Illusion Technique

"Get out!"

The members of the Kumogakure Shadow Guard were all renowned figures in the shinobi world, and at the very least, they were elite jonin. Inoichi Yamanaka was juggling the overall battlefield situation, and his mental secret arts could not be sustained for long, leading to him being expelled from the target's mind.

And it was at this very moment that Danzo unwrapped the bandages covering his right eye.

"Die!"

The Kumogakure jonin wielding the great blade, having broken free from control, saw the enemy commander standing within arm's reach and riddled with openings. Blue-white electricity erupted violently as he activated the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. His wrists became a blur, and the speed of his blade swing was so fast that even Shikaku Nara and the others nearby could not track it.

"Lord Danzo!"

"I've got him!"

Amidst the varying expressions of those present, Danzo turned his head and opened his right eye.

The fastest thing in the human body is the speed of the eyeball's rotation.

Therefore, the moment the Kumogakure shinobi locked eyes with the Sharingan, it was already fated that his blade would never strike home.

"Damn it, my body won't move—it's a genjutsu!"

Squelch!

The familiar sound of a sharp blade piercing a throat reached his ears. This was a sound he had enjoyed inflicting on others in the past, but when the target being pierced was himself, it was impossible to find any joy in it.

"Heitai!"

Amidst the blinding flashes of electricity, the Third Raikage had already arrived at Danzo's side. After forcing the latter back with a Lariat, he snatched the corpse of the Kumogakure jonin from beneath his blade.

For Guo Wang, head-on collisions were the worst possible combat mode.

Therefore, he always tried his best to dodge the Raikage's Nintaijutsu. As he retreated, he casually pulled his blade from the opponent's throat, watching the blood splatter—a scene that was quite chilling.

"This is... war. Yotsuki, we are both men with one foot in the grave; have you still not understood these things?"

Gently flicking the blood off his blade, Guo Wang looked at the Raikage, who was completely immersed in grief, and could not help but sneer aloud.

"How could a man like you, who has extinguished his own emotions, ever understand my love for my subordinates?"

Since the Third Shinobi World War began, this was the first time the Raikage had lost members of his personal Shadow Guard. For a village like Kumogakure, which would rather sacrifice themselves than let their subordinates come to harm, this was likely more painful than death itself.

"In this world, things will not always go as you wish. If the concept of a 'winner' exists, there must simultaneously exist a 'loser.' If one harbors the selfish desire to maintain peace, it will only spark war. If one wishes to protect, love will inevitably give birth to hate. They exist in a causal relationship with one another, inseparable. This is the real... forget it, it's probably impossible to get through to someone with a one-track mind like yours..."

Boom!

Before Guo Wang could finish his sentence, a massive, pitch-black figure wreathed in electricity suddenly appeared before him, slamming a heavy elbow into his head.

Shikaku Nara's eye twitched. If the Raikage's God Speed were used against them, it would likely be one punch per friend. At this moment, he also began to worry about Danzo; such an opponent was likely beyond what simple chakra nature manipulation could suppress.

"What... is that?"

As the smoke from the clash between the two dissipated, Danzo's smiling face was revealed to all. Facing the Raikage's Lariat, this Konoha commander had not retreated a single step. Before his forehead, translucent Emerald Ribs had emerged, appearing like a suit of armor encasing his upper body.

"That right eye... Kagami Uchiha!"

The Raikage, who knew exactly how heavy his own fists were, recalled the Uchiha youth he would never forget in his entire life the moment he saw the Mangekyo in Danzo's right eye.

"It seems your memory is good. After Kagami returned to the village, he told us stories of fighting side-by-side with you. I suppose I should thank you."

Guo Wang's Mangekyo pattern rotated slightly, and an invisible force of mental energy surged forth. However, the Raikage could be considered the person with the most extensive combat experience in this world; he immediately avoided eye contact, neutralizing the genjutsu before it could take effect.

"That was indeed an exhilarating revenge. I avenged my father's death, and Kagami repaid the kindness of his teacher, the Second Hokage."

Kinkaku and Ginkaku were the eternal hatred and pain of Konoha and Kumogakure. When Danzo heard that the Third Raikage had killed them, he felt a deep sense of regret that he had not had the chance to take revenge with his own hands.

"A man like you insults the eyes of Kagami Uchiha."

The Raikage tore off his tattered upper garment, revealing a rugged torso. His hair, which had been standing on end, began to droop, and the pitch-black lightning on his body began to emit a pale, cold light. His entire presence shifted from sharp and aggressive to restrained and heavy.

"Oh, you've changed modes—shifting from speed to power, I see. It seems you are quite knowledgeable about the Mangekyo, knowing that you need greater strength to break through my current defense."

Both were old rivals who knew each other's foundations; as soon as the Raikage's appearance changed, Guo Wang found the reason within Danzo's memories.

The Kumogakure secret Nintaijutsu, the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, had multiple forms, which could prioritize hardness, stimulation, speed, power, and so on.

The Third Raikage before him was a man who had cultivated this secret art to its absolute limit, achieving heights far beyond the First and Second Raikage. His defense could withstand Danzo's strongest Wind Release, his speed was not inferior to Namikaze Minato's, and his strength could even rival Tsunade's—he could be called the ultimate war machine.

"Although it has been a long time, if I recall correctly, Kagami Uchiha's right eye ocular jutsu is 'Goji Chongshi.' While powerful, it is still within the realm of imagination. What I fear most is his left eye, that 'Kyōka Suigetsu'."

After pushing his strength and defense to the limit, the Third Raikage had completely calmed down. He set aside the death of his comrades and personal honor, leaving only the heart of a veteran tempered on the battlefield. He desperately recalled the scenes of fighting alongside Kagami Uchiha against Kinkaku and Ginkaku, using every detail to increase his odds of winning this battle.

"It is fortunate that I only destroyed Danzo's right eye back then; he only transplanted one Mangekyo. Now, I only need to test what the three jutsus stored within that right eye are."

Guo Wang used his Primordial Spirit, which was far more powerful than those of this world, to control the Sharingan with masterful skill. Deliberately unwrapping the bandage to reveal only the Sharingan in his right eye was a trap laid from the very beginning.

Because he knew clearly that the Third Raikage, who had fought alongside Kagami Uchiha, must know part of the mystery of "Kyōka Suigetsu" and would be on guard against this ultimate ocular jutsu.

Only when the enemy believes it is impossible can one strike the final blow.

"However, first, I need to make him completely lower his guard."

Just as Guo Wang was calculating, the Raikage on the other side had also formulated his own combat strategy.

"End this quickly. Use the ultimate Hell Stab to pierce through his Susanoo!"