"The Raikage's strength and speed… are actually not inferior to mine?! I put all three free attribute points from conquering the Mist into Strength and Speed!"
Uchiha Yorin stared at the Fourth Raikage with a look that was half-shock, half-thrill.
A good opponent—such a good opponent that Yorin didn't even want to finish him casually. If he leaned on high-end Sharingan genjutsu, he could end it faster. If he used the obscene, hand-both 25x Lightning–Flame Blade, the Raikage would go GG—likewise if he fully donned his youth-version Takemikazuchi Susanoo, he could pin the man down.
Yorin had at least nine ways to win cleanly—nine. But if he did that… where would he find such a fine taijutsu master to grind against again? Not even Shisui would do; in pure hand-to-hand, the Fourth Raikage was the best he'd met—stronger than Uchiha Shisui. So he preferred to fight in normal form—to hone his forms, to stack real combat.
Raikage A didn't know this. If he knew Yorin was using him as a whetstone—would he rage at being looked down on, or grin at the "best chance" to topple Yorin? More likely, neither—no joy or sorrow, only immersion in the fight to claw out victory.
"Formidable!"
Much like Yorin, Raikage A realized after the first exchange: this was one of the strongest foes he'd ever met. He couldn't say whether Yorin or the Fourth Hokage was stronger—their modes differed. The latter had outsped him and Bee; this one chose to meet him head-on.
Lightning–Flame Sword Dance vs Lightning Release Chakra Mode
Cross Cut vs Heavy Flow—Violence
Sky-Cleave vs Double-Lariat Thunder Axe
Moment-Heaven Kill vs Lightning Plow Hot Knife
Armor-Break Thrust vs Lightning Savagery—Thousandfold Waterfall
Both moved at unbelievable speed—but neither spammed long-range teleports. They stayed in a tight pocket, half rooted, trading bone-on-bone blows.
Air rolled. Earth shattered. The shock and gale of each clash cleared a hundred-meter bubble—two normal-sized shinobi, fists and blades only, no grand ninjutsu—and yet the scene was like a duel of colossal beasts.
Will, speed, strength, technique—both reached theoretical peak.
Yorin's surprise: the Raikage's flesh could take his sword. Yorin's blades weren't ordinary chakra steel; they were upgraded Seven Swordsmen-grade special metal—no gimmicks, just maximum sharpness, toughness, and chakra conduction. Such divine blades left only shallow lines—"strongest Lightning Armor," indeed.
"…"
"…"
After hundreds of rounds, A's body was crosshatched—vicious to look at, but all flesh wounds. But when there are enough flesh wounds—plus blood loss, fatigue, and chakra drain—he felt the drag.
Across from him, Yorin was breathing a bit harder, but far fresher.
"Damn it… are all Konoha brats monsters?"
He could feel it: the longer this went, the worse his odds. But there was no stepping back. To save Kumogakure, he had to fell the boy.
"No, Raikage—you have one more option."
Yorin opened his Sharingan—sun-gold and moon-white—startling A, though he neither asked nor yielded. He knew what that "last option" was.
Surrender.
"Impossible!" A roared. "Kumogakure has dead Raikage—never surrendering Raikage! Kid, you're strong, but me begging? Dream on!"
"Ah. Truly a Raikage." Yorin's praise was genuine. "Shame… then I'll have to end this properly."
That made A laugh in anger. Yes—he admitted this was an unprecedented foe. Slower in shunshin than Minato, perhaps—but stronger in absolute speed and power. Even so, only a hair better than him. Men like them fought three days and nights; the boy's tone made it sound like one move.
"Are all Uchiha this arrogant?"
Then he saw Yorin cloak himself in Takemikazuchi Susanoo—his aura surging, lightning screaming—looking, for a heartbeat, more like "Raikage" than the Raikage.
Shock—then fury—then resolve.
Too dangerous. This man was too dangerous. For the village's future—die here with me, Uchiha!
A forced himself higher. The famed "strongest Lightning Armor"… he pushed it up another ring—strongest Strongest Armor. In that instant he touched the limit of Kage—and in taijutsu, arguably stepped into "hyper-Kage." If a special talent can be called "special jōnin," then this was "special hyper-Kage."
With a boom he shattered the ground and charged—his favorite technique—Lightning Style: Lightning Plow Hot Knife.
He thought of the days he'd thrown that with Bee—hot-blooded brothers' combo. Those days were gone. He roared to the sky:
"Bee! This is my final strike! Farewell, my brother!"
"Big bro—!"
Bee's tears hit the dirt. He tore toward them, heedless of wounds—but too late.
"Fine resolve. Still not enough."
Yorin grinned, raised his blade—thirty-two Lightning-Cutter kunai socketed along the spine into a gargantuan beheader—
Uchiha-ryū Secret—Sky-Cleave!
Monster strength drove a world-splitting slash. It crushed A's resolve, his fury, his killing intent—and his right arm.
A thunder of pain—A flew, gouging a trench hundreds of meters long. As darkness folded in, his last thought was: It's over. In his ears—Konoha cheers, Cloud wails.
Everything was over. He closed his eyes.
…
Konoha won big. Kumogakure's army collapsed like a mountain. Even Killer B could only drag his brother back through blood, covering the retreat—everything else, he couldn't save.
…
Yorin let out a long breath, dismissed Susanoo, and gave the orders:
"Pass it down: take as many alive as possible. And the Fourth Raikage—capture if you can."
"Yes, Yorin-sama!"
The runners looked at him with blazing zeal. This was the man who led them through victory after victory—too strong, too great. Greater than the Hokage, some thought. They'd gladly give him their hearts—gladly give their lives.
He didn't want their deaths—or anyone's. He wanted Konoha—and the shinobi world—to prosper and move forward.
He hadn't even killed A—just took an arm.
Because he'd never wanted to annihilate Kumogakure. He wanted to integrate it—one of the pillars of the new Shinobi Sect.
Truthfully, he was a pacifist at heart.
Thinking so, he walked toward Killer B—who'd shed the Eight-Tails and was hoisting his unconscious brother—wearing a gentle smile.
The war was over. Next came alliance—united fronts—and happily butchering daimyo and aristocrats. He'd be very gentle with them.
Killer B did not share that vision. Seeing Yorin approach with that smile, the pressure felt heavier than from a hundred thousand Kage.
Convinced the man would wipe them out, Bee screamed from the gut:
"Don't you come any closer—!"
~~~
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