The Third Raikage looked at the calm face of Minato and wiped a smear of blood from his lip. His heart began to sink as he realized the gravity of the situation. He knew that normally, a shinobi should be limited by their youth and physical development, no matter how much of a genius they were. He had previously assumed that Minato only stayed undefeated by using his incredible speed to avoid every hit. However, his opinion changed the moment that single punch connected with his jaw.
That terrifying power had nearly shattered his skull. He realized that if he had not been protected by his Lightning Release Armor, his head might have been crushed instantly. Even with such a realization, the Raikage refused to give up against his opponent.
A loud sizzling sound filled the air as a violent electrical current surged around him. The aura of the Third Raikage intensified as he pushed his body to the limit. He doubted that Minato could keep up this level of speed and raw power forever. In his long career, he had never met anyone who could outmatch his own physical endurance or his iron will. He was, after all, the man who had fought the Eight-Tails in a one-on-one battle and walked away the winner. Since his Hell Stab technique had failed to end the fight, he decided to settle the matter with a direct, physical brawl.
He let out a loud roar as his long, pale golden hair stood on end. Huge amounts of chakra flowed through his veins, causing his muscles to swell to an even more massive size. For a brief second, Minato felt as though he were watching a legendary transformation from a storybook.
The ground shook as the Third Raikage flickered and reappeared right in front of Minato. His movement speed was now just as fast as the specialized piercing attack he had used before. He let out a shout and threw a heavy, devastating punch aimed directly at the head of the blond ninja.
Minato reacted by twisting his body and launching a spinning side kick. His foot struck the knee and thigh of the Raikage with immense force. The massive man swayed from the impact but quickly tried to strike Minato in the neck with a sharp hand chop. Minato stepped back to avoid the blow at the very last moment. The towering Raikage lunged forward again, his fists moving so fast they became a blur of shadows.
He shouted a series of battle cries while Minato kept his eyes focused. Minato moved his hands with lightning speed to block and parry the relentless storm of punches. The Raikage saw Minato backing away and assumed the boy was afraid of being hit. He did not realize that Minato was actually focused on keeping his elemental body hidden from view. Minato knew that in such a chaotic and fast fight, he might accidentally reveal his secrets without the help of his Sharingan.
The Raikage complimented Minato on his excellent Taijutsu skills while they fought. He told the boy that he should not be so hesitant because a strong offense was the best way to defend.
Minato agreed and decided to follow that advice immediately. He blocked a powerful horizontal chop from the Raikage and then lunged forward with a punch of his own. The hit was so strong that it blasted the older man backward. The Third Raikage managed to fix his posture while flying through the air. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he saw three triple-pronged kunai flying toward him in a triangle pattern.
He wondered if Minato was finally going to use the Flying Thunder God technique. The Raikage kept his eyes locked on the three knives and prepared his body to counter. He was sure that he could hit Minato the second he appeared near any of the markers. However, Minato suddenly appeared directly in front of him without using the knives at all.
The Raikage felt like he had been tricked, but he had no time to move out of the way. He could only watch as Minato kicked him square in the chest and sent him flying. Before he could even hit the ground, Minato appeared behind him and kicked him high into the sky. Minato then turned into a blur of golden light that flickered all over the battlefield. He hit the Raikage over and over again, using his speed to keep the massive man trapped in the air.
In the crowd, a dark-skinned youth watched with tears in his eyes as his father was beaten without any way to fight back. Minato saw the boy out of the corner of his eye and flashed above the Raikage one last time. He came down with a heavy axe kick that smashed the Raikage into the dirt. The force was so great that the ground shattered into a crater that stretched out for $1,000$ meters.
Minato stayed floating in the air and pointed a finger down at the panting Raikage. A bright beam of light shot out in a straight line and went right through the chest of the Third Raikage.
The ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village screamed out in fear for their leader. They rushed onto the field and formed a wall of bodies to protect the Raikage. They looked up at Minato with anger, ready to start a full-scale war to save their village head. The future Fourth Raikage stood there with wide eyes as tears ran down his face.
The Third Raikage coughed up blood but managed to sit up on his own. He told his people that he was okay and ordered them to stand back.
Minato drifted down to the ground and noted that the Raikage was much more loved by his people than the Mizukage had been. The Raikage admitted that he had lost the fight while medical ninja began to work on his chest wound. He thanked Minato for not killing him and asked what the winner wanted in exchange for peace.
Minato calmly stated that he wanted the two Tailed Beasts belonging to the village. The Raikage refused the request immediately because extracting a beast would kill the person holding it. He said he would not betray his friends and brothers even if it meant the whole village had to die fighting.
Minato told him it was fine and asked to be taken to see them because he had his own way of handling it. He mentioned that he liked people who were loyal, but he would not change his goals because of that. The Raikage sighed and gave in, explaining that the two hosts were currently away at a place called Turtle Island. He invited Minato to stay in the village for a few days while he sent for them to return. He chose this because he was afraid of what might happen if he sent Minato to the island directly.
Minato nodded his head in agreement since it meant he didn't have to travel. The subordinates helped the injured Raikage back to the village, and Minato followed them inside. The village was built on tall, cone-shaped mountains with bridges connecting the buildings. It looked much more impressive than the hidden village in the leaves.
A young ninja named Dodai was assigned to take care of Minato. He wore a strange hat and led Minato to a building near the center of the village. Dodai told Minato that he would be staying in the next room if anything was needed. He also mentioned that food would be brought to the room every day.
Minato declined the offer of food because he preferred to take care of himself. He was not worried about poison, but he wanted to avoid any unnecessary trouble so he could finish his mission. Dodai understood the concern and left him alone.
Over at the local hospital, the Third Raikage rested against his bed. The dark-skinned youth sat next to him and cried while making threats against Minato. He promised that one day he would personally take revenge on the bastard who hurt his father.
The Raikage suddenly punched the boy into the wall and told him to stop being an idiot. He warned his son never to think about seeking revenge. He knew that only someone who had actually fought Minato could understand how truly terrifying his power really was.
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