Whoosh—!
A sharp whistling tore through the air, followed by the explosive crack of thunder, echoing from due north.
The Third Raikage, A, leapt high into the sky, his body wrapped in the volatile glow of Lightning Release Chakra Mode. With a deafening boom, he ca crashing down just ten ters in front of the Konoha group!
Judging by the sheer montum, it was clear he intended to crack open the ground, creating a deep crater as an intimidating show of force.
But...
The ground beneath the Konoha shinobi wasn't normal terrain—it was ford from Sage Art Wood Release, at least several dozen ters thick. Its durability and toughness were in a completely different league.
A wasn't here to launch an actual attack or dive underground—just to make a dramatic entrance. So with insufficient force behind the impact...
Duang—!
With his legs spread shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent to absorb the impact, the Third Raikage ended up bouncing off like a startled toad. He flipped mid-air, tracing a neat arc before landing again—this ti a good several dozen ters away.
Silence blanketed the scene.
The Konoha shinobi collectively fought the urge to curl their toes in secondhand embarrassnt. The Third Raikage had his back to them—unsure if he should turn around or not.
Damn it!
Who the hell made this ridiculous ground? Does your village just have unlimited lumber or sothing?!
Wait... actually, in Konoha, maybe that is the case...
"🎵 Hardened wood beneath his feet, with bounce and spring—what a feat! 🎵 Our third got launched, no words to say—OH YEAH! 🎵 At least the ground ain't hollow, no pitfall play—YE YE YEEE~! 🎵"
Killer B's signature offbeat rapping echoed out.
Thud!
"You idiot! Take this seriously!"
A sharp fist landed on Killer B's head. A, not yet the Fourth Raikage, had veins bulging on his forehead from frustration.
Their father—the Third Raikage—had just made a fool of himself. That ant Kumogakure's reputation had taken a hit!
And this moron still had the nerve to freestyle rap about it?
What, was he trying to make the Konoha shinobi laugh themselves to death?
Whoosh—!
Another shrill sound sliced through the air.
Onoki of the Dust Release, riding a flight path stabilized by Earth Release: Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique, ca plumting down toward the exact spot where the Raikage had just bounced off.
He was pissed.
It was one thing to be slower than the Third Raikage. But even the younger generation from Kumogakure had outpaced him?!
Still... didn't the Raikage just get flung away like a ragdoll?
Muscle-brained fool.
Let this old man show you how a real entrance is done.
"System, grant Onoki [Hard Landing]."
Yamanaka Shinno frowned, eyes narrowing as he saw earth chakra rapidly gathering under Onoki's feet.
Seriously?
The Third Raikage hadn't even taken a hit and still made a ss of his entrance.
And now this guy—who'd already been smacked into a PTSD spiral the last ti—was puffing his chest again?
A flash of gray light, invisible to all but Shinno, blinked into Onoki's body and vanished.
One second later—
Boom—CRACK—THUD!
With brutal montum, Onoki slamd into the ground. A sharp crunch ca from his lower back—sothing clearly popped out of place.
Before he could react—
The added force from Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique caused his knees to buckle. He dropped straight into a full-on kneel, palms slamming the ground as he ended up kneeling right in front of the Konoha shinobi.
"..."
The silence that followed was heavier than before. It was the kind of hush that made people forget to breathe.
"🎵 Plum blossoms bloom once—twice if fate is kind! 🎵 Accidents arrive—one after another, ti after ti! 🎵 Two old n—three if we count..."
Smack!
"Shut up!"
A's face was pitch black as he smacked Killer B upside the head again.
Joking about Onoki was one thing, but did he really have to roast both of their Third Raikages in the sa verse?
"Tch. The Tsuchikage sure has no backbone."
The Third Raikage saw an opportunity and turned back around, seizing the mont to throw shade.
That damned old man.
They had a deal—sothing that clearly benefited both Iwagakure and Kumogakure. But no, Onoki insisted on dragging his feet, trying to push Kumogakure out in front to test the waters first.
Serves him right to end up kneeling like that today!
"I've already stepped down! If you want to mock soone, go after Kitsuchi!"
Onoki was sweating bullets from the pain, but still fired back without hesitation.
At least the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had waited until after he stepped down to start acting spineless. Onoki had gotten backstabbed while still in office!
And now? He was a retired old man.
Let the current Tsuchikage handle it.
He never asked Kitsuchi to take over anyway!
"Wha—?! You can't just...!"
Kitsuchi, the Fourth Tsuchikage, finally arrived—rushing in breathlessly. He moved to help Onoki up.
"Don't move ! It's—It's broken!"
Onoki snapped, voice strained with pain.
He knew his back well. One wrong lift and the injury would get even worse.
"...I was gonna challenge you to a duel," Tsunade muttered after a long pause, lips twitching with frustration. "But now you go and hit with this grand display of respect—makes it hard to throw a punch."
She stepped forward, frowning at the scene.
Kitsuchi looked sheepish under her gaze, the brim of his Tsuchikage hat casting a nervous shadow. He half-knelt beside Onoki, holding out his palm glowing with green chakra as Tsunade activated her Healing Jutsu.
Crack—!
The dislocated disc snapped back into place. The surrounding muscle tissue quickly nded under her chakra.
"That was just a fluke! If Lady Tsunade still wants to spar, once this business is over, I'm always up for a match!"
Onoki sighed in relief as the pain lted away, his voice regaining so strength.
Looking at the deep indentations on the wooden floor—clearly from soone slamming their knees down—he couldn't help but feel a strong urge to flee back to Iwagakure.
Damn it, why did this have to happen now of all tis?
His entire lifeti of honor and prestige—ruined!
"Mild bone fracture. Surface-level healing will hold you together for now, but your body's too old to handle much strain. Rest for another half month once you're back."
Tsunade stood up, and the glow of her dical ninjutsu faded from her palms.
Sure, she had the skill to get Ōnoki back on his feet without shaving off even a second of his lifespan.
But why should she?
Healing him at all was already a favor—for Kitsuchi's sake, since he seed genuinely committed to uniting the villages.
...
"You want to fight the Hokage?" The Third Raikage A glanced sideways at Yamanaka Shinno, who still hadn't said a word.
He understood very well that the legendary Wood Release was an insurmountable mountain.
And they would eventually have to face it head-on.
But rumor had it that the current Fourth Hokage, Tsunade, was very close with Shinno. If he could defeat Tsunade and use her as leverage...
Iwagakure would have no choice but to act!
Ōnoki wasn't the kind of man to sit back and compromise.
Four-Tails, Five-Tails, Eight-Tails, Ōnoki, Kitsuchi, plus his own son...
If there was even a chance to defeat Konoha by working together, then they just might have what it takes to take down the Wood Release user today!
And if they failed?
Kumogakure had never believed in anything but strength.
The strong make the rules.
As the Third Raikage, there was no way he'd knowingly send his subordinates to die in a losing battle. That wasn't leadership.
As for Kirigakure...
Those bastards in the Mist Village leadership—if even one of them had an ounce of sense, he wouldn't be forced to gamble everything here today!
...
"Just you alone?" Tsunade's eyes lit up slightly.
She'd nearly died to a single bite when unlocking her power, then got pounded into the dirt by her great-grandfather's wooden puppet.
"Don't worry, you won't die," he said. "Call it training."
Well, she wasn't having it.
Right now? She wanted to punch soone.
...
"My subordinates have long admired the strength of Konoha's shinobi," the Third Raikage said, frowning slightly. He wasn't sure why Tsunade looked... excited?
Still, he gestured subtly to Killer B and the others behind him.
...
"The Eight-Tails is mine."
Kushina cracked her knuckles, her eyes burning with anticipation as she stared at Killer B.
It was her first ti facing a Jinchūriki from another village.
No way was she missing this chance!
...
"YOUTH—!"
"I, uh—"
Might Duy had just opened his mouth for a hot-blooded catchphrase when Uchiha Fugaku rushed forward.
Quickly, Duy yanked him back.
"Hokage-sama and Shinno-sama not only healed my body, they saved my youth! Fugaku-san, I must repay this debt—"
"Our Uchiha Clan has long been under the protection of Hokage-sama and Shinno-sama," Fugaku said, his Sharingan spinning. "As clan head, I've always wanted to express my gratitude..."
The two of them locked eyes, Sharingan blazing, each trying to convince the other to step aside.
...
"I've always wanted to test myself against the Sharingan. Hokage-sama, I hope you don't mind."
Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki from Iwagakure, stepped forward and issued a challenge to Fugaku.
Ōnoki and Kitsuchi stared at him in disbelief.
Fugaku instinctively glanced at Kushina.
When Shinno ntioned the Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Eight-Tails earlier, he'd definitely singled out Kushina.
This was her call.
...
"He's all yours."
Kushina waved her hand cheerfully, handing off Rōshi like a hot potato.
...
"Much appreciated, Kushina-sama."
Fugaku's face creased into a rare smile, already thinking about gifting her a couple of pri storefronts.
He'd heard she liked collecting rent.
...
"Anyone else from Iwagakure wanna spar?"
Tsunade turned to Ōnoki and Kitsuchi, then pointed toward Yamanaka Shinno.
"Compared to Shinno, I'm nothing. And the old man here's too brittle for combat. As for Han, he's never liked fighting. Why don't we head inside for a little... diplomatic discussion?"
Kitsuchi quickly supported his father, and with a discreet hip-bump, nudged Han as well—terrified that either of them would jump into the fray like Rōshi.
...
"My back! Watch my back!"
Ōnoki yelped as Kitsuchi's grip tightened. He knew exactly what kind of monsters Konoha had dragged back using Edo Tensei—First Hokage, Second Hokage, even Uchiha Madara.
Unlike those idiots from Kumogakure who didn't realize how serious this was, he had no intention of ending up like Rōshi.
The idiot deserved the beating he was about to get.
...
"Hmph. This is my decision, not Iwagakure's."
Rōshi sneered at Ōnoki's furious glare, locking eyes with Uchiha Fugaku.
...
"Alright, everyone! Let's go have so tea."
Yamanaka Shinno waved to Kurama Sōun, Hyūga Hiashi, and the others as he led the group toward the main building.
...
"Hokage—watch out!"
The Third Raikage had no patience left.
As soon as Shinno was out of range, A narrowed his eyes. Lightning Release Chakra Mode flared around him, and he beca a bolt of lightning streaking toward Tsunade.
Hell Stab: Four-Finger Piercing Hand!
BOOM!
Tsunade blocked the attack with one fist, skidding back across the ground and carving long trenches in the earth with her heels before she stopped.
She glanced at her hand, where the lightning had barely pierced the skin.
Instead of alarm, her face lit up.
"Sage Art: Yin Seal Release – Sage Mode!"
"Magical Girl Transformation!"
Tsunade twitched.
Kushina had yelled the last line at the exact sa ti.
Damn it.
If she'd known, she never would've shouted her technique na too.
Was this idiot girl infected by Shinno's nonsense?
This was a fight, not a cosplay skit!
You can't just yell "Magical Girl Transformation" with a straight face—it totally kills the vibe!
And you're twenty years old, not twelve!
Can you please stop calling yourself a "girl"?!
----------------
Pls Drop so Power Stones
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