Chapter 68 — Hyuga Hiashi: Assassination of the Fourth Raikage
On the other side—The Land of Lightning.
Cloud Village.
Night had fallen.
A squad of Cloud shinobi was on patrol.
The next moment—
Two figures suddenly emerged from the shadows beneath their feet.
Then—
"Lightning Dance!"
Before the patrolling shinobi could react or even shout, one of the figures moved at lightning speed, driving a powerful kick straight through their hearts.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Almost instantly, the Cloud shinobi collapsed silently to the ground, dead before they even realized what had happened.
"I say, senpai, was it really necessary to kill them? Wouldn't it have been better if I'd just dragged them into my Shadow Space and drained their time value?"
Sasuke spoke coldly as he gazed down at the fallen shinobi. Even as he spoke, the shadows swallowed their bodies, concealing all evidence of the attack.
It was thanks to Shadow Space that they'd been able to travel from Konoha to Cloud Village so quickly—its speed was comparable to White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique.
"Sorry," Hyuga Hiashi replied quietly. "I couldn't hold back."
Sasuke didn't say anything.On the way here, he had already learned about Hiashi's hatred for Cloud Village.
His daughter had been kidnapped.His younger brother had sacrificed himself in his place.It was only natural that Hiashi couldn't suppress his rage.
"Hey, senpai… are you sure you don't need my help? You're planning to assassinate the Raikage alone?"
"This is a grievance between adults. There's no need to involve a child. Konoha hasn't fallen so far that we need children to fight."
"Senior, I'm not a child anymore," Sasuke snapped. "Even Jōnin aren't my match now. And besides—Cloud Village and I have our own scores to settle."
Hearing Hiashi's words, Sasuke snorted coldly.He understood Hiashi's intention—it wasn't condescension, but concern.Hiashi probably saw him as he saw Hinata—a youth who shouldn't be hurt by Cloud shinobi.
Still, being spoken to like a child annoyed him.
"Indeed," Hiashi said after a pause. "It's my fault for treating you like an ordinary child. But since your strength isn't yet enough to stand against the Raikage, leave him to me. If I'm truly cornered, I'll ask for your help."
He wasn't being arrogant—just honest.Sasuke's Emperor Keke ability was indeed a cheat-level power, but it didn't directly boost combat strength.
Sasuke knew this too.If he fought a Kage-level powerhouse like the Raikage alone, he would be overwhelmed in an instant.There was no way a Kekedi bullet could hit the Raikage.No matter how many clones he produced, it would be useless—each clone consumed time, and none could close the gap in raw power.
Of course, it wasn't as if the Raikage could easily kill him either.As long as Sasuke had clones, he was effectively immortal.The most likely outcome would be a stalemate—neither able to defeat the other.
That was why Su Li had sent Hyuga Hiashi with him.
"Tch. Fine," Sasuke muttered. "The Raikage's yours, but if I feel you need help, I won't wait for your permission—I'll act."
"Then I'll be counting on you."
Seeing Sasuke's determination, Hiashi didn't argue further.
Sasuke melted into the shadows once more.With his Shadow Space, stealth was his greatest weapon.And with Hiashi's Byakugan, avoiding patrols was child's play.
They slipped easily into Cloud Village.But entering the Raikage Building unnoticed was another matter.
"Senior, need a hand?" Sasuke whispered, his head emerging as a silhouette in Hiashi's shadow.
The Raikage Building's entrance was heavily guarded—no blind spots.The Byakugan was powerful, but it didn't make its user invisible.To sneak in quietly, the guards would have to be taken out first.But if that happened, discovery was inevitable.
"As expected of Cloud Village," Hiashi murmured. "Not a single dead angle in their patrols."
He sighed quietly, debating whether to accept Sasuke's help.But then his brows furrowed sharply.
Through the Byakugan, he saw a figure rapidly approaching their location.
Whoosh!
A dark-skinned man with light blond hair, black sunglasses, and seven blades strapped across his back appeared in the street.
The surrounding guards straightened immediately.
"Lord Killer Bee!"
"Good evening, Lord Killer Bee!"
The newcomer—none other than Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki—gave a sharp nod.
"Yo! You fools and tools! Seen anything suspicious, you dorks and jerks?"
The guards exchanged confused looks and shook their heads.
Killer Bee frowned.He could've sworn he'd sensed someone here just moments ago…but the presence had vanished into thin air.
An illusion? No. Impossible.
Still, there was no point causing unnecessary panic.
"Fine then! Back to your posts, don't slack off! Stupid! Foolish! Idiots!"
He turned and strolled away, planning to have the Eight-Tails scan the village for any unusual chakra signatures.
"Yes, sir!"
The guards exhaled in relief as he left.
Inside the Shadow Space, Sasuke muttered:
"Senior, if I hadn't reacted just now, you'd be exposed already."
Hiashi gave a small nod.
"Sorry. The Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki's perception is formidable. I didn't expect to encounter him so soon—unlucky."
Just like the Nine-Tails could sense malice, the Eight-Tails' sensory ability was no joke.Even the faintest irregularity in chakra could draw his attention.
"Oh? That guy's the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki?" Sasuke asked, intrigued. "First time I've seen one. How strong is he?"
On the way here, he'd heard from Hiashi about the existence of Tailed Beasts and their Jinchūriki—but he still didn't know that Naruto himself was the Nine-Tails' host.
"He fought against the Fourth Hokage during the last war," Hiashi said. "The Fourth described him as 'extremely strong.' There's no one stronger than him in the entire ninja world."
"That strong, huh…" Sasuke's eyes gleamed with interest.
Since Hiashi was targeting the Raikage, perhaps he himself could go after Killer Bee.The stronger Bee was, the more it would prove Sasuke's own worth—and the closer he'd be to surpassing Itachi.
After all, with the Emperor's power, Sasuke couldn't die.And if you couldn't die—what was there to fear?
"Oh? Senior, our luck's not bad," Sasuke said suddenly. "The Cloud ninja whose shadow we're in—he's heading straight for the Raikage's office. Probably to report what happened."
"Perfect!" Hiashi's eyes narrowed with excitement.
He had never dared to imagine this day would come—the day he could assassinate the Raikage himself.
The moment had finally arrived.
Hiashi's heart swelled with gratitude toward Su Li.Without that man's guidance, how could he have come this far?
His chakra surged.A fierce, fiery intent blazed within him—the fighting spirit of the Supreme Martial Emperor!
"Sasuke, release me!"
"All right. I wish you good fortune, senior."
As a fellow avenger, Sasuke understood.He let Hiashi slip from the shadow.
In the darkness behind the Cloud ninja entering the Raikage's office, Hyuga Hiashi emerged—silent as a ghost.
"Flaming Cyclone Kick!"
A blazing leg strike whipped through the air, aimed directly at the Fourth Raikage, who was seated at his desk.
An ordinary person wouldn't have even seen it coming.Even the Fourth Raikage, a veteran fighter, was caught completely off guard.
No one expected an assassin to appear right here—in the heart of the Raikage's own office.And at such close range, there was barely time to react.
"Not good!"
His instincts screamed danger.Without hesitation, he flipped his desk up as a shield, his Lightning Release armor flaring to life as he leapt aside.
Boom!
The desk exploded into splinters as flames roared across the room.The Raikage rolled to his feet, his back tingling with heat.The fire hadn't pierced his defenses, but it had come dangerously close.
His Lightning Chakra Armor enhanced his durability to monstrous levels—but it wasn't the damage that angered him.
It was the insult.
Attacked in his own office—how was he supposed to show his face after this?
"You bastard…! Hyuga Hiashi—the head of the Hyuga Clan!"
The Raikage snarled.The Byakugan gave it away instantly.Combined with Cloud Village's intelligence records, he recognized Hiashi at a glance.
He also knew Hiashi's strength well enough to decide not to call for help.One-on-one, he considered the man beneath him.
After all—how could a mere Jōnin hope to defeat a Kage-level powerhouse like him?
"Bastard! You dare attack me?!"
Fury surged through him.Lightning crackled across his fists as he charged straight at Hiashi.
One of the Cloud ninja in the room, realizing what was happening, tried to restrain Hiashi by grabbing his leg—but that was a mistake.
"Out of my way…! Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
Hiashi's palm thrust forward.A burst of chakra shot through the man's chest, killing him instantly.Hiashi twisted aside just as the Raikage's thunderclad punch smashed into the wall behind him.
The subordinate fell lifeless to the floor.
The Raikage's rage flared hotter than ever.
"You bastard—!!"