Takahashi Yū gave Yūma a dubious look. Yūma had also noticed the flashes of lightning inside the encampment.
"Uh... captain, do you think they might be doing what we used to do? You go into the enemy crowd first and beat people up, while we follow behind and pick off the kills?"
"No way. Don't they have White Fang?"
"Could White Fang cut through you?"
"Me? Haha, let him hack away for half a minute. He might chip his blade and still not break through my defenses!"
"Then what are you still watching for?" Nara Yūma turned to look at Takahashi Yū.
Takahashi Yū caught on and suddenly flicked Nara Yūma hard on the forehead.
"Damn it, just say what you mean next time. Learned some bad habits back in the village, huh?"
Caught off guard by Takahashi Yū's sudden, vicious flick, Yūma crouched on the thick branch, clutching his forehead and sucking in a sharp breath. He had gotten careless, too used to lecturing the children of his clan back in the village. But he still refused to back down.
"I was just worried you hadn't rested enough, captain."
"Still talking back? Still talking back?"
Takahashi Yū gave him two more flicks, then looked at the teammates around them stifling their laughter and said irritably:
"I'll go check things out first. Stay in good shape and take your time coming over."
"Yes!"
With that, Takahashi Yū leaped from the branch toward the encampment. Once he landed, his legs kept pumping. He charged!
Clutching his forehead and the top of his head, Nara Yūma slowly jumped down from the branch and let out a long sigh.
"Ah... he says he's checking things out, but he'll start fighting the moment he gets there. That captain of ours, honestly..."
"Laugh if you want to!" Yūma snapped at the others in embarrassed fury.
"Hahaha!"
"Haha, haven't seen you in a while, and you've really stepped up your game. You've got guts, Yūma!"
Takahashi Yū's feet punched holes in the soft earth. He had reached full speed, the trees around him growing sparser and the sounds of battle growing louder in his ears.
Crack!
He slammed straight through a large tree, snapping it at the waist. The section in his way shattered into powder, and the scent of wood filled his nostrils. The upper half crashed to the ground behind him.
"Woohoo! That's the feeling!"
Running flat out, Takahashi Yū was like a wild boar... no! Like a fierce tiger descending a mountain! He roared toward the battlefield he was about to reach.
His extreme speed made sparks flare beneath his shoes. Soon he was running barefoot. He flung his thick red coat behind him, hoping Uchiha Delia could pick it up.
Bare-chested, his exaggerated muscles exposed, Takahashi Yū had finally returned to his original state. Even his spiky hair seemed to shoot a little farther toward the sky.
Seeing that his target was within "range," he pushed off with one leg and leaped forward into the air. He adjusted his posture in midair, curling his body before stamping both feet hard against the ground.
Boom!
Takahashi Yū stretched out as he rose, shooting skyward toward the encampment like a cannonball fired from its barrel. By the time the force of his push off the ground was spent, he was high enough to look down over the encampment. He aimed at the spot where lightning ran rampant.
Free fall began!
Who knew whether the Third Raikage had ever seen a palm strike descend from the heavens!
By the time the Cloud Shinobi's sensory ninja detected Takahashi Yū's presence, it was already too late. All he could do was shout:
"Lord B, the enemy has reinforcements!"
Boom!
Takahashi Yū fell like a meteor, making an unstoppable crash landing in the camp. He smashed a deep crater into the clearing, and the blast of air sent nearby ninja flying backward. The camp seemed to freeze, everyone looking toward the tremendous crash.
Takahashi Yū rolled his neck inside the crater.
"Warm-up's over!"
Of course, the speed of free fall could never have been enough to hit the Third Raikage.
The blast from Takahashi Yū's landing affected the Third Raikage too. Squinting at the dust-covered area, he spat and thought to himself.
Someone troublesome has arrived.
The dust slowly cleared, and Murderous Intent Fluctuation soared into the sky! A splash of scarlet stained the night!
The ninja in the camp, battered within an inch of their lives by the Third Raikage, felt that suffocating presence. The war hero Konoha had so widely publicized immediately came to mind-the battlefield meat grinder!
Takahashi Yū had arrived!
Seizing the moment, Shimura Danzō turned and ran toward the outskirts of the encampment with his elite troops. He wanted to stop the Cloud Shinobi outside from escaping!
Without wasting words, the blood-red figure rushed toward Third Raikage A, who was wreathed in lightning, leaving afterimages behind. Takahashi Yū raised his hand and swung down at the Third Raikage with all his strength in a hammering punch!
Fast!
The Third Raikage reacted swiftly, bracing an arm diagonally upward. The lightning around his body suddenly surged outward, sizzling as currents scattered in every direction.
Bam!
The immense force struck the Third Raikage, threatening his footing. He hurriedly braced his other arm behind the raised one, forming a crossed X.
How was this possible? His strength was actually greater than mine?
His speed was on par with mine too!
No! The Third Raikage glanced toward the crater Takahashi Yū had made on landing. At some point, a patch of ground beside it had been crushed underfoot.
Was he using his strength to boost his speed?!
Takahashi Yū stretched his mouth into a silent grin at the Third Raikage as they pitted their strength against each other. Yes! This was the feeling!
Bzzzt! Crackle!
"Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop!"
The lightning on the Third Raikage's arms surged violently, the azure currents faintly darkening to black. He heaved his crossed arms upward, breaking free of Takahashi Yū's pressure.
With several uses of the Body Flicker Technique, he opened up the distance amid flashes of lightning and peals of thunder.
Whoosh...
He drew in a deep lungful of oxygen, recovering from the surprise attack. The current made the Third Raikage's pale yellow hair stand on end, while every strand of his thick goatee stood stiffly downward.
Armor that wrapped lightning around the body to activate its flesh! Lightning Release Chakra Mode at full power!
Crack!
Strongest Lightning Release Armor!
Like a thunderclap out of nowhere, an enormous crash rang out from the Third Raikage's body. The lightning in the sky was no longer fleeting-it was right before Takahashi Yū's eyes!
"Round two!"
Pale blue lightning reflected azure in Takahashi Yū's pupils. The Third Raikage truly resembled a thunderbolt. As though teleporting, he left slight cracks in the earth beneath his feet and appeared above Takahashi Yū's head, lightning trailing him.
His right leg rose high, above his own head, then chopped viciously down at Takahashi Yū's head with overwhelming force!
Liger Bomb!
Takahashi Yū only had time to cross his arms above his head, lower his center of gravity, and bend his legs, meeting the crushing blow in a squat!
The instant the Third Raikage's heavy kick touched Takahashi Yū's arms, which were like bundles of steel rebar, the surrounding ground shattered completely. With the two at its center, the earth shook as though in an earthquake, throwing everything high into the air.
Boom!
For the first time, [Unyielding] on Takahashi Yū's panel flashed frantically!
The foundation of his confidence in never backing down!
His arms remained above his head, not dropping a fraction. For the first time, Takahashi Yū felt searing pain in his body!
Even his shorts ripped apart, stretched beyond their limit by the thigh muscles bulging with exertion!
A blast of air even greater than the one from Takahashi Yū's landing followed. The surrounding Konoha ninja frantically retreated, leaving room for the two humanoid beasts to fight.
The Third Raikage's lower leg was in excruciating pain too. As the force of his attack ran out, he swiftly darted away, putting distance between himself and Takahashi Yū.
The moment he landed, the abnormal sensation in his lower leg made him frown. Though his iron will paid no heed to this little pain, he immediately discarded attacks that involved such a large area of contact.
Takahashi Yū still held his previous stance. The devastation around him told of the attack he had endured.
"Hahaha!"
Lowering his aching, tingling arms, Takahashi Yū laughed aloud at the Third Raikage. His hearty, exhilarated laughter echoed through the camp.
Feeling his body steadily repair the damage to his arms, Takahashi Yū slammed a fist against his chest!
"It's been ages since I felt pain like that, Third!"
"You've really got me excited!!"
Before you continue