Encounter, A-B Combo

A sharp shout instantly made Sarutobi Hina tighten her grip on her kunai, and the ten reconnaissance squads assigned to patrol the border immediately went on alert.

"Hey, Uchiha Huayue, are there really enemies?"

Kakashi frowned deeply, his gaze sweeping around as he instinctively asked in a low voice.

"Where are they?"

"It would be complicated to explain. It'll be easier to force them out directly. Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."

At some point, three Shadow Clones had appeared. Countless fireballs the size of phoenix flower seeds scattered in every direction, kicking up billowing clouds of dust.

"Exposed? You Konoha brats really do have good eyes. You only had to pretend not to see and die painlessly. Why can't you calmly accept your fate?"

Everyone fixed their eyes on the dust cloud in the distance, fully on guard.

The towering figure with light yellow-brown skin and a goatee the same color as his hair made Uchiha Huayue's mouth twitch a little faster.

"Idiot! Bastard! Big Bro is such an idiot, letting a brat spot him..."

A figure carrying seven ninja blades and speaking in a strange rapping cadence loudly mocked him, instantly enraging the big brother he had mentioned.

"B! You bastard, once I'm done with these Konoha brats, I'll make you pay!"

"Big Bro's angry, that's bad... time to flee, disperse!"

Killer B danced about wildly, entirely devoid of artistic talent. Sarutobi Hina, meanwhile, was covered in cold sweat, her expression grave.

"The A-B Combo? Did you learn that Minato-sensei went to the Sand Ninja battlefield and choose to exploit the opening?"

"Rather than avenging the Third Raikage, you took this chance to attack Konoha. What exactly are you thinking?"

At the mention of the Third Raikage, who had fallen on the battlefield, Fourth Raikage A's expression darkened, making his already dusky face even more somber.

"Stone Ninja or Konoha, I'll make that old bastard Ōnoki pay sooner or later. But first, I need to deal with you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kumogakure ninjas emerged from all directions. There were several hundred of them, all staring with undisguised killing intent.

"Huayue... who are these people?"

"Genuine killing intent. They feel like at least jonin from the village, and there are this many of them?"

Anko trembled all over and instinctively hid behind Huayue. Yugao could only clutch her long sword tightly; under the pressure of that killing intent, she could not even move.

"Fourth Raikage A, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B. You've only just entered the battlefield, and you didn't even memorize information on the enemy?"

Hatake Kakashi gripped his Chakra Scalpel tightly as he instinctively analyzed the situation around them.

There are over a hundred enemies, every one of them an expert tempered on the battlefield. Most are chunin. Besides that, there are twenty squad leader jonin, the Fourth Raikage, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki...

Damn it, is there nothing I can do? On our side, there's only me, Jonin Sarutobi Hina, and a group of immature genin who just graduated from the Ninja Academy...

Kakashi lowered his eyes, unable to stop himself from thinking that way. The unwillingness in his gaze lingered. Was he going to follow in his father's footsteps today?

"As praise for those eyes of yours, I'll start with you. Lightning Release: Lariat!"

In what seemed like a nearly frozen instant, the burly Fourth Raikage suddenly appeared before Anko and brought his strike down mercilessly upon her pale white face.

"This is bad!"

"Damn it, he's too fast! We can't stop him at all."

Before Kakashi and the others' despairing eyes, a hand blade as sharp as a famed sword flashed. Azure lightning scattered in every direction, and the air seemed to freeze.

Her legs weak, Anko collapsed onto the ground. The panic in her pupils turned into shock as a shadow covered most of her body, leaving her speechless for a long while.

"Honestly, if you're praising my eyesight, then you should attack me. Who attacks someone else instead? You look reckless, but you're actually quite calculating, aren't you, big guy?"

Compared to the Fourth Raikage's arm, Huayue's looked like a withered branch. Yet that withered branch had firmly clamped the hand blade capable of splitting boulders, causing everyone present to erupt in astonishment.

"Th-this brat, Uchiha Huayue, blocked the Fourth Raikage, who has speed equal to the Yellow Flash?"

"Hey, hey, hey, what just happened? Why didn't I see anything?"

"Is he really that strong?"

Ignoring everyone's shocked expressions, Huayue lowered his head and spoke calmly.

"Idiot, who sits on the ground in front of an enemy? Can you still stand?"

"That crest... are you an Uchiha Clan brat? You dare look around while fighting me? You bastard, you're surprisingly irritating! Liger Bomb!"

With a pull, the Fourth Raikage seized Huayue's arm. The roar of lightning and sheer force instantly bound Huayue's movements.

"He looks burly, but he's actually a speed type? That chakra flickering with lightning... Lightning Release Armor?"

"Die, you little brat!"

He smashed Huayue down with savage force. Lightning thundered as power erupted into a spray of sparks, and rolling dust spread outward before finally drifting away on the wind.

"Is he dead? No, that felt far too light."

As the massive crater was revealed, countless eyes stared fixedly into it. What appeared before them was not a figure reduced to pulp, but a black kunai.

"That was dangerous, dangerous! The dignified Fourth Raikage attacks without warning or any sense of fairness. Were you trying to bury me here?"

"Body Flicker Technique? Are you the Yellow Flash's disciple, brat?"

Looking around, every Konoha Ninja within the encirclement had already been sent beyond it. Kunai etched with crude formulas were scattered throughout the battlefield.

"Unfortunately, you guessed wrong. Minato-sensei and I have merely met before. Having to face an opponent of your level right after graduating from the Ninja Academy is really enough."

Only then did Fourth Raikage A turn solemn, scrutinizing the Uchiha Boy before him as Lightning Release Armor once again spread across his body.

A Black Cloak, black fingerless gloves on both hands, Dark Red Bandage wrapped around his limbs, and the Fire Fan Clan Crest embroidered on the back of his mantle.

"Another Prodigy Ninja. But you'll die here soon enough. Have you thought of your last words?"

"My last words are that I really want to live another five hundred years. And you call yourself the Fourth Raikage? You were sizing up the easier targets again just now, weren't you?"

In response to Huayue's teasing, the Fourth Raikage sneered repeatedly.

"This is the battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure. I don't have a habit of talking about honor with enemies, brat! Lightning Release: Lariat!"

A shadow approached with a gale, cold light flashing along its edge. Huayue, who once again blocked the Raikage's attack, shook his head helplessly.

"Why do you keep targeting my teammates? Fine, there's no need to speak of honor to enemies, right?"

"Yugao, lend me your sword for now. I'll return it after I kill this bastard."

With a bright smile, the bewildered Uzuki Yugao nodded gently. The long sword she had been gripping tightly had already fallen into Huayue's hand.