Even the Fourth Raikage Wouldn't Work

They say battle reports can lie, but the front lines never do.

Sometimes, however, even that saying isn't necessarily true.

Ever since Orochimaru arrived at the front to take command, Konoha and Kumogakure have engaged in a series of major battles. The result has been the Kumogakure army advancing step by step, while the Konoha army has been in constant retreat.

Looking at the front lines, the Kumogakure army is undoubtedly the victor.

Yet, in the eyes of the ninjas on both sides, the Konoha army is firmly in the upper hand; even while retreating, they are full of laughter and cheer.

How could they not be happy?

Every battle is a Konoha ambush on Kumogakure, and every time, they leave the Kumogakure ninjas bloodied and mangled while remaining completely unscathed themselves.

Every advance the Kumogakure army makes relies on the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki using the Tailed Beast Ball to blast the battlefield into ruins.

These world-shattering Tailed Beast Balls don't just leave craters on the battlefield; they fundamentally alter the terrain, yet they have failed to produce a single tactical victory.

So, how could the Konoha ninjas be anything but happy?

Now, they spend their time calculating exactly how many lives Kumogakure paid for every thousand meters they advanced.

They loudly discuss how far the Kumogakure army can push before every last one of them dies on the road to the offensive.

The morale of the Konoha ninjas is soaring, while the morale of the Kumogakure ninjas is naturally plummeting.

And the closer they get to Konoha, the lower that morale sinks.

Even the greatest contributor to breaking Konoha's defenses and forcing their constant retreat, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B, has lost his smile entirely.

He doesn't even have the mood to rap anymore.

It wasn't until the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure coordinated the follow-up reinforcements and organized the long supply lines, arriving at the front line of the battle, that the morale of the Kumogakure army finally recovered.

After learning the situation, the Fourth Raikage did not blame his brother or his subordinates.

He looked at the battle reports with deep emotion: "I originally thought that after the Nine-Tails incident and the loss of the Fourth Hokage, Konoha would be vulnerable, but I never expected Orochimaru to be this formidable."

"Konoha's front line is firm and flexible, and their flanks launch constant sneak attacks. While these are old tactics in the ninja wars, it is truly inconceivable that Orochimaru has achieved total victory."

"The problem is how he ensures every ambush succeeds, while our ninjas' ambushes inevitably fail. This is far too abnormal."

Killer B asked: "Big Brother, could it be a spy?"

The Fourth Raikage shook his head: "A spy could steal war plans, but all intelligence has a delay. It is impossible to guarantee total victory."

"I suspect Konoha has developed a special reconnaissance method—a secret technique with observation capabilities and range far exceeding the Byakugan or Kikaichū."

Killer B was stunned: "This... what should we do?"

The Fourth Raikage sneered: "It's simple. Your approach, brother, is the most correct one."

"The reason we haven't completely shattered Konoha's defenses is that your power alone isn't enough. With me, the Raikage, added to the mix, we will surely force Orochimaru to show himself."

The Fourth Raikage clenched his fists and said fiercely: "As long as that stinking snake dares to appear, I will beat him to death in front of everyone!"

"Once Orochimaru is dead, not only will the Konoha ninjas collapse, but Konoha will no longer have any Kage-level ninjas left to hold the situation together!"

Dodai reminded him: "Lord Raikage, I must warn you, do not be overly optimistic."

"The nearly sixty-year-old Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi is not a concern, and Shimura Danzō is a rat in the sewer, but the Legendary Sannin of Konoha are currently in their prime."

"If you kill Orochimaru, you will inevitably enrage Jiraiya and Tsunade, who are wandering abroad. They will certainly return to Konoha."

"By then, we will face two more powerful Kage-level ninjas, and the pressure we face may be even greater."

The Fourth Raikage: "..."

"Dodai, the truth you speak... is truly annoying!"

Dodai bowed respectfully: "It is my duty, Lord Raikage."

The Fourth Raikage chuckled: "Good, you did the right thing."

"However, Orochimaru must still be killed."

"Whether it's Jiraiya, Tsunade, or even if Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō come together, I, the Fourth Raikage, do not fear them!"

The arrival of the Fourth Raikage greatly boosted the morale of the Kumogakure ninjas.

The surge in the Kumogakure ninjas' emotions was immediately captured by Yamanaka Chujiu, who instantly concluded that the Fourth Raikage had arrived.

Against the perfect Jinchuriki Killer B, he could command the Konoha ninjas to create traps, using battlefield maneuvering to force him into a corner and limit his combat effectiveness.

But adding a Fourth Raikage with maxed-out speed, defense, and attack power exceeded the scope of what his tactics could handle.

Yamanaka Chujiu couldn't help but stick out his tongue, licking his own cheek, eyes, and forehead.

With a shuddering realization, he hurriedly pulled his tongue back in.

Yamanaka Chujiu gathered the Konoha ninjas in the name of Orochimaru, informing them of the intelligence that the Fourth Raikage had reached the front line.

In front of Yamanaka Chujiu, dozens of Konoha Jonin collectively gasped.

The sound of their intake of breath was so loud that it startled them.

In this era where Kage-level ninjas are the pinnacle, the Fourth Raikage is a top-tier monster.

He and his father, the Third Raikage, broke the curse of ninjas being "glass cannons," gaining monstrous defensive power through the [Lightning Release Chakra Mode].

Even if ninjutsu were plastered to their faces or explosive tags detonated at point-blank range, it would not be enough to tear through the skin of these two monsters.

In the current ninja world, only the Dust Release of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, is capable of piercing the defenses of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

The two generations of Raikage possess not only formidable defensive power but also offensive capabilities sufficient to kill any ninja, alongside an unrivaled advantage in speed.

Only the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, known as the Yellow Flash, is able to crush the Raikage in terms of speed.

The reason the Cloud Village army ceased hostilities back then was precisely because the Fourth Hokage single-handedly took on the AB Duo.

The Hokage could not break the Raikage's defense, and the Raikage could not touch the Hokage; neither could do anything to the other.

It was only after Killer B took ten consecutive Rasengan hits and was left rolling on the ground unable to rise that he became the hostage who forced the Fourth Raikage to concede.

But the Fourth Hokage has already sacrificed himself; can Orochimaru defeat the Fourth Raikage?

Yamanaka Chujiu does not know if Master Orochimaru can do it, but he knows for certain that he cannot.

Huoyun Cthulhu once said: "In all the world's martial arts, only speed is invincible!"

In the face of the Fourth Raikage's ultimate speed, even if his Heart Severing Realm could sense him, there would be no way to evade the opponent's pursuit.

No, there is no way I can do this alone!

Even if I launch the logistics sabotage mission ahead of schedule, I can at most draw out one of the AB Duo, and my shadow clones cannot sustain the Heart Severing Realm; there is absolutely no room for confrontation.

I need a truly ruthless character who can hold their own against the Fourth Raikage head-on and create a tactical opening for me to strike.

Someone like Master Orochimaru...