As both sides once again stood face to face on the vast battlefield, a grim and deadly atmosphere instantly covered the entire area.
"Ōnoki, I'll say it one last time."
"It's not too late to surrender now."
Third Raikage A took a few steps forward. His voice was loud and as domineering as always.
"Repeating the same nonsense over and over. Do you really find that amusing?"
Ōnoki's expression didn't change in the slightest. Such trash talk couldn't shake his resolve at all.
"At least think about your subordinates if not yourself."
"Is it right to drag them along with you to their deaths?"
The Third Raikage suddenly smirked contemptuously. This big brute was trying mind games?
"That's none of your business."
"We won't give up even an inch of territory from the Land of Earth. That's our bottom line."
Though sometimes hot-headed, Ōnoki was still beloved by his people. His prestige and strength ranked among the highest in Iwagakure.
"Fight to the death! Fight to the death!"
No one knew who started it first, but the cries of the Iwagakure ninja shook the heavens.
The Konoha ninjas, on the other hand, were caught off guard by the sudden battle cry. Should they shout too or stay silent?
"Hmph~"
"It seems we've got nothing more to discuss."
The Third Raikage scoffed coldly and immediately shifted into combat mode.
Clad in blue armor, he charged forward like an arrow straight toward the Iwagakure ninja. The Kumogakure ninjas roared loudly and launched their attack together.
"So it's those two, huh? Leave them to me."
Nawaki smirked mysteriously, eyes locking onto the Fourth Raikage wearing identical armor to the Third's, and a teenage boy beside him.
It was none other than the AB combo—the pair who had killed Han, the Five-Tails Jinchūriki.
"Don't underestimate them," Ōnoki warned, whether genuinely or just pretending concern, before rushing forward to intercept the Third Raikage.
The two Kages clashed head-on. The shockwave from their impact rippled outward, carving out a vacuum around them.
No matter which side they belonged to, every ninja was blown back by the force. Truly terrifying were these seasoned Kage-level warriors.
"Heh~ Today's opponents are mine."
Nawaki blocked the AB combo with a small Water Release technique, looking down on them both literally and figuratively, his attitude dripping with arrogance.
"A Konoha ninja?!"
"You can still retreat now," B muttered, frowning slightly. The Fourth Raikage, however, wasn't so polite.
If possible, he didn't want to fight against Konoha.
But judging from Nawaki's appearance, this battle was unavoidable. He was simply making his stance clear.
"It doesn't look like that's an option. I'm also following orders."
Nawaki helplessly shrugged, indicating there was absolutely no room for compromise.
"In that case, don't blame us if you're asking for death yourself."
B hadn't yet mastered full control over Eight-Tails' power. Under the influence of Tailed Beast Chakra, he became increasingly volatile.
He turned sharply, and the tentacle-like tail behind him swept upward into midair.
[Heavy Lava Bombs].
Needless to say, the AB combo still had great synergy. As soon as B moved, the Fourth Raikage leapt high to attack Nawaki from the other side.
Surrounded by Lightning Release chakra, he moved with lightning speed. Surprisingly, [Heavy Lava Bombs] struck faster despite being launched second.
"Not bad speed."
A flicker of surprise passed through Nawaki's eyes. That must have been the fourth-fastest opponent he had ever faced.
Then he thought again—maybe fourth place didn't even belong to him.
Fine, top ten then. Nawaki didn't want to dwell on it any longer.
Never thought I'd run into someone this fast outside Konoha.
[Great Diamond Leg!]
Nawaki was curious about how strong the Fourth Raikage's taijutsu really was.
He twisted around with a stylish back kick, his entire right leg encased in rock.
With chakra-enhanced strength combined with Earth Release, a mutated form of Leaf Strong Whirlwind clashed head-on with the Fourth Raikage's Heavy Lava Bombs.
Before Killer B's very eyes, in his shock, the Fourth Raikage was kicked flying—clearly outmatched.
*Crash!*
The Fourth Raikage slammed into the ground with a thunderous crash, buried deep in the soil.
If not for the amazing protection from his Lightning Release Armor, that blow would've been much worse.
Tch…Not as impressive as I thought.
Nawaki clicked his tongue slightly, looking somewhat disappointed.
But he didn't stop moving—Samehada was pulled from behind him.
Against someone with huge chakra reserves, Samehada was practically cheating.
Just as the Eight-Tails' tentacles arrived, they were blocked by Samehada.
The white bandages binding Samehada were torn apart completely under the force of razor-sharp spines that pierced deep into the Eight-Tails' tentacle.
Samehada's ugly face wore a blissful expression—what rich chakra!
"What the hell just happened?"
Killer B watched one of his tails vanish, suddenly feeling weak and alarmed.
"This is a chakra-eating blade. Pretty cool, huh?"
With Samehada resting across his shoulder, Nawaki saw those fierce spines smooth out once again.
"One of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Blades—the Samehada."
The Fourth Raikage rose from the ground to explain to Killer B, his expression dark with concern.
This Konoha ninja might be incredibly powerful.
In a single exchange—and they had struck first too—both himself and Killer B had already taken injuries.
Seeing Nawaki so calm and casual only made him more uneasy.
"Hey, show me what you're really made of."
"You call this the level that killed the Five-Tails' jinchūriki? Please."
Killer B winced at Nawaki's taunting words, but the Fourth Raikage remained composed.
"Damn brat, what are you being so arrogant about?!"
After a short bout of weakness, new tentacles sprouted behind Killer B once more.
"Kids shouldn't curse."
"People will start disliking you."
Nawaki smiled as he said the first line, but his tone turned deadly on the next.
Maybe within Konoha, he was a warm big brother figure—but beyond its borders, he was Fire Unit Squad Leader from Anbu, infamous for ruthless efficiency.
[Water Release: Water Severing Slash.]
Nawaki formed several rapid hand seals before releasing a high-velocity stream of water shot straight from his mouth, aiming directly at the Fourth Raikage and Killer B.
"Move!"
In desperation, the Fourth Raikage kicked Killer B aside while swiftly escaping the path of the water attack.
But he hadn't realized the Water Severing Wave could be guided mid-flight.
Nawaki shifted focus entirely to the Fourth Raikage, ignoring the slower-moving Killer B.
The water clung to the Fourth Raikage like a parasite latched to his bones, driving him mad.
The battlefield wasn't that large, and the Fourth Raikage had already tried moving toward open areas, yet a few unlucky Cloud Ninjas were still sliced clean through the waist by the deadly jet.
The sight was breathtaking, yet Nawaki remained utterly unfazed.
"Forget it. No way I can catch up now."
Nawaki casually ceased his Water Severing Wave. The Tailed Beast Chakra he'd absorbed earlier had already been completely depleted.
So he really is a calculating one after all.
Seeing the jagged, winding crack left in the ground, even the Fourth Raikage A felt a chill run down his spine.
Could he really survive a Water Release technique of this magnitude?
"If he didn't know how to seize the moment and switch targets, that kid would've died for sure."
Ōnoki also noticed this familiar ninjutsu; it was a forbidden Water Release technique from the Second Hokage.
He simply sighed in mild regret, thinking Nawaki was still too young and hot-headed.
Deal with one opponent first—then the other would be easy prey.
Thankfully for Nawaki, he failed to notice that the boy had deliberately avoided targeting Killer B; otherwise, how could the game possibly last any longer?
Naruto: Starting from Pursuing Tsunade – Please bookmark this site: (m.