Is it... over just like that?
As he looked at the boy emerging from the dispersing smoke and dust, riddled with holes and with Black Flames burning on his right leg, the Third Raikage slowly loosened his clenched fist. However, his expression did not change at all. Unlike Dodai and the Iwagakure Ninja, he showed no obvious joy.
To be honest, seeing Taki Chiba in this state made the Third Raikage uneasy and tense instead. Earlier, when he had seen that Taki Chiba had suffered only minor facial injuries, he had been shocked and astonished, but he had not felt this unease or tension.
Now, seeing Taki Chiba vomiting blood, covered in holes, and burned by flames that could neither be extinguished nor spared anything, this matched the outcome he had expected when trying to eliminate the Little Monster's immortality. Yet, he felt that something was not quite right.
Is it an illusion?
Then, he frowned slightly, glancing from the corner of his eye at Dodai and the Kumogakure Ninja to his left. Seeing their delight, a trace of doubt rose in his heart.
Because this Little Monster has come back from the dead so many times, I'm starting to doubt it when he is truly about to die?
He stared intently at the Little Monster before him—the holes covering his body, the stream of blood spilling from his mouth, and those cold, stern eyes. His brow furrowed even more deeply.
Is it finally over? Or...
Is this another beginning? For some reason, his intuition—his battle instinct—gave rise to that thought.
As that thought surfaced, the doubt in his eyes vanished in an instant. The slightly relaxed posture he had assumed because of his opponent's condition immediately tensed again.
Third Raikage-sama?
At this moment, Dodai, whose wild joy was plain