Uchiha Kai's eyes narrowed to slits.
Even as his mind raced, weighing every possibility, Ōnoki and Namikaze Minato approached.
"Kai-kun, are you alright?" Minato asked quickly. "Any injuries? Do you need help?"
Ōnoki, meanwhile, looked complicated.
Especially when his gaze lingered on Kai, his expression brimmed with envy, jealousy, and spite.
He was not at ease.
They had just slain the Third Raikage—once regarded as the strongest shinobi alive.
Yet almost immediately, here stood another: Uchiha Kai, even more terrifying.
Damn it.
For a fleeting moment, Ōnoki even considered whether he should strike now, while Kai's body and spirit were fatigued, and finish him off once and for all.
Yes.
It wasn't unreasonable.
Konoha was already the strongest of the Five Great Nations, even in decline. They could still press the other four villages into the dirt.
And now, a monster like Kai had emerged among them…
How was Hidden Stone Village supposed to compete?
But as soon as the thought arose, Ōnoki killed it himself.
Why?
Because he wasn't sure.
True, Kai had just fought an exhausting battle, but who knew how much strength he had left in reserve?
If a sneak attack failed to kill him outright, then Hidden Stone Village would face vengeance unlike anything they could withstand.
Unlike the Third Raikage—who had willingly staked his life to shield his elite forces, his son, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki—
Kai had no such bonds here. The Konoha shinobi present were cannon fodder; they couldn't restrain him.
And worse—Minato was still here.
The user of the Flying Thunder God, practically untouchable.
No. The risk was too great.
So Ōnoki forced a smile and said:
"Kai-kun, you've troubled yourself on our behalf. Truly remarkable—so young, and yet able to slay the Third Raikage single-handedly.
But time is short, so I won't waste it with pleasantries.
The Cloud shinobi haven't gotten far; they're still in the Land of Earth, no doubt.
I must intercept them immediately."
His smile was polite, but his eyes glinted with cold calculation.
Yes.
Because that retreating force contained not only the Fourth Raikage A, but also Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
If he captured them alive, Hidden Cloud Village would surely pay a fortune to ransom their elites.
After all, this war had already drained them heavily—
This was Iwa's best chance to bleed them dry in return.
Minato, however, remained calm.
The mission had been to kill the Third Raikage. That was complete.
As for the conflict between Iwa and Hidden Cloud, he had no intention of meddling.
They could do as they pleased.
In fact, he was already preparing to return to Konoha via Flying Thunder God.
But before he could depart—
Kai stepped forward.
After a brief word with Minato, he directly blocked Ōnoki's path.
"Tsuchikage-dono, forgive me," Kai said, smiling faintly.
"I made a deal with the Third Raikage just now. He left me with a rather generous gift… and in return, I promised to spare that Cloud force.
So, apologies.
But I am a man of my word.
Those shinobi are under my protection.
I will see them safely back to the Land of Lightning.
After that, your war with them has nothing to do with me.
But until then…"
His gaze sharpened, cold light flashing from his eyes.
"…I must ask you to give me some face."
Minato's mouth twitched.
He hadn't expected this.
He wanted to intervene, to smooth things over—
but he couldn't.
He too was a man of honor.
Kai had sworn, and even accepted payment.
Minato had no grounds to stop him.
Besides, their mission was already complete. Nothing else mattered.
Only one thing was certain:
If Ōnoki truly pressed this issue, Minato would side with Kai without hesitation.
They were comrades, after all.
Ōnoki froze.
He stared at Kai in disbelief—then his expression hardened, his body trembling with barely contained rage.
Not fear.
Anger.
"Young man," he said coldly, "and if I refuse?
Uchiha Kai, remember where you stand.
This is the Land of Earth, not the Land of Fire.
You are a guest here. Do not overstep."
It was a threat.
His land, his rules.
Surely Kai wouldn't go so far for the sake of a dead man's promise.
But Ōnoki was wrong.
Kai's eyes flashed with predatory light.
His voice was cold.
"In that case—my apologies.
I have no wish to be Hidden Stone Village's enemy.
But a gentleman's word is worth a thousand in gold.
I made a promise.
I took my payment.
This is something I will see through.
So I'll say it plainly:
If you want to fight… I'll fight."
His tone was calm.
But his aura radiated sheer, unshakable dominance.
This was the confidence of strength.
In the ninja world, might makes right.
And Kai had more than enough might.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi or anyone else in Konoha disapproved, they could bring it up to his face.
He didn't care.
Without true monsters like Madara or Hashirama around, who in this era could cow him?
Certainly not Ōnoki.
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