(Woah...400 chapters!!!)
Chapter 400 – A Fight to the Death (II)
Boom!
Flames and lightning collided in the sky.
A violent shockwave erupted outward as fire and thunder intertwined, forcing both figures to recoil at the same time.
Uchiha Fugaku steadied himself, ninja blade in hand. His Mangekyō Sharingan turned slowly, tracking every subtle movement of the Fourth Raikage.
The Raikage, too, showed no sign of carelessness.
They had fought before.
They knew each other's strengths.
And that knowledge made them even more cautious.
Neither unleashed their full power immediately.
Perhaps it was unspoken understanding.
Perhaps something else.
But both men knew—
This was only the warm-up.
The true clash would be brutal.
---
Below them, the battlefield had already erupted.
Konoha shinobi, their morale soaring from Fugaku's previous triumph, fought with fierce momentum.
Kumogakure's forces were no less formidable—the most battle-hardened among the Five Great Nations.
The instant they collided, the fighting escalated to a fever pitch.
Steel rang against steel.
Ninjutsu detonated across the forest.
Dust and smoke billowed into the air.
Uchiha Kawa and Uchiha Ryūkage led their respective squads, carving paths through Kumogakure's ranks.
The Uchiha temperament was fiery by nature—and in battle, it burned even hotter.
Their blades flashed again and again.
Twin tomoe rotated in their eyes.
Each swing claimed a life.
They had survived the Third Great War.
They had known what it felt like to hesitate on the battlefield.
They would never repeat that weakness.
And this war—
This was their opportunity to prove themselves.
Their aggression quickly drew attention.
Too much attention.
More and more Kumogakure shinobi targeted them.
But neither man showed fear.
If anything—
Excitement flickered across their faces.
---
High above the battlefield, Fugaku leapt between trees, hands weaving through seals.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique!"
Five massive dragons of fire burst from his mouth.
Fewer than before—
But each nearly ten meters long.
Fugaku's techniques had always been terrifying in quality.
Even without enhancing them through Susanoo, their destructive power far surpassed ordinary ninjutsu.
The Fourth Raikage reacted instantly.
He evaded two dragons with explosive speed.
The moment they struck the ground, the heatwave alone distorted the air.
His expression hardened.
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
Chakra surged violently from his body, lightning gathering into his remaining arm.
Veins bulged across his face.
With a roar, he bounded across the treetops—each punch detonating like thunder.
The remaining three fire dragons shattered under his fists, exploding into scattered embers.
The instant the final dragon dispersed—
He pivoted.
His arm transformed into a lightning-wreathed blade.
He became a streak of blinding thunder.
"Lightning Release: Guillotine Drop!"
---
Fugaku's expression remained icy.
He leapt backward, widening the distance.
But—
He realized too late.
He could not escape the Raikage's lock-on.
His Mangekyō spun.
Cold chakra enveloped his body.
A skeletal ribcage formed—
Then expanded.
Growing larger.
Larger—
Until a towering, twenty-meter giant with four arms manifested around him.
Susanoo.
The Raikage's lightning blade struck directly against it.
The impact sent a tremor through the colossal avatar.
For a fleeting second, the armor vibrated violently—
Then stabilized.
"Warm-up's over, Fourth Raikage," Fugaku said coldly from within the giant.
"This farce ends now. I won't give you another chance."
The Raikage paused mid-air, irritation flashing in his eyes.
"That technique again… Hmph. You really are a walking turtle shell."
Fugaku ignored him.
Susanoo's massive fist crashed downward.
But the Raikage's speed was monstrous.
The instant the blow descended, he vanished in a flash step, reappearing at a safer distance.
Lightning exploded outward from his body—stronger than before.
His hair stood on end, crackling with energy.
Without hesitation—
He unleashed his full power.
"Lightning Release: Heavy Storm!"
With bloodshot eyes, he charged straight at Susanoo.
His lightning-condensed fist slammed into the giant avatar—
And the earth itself seemed to quake.
The violent surge of lightning exploded outward—
Yet Susanoo did not budge.
Not even a tremor.
Uchiha Fugaku let out a cold laugh. He wasted no words. Instead, dark blotches once again spread across Susanoo's armor.
This time, he didn't wait for the Fourth Raikage to throw another punch.
Amaterasu erupted instantly.
Black flames exploded outward, swallowing the Raikage whole.
But the Raikage did not retreat.
Ignoring the inferno clinging to his body, he drove another lightning-charged fist into Susanoo.
Fugaku froze for the briefest instant—
But his counterattack did not slow.
He couldn't understand why the Raikage showed no fear of Amaterasu's flames—
But this was not the time to think.
Chakra surged violently from Fugaku's body. His hair whipped wildly in the turbulent flow.
Susanoo raised its massive arm—
And smashed down once more.
BOOM!
Dust and debris exploded skyward.
The earth trembled.
Fortunately, both armies had learned from their previous encounter. Shinobi instinctively avoided the epicenter of the two monsters' clash.
Better to die by an enemy's blade—
Than be crushed by their leaders' shockwaves.
Fugaku narrowed his eyes.
The Fourth Raikage had caught his punch—
With one arm.
Black flames still burned across his body.
Yet he showed no sign of faltering.
"Incredible, isn't it?" the Raikage sneered, reading Fugaku's expression.
"Wondering why I haven't burned to death yet?"
"Indeed," Fugaku replied calmly. "You're the first I've seen endure Amaterasu this long."
The Raikage scoffed.
"Your flames are impressive."
He vanished in a flash step, widening the distance.
Then—
A terrifying surge of chakra exploded from his body.
The black flames intensified—
But Fugaku's expression darkened.
Because he saw it clearly—
With a brutal chop of his lightning-wreathed hand, the Raikage severed the black flames from his body.
Then—
He stepped out from the burning inferno.
Unscathed.
---
Behind Enemy Lines – The Third Hokage's Gamble
"Lord Third… are we really sending only this many to reinforce the front?"
Behind Kumogakure's encampment in the Land of Hot Water, the Third Hokage led a force of one thousand shinobi, advancing rapidly toward the enemy camp.
After staring at the map for what felt like an eternity, Hiruzen Sarutobi had made his decision.
Without hesitation, he split his forces in two.
He personally led one thousand men—
Their objective: strike directly at Kumogakure's camp.
The decision stunned everyone.
Commanders. Veterans. Even seasoned battle captains.
One thousand men?
Against the enemy's rear?
It looked like a suicide march.
Yet Hiruzen was their commander.
They could only trust—and obey.
Still, one man could not help but ask.
A jōnin of the Sarutobi clan, middle-aged and experienced.
The Sarutobi did not have many jōnin. During his tenure, Hiruzen had avoided promoting clansmen directly to maintain the image of fairness.
Those who rose did so through merit alone.
Quality over quantity.
"Is this truly wise, Lord Third?" the jōnin asked quietly. "Shouldn't we at least explain the plan? The men… even the squad leaders are confused."
Hiruzen glanced at him.
He had acted hastily.
He hadn't explained his reasoning.
Partly because secrecy was essential.
But now—
He realized the captains needed to know.
"Five kilometers southwest of Kumogakure's camp," Hiruzen said quietly, "there is a dam. Do you remember it?"
The jōnin's eyes widened.
The dam.
Yes.
It had not been marked on official maps.
They had discovered it during reconnaissance.
The terrain here was forested and rain-rich. A dam was logical.
Suddenly—
Understanding dawned.
If they struck the dam—
If the floodwaters were released—
The enemy camp would be devastated.
Supply routes destroyed.
Chaos unleashed.
It was reckless.
But if it succeeded—
The gains would be immense.
"You understand now?" Hiruzen asked softly.
"I've already dispatched Nara Kyōhei to prepare the dam. When we signal retreat—"
The jōnin nodded.
"The squad leaders must know. But not the rank and file."
"Exactly," Hiruzen replied.
"When I give the order to withdraw, I need precise execution—not confusion."
Battlefields could not afford disorder.
If panic spread—
If thousands of shinobi rushed blindly—
The entire operation would collapse.
And worse—
They would expose themselves.
Hiruzen would not allow that.
"Inform the captains," he ordered. "Quietly."
"Yes, Lord Third."
The jōnin departed at once.
Hiruzen turned his gaze forward.
In the distance—
Through the trees—
The faint outline of Kumogakure's camp flickered into view.
His eyes hardened.
The gamble had begun.
---
Above the battlefield, lightning roared.
Below, steel clashed.
And in the shadows—
Another storm was preparing to fall.