"Haha!" As the Raikage's hearty laughter rang out, Killer B and Young Lord A's expressions changed drastically. "Lord Raikage /Father!"
"Don't be nervous, A, the way home is right in front of us. Once we cross this path, we'll be home!" As he spoke, a look of disdain appeared in the eyes of the Third Raikage A.
"Don't panic, everyone. What just happened was just normal operation. Considering Uchiha Izuna, a talent from the Warring States Period, it would be strange if we couldn't figure it out."
"But what I'm about to say is his shortcomings!" the Third Raikage sneered.
"If I were him, I would ambush them at the exit and strike while our soldiers are exhausted. Even if we can't be stopped, we'll be done for."
Young Lord A's face paled. "Father, perhaps... perhaps we should change our route? I feel that you have a point. Our army cannot afford further losses and setbacks!"
Killer B nodded in agreement. He had witnessed firsthand what a master jinx was. Whatever he said came true. Who could withstand that? Not a single enemy was encountered, yet half of their 8,000-strong army was lost.
Even Uchiha Kō isn't all that great, is he?
The Third Raikage's eyes drooped, his face full of impatience. "Even the wisest can make a mistake. I don't believe that Uchiha Izuna could figure out the intricacies of this Thunderfire Gorge in such a short time."
"No need for further words, all troops, attack! Once we cross this line, we'll reach the entrance to Kumogakure. We've only lost half the battle so far! We haven't completely lost yet!" The Third Raikage waved his hand and immediately gave the order.
Young Lord A sighed, mobilized his Chakra, activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and donned the Lightning Release Armor. He was ready for the decisive battle that was about to begin.
Killer B Bee then communicated with Gyūki, attempting to have it don the Tailed Beast Cloaks around the ninjas. Gyūki nodded; even it felt its scalp tingle at the Raikage's jinxed words.
The group marched hastily, and just as they were about to leave, Raikage shouted, "Charge!" Then, the four thousand men rushed out of the canyon in batches and arrived at flat land. This time, there really were no ambushes!
This made the Raikage's lips curl into a smile, Killer B and Young Lord A breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way, I told you, no matter how incredibly intelligent Uchiha Izuna is, he can't always be at the top of his game." He snorted coldly, his nostrils flaring.
"You are still young and have a lot to learn, but you are still too inexperienced. The future belongs to you!" The Third Raikage lectured the two with the air of someone who had been through it all.
The two exchanged a glance. There was nothing they could do. The Raikage had made two bad predictions before, and he must have felt bad about it. Now that he had come true, they should just listen and let him vent.
After all, who doesn't eat dumplings during the New Year? The three of them stood side by side, leading four thousand ninjas toward Kumogakure. But after walking only two kilometers, they suddenly saw a dense mass of Konoha Ninjas standing still ahead.
The leader sat on Taiseki, munching on an apple, shaking his leg, a happy smile on his face. "This fruit is really good. The Land of Lightning is at a high altitude, with a large temperature difference between day and night. These apples are truly sweet and crisp."
He couldn't help but sigh, when an Uchiha ninja lackey beside him said, "Hehe, if our ancestor likes it, we'll go pick some more."
That's right, they picked them directly without paying. Uchiha Izuna waved his hand and said, "Forget it, these are all grown by the people themselves. Picking one to try is enough. What would we become if we picked too many?"
With that Uchiha Izuna tossed aside the apple core he had just finished eating, stretched, stood up, looked around, and his eyes lit up. "Send the order down: prepare for battle!"
At this moment Uchiha Izuna was filled with excitement. Damn it, an hour has passed, and they've finally arrived! Don't forget that the Uchiha's former gathering place was in the Land of Land of Lightning, and he had trained many times in the Thunderfire Gorge since he was a child.
If the current Uchiha doesn't know anything about the Thunderfire Gorge, it wouldn't be surprising. But if they didn't know anything about it, that would be incredibly insulting!
"You've finally arrived." Uchiha Izuna smiled, stretched his limbs, twisted his neck, and sighed.
The ninjas from Kumogakure also saw the massive 7,000 Konoha Ninjas. Their faces turned pale, and they broke out in a cold sweat. The Third Raikage remained silent. It turned out that it wasn't that Izuna hadn't realized it, but that Izuna had been lying in ambush there all along.
At this moment, military discipline was lax, and everyone was unprepared. The sudden appearance of the Konoha army caused the morale of the Kumogakure ninjas to plummet, and their legs went weak.
They were exhausted and hungry, some even carrying injured teammates. Facing the well-rested and fully-fledged Konoha Ninjas, they had no chance of winning.
Young Lord A gasped, looking at the Third Raikage. He secretly vowed to himself that he would speak less, especially laugh less, in the future. Who knew if his bad luck was hereditary?
"This is like opening champagne in the first half and then getting bad news every single time. Who can stand this?" Killer B sighed, then waved his hand, enveloping the four thousand ninjas in Tailed Beast Chakra, hoping to help them reduce casualties.
But in Uchiha Izuna's eyes, this move was utterly foolish. To display the power of Tailed Beast in front of the Uchiha Clan? Didn't they know about the Mangekyō Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan?
He wasn't sure who the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki was before, but now it's obvious!
A slight smile played on his lips as he softly uttered, "I've been waiting for the Third Raikage, A."
Then the Konoha repeated, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Third Raikage, A!"
The Third Raikage was ashen. The village was still a few kilometers away, almost there, when Izuna and the Konoha army appeared and dealt him a crushing blow.
"Izuna! Always leave a way out for others. Why don't you let us go back? I won't pursue the matter of your Konoha invading my Kumogakure!" The Third Raikage roared angrily.
Izuna rolled her eyes at him. "This is hilarious! You're the one who's trapped here now. You want to live? You have to beg someone? Is this how you beg? Dude, are you crazy?"
"Idiot." Uchiha Izuna sighed.
The Konoha Ninja's eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Idiot!"
Uchiha Izuna suddenly turned to look at the Konoha Ninjas, his expression strange. "No, I was just saying it offhand. Why do you all mimic everything I say?"
The Konoha Ninjas, thinking that Uchiha Izuna was indicating they had done a good job, shouted again, "Commander Izuna said, Raikage, you idiot!"
Boom! In that instant Kumogakure ninjas cautiously watched the Third Raikage, fearing that if they were not careful, they might offend the Lord Raikage and be killed with a single swift Lord Raikage!
The Third Raikage's face turned ashen. He hadn't expected Uchiha Izuna to speak so crudely. He was known as a gentleman during the Warring States Period, yet rumors had misled people!
"If you want war, then fight! Why insult people like this!" After saying this, the Third Raikage's veins bulged, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, and crackling lightning resounded as his Lightning Release Armor appeared and disappeared.
Uchiha Izuna nodded. He was indeed a capable individual. In the Warring States Period, he could probably have served as a vanguard officer. He would definitely be useful for charging into battle!