Kumogakure Front Line.
The Fourth Raikage personally led three thousand elite troops, advancing all the way to the open plain directly in front of the Konoha camp.
Raikage A ordered the Kumogakure army to form up, intending to intimidate Uchiha Yusuke from the outset.
Although Yusuke had defeated Kumogakure's vanguard, the fact that Konoha had not dispatched reinforcements was impossible to hide from Kumogakure's intelligence network.
Toward the Konoha leadership's conduct, the Fourth Raikage felt nothing but contempt.
That so-called "Professor of the Ninja World," the Third Hokage, was truly old now—still engaging in internal power struggles even in the middle of a war.
A village obsessed with scheming and infighting—how could Konoha possibly stand against a united Kumogakure?
Looking at the high morale of the army behind him, the Fourth Raikage felt a surge of ambition.
The old era had come to an end. It was time for him to open a new chapter in the ninja world!
With no reinforcements coming from Konoha, Kumogakure now held a clear advantage.
And when you had the advantage, you flaunted it.
Displaying Kumogakure's military might might even make the enemy lose their nerve before the battle began.
The Fourth Raikage had already made up his mind—this time, he would personally kill Uchiha Yusuke, the one who had made Kumogakure suffer loss after loss.
Yugito had initially felt dispirited after her defeat, but with the Raikage and Killer B arriving at the front line together, her confidence instantly surged back.
"'Flame Demon' Yusuke may have some tricks," she thought, "but compared to Kumogakure's AB Combination, he's still lacking!"
…
Konoha Camp.
An elite jōnin tasked with scouting enemy movements rushed into the central command tent in a panic.
"Lord Yusuke! The Raikage is personally leading his army this way!"
Uchiha Yusuke nodded calmly upon hearing the report.
Enduring for two full days before making his move—this time, the Fourth Raikage had been surprisingly steady.
Since Kumogakure had come knocking, Yusuke naturally had no intention of sitting still.
"Relay my order—assemble the Konoha forces. We meet Kumogakure head-on!"
Once Yusuke's command was issued, the Konoha army immediately began mobilizing.
Hiashi Hyuga, Uchiha Shisui, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, and other elite ninja took to the field together. Two thousand Konoha ninja faced off against the Kumogakure alliance on the open plain.
Konoha's decision to confront them directly caught the Fourth Raikage by surprise.
Under such unfavorable circumstances, he had expected Uchiha Yusuke to hide like a turtle in its shell.
A mocking smile appeared on Yugito's face as she stepped forward.
"Konoha is being far too arrogant this time."
"With this number of troops, you think you can stand against our Kumogakure army?"
"Pure fantasy!"
The Fourth Raikage nodded slightly in agreement.
Yugito's analysis made sense—how could a mantis hope to stop a chariot?
Uchiha Yusuke blocking their path was likely to bury himself in the process.
With the Raikage's approval, Yugito's fighting spirit surged.
"Raikage-sama, let me take the lead!"
"I lost last time. This time, I'll personally wash away that humiliation!"
The Fourth Raikage nodded with satisfaction.
Though Yugito had suffered one defeat, she knew shame and sought redemption. He still acknowledged her strength.
Letting the Two-Tails' jinchūriki take the opening move would be perfect for testing Konoha's depth.
Konoha might not have reinforcements in the open, but whether they had something hidden was still uncertain.
Though confident, the Fourth Raikage was not blind.
As a village leader, he also feared falling into a trap.
After all, Konoha's higher-ups had never been known for clean tactics.
Yugito strode forward with an air of arrogance, stopping before the Konoha formation.
"You Uchiha brat—get your ass out here!"
"This time, I'm going to tear you into pieces!"
The moment Yugito issued her challenge, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio stepped out exactly as planned.
"Someone like you doesn't need Lord Yusuke to deal with."
Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Chōza, and Yamanaka Inoichi responded in unison, moving out to face Yugito.
"Ino–Shika–Chō?"
The Fourth Raikage gazed toward Konoha, thoughtful.
He had heard of their reputation before.
With just the three of them, defeating the Two-Tails' jinchūriki was impossible—stalling for time was likely their limit.
Yugito issued her challenge, yet Konoha revealed no hidden trump cards.
The Fourth Raikage wasn't in a hurry. He continued sending Kumogakure's elites forward to challenge the Konoha line.
As Kumogakure's experts stepped out one after another, Hiashi Hyuga, Uchiha Shisui, and the others quickly joined the fray.
Kumogakure pressed forward relentlessly, and Konoha was already beginning to look strained.
Only now—
did the Fourth Raikage finally confirm that Uchiha Yusuke truly had no reinforcements to rely on.
"It's time to meet Uchiha Yusuke in person."
"Bī, let's go."
With a call, the Fourth Raikage instantly entered Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Sparks crackled and lightning flashed as he shot forward, arriving at the Konoha front in a blur.
"Feel true rage!"
Uchiha Yusuke's eyes sharpened slightly.
Leaping forward, he appeared directly in front of the Fourth Raikage.
"Perfect timing."
"I've been waiting for you."
The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes.
"Oh?"
"Pretty bold."
"Are you that eager to die?"
Uchiha Yusuke smiled faintly.
"Who's going to die isn't decided yet."
The Fourth Raikage looked down at him with disdain.
"You're not even qualified to be my opponent!"
"Know your place and surrender early."
"That way, you might still keep your life—"
Uchiha Yusuke showed no fear at all.
"Surrender?"
"That depends on whether you actually have the ability."
The Fourth Raikage was acting as arrogant as could be, and Yusuke had found him irritating for a while now.
You want me to surrender?
Then let's see just how capable you really are!
Draw—slash—sheath.
Uchiha Yusuke's movements flowed seamlessly in one breath.
The Fourth Raikage froze for a split second, then was sent flying by the slash.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
He smashed through dozens of trees before barely stabilizing his footing.
"Cough… cough…"
The Fourth Raikage climbed up from the ground in disarray, dust clinging to the side of his face.
Once he came back to his senses, fury exploded from him.
"You dare provoke me?!"
"You're courting death!"
Uchiha Yusuke flashed forward and struck again.
"What are you yapping about?"
Seeing the whistling flying slash rushing toward him, the Fourth Raikage felt his scalp go numb.
No warning—just draw and cut?
Since when did young people stop following basic etiquette?!
Uchiha Yusuke felt completely innocent.
When problems could be solved with a sword, he had never liked wasting words.
The Fourth Raikage liked to posture.
And Uchiha Yusuke specialized in curing arrogance.
…
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