A battle between the strong!
The Tsuchikage soared into the sky, flying high above.
Upon receiving the order, countless Stone Ninja emerged from the earth and instantly appeared in the southwest of Kumogakure, occupying a Valley in the southwest of the Kumogakure.
With its high vantage point overlooking Kumogakure, it had gained a favorable vantage point.
"What's going on? Tsuchikage?!" Having received information from the sensory team, the Raikage soared into the air and leaped onto a tall building, coldly staring at Ōnoki floating in the sky.
How could they not notice such a large number of Iwa Stone Ninja, at least a thousand Elite Ninja, appearing outside Kumogakure?
Just then, a Cloud Ninja flew through the air. The Raikage's pupils constricted sharply because he recognized the newcomer's attire as that of the Sensory Squad Leader!
"What is it?" A strong sense of unease flashed through Raikage's heart. When the leader of the perception class stepped forward, he immediately asked in a deep voice.
"A thick fog has appeared to the East of the village! There's at least a thousand chakras, including quite a few powerful chakra fluctuations!" The head of the sensory class looked extremely grim.
He only realized the enemy was so close to the village when they arrived; this was a failure on the part of their perception squad.
The Raikage's eyes narrowed as he coldly stared at Ōnoki high in the sky. First the Stone Ninja, then the Kirigakure Ninja; clearly, there was a secret plot between the Land of Earth and the Land of Water.
Even the Raikage, if he were stupid, would realize that he had been outmaneuvered by Ōnoki and Hozuki Mangetsu Chunin Ninja Exams!
No, Hozuki Mangetsu was not the real mastermind.
Hozuki Mangetsu, who was brought back to Kumogakure, was already dead. His mind was blank, as if it had been deliberately cleansed by Jutsu Formula.
"Tsuchikage, what? Afraid to speak?" the Raikage roared, his deep voice piercing through the heavy rain and soaring into the sky.
"Hmph, idiot!" Ōnoki looked down at the Raikage without replying.
Ōnoki's current task is simple: hold off Raikage and his elite Shadow Guard here, waiting for the Stone Ninja Elite Ninja Troops from the southwest and the Kirigakure Ninja forces from the east to invade Kumogakure.
If Ōnoki Budong, the Raikage absolutely won't dare to move either.
The Tsuchikage's Kekkei Tota: Dust Release Kekkei Tōta renowned throughout the Ninja World. If the Raikage were to leave, Ōnoki could use Dust Release to penetrate the Kumogakure...
It's simply unbelievable!
The reason why Ōnoki cannot easily take action is even simpler: if he does, the scale of the war will escalate dramatically.
Dust Release has immense destructive power; Ōnoki will surely be annihilated by the lightning of Kumogakure.
Ōnoki isn't stupid; why would he risk his life alone? Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent a fortune hiring two S-rank Rogue Ninja from Akatsuki Organization to help him.
In a war, the deterrent power of a Kage-level is often more terrifying than combat strength.
Ōnoki floated silently above Kumogakure, keeping the Raikage and his Raikage's Shadow Guard in check.
In fact, many of the Kumogakure's Anbu would hide nearby in case Ōnoki suddenly made a move.
"Lord Raikage, this can't go on!" Samui clever and capable. She couldn't figure out Ōnoki's plans, but she knew that dragging things out like this would definitely put them at a disadvantage.
One Ōnoki alone tied down a large portion of the Kumogakure's fighting force.
The Raikage could naturally see that Ōnoki had only appeared to restrain him, but Raikage couldn't think of a good way to deal with it.
After a moment of silence, the Raikage finally made his decision.
"Have Bee lead two squads of Anbu to hold off the Kirigakure Ninja!"
In the Raikage's mind, the Stone Ninja were more troublesome than the Kirigakure Ninja. Apart from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and the three clans, the Kirigakure Ninja seemed to have no other strong members who could be considered formidable.
The situation is different for the Stone Ninja. Although Earth Release is countered by Lightning Release, the leader of the Stone Ninja is Ōnoki, and this cunning old fox would never fight a battle he is not confident of winning.
"What about the Stone Ninja?" Samui secretly memorized the Raikage's order, then asked again.
"Stone Ninja..." The Raikage glanced coldly at Ōnoki high in the sky, "Ōnoki is here. The Stone Ninja will definitely head here after breaking through the defenses..."
"What does Lord Raikage mean..." Samui didn't quite understand whether to directly attack the Tsuchikage or to focus all their efforts on defending against the elite Stone Ninja forces in the southwest.
"Hmph, all the forces that Kumogakure can muster are pressing towards the southwest. I'm going to make sure that entire elite force of Ōnoki is wiped out here!" Raikage roared, his voice booming like a bell.
"Yes!" Samui and quickly turned to leave. Although she was strong, she was not strong enough to fight against the Tsuchikage.
She's better suited to orchestrating from the rear than engaging in direct confrontation.
Samui led a small squad of ninjas away. Ōnoki narrowed his eyes slightly but did not stop them; the Cloud Ninja's counterattack was within his expectations.
However, none of that matters.
As long as the Raikage and the elite Cloud Ninja Anbu remain, that's enough!
Boom!
A thunderclap ripped through the sky, illuminating everyone's faces. Their pale faces resembled demons standing in the rain, ready to pounce and tear at raw flesh at any moment.
Not going to fight?
Contain?
How could that be...?
"Tsuchikage... Raikage... If you two don't fight, how am I supposed to carry out my next plan?" A figure in a black robe with Fox Mask on his face stood on a high-rise building not far away.
A flash of lightning illuminated the straight, dark shadow.
However, Tōka's aura was ethereal, and even under the lightning, no one could detect it, whether it was because the distance was too great or because neither side was paying attention to it.
Raindrops pattered down, hitting the black robe. Strangely, the rainwater didn't stain the black robe; instead, it slid down along a peculiar energy flow.
Tōka slowly raised his hands, clasped them together, and raised his Sword Hand Seal. Natural power then condensed into a crystal-clear ball of Lightning.
Sizzle...
The tiny ball contained immense Lightning power, its arcs flashing as if echoing the Lightning in the sky, its constant chirping sound like an angry, baring beast.
Amidst the rain, the lightning bolts became increasingly active, twinkling like a glimmer of starlight in a star-studded city.
"In Kumogakure, it's quite normal for Cloud Ninja to use Lightning Release to launch sneak attacks, isn't it?" A cold laugh rang out from beneath the Fox Mask, accompanied by the flicking of long, slender fingers...
A ball of Lightning, about half the size of a fist, slowly floated up, then disappeared into the Void amidst a black, water-like spatial fluctuation.
Silently...
It seemed to have vanished completely, leaving the space eerily quiet, as if it were brewing an even more terrifying energy storm.
Time ticks by, just like the sound of rain falling in my ears.
Tick-tock...
They never know when to stop, and they never realize that listening to them for too long will become tiresome.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!!
Sudden!
A flash of lightning, as fleeting as a startled swan.
Behind the Tsuchikage, who was floating in mid-air and thought he was completely safe, the dark Void inexplicably flickered, and then a lightning ball the size of half a fist suddenly appeared.
It's as if it was always there.
Its existence is its own justification!
Ōnoki's pupils contracted sharply, and his body, conditioned by years of fighting, instinctively dodged to the side.
The lightning ball barely grazed his arm; the Lightning, imbued with the power of nature, was no ordinary Lightning Release.
Sizzle...
A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and the lightning ball, about half the size of a fist, exhausted its energy and vanished instantly into the rain.
Most of the power seeped into Ōnoki's body, and the concentrated Lightning stimulated Ōnoki nerves, causing a wave of numbness and stiffness.
In just a split second, less than 0.01 seconds.
Ōnoki's Earth Release: Flight Jutsu Formula was dispelled, and a dizzying darkness surged before his eyes. "Damn it! I can't control my body..."
When the Raikage saw the Tsuchikage being ambushed by Lightning Release, he smirked with delight.
At the same time, he clasped his fists around his waist, lightning flashing and arcs crackling on his knuckles. He sank his body, gathering power in his lower body, and a massive amount of Lightning Release Chakra condensed on his legs.
Bang!
Raikage shattered the solid rocks on the ground and soared into the sky.
He threw a punch directly below the trajectory of Ōnoki's fall...
"Lightning Flow Heavy Fist!"
The terrifying punch was enhanced by Lightning Release, and the user had already lowered their body to gather strength beforehand. The punch unleashed a whistling wind, and the terrifying force headed straight for Ōnoki's face.
The wind blew so hard that he couldn't open his sinister and cunning eyes.
"Move! Get moving!" Ōnoki gritted his teeth and forced out every last bit of chakra in his body.
Even shifting one inch to the side is enough to change the trajectory of a fall; the Raikage's attacks are powerful and extremely fast.
Even the slightest deviation was enough for his powerful punch to miss completely!
Click!
The sound of bones breaking rang out. Ōnoki forcefully squeezed the chakra within his body, causing his numb lower back to twist and become unresponsive.
The piercing pain instantly overshadowed the numbness, and the stiff body came to life in a flash.
"Dust Release: Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!" Ōnoki's eyes turned cold, and a chilling killing intent emanated from him as he clenched his hands in a protective gesture in front of him.
A cluster of dazzling white light gathered in his palm!
An aura of destruction...
A chilling aura...
The Raikage, who was charging straight up, paused in an unimaginable motion, then shifted two steps to the side.
Buzz!
An electric arc, a flash of white light, passed by...
At the last moment, the Raikage forcibly shifted his position to avoid Ōnoki's Dust Release. The two attacked but could not stop.
Battle is about to break out!
"That's more like it. Do you think we can just stare at each other to death without a fight?" Tōka's figure flashed by and instantly disappeared into the dark, hazy rain.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down.
In the southwest of Kumogakure, a gigantic cat-shaped monster roared in the darkness, each swift claw strike taking down a Cloud Ninja with it.
Yugito the Two-Tails, the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails from the Yugito Cloud Ninja.
While not as powerful as Killer B the Eight-Tails), it can still rationally control the Two-Tails and achieve its complete Tailed Beast Transformation.
On the Battlefield, the Tailed Beast are a giant meat grinder, while the rational Jinchūriki are an important fighting force that can tip the scales of victory.
A ghostly shadow emerged from the darkness and landed on a low mountain peak, looking down at the Battlefield in the Valley outside the southwest gate of Kumogakure.
Although the number of Stone Ninja was small, they were all elites. Jonin and supported by Chunin, they formed a sharp, knife-like formation and charged towards Kumogakure.
The Cloud Ninja are numerous and their combat strength is not weak, and they are also aided by Yugito, who has transformed into Matatabi.
For a time, the Stone Ninja were unable to break through the Cloud Ninja's defenses.
"Ōnoki only brought this few people? That doesn't make sense!" A pair of Ice Blue eyes flickered beneath the Fox Mask as Tōka gazed intently out of the Valley.
There should be other forces hidden in Iwagakure; these people could easily conquer a Small Nation or even several Small Nation.
However, it pales in comparison to Kumogakure, which is also one of the Five Great Nations.
"Forget it, let me lend you a hand." Tōka didn't care what Ōnoki was thinking; otherwise, wouldn't the plan be ruined if all these people were let in?
With hands clasped together, the power of the Tenseigan is activated!
Gathering a silver whirlwind, breaking through Dimensional Barrier.
Several small, jet-black spheres floated in mid-air following Tōka's gestures, then began to spin wildly, transforming into a silver whirlwind as the Prayer Beads merged.
Tōka unleashed a powerful, single-handed strike, his palm forming the starting point of a whirlwind that burst forth with destructive force.
Target: Cloud Ninja, the Jinchūriki the Two-Tails in Yugito Village!
Yugito, transformed Yugito a giant cat, is so large that she becomes a sitting duck under absolute power, requiring no aiming at all.
Call out!
A silver beam of light ripped through the dark night sky, like a comet with a long tail, rushing towards the large cat engulfed in blue flames.
Danger?!
Yugito was wreaking havoc in the Valley, suddenly felt a surge of excitement, perhaps influenced by Matatabi, as cats are naturally wary of danger.
She instinctively turned her head to look...
You won't believe it until you see it, and what you find will shock you.
A silver Vortex Storm suddenly swept in, unleashing a terrifying aura that seemed capable of penetrating everything.
Without a second thought, Yugito neither dodged nor evaded the attacks of countless Stone Ninja, forcibly releasing his Tailed Beast Transformation.
The fully transformed Tailed Beast Transformation form was too big a target; there was no way to avoid that silver whirlwind that instilled despair!
In the Valley, the Matatabi's body vanished with a bang, leaving only a huge cloud of white smoke.
The Stone Ninja, who were frantically unleashing their long-range Earth Release techniques, were bewildered and paused in their actions when they saw Matatabi suddenly disappear.
Immediately afterwards, as if injected with chicken blood, their eyes turned bloodshot and they attacked the Cloud Ninja's position even more frantically.
Without the aid of Matatabi, the Stone Ninja saw this as an opportunity—a chance to break through the Cloud Ninja's defenses!
A silver whirlwind swept through the sky, One Flash across the pitch-black night like a shooting star before disappearing into the horizon.
Tōka raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected that Yugito would actually notice his sneak attack and even manage to dodge it.
"You reacted quite quickly, although you looked a bit disheveled."
But...
How was that move?
A powerful surge of chakra emanated from every pore of Tōka's body, its exaggerated force causing the surrounding rocks to tremble.
Small pebbles, fallen dead leaves.
It inexplicably rose into the air and floated around Tōka...
Rocks crumbled and the earth cracked, as if a great catastrophe was about to befall the world, as the Ice Blue light in those eyes intensified.
The flame-like patterns pulsed more frequently.
The shattered rocks gradually solidified, transforming into a gigantic stone statue!
One of the abilities of the Tenseigan is to summon a Taiseki. As long as the holder of the Tenseigan is not defeated, the statue will not disappear, and even if the statue is broken, it can quickly regenerate.
However, this stone statue bears a striking resemblance to Ōtsutsuki Hamura, in fact, it looks remarkably like...
"Mom?" Black Zetsu, who was observing Tōka's actions from the shadows, cried out in alarm. The stone statue that had materialized within Tōka's Jutsu Formula was Otsutsuki Kaguya!!