"Boom!!!!"
The deafening roar of thunder echoed in the ears of the Raikage and Kirabi. The two looked in surprise at the rising flames not far from the camp, their expressions growing more serious.
Uzumaki Raiden could actually control the sky—something neither of them had anticipated.
"Bi! Be careful. This guy isn't on the same level as your previous opponents!"
the Raikage warned Kirabi as he took the lead, charging toward the swirling figure in mid-air.
"Uzumaki Raiden! Don't underestimate us Cloud ninja!" Ai roared as he leaped into the air, rushing toward Raiden. Just as he was about to close in, another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. The next second, a thick thunderbolt descended, striking directly at Ai. The Raikage's speed was incredible, but no matter how fast he was, he couldn't outrun lightning!
"Boom!"
Another explosion erupted as the Raikage's body was engulfed by the thunder's glow. However, in the next moment, his disheveled form emerged from the lightning, still charging toward Raiden with undiminished momentum. With a fierce shout, he swung a powerful fist at the fox's head.
"Hm?!"
"This level of ninjutsu really isn't enough to stop you! But it's still useful for clearing out small fry!"
The golden Nine-Tails body remained unmoved by the Raikage's punch, and the vortex of golden chakra surrounding Raiden absorbed the impact without issue. Looking past the Raikage, several golden tails lashed toward him in a sweeping attack.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"
Just as the attack was about to land, it was blocked at the last moment. At some point, Kirabi had fully transformed into his Tailed Beast form. Facing Uzumaki's attack, Kirabi's octopus tails wrapped around the fox's, stopping the strike and preventing the Raikage from taking a direct hit.
The Raikage, now falling toward the ground due to gravity, watched the entangled tails of the Tailed Beasts in the sky. For the first time, he realized how much his younger brother had grown—strong enough to hold off Uzumaki Raiden.
In the Raikage's mind, Uzumaki Raiden had already proven his strength years ago when he injured his supposedly invincible father. Yet now, Kirabi was actually able to block one of his attacks. It was a clear testament to Kirabi's growth.
"Brother, fall back for now!"
Kirabi, having successfully intercepted Raiden's attack, used his eight tails to wrap around the golden fox in an attempt to restrain him. Seeing that Raiden wasn't breaking free immediately, Kirabi felt a surge of confidence and excitedly spoke to the Raikage.
"You idiot! Stay focused!"
The Raikage cursed when he saw the "Eight-Tails" above him turn away mid-battle to talk.
At that moment, an even greater surge of chakra erupted, shattering the Eight-Tails' grip. In the next instant, Yin-Yang chakra rapidly gathered in the golden fox's mouth.
"Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Uzumaki Raiden raised his left hand, feeling the power of the Tailed Beast Bomb for the first time. Balancing and condensing Yin-Yang chakra was surprisingly easy for him.
"Bi! Watch out!"
The Raikage shouted, seeing the terrifying amount of chakra swirling near Raiden.
Kirabi, still in Eight-Tails form, turned around quickly and began forming his own Tailed Beast Bomb in response, preparing for a head-on clash at close range.
However, just as Kirabi was halfway through forming the attack, Raiden's eyes turned cold. Suddenly, four bolts of lightning crashed down from the sky, striking the Eight-Tails directly. The sheer force blasted him into the ground. In the next second, several golden chains shot out from the Nine-Tails' body, swiftly wrapping around the Eight-Tails.
"Still not enough!"
Raiden whispered as the Tailed Beast Bomb launched from the Nine-Tails' mouth, slamming directly into the restrained Eight-Tails.
"Boom!!!"
A blinding explosion illuminated the entire battlefield. A violent shockwave erupted from the center of the Cloud ninja camp, and a fiery red mushroom cloud slowly rose into the sky.
Cloud ninja who had already evacuated the camp saw the light behind them and turned back—only to find the brightness too intense to look at directly.
In the center of the explosion, the Raikage struggled to maintain his Lightning Armor, using all his strength to withstand the blast. The hurricane-like force from the explosion hurled him into the air, but it didn't penetrate his defenses. His body slammed into the ground, buried beneath the debris.
After a moment, the explosion subsided. The Raikage crawled out from the rubble, gasping for fresh air, and immediately began searching for his brother.
However, at the center of the impact, there was no sign of the Eight-Tails. Instead, a golden Nine-Tailed fox stood proudly, its massive tails swaying freely.
"Even with Tailed Beast Mode, the difference in strength is overwhelming."
Uzumaki Raiden looked at the figure lying on the ground not far away and muttered to himself. Kirabi had already reverted from his Tailed Beast form. The sheer force of the Tailed Beast Bomb had forced him to use nearly all his chakra in defense. Though the Eight-Tails had managed to protect Kirabi with its own chakra, it could no longer continue fighting.
"Is that all? Tsk."
"Boring."
Inside Uzumaki Raiden, the Nine-Tails didn't feel satisfied with the battle. Clicking its tongue in disappointment, it lowered its front paws and settled into a comfortable resting position within Raiden's subconscious.
Despite its irritation, a satisfied smirk appeared on its face. The Eight-Tails and its Jinchūriki were completely inferior—something that pleased the prideful Nine-Tails. It was a feeling akin to a pet being proud that its owner was better than someone else's.
The golden chakra began to fade as Raiden descended from the sky, slowly walking toward the unconscious Kirabi. Just as he reached him and was about to check his condition, a figure flashed beside him, launching a swift kick at Raiden's waist.
Instead of taking the hit head-on, Uzumaki Raiden nimbly leaped back a few meters, effortlessly dodging the attack.
Looking closely, his attacker was none other than the Raikage, who had been blown away earlier.
At this point, the Raikage was in rough shape, breathing heavily. Though he hadn't exhausted much chakra, the intensity of the battle had left him short of breath.
"Bi!"
The Raikage stood in front of Kirabi, calling out to his younger brother. He couldn't believe that Kirabi—one of the strongest in the Cloud Village—had been completely overpowered in mere minutes.
And yet, it had happened.
Only now did the Raikage fully grasp the strength of the young man standing before him. Uzumaki Raiden was no longer in the same league as them.
"Ai, I held back. Your brother will be fine."
"I came here to talk. Now that you've seen my power firsthand, are you willing to speak calmly?"
Uzumaki Raiden sheathed Sakegari no Tachi, suppressing his chakra as he spoke in a relaxed tone, a smile on his face.
(End of Chapter)