Speed vs. Strength

In the open space behind the shopping district, the sun shone brightly. Rainwater had gathered into shallow puddles beneath their feet, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds.

The cries of distant vendors drifted over, faint and indistinct, as though they belonged to another world.

But this open space belonged to two people at this moment.

A massive boulder stood across the center, half a person tall and thick enough that two people could barely wrap their arms around it. Its surface was covered in moss and rain streaks.

No one knew who had moved it there or from where. It stood abruptly in the clearing, like a referee prepared specifically for this match.

Tsunade stood on one side of the stone, one hand braced against its surface, her elbow firmly planted on the rock.

The Fourth Raikage stood on the other side in the same posture, his elbow against the stone.

One black, one white.

One large, one small.

The contrast was glaring.

Sōji stood nearby, his Six Eyes beneath the black cloth fixed on their hands.

Tsunade's hand was fair and slender, her fingers long, her nails neatly trimmed and painted bright red.

It was a hand that looked suited for holding a wineglass or flipping through medical records, utterly unrelated to the word strength.

The Fourth Raikage's hand was another matter entirely.

His skin was brown, his knuckles thick, and his palm as solid as an iron plate.

His five fingers were thick and powerful, his fingertips covered in calluses—the marks left by decades of clenched fists and thrown punches.

When their hands clasped, the Fourth Raikage's palm almost completely enveloped Tsunade's, like a giant beast gripping a sparrow.

Amai stood not far behind the Fourth Raikage, and the corners of his mouth had already started to curve upward.

Was there even any need to compete?

How could such a slender wrist possibly withstand Lord Raikage's strength?

Sōji said nothing.

He merely watched Tsunade's profile.

There was no tension on her face, only a lazy, careless smile, as though this were nothing but a boring game.

"Kid."

Tsunade suddenly spoke without turning around. "Call the start!"

Sōji nodded and took a deep breath. "Ready—"

Both their arms tensed at once.

"Begin!"

The instant the word fell, boom—

Golden chakra and blue-violet lightning erupted simultaneously.

There was no probing, no hesitation. Both of them went all out from the very beginning.

Tsunade's chakra was golden, condensed and heavy as refined steel, instantly enveloping her entire body.

That gold was not a burning flame, but hard armor—the tyrannical strength unique to her, inherited from the Senju Clan.

The Fourth Raikage's chakra was blue-violet, wild and explosive as lightning. It leaped and coiled around his arm, crackling sharply.

That was Lightning Release Chakra Mode, the absolute power he took pride in.

The two currents of chakra collided fiercely above the boulder, blasting the air apart with a dull explosion.

At that moment, Amai's smile abruptly froze.

Because he saw the Raikage's arm trembling. Not from fear, but the uncontrollable shudder of muscles pushed to their limits in a contest of strength.

Yet Tsunade's arm did not move at all.

That slender, fair wrist was like an iron pillar forged into the stone. No matter how the blue-violet lightning battered it, it remained immovable.

Then she began to exert force.

Slowly.

Steadily.

Inch by inch.

The Fourth Raikage's wrist was gradually forced toward the stone.

Amai's eyes widened. How was this possible?

Lord Raikage's strength could split lightning with his bare hands and shatter mountaintops with a single punch. How could he possibly be suppressed by a woman?

But the truth was right before his eyes.

Veins bulged at the Fourth Raikage's temples, his teeth clenched tight, every muscle in his body swelling.

That nearly perfect body built for battle had every muscle roaring at this moment.

But it was useless.

Tsunade's hand continued pressing downward.

Her golden chakra was like a mountain, weighing heavily upon his hand.

"Lord Raikage..." Amai was so nervous that he could not help taking a step forward.

"Don't come closer!"

The Fourth Raikage let out a furious roar, stopping him in his tracks.

His eyes were locked on Tsunade. Fierce fighting spirit blazed within those hawk-like eyes.

Tsunade smiled.

"Still going to persist, Fourth?"

Her voice was as casual as if they were chatting. "Keep this up, and that hand of yours will be ruined."

The Fourth Raikage did not speak.

He only stared at her. The silence lasted a second, but countless thoughts ran through his mind.

"Haah—"

The Fourth Raikage suddenly roared. He abruptly released his grip, pulling his entire arm back with lightning speed.

Tsunade's hand lost its opposing force and surged forward with inertia—and at that instant, blue-violet lightning flashed.

The Fourth Raikage's arm suddenly vanished, but Sōji's Six Eyes caught it.

It had not disappeared.

It was speed—speed taken to the absolute extreme.

Speed too fast for the eyes to capture.

His arm had pulled back for only an instant before immediately driving down again at an even faster speed.

His palm clasped Tsunade's hand again, but this time, the posture had changed.

The angle of his descending arm, the tilt of his body—he put the strength of his entire body behind it.

BOOM!!!

The massive boulder exploded instantly.

Fragments of stone flew everywhere, and dust billowed up.

Amai was forced two steps back by the shockwave, raising a hand to shield his face.

Dust filled the air.

Nothing could be seen.

Only blue-violet lightning flickered through the haze like lightning in a storm.

Who had won?

Shizune and Amai both widened their eyes.

The dust slowly cleared, revealing three figures.

The Fourth Raikage stood where he was, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling violently. Blue-violet lightning flickered unevenly across his body, and sweat ran down his cheeks.

His right hand was pressed against the stone.

The stone surface had shattered.

That massive boulder was now nothing but rubble scattered across the ground.

And above that rubble, Tsunade's right hand was pinned beneath his.

But her hand had not touched the stones. Between the back of her hand and the rubble was another hand.

A young man's hand.

Fair, long-fingered, with distinct knuckles.

The veins on its back stood out slightly, clearly bearing tremendous pressure.

At some point, Sōji had rushed between them.

His right hand was beneath Tsunade's, while his left gripped his cane. His body leaned forward, black cloth covering his eyes and hiding his expression, but his jaw was taut.

Seeing this, Tsunade froze.

She lowered her gaze to the hand beneath hers, her eyes flickering slightly. "Kid..."

The Fourth Raikage was stunned as well.

He looked at the silver-haired boy, his brows furrowing.

When had this boy rushed in?

His speed... no, his speed was not fast, but his timing had been exactly right.

Exactly at the instant their arms were about to strike the stone, as though he had known what would happen all along.

Sōji did not look at anyone.

He merely lowered his head and felt the pressure coming through his palm.

It was heavy.

Part of the Fourth Raikage's strike had been transferred to his hand.

Even his arm trembled slightly, but he did not pull it back. As expected of the Fourth Raikage. Speed truly was power.

The silence lasted three seconds.

"You won, Fourth."

Tsunade's voice rang out, as calm as if she were commenting on the weather.

She withdrew her hand and pulled Sōji's hand back with it. The Fourth Raikage also withdrew his arm and straightened up.

He first looked at Tsunade, then at the silver-haired boy.

"You..." he began, wanting to say something.

"A loss is a loss."

Tsunade cut him off, brushing stone chips from her hand. Her tone was as casual as if they were discussing everyday matters.

"Come on. Take me to see your people."

She turned and walked toward the distance. After taking two steps, she stopped without looking back.

"Kid, what are you standing around for? Keep up."

"Oh, coming!" Sōji replied, gripping his cane as he silently followed.

As he passed the Fourth Raikage, he paused for an instant.

The Fourth Raikage was watching him. Curiosity had appeared in those hawk-like eyes.

"What's your name?" the Fourth Raikage suddenly asked.

Sōji tilted his head slightly. "Yamada Soji."

He gave the short answer, then continued walking forward.

His cane tapped the ground. "Tap, tap, tap."

The sound was especially crisp in the empty clearing after the rain. The Fourth Raikage remained where he was, watching that slender figure gradually walk away.

Sunlight fell upon his silver-white hair, casting it in a soft glow.

Amai cautiously moved closer. "Lord... Lord Raikage... are you all right?"

The Fourth Raikage did not answer. He merely watched that retreating figure.

After a while.

"Amai."

"Yes!"

"That boy..."

He paused and narrowed his eyes slightly. "He's no ordinary person. After we return to Hidden Cloud, investigate his background."

Amai froze and looked toward the slender figure that had already gone far away. He immediately lowered his head and answered, "Yes!"

"But he should be Lady Tsunade's disciple, right? He won't join Hidden Cloud..."

At that moment, Tsunade's voice drifted over from afar, carrying her usual laziness and impatience. "What's taking so long? Are you treating them or not?"

The Fourth Raikage withdrew his gaze and strode after them.

The sunlight was perfect.

A gentle breeze swept across the empty, rubble-strewn ground, carrying up a wisp of fine dust.