Susanoo's skeletal arm intercepted the punch. The impact shuddered through the violet energy.
Qianyu looked at the Third Raikage—torn cloak, ruined armor, half his face a mess of blood and raw flesh. He smirked. "I'll admit it. You're stronger. I can't beat you right now. But that's temporary. We'll settle our match another day."
The Third Raikage's single visible eye drilled into him. "Running? Weren't you just boasting about taking my head as a trophy?"
"Sure was." Qianyu shrugged. "And yeah, I'm running. Can you stop me? Losing to a Kage isn't exactly shameful. Besides…" He gestured loosely. "You look way worse. From the outside, it looks like I was winning."
"You have a village to protect. You need to hold these Rock bastards here. I don't. I just wanted the fight. Not a death sentence. My future's still wide open."
"I wanted to take your head instead of letting these backstabbing Rock scum do it. Seemed a waste for you to die to them. And I didn't want to use… other methods to heal up and keep fighting you. Wouldn't have been fair."
"Since I can't take your head, I'm calling it."
"And like I said, you can't stop me from leaving."
A slow, bloody grin spread across the Raikage's ruined face. Gruesome. "Oh? If you think I'll die here, why talk about a future match?"
Qianyu's expression turned serious. "That's my secret. Just remember this. Next time we meet, I'll be at my peak. And I will find you. For a real fight. One that ends."
Silence stretched between them, broken by distant screams and crumbling earth.
"…Fine." The Third Raikage's voice was gravel. "Go."
Qianyu blinked. "No last attempt to stop me?"
The giant man simply turned his back. "You're right. I can't stop you. What comes next is between me and those oath-breaking animals. I'll look forward to that fight."
He didn't look back. Just charged. Straight into the massed ranks of Rock ninja. Lightning crackled. Fists flew.
Qianyu watched his retreating form for a long moment. Then he was gone—a flicker of movement. He reappeared on a large boulder at the battlefield's very edge. He sat, a lone spectator.
His injuries ached. Deep bruises, cracked ribs, chakra pathways burning. He spent a portion of his Witness Points. Warmth flooded his system, knitting bone and flesh, soothing the strain. Good as new.
Now he watched. Just watched.
Kitsuchi bellowed orders. The Rock ninja shifted from a terrified mob to a defensive formation. Shields of earth rose. Pitfalls opened.
Even with one arm severed, the Third Raikage was a force of nature. He moved like a thunderstorm given flesh. But the effortless slaughter was gone. Every kill now cost him precious seconds, a fraction more of his dwindling stamina.
The sun set. Rose again. Hours bled away.
On the boulder, Qianyu's eyes never wavered.
The Raikage's speed had bled away. His movements, once fluid as lightning, now had a hitch. A stutter. Yet, apart from the brutal wound Qianyu had given him, not a single Rock ninja had marked his skin. Not one.
Another five, six hours crawled past.
Qianyu stood up on the boulder. His posture was rigid, respectful.
"It's over."
His Observation Haki—his heightened perception—told the story. That blazing, defiant life force… it was a guttering candle now. Faint. Flickering.
The Raikage smashed two Rock ninja into paste with his remaining fist. Then his knee hit the ground. Hard.
He tried to draw breath. It was a weak, ragged sound.
"So… this is it."
Images flashed behind his eyes. The village. His son, A. His comrades. Then, sharp and clear, the face of the young ninja who had wounded him. Qianyu.
'Dying by his hand… might not have been so bad… Pity. Why couldn't he have been one of ours…'
His vision blurred. His head, held high for two days and nights against an army, finally bowed.
Qianyu let out a long, slow breath. The man's strength… it was monstrous. He hadn't weakened. Not truly. The Rock ninja hadn't beaten him. They had simply waited for the mountain to wear itself down.
If Qianyu hadn't known about the Raikage's ultimate technique, he'd be dead.
If the Raikage had known about Thunder Breathing, he wouldn't have lost an arm.
Their fight was never fair. Not in the slightest.
His gaze lingered on the lone, kneeling figure amidst the sea of enemies. He murmured, voice low, "I'll wait. For the day they drag you back with that filthy Edo Tensei. We'll finish it then."
He turned. Flickered away again, a shadow speeding back toward the Land of Hot Water.
The news was everywhere by the time he crossed the border.
The Third Raikage was dead.
A had succeeded him as the Fourth. He swore to protect the village and the nation with his new title.
Kumogakure publicly condemned Iwagakure's betrayal. They told the world: ten thousand Rock ninja had ambushed their leader.
They announced their withdrawal from the war. Any village that attacked them now would face the full, unrestrained, suicidal wrath of the entire Hidden Cloud. They would return the assault tenfold, aiming for total annihilation.
No one doubted it. Other villages might bluff. Not Kumo. Not the Village of the Warrior Monks.
And Qianyu's name… it burned brighter than ever.
Ten thousand Rock ninja couldn't touch the Third Raikage. But one Konoha ninja had. He'd taken the man's arm.
The reports finally made it clear. It wasn't Iwa's propaganda. It was Kumo's. They inflated the numbers to make their Kage's last stand legendary. A final testament to his strength.
He reached the Konoha encampment to find it buzzing. Troops were forming up.
Orochimaru spotted him, a sly smile playing on his lips. "You were right, Qianyu. They actually did it. Went for the Raikage."
"Are we moving on Iwa, Sensei?" Qianyu asked, falling into step beside him.
Orochimaru nodded. "Precisely. With Kumo out, we don't need this many forces here. We strike now, before Iwa's main force returns. We reinforce the Land of Grass. Wipe their presence there clean." His snake-like eyes slid over Qianyu. "Though, the rumors say you took heavy damage as well. That the Raikage broke your arm. You seem… intact."
Qianyu's face was a perfect mask of calm. "I didn't fight him head-on. It was an ambush. A single strike to sever the arm. I imagine Iwa spread those rumors to shift blame and cover their own embarrassment. They couldn't scratch him, so they claim I was grievously wounded too."
Orochimaru didn't press. "Can you fight?"
"Ready and able."
"Good. Join the push to Grass. With Kumo gone…" Orochimaru's gaze turned toward the horizon. "This war shouldn't last much longer. It's nearly over."
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