Still fighting? We'll just switch houses!

The two looked at each other.

Despite the age difference, the Third Raikage did not dare to underestimate the young ninja before him.

Minato Namikaze.

Although not Kyohiko Yoshimine, he was still a rare genius in the world. It was because of Minato Namikaze and Kyohiko Yoshimine that Konoha had an invincible situation comparable to that of the past.

These two...

They're practically just like the Senju Brothers from back in the day.

One in the light, one in the shadows, lifted up Konoha. When the ship went there, it was overseen by Kyohiko's clone, but when it returned, Minato Namikaze rushed to the scene.

This shows that...

This ship is extremely useful to Konoha!

For this reason, Konoha was wary of the power of Kumogakure and Kirigakure at sea, so they dared not detour by sea and planned to land here.

but.

The other party hadn't expected that they would also be planning to visit Konoha at this time.

What a coincidence.

Luckily, it was just a coincidence!

A resolute glint flashed in the Third Raikage's eyes.

Make your move!

This is their only chance to turn things around; otherwise, even if they can redeem Killer B, they may have to pay a heavy price.

That would be something the Kumogakure could hardly bear.

Having thought of this, the Third Raikage had no more hesitation.

"Minato's arrival is perfect; he can give me a ride. Let's go to Konoha together, which will save us some trouble."

"However, it's been a long time since we last met, and I'm curious to see how much your strength has improved. How about we have a spar first?"

Having said that, Minato Namikaze had no choice but to reply.

In an instant, he was beside Minato Namikaze, lightning crackling between his fingers.

The Third Raikage's speed reached its limit in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, the "Hell Stab" had already been unleashed.

Laugh!

A dense barrage of thunderclaps.

If this finger strikes, the victim will be severely injured, if not killed.

However.

The instant his finger pierced through, Minato Namikaze vanished from the spot.

The next moment.

Whoosh!

The sound of water breaking apart rang out.

water?

Raikage turned and slashed, but behind him was a specially made Kunai.

This Kunai could serve as a springboard for the Flying Thunder God, but at this moment, Minato Namikaze did not use the Flying Thunder God to teleport over.

Instead--

He grabbed the Third Raikage's feet with both hands.

Dali instantly surged from below, causing the Raikage's Lightning Armor to erupt, Chakra to spread outwards.

Immediately, he stomped his foot, and the water rippled.

Can.

In that instant, the Kunai exploded one by one.

Seven pieces.

Everywhere could be a potential landing point for Minato Namikaze.

The Third Raikage's hand moved like a blade, instantly sweeping outwards in a horizontal slash.

The stronger the attack, the larger the opening. Normal ninjas wouldn't dare to do this, but the Third Raikage was fearless.

He possesses the Strongest Armor, fearless of ordinary attacks, even Minato Namikaze's Wind Style Rasengan—

How did Minato Namikaze use Wind Style underwater?

Unless Minato Namikaze has gone mad!

But.

In the instant he swept across, those Kunai, one into two, two into four...

In the blink of an eye, it had become seventy or eighty.

The next second.

Call out!

Golden light shimmered all around.

Flashbang?!

The Third Raikage immediately sensed something was wrong and boosted his defenses, but the next second—

Boom!

Bang bang bang!

A series of explosions rang out all around.

Explosive Tag!

Explosions and seawater rose and fell all around him, obscuring everything around him.

The Third Raikage couldn't help but laugh.

Even the Eight-Tails ' Tailed Beast Bomb couldn't hurt him, let alone some mere Explosive Tag.

He was completely fearless, even...

"Minato Namikaze, have you run out of ideas? You've come up with such a ridiculous tactic."

The Third Raikage leaped out of the explosion in a single Body Flicker Technique.

However.

The Third Raikage's pupils contracted the instant he leaped out of the explosion.

This is?

What kind of Ninjutsu is this?

He stared in astonishment into the distance—

In Minato Namikaze Minato Namikaze's hand, a special Rasengan, shaped like a fan, appeared.

At that moment, Minato Namikaze smiled faintly.

"Lord Raikage, your Lightning Armor is indeed invincible in defense. Perhaps only Wind Release Ninjutsu can break through it, so..."

He raised the Spiral Blade in his hand.

The central Rasengan is small, while the surrounding blades are the length of a regular Kunai.

This is the attack range he is most familiar with.

And the purpose of this technique—

Instead of using Rasengan to smash people, they use the powerful Wind Blade generated by it to cut through the opponent's body.

It is a knife that is sharp to the extreme!

Not far away, Ai saw this Ninjutsu, and his pupils shrank instantly, his heart skipped a beat.

Aside from the Third Raikage, he was the one in Kumogakure who understood Lightning Armor the most.

He knew it very well.

No matter how powerful the Lightning Armor, it still has to follow the basic rules of Ninjutsu and cannot avoid being countered by Wind Style.

The Raikage wasn't afraid of Wind Style before, simply because the opponent's Wind Style was too weak.

But.

Even from this great distance, he could still sense the immense power emanating from Minato Namikaze's technique.

This technique is extraordinary!

and.

Ai now understood.

Why did Minato Namikaze still throw so many Explosive Tag, even though he knew his father wasn't afraid of them?

That was to conceal his gathering of Chakra while using this technique.

And now.

It all comes down to who can dodge and who can hit!

"Lord Ai, that technique..."

"I believe in Lord Raikage!"

Although Ai was worried, he knew that he must not show his worry at this moment.

The Third Raikage was indeed very wary of him.

He realized that Minato Namikaze's Wind Release Ninjutsu was similar to his Hell Stab technique—

The ultimate Ninjutsu that combines nature transformation and form transformation.

This Ninjutsu is incredibly powerful; even his Lightning Armor might not be able to withstand it!

The Third Raikage's expression was grave.

The next second, in an instant, Minato Namikaze had already made his move.

Instead of using the Flying Thunder God, they used the simplest Body Flicker Technique.

But.

A simple technique, when mastered to its fullest extent, can be terrifying.

Just like now...

Minato Namikaze's figure was like a yellow lightning bolt; his movements were so fast that ordinary people couldn't even see them.

The Raikage's speed is also extremely fast.

Bang bang bang!

The two had already exchanged blows several times in mid-air using Taijutsu.

After initial apprehension, the Third Raikage quickly adapted to the new combat rhythm, with the two engaging in constant offense and defense, each side facing immense danger.

But.

It was unclear how many times they had clashed, but the moment their figures parted ways...

Minato Namikaze's hand suddenly swept across.

The Raikage swiftly dodged.

But the next second, Minato Namikaze's hand tilted slightly, and the Spiral Blade suddenly erupted with Chakra, expanding outward by an inch in an instant.

Laugh!

The figures separated, Third Raikage's wrist dripped blood, his face filled with apprehension.

It was just a slight scratch, yet it directly broke through his defenses and injured his body.

and.

He never expected that Minato Namikaze's Spiral Blade could increase in length even further!

Fortunately, the Lightning Armor provided some protection, and he dodged in time; otherwise, his hand might have been severed at the wrist by now.

What a terrifying technique!

The Third Raikage thought he had overestimated the power of this technique, but it still exceeded his expectations.

If it's his son...

In that brief moment, his hand may have already been severed.

The two faced off again.

Minato Namikaze chuckled lightly, "Lord Raikage, would you like to continue our sparring?"

The Third Raikage remained silent for a moment.

Then he laughed and said, "It's just a friendly spar, let's stop when we've got enough. If someone gets killed, it might damage the relationship between our two families."

"You mean it."

Minato Namikaze smiled, but instead of retracting the Spiral Blade, he maintained the Ninjutsu, remaining in a standoff with the Third Raikage.

Then he took out a scroll.

"Unfortunately, I have some special Chakra reserves. If you intend to continue sparring, I can still accompany you to the end."

Special Chakra?

The Third Raikage glanced at it, then fell even more silent.

Without a doubt.

That's the Tailed Beast Chakra.

With Minato Namikaze's abilities, controlling a portion of the Tailed Beast Chakra would indeed be a piece of cake, but if they really fought...

He won't get any credit.

This is the most direct deterrent.

No amount of rhetoric or tactics can compare to demonstrating strength, especially when dealing with the Kumogakure.

Minato Namikaze squinted.

As long as the Third Raikage doesn't eliminate the Chakra within him, he won't undo this technique, and—

"But it seems to me that you people from your village are inclined to have a friendly spar. By the way, my ship has some cargo brought back from the Land of Snow. I wonder what's on your ship?"

"Haha, these are some gifts for you, and some goods from trade with various countries. Let's skip the friendly competition."

The Third Raikage understood Minato Namikaze's meaning and immediately dispersed his Lightning Style Chakra.

really.

He could certainly kill an entire crew of Konoha and ruin Konoha's plans, but Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God was equally terrifying.

With the power of the Spiral Blade, it could easily kill everyone on that ship down to just Ai, and even Ai might not survive.

It's just a matter of moving.

However, the costs that the two sides have to pay are completely different.

The team from Konoha was just a small squad.

On their side, however, they were almost entirely composed of ninjas.

If both ships perish, the losses for Kumogakure will only be greater.

Since everyone has the ability to threaten the other, the best outcome is --

They shook hands and made peace.

The Third Raikage first dissipated the Chakra within his body.

Minato Namikaze smiled and pressed his hand against the water's surface. The Chakra in his hand dissipated, transforming into a hurricane that burst out in all directions.

Boom!

A small tsunami is brewing.

This is a small warning.

The next moment, Minato Namikaze smiled and bowed.

"Since everyone is going to do business, why don't we each focus on our own things first? Once we're all done, when you come to Konoha, we'll definitely give you a proper welcome."

"Okay, it's settled then."

The Third Raikage answered with a smile.

Minato Namikaze nodded slightly, then vanished from the spot using a Flying Thunder God Technique.

The Third Raikage also vanished in Body Flicker Technique.

Both sides returned to their respective ships, as if nothing had happened and it was just a normal sparring match.

But.

On the ship.

"Minato- senpai!"

"I'm slightly injured, but it's nothing serious. You can treat it for me."

Minato Namikaze rolled up his sleeves.

There were several scratches on his arm, all from being rubbed by Hell Stab.

"The Raikage's Hell Stab truly lives up to its reputation as the Strongest Spear!"

He sighed softly.

Shikaku were far away and didn't know exactly what had happened, but based on the situation when they were separated...

"You should have given the Raikage a taste of your own medicine, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have retreated so easily."

I stabbed him in the wrist.

Minato Namikaze nodded.

No wonder he backed down.

Kurenai Yuhi was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

The wrist is very close to the artery, so compared to the abrasion on the arm, the Third Raikage was clearly in greater danger.

Minato Namikaze.

"We're all very fast, and our speed is about the same as last time, so unless it's fatal, it doesn't count as a success."

"The fact that you can hurt him, and have the ability to kill him, changes the nature of the situation."

Shikaku laughed.

For fighters like the Raikage, the ability to break through the opponent's Strongest Armor is crucial.

Minato did it!

He sat on a bench on the deck and said, "Just now, I was genuinely worried that Raikage might act recklessly. These people never seem to know what reason is."

Shikaku is not afraid of Ōnoki.

Because Ōnoki is intelligent, he weighs the pros and cons before doing anything.

But Kumogakure...

They never consider the consequences.

That was true then, and it is true now.

The Third Raikage was merely slightly more rational than the others; essentially, there wasn't much difference between them.

The fact that they tried to steal Kushina is the best example of this.

Meanwhile, Kurenai Yuhi was treating Minato's injuries.

Minato endured the pain.

"After we land, will we unload our goods here as well?"

"Downloaded everything."

Shikaku nodded.

He looked south. "Our men are coming this time, so we can take the goods with us. Although traveling by water requires fewer people, it will be much more dangerous."

"If this continues, our future cooperation with the Land of Snow will not be very convenient."

Minato Namikaze frowned.

The locations of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water can cut off the northern shipping lanes, making it much more difficult for them to acquire resources from the Land of Snow.

This is not good news for the Land of Fire.

Nara Shikaku nodded in deep agreement.

Then, he squinted and said, "It's not like there's no way!"

What method?

"There is a large river between the Land of Waterfalls and the Land of Grass, which flows directly to the sea. If we obtain the consent of the Land of Waterfalls, we can use this waterway."

The Land of Lightning and the Land of Water are indeed difficult to deal with, but the Land of Waterfalls cannot reach the bay of the Land of Lightning.

If it's Iwagakure, then it'll be much easier to deal with.

and--

There is indeed an opportunity right now.

Minato Namikaze's eyes lit up, and he said, "Kakuzu?"

"That's right! As long as we can handle Kakuzu, the Land of Waterfalls will definitely be fine. As for the Land of Grass..."

A sharp glint flashed in Nara Shikaku's eyes.

"If they disagree, we'll build a river connecting it to the river north of the Land of Fire. It will take some manpower and resources, but it's not impossible."

"That's a solution."

Minato Namikaze nodded, then thought for a moment, took out a scroll and writing materials, and said, "I'll just write down my thoughts and give them to Kyohiko, and see what he says."

"Um."

Shikaku nodded.

He pondered for a moment and said, "We must capture Kakuzu, or at least eliminate him. Land of Waterfalls is just a side project."

"It's a pity. Even if we could kill Kakuzu, the Jinchuriki probably couldn't be saved."

Minato sighed.

Kakuzu is backed by Madara and Kirigakure. Their primary objective is to plunder the Tailed Beast. Once they obtain them, they would have already moved them away, so it's impossible for them to be in Kakuzu's hands.

To put it bluntly, Kakuzu is just a mercenary, nothing more.

As for that "missing-nin" Raiga Kurosuki--

Clearly, he didn't truly betray his cause; rather, he sided with Madara, who controlled the Mizukage. The claim of him being missing-nin was merely a pretext to deceive the world.

but.

Minato thought of this, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"We can hunt down Raiga Kurosuki just the same. He's missing-nin anyway, what can Kirigakure say?"

"That's possible, but Kyohiko probably hasn't found any clues."

Shikaku answered.

That Zetsu's ability to conceal himself is truly astonishing; currently, only Kyohiko can sense his presence within a certain distance.

In this situation, finding Kakuzu and Raiga is a difficult problem.

Minato Namikaze, "Both of them have their flaws. If we start by exploiting those flaws, we can eventually catch them..."

"But we don't need to worry. Knowing Kyohiko as I do, he's probably already doing it."