11th Division Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi Arrives

"What?!" Namikaze Minato's expression changed drastically.

"Decent speed, but the power is far lacking." The Third Raikage grinned.

His other hand had already seized the unconscious Kushina, tucking her under his arm. "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, I'll be taking her."

Before the words had even faded, he stomped his foot.

BOOM!

The entire house collapsed in an instant!

Amidst the flying bricks and mortar, the Third Raikage transformed into a streak of blue lightning, surging into the sky and shooting toward the outskirts of the village!

"Stop!" Namikaze Minato's eyes were bloodshot; he flickered repeatedly using the Flying Thunder God, giving chase without pause.

But the Third Raikage's speed was too great!

With the Lightning Release Chakra Mode fully engaged, he was like a bolt of actual lightning.

He carved a brilliant blue trail through the night sky, covering hundreds of meters with every flicker!

Namikaze Minato pushed himself to the limit, yet he could only barely keep pace, unable to close the distance.

What made him even more frantic was that the direction the Third Raikage was heading was exactly where the Kumogakure extraction team had set their rendezvous point outside Konoha—

A hidden valley.

At the same time.

Uchiha Ryūha was sprinting through the forest using Flash Step.

His destination was also that valley.

It was no coincidence.

The moment the Third Raikage abducted Kushina and Namikaze Minato gave chase, Ryūha had "seen" the entire situation through his Reiatsu perception.

The target is Kushina... and me?

He instantly understood the Third Raikage's plan.

Abduct the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to weaken Konoha's strategic deterrent.

While he was at it, snatch away this "super genius" to sever the future pillar of Konoha.

Two birds with one stone.

Furthermore, the enemy had come prepared; the extraction team was undoubtedly waiting at some location outside the village.

Ryūha did not hesitate, turning to sprint toward the outskirts—not to flee, but to proactively head to that rendezvous point.

Because it was there that he could utilize his greatest advantage.

And because it was there that he held a trump card... one that would catch everyone completely off guard.

With Flash Step pushed to its limit, Ryūha's figure became a blurred black line in the forest.

But the speed of that blue lightning behind him was even faster!

"Kid, you're running pretty fast."

The Third Raikage's voice boomed like thunder a hundred meters behind Ryūha.

Ryūha could even feel the tangible pressure radiating from behind him.

It was the electromagnetic field formed by the discharge of his Lightning Release Chakra; wherever it passed, vegetation withered and the ground cracked.

This was the strength of the Third Raikage.

Pure speed, pure power, pure defense.

Nothing flashy, yet strong enough to induce despair.

Ryūha did not look back, his Reiatsu perception fully expanded, locking onto the several chakras lurking in the valley ahead—

Three Jonin, seven Chunin.

The Kumogakure extraction team.

Very good.

A cold arc curled at the corner of his mouth.

He accelerated, charging into the valley.

Almost simultaneously, the Third Raikage landed with a thunderous crash, still clutching Kushina.

The ground exploded into a ten-meter-wide crater, sending debris flying.

Namikaze Minato followed closely behind, landing at the edge of the pit with a livid expression.

Meanwhile, Ryūha stood on the other side of the valley, forming a triangular standoff with the Third Raikage and Namikaze Minato.

"Oh? Delivering yourself to my doorstep?" The Third Raikage tossed the unconscious Kushina to a Kumogakure Jonin behind him and cracked his neck.

He looked toward Uchiha Ryūha. "Saves me the trouble of having to go catch you."

Uchiha Ryūha pushed up his glasses, saying nothing.

He looked toward Namikaze Minato.

Namikaze Minato was also looking at him, his eyes filled with anxiety and resolve—he was signaling Uchiha Ryūha with his gaze to leave quickly.

But Uchiha Ryūha shook his head.

He raised his hand, and in his palm, a card radiating an orange glow quietly emerged.

[UR · Limited Character Summoning Card · Zaraki Kenpachi (3 minutes)]

[Temporary identity setting: Uchiha Ryūha's master]

"I intended to save this for a more critical moment..." Uchiha Ryūha whispered to himself, "but it seems now is the most appropriate time."

He crushed the card.

Hum—!!!

The sky seemed to be torn open by an invisible giant hand.

It was not a spatial rift, but a phenomenon triggered by the forced arrival of a powerful "existence" into this world.

Immediately following, a Reiatsu—indescribable in words, violent to the extreme, as if it had crawled out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood—descended with a roar!

Inside the valley, every Kumogakure ninja, including the Third Raikage, had their expressions change drastically at the same time!

Namikaze Minato instantly entered a combat state, gripping his kunai tightly, cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

What is that?!

Amidst the horrified gazes of everyone, a figure stepped out from the void rift and landed heavily on the ground.

Boom—!

The ground cracked, and gravel flew.

The man was extremely burly, wearing a white haori, his exposed chest covered in scars.

His wild black hair was tied into a ponytail, with bells hanging from the tips that jingled with his movements.

He wore an eyepatch over his right eye, and his left eye was a beast-like golden slit pupil.

In his hand, he dragged an exaggerated, notched, jagged blade.

He stood there like a ferocious beast that had walked out of ancient mythology.

His mere existence caused the air to solidify and souls to tremble.

Zaraki Kenpachi.

He scanned his surroundings, grinning to reveal an incredibly joyful and bloodthirsty smile:

"Oh? Is this the battlefield?"

His golden slit pupils swept across the field, finally locking onto the three Kumogakure Jonin—they were protecting the unconscious Kushina, their faces pale, trembling.

Zaraki Kenpachi's smile grew even more ferocious:

"Looks like you lot are a bit more durable to cut."

He hoisted his Zanpakuto onto his shoulder, pointed the tip at the Kumogakure Jonin, and walked toward them step by step.

The bells jingled, his footsteps heavy.

"Come on, let me enjoy this properly!"

As the words fell.

Terrifying killing intent erupted like a tsunami, drowning the entire valley!

A one-sided slaughter was about to begin.

And for the first time, the Third Raikage's expression became incredibly grave.

He stared fixedly at the wild man who had suddenly appeared, radiating an ominous aura, and said in a deep voice:

"Who... are you?"

Zaraki Kenpachi turned his head, his golden slit pupils meeting the Third Raikage's blue electric eyes.

"Zaraki Kenpachi, Captain of the 11th Division."

"From the Seireitei!"

He licked his lips, his eyes burning with intense battle intent:

"You look... much stronger than those small fry."

"Come, let's kill each other!"

Amidst the roar, Zaraki Kenpachi's figure vanished from where he stood.

In the next instant, he appeared before the Third Raikage, his jagged blade whistling as it tore through the air, cleaving down toward his head!

The Third Raikage's pupils constricted, Lightning Release Chakra instantly covering his entire body as he threw a punch!

Blade and fist collided.

BOOM------!!!!

A terrifying shockwave erupted from the center of the two.

The valley walls cracked, the ground collapsed, and the trees in the distance were uprooted!

Minato shielded the unconscious Kushina, pushed back hundreds of meters by the blast, his eyes filled with shock.

Uchiha Ryūha stood at the edge of the valley, adjusting his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses calmly observing this duel that defied common sense.

"Three minutes..."

He whispered to himself.

"That should be enough."