When Kizaru launched his attack on the Hidden Cloud Village, the elders of Kumogakure had already ordered their subordinates to send word to the Third Raikage, who had left the village earlier.
Just like how Konoha used messenger hawks, Kumogakure had its own flying ninja beasts for long-distance communication.
About ten minutes after Kizaru began his assault, the Third Raikage received the report that the village was under attack.
The moment he read it, he realized he had been tricked—but even so, he was not overly shaken.
There were still a large number of shinobi stationed in the village. Among them were Dodai, one of the promising powerhouses of the new generation, as well as an elder presiding over the defense.
In the Raikage's mind, even if the enemy was of Kage-level strength, facing so many elite shinobi within the village, the damage they could cause would be limited.
However, even though he had absolute confidence in Kumogakure's strength, the Third Raikage did not waste a single second. The moment he received the news, he turned around and rushed back toward the village at full speed.
While the Third Raikage was racing home, Kizaru was standing on the ruins of Kumogakure's buildings, one glowing index finger lazily pointed at the shinobi below, methodically silencing them.
Your Hidden Cloud Village tried to assassinate me twice just because I'm a genius from Konoha… and then you even put my friend's little brother on your assassination list.
So in return, I'll kill your genius, slaughter hundreds of shinobi, and knock down a few buildings along the way. Completely fair, right?
He wanted to say that out loud to the people below—but remembering Sarutobi Shinnosuke's warning, Kizaru swallowed the urge. There was no need to reveal too much of the truth.
That said, if you looked at the current ninja world, there really wasn't anyone besides him who could fire lasers with ninjutsu.
In that sense, trying to "hide" his identity didn't mean very much to Kizaru.
Unless he never appeared on the battlefield again, or stopped taking missions entirely.
He roughly calculated the time in his head.
The Third Raikage should be back soon.
On top of that, the Kumogakure forces he could sense gathering from afar with his observation Haki were already starting to surround the area.
Kizaru made his decision.
He would retreat.
With the ability to fly at high speed, Kizaru had no intention of acting like some muscle-headed brute who fought thousands of shinobi for three days and three nights and then died of exhaustion.
"What a pain. Getting surrounded here would be annoying."
Murmuring that in his usual languid tone, he turned into golden light and rose into the air.
Hovering for a moment, he glanced down at the gathering shinobi and offered them a casual farewell.
"Thank you for the hospitality. I'm very satisfied. I'll come again next time."
With that, completely ignoring Kumogakure's reaction, Kizaru shot off into the distance as a streak of light.
As they watched him fly away, the leaders of the assembled shinobi turned as one toward the elder in charge.
"Don't pursue," the elder ordered, voice firm. "Clean the battlefield and rescue the wounded."
"Elder!"
A jōnin, unable to accept this, stepped forward with a protest. "Are we just going to watch the enemy leave?"
"Then go."
The elder's reply was like the roar of an angry lion, his gaze cutting straight through the man.
"I—"
The jōnin, fully aware of the difference in power between himself and that monster in the sky, shut his mouth and lowered his head, unwilling but unable to refute him.
"Damn it, this is so frustrating…" someone muttered under his breath, eyes reddening with grief and anger.
"If only Lord Raikage were here," another said bitterly.
"Yeah! Once Lord Raikage comes back, he definitely won't let that bastard get away with this!"
Many shinobi echoed that sentiment one after another. In their minds, if the Third Raikage had been present, he would never have let the enemy run rampant like this.
Listening to the voices around him and looking at the shinobi scattered across the ruined village, the elder slowly closed his eyes.
How miserable. How shameful. How hateful.
When he thought of Dodai's sacrifice, a sharp pain like a blade twisted in his chest.
The death of such an elite in battle was a devastating blow to the village.
"Silence!"
Snapping his eyes open, the elder roared with all his strength, his gaze sweeping harshly over the shinobi around him.
"Clean the battlefield! Rescue the wounded!" he repeated, every word heavy and uncompromising.
Hearing the order again, no one dared to continue grumbling. The surrounding shinobi spread out, beginning to clear the corpses, extinguish fires, and treat the injured.
Leaving the Hidden Cloud behind, Kizaru, still flying through the air, descended onto the mountain peak where he had first monitored the Raikage.
Concealing his presence with his light-based jutsu, he quietly sat cross-legged, recovering his strength as he waited for the Third Raikage to return to the area.
Kizaru wasn't planning on a life-and-death fight with the Third Raikage.
He just wanted to leave a "gift" for the man who had ordered his assassination twice in a row.
After waiting for roughly five minutes, Kizaru, who had been resting with his eyes half-closed, spotted the Third Raikage charging along the path below.
Rising to his feet, Kizaru watched the Raikage approach the mountain range, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
In the blink of an eye, he flashed forward, appearing directly in front of the Third Raikage.
A blinding flare erupted from his body.
Just like all the opponents Kizaru had faced before, the Third Raikage was caught in the sudden glare. His eyes were seared by the intense light, and his vision was instantly overwhelmed.
Against a master of this level, Kizaru had no intention of holding back. He attacked at full power from the very start—his right leg wrapped in golden light as he swung it in a powerful motion.
The Third Raikage, taken completely by surprise, barely had time to react. His Lightning Release Chakra Mode had not been fully activated, only partially covering his body.
Standing at about two meters tall, the Third Raikage's waist was exactly at the height of Kizaru's side kick. The blow slammed into his flank and sent him flying.
The assault didn't end there. From Kizaru's extended right leg, a thick laser blasted forth, chasing after the Raikage's tumbling body and striking him cleanly in midair.
However, by that time the Third Raikage had already fully activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, forming the strongest defensive technique he possessed—his Lightning Release Armour—to withstand the pursuing laser.
Forcing his battered body to adjust, he twisted in midair and landed heavily on his feet, facing Kizaru head-on.
His waist and abdomen throbbed with pain, his internal organs clearly damaged. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he stared at his opponent with a grim expression.
"Who are you?"
Lightning crackled around him, his hair standing on end beneath the Raikage's mantle. Cloaked in his armour of lightning, he glared at Kizaru and demanded an answer in a low, thunderous voice.
Seeing that the Third Raikage could still stand and fight after taking his most powerful opening combination, Kizaru couldn't help but let out a soft sigh of admiration.
"What a monster~."
The instant those words left his lips, the Third Raikage stopped wasting breath and charged.
Kizaru did not simply stand there and allow the attack to pass through his intangible light form. Instead, he turned into golden light and shifted his position in a high-speed flicker.
After evading the first lunge, Kizaru's figure reappeared a short distance away.
"So dangerous~," he drawled, as if commenting on the weather rather than a Kage-level blitz.
Watching that high-speed movement, the Third Raikage's expression turned even more severe.
His right hand straightened into a spear-hand, thumb folded firmly against his palm. Unaware of the situation back in the village, he had decided to end things quickly and take this mysterious enemy down as fast as possible.
He went straight for his trump card.
Lightning surged, and the Third Raikage's body blurred.
Using his ultimate technique—Hell Stab: Four-Finger Spear Hand—the Third Raikage became an afterimage, thrusting straight toward Kizaru with lethal intent.
In response, Kizaru didn't retreat. He stepped forward instead, offering his own "gift" in return.
Raising his right hand, he focused his Armament Haki into his index finger. At the same time, his body transformed into light once more as he charged to meet the Raikage head-on.
Navy Six Style: Finger Gun—combined with Armament Haki and the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
A different-world version of the Hell Stab—Kizaru's own one-finger spear.
Having turned fully into light, Kizaru arrived first, appearing right in front of the Third Raikage.
Both of them thrust their right hands forward, stabbing toward each other's bodies at the exact same moment.
The Third Raikage's spear-hand stabbed toward Kizaru's left side—only for him to realize, in shock, that half of Kizaru's body had turned into light and slipped around the blow.
At the same time, Kizaru's index finger pierced cleanly into the Third Raikage's chest.
"What a pity~," Kizaru murmured with a faint smile.
As soon as he said that, his body turned back into pure light and vanished from in front of the Third Raikage.
The Raikage lowered his gaze.
There, in the center of his chest, was a bloody hole—no more than half an inch away from his heart.
In that instant, the Third Raikage fully understood what Kizaru's words had meant.
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