Chapter 79 – Reinforcements
Watching Ryuya rapidly recover, Yugito Nii did not hesitate. She immediately began forming another Tailed Beast Ball.
Whoosh—
The blue sphere tore through the night sky with a piercing sonic boom, blasting toward Ryuya.
Boom—!
A violent explosion erupted, a small mushroom cloud rising within the valley.
It was Shisui—his Susanoo had intercepted the Tailed Beast Ball.
Under the devastating impact, Shisui's Susanoo finally reached its limit. It shattered into countless green motes of light before completely dissipating into the night.
At this point, both Shisui's body and ocular power were utterly exhausted.
Nearby, Kakashi—whose condition was equally dire—barely supported Shisui as the two knelt weakly not far in front of Ryuya.
Lightning Release: Black Panther!
A scorching bolt of black lightning split the darkness, streaking toward Kakashi and Shisui.
It was Darui's signature Lightning Release technique.
The battle-hardened jōnin had seized the perfect opportunity.
In this moment, Kakashi and Shisui had no strength left to resist. Ryuya, positioned behind them, had no time to intervene.
At the very brink of death, a blue figure flashed across the sky.
It was Guy—still in his Seventh Gate state!
After the intense battle, maintaining the Gate of Shock for so long had visibly thinned his body.
Seeing his comrades on the verge of death, Guy immediately abandoned his clash with the Fourth Raikage and rushed to their rescue.
His body ran wildly through the air, fists striking dozens of times in an instant. Dozens of fiery dragons roared toward Darui.
Boom!
The blazing barrage not only dispersed Darui's Lightning Release but also surged toward the surrounding Cloud shinobi.
Amid successive explosions, some Kumogakure ninja perished instantly, while others fled in disarray.
Even Darui was forced to retreat under the ferocious assault.
This was a signature technique of the Eight Gates—
Asa Kujaku (Morning Peacock).
A high-level taijutsu unleashed after opening the Sixth Gate, it creates flames through friction between rapid punches and the air, generating shockwaves and fire to bombard the opponent continuously.
With his current strength and condition, this was the most powerful technique Guy could unleash in the Seventh Gate.
After executing it, the blue aura around him visibly weakened.
"Guy!"
At last, Ryuya arrived from the rear.
The four regrouped once more.
But now, all four were at the end of their strength.
Guy's blue aura was reduced to barely thirty percent of its original intensity.
Shisui's eyes bled tears of blood; he was too weak to stand.
Kakashi was riddled with injuries—without leaning against Guy, he likely would have collapsed as well.
Of the four, only Ryuya appeared slightly better off, yet his pale face and the faint gray streaks at his temples betrayed severe depletion of life force.
The valley was in ruins, scarred everywhere by the fierce battle. Numerous weaker Cloud shinobi had already died here. Even Darui, Samui, and Yugito were far from unscathed.
"You of Konoha's ANBU Squad Eleven… die!"
Still cloaked in his Lightning Release Armor, the Fourth Raikage surveyed the devastated valley before turning his furious gaze upon the nearly defenseless four.
To eliminate ANBU Squad Eleven, Kumogakure had already paid a heavy price.
It had to be admitted—Konoha's talent was enviable. Every generation produced extraordinary geniuses.
The Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki had only recently fallen, and yet another monstrous squad had already emerged.
These four were still young. Though they had not yet reached the heights of the Fourth Hokage, any one of them could already stand alone as a formidable shinobi.
In Kumogakure, perhaps not even Darui could match them.
This only reaffirmed the Raikage's resolve—eliminating them before they matured was worth the cost.
Lightning Release: Lariat!
In a flash of thought, the Raikage unleashed his signature technique.
"Partial Expansion Jutsu!"
Facing the ferocious strike, Ryuya's right arm rapidly enlarged, swelling to massive proportions as he swung it forward.
At this final, desperate moment, his expression hardened with savagery.
Kakashi, Guy, and Shisui were already at their limits. If struck directly, they would die instantly.
Even if he had to die—he would take a piece of the enemy with him.
But with Lightning Armor activated, the Raikage's speed was overwhelming. Ryuya's eyes could not track him—he could only expand his attack's range in hopes of intercepting it.
Bang!
Blood sprayed.
Ryuya's enlarged right fist was pierced clean through, and the tremendous force flipped his body backward.
Without Ryuya's obstruction, the Raikage continued forward, crashing toward Guy.
Boom!
With a thunderous collision, Guy was blasted away, leaving only Kakashi and Shisui behind.
Forced back a few steps himself, the Raikage did not pause. In a blur, he launched another punch toward them.
"Guy… Ryuya… we'll go on ahead."
Bathed in blinding lightning, Kakashi—his chakra and stamina utterly depleted—could clearly see the killing intent on the Raikage's face.
He closed his eyes, prepared for death.
Yet the expected pain never came.
At the critical moment, a tall figure appeared before them.
He wore a forehead protector marked with the kanji for "oil," had long white hair flowing to his waist, and wooden sandals on his feet.
It was one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin—
Jiraiya.
Sage Art: Massive Rasengan!
Leaping into the air, Jiraiya formed a Rasengan dozens of times larger than normal and slammed it against the Raikage's incoming punch.
Boom!
In the explosive clash, the Raikage was blasted backward, while Jiraiya himself slid back several dozen steps.
Thud!
Dust rose as the Raikage landed, instantly springing back up. Wrapped in Lightning Armor, he was completely unharmed.
However, seeing Jiraiya standing before Kakashi and the others, his expression grew solemn.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—
Moments later, multiple figures flickered into the valley entrance. Dozens of Konoha shinobi appeared.
At their center stood members of the Hyūga and Nara clans—among them Hiashi Hyuga and Shikaku Nara, forming the famed Ino–Shika–Chō combination.
Seeing this, Ryuya pushed himself up with bloodied hands.
They were saved.