A Parting Gift

"Kill me? You Konoha brat sure know how to talk big!"

Every strand of hair standing on end, the Fourth Raikage instantly flew into a rage. The Lightning Release Chakra surrounding his body expanded at once, several times more powerful than his previous Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

"Brat, I prepared this move for the Yellow Flash. Since you're so eager to die, I'll let you witness the strongest Lightning Release Armor!"

"Lightning Release: Lariat!"

The explosive speed of Lightning Release combined with his immense arm strength, propelling him toward Uchiha Huayue at a speed far beyond the Body Flicker Technique.

"This is the end, Uchiha brat!"

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

Dust scattered wildly as his powerful arm plowed deep furrows into the ground. The Fourth Raikage looked down and found only a twisted, deformed kunai left where Huayue had been.

Killer B, who had been picking up pen and paper to record his inspiration, turned his head. At some point, Huayue had silently appeared beside him, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Just as I thought, you really have no talent for rapping, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki uncle."

"Idiot! Moron! You've been going on and on about no talent since earlier. You little brat are really annoying!"

Tails resembling octopus tentacles extended along his arms, their brown skin covered in pale, soft suckers that made one deeply uncomfortable.

"B! Show this brat the power of the A-B Combo—Lightning Release: Lariat!"

"Idiot! Moron! We brothers will show you our Combination Ninjutsu."

Chakra that seemed alive spread over his body. The appearance of the pale red Tailed Beast Cloak allowed Killer B to raise his arm no slower than the Fourth Raikage, and their pincer attack arrived in an instant.

"A Tailed Beast Cloak? As expected of a Perfect Jinchuriki who has perfectly mastered how to use a Tailed Beast. This is my parting gift. It's over."

Bang!

Their powerful arms collided, crushing the kunai into fragments in an instant. As the chakra mark engraved on the kunai's handle flashed, a black sphere encircled by a ring of stars appeared before them.

"Spiraling Ring."

Brilliant radiance swallowed everything within its glow. After a long silence came an earth-shattering explosion.

Crash! Bang! Whoosh...

Countless trees and boulders turned to dust beneath those piercing chakra needles. All that remained at the center of the forest was an enormous crater, as though struck by a meteor.

Tentacles spread outward as the massive creature with a bull's head and octopus tail stretched its body and roared at the heavens.

"B! You woke me up just to have me block that guy's attack for you? That hurt!"

"Idiot! Moron! Crisis, resolved."

The Fourth Raikage, sheltered beneath the Eight-Tails, emerged once more. Looking around at his subordinates lying scattered about, already dead, veins bulged across his forehead.

"You damned brat! You actually—actually dared toy with me like this! Damn Uchiha brat, I'll definitely find you and tear you and that bastard Ōnoki into pieces!"

Seeing this, the Eight-Tails Gyuki could not help sighing.

"He's completely consumed by rage. Who exactly was the enemy? Was that brat who made your big brother this angry the ninja who used that move resembling a Tailed Beast Bomb just now?"

"Uchiha brat, arrogant! Big bro and I joined forces, still escaped."

Gyuki was thoroughly surprised as well. Looking at Killer B, who was constantly singing, dancing, and rapping, he pressed further.

"You're saying a young Uchiha brat escaped from you and A? Judging by A's state, he already used his strongest Lightning Release Armor. Could that brat use the Body Flicker Technique—and be even faster than the Fourth Raikage? What an incredible fellow."

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

While Gyuki was still puzzled, dozens of miles away, near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers, figures descended from the sky one after another.

"Are we safe?"

Quickly returning to a guarded state, Kakashi surveyed the area. Rin, Obito, Sarutobi Hina... among the ten three-man squads, only Uchiha Huayue had yet to appear.

A moment later, a figure in a Black Cloak fell from the sky and landed directly in Anko's arms.

"Sorry, I used a bit too much chakra. The Flying Thunder God Technique over that kind of distance is still too much of a strain. Still, getting out was good enough. I'll have to trouble you from here."

"Tch. All you know is how to force yourself. And you call other people idiots."

Though she said that, Anko still carried Huayue on her back. Complicated gazes turned toward them, each wearing a different expression.

There was relief at having narrowly escaped death, joy at surviving a disaster, and emotions too complicated to describe. But more than anything, there was shock and fear.

"What kind of monster is that guy? He fought someone like the Fourth Raikage and survived?"

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

"A monster, a genuine monster... and he just had to be from the Uchiha Clan..."

The others' whispered discussions did not escape Uchiha Huayue's ears. Anko could not help lowering her voice.

"You're the one who hid yourself too well. You've made me stand out too."

"You don't want to? Then I'll have Uzuki Yugao carry me instead. She probably won't complain as much, right, Yugao?"

Tilting his head slightly, Uchiha Huayue looked the two girls up and down before flashing Yugao a toothy smile, seemingly deep in thought.

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

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

"You... you have so much to say for someone asking to be carried. But how did you escape?"

"Thanks to Yugao's ninja sword. There wasn't enough time, and I hadn't prepared nearly enough Flying Raijin Kunai, so I had to make do and use everything available."

Her gaze shifted to the blade embedded in the grass. A technique formula engraved into it with some sharp object stood out clearly under the refracted sunlight.

"A Body Flicker Technique of this level, prepared only in such haste? This guy..."

His pupils shrank to pinpoints. Even Kakashi, who had always been quiet and reserved, fell into self-doubt. Why had someone from a famous family like the Uchiha hidden his strength so deeply?

"I roughly understand what happened. The reconnaissance mission failed, and you encountered a spearhead squad composed of the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. You were fortunate enough to escape?"

"In any case, thank you for saving our lives, Uchiha Huayue. I will truthfully report your merits to Lord Hokage."

"Instead of wasting time chatting, hurry back to Konoha. How long do you plan to stay here? This isn't the Land of Fire, idiot."

The corner of Sarutobi Hina's mouth twitched, and her expression visibly darkened. Even if he was her lifesaver, this brat was still as irritating as ever.

Suddenly, Huayue turned his head and shouted sharply.

"Move! Someone's approaching!"