Gifts Before Parting

"Kill me? You Konoha brats really have a big mouth!"

Every strand of his hair stood on end as the Fourth Raikage instantly fell into a rage. The Lightning Release chakra on his body expanded in a flash, its intensity far surpassing his previous Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

"Brat, this move was originally prepared for the Yellow Flash. Since you're in such a hurry to die, I'll let you witness the strongest Lightning Release Armor!"

"Lightning Release: Double Lariat!"

Combining the explosive speed of Lightning Release with immense arm strength, he surged toward Uchiha Hanazuki at a speed far exceeding that of a Body Flicker.

"It ends here, you Uchiha brat!"

"Really? No matter how powerful a technique is, it's useless if it can't hit the target. Am I right, you big lug with no talent for rapping?"

Dust scattered wildly as the immense arm strength carved deep furrows into the earth. The Fourth Raikage looked down to see only a twisted, deformed kunai left in his wake.

Killer Bee, who had been picking up pen and paper to record his inspiration, turned his head. Before he knew it, Hanazuki's figure was standing quietly beside him, brow furrowed.

"As I thought, you have no talent for rapping, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki."

"Fool! You jerk! You've been going on about 'no talent' since a moment ago—you really are an annoying brat!"

Tentacle-like appendages spread to his arms, the brown skin covered in soft, white suckers that were deeply unsettling to behold.

"Bee! Let this brat witness the strength of the AB combo! Lightning Release: Double Lariat!"

"Fool! You jerk! Let me show you our brotherly combo jutsu!"

Chakra that seemed to possess a life of its own permeated his skin. The appearance of the pale red Tailed Beast Cloak allowed Killer Bee to raise his arms with a speed that didn't lose to the Fourth Raikage, creating a pincer attack that arrived in an instant.

"A Tailed Beast Cloak? As expected of a perfect Jinchuriki who has mastered the Tailed Beast. This is a parting gift. It's over."

Bang!

The powerful arms collided, instantly crushing the kunai into fragments. As the chakra seal engraved on the hilt glowed, a pitch-black sphere surrounded by a ring of stars appeared before the two of them.

"Spiral Wheel."

A dazzling, brilliant light swallowed everything within its radius. After a long, lingering silence, a heaven-shaking explosion followed.

Whoosh! Bang! Hiss...

Countless trees and rocks were ground into sand by the sharp chakra needles. All that remained in the center of the forest was a massive crater comparable to a meteor strike.

As tentacles spread, the giant ox-headed, octopus-tailed creature relaxed its body and let out a roar toward the heavens.

"Bee! You woke me up just to have me block this guy for you? That hurts!"

"Fool, you jerk! Crisis... averted."

The Fourth Raikage, shielded beneath the Eight-Tails, reappeared. He looked around at his subordinates, who lay scattered and lifeless, and veins began to bulge across his forehead.

"You damn brat! How dare you, how dare you make a fool out of me! You wretched Uchiha brat, I will find you and tear you and that bastard Onoki into pieces!"

Gyuki, the Eight-Tails, couldn't help but sigh at the sight.

"He's completely lost to his rage. Who exactly is the enemy? Could the brat who made your brother this angry be the same ninja who used that Tailed Beast Bomb-like technique earlier?"

"Uchiha brat, arrogant! Brother and I teamed up, and he escaped."

Gyuki was also quite surprised. He looked at Killer Bee, who was still rapping and dancing, and asked again.

"Are you saying a young Uchiha brat escaped from you and A? Looking at A's state, he already used his strongest Lightning Release Armor. Does that brat possess a Body Flicker technique even faster than the Fourth Raikage? A formidable fellow."

"And what is this chakra that makes me feel so repulsed? It feels somewhat similar to the Nine-Tails, yet it's inexplicably disgusting. Is it just my imagination?"

Just as Gyuki was filled with doubt, dozens of miles away, near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers, several figures descended from the sky.

"Are we safe?"

Quickly returning to a state of vigilance, Kakashi scanned his surroundings. Rin, Obito, Sarutobi Hina... out of the ten three-man squads, only Uchiha Hanazuki had yet to appear.

A moment later, a figure in black robes descended from the sky, landing right in Anko's arms.

"Sorry, I used a bit too much chakra. The Flying Thunder God Technique over this distance is still quite a strain, but escaping was good enough. I'll leave the rest to you."

"Tch, you're just a guy who likes to show off, and you call others fools."

Despite her words, Anko carried Hanazuki on her back. Various complex gazes turned toward them, each with different expressions.

There was the relief of having narrowly escaped death, the joy of survival, and a complexity that was hard to describe, but mostly, there was shock and fear.

"What kind of monster is that guy? To trade blows with someone like the Fourth Raikage and actually survive?"

"Flying Thunder God is Minato-sensei's technique. How did he learn it?"

"A monster, a genuine monster. And he just happens to be from the Uchiha clan..."

The whispering of the crowd did not escape Uchiha Hanazuki's ears. Anko couldn't help but whisper.

"It's all because you hide so much that you've made me the center of attention."

"Are you unwilling? Then I'll ask Yugao Uzuki to carry me. She probably wouldn't have as many complaints, right? Yugao."

Tilting his head slightly and looking the two girls up and down, Uchiha Hanazuki flashed a toothy grin at Yugao, looking thoughtful.

Both girls had purple hair and brown eyes, though one wore her hair long and the other wore fishnet stockings.

The long-haired one possessed a charm mixed with purity, while the short-haired one had a sweetness mixed with passion and determination. Both were beauties in the making.

"You... you guy, you have so much to say while making me carry you. But how did you even manage to escape?"

"Thanks to Yugao's ninja sword. Time was too tight, and I didn't have enough Flying Raijin kunai prepared, so I had to settle for the next best thing and use whatever I could get my hands on."

Shifting his gaze, he saw the blade stuck in the grass, the formula carved into it with a sharp object glinting clearly under the refraction of the sunlight.

Is this level of Body Flicker Technique just a result of hasty preparation? This guy...

His pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks. Even the usually reticent Kakashi fell into self-doubt. As a member of the prestigious Uchiha clan, why would he hide his true strength so deeply?

"The situation is roughly clear. The reconnaissance mission failed, and you encountered the spearhead squad formed by the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, then managed to escape by sheer luck, right?"

"In any case, thanks to you, our lives were saved, Uchiha Hanazuki. I will report your meritorious service to Lord Hokage truthfully."

"If you have time for idle chatter, you'd better hurry back to Konoha Village. How long do you intend to stay here? This isn't the Land of Fire, you idiot."

The corners of Sarutobi Hina's mouth twitched slightly, and her expression darkened visibly. Even if he was a savior, this brat was as annoying as ever.

Suddenly, Hanazuki turned his head and barked a sharp warning.

"Move! Someone is approaching!"