"Lord Raikage!"
Several elite shinobi shouted in alarm as they rushed forward, barely managing to catch the arm of the Third Raikage as it was severed.
"Ryoma!!"
The Third Raikage roared. In an instant, his entire body erupted in a blaze of lightning chakra.
The Lightning Release Chakra Mode enveloped him completely, and the bleeding from his torn arm ceased.
He had lost count of how many Kumo-nin Ryoma had killed — more than a dozen, including three Jōnin!
Each one an elite of Kumogakure!
Rage surged in the Raikage's eyes as he glared at Ryoma, who now stood protectively before Kushina.
Lightning crackled.
The Third Raikage's chakra intensified to its absolute peak — the Lightning Release Chakra Mode at full power!
"Ryoma! You'll die here! Hell Stab—Four-Finger Thrust!"
He focused chakra into four fingers. The fewer the fingers used, the greater the destructive power.
When it reached a single finger, it became known as the Strongest Spear!
"Wood Release: Tree World Wall!"
Ryoma slammed his hands onto the ground. Thick wooden vines burst forth instantly, intertwining to form a dense barrier between him and the charging Raikage.
But the Third Raikage's Hell Stab was no ordinary strike — this technique could pierce even the Earth Release: Thousand-Mile Mud Wall used by the Allied Shinobi Forces and the Lava Release: Dissolving Wall created by Bloodline Limit users like Tsuchidai.
The wooden wall never stood a chance.
BOOM!
The Tree World Wall shattered instantly!
The Raikage's lightning-clad body cut through the air and appeared right in front of Ryoma in the blink of an eye.
CRASH!
Ryoma's body was torn apart in a flash of light—
Only for the Raikage to realize the truth.
Shadow Clone!
For a brief second, the Third Raikage staggered, nearly fainting. His desperate, all-out strike had hit nothing but a clone. Blood poured freely from his wound again — his own power had reopened the fracture he had sealed with chakra moments before.
Not far away, Ryoma had already appeared a hundred meters away, holding Kushina in his arms.
"Damn you!!"
The Third Raikage dropped to one knee, his vision spinning.
Just then—
A massive wooden dragon erupted from beneath his feet!
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
The enormous dragon coiled around the Raikage, binding him tightly.
With his arm shattered and his strength waning, the Raikage could no longer resist. The Wood Dragon sank its fangs into his wound, greedily absorbing both his blood and chakra.
"Ghh—aaagh!!"
"Lord Raikage!"
"Lord Raikage!"
Several elite Kumogakure shinobi rushed forward in panic, hacking desperately at the wooden dragon. Though they managed to sever it, their blades also cut into the Raikage's flesh. They caught his falling body and immediately retreated at top speed.
Ryoma moved to pursue, but his chakra reserves were nearly depleted. Even moving at full speed now would cost him more than he had left.
He could only watch as the Third Raikage was dragged away.
Still, his voice thundered across the battlefield:
"The Third Raikage's arm has been severed! He's finished! Konoha — attack!"
His shout echoed like a battle horn.
Every Konoha shinobi on the field who heard it erupted with newfound fury!
And indeed, the Third Raikage was grievously wounded — one arm gone, blood pouring from his body as he fled the battlefield under escort.
From afar, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade both exhaled in relief when they saw the fearsome Raikage retreating.
Even the Konoha elders who had doubted Ryoma were speechless.
They had expected disaster — yet with Ryoma's return, the tide of battle had reversed in an instant.
"The Third Raikage is crippled! Konoha, advance!"
Uchiha Fugaku led the charge, followed by numerous Jōnin and Chūnin, rallying their forces as they surged against the retreating Kumo forces.
The Konoha ranks roared in unison, their morale blazing higher than ever.
"Kill!"
"Drive them back!"
"Don't let them escape!"
The forests outside Konoha resounded with battle cries and the clash of steel.
Kumogakure's invasion force, which had pushed too deep into the heart of Konoha territory, now found itself trapped — unable to retreat in time.
And with their leader wounded and morale shattered, the proud warriors of the Hidden Cloud crumbled.
Their lines broke. Their courage failed.
The once-mighty army of Kumogakure scattered beneath the fury of Konoha's counterattack.
Under the relentless counterattack of Konoha's forces, the Kumogakure troops abandoned their armor and fled in disarray, losing all sense of direction.
Many from the Cloud force became hopelessly lost in the Forest of Death and never returned. A few panicked Kumo shinobi were even slain by Konoha ANBU in the chaos — a humiliating rout for the invaders.
The Third Raikage was being carried northward by his remaining elite escorts, accompanied by a handful of loyal bodyguards. His face was ashen from blood loss; the medical lead trailed at his side, desperately treating him. Even if they managed to reattach the mangled limb, it would be useless — the Raikage's right hand was ruined forever.
For a Raikage whose greatest strength lay in raw ninjutsu, losing that hand was tantamount to exile from history. His eyes burned with fury as he listened to the casualty report.
"Lord Raikage," a subordinate stammered, "out of the ten-thousand men your force sent, fewer than one thousand have returned."
The Raikage's pupils widened. He bent forward, bile and blood spilling from his mouth, and finally lost consciousness.
"Father!"
"Lord Raikage!"
His retainers swarmed to his side.
…Meanwhile, in Konoha the mood could not have been more different.
Where Ryoma had passed, Konoha shinobi fell silent from their fighting, then rose and saluted in reverent unison. Their faces shone with awe and relief. Cheers followed him through the ranks.
Kushina, Uchiha Mikoto, Rin — men and women alike watched Ryoma as if looking at a savior. Even those high-ranking Konoha officials who had once talked of censuring him now crowded around to praise his return.
"Lord Ryoma saved Konoha from disaster!" someone shouted.
"Yes — Lord Ryoma arrived just in time!" another answered.
"That technique — incredible. The Jōnin should study it!"
Ryoma ignored the chorus of flatterers. He remembered all too well the whispers that had circulated during his absence, the threats and complaints filed by certain bureaucrats. Those matters could be handled later. Today was a day for victory.
Elites pressed forward, eager to report the results of the counterattack. They saluted and called to him with new devotion.
"Lord Ryoma!"
"Lord Ryoma!"
A senior officer stepped forward and spoke quickly: "We've verified enemy losses — at least 6,266 killed and 1,866 captured from the Cloud forces. The numbers will likely rise; many have not returned."
"And our casualties?" Ryoma asked.
"No more than a thousand dead and wounded on our side."
Six thousand-plus enemy dead. Nearly two thousand prisoners.
Under a thousand Konoha casualties. It was a decisive, comprehensive victory — a blow that would cripple Kumogakure's military strength.
Ryoma allowed himself a brief, satisfied nod. "Not bad," he said.
"Everything is the credit of Lord Ryoma!" the surrounding shinobi chorused, falling over themselves to heap praise on him.
Ryoma waved a hand to temper the adulation.
"Enough with the hero-worship," he said.
"Since Kumogakure has been routed, some suggest we press the advantage — pursue them into the Land of Lightning and finish this."
The crowd's faces lit up at the idea.
"By all means — destroy them!" they cried.
But Konoha's senior leadership protested at once.
"Think carefully, Lord Ryoma. This victory came because they overextended. If we push deeply into the Land of Lightning, we may suffer the same crushing fate they did here. We must not overreach." Another elder added, "You also seized Sunagakure without the Daimyō of the Land of Fire's consent. A further advance could anger the Feudal Lord."
Ryoma's smile never changed as he turned to the dissenters. "Daimyō of the Land of Fire?" he repeated coolly. Then, eyes flashing, he called to the ANBU standing nearby: "Dark Division — detain these men. I now suspect some among them may be undercover agents placed by other villages to undermine Konoha."
A ripple of stunned silence swept the ranks — an abrupt end to debate as the talk of external conspiracies quelled further objections.
Their capture of Sunagakure had opened a trade route from the Land of Fire to the Land of Wind — a prize that would flood Konoha with commerce and influence. More than one official reminded the council what that meant.
"This trade route will belong to Konoha!" one high-ranking officer declared. "All commerce will pass under our control."
"If we press the advantage and crush Kumogakure and their forces, we can secure a trade corridor to the Land of Lightning as well," another added.
"Imagine the opportunities."
The talk of profit and expansion drew eager nods — until the ANBU stepped forward and changed the mood.
Ryoma's public face had been gracious and unifying in the weeks before; his behavior here had already softened many of the political knives. Those same officials had expected to use that goodwill to limit him. Instead, Ryoma quietly ordered the ANBU to detain several of the dissenting elders.
"You preach Konoha's interests," Ryoma said, cool and even.
"Yet your words serve your pockets more than our people. For now, we'll let the magistrate sort you out." He met the ANBU captain with a faint smile.
"Take them into custody. They'll be tried tomorrow."
"Understood — Lord Ryoma," the ANBU answered, bowing.
The would‑be critics sputtered and protested, but Ryoma's action was swift and final. Even those who resisted were quickly bound; the ANBU moved with practiced efficiency.
"Lord Ryoma! We swear our loyalty to Konoha!" cried some who had previously flattered and plotted. The chorus of praise rose again.
Ryoma allowed a small, controlled smile.
"At first, Danzo said much the same," he replied dryly.
"He spoke of clan, tradition, and duty — all for Konoha. But words mean little without action. We'll hold trials tomorrow."
The crowd cheered, but one of Konoha's elders found his voice. "Third Hokage! You must — "
Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat.
"I am retired," he said, calm but firm. "Responsibility now rests with the Fourth Hokage and the council." The old man's voice carried the weight of years; he sounded aware of his limits.
Today's battle reminded even Hiruzen that the younger generation should not be held back by the past.
Ryoma nodded at the acknowledgement. The dissenters, already seized by ANBU, fell silent; the public debate was effectively over.
The field commanders pressed forward, hungry for direction. "Lord Ryoma — what are our next steps?" they demanded.
Ryoma considered the answer. "Right now, the main power of Konoha, aside from myself, is the Third Hokage," he said. "But he's injured and needs time to recover his chakra fully."
He turned to Uchiha Fugaku with a direct order. "Fugaku, take a delegation to the Land of Lightning and deliver a formal demand: invite their commanders to surrender. Offer them terms — honor and safety in exchange for withdrawal. If they refuse, then in one week Konoha will march into Kumogakure itself."
Fugaku's eyes shone with a mixture of pride and fierce excitement. The task was a high honor — and a dangerous one. He answered without hesitation.
"Yes, Lord Ryoma. I will not fail you."
Ryoma smiled, but there was steel beneath it.
"First, make sure the Raikage's wounds are publicized. Keep pressure on him; let him bleed politically as well as physically. And contact the Daimyō of the Land of Fire. I want to meet him in person."
He paused, voice lowering with intent.
"Before we escalate to real war, we must stabilize our own side. If the Daimyō can be brought to our position peacefully, it will make future moves far easier. If not… I will consider other options."
Around him, Konoha surged with renewed confidence. Victory had been won on the field; the next battle would be political. Ryoma knew how to fight both.
...
TN:
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