If you asked who was fastest in the world of Naruto, many people would praise the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, who had mastered the bug-like space-time ninjutsu known as the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In truth, people often overlooked the Raikage of every generation who wore Lightning Release Armor, as well as Killer B. Their speed was no less formidable than the Flying Thunder God.
In the manga, Killer B, clad in Lightning Release Armor, had once matched Minato Namikaze, who used the Flying Thunder God, blow for blow in speed. However, Lightning Release Armor had always been Kumogakure's closely guarded secret, and Lightning Release itself required talent.
But before Keiko, a transmigrator, none of those problems were really problems. He might not know Lightning Release, but he knew Magnet Release.
The great physicist Faraday had long since explained the relationship between electricity and magnetism with perfect clarity.
When part of a conductor in a closed circuit moved through magnetic field lines, an electric current would be generated in the conductor. This phenomenon was called electromagnetic induction, and the current produced was called an induced current.
With the theory in place, the rest was simple. He formed Iron Sand into a closed circuit, then used other magnetic Iron Sand to desperately cut through the magnetic field lines. Thus, an imitation Lightning Release Armor took shape.
As Keiko sped through the desert, he had even put on a headscarf and wind goggles. His blue Lightning Release Armor crackled continuously. Sparks and lightning trailed behind him all the way.
"Lightning Release Armor is useful, but it burns through chakra too quickly. I need to catch my breath and recover before reaching Lishi Fortress."
Among ninja his age, Keiko's chakra reserves were undoubtedly terrifying. Ever since graduating from the Ninja Academy, he had constantly trained to increase his chakra. He could afford to lack anything else, but never mana.
The Second Shinobi World War had only just begun. The Third Shinobi World War was still more than a decade away, and the Fourth Shinobi World War was decades away. Who knew how many brutal battles lay ahead? What was the point of fighting without enough mana? Only someone like the Third Raikage, who could face ten thousand enemies alone and hold out for three days and nights, was truly on the right path!
Through training, Keiko discovered that building chakra was just like building physical strength. Only by constantly breaking through his limits could he improve. Thus, at Sunagakure's training grounds, a blue-haired figure could always be seen tirelessly pouring out sweat.
This sight greatly pleased the Second Kazekage, who loved gazing out over the village. Hmm, that blue-haired young man was not bad. What was his name?
Thus, the name Keiko entered the sight of Sunagakure's upper echelon. After completing countless S-Rank and A-Rank missions and winning several localized armed conflicts at the border, Shamon immediately promoted Keiko to guard.
He could fight and wage war. He was sensible and sweet-talking—after all, he had been a community civil servant in his previous life, basic skills, or else he would have been buried under complaints every day. Though young, he possessed a sense of the bigger picture. He was tall, long-legged, and handsome. That part was true; among the Kazekage of every generation, the Third Kazekage had the most style. Naturally, such a young man was worth cultivating.
In just a few years, Keiko had gained the recognition of both the Militant Faction and the conservative faction among Sunagakure's upper ranks. He was directly regarded as the "crown prince."
Even when Keiko proposed using the village's "nuclear bomb"—Shukaku—for practice, Shamon agreed without batting an eye. Being able to wrestle with a Tailed Beast meant his chakra reserves were, if not among the top three in the Shinobi World, at least among the top five. Still, running through the desert for a full day and night in Imitation Lightning Armor was no different from piloting a Gundam. That kind of maneuver consumed a great deal of mana.
Looks like I need to study Senjutsu someday. If I master that thing, it'll be like using cheats. Where could I learn it? Mount Myoboku? Shikkotsu Forest? Ryūchi Cave? Or the lair of some other summoning beast? Right, shouldn't I sign a summoning contract too? Keiko thought as he raced onward.
Akasuna Guimu opened the orders sent from Sunagakure by a war falcon. The small slip of paper contained only three short sentences.
The Second Kazekage died in battle. Keiko succeeds him as the Third Kazekage.
The White Fang of Konoha will invade Lishi Fortress at noon on the 27th.
The Third Kazekage will soon arrive with reinforcements. Hold fast.
It was signed on the night of the 25th.
The orders were written in plain text. It seemed matters had reached the most urgent point. Sunagakure's Intelligence Department no longer had time to encrypt its words. Yet those three short sentences left Akasuna Guimu feeling as though he had swallowed an entire pig leg whole, and it took him a long while to digest them before he recovered.
"Sigh. Notify the brothers stationed outside to abandon all outer fortifications. Set more traps within the defenses. Concentrate all personnel on defending Lishi Central Fortress. Tell Yura to prepare to fill in the wells at any time. Burn every document containing writing." Akasuna Guimu issued his orders, then handed the slip to his wife, Akasuna Hideki.
Hideki took the paper and instantly widened her eyes.
"Don't just stand there. Go pass on the orders. The White Fang of Konoha will arrive at noon. We should buy more time for the village, more time for the Third Kazekage, and more time for our Sasori." Guimu smiled calmly at his wife.
"Order the troops to rest in place for ten minutes. In ten minutes, launch a full assault on Lishi Fortress. All Jonin combat squads are to head straight for the central keep. Ignore the outer positions. Leave those places for the Chunin and Genin to clear."
Hatake Sakumo was in his prime, with a resolute face, a powerful build, and decisive ways. He never spoke a word too many or made a single unnecessary movement. Every line of muscle on his body was perfectly proportioned. His entire presence was like a sharpened blade, as if he could split apart the gaze of anyone who looked at him. No one dared question his orders in the slightest, nor did anyone dare ask questions. They could only carry them out without hesitation.
It was Hatake Sakumo who had proposed this westward surprise attack on Sunagakure. Based on his meticulous analysis of intelligence, most of Sunagakure's main forces were stationed on the Land of Rain front, while the western part of the Land of Wind was separated from the Land of Fire by the Land of Rivers.
A large number of elite Jonin stationed in the west had been transferred to the Land of Rain front. Only a little over fifty people remained permanently stationed at Lishi Fortress, and few of them were Jonin. The seasoned Hatake Sakumo immediately seized upon this opportunity. He promptly submitted a request to the Third Hokage, used diplomatic means to force the Land of Rivers to grant passage, and led a detached force straight at Sunagakure!
The Third Hokage had only recently taken office and was still full of ambition. At a glance, he saw that this was a perfect opportunity to eliminate Konoha's western threat in one stroke and completely take Sunagakure. He immediately approved the plan and resolved the diplomatic issue of crossing the Land of Rivers in only one day.
He immediately appointed Hatake Sakumo to lead eight hundred ninja as the vanguard and carry out the Westward Advance Plan. Torifu Akimichi, Mitokado Homura, and a number of other fierce commanders were to organize a second, larger force to follow behind. If the entire plan proceeded smoothly, Sunagakure would likely be doomed.
"Report! The central fortress of Lishi Fortress has been blasted open by the forward troops using Fire Release and Explosive Tags. The remaining Sunagakure forces are putting up stubborn resistance using the terrain. Two puppet masters are proving troublesome."
"Come on, Team 7. Let's go take a look." Hatake Sakumo picked up his family heirloom blade, and two ninja followed behind him like shadows.
Lishi Central Fortress stood amid the wind and sand. In theory, it should have been a circular structure, but now half of it had already collapsed from the bombardment. Smoke had yet to disperse, and the bodies of Konoha and Sunagakure ninja lay scattered everywhere, along with broken kunai and damaged shuriken.
The battle had apparently been extremely fierce and was already nearing its end. Several hundred ninja wearing green combat vests and holding ninja tools glared menacingly at the few remaining enemies before them.
Akasuna Guimu and Akasuna Hideki each controlled two puppets, blocking the way ahead. Both were covered in wounds and blood, and after a brutal battle, their stamina and chakra had clearly reached their limits. Behind them stood seven or eight Sunagakure ninja, likewise battered, exhausted, and covered in injuries.
"The outcome has been decided. There is no point struggling like trapped beasts. Surrender now. I'll only say this once." Hatake Sakumo stepped forward.
Akasuna Guimu did not answer. He merely smiled at Hatake Sakumo.
"Then don't blame me." Hatake Sakumo drew the short blade from behind his back.
In an instant, the room blazed with white light. The gleam and shadows of that white short blade filled every direction. Hatake Sakumo moved like a ghost, too fast for the eye to follow.
Slash! Slash!
With only two strikes, four sturdy combat puppets were reduced to a pile of rotten wood.
Akasuna Guimu and his wife exchanged helpless looks, then closed their eyes in despair.
Hatake Sakumo wasted no words. He darted forward, intending to end the battle with a single slash.
Just as the blade passed across Akasuna Guimu's throat, a small cluster of black powder condensed upon its edge like water.
Then the powder rapidly expanded, becoming a small black iron rod. Hatake Sakumo found that no matter how hard he pushed, the blade could not advance another inch. The battle-hardened Hatake Sakumo immediately flipped backward, retreating seven or eight meters. He gripped his sword with both hands and assumed a guarded stance.
Akasuna Hideki widened her eyes and stared in shock at the small black iron rod that had appeared out of thin air.
"This is... Senior Keiko's... Little Flying Rod!"
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