Third Raikage

One day, two days, three days.

The agreed time for their breakout drew closer, yet the number of Cloud ninja squads lingering around them steadily decreased. It seemed that, having failed to find any trace of them, they had shifted their search elsewhere.

Every member of the Konoha squad grew anxious and impatient. At Kunugi Mokume's suggestion, they even doubled the original search area.

But even so, they failed to find any trace of the Third Raikage.

All signs indicated that there had been a major problem with their intelligence. There was a high chance their operation had already been exposed, and an equally high chance that the Third Raikage had reached the front lines by another route.

Their mission... might already have failed.

By the afternoon of the third day, when the glaring noon sun faded into a dim yellow, everyone realized it.

Only Tsunade quietly let out a long breath of relief.

Her grandfather, her great-uncle, her grandmother, one elder after another from the Senju Clan, her father, her mother, Nawaki.

Far too many people had died on the battlefield. People around her had kept vanishing, suddenly and forever, at some unknown moment.

That long-standing pain usually lurked silently in the deepest part of her heart, seemingly nowhere to be found.

Yet at crucial moments, it would abruptly erupt, turning into a crushing weight that clogged her chest.

But it was finally over.

"Does anyone have any other objections?"

When they returned to the hideout once more, Tsunade looked at the still-unwilling group, took a slight breath, and seriously faced her other teammates.

No one spoke.

Even Ando Ooyama, the most stubborn among them, understood that this mission had completely failed.

"Then we'll follow the original plan. Rest for the night, and at dawn tomorrow, break through the gap in the Cloud Village encirclement we scouted earlier." Seeing that none of them spoke, Tsunade gave the order decisively.

"Yes."

Through their probing over the past few days, they had mapped out the patrol routes of the surrounding Cloud Village forces.

Ninja warfare differed from ordinary warfare. They neither needed to seek out broad roads for large armies to pass through nor carry enormous quantities of logistical supplies. Blocking their movements by holding key points was extremely difficult.

Therefore, nearly every ninja village moved in squads as the basic unit, scattering vast numbers of them across broad areas. Perception ninjas monitored and reported on each section, ultimately creating a wave-like defensive pattern that seemed loose and dispersed, yet could gather manpower with extraordinary flexibility.

But this wave-like deployment naturally meant little to an elite squad like Tsunade's.

Over these three days, they had already found several gaps large enough to pass through quickly.

"Still."

Just as they spoke, Dan Katō suddenly frowned and opened his mouth.

He stared at the military map before them, looking thoughtful as he said in confusion, "Our movements have been so obvious these past few days that Cloud Village should have already figured out our general range of activity."

"Why hasn't anyone important enough come to hunt us down even now?"

This abnormal behavior made him uneasy.

"..."

Dan Katō was not the only one with such concerns.

However, Cloud Village was also at war right now.

There were simply too many unpredictable developments on the battlefield. No one could be certain of anything.

Maybe the Raikage was already surrounded by ten thousand Iwagakure ninja and had died in the middle of battle?

"Don't worry so much, Dan." Having confirmed that they were abandoning the mission, Kunugi Mokume's tone was noticeably lighter than before. He casually said, "Maybe Iwagakure and Cloud Village are fighting already. Maybe the Raikage and Tsuchikage are locked in a fierce battle and have no attention to spare for us."

Even Ando Ooyama was no longer as resolute as before.

A full month, plus the last three days of waiting and searching, had been enough to wear away the last of his patience.

He lifted a ceramic bowl, took a sip of hot water, and said hoarsely, "We have no way to connect with the village for intelligence. It's possible that many things we don't know have happened at the front."

"After all, it's already been a month."

In a national war, a month was enough to alter the strategic situation across an entire region.

"That's true."

Hearing his teammates say so, Dan Katō could not help but relax somewhat.

Maybe his worries really were unnecessary?

At the moment they made their decision, it felt as though a heavy cloud had been swept from the cramped, warm underground hideout. Everyone felt a sense of relief welling up from within.

Still, none of them could say much.

After returning to the village, they would still have to face grim circumstances on other fronts.

"Whoosh—"

All at once, dull thunder sounded outside, followed by the patter of rain.

The low air pressure carried moisture with it, adding a nearly imperceptible dampness to the air and a faint chill to every breath.

But changes in the natural environment were not enough to affect a ninja's state of mind.

After prolonged warfare, everyone had long been mentally exhausted by the crushing pressure of their missions and the intense physical strain. Even with the sound of rain, they could easily slip into a light resting state.

Only—

Just as the four of them leaned against the stone walls and closed their eyes to rest.

"Pop."

One of the warning runes placed in the center of the group suddenly exploded.

In an instant, everyone opened their eyes almost simultaneously, sprang to their feet, and shot upright.

"Whoosh!"

A red signal flare exploded in the sky beneath the cloud cover in the distance.

It was a second confirmation signal from the Anbu member assigned to watch duty.

Enemy attack.

Tsunade immediately turned and ordered,

"Ando!"

Even before the captain gave the command, Ando Ooyama, who was responsible for sensing, had already crouched down and pressed both hands flat against the ground. Perception chakra spread outward in ceaseless ripples, then reflected back into his mind.

Yet the harder Ando sensed, the graver his expression became.

"Four squads to the west, three to the south. Seven squads in total."

"The nearest group is already within five kilometers."

"Total numbers unknown. At least thirty. Four chakra signatures at Jonin level or above within sensing range."

His speech grew faster and faster until he abruptly opened his eyes. "We've been exposed! They're moving fast, and their direction is clear."

What Ando Ooyama meant was—

This hideout had probably been discovered long ago.

"Damn it!"

Kunugi Mokume slammed a fist into the ground.

It was obvious.

For the past few days, they had all been played.

At a time like this, only Tsunade remained calm.

Perhaps because her assessment of the situation had been exceptionally pessimistic, she had prepared several escape plans even before the attack.

Now, they could finally be used.

"Ando, signal the people outside and tell them to disengage on their own. Have them meet us after breaking out." As Tsunade spoke, she turned to the other side. "Mokume, use Earth Release to take us to the fourth backup exit three kilometers away. Then prepare to force our way through the southern encirclement."

"They're trying to drive us northeast. Don't give them what they want."

"Yes!"

After receiving the order, Kunugi Mokume did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately formed Hand Seals.

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Concealment Technique!"

The next moment, the four people present were immediately swallowed by the soil beneath their feet.

The softened earth flowed like mud, rapidly streaming backward through their vision. Even underground, they moved no slower than galloping horses.

But for ninja, that speed was still far too slow.

Ando, who maintained Perception Ninjutsu even underground, kept his eyes tightly shut.

Suddenly, he shouted, "They're right above us!"

"Boom—!"

Earth and stone surged upward.

Four figures burst from underground in no particular order.

The cloud ninja still sprinting through the trees had clearly not expected this at all. Their bodies in midair even paused for a moment from their brief shock.

That was enough.

"Monster Strength Fist!"

The Monster Strength chakra, condensed with explosive force, still looked like ordinary chakra radiance until the instant before the fist was thrown.

Yet almost the moment it touched a human body, it transformed into an impact beyond ordinary imagination. With near-terrifying one-way repulsion, it turned a hardened body tempered over decades into a burst of mangled flesh in the blink of an eye.

"Bang!"

The entire body exploded outward like an internally ruptured rag sack, scattering fragments of dark red gore in every direction.

The gruesome sight made every cloud ninja present cry out in rage or grief.

However, the several figures who had burst out alongside her charged at the surrounding enemies with the same swift speed, blades flashing.

Dense metallic clashes rang out endlessly through the vast forest, sparks of metal scattering in all directions.

Unfortunately, intense emotions could not make up for a lack of ability.

After merely two or three exchanges, the two Cloud Village Chunin charging them were mercilessly torn apart.

Instead, the strongest Cloud Village Jonin turned and fled without the slightest hesitation the moment he saw them, joining his companions farther back.

"Don't chase them! Keep running!"

Noticing that Kunugi Mokume was eager to move, Tsunade immediately barked a reprimand and took the lead at the front.

The rain poured down in sheets. Bean-sized droplets pelted everyone with rapid taps, making even their cloth armor slightly heavy, while the clothing underneath stuck damply to their skin.

Their flight continued for a full twenty minutes.

Of the three Anbu who had scattered and fled from the hideout, only one blood-covered Jonin-level ninja successfully regrouped with them.

The other two clearly were not coming back.

Everything about tonight was unbearably aggravating.

But what troubled Tsunade most was the ominous feeling in her heart.

Their hideout had been discovered.

But when had it been discovered?

Why had the patrol squads they encountered over the past three days all coincidentally narrowed their search areas, only to launch their operation tonight?

All these signs pointed the situation toward the most troubling possibility.

That was—

A major figure powerful enough to serve as the decisive force had appeared among this Cloud Village garrison.

"Stop—!"

Ando Ooyama suddenly roared, his voice rising into a sharp pitch.

With his eyes closed and both hands pressed to the ground, he urgently said,

"An abnormally massive chakra signature!"

"A Jinchuriki—no! The movement speed is too fast!"

"Ten kilometers! Nine, eight, seven—"

Rain streamed down Ando Ooyama's face as he abruptly turned toward the east and screamed at everyone,

"It's the Third Raikage!"

At that moment, he was not the only one.

Everyone present had already turned toward the curtain of rain in the east.

Damn it, how could this be!?

Tsunade's beautiful eyes widened.

Their planned ambush had become a counter-ambush. Though the enemy still consisted of only their target, all their preparations, contingencies, and advantages had vanished like bubbles.

The situation was extremely unfavorable.

In the distance, even the torrential rain could not conceal the continuous crash of giant trees collapsing. With terrifying speed and inhuman physical strength, the Third Raikage charged across the uneven terrain in a sharp, savage line like a tailed beast.

What rushed toward them was that man's ferocious presence, like an unmatched beast of prey.

His rough, booming voice suddenly rang out from an immense distance away.

"Lightning Release—"

Almost at the instant that violent voice pierced through layer after layer of rain and reached their ears.

"Scatter!"

Tsunade's voice was taut with urgency.

But in the next second, a figure wrapped entirely in dense lightning flashed into their vision with almost teleport-like speed.

"—Lightning Oppression Horizontal Sword!"

At that moment, the still-stunned group only had time to instinctively evade under Tsunade's command.

In the process, the unlucky Anbu ninja positioned farthest east in the squad had only just managed to turn sideways when his entire field of vision was swallowed by blinding lightning.

"Sizzle—!"

Ninja sandals scraped against the rain-soaked ground, producing a piercing hiss like hot glue meeting water. They could even smell the sharp stench of rubber.

The ground beneath his feet was plowed into two deep trenches.

A severed head flew through the air, its cut blackened by scorching heat.

"Thud."

The headless body collapsed to the ground.

In a single exchange.

That Anbu Jonin, possessed of considerable skill, died instantly at the enemy's hands.

They did not even have time to react.

The massive, towering, heavily furred man stood there. His body, over two meters tall, was as powerful as a brown bear, yet his speed was unbelievably fast. His cold, blade-like gaze pierced through the rain curtain and swept over these Konoha insects, while a contemptuous smile slowly curled across his lips.

An immense pressure, even stronger than that of a tailed beast, descended upon everyone's hearts in an instant, leaving them unable to breathe.

"Is it only you lot?"

Seeing this, Tsunade had no time for further thought. She charged forward while revealing the trump card hidden beneath her forehead protector.

"Strength of a Hundred Seal: Release!"

In an instant, intricate markings rapidly spread from her forehead across her entire body.

Ando Ooyama was even more decisive. The moment the Third Raikage entered his field of vision, he immediately pulled a Sealing Scroll from his Ninja Tool Bag, clenched it between his teeth, ready to bite it open at any moment, both hands gripping his blades.

The words "Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique" were written on the scroll's seal.

"Earth Release: Earth Movement Core!"

At the same time, Kunugi Mokume's eyes were already bloodshot. He refined the life energy and spiritual energy within his body into chakra to the greatest possible extent, seeking to unleash the full range of this technique in an instant.

Such enormous expenditure was only to create sufficiently vast and complex terrain to hinder the man's speed.

But—

"Too slow!"

Just as the terrain began to shift, the lightning wrapped around the Third Raikage's body erupted once more, and he charged forward at even greater speed.

The ground within dozens of meters beneath his feet sank as though collapsing, yet he streaked through the air like a flying projectile, stepping on the falling rocks.

That extreme speed even left thread-like, blurry afterimages in their vision.

His target was Tsunade.

The man's ferocious roar tore through the rain curtain:

"Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite!"

This chapter was 4,300 words. It wasn't any shorter.

I won't split up similar battle chapters, since that makes them feel disjointed.

Thanks to reader 20210725173827439 for the monthly ticket~