"What?!"
Namikaze Minato's expression changed drastically.
"Not bad speed, but your power leaves a lot to be desired." The Third Raikage grinned.
His other hand had already grabbed the unconscious Kushina and tucked her under his arm. "I'll take the Jinchūriki."
Before the words had even left his mouth, he stamped his foot.
Rumble—!
The entire house collapsed in an instant!
Amid flying bricks and rubble, the Third Raikage turned into a streak of blue lightning and shot into the sky, speeding toward the outskirts of the village!
"Stop!" Minato's eyes blazed with fury. He used the Flying Thunder God in rapid succession, hot on his heels.
But the Third Raikage was far too fast!
With Lightning Release Chakra Mode at full power, he was like actual lightning.
He drew a brilliant blue streak across the night sky, each flash carrying him hundreds of meters!
Minato pushed himself to the limit, but could only just keep up, unable to close the distance.
What made him even more anxious was that the Third Raikage was heading straight for the rendezvous point Kumogakure's support team had chosen outside Konoha—
A hidden valley.
Meanwhile.
Uchiha Ryūha was racing through the forest using Flash Step.
He was heading for the same valley.
It wasn't a coincidence.
The instant the Third Raikage abducted Kushina and Minato gave chase, Ryūha had sensed the situation through his Reiatsu.
"The target is Kushina... and me?"
He understood the Third Raikage's plan at once.
Kidnap the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and weaken Konoha's strategic deterrence.
While he was at it, take away the "super genius" and cut off Konoha's future pillar.
Two birds with one stone.
And since the enemy had come prepared, their support team had to be waiting somewhere outside the village.
Without hesitation, Ryūha turned and raced toward the outskirts—not to flee, but to head straight for the rendezvous point.
Because that was where he could make the most of his strengths.
And because that was where he had a trump card... one no one would ever expect.
Ryūha used Flash Step at full power, his form becoming a blurred black streak through the forest.
But the blue lightning behind him was even faster!
"Kid, you're pretty quick."
The Third Raikage's voice boomed like thunder from a hundred meters behind Ryūha.
Ryūha could even feel the tangible pressure bearing down on him from behind.
It was an electromagnetic field formed by the outward discharge of Lightning Release Chakra. Grass and trees withered wherever it passed, and the ground cracked.
This was the Third Raikage's strength.
Pure speed, pure power, pure defense.
There was nothing fancy about it, yet it was strong enough to make anyone despair.
Ryūha didn't look back. He expanded his Reiatsu perception to its full range, locking onto the several Chakra signatures lying in wait in the valley ahead—
Three Jonin and seven Chunin.
Kumogakure's support team.
Good.
A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
He sped up and charged into the valley.
At almost the same moment, the Third Raikage landed with Kushina tucked under his arm.
The ground exploded into a crater ten meters across, sending stones flying.
Minato landed right behind him, at the edge of the crater, his face ashen.
Ryūha stood on the other side of the valley, facing the Third Raikage and Minato in a triangular standoff.
"Oh? You came right to me?" The Third Raikage tossed the unconscious Kushina to a Kumogakure Jonin behind him, then rolled his neck.
He looked at Uchiha Ryūha. "Saves me the trouble of going after you."
Ryūha pushed up his glasses and said nothing.
He looked at Namikaze Minato.
Minato looked back at him, worry and determination in his eyes. He was silently urging Ryūha to get away.
But Ryūha shook his head.
He raised his hand. A card glowing orange quietly appeared in his palm.
[UR · Limited Character Summoning Card · Zaraki Kenpachi (3 minutes)]
[Temporary Identity: Uchiha Ryūha's master]
"I was going to save this for a more critical moment..." Ryūha muttered. "But it looks like this is the perfect time."
He crushed the card.
Hum—!!!
The sky seemed to split open, as if an invisible giant hand had torn a fissure through it.
It wasn't a spatial rift, but an anomaly caused by a powerful "being" forcing his way into this world.
Then, a berserk Reiatsu beyond description, as if it had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, descended with a roar!
Every Kumogakure shinobi in the valley, including the Third Raikage, changed expression at once!
Minato instantly took up a combat stance, gripping his Kunai tightly as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
What was that?!
As everyone watched in shock, a figure stepped out of the rift in the air and landed heavily on the ground.
Boom—!
The earth cracked, sending stones flying.
The man was immensely broad-shouldered. He wore a white haori, and his exposed chest was covered in scars.
His wild black hair was tied into a ponytail, bells hanging from its tips and jingling as he moved.
An eyepatch covered his right eye; his left was a beastlike Golden Slit Pupils.
In one hand, he dragged an absurdly large, notched, saw-toothed sword.
Standing there, he looked like a ferocious beast out of ancient myth.
His very presence made the air still and souls tremble.
Zaraki Kenpachi.
He looked around, grinned, and wore a look of immense delight and bloodlust.
"Oh? So this is the battlefield?"
Golden Slit Pupils swept across the scene, finally settling on the three Kumogakure Jonin. They were protecting the unconscious Kushina, their faces pale and their bodies trembling.
Kenpachi's grin grew even more savage.
"Looks like you lot can take a little more cutting."
He hoisted his Zanpakuto onto his shoulder, pointed it at the Kumogakure Jonin, and walked toward them one step at a time.
His bells jingled with each heavy footfall.
"Come on, let me enjoy myself!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
A terrifying killing intent erupted like a tsunami, swallowing the entire valley!
A one-sided slaughter was about to begin.
For the first time, the Third Raikage's expression turned grave.
He stared at the wild man who had suddenly appeared, radiating an ominous aura, and said in a low voice:
"Who... are you?"
Kenpachi turned his head, his Golden Slit Pupils meeting the Third Raikage's blue, lightning-filled eyes.
"Zaraki Kenpachi, Captain of the 11th Division."
"From Seireitei!"
He licked his lips, fierce battle lust burning in his eyes.
"You look... a lot stronger than those nobodies."
"Come on, let's fight to the death!"
With a roar, Zaraki Kenpachi vanished from where he stood.
The next instant, he appeared in front of the Third Raikage, his saw-toothed greatsword whistling as it tore through the air and came crashing down!
The Third Raikage's pupils contracted. Lightning Release Chakra instantly covered his body as he threw a punch!
Sword met fist.
BOOM—!!!!
A terrifying shock wave erupted from the two of them.
The valley walls cracked, the ground collapsed, and trees in the distance were ripped up by their roots!
Minato shielded the unconscious Kushina and was pushed back hundreds of meters by the blast, his eyes filled with shock.
Uchiha Ryūha stood at the edge of the valley, pushed up his glasses, and calmly watched this battle beyond all common sense through his lenses.
"Three minutes..."
He murmured to himself.
"That should be enough."
Before you continue