Three hours later, at the break of dawn.
In Kumogakure, inside the Raikage Building.
A pale gray line had just appeared on the horizon, and the outline of the village was gradually becoming clear beneath the morning light. But the village no longer possessed the usual tranquility of dawn.
Collapsed buildings, overturned ground, shattered rock—charred scars could be seen everywhere.
In the distance, wisps of black smoke still slowly rose into the air, blending with the morning mist and casting the entire village beneath a gloomy haze.
The destruction caused by the Eight-Tails' rampage was utterly horrifying to behold.
Inside the Raikage's office, the Third Raikage sat behind his desk, his gaze fixed on the subordinates before him who were reporting the damages.
"Speak."
One of the administrative personnel responsible for the tally forced himself to speak.
"Raikage-sama, the damage caused by the Eight-Tails' rampage has been preliminarily assessed. Two hundred and twenty-seven structures have collapsed, including residential districts, commercial areas, warehouses, and—"
The further he continued, the quieter his voice became, while the Third Raikage's expression grew darker and darker.
"What about the logistics division?"
Another administrative officer responsible for that area stepped forward, his face grave.
"The logistics division has been almost completely destroyed. Most of the stored ninja tools, explosive tags, food supplies, and related machinery were burned during last night's assault. Preliminary estimates place the losses at over seventy percent. The medical division also—"
After silently listening to the report, the Third Raikage's breathing visibly grew heavier. Veins bulged faintly at his temples as his finger tapped the desk again—this time with far more force, producing a dull thud.
"And Blue B?"
The instant those words fell, the office sank into deathly silence.
A jōnin immediately stepped forward and said: "Raikage-sama, we were unable to recover Blue B-sama's body after the incident. His remains have most likely already…"
"Konoha…" The Third Raikage's hand froze midair as he ground the word out through clenched teeth, and then—
BOOM!!!
With an explosive roar, the heavy hardwood desk before him shattered beneath a single strike of his palm. Wood splinters flew everywhere, documents scattered through the air, and an ink bottle smashed against the floor, splattering black stains across the room.
"HIGASHINO SHINICHI!!!"
The Third Raikage's voice thundered through the office like a bolt from the heavens, making the windows buzz violently.
He suddenly lifted his head. Those bloodshot eyes burned with killing intent so intense it seemed ready to spill out as he forced the words out one by one through gritted teeth.
"Good! Very good!"
"First B… then Blue B… You didn't even spare the bodies!"
A moment later, the Third Raikage took a deep breath and forcibly regained his composure before shouting: "Immediately gather three thousand shinobi still capable of fighting. I'll personally lead the pursuit. No matter where he runs, that brat is not leaving the Land of Lightning alive!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Father, I—" Yotsuki A stepped forward, about to speak, only to be cut off by the Third Raikage raising a hand.
"A."
The Third Raikage looked at him. There was sternness in his eyes, but also something deeper.
"The village is in chaos right now. The matter of the Eight-Tails still hasn't settled down, and our wounded people need reassurance. Only if you remain behind to hold things together can I leave without worry."
Yotsuki A's lips moved slightly, but in the end, he simply nodded.
"I understand."
The Third Raikage said nothing further. He merely patted his son's shoulder before turning and striding away.
Fifteen minutes later.
Outside the gates of Kumogakure, three thousand shinobi had already assembled. Traces of last night's battle still remained on their bodies, yet every one of them stood perfectly straight, fury blazing within their eyes.
Standing at the very front, the Third Raikage swept his gaze across those faces.
"Move out!"
Three thousand figures burst forward beneath the morning light like a gray tidal wave, sweeping toward the southeastern coastline—the direction most likely for the Konoha forces' retreat.
The Third Raikage charged at the very front, lightning exploding around his body as it tore open gap after gap within the morning mist.
Meanwhile, atop the Raikage Building, Yotsuki A watched his father and the troops disappear into the distance, his fists clenched so tightly they crackled.
"Higashino Shinichi…"
He muttered the name in a low voice, murderous intent boiling within his eyes. Then he turned and returned to the Raikage's office, intending to deal with the village's aftermath.
But two hours later, an emergency distress report interrupted his work.
"A-sama! The clansmen from the ancestral grounds have sent an urgent request for aid! Thunderdrum Mountain has come under attack by Konoha shinobi!" a Yotsuki Clan jōnin burst in to report.
"What?!"
Yotsuki A shot to his feet so abruptly that the documents on the desk were knocked to the floor.
Those Konoha shinobi hadn't fled toward the sea—instead, they had pushed even deeper into the interior of the Land of Lightning?!
Yotsuki A strode to the map and rapidly scanned the terrain of the Land of Lightning.
At that moment, one of the secretaries spoke: "A-sama, we need to inform Raikage-sama immediately—"
"There's no time." Yotsuki A cut him off, jabbing his finger fiercely onto the map at the location of Thunderdrum Mountain. "Father's already been gone for two hours. By the time the message reaches him and he makes the return trip to Thunderdrum Mountain, at least half a day will have passed. The battle there will already be over by then."
"I'll personally lead reinforcements there. Afterward, notify Father immediately—Higashino Shinichi didn't flee toward the coast. They're likely planning to withdraw through the northwest instead. Have Father turn around and circle in from the western side to cut them off ahead of time. Then we'll crush Higashino Shinichi's forces between us from both front and rear!"
"Yes, sir!"
A few minutes later, the gates of Kumogakure opened once more.
Three thousand Kumogakure shinobi followed behind Yotsuki A as they sped toward Thunderdrum Mountain. By now, the morning light had fully broken across the land, stretching their shadows long across the ground.
Yotsuki A charged at the very front, lightning exploding around him, his speed surpassing everyone behind him.
At the same moment they departed, a civilian-looking man hidden among the village ruins watched them leave. After stepping into a nearby room, his body suddenly dispersed into a cloud of smoke and vanished.
More than ten minutes later, the Third Raikage's group—still pursuing toward the southeast—also received the message from the village.
After pondering for a moment, the Third Raikage ultimately followed the plan proposed by his son, Yotsuki A. Leading the army, he immediately turned around. Instead of returning to the village, they raced toward the northwest.
…
Half an hour earlier, at Thunderdrum Mountain.
This towering mountain range stood deep within the interior of the Land of Lightning. Its peaks rose straight into the clouds, shrouded year-round in thick mist, resembling black spears piercing the heavens when viewed from afar.
Thunder constantly rumbled throughout the mountains year-round. Whenever storm clouds gathered, lightning would leap wildly through the valleys, the thunder echoing like massive war drums rolling across the mountains. That was the origin of the name Thunderdrum Mountain.
This place had once been the clan grounds of the Yotsuki Clan during the Warring States Era. Back then, the great ninja clans still occupied their own territories, bound together by bloodlines and rooted in land as they slaughtered one another amid the chaos of that age.
More than forty years ago, the powerful leader of the Yotsuki Clan of that generation—who would later become the First Raikage—used overwhelming strength and ruthless methods to rally and unify the major ninja clans and forces of the Land of Lightning, jointly establishing Kumogakure. The Yotsuki Clan subsequently relocated in its entirety to the newly founded hidden village.
But clan grounds were, after all, lands passed down since ancient times. Although the majority of the clansmen, secret ninjutsu scrolls, family records, and other core assets had all been moved into Kumogakure, the graves of successive ancestors, the shrines dedicated to ancestral worship, and those ancient structures and stone monuments that recorded the clan's history still remained within these mountains.
Thus, every year, the Yotsuki Clan would dispatch members in rotation to stand guard here, clean the grounds, and maintain the site. It was both an inheritance and a duty of protection.
At this moment, within the dense forest at the outskirts of this sacred land of the Yotsuki Clan, more than four hundred figures stood silently beneath the shadows of the trees, holding their breath.
Most of them still bore traces of recent battle, yet every pair of eyes was exceptionally sharp, every aura steady and restrained, like leopards lurking in the darkness.
Earlier, Shinichi had merely issued a simple order: "Head to Thunderdrum Mountain." Yet the more than four hundred shinobi had followed him deep into enemy territory without the slightest hesitation. No one questioned why they were not retreating along the original route, and no one asked about his strategic intentions. It demonstrated the absolute trust these people placed in their young captain.
Standing at the very front of the group, Higashino Shinichi raised his head and looked through the overlapping layers of branches toward the distant black mountain, faintly visible amidst mist and lightning. Deep within his pupils, glass-like radiance flowed silently.
A moment later, Shinichi withdrew his gaze and addressed the group.
"There are sixty-eight people on the mountain. Eight of them deserve special attention—they should be jōnin-level opponents."
Ever since Spirit Sense had evolved into Clear Insight, his sensory abilities had undergone a qualitative transformation. Especially after Clear Insight became capable of combining with Flash Step, Shinichi had deliberately begun displaying his absurdly abnormal perception abilities in front of his teammates.
This was not only for tactical necessity, but also to further solidify the shared understanding that Higashino Shinichi's sensory abilities were extraordinary.
Yūhi Shinku nodded.
"Sixty-eight people?" he said gravely. "If we plan this properly, we can wipe them out silently without even letting a distress signal escape."
"No, Shinku-senpai." Shinichi shook his head. "I want them to send out the distress signal."
Hearing this, Shinku was briefly stunned before a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.
"Shinichi, you mean…?"
"That's right." Shinichi turned around to face all the members of the team.
"I know some of you have doubts about why I didn't lead everyone back along the original retreat route and instead continued deeper into the interior of the Land of Lightning. You simply trusted me enough to carry out the order without hesitation."
"Now I'll explain why."
"Our retreat route has most likely already been predicted by Kumogakure. They may have even dispatched forces in advance to intercept us along the way."
"And once the Third Raikage finished dealing with the Eight-Tails' rampage, he would inevitably lead a large force in pursuit along the direction we were originally supposed to retreat. If we continued withdrawing that way, there's a high chance we'd end up trapped between two Kumogakure forces."
"The information relayed by the shadow clones I left behind disguised as Kumogakure civilians has already confirmed this, so…"
Shinichi's gaze slowly swept across every face as he continued: "So, I chose a path Kumogakure would never expect."
"We'll push deep into the interior and strike directly at the Yotsuki Clan's ancestral land—Thunderdrum Mountain. We'll create an even greater chaos for Kumogakure, draw all their attention here, and carve out space for our next move!"
Shinku narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"You mean…"
"Exactly."
Shinichi gave a slight nod but had no intention of elaborating further. Instead, he directly issued the order: "Everyone, move out! Put enough pressure on the Yotsuki clansmen to force them to send out a distress signal, then strike fast and wipe them out completely!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Move!"
The instant the command fell, more than four hundred figures shot toward the thunderous black mountain range like arrows merging into the night.
BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted halfway up Thunderdrum Mountain, sending shattered rock and flames soaring into the sky.
"What!?"
"What's happening!?"
The sudden assault immediately alarmed the Yotsuki clansmen stationed on the mountain. These battle-hardened shinobi instantly realized something was wrong and rushed out from their posts, only to witness a scene that made their scalps go numb.
Hundreds of figures were surging out from the dense forest like a black tide, charging straight up the mountain!
"These are Konoha shinobi!?"
"How are Konoha's people here!?"
"This is bad! There are too many of them! Contact the village for reinforcements immediately!"
"Activate the barrier! Activate the defensive barrier! Hurry!!"
The leading Yotsuki jōnin roared himself hoarse.
The instant his words fell, several massive barriers interwoven with blinding lightning rose around the mountain.
But in the very next moment, a tall crimson figure shot upward from the foot of the mountain like a meteor!
Wherever he passed, the air was torn apart by scorching heat, leaving behind a blazing trail stretching dozens of meters long. Endless flames churned and boiled around his body before madly compressing toward his right fist.
Vermilion Heaven Purge!!
A colossal wave of flaming light erupted from Shinichi's fist like a blazing meteor tearing through the heavens, carrying the destructive might to incinerate everything as it crashed violently into the seemingly indestructible Lightning Release barrier!
Crack!
The Lightning Release defensive barrier that had just risen lasted for less than half a breath before exploding into countless fragments of scattered lightning!
"This is bad!!!"
One of the Yotsuki jōnin's pupils shrank violently as he cried out in alarm: "It's Higashino Shinichi!!!"
Even for clansmen like them, who had been stationed at the ancestral grounds far from the frontlines and even away from the village itself, that name had long since become as thunderous as legend.
And now, that harbinger of disaster had actually appeared at the Yotsuki Clan's ancestral land!
Fifteen minutes later.
The battle was already over.
Corpses and wreckage littered the ground. The ancestral buildings of the Yotsuki Clan had twisted and collapsed beneath flames and shockwaves, with burning fires and rising black smoke everywhere.
Yet the shrine dedicated to the Yotsuki ancestors had deliberately been left intact.
Standing before the burning shrine hall, Higashino Shinichi swept his gaze across his subordinates.
Four hundred and four people.
Not a single serious injury. Not a single casualty.
That was hardly surprising. Their numbers had exceeded the enemy's by more than six to one, and the assault had been a surprise attack.
More importantly, Shinichi himself had drawn the overwhelming majority of the enemy's firepower and attacks from the very beginning, creating the safest possible environment for his teammates to unleash their attacks.
"Everyone." Shinichi suddenly spoke, his tone relaxed, as though they had merely completed a training exercise. "Did anyone bring a camera?"
The group froze in confusion.
A camera? At a time like this?
But soon afterward, more than half the shinobi raised their hands. Intelligence gathering was a mandatory skill for ninja, and carrying recording equipment was a common habit.
"Excellent."
Shinichi nodded before drawing the Kusanagi Sword at his waist. The blade reflected a cold gleam beneath the firelight.
He walked over to a five-meter-tall black stone monument beside the shrine. Its surface was carved with the names of successive Yotsuki Clan heads and the major achievements of each era.
The sword edge swept across the stone, sending fragments flying.
Moments later, a line of flamboyant characters appeared upon the monument:
[KONOHAKAGURE! SHINICHI UNIT WAS HERE!]
Shinichi sheathed his sword and turned toward the somewhat stunned subordinates behind him, a radiant smile appearing on his face—so bright beneath the firelight that it bordered on outright arrogance.
"Come on, everyone. Let's take a group photo!"
After a brief silence, suppressed laughter broke out among the crowd.
Soon afterward, all four hundred and four shinobi quickly lined up in several rows before the burning shrine.
Some wore grave expressions as though facing a mortal enemy.
Some remained expressionless, their eyes razor-sharp.
Some curled their lips upward with traces of amusement.
Others could not help muttering quietly, "Isn't this way too arrogant?"
And standing at the very center, Shinichi's smile and gaze remained as bright and dazzling as ever.
Click.
The shutter snapped.
Guess this is the kind of feat people remember for generations.
That thought flashed through Shinichi's mind as he took back the camera from his subordinate. Then he turned toward the direction of Kumogakure, his smile slowly fading.
"Captain, what do we do next?"
"We're going to Kumogakure."
The instant those words fell, a wave of restrained gasps spread through the crowd. Only Shinku silently thought to himself: As expected.
"According to the intelligence relayed by the shadow clone I left behind in Kumogakure," Shinichi explained, "the son of the Third Raikage, Yotsuki A, is currently staying behind in the village."
"Now that the distress signal from Thunderdrum Mountain has already been sent out, as the Young Clan Head of the Yotsuki Clan, he will definitely personally lead troops here to provide reinforcements."
"When that happens, Kumogakure will be emptier than ever before!"
Low discussions immediately began spreading through the crowd, but the same fire ignited within everyone's eyes.
"And Kumogakure will never imagine that we'd dare act this boldly. They think we're fleeing for our lives, so we'll attack instead. They think we'll hide, so we'll appear exactly where they least expect us."
"Everyone!"
Shinichi slowly swept his gaze across the gathered shinobi. The discussions instantly ceased, but the flames in their eyes burned even fiercer.
"This time…"
"We're taking another group photo in front of the Raikage Building in Kumogakure!"
"Yes!!!"
More than four hundred voices merged into a thunderous shout.
The next moment, the unit shot forward like black lightning toward the direction of Kumogakure.
Every single one of them was exhilarated beyond measure.
Some even felt that dying after this would still be worth it.
More than two hours later.
Leading three thousand elite Kumogakure shinobi, Yotsuki A arrived at the foot of Thunderdrum Mountain like a bolt of thunder.
The instant he saw the towering flames consuming the ancestral grounds, his face immediately turned ashen.
"How could this…" one accompanying Yotsuki jōnin muttered in disbelief.
Yotsuki A said nothing.
His entire body transformed into a dazzling streak of blue-white lightning as he instantly charged into the burning ancestral grounds.
Collapsed houses, burning wooden beams, scattered ninja tools, and corpses—
Everywhere he looked was devastation.
Only the shrine dedicated to the Yotsuki ancestors still retained a relatively intact structure.
And very quickly, Yotsuki A's gaze was drawn to the words carved onto the black stone monument beside the shrine.
[KONOHAKAGURE! SHINICHI UNIT WAS HERE!]
The writing was wildly flamboyant, the sword marks cut over an inch deep, so arrogant it felt as though it could tear apart the night sky itself.
And directly in front of the monument, someone had deliberately left behind a photograph.
Yotsuki A's pupils contracted sharply as he immediately stepped forward and picked up the photo.
Before the shrine engulfed in towering flames, more than four hundred Konoha shinobi stood lined up in rows, each wearing a different expression.
And at the very center of the photograph was that young man.
He was smiling brilliantly—as though attending some kind of celebration!
But in Yotsuki A's eyes, that smile was the most naked possible mockery directed at him, at the entire Yotsuki Clan, and at Kumogakure itself!
"DAMN IT!!!"
Yotsuki A violently tore the photograph into pieces. Lightning burst uncontrollably around his body, scorching the surrounding ground black.
Yet before his fury could fully erupt, an even more urgent report forcefully interrupted him.
"A-sama! This is bad!!"
Several communication shinobi rushed toward him in panic, their faces pale as paper.
"The village… the village is under attack!!"
"What!?" Yotsuki A whipped around violently.
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