Terumi Mei raised a fair arm and wiped the blood from her lips, a cold smile playing at the corner of her mouth:
"Now this is a fight worth having!"
Terumi Mei pressed her palms together at her chest and formed a special seal, then suddenly opened her eyes wide with a low shout.
Sage Mode!
A hidden yet immense power surged up from Terumi Mei's body. Dark markings spread from the corners of her eyes, forming a circular, coin-sized black mark on her forehead.
And in that same instant, the Fourth Raikage had already closed in — his lightning-charged fist aimed straight at her forehead!
"You're really not holding back at all!"
Seeing the Fourth Raikage's attack, Terumi Mei's voice dropped slightly as her body swayed to the left.
She dodged the Fourth Raikage's full-power strike with effortless ease!
How is that possible!
The Fourth Raikage's punch hit nothing but air, disbelief flashing across his face. Leaving aside the fact that his speed was already far superior to Terumi Mei's — she shouldn't have been able to react in time.
What's more, Terumi Mei was injured, which should have made her even slower!
Yet she'd dodged so easily!
Terumi Mei's toe tapped the ground lightly, and she launched herself into the air with a fierce spin, her long leg lashing out in a kick aimed at the Fourth Raikage!
The Fourth Raikage quickly crossed his arms in front of him to block.
Bang!!
A heavy, muffled impact!
Feeling the force transmitted through his arms, the Fourth Raikage's eyes narrowed and he was forced to slide back seven or eight meters before stopping.
The ground between them was gouged with a shallow trench by his retreating feet.
"Lord Raikage, the battle has only just begun!"
Terumi Mei wore a radiant smile, exuding a mature elegance — but in the Fourth Raikage's eyes, she radiated nothing but danger.
With the power of Sage Mode, Terumi Mei's strength and speed had both increased dramatically, closing the gap created by the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
"So this is the power you've mastered — Sage Mode? I certainly underestimated you!"
The Fourth Raikage's gaze was heavy as he studied Terumi Mei, the blue lightning chakra around his body surging once more.
Jiraiya had once told him about the Sage Mode wielded in Kirigakure!
At the time, the Fourth Raikage hadn't paid it much mind, assuming it was similar to his own Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Now he could see it was far more powerful than he'd imagined!
The Fourth Raikage and Terumi Mei locked eyes, and in the next instant, both launched from the ground with a thunderous boom, vanishing from their positions.
Then they collided in midair!
Meanwhile, the entire battlefield had rapidly reached a fever pitch.
The outcome of the war had been decided from the very beginning, but precisely because of that, every Kumogakure ninja fought as though their lives depended on it.
Unfortunately, among the attacking forces were large numbers of Sun ninja who had joined Hidden Mist Second Village, combined with the inherently powerful Mist forces.
Under these circumstances, both in numbers and in quality, they far outclassed Kumogakure.
In just four or five hours, the once-fiercely-resisting Cloud ninja were already being pushed back on all fronts.
This was only because the Fourth Raikage, Killer Bee, Darui, Mabui, and Samui — each a formidable fighter — were absorbing most of the pressure, while Mabui's remarkable intelligence and command ability managed to hold the line.
The Kumogakure rear position!
Mabui heard the thunderous booms and explosions from the front lines and let out a long, heavy breath.
"We've reached our limit, haven't we?"
"I didn't expect the collapse to come this quickly — and this is still with Yuto of Kirigakure not even appearing."
Mabui smiled wryly, a trace of exhaustion on her face, but it was quickly replaced by resolve.
A sharp whistle cut the air, and a somewhat battered Cloud ninja appeared before Mabui.
"Lady Mabui, the Third and Eighth Defense Zones have fallen. What are our orders?"
The Cloud ninja spoke with a grave expression. The loss of multiple defense zones hadn't brought even a flicker of panic to his face.
More precisely, at this moment, not a single Cloud ninja showed fear — only killing intent and determination!
"Almost everything's fallen, then?"
"At this point, strategy and tactics are useless… In that case, let us give one last effort for Kumogakure!"
Mabui waved to the sensory ninja behind her and strode toward the front.
There was no more need to give orders!
"Yes! Nothing will break us Cloud ninja — not even death!"
The veins bulged on the Cloud ninja's neck as he let out a roar.
As Mabui marched toward the battlefield, the sensory, tactical, and logistics ninja at the rear each drew kunai and weapons from their pouches.
Their eyes gleamed with cold killing intent as they followed Mabui into the fray!
The blazing sun had long since begun to set, and a blood-red dusk now hung over the western sky.
The battle between the Fourth Raikage and Terumi Mei was nearing its end.
With Sage Mode's enhancement, the Fourth Raikage's terrifying speed no longer posed much of a threat to Terumi Mei.
Conversely, Terumi Mei, wielding dual bloodline limits, continued to inflict wound after wound on the Fourth Raikage.
A massive boulder shattered as the Fourth Raikage crashed through it, and immediately afterward, a sky-filling rain of Sage Chakra-infused acid descended from above, covering the entire area!
After such a prolonged and intense battle, the lightning chakra that had once cloaked the Fourth Raikage's body was nowhere near as defensively powerful as when the fight began.
Hiss! Hiss!
The rain of acid fell relentlessly. The Fourth Raikage couldn't dodge it all, and where the drops landed on his body, they quickly corroded into wounds of various sizes.
Intense pain surged in like a tide. Sweat poured down the Fourth Raikage's face, but he didn't utter a single cry.
He continued to squeeze every last drop of chakra from his body, pushing hard to escape the range of the acid rain.
Just then!
A sharp sound of tearing air came from behind him. Without even turning to look, the Fourth Raikage raised his arm and drove his elbow hard to the rear!
At the same time, he spun his body, using centrifugal force to amplify the blow, and struck what had suddenly appeared behind him — Terumi Mei!
But!
The instant the Fourth Raikage's attack connected, his expression changed. He tried to wrench himself back—
But it was already too late!
The Terumi Mei he'd struck burst with a "pop" into a mass of thick, viscous water, entangling the Fourth Raikage!
At the start of the fight, this kind of trap couldn't have held him — a single burst of strength would have broken free. But after such a long, grueling battle—
The Fourth Raikage's chakra, stamina, and reflexes were all a fraction of a second slower than before.
And for fighters of their caliber, a single fraction of a second decided everything!
Terumi Mei's true form had already appeared behind the Fourth Raikage — the water clone had been nothing more than a distraction!
Terumi Mei's sharp kunai pierced through the Fourth Raikage's back, straight into his heart!
A spray of blood erupted!
The Fourth Raikage's eyes went wide, and he dropped to one knee.
"It's over, Lord Raikage."
Terumi Mei was equally battered. She slowly exhaled and looked down at the Fourth Raikage.
"You won. It's a shame…"
The Fourth Raikage struggled to lift his head one last time, then let it fall heavily, his life extinguished.
Seeing the Fourth Raikage truly dead, Terumi Mei's taut nerves finally relaxed, and she released Sage Mode, collapsing to the ground.
"If you'd held on a little longer, the outcome might have been different."
Terumi Mei took a deep breath, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
Before long!
Ao led a small squad over. The ninja quickly spread out, forming a protective perimeter around Terumi Mei.
Ao glanced at the Fourth Raikage's body, then walked directly to Terumi Mei.
"Lord Mizukage, the battlefield is secure."
"The Cloud ninja put up a surprisingly fierce fight, but it's all over now."
Ao stood to one side and spoke respectfully.
Konoha Year 63, August 11th.
The Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure — dead.
Konoha Year 63, August 12th.
Kumogakure — destroyed!
That same day, the Lightning Daimyo, enraged by the news, personally led five thousand samurai toward Kumogakure's former territory, intending to drive out the Mist forces in the Land of Lightning!
But less than half an hour after departure, as the Lightning Daimyo stepped down from his carriage, he tripped and fell, striking his head on the ground and dying instantly.
The five-thousand-strong samurai army promptly turned back, and the matter was dropped.
Konoha Year 63, August 15th.
Kirigakure established the Land of Lightning Administrative Office at the former Kumogakure site, primarily handling matters related to ninja and civilian affairs.
At the same time, a Land of Lightning Genin Ninja Academy was founded, open to any student within the Land of Lightning who wished to become a ninja.
Iwagakure, atop a high cliff face.
After listening to White Zetsu's report on Kumogakure's destruction, Uchiha Madara's expression didn't change in the slightest.
Kumogakure's fall had been expected by everyone — no one was surprised.
"Yuto's next target will be Iwagakure. What a tedious notion of unification."
Uchiha Madara murmured softly, a trace of disdain in his tone.
"Lord Uchiha Madara, are we truly going to abandon Iwagakure?"
Black Zetsu, possessing White Zetsu, suddenly spoke up.
"There's no need. If Yuto wants it, just hand it over. Iwagakure was nothing more than a tool to me."
Uchiha Madara waved his hand dismissively.
If Yuto wanted to unify the ninja world, then let him!
When the time came and he obtained the remaining Tailed Beasts, becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, he would show Yuto just how pale and laughable the idea of unification was compared to the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
And the true Six Paths-level power that came with becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki was absolutely beyond anything Yuto could achieve through cheap tricks!
"Soon!"
Uchiha Madara's eyes gleamed as he murmured to himself.
Deep down, he was seething at his current situation. Even now, he found it hard to believe that Yuto had beaten him to the punch!
Reduced to this awkward position, all he could do was wait!
Black Zetsu stole a hidden glance at Uchiha Madara, then quickly averted his gaze, an unfathomable look flickering in his eyes.
Perhaps the original plan needed to be revised?
Black Zetsu thought to himself.
Ever since learning that Yuto commanded Six Paths-level power, Black Zetsu had harbored a deeply unsettling premonition.
Uchiha Madara had shifted from the one holding the initiative to the one reacting — and that was absolutely not what Black Zetsu had wanted!
Because this situation would introduce extreme uncertainty into his original plan!
"Just to be safe, the plan needs to change."
Black Zetsu thought silently.
Meanwhile.
Deep within one of Orochimaru's most secret bases.
The remaining Konoha forces and a group of ninja who had escaped Kumogakure before its fall were all gathered here.
In one room of the base.
Hearing the news that Kumogakure had been destroyed, Jiraiya's face showed a complex expression as he let out a deep sigh.
He had anticipated it, but actually hearing of Kumogakure's fall still brought an inexplicable sadness to his heart.
"Tch tch. Iwagakure is next. I wonder what Uchiha Madara will do — let's hope it goes as expected."
Nearby, Orochimaru's slightly hoarse voice rang out, his face carrying an expression of amusement and anticipation.
Unlike Jiraiya's somber mood, Orochimaru couldn't have cared less about Kumogakure's destruction.
"Since Kumogakure fell and Uchiha Madara didn't lift a finger, he probably won't care about Iwagakure either."
Jiraiya composed himself and spoke quietly.
Then!
A grave look appeared on Jiraiya's face as he turned to Orochimaru:
"How is your plan progressing?"
"It still needs some time, but don't worry — there are no problems so far."
A mysterious smile played on Orochimaru's face as he murmured softly.
[
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