Chapter 41

After a jar of top-tier fine wine entered his stomach.

The Third Raikage let out a long breath, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Although.

Their Cloud Village was also skilled at brewing wine.

It was still several grades inferior to the brewing techniques of the Senju of the Forest, which was also a major source of wealth for them.

As for.

That special kunai.

The Third Raikage also took it seriously and kept it safe.

From their correspondence, he could feel that the other party was a good brother worth deep friendship, not the two-faced kind, so he treated him with equal sincerity.

Ten days later.

As the war progressed.

The Third Tsuchikage Onoki, utilizing his advantage in troop numbers, completed an encirclement.

Regarding this.

In order to cover the Tailed Beast so it wouldn't be seized.

And to protect his subordinates and avoid the total annihilation of his army.

The Third Raikage decisively rejected the plan to lead his elite troops in a breakout. To buy time for his comrades to escape, he fought the Land of Earth's enemy forces—numbering as many as ten thousand ninja—all by himself, fighting alone without taking a single step back!

Among them.

Were the Third Tsuchikage Onoki.

And the Four-Tails jinchuriki Roshi.

These two Kage-level powerhouses were watching like tigers eyeing their prey.

Facing the Third Raikage, known as the strongest Raikage, they dared not be the least bit lax.

“Come!”

With a thunderous roar.

The Third Raikage activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

Known as the "Lightning Armor."

By concentrating Lightning Release chakra over his entire body, he covered himself in chakra and lightning, activating his physical body and enabling the use of the Lightning Body Flicker, while also greatly increasing his defensive capabilities. Simultaneously, the lightning surging within his body increased his nerve conduction speed.

As the Lightning Release chakra increased, his defense and speed would also grow.

The "Scroll of Formation" evaluates it: "Wrapping lightning around the body to increase hardness and speed, an armor that activates the physical body."

“Hell Stab—”

“Four-Finger Nukite!”

Concentrating a massive amount of lightning onto four fingers, he then thrust at the enemy at extreme speed.

The Third Raikage was like a wild horse unleashed.

He charged out ferociously.

Instantly decapitating over a dozen Stone ninja, leaving them dead on the spot.

Facing the Third Raikage, who possessed peak Kage-level strength, ordinary ninja were merely throwing their lives away, unless they used an absolute numerical advantage to exhaust his power.

“Quick, quick, quick!”

“Use ninjutsu to suppress him!”

“We cannot let him continue to act so recklessly!”

“Earth Release: Earth Shore Return!”

“Earth Release: Earth Prison Dome!”

“Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!”

“.......”

Facing the aggressive Third Raikage.

The surrounding Stone ninja couldn't help but swallow hard, begin forming hand seals, and bite the bullet.

As long as they swarmed him together.

They didn't believe this Third Raikage could kill them all.

Wave after wave of ninjutsu was relentlessly hurled at the Third Raikage, yet it had no effect, failing even to slow his advance. Violent lightning raged across the battlefield.

Watching the battlefield turn into a scene of carnage.

The Four-Tails jinchuriki Roshi said with some reluctance:

“Are we just going to watch like this? If Itachi and I joined forces, we could reduce many losses.”

The Third Tsuchikage Onoki shook his head:

“Itachi underestimate the Third Raikage too much. If he were in his peak state and fought us to the death, he could take at least one of us with him. Therefore, we must rely on our numerical advantage to exhaust his stamina and chakra.”

Clearly.

Onoki was following a safe and conservative path.

He didn't want a sure victory to be ruined by the Third Raikage taking out a Kage-level combatant before he died.

Of course.

This approach.

Was clearly inconsistent with the personality and temperament of the Four-Tails jinchuriki Roshi.

This is also why he would later choose to leave the Hidden Stone Village to wander the world; it was purely a clash of values with the Third Tsuchikage.

P.S.: Expected to go live on Monday the 4th at noon. Requesting first subscriptions in advance; the support of readers is the author's motivation to write more! ===== CHAPTER 84 =====

One day.

Two days.

Three days.

Of non-stop fighting.

The Third Raikage was like a war machine that never knew fatigue.

Constantly relying on his own hands to slaughter Stone ninja one after another, blood flowed like a river, and corpses piled up like mountains.

In three days.

The number of Stone ninja who died by his hands.

Had already reached over three thousand.

Equivalent to one-third of the besieging force, and among them were no shortage of jonin and chunin-level combatants. This is the combat power of a peak Kage-level!

Of course.

Compared to a Tailed Beast Bomb that clears the field in one shot.

Relying solely on his hands to fight, this killing efficiency was still a bit too low.

“Hoo—”

“Hoo—”

His breathing became abnormally rapid and disordered.

Even the Third Raikage, known as the strongest Raikage.

After fighting for three days and three nights, his stamina and chakra were nearing their limit. His body felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead, and even moving slightly was exceptionally difficult.

However.

The surrounding area was densely packed with Stone ninja.

Seeing this scene, the Third Raikage felt no fear of death; instead, he revealed a gratified smile.

Three days. ===== CHAPTER 85 =====

Should be enough to support his subordinates in retreating to a safe zone.

It is only a pity that he and Brother Senju Senju Senju Xingye have not yet met in person to drink and talk happily.

Presumably, after his death, A and Killer Bee should be able to shoulder the burden of the Cloud and become excellent Fourth Raikages.

“Finally reaching your limit?”

“Then, let me deliver the final blow.”

The sixty-something-year-old Third Tsuchikage Onoki.

Floated in the air.

He was the direct disciple of the First and Second Tsuchikage, and his strength was quite formidable.

He enjoyed the title "Onoki of Both Scales."

Proficient in Earth Release ninjutsu, he could use the "Dust Release," a Kekkei Tota that surpasses Kekkei Genkai, and was also one of the few ninja in the Five Great Nations who could fly.

Wearing a red scarf and a green vest.

Wearing the Tsuchikage hat.

Although his hair, beard, and eyebrows had turned white, and his face was covered in wrinkles, he was still full of spirit.

Wearing purple clothes and a chest plate, with his hair tied in a small ponytail at the back and sporting a large beard, the Four-Tails jinchuriki Roshi also appeared, completely blocking the Third Raikage's path of retreat.

“Onoki, Four-Tails jinchuriki.”

“Heh, your lineup is truly luxurious enough.”

“Clearly possessing two Kage-level combatants, yet Itachi still cower in the back, needing to let your subordinates exhaust my stamina?”

“........”

Looking at the two.

The Third Raikage couldn't help but snort coldly and say with disdain.

Two spineless cowards!

If they had fought him head-on.

Even if it were two against one, he would have no complaints if he lost.

But these two chose the most despicable method, sacrificing the lives of over three thousand Stone ninja, not caring at all about the casualties of their own subordinates—are they worthy of being called 'Kage'?

“Enough talk.”

“History is written by the victors; as long as we win in the end, that's all that matters.”

Regarding this.

The Third Tsuchikage Onoki said in a deep voice.

He didn't want to give the opponent more time to recover his stamina, so as to avoid bringing more trouble.

He clapped his hands together.

Then shouted: “Earth Release: Golem Technique!”

The Third Tsuchikage Onoki spat out a giant clay giant from his mouth.

It was both offensive and defensive, and could withstand Deidara's explosive clay.

Of course.

If this were facing the Third Raikage in his prime.

It would certainly be dismantled in minutes.

However.

Now facing the Third Raikage, whose stamina and chakra were nearly exhausted, this ninjutsu was still very threatening.

“Facing me in this state, Itachi don't even dare to approach me yourself, Onoki!”

“Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique!”

Onoki, already over sixty.

Naturally would not be provoked into anger so easily; he backhanded a buff onto his clay giant.

This technique.

Has the effect of petrifying the enemy and increasing their weight, making it difficult for them to move.

Or it can be used to increase one's own or a comrade's weight, enhancing attack strength.

With the damage boost on the clay giant.

The swinging fist.

Instantly whipped up a hurricane, as if to destroy everything.

“Is it...... over?”

His body.

Had reached its limit.

Attacks that he could break with a flick of his hand on any other day, he now had no way to squeeze out even a shred of stamina or chakra to counter.

Facing the arrival of death calmly.

Like a hero, the Third Raikage had long since prepared himself for death!

“Boom—”

The heavy fist.

Landed with a crash.

Causing the earth to shake violently.

Kicking up a large cloud of dust, obscuring the vision of the Stone ninja.

“Gulp—”

“Did...... did we kill him?”

“Finally managed to finish off this monster.”

“With Tsuchikage-sama taking action, there's definitely no problem!”

“No, wait—”

“In the smoke over there, there seems to be a figure still standing?!”

“........”

As the dust slowly dissipated.

What was presented before the Stone ninja was not the corpse of the Third Raikage.

But a handsome young man with black hair, standing in front of the Third Raikage, blocking the Third Tsuchikage Onoki's fatal blow with one hand.

Seeing this person.

The pupils of the Third Tsuchikage Onoki.

Couldn't help but shrink violently; he didn't expect it to be this person?!

“Senju Clan Head—Senju Senju Senju Senju Xingye!”

“As a person from the Hidden Leaf Village, why would Itachi appear on this battlefield?!”

“And Itachi're protecting the Third Raikage.”

“Are Itachi planning to make an enemy of our Hidden Stone Village?”

“........”

The Third Tsuchikage Onoki said with a gloomy face.

Having spent so much effort, and finally about to reap the fruits of victory, if it were intercepted halfway, that would be a huge loss.

Moreover.

When exactly.

Did the other party suddenly appear on the battlefield? He hadn't noticed at all.

Wearing a haori engraved with the Senju clan crest, utilizing the power of the 'Flying Thunder God Technique,' Senju Senju Senju Senju Xingye had traveled thousands of miles to support his Raikage brother; he was not the type to have a 'plastic friendship.'

Of course.

What appeared here at this moment.

Was not Senju Senju Senju Senju Xingye's true body, but his Wood Clone!

P.S.: Expected to go live on Monday the 4th at noon. Requesting first subscriptions in advance; the support of readers is the author's motivation to write more! ===== CHAPTER 86 =====