Chapter 99: One Versus Three
Although the Fourth Raikage's metal arm ring was able to block Yusuke's fiery blade, Ryūjin Jakka, it could only do so for an instant.
Just one breath after the impact, the Raikage sensed something was wrong and immediately retreated at high speed.
In that fleeting moment, he realized that the metal ring on his right arm had become scalding hot, and the part that had made contact with Yusuke's sword was already beginning to melt.
This discovery shocked him and also made him realize just how dangerous his opponent truly was. If he allowed another couple of seconds of contact with that blade, it wouldn't just be the arm ring that got destroyed—his entire arm might be rendered useless.
That realization made the Raikage much more cautious in facing Yusuke's onslaught.
However, it did not make him fearful or weaken his resolve. In the world of ninja, encountering dangerous and troublesome abilities was par for the course. A temporary disadvantage meant nothing; a true shinobi seeks that one opening to land a fatal blow.
Yusuke's flame-wreathed longsword was undoubtedly powerful, but as long as he withdrew the moment their weapons clashed, he could avoid serious injury. It was like briefly passing one's finger through a flame—it didn't burn if you moved quickly enough.
The Raikage's strategy sounded simple, but very few shinobi could actually execute it. Only someone like him, whose reaction time and physical speed had reached their absolute peak, could pull it off.
As the Raikage pulled back, Yusuke immediately closed the distance again. His Ryūjin Jakka carved arcs of fire through the air, pressing the Raikage into a purely defensive stance with no opportunity to counterattack.
A few Cloud ninja nearby attempted to assist the Raikage, but Yusuke cut them down with ease.
Those who tried to block his strikes had both their blades and bodies severed in an instant, their corpses reduced to scorched husks by the flames of his Zanpakutō.
Even those who managed to dodge his strikes were not spared—if they were merely grazed by the trailing flames, they were instantly engulfed and reduced to charred remains.
Seeing this, the Fourth Raikage immediately ordered the surrounding Cloud ninja to stay out of his battle with Yusuke. He knew all too well that an opponent of this caliber was not someone ordinary shinobi could hope to restrain—intervening would only result in needless death.
After exchanging blows for a while, the Raikage realized that his standard Lightning Release Chakra Mode was not enough to defeat Yusuke. Without hesitation, he activated his Full Power Mode.
Just then, the Raikage's once-blue Lightning Release chakra suddenly turned golden, crackling with intense electricity. Even his hair spiked upward, charged by the transformation.
"Super Saiyan?" Yusuke blinked in surprise at the Raikage's new appearance.
In this state, the Fourth Raikage's speed, reflexes, strength, and defense all surged dramatically—so much so that even the Sharingan's motion-tracking ability struggled to follow his movements.
Once he entered Full Power Mode, the Raikage used his sheer speed to momentarily pull away from Yusuke, who had been relentlessly pursuing him.
The instant he created distance, the Raikage launched his signature technique, his left arm whipping toward Yusuke's throat at blinding speed.
"Lightning Style: Liger Bomb!"
The feint into a sudden counterattack was lightning-fast—most enemies would be dead before they even registered what had happened.
But Yusuke was no ordinary opponent. At the moment the Raikage's arm should have struck him, his body scattered into a flock of flaming illusory crows.
He had used a high-level genjutsu-based body flicker to evade the Raikage's lethal blow.
In fact, the Raikage was moving so fast that even the flames on the illusionary crows hadn't managed to cling to his arm.
"In terms of raw combat ability, the Fourth Raikage might be the strongest among the current Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Villages," Yusuke thought to himself as his body reformed from the flock of fire crows.
"If that's the case… I suppose it's time to show some of my real strength."
The flames surrounding Ryūjin Jakka roared higher, doubling in intensity. Yusuke became a streak of fire and shot toward the Raikage, who fearlessly charged to meet him. The two clashed once more in a violent storm of fire and lightning.
When it came to instantaneous movement and attack speed, Yusuke was slightly inferior to the Raikage in Full Power Mode. But in terms of raw destructive force and area-of-effect damage, Yusuke clearly held the advantage.
"Flame Release: Scorching Flame Gale!"
Combining this technique with Ryūjin Jakka, Yusuke's body merged into the surrounding fire, using the flames as portals to repeatedly materialize and strike from unpredictable angles.
This mobility negated the Raikage's speed advantage, and the sheer lethality of Yusuke's slashes—each one wreathed in soul-burning fire—forced the Raikage onto the backfoot. Despite his immense strength, the Raikage began to falter.
"Water Style: Severing Wave!"
"Shuup!"
Just as Yusuke found an opening and was about to land a devastating blow, a high-pressure stream of water and a lightning-charged pen darted toward him, forcing him to break off his attack.
Coming to the Raikage's aid were none other than Killer Bee—the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki—and Darui, captain of the Raikage's personal guard.
The Severing Wave had been unleashed by Darui, who specialized in both Water and Lightning Release, and could even combine them into the powerful Storm Release techniques.
Darui had dark skin, thick white hair, and a perpetually laid-back expression. His build was sturdy, though standing next to the towering Raikage and imposing Killer Bee, he looked rather average.
In terms of personal strength, Darui was arguably Cloud's most powerful shinobi aside from the Raikage, Killer Bee, and perhaps the elusive Yūki.
Despite the reinforcements, Yusuke's expression remained unchanged. This was exactly what he wanted—draw out the top-tier fighters of Kumogakure and relieve the pressure on his own side.
He turned his eyes toward Darui, and in that moment, Solar Flare—a genjutsu embedded in his Sharingan—suddenly activated.
Darui sensed danger, but couldn't locate its source. Before he could react, the Raikage abruptly kicked him with tremendous force, sending him flying.
The very next instant, a crimson inferno engulfed the Cloud shinobi who had been standing behind Darui. After a few agonized screams, the man fell silent, reduced to ash.
The Raikage himself had already experienced this genjutsu technique earlier, barely dodging it thanks to his exceptional reflexes—but it had still given him a serious scare.
"You two be careful. This guy isn't just some average shinobi," the Raikage said grimly.