A sharp shout made Sarutobi Hina tighten her grip on her kunai. The ten scout teams responsible for patrolling the border immediately went on high alert.
"Hey, Uchiha Hanazuki, are there really enemies?"
Kakashi furrowed his brow, his gaze darting around as he asked in a low voice.
"Where are they?"
"It might get complicated if I explain. It'll be easier to just drive them out. Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Formation!"
Three Shadow Clones appeared out of nowhere. Countless tiny fireballs, no bigger than phoenix flower seeds, shot in every direction, raising clouds of dust.
"Found us, have you? Not bad eyes for a Konoha brat. You could've just pretended you saw nothing and died without pain. Why can't you accept your fate?"
Everyone stared into the cloud of dust nearby, on guard.
The tall figure with pale yellow-brown skin and a goatee the same color as his hair made Uchiha Hanazuki's mouth twitch a little faster.
"Idiot! Moron! Big bro's such an idiot, getting spotted by some brat..."
A man with a strange rapping cadence and seven Ninja Blades strapped to his back taunted the figure beside him, making the man he called "big bro" fly into a rage.
"Bee! You bastard! Once I'm done with these Konoha brats, I'll deal with you!"
"Big bro's angry, this is bad... run away, scatter!"
Killer B flailed around with no artistic talent whatsoever. Sarutobi Hina, meanwhile, was sweating and looked grim.
"The AB Combo? Did they learn that Minato-sensei was heading toward the Sunagakure front and decide to take advantage of his absence?"
"Why attack Konoha now instead of avenging the Third Raikage? What are you thinking?"
At the mention of the Third Raikage, who had fallen in battle, Fourth Raikage A's expression darkened. His already dark complexion seemed even more sullen.
"I'll make that old bastard Ōnoki pay, just like I'll make Konoha pay. But first, I'll deal with you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Cloud Village shinobi appeared from every direction. Hundreds of them now stared at the group, their killing intent utterly undisguised.
"Ha... Hanazuki, who are all these people?"
"That's genuine killing intent. They feel at least as strong as the jonin in our village. Are there really this many of them?"
Anko trembled all over and instinctively ducked behind Hanazuki. Yugao could only grip her long sword tightly. Under the threat of that killing intent, she couldn't even move.
"Fourth Raikage A, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer Bee. You've barely set foot on the battlefield, and you still haven't memorized the enemy's information?"
Hatake Kakashi tightened his grip on his Chakra Blade and instinctively assessed the situation.
There are over a hundred enemies, all seasoned fighters from the battlefield. Most are Chunin, along with twenty jonin leading them. The Fourth Raikage, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki...
Damn it, is there nothing we can do? We've only got me, the jonin Sarutobi Hina, and a group of immature Genin who just graduated from the Ninja Academy...
Kakashi lowered his eyes, unable to keep the frustration from his gaze. Was he going to follow in his father's footsteps today?
"As a reward for those sharp eyes, I'll start with you. Lightning Release: Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop!"
The scene seemed to freeze. The burly Fourth Raikage appeared in front of Anko in an instant, bringing his hand down with brutal force as her face turned deathly pale.
"Watch out!"
"Damn it, he's too fast! We can't stop him!"
As Kakashi and the others watched in despair, a hand chop as sharp as a Famous Sword flashed. Azure lightning burst in every direction, and the air itself seemed to freeze.
Anko's legs gave way, and she slumped to the ground. The fear in her eyes turned to shock as the Raikage's shadow covered most of her body. She couldn't speak for a long time.
"Honestly, if you're praising my eyes, you should've attacked me. Who attacks someone else instead? You look reckless, but you're actually quite calculating, big guy."
Compared to the Fourth Raikage's arm, Hanazuki's seemed like a withered branch. Yet that branch had caught the hand chop that could split stone, leaving everyone present stunned.
"T-that kid, Uchiha Hanazuki, stopped the Fourth Raikage, who's as fast as the Yellow Flash?"
"Hey, hey, what just happened? I didn't see a thing!"
"Is that guy really that strong?"
Ignoring their shocked faces, Hanazuki lowered his head and spoke calmly.
"Idiot, you can't sit on the ground in front of an enemy. Can you stand up?"
"That crest... You're an Uchiha brat? You dare look around while fighting me? You're more infuriating than I expected, you little bastard! Liger Bomb!"
With a sudden pull, the Fourth Raikage seized Hanazuki's arm. The crackling lightning and his immense strength instantly pinned Hanazuki in place.
"He looks burly, but he's actually a speed-type fighter? That chakra crackling with lightning—is that Lightning Release Armor?"
"Damn brat, die!"
He slammed Hanazuki into the ground. The roar of thunder and the force of the impact sent up a shower of sparks and a billowing cloud of dust, which eventually drifted away.
"Is he dead? No... That blow was too light."
When the enormous crater came into view, every gaze fixed on it. But instead of a body smashed to pulp, they saw a black kunai.
"That was close, that was close! You're the Fourth Raikage, and yet you fight dirty, attacking without warning. Were you trying to kill me?"
"Body Flicker Technique? Are you the Yellow Flash's student?"
The Leaf shinobi, who had been surrounded, now stood outside the encirclement. Kunai marked with crude formulas were scattered all over the battlefield.
"Sorry, wrong guess. Minato-sensei and I have only met in passing. I just graduated from the Ninja Academy, and now I have to face an opponent like you? This is ridiculous."
Only now did Fourth Raikage A regard the Uchiha boy before him with solemn attention. Lightning Release Armor spread over his body once more.
Black clothes and a black robe, black fingerless sleeves on both hands, dark red bandages wrapped around his limbs, and the Uchiha flame fan crest embroidered on the back of his cloak.
"Another genius ninja. But you'll die here soon. Have you thought of your last words?"
"My last words are: 'I really want to live another five hundred years.' And you've got the nerve to call yourself the Fourth Raikage? You were sizing up the easiest targets to hit just now, weren't you?"
The Fourth Raikage sneered at Hanazuki's taunt.
"This is a battlefield between Konoha and the Cloud Village. I've got no habit of showing mercy to enemies, brat! Lightning Style: Thunderous Oppression Horizontal Chop!"
The shadow closed in with the gale. Steel glinted along the blade, and Hanazuki caught the Raikage's attack again, shaking his head helplessly.
"Why do you keep targeting my teammates, you bastard? Whatever. You said there's no need to show mercy to the enemy, right?"
"Yugao, lend me your sword for a while. I'll give it back after I kill this bastard."
Hanazuki smiled brightly. Uzuki Yugao, still bewildered, gave a small nod. The long sword she had been gripping was already in Hanazuki's hands.
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