Hearing the Third Raikage's voice, Takahashi Yū laughed even louder.
"I thought I'd beaten you to death!"
Learning that the Third Raikage hadn't been blasted to death made Takahashi Yū even happier than before!
"Hmph... brat... you want to kill me... you're still a long way off..."
The Third Raikage's tough talk came from underground. If Takahashi Yū's body hadn't been enhanced in every respect, he wouldn't even have heard that mosquito-faint voice.
"Oh, give it a rest. Just lie there. Don't survive my beating only to die underground. That'd even save us the trouble of burying you."
Takahashi Yū looked up at the dust-shrouded sky, his mood slowly settling.
The rising morning sun stubbornly squeezed its warm light through, a gentle ray falling across Takahashi Yū's face.
It also fell across the deep crater the two of them had ravaged. What had once been a plain had been forcibly turned into a spectacular sight by their exchanges of blows, with help from a Tailed Beast Bomb.
But the Third Raikage underground couldn't enjoy that warm sunlight, much like Kumogakure's future.
The second Eight-Tails Jinchuriki was dead, the Eight-Tails' fate was unknown, the Raikage was gravely injured and even dying, and nearly a thousand of the Cloud Shinobi's most elite troops had died during the Eight-Tails' rampage.
The Cloud Shinobi wouldn't be able to wage war for at least seven or eight years. They could only lick their wounds silently in the shadows, resting and recovering.
A pale red wave reached over from the direction of the Land of Fire and gently connected to Takahashi Yū.
"Captain? How did it go?!"
Yamanaka Ayano's voice rang through Takahashi Yū's mind.
"Quick! Bring some food over, quick! I'm starving to death!"
Takahashi Yū was overjoyed. His cells were already protesting.
"You did it?? Captain! My Superman! But Danzo wants you to let the Raikage go back."
Ayano's excited voice echoed inside Takahashi Yū's head, tormenting him in his current state.
"Keep it down, keep it down. Sure! I'll let them all go! He just might not be able to walk back himself."
"Also, hurry up!"
Because Takahashi Yū had already spotted Cloud Shinobi peeking over the edge of the crater.
The Cloud Shinobi chasing the Eight-Tails, those fast-running Highland Barbarians, had already started jumping down into the crater.
As expected of Cloud Shinobi who grew up at high altitudes! They sure were dark! They specialized in Lightning Release, and their running speed was top-notch too.
"Why haven't I seen your son, Third Raikage?"
Takahashi Yū could still joke with the Raikage, but the Third Raikage had already fallen silent.
Takahashi Yū wasn't worried that these Cloud Shinobi would pose any threat to him. Even severely injured, he wasn't someone these small fry could mess with.
"Boss!"
"Third!"
"Here! Down here! Where's the Medical Ninja? Fuck, hurry up and lift the boss out!"
"Easy! Easy!"
Only when several dark-skinned men carefully lifted the Third Raikage out of the pit did Takahashi Yū see his miserable condition.
His right forearm had been severed clean off at its base, and the remaining half of his right arm hung limply, swaying in the wind.
His chest was covered in blood, and his goatee was stained red too. It looked as though he'd coughed up a huge mouthful of blood.
There was a horrifying, fist-sized depression at his collarbone above his right chest, with white bone sticking out. Miserable didn't begin to describe it!
He watched them lay the Third Raikage flat on the ground in a flurry of hands. By now, the Third Raikage had fallen unconscious.
"Boss! Boss! Look at me!"
Several barbarians were still shaking the Third Raikage, trying in vain to shake him awake.
A dark-skinned woman pushed all those barbarians aside. She appeared to be one of the exceedingly rare Medical Ninja among the Cloud Shinobi.
The barbarians who had been pushed aside wore grief-stricken expressions. Takahashi Yū guessed they must be the Third Raikage's muscle-bro crew. Judging by their muscles, they might even work out together regularly.
Several shinobi carrying large scrolls also ran toward the Eight-Tails' half-body. They were probably the Cloud Shinobi's remaining sealing specialists.
One grief-stricken barbarian noticed Takahashi Yū propping himself up nearby to watch the show.
Uh-oh.
Takahashi Yū lay back down, his body still desperately repairing itself. Tsk, I can't squeeze out much killing intent either. Nothing I can do. Come on! Don't spare me just because I'm a delicate flower!
He could sense that the Wave Seed wasn't far away now. Just wait, I'll beat the shit out of you barbarians!
"Takahashi Yū?!"
"You're the one who beat up our boss!"
One gleaming-black nigga pointed accusingly at Takahashi Yū as he lay on the ground.
Takahashi Yū abruptly raised a hand.
"Whoa~ whoa~"
The nigga jumped back several steps like a startled bird. Seeing that Takahashi Yū made no further move, he grew angry with embarrassment and hurried back to his side with quick strides.
"Hey, I..."
Another, slightly lighter-skinned barbarian caught the nigga's hand just as he was about to swing it down.
"Are you trying to insult a warrior who defeated the boss?"
The barbarian looked at the nigga with a stern expression.
Hmm?
Takahashi Yū looked at this barbarian and decided to have Delia give him a nice, pleasant death later!
"I..." The nigga looked somewhat ashamed and indignant under that stare.
Releasing the nigga's hand, the barbarian drew his long sword.
"Takahashi Yū, although this won't be an honorable victory, this is war!"
Takahashi Yū really wanted to laugh. That sword of yours isn't even made of chakra metal. You could hack away for ages, until your arm broke off, and still not hurt me.
But this Cloud Shinobi had shown quite a bit of class just now. Feeling playful, Takahashi Yū obligingly looked at the barbarian before him.
With a righteous expression, Takahashi Yū said:
"We serve different sides, each fulfilling our duty. My only regret is that I couldn't serve my country better, nor die in a battle between men."
"To die for one's country's righteous cause is a death weightier than Mount Tai. Do it!"
Having said that, Takahashi Yū raised his head very "defiantly," exposing his neck.
The nigga's gaze changed too, filling with guilt. He had just tried to insult a brave warrior!
The Cloud Shinobi ate this stuff up!
The Cloud Shinobi truly were the group with the strongest gang culture. With just a few words, Takahashi Yū had the barbarian standing before him trembling nonstop.
The barbarian gripped his long sword, his sword hand trembling slightly without pause. He hurriedly added his other hand to the grip, only to tremble even harder.
Gritting his teeth, he raised his long sword high and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry!!"
The barbarian swung his long sword down hard!
"Stop!!!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
Clang!
A bullet of compressed wind struck the Cloud Shinobi's long sword with pinpoint accuracy.
Hatake Sakumo flashed to Takahashi Yū's side with a rush of wind, grabbed him, and ran toward Danzo's group, dragging him along.
Danzo's group, who had been pursuing the Cloud Shinobi, had arrived!
"Despicable Kumogakure barbarians! What were you planning to do to our great general while no one from Konoha was here?!"
Danzo clasped Takahashi Yū's hand tightly.
"I heard everything, Takahashi! I never imagined your Will of Fire burned so fiercely!"
Even Danzo's perpetually icy face was moved by Takahashi Yū's words as he "faced death." He had originally thought Takahashi Yū was merely a "narrow-minded" member of a Shinobi Clan (Hot Springs Street).
He had never imagined Takahashi Yū was actually such a noble man with such a great sense of righteousness!
If they voted for Hokage again right now, he, Danzo, would gladly give Takahashi Yū his vote!
Looking at the admiring eyes and moved expressions of Danzo, White Fang, and the other Eastern Front elites, Takahashi Yū couldn't help freezing.
Wait! Guys, you eat this stuff up too?
Before you continue