Seeing that Raikage's attack was coming, Haruto's pupils shrank suddenly. It would be dangerous to take this blow head-on. Was the gap in actual combat experience too big? Even though Haruto had more strength than Raikage, he was still in such a dangerous situation. If it were Jiraiya-sensei or even Kakashi-sensei, they wouldn't have fallen into the trap so easily.
Haruto struggled violently, but to no avail.
"Go to hell, brat." Raikage leaped high and rushed toward Haruto.
While Haruto was fighting fiercely, Kakashi and Sasuke were also engaged in battle.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom! After a burst of smoke, nothing appeared.
Kakashi frowned. Even the summoning technique was sealed? It seed this space had been locked, just as they said.
It's really troubleso. Wouldn't Sasuke and I beco a burden like this?
Was it that powerless feeling again, just like back then?
Suddenly, Kakashi recalled the painful mories he'd experienced over the years.
Rin... Obito-sensei... I couldn't save them... and now the teacher's orphan has also died in front of . Kakashi, you're still such a waste.
"Sasuke, you idiot."
"Sasuke, cry if you want, I won't laugh at you."
"Sasuke, I will definitely surpass you."
Clips of Sasuke, Naruto, and the past replayed in Sasuke's mind. Stimulated, Sasuke lost his composure.
"Ah—I'm going to kill you!" Sasuke yelled frantically. At this mont, he activated his Sharingan (Three Tomoe) and Cursed Seal of Heaven. He charged forward desperately, leaving deep scars.
Suddenly, a pair of hands pressed on Sasuke's shoulders. Sasuke turned and stopped when he saw it was Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei."
"Sasuke, calm down. I know you're sad, but now is not the ti to be."
"But... it's Naruto. Ugh—" Sasuke tried to hold back his tears.
"Damn it... I swore I'd never cry again."
Kakashi couldn't help the waves of grief, but soon he hid his emotions and said seriously, "Now is not the ti to be sad. Sasuke, haven't you noticed? We've beco bait to lure Haruto."
"Bait?" Sasuke looked blankly toward Haruto.
"That's right. Without us, Haruto would've easily withdrawn from this disadvantageous battlefield. But because of us, he had to give up his best fighting style and fight Raikage head-on."
Kakashi looked around. "Didn't you notice? They don't dare to kill us. With their numbers, we shouldn't have lasted this long. They're just afraid Haruto will escape, so they're dragging us down."
Sasuke was silent for a mont. "I understand."
Suddenly, Sasuke raised a kunai to his neck and laughed coldly. "In that case, they'll have no way to threaten Haruto."
Kakashi quickly stopped him. "Don't be impulsive, Sasuke! It's not ti yet. The reason we're stuck is because we fell into the enemy's trap. Haruto's space-ti ninjutsu and summoning techniques are sealed. They don't dare kill us—this might actually be our advantage."
"What should I do, Kakashi-sensei?"
"I have a plan. You just need to do this," Kakashi whispered.
"Lightning Release : Chidori!"
"Lightning Style: Black Lightning"
Crack! The two waves of energy collided violently in mid-air. Kakashi and Darui passed by each other.
Kakashi turned toward Sasuke, as if worried for his student's safety.
Darui continued attacking. "We're in the middle of battle, I don't have ti to babysit."
Kakashi quickly changed direction to avoid him.
Boom! Sasuke was knocked to the ground by a Cloud jōnin.
"Kid, you're pretty slippery."
Sasuke stood up after a mont, gritting his teeth, continuing to fight and change positions.
anwhile, Kakashi fought evasively, keeping an eye on Sasuke.
"Lightning Style: Twin Chidori"
"Lightning Style : Black Panther!"
Again, Kakashi and Darui clashed.
Just as they were about to collide, Kakashi suddenly pulled back his Chidori and hid it behind him.
???
Seeing this, Darui broke into a cold sweat. They were supposed to just restrain the brat—they couldn't die here.
As a last resort, Darui withdrew his attack and stopped.
Kakashi smirked coldly, ignored him, and rushed in a different direction.
Darui's eyes widened. "No... that direction is—"
"Eight Gates Released Formation – Gate of Pain: Open"
Kakashi opened the Gate of Pain. His speed surged, and the Chidori in his hand grew, glowing with intense blue light.
In a hidden underground chamber, Mabui, who was maintaining the sealing formation, suddenly felt intense killing intent. She opened her eyes just in ti to see Kakashi charging toward her.
"Not good! Stop him!"
Seven or eight Cloud ninja quickly blocked Kakashi.
But Kakashi didn't slow down. With hands spread wide, he charged fiercely.
Slash!
Kakashi pierced through the formation. The ones in his way were all fatally wounded. He, too, took a dozen deep wounds.
Spurt! Just before reaching Mabui, Samui pulled her aside—but took a hit to the shoulder.
Kakashi didn't chase. Instead, he moved to eliminate all the sealing staff.
Huff... huff... Kakashi panted heavily after finishing them off.
Darui arrived just after Kakashi had killed everyone.
Thud! Darui kicked Kakashi to the ground.
"How did you find us?"
"Hehe... easy. A large sealing formation like this requires a lot of people. Even if you hid it well, Sasuke and I kept provoking and baiting you. Based on your response and movent patterns, we figured out your general location. Lucky for us, you didn't dare to kill us—or this plan would've never worked, haha."
"As expected from Konoha's famous Copy Ninja. What a brilliant plan," Darui praised. But then he looked at Haruto, still trapped by chains. "Too bad... you were too late. This will all be over soon."
Ahem. Kakashi spat out blood—then burst into laughter.
"Why are you laughing?"
"I'm laughing because you're celebrating too early. This barrier didn't just block Haruto's power..."
Kakashi's Sharingan spun violently—and a strange triangular sickle-wind pattern appeared in his eye.
"Kamui!"
"It's ti to end all of this!" Raikage roared frantically and charged toward Haruto Itsuki.
"Damn it!" Haruto struggled against the chakra chains binding him—but there was nothing he could do.
"Huh?" Just as Raikage was about to deliver the finishing blow, he suddenly felt his heart beat violently.
A strong premonition of death flooded his senses. Though groundless, this instinct had saved Raikage many tis.
His gaze snapped toward the source of the murderous intent—Kakashi, far in the distance. Even across that space, Raikage saw the strange, spinning windmill pattern of Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
"This is bad!"
Raikage imdiately tried to retreat, but his montum was too fast to stop abruptly.
Boom! He stomped down and retreated with a shockwave. A mont later, Raikage looked down at his shoulder—his left arm was gone, severed cleanly like it had been sliced by a mirror.
"So close... If I had been a mont slower, I would've been bisected." He stared solemnly at Kakashi. "I didn't expect such a hidden trump card. Konoha is truly full of hidden monsters..."
Shhhhhh— Blood sprayed from Raikage's shoulder. He quickly used chakra control to lock his muscles and stop the bleeding.
But when he turned back to Haruto, his heart sank.
The tiger was off the chain.
Kakashi's Kamui had severed not only Raikage's arm—but also the chain on Haruto's left wrist.
"Murasa!" Haruto seized the opportunity. As Raikage was forced back, Haruto retrieved his sword and slashed through the remaining chains.
Crack! Crack! Crack! With each broken restraint, Raikage's face turned darker.
Haruto was now fully unleashed.
Raikage had no trump cards left—the outco was clear.
Haruto lifted his sword and approached.
Raikage, though injured, surged forward again. Chakra surged wildly
Lightning Style: Righteous Thunder – Divine Wrath Axe!"
Haruto didn't take the strike head-on. Instead, he threw Flying Thunder God Kunai in multiple directions, teleporting and targeting Raikage's exposed left side.
"Lightning Style: Lateral Strike Dance!"
Raikage's furious strikes missed again. Haruto reappeared behind him and stabbed deep into his thigh.
Raikage collapsed. With no strength left in his legs, he was vulnerable.
Haruto stabbed downward—Murasa piercing Raikage's lower abdon and nailing him to the ground.
"Pfft—" Raikage vomited blood, breathing heavily, unable to resist further.
Haruto lood over him.
"You feel it?" Haruto's tone was cold. "This is just the beginning. I won't let you die quickly—I want you to feel the pain."
Seeing Raikage's blank expression, Haruto grew angrier. He yanked Raikage upright.
"Is it not enough? Then watch—I'll wipe out Kumogakure. No—I'll bury all of the Land of Lightning for what you did. I'll make you feel true despair."
Raikage's eyes finally showed emotion. He looked at Haruto and spoke quietly:
"There's nothing left to say. This is the way of the world: the victor decides the fate of the defeated."
Boom! Haruto punched Raikage across the face.
"Is that expression supposed to make it right? If you hadn't started this war, would so many have died?"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Fists rained down—Raikage remained silent.
"Damn it!" Haruto vanished with Flying Thunder God.
anwhile—
Boom! Darui knocked Kakashi to the ground. But Kakashi just laughed, blood spilling from his lips.
Furious that Kakashi had severed Raikage's arm, Darui gathered chakra in both hands and struck at Kakashi's neck.
"STOP!" Sasuke arrived just in ti, tackling Darui aside.
Darui lashed out in rage—punching Sasuke down, drawing a kunai.
He flung it straight at Sasuke—
"Sasuke!" Kakashi cried, but he was too exhausted to move.
Then—a shadow blocked the kunai.
"You already took one of my most important people. You want another?" Haruto appeared before Sasuke, eyes burning with rage.
Darui, roaring, charged.
Haruto casually tossed a kunai—Hiraishin.
Now boosted by both the Cursed Seal and Eight Gates, Haruto's reflexes had caught up with his space-ti ninjutsu.
Whoosh— Haruto vanished, reappeared behind Darui.
Darui counterattacked—but hit only air.
Haruto reappeared again—his speed now untouchable.
Slash! Darui's arms and legs were sliced open. He collapsed—completely defeated.
Haruto dragged Darui back—along with Kakashi and Sasuke—to Raikage.
"Words don't work? Then maybe this will." Haruto sliced off Darui's left leg with Murasa.
"Ahhhh—!" Darui scread in pain.
"Still silent? Raikage—do you feel regret?"
Raikage's expression finally twisted in sorrow.
"Regret? Maybe. If I knew it would co to this, I might not have chosen war."
He looked blankly at the sky.
"But that doesn't an I was wrong. You talk of peace, but look at what you've done. You claid you'd never destroy our village—yet now you threaten to annihilate our entire land."
"If I said I wanted peace now, would you believe ? You wouldn't. I once believed in peace, like you. But the world doesn't work that way."
"We lose soone... we hate. That hate makes us hurt others. And it goes on and on. That's this world. That's why I couldn't trust you. That's why I wanted to destroy you first."
Haruto's face twisted.
"So you're blaming for this war?"
"I'm showing you reality. Sure, you can kill . You can wipe out Kumogakure. But my people won't stop. My brother... he'll avenge . Kumogakure will retaliate. Then Iwagakure and Kirigakure will rise, fighting for power. The weak will suffer. Small nations will be trampled. You say you want peace? This chaos will begin with you."
Haruto raised Murasa—then stopped.
His hand trembled.
Raikage might be lying. But...
What should I do?
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