leave A to you."
He pointed across the battlefield.
"And those two over there, plus that secretary—we'll count them all toward our credit this time."
"Kakashi, Obito—you two help your sensei."
Both boys let out long sighs.
"…Oh."
Once again stuck with the unglamorous work, Kakashi and Obito exchanged exasperated looks.
Ryoma ignored them. His hands flashed through seals, splitting into four shadow clones. In an instant, the clones vanished into the forest.
"Ryoma, are you chasing after the others?" Minato asked.
Ryoma shook his head. "Not them. I'm after the Third Raikage…" His eyes narrowed. "…and the Eight-Tails."
Everyone froze, stunned by the audacity of his words.
Capture the Third Raikage? And the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki?
It sounded insane.
But then again, hadn't the Third Mizukage already fallen to Ryoma? And hadn't he just defeated A as if it were nothing?
The thought settled over them like a storm.
Perhaps… even the Third Raikage might not be Ryoma's equal.
No one dared to voice it aloud. The very idea was unbelievable.
Just as Ryoma turned to intercept the Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails, an old man in a white robe suddenly appeared amidst the chaos of the rampaging beast.
Kumogakure's shinobi were fleeing in panic. When they caught sight of the mysterious elder, they froze for a brief moment, then dismissed him and continued their retreat.
"Rooooar!"
The Eight-Tails bellowed, charging straight toward the white-robed figure.
In that instant, the man's eyes opened—revealing the Rinnegan.
The elder was none other than Uchiha Madara.
In recent days, Madara had reclaimed one of his Rinnegan from Nagato. Ryoma's sudden rise had shaken him; he no longer dared entrust both eyes to the boy. At least for now, he needed one Rinnegan in his own possession.
Madara's gaze sharpened. In an instant, his genjutsu snared the Eight-Tails.
The beast's rampage halted, its will shackled.
Taking a deep breath, Madara made one of the riskiest choices of his long life.
The last time he had gambled so recklessly was at the Valley of the End, when he used Izanagi to cheat death.
This time, he chose to act not with shadows or deception—but with his true body.
There was no other way. Ryoma's power had grown too quickly. If left unchecked, he could become a threat even Madara could not control.
"Summoning Jutsu – Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!"
The earth shook as a colossal humanoid figure erupted into view—its withered, bark-like body towering over the battlefield, nine empty eyes carved into its forehead.
The fleeing Kumogakure shinobi turned back in horror.
"Wh-what is that?!"
Before their terrified gazes, the monstrous statue opened its maw. From within, a chain-like tongue shot forth, ensnaring the Eight-Tails.
Bound by Madara's illusion, the beast couldn't resist. In less than a minute, it was dragged screaming into the Gedo Statue's body.
One of the nine eyes on the statue's forehead suddenly snapped open, its empty socket filled with a pupil.
Panic rippled through the Kumogakure forces.
The Eight-Tails… the very symbol of our village… devoured by that monster?
In the next moment, Madara dispelled the summoning. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path vanished into smoke, leaving only silence and disbelief in its wake.
Then, under the horrified stares of friend and foe alike, Madara moved again.
"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A sea of flames burst from his mouth, swallowing the battlefield. Dozens of Kumogakure shinobi were incinerated instantly, reduced to ash in the inferno.
"Kh—"
Madara staggered, coughing blood, his expression dark. He turned his gaze toward Konoha's position.
"The Nine-Tails… and the Two-Tails…"
His voice was low, dangerous. His intent was clear.
...
TN:
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