Fourth Raikage

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Fourth Raikage
Alias(es)	A; Ay; Raikage
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Kumogakure; Land of Lightning
Occupation/Role	Fourth Raikage; leader of Kumogakure
Status	Deceased 175
First Appearance	Identified as the current Raikage in Ch. 58; appears at the Five Kage Summit in Ch. 80

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third Shinobi World War combatant	83	Fought Minato Namikaze; his Godspeed was considered comparable to Minato's Flying Thunder God.
Fourth Raikage	58, 80	Inherited his father's will after the Third Raikage's death and led Kumogakure's recovery. Under his leadership, the village cultivated two perfect Jinchūriki.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode	83–85	Used Lightning Release to reinforce his body, greatly increasing his speed, durability, and physical power.
Full-power Lightning Release Chakra Mode	85, 172	Entered his fastest and strongest known state, moving too quickly for even Mangekyō-level Sharingan to track.
Hell Stab progression	173–175	Escalated from Four-Finger Nukite to Three-Finger, Two-Finger, and finally One-Finger Nukite. The final form was defeated by Xu Fan's copied version.

Background / History

A inherited the will of his father, the Third Raikage, after his death and became the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure. He was already a major force during the Third Shinobi World War, where his speed and destructive power earned him a reputation comparable to Minato Namikaze's. 58 83

As Raikage, A was deeply protective of Kumogakure and its shinobi. He kept his younger brother, Killer B, inside the village and ordered him to train at Cloud-Lightning Gorge rather than risk losing him in battle. 58 171 Kumogakure also developed two perfect Jinchūriki during A's leadership: Killer B and Yugito Nii. 80

At the Five Kage Summit, A demanded that Konoha surrender Hiashi Hyūga over the death of Kumogakure's shinobi chief. The negotiations collapsed after Fū Yamanaka attempted to assassinate him through Darui's body. A immediately attacked Fū, forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi to intervene. 80 82

A then fought Xu Fan after Xu Fan blocked his attack with Wood Release. He intended to defeat Xu Fan before his power increased further and have Kumogakure's researchers study his Kekkei Genkai. 83 Their battle escalated through Lightning Release Chakra Mode, but Xu Fan ultimately defeated A with Thunderclap Burial. 84 85

A regained consciousness during the retreat and learned that Yugito had sacrificed herself to protect him and the others. Enraged by her capture, he declared that Konoha had chosen war. 87 89 He later confronted Xu Fan again at the Valley of the End, where he was defeated and killed by Xu Fan's enhanced One-Finger Nukite. 169 171 173 175

A's body was returned to Kumogakure, and the village mourned his death. Darui later became the Fifth Raikage and prioritized Kumogakure's recovery. 177 188

Personality

A possessed a fierce temper and reacted violently when his subordinates or family were threatened. He ignored diplomatic concerns after Fū's assassination attempt and pursued Fū solely because Darui had been attacked. 82

He was fiercely loyal to Kumogakure and personally protective of Killer B and Yugito Nii. Yugito's sacrifice affected him deeply, turning his anger toward Konoha into an open declaration of war. 89

A was also proud and unwilling to compromise. He refused to accept Xu Fan's challenge to Kumogakure's prestige, even after witnessing Xu Fan block his attack. His confidence sometimes became overconfidence, particularly during their later battles. 83 85 173 175

Despite his temper, A was a committed leader who treated the safety and strength of Kumogakure as his responsibility. His refusal to let Killer B leave the village was motivated by fear of losing his brother after the death of the Third Raikage. 58 171

Abilities & Skills

Lightning Release Chakra Mode

Lightning Release Chakra Mode was A's signature technique and one of the defining abilities of successive Raikage. It enveloped his body in Lightning Release Chakra, increasing his speed, physical strength, durability, and reaction time. 84 85

• Allowed A to move at extreme speeds, earning him the reputation of a “blue lightning bolt.” 83
• His full-power state was fast enough to evade Amaterasu and outpace Mangekyō Sharingan tracking. 85
• Enabled him to break through Tenzō's Wood Release barriers and overpower several Konoha shinobi. 169
• Darui later described the technique as a secret art mastered by the Raikage line. 399

Godspeed and Nintaijutsu

A combined Lightning Release with taijutsu, using his enhanced body to deliver high-speed, high-impact attacks. During the Third Shinobi World War, his Godspeed was considered comparable to Minato's Flying Thunder God. 83

• Used ultra-fast movement to attack before opponents could react. 82 84
• His arm strikes and hand blades shattered floors, walls, and defensive techniques. 82 85
• Used Lightning Release: Liger Bomb to launch himself at opponents with overwhelming force. 83
• Used Lightning Release: Violent Wave as a sweeping hand-blade attack. 85
• Overpowered Tenzō, Hizashi Hyūga, and Yūki Neji during the Valley of the End battle. 169

Hell Stab: Nukite

Hell Stab was A's most powerful Lightning Release attack. He concentrated Lightning Release Chakra into his fingers, reducing the number of fingers used to increase the technique's penetrating power. 173 175

• Four-Finger Nukite: Used as the initial form of the technique. 173
• Three-Finger Nukite: Destroyed Xu Fan's Susanoo. 174
• Two-Finger Nukite: Prepared as a stronger finishing attack. 174
• One-Finger Nukite: A's ultimate form, used to deliver a concentrated killing thrust. 174 175

Physical Strength and Durability

A's Lightning Release reinforcement allowed him to fight through powerful defensive techniques and continue battling after sustaining severe setbacks.

• Broke through Tenzō's Wood Release with ease. 169
• Defeated multiple Konoha shinobi despite their combined efforts. 169
• Regained consciousness after Xu Fan's Thunderclap Burial and refused assistance, sitting up under his own strength. 89
• His physical power was sufficient to make even elite shinobi incapable of following or reacting to his movements. 83 85

Leadership and Battlefield Coordination

A was an experienced battlefield commander who trusted his strongest subordinates to execute coordinated attacks.

• Relied on Haku's genjutsu and sensory abilities to create openings. 83
• Coordinated with Darui and Yugito against Hiruzen Sarutobi. 83
• Formed an alliance with Kirigakure during the conflict against Konoha. 131
• Continued directing Kumogakure's war effort after declaring war on Konoha. 89 90

Relationships

• Third Raikage — Father and predecessor. A inherited his will after his death. 58
• Killer B — Younger brother and Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. A kept B in Kumogakure to protect him from the dangers of war. 58 171 326
• Yugito Nii — Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchūriki and trusted subordinate. She sacrificed herself to allow A and the others to escape. 83 87 89
• Haku — A's trusted “left hand,” serving as a sensory, genjutsu, and Medical Ninjutsu specialist. 83
• Darui — A's right-hand man and loyal subordinate. Darui resisted Fū Yamanaka's Mind Transfer Jutsu to protect A. 82
• Xu Fan — Rival and eventual killer. Their conflict began at the Five Kage Summit and ended with A's death at the Valley of the End. 83 85 169 175
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Diplomatic opponent at the Five Kage Summit. Hiruzen repeatedly intervened to prevent A from killing Fū Yamanaka and escalating the crisis. 82 83

Story Role / Major Arcs

Five Kage Summit

A represented Kumogakure at the Five Kage Summit and demanded Hiashi Hyūga as compensation for the death of a Kumogakure shinobi chief. After Fū Yamanaka attempted to assassinate him, A attacked Fū and clashed with Hiruzen and Xu Fan. 80 85

Duel with Xu Fan

A used Lightning Release Chakra Mode and his high-speed nintaijutsu against Xu Fan. Xu Fan initially blocked A's attack with Wood Release, then matched his Lightning Release with Thunderclap Body and defeated him with Thunderclap Burial. 83 85

Declaration of War

After waking from unconsciousness, A learned that Yugito had been captured and taken to Konoha. He rejected the possibility of peace and declared that Kumogakure would go to war. 87 90

Valley of the End Battle

A cornered Konoha's forces at the Valley of the End and severely injured Tenzō, Hizashi, and Neji. Xu Fan arrived to protect them, leading to a second battle between the two. 169 171

A's Hell Stab destroyed Xu Fan's Susanoo, but Xu Fan entered Sage Mode and copied One-Finger Nukite. His version, strengthened by all five nature transformations and Sage Chakra, overwhelmed A and killed him. 173 175

Aftermath

A's death ended Kumogakure's immediate attempt to unify the ninja world. His corpse was returned to Kumogakure, where the village mourned him before Darui was selected as the next Raikage. 175 177 188

Notable Quotes

“If you want war, Konoha, then come!” 89

“I don't care whether you're the original or a clone. Since I can't tell you apart, I'll just destroy them all in an instant!” 84

“Such weak Wood Release. A barrier like this can't stop me!” 169

Trivia

• A's Godspeed was said to rival Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God during the Third Shinobi World War. 83
• He was one of the few shinobi capable of using the Raikage-exclusive Lightning Release Chakra Mode. 84 85
• His death was one of several events that caused Kumogakure to decline militarily. 396
• Killer B blamed himself for A's death and remained in Cloud-Lightning Gorge even after he was no longer forbidden from leaving. 326