After the Fourth Raikage returned from the great river, the Medical Shinobi of Kumogakure examined and treated his body.
The Fourth Raikage's face was livid, his brow etched with a lingering, violent aura.
Having lost, he naturally wasn't in a good mood.
If it had been pure hand-to-hand combat, the Fourth Raikage would have had nothing to say about his loss, but Ryou had played dirty, refusing to engage him in a direct brawl.
This was incredibly disgusting!
Killer Bee comforted the Fourth Raikage, "Big Brother, you're too simple-minded. How could someone as devious as Uchiha Ryou fight you fair and square?"
The Fourth Raikage hammered a fist onto Killer Bee's head and roared, "Don't call your big brother simple-minded! You idiot! Bastard!"
After striking Killer Bee, the Fourth Raikage felt much more relaxed.
He apologized to the Third Hokage, "Sorry, Hiruzen-senpai, I've brought shame upon the Alliance!"
The Third Hokage comforted him, "It's fine. In wars between men, there are wins and losses. The most disappointing thing is that among so many of us, not one person dared to answer the challenge."
Mifune also advised the Fourth Raikage, "Raikage, you are still young. Ryou is older than you; losing is not shameful."
Despite the Fourth Raikage's dark and rugged appearance, he was actually only thirty years old, which was quite young for a Kage.
The Fourth Raikage nodded, but his mood wasn't much improved by the comfort.
A loss was a loss.
The Ryou across from him had previously been a mere Chunin who couldn't even perform Ninjutsu; yet, simply by resolving his physical defects, he had rapidly become a great enemy threatening the Five Great Nations.
It was true he was younger than Ryou, but the man was now an immortal. As time went on, Ryou would only pull further and further ahead of them.
The Fourth Raikage still had room to grow, but he would age. Once he grew old, his Shinobi capabilities would decline significantly.
Just like the Third Hokage beside him; in his youth, with that explosive temper, he would have taken his Adamantine Staff to challenge Ryou to a duel.
Now, the Fourth Raikage could still trade a few moves, but in the future, he would only be left in the dust.
"Very strange!"
Kakuzu rubbed his chin.
"(*￣︿￣). What's strange?!"
Hiruko watched from beside Kakuzu with jealousy, his teeth nearly shattering at the sight of Ryou's grand display.
This was because his Chimera Technique had played a huge role in Ryou becoming what he was today.
This kind of showing off should have been his, but this kid had taken all the glory.
Hiruko was consumed by envy and resentment!
Kakuzu said, "Uchiha Ryou shouldn't be fighting like this. With his strength, there's absolutely no need to use Kirigakure Jutsu to block the Raikage's vision."
Kakuzu had seen Ryou summon the Thousand-Armed Kannon. That wooden Buddha, hundreds of meters tall, would be an insurmountable mountain for the Shinobi Allied Forces the moment it was summoned.
That is absolute divine Senjutsu!
Even without the Thousand-Armed Kannon, Ryou could easily defeat the Fourth Raikage relying on his top-tier stats that approached Madara and Hashirama.
Yet now he was playing a mechanical game based on his opponent's weaknesses. What was he trying to cover up?
Jiraiya and Minato had also noticed. Ryou shouldn't be trading blows back and forth with the Fourth Raikage; given his temper, he should have kicked the Fourth Raikage to death in one blow.
And then mocked the Shinobi Allied Forces for having no one capable?
Jiraiya speculated, "Could he be out of form?"
Kakuzu mocked, "Is he a woman? Did his period come so he's out of form! I bet that's a clone!"
"A clone?!"
Jiraiya was stunned.
Kakuzu nodded, "Yes, a clone. Can't Uchiha Ryou's clone technique even fool the Byakugan?"
Jiraiya wondered, "If this is a clone, then what is the main body doing?"
"That I don't know. Maybe he's circling around to attack the headquarters!"
"Ah?!"
Ryou dispersed the mist and sat atop Matatabi.
His eyes held authority, his posture was as steady as a mountain, and every gesture exuded the sharp edge of a great general.
The cats behind Ryou beat drums and struck gongs, all shouting together that the General was mighty and the Shinobi Allied Forces was nothing special.
Ryou couldn't help but laugh loudly, pointing his halberd at the Shinobi Allied Forces group: "Ryou is here! None of you shall think of advancing a single step!"
"Arrogant!"
The Kumogakure group all had short tempers and couldn't stand others showing off; seeing Ryou so insolent, they could no longer endure it.
The Third Hokage took down his tobacco pipe and was about to step forward, but Minato beat him to it.
"Hokage-sama, let me do it! My Flying Thunder God Technique inherently places me in an invincible position."
The Third Hokage nodded, "Minato, I'm counting on you!"
Minato nodded, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Minato heading out to battle.
Even someone with a temper like the Fourth Raikage felt that things were now secure.
A man as gloomy and dark as Danzo loosened his clenched fists upon seeing Minato take the field.
When that blond guy stands there, it means stability!
Minato's raw stats might not be the highest, but his Flying Thunder God mechanics were top-tier. The fact that he could escape from Madara's hands several times proved the excellence of his Flying Thunder God mechanics.
Space-Time Ninjutsu were each more devious than the last.
Minato walked out from the Shinobi Allied Forces camp and stepped onto the rushing river.
The waves on the great river were turbulent, but Minato stood firm and steady.
His blonde hair whipped in the fierce wind, and his eyes were as calm as a deep pool, showing no sign of panic, only sharpness.
He remained unfazed even if a mountain were to collapse before him, his eyes unblinking even if a deer were to leap up beside him.
The Third Hokage took a puff of smoke, also feeling very gratified; Minato was exactly the excellent successor he had envisioned.
According to the original plan, the Third Hokage would have been criticized by the Village for compromising with other nations, waiving war reparations to restore peace quickly.
That would have been the moment for Minato to take office as Hokage.
But then the situation changed abruptly—
The Third Hokage never expected that Madara would still be lurking underground, playing dirty.
Danzo gave a mysterious snort; he had to admit Minato's excellence.
But unfortunately, the greatest hero of this war would be Orochimaru.
Minato is still too green!
Ryou sat on Matatabi's back, pointing his halberd at Minato: "Blond brat, I've spared your life several times, yet you keep pushing your luck. Today, I shall make sure you never return!"
Minato pulled a Flying Thunder God Kunai from his tool pouch and said tentatively to Ryou, "Ryou-senpai, you're a clone, aren't you?"
Ryou suddenly broke into a cold sweat.
"Haha, Minato, what are you talking about? If you're afraid to die, then scram back!"
"Ryou-senpai, why are you retreating?"
Ryou had Nekomata slowly back away, eventually retreating into the cat army behind him before anyone noticed.
He pointed at Minato and said, "Minato, it's too despicable for you all to take turns against me. I'll sit this one out; let my great general deal with you."
"A lion does not go all out when hunting a rabbit!"
"..."
Minato was speechless, becoming increasingly certain that the Ryou across from him was a clone. If it were the main body, he wouldn't be talking so much nonsense.
So the question was, should he expose him?
If he forced Ryou back, would Madara come out of the Hidden Rain Village to face the Shinobi army directly?
Minato informed Shikaku of the situation. Shikaku told Minato to stall for some time, as the three main divisions were about to reach their designated positions.
Plan B could be executed soon.
Minato was somewhat worried that Ryou might launch a sneak attack on Konoha, but Shikaku told him not to worry, as the headquarters had Minato's Flying Thunder God Kunai.
They would maintain contact at all times; if Ryou attacked, they would immediately have Minato bring people back.
Minato was no longer worried.
Ryou glanced left and right at his cat soldiers. His gaze seemed to cast a Genjutsu; any Shinobi Cat caught in his line of sight fell to the ground.
Lying there playing dead!
Fish Ball and Fortune in particular; the moment Ryou said a great general should fight, they immediately played dead.
These were the troops Ryou led!
"A bunch of useless trash. I pay you Jonin-level wages, and yet you turn out to be a bunch of cowards?"
"If no one steps up to fight, I'll confiscate all your salaries and halve your cat food."
Seeing this, the Shinobi Cats stopped playing dead. They pushed Fish Ball and Fortune in front of Ryou and splashed them with water to wake them up.
After waking up, Fish Ball and Fortune played dumb, acting all 'mambo mambo'.
Ryou poked Fish Ball and Fortune's heads with the butt of his halberd and said to them, "Who dares to fight? Whoever dares to fight, I shall name them my heir to inherit my great legacy."
"I volunteer to fight!"
Fish Ball and Fortune immediately stopped playing dumb.