Swish!
The Third Raikage's lightning-infused spearhand shot forward in a deadly thrust, the sheer force of the attack causing the air to ripple and explode. Yet, in the blink of an eye, Minato Namikaze vanished from his range, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer of golden light behind.
He reappeared moments later on the narrow mountain path, standing atop one of the Flying Thunder God marks he had laid out earlier.
"Bang! Bang!"
Elsewhere on the battlefield, A and Killer B were equally relentless. With precise strikes and overwhelming force, they managed to defeat Minato's two sage clones.
The clones dissolved into faint wisps of chakra, their energy scattering into the wind. The three Cloud Ninja regrouped, their sharp eyes turning toward the golden-haired shinobi standing calmly in the distance. Their gazes burned with intensity, their pride and frustration mounting.
Minato's mind, however, was elsewhere, piecing together the puzzle of his opponent's unusual vulnerability. "The wound on his chest… it really was caused by himself." The realization struck with absolute clarity. Despite the Raikage's formidable strength and defenses, the very weapon that made him nearly invincible—his lightning spear—was also his greatest flaw.
The Third Raikage's expression tightened as he assessed Minato's calculating gaze. He could sense the shift in his opponent's demeanor and knew that his secret had been uncovered. For a moment, unease flickered in his steely resolve.
"This brat... he deduced my weakness just by looking at me. What terrifying analytical ability."
Even as he acknowledged Minato's prowess, the Third Raikage's pride remained unshaken. He clenched his fists, the faintest hint of anger flashing in his eyes. "
This man... to use my own strength against me would be the ultimate insult."
Minato, too, understood the gravity of the situation. While he had discovered the Raikage's weakness, exploiting it would not be easy.
The Third Raikage was painfully aware of his own vulnerabilities and had long since taken steps to guard against them. This level of self-awareness, combined with his raw power, made him one of the most dangerous opponents Minato had ever faced.
The two warriors stood at an impasse, their battle momentarily paused. Minato's mind raced as he calculated his options. The Rasengan Shuriken had nearly broken through the Raikage's defenses, collapsing his formidable Lightning Style Armor. H
owever, the sheer amount of chakra required to rebuild the armor indicated that the Raikage was not invincible to sustained attacks.
"If I could land just one more Rasengan Shuriken... or perhaps two..." Minato mused, but even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew how unlikely it was.
He recalled the legendary tale of the Third Raikage fighting ten thousand shinobi over three days and nights, sacrificing himself to ensure his comrades' escape.
Such stamina and resilience bordered on the inhuman. In the present, only a few techniques in the ninja world might match his overwhelming defense—Hanzo's poison, the Dust Release of the Third Tsuchikage, or perhaps the devastating attacks of the tailed beasts.
"Even with this knowledge, breaking through his defenses a second time is next to impossible." The weight of the challenge pressed heavily on Minato's mind. A faint thought flickered at the edge of his consciousness, an idea he had dismissed earlier. This time, however, it returned with greater clarity.
"Perhaps that technique... perhaps it could work," Minato thought, his resolve sharpening. A name surfaced unbidden in his mind—Uchiha Yoruki.
The Mangekyō Sharingan's Rekka-No Ken the ability of Yoruki's left eye, was unlike any other. Its single devastating strike had proven unstoppable so far, cutting through every defense and obliterating the target in one blow.
Minato's Rasengan Shuriken had failed to penetrate the Third Raikage's armor because it lacked the pinpoint precision needed to exploit his vulnerability. But Yoruki's Rekka-No Ken could deliver the decisive attack.
For a moment, Minato's thoughts lingered on Yoruki's location—far away, on Konoha's front line against the Iwagakure forces in the Land of Grass. But there was no time to dwell on distant possibilities. His attention snapped back to the battlefield as the Third Raikage, A, and Killer B began their approach once more.
Swish, swish, swish!
The three warriors moved with blinding speed, their coordinated assault forcing Minato back into the fray. In an instant, the clashing of their attacks echoed across the mountain, the relentless exchange of blows blurring into a chaotic storm of lightning, chakra, and raw power.
Both sides fought with incredible intensity, but it was clear the battle could not remain isolated for much longer. The rumble of approaching footsteps and the faint flicker of distant chakra signatures heralded the arrival of reinforcements.
Ninja forces from both sides poured into the area, their presence adding to the tension as they positioned themselves along the battlefield's edges.
Minato, sensing their presence, glanced briefly in his direction. The moment passed quickly, but the recognition between tthem was unmistakable. Around them, murmurs rippled through the Cloud Ninja forces. Many stared at Minato in a mixture of awe and dread.
"That's Konoha's Yellow Flash…" whispered one Cloud Ninja, his voice tinged with fear.
In the Cloud Village, power was revered above all else, and the Raikage was seen as the pinnacle of strength. For these shinobi to see their Raikage, along with A and Killer B, fail to decisively defeat a single opponent was both shocking and humbling. Whispers of Minato's reputation had reached them before, but witnessing his brilliance firsthand was another matter entirely.
Even A, who prided himself on his strength, felt a growing sense of frustration. As he regrouped with the Third Raikage and Killer B, he turned to his father, his voice tight with suppressed emotion.
"Lord Raikage, should we call for reinforcements?"
The Third Raikage's gaze remained locked on Minato, his expression unreadable. The battlefield had grown chaotic, the terrain ravaged by Killer B's earlier attacks, leaving little room for large-scale maneuvers. Yet, despite the odds, the Third Raikage's will remained unshaken.
"No," he said finally, his voice low and resolute. "This battle is ours to finish."
Still, a flicker of annoyance crossed his features as his thoughts turned to the Third Mizukage. Originally, the plan had been for the four great nations to unite against Konoha, overwhelming them with sheer numbers and force. Yet the Third Mizukage's refusal to commit fully to the alliance had thrown their strategy into disarray.
"Damn the Third Mizukage," the Raikage muttered under his breath, his frustration palpable. "If he had done his part, Konoha would have been crushed already."
Thinking of this, the Third Raikage couldn't help but feel annoyed. Originally, the four families were dispatched together, and even now that Konoha's power was strong enough, it would be extremely difficult to deal with three Kages at the same time. However, although the Kirigakure side responded, the Third Mizukage had no intention of taking action. The Third Raikage's thunderous attack was intended to catch Konoha off guard, but he really couldn't imagine that even if he, Killer B, and A joined forces, they would still not be able to defeat Minato.
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