"Raikage-sama, timing is everything! We must strike while Konoha is still weak and crush them completely! The Byakugan is vital to us! Two years is too long to wait!"
The elder who had spoken earlier stood up again, his voice firm.
But before the Raikage could respond, a golden streak of light slammed directly into the roof of the Raikage's tower.
A massive impact caved in the roof, leaving a gaping hole.
Inside the Raikage's office, where the upper brass had been immersed in intense discussion, everyone stared blankly at the newly blasted ceiling.
As the dust settled—
They finally saw what had caused it.
It wasn't a ninjutsu projectile, nor an explosion—
It was a person.
The powerful shockwave just now?
It came from someone landing with sheer force.
Standing atop the rubble of the shattered roof was a blond young man, his eyes a piercing, glowing blue.
Even though it was broad daylight, being stared at by this man made many of the Cloud Village elite break out in cold sweat.
"Who the hell are you?!"
The Fourth Raikage was the first to step forward, his muscular body blocking the front line.
As always, the Raikage's approach was the polar opposite of the Third Hokage's.
One word: Brute force.
Samui's eyes widened as she stared at the intruder.
She let out a sharp gasp. Based on intelligence and known sketches—
"It's him! Uzumaki Naruto, the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails!"
Her words caused an uproar in the room.
The Raikage's expression darkened. He had, of course, heard of Naruto's recent havoc in Konoha.
And now, this very same Nine-Tails Jinchūriki had appeared at the heart of Kumogakure.
If the Nine-Tails went berserk here, it would spell disaster even for their fortified village.
"Nine-Tails Jinchūriki! What's the meaning of this?!"
The Raikage growled, beard bristling.
He didn't even call Naruto by name—
To him, it was the Nine-Tails sealed inside the boy that mattered.
But seeing Killer Bee (Eight-Tails) and Yugito Nii (Two-Tails) nearby—
The Raikage felt reassured.
"I'm not like that cowardly Third Hokage.
With two perfect Jinchūriki by my side, I'm confident I can take down even the Nine-Tails."
The same white-haired elder who had spoken up earlier had another idea:
"Konoha is in ruins. The Nine-Tails is standing right here.
This is perfect!
If we take him down, and claim the Nine-Tails, Kumogakure will become strong enough to unite the entire shinobi world!"
His speech carried the flair of a long-gone, bandage-wrapped zealot.
But he had drawn Naruto's attention.
Without saying a word, Naruto simply raised his hand.
Universal Pull.
Across the entire council chamber, the elder was dragged into Naruto's grip.
Crunch.
The elder, who had just been shouting, went silent.
Crushed like a bug.
Naruto dropped the corpse like trash onto the ground.
Killing a Kumogakure elder, without even questioning him, right in front of the entire Cloud high command—
That was a declaration of war.
"Bastard! You court death!"
The Raikage exploded in rage.
Powerful chakra surged around him, flipping desks and chairs in the blast.
Killer Bee and Yugito also went on high alert, ready to unleash their tailed beasts at any moment.
Knowing Naruto was the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, the Raikage didn't hesitate—
He immediately activated Lightning Release: Chakra Mode.
A massive aura of blue chakra engulfed his body, crackling with arcs of electricity.
"You've gone too far, brat!
Kumogakure won't let you run wild!"
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
The Raikage stomped the ground.
Wood and stone fragments blasted up as his massive frame shot toward Naruto like a missile.
He was famous for brute force and speed.
It was said that, in terms of burst velocity, the Fourth Raikage could match even Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash.
In a blink, he reached Naruto.
One hand raised—
A powerful chop aimed straight at Naruto's neck.
He was going for the kill.
Kumo's high command braced themselves—expecting to see Naruto struck down and hurled into the rubble.
But…
Naruto was watching calmly.
His Tenseigan, paired with the Transparent World, rendered the Raikage's movements clear as day.
Naruto extended one hand.
In his palm: a compressed version of Shinra Tensei.
An advanced form he had developed—
Compressed Repulsion Force, like Bartholomew Kuma's paw technique…
But far more lethal.
In front of the stunned onlookers—
The rampaging Raikage was slapped out of the air.
A single palm strike, seemingly casual—
Sent the Fourth Raikage crashing into the ground like a volleyball.
The resulting shockwave flattened the entire Raikage Tower.
Kumo's elites scrambled to dodge the falling debris.
When the dust cleared—
The Fourth Raikage lay in the wreckage, coughing up blood.
Even with his chakra armor, the impact had left him severely wounded.
His chakra was in chaos.
Struggling to rise, he looked up at Naruto hovering above…
Eyes cold and piercing.
"I… I was almost one-shot...?"
Even he didn't fully understand what had just happened.
He'd tanked Tailed Beasts before.
Yet this guy had slapped him down with a palm?
He doubted everything.
Not even his legendary father, the Third Raikage, had ever made him feel this crushed.
If he couldn't stand up to Naruto—
Then what hope did the others have?
The rest of Kumogakure's ninja stared in disbelief.
"This… this is the guy just slapped the Fourth Raikage like a fly?"
Samui's face was grim.
"Yugito, Bee—he's far too dangerous. You have to fight together!"
She couldn't explain it—
But looking into Naruto's glowing blue eyes made her feel instinctively afraid.
Yugito Nii stepped forward, catlike and agile under the influence of Matatabi.
Killer Bee, of course, couldn't resist a rhyme:
"Yo! Two-Tails, Eight-Tails, time to tag-team!
Unite and strike! Crush this dream! Oh yeah!"
He joined her at the front line.
Seeing the three strongest weapons of the Hidden Cloud standing together—
The Kumo leadership finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yugito! Bee! Transform now!
Normal taijutsu won't work on him!"