Makoto's group landed on the small island and, following Makoto's instructions, prepared to hunt down Raiga Kurosuki on the mountain to retrieve the Kiba as a gift for Mei Terumi.
"Speaking of which, why not capture that Raiga guy too and deliver him to the Mizukage? The Hidden Mist Village should be quite short-handed right now, right?" Hashirama Senju voiced his confusion.
He wasn't thinking this because he knew about the "Bloody Mist" policy depopulating the village, but rather recalling the recent situation with Tsunade and Shizune in Konoha.
If even the prosperous Konoha was short-staffed, Kirigakure must be desperate for warm bodies.
"If we send Raiga back, this 'gift' might very well become a negative instead. They might just execute him on the spot," Makoto explained.
"First, just his name alone doesn't fit the Seven Ninja Swordsmen theme at all."
"Not having a fruit in his name (like Zabuza 'Peach' or Ameyuri 'Apple') and directly using his sword's element so carelessly—how can you even call yourself a proper member?"
(Of course, it might be because Raiga was previously called something lame like "Tomato-chan Kurosuki" or "Banana-kun Kurosuki," and he secretly changed it himself to sound cooler.)
"Secondly, Raiga has some serious psychological issues."
"He enjoys holding funerals for people. Every time he holds a funeral, he cries bitterly, even if he was the one who killed the person five seconds ago."
"The lightning movement we saw earlier was Raiga's signature technique, Thunder Burial. The 'Kiba' swords can create lightning and also attract natural lightning from the sky. That move just now was basically a discount version of Sasuke's Kirin."
"From what you're saying... aside from being a bit mentally disturbed, his abilities are actually decent?" Hashirama stroked his chin and nodded slightly.
Hashirama has one flaw—when evaluating someone, he doesn't use his own god-tier standards but those of "ordinary people."
Just like he would think "the Nine-Tailed Beast's power is too strong" (for normal people), he now thought Raiga's abilities were "passable" (for normal Jonin).
"Well, Raiga's strength..." Makoto could only say it's hard to judge.
In the original story, Raiga was defeated by kid Naruto.
Although Juzo Biwa also died fighting a Jinchuriki (Yagura), at least he was swinging the Executioner's Blade against a Tailed Beast Ball.
Kisame fought Killer Bee to a near-death stalemate.
But can Yagura and Killer Bee's strength even be compared to Genin Naruto's?
Also, since Raiga is so fond of holding funerals, why did he run away so quickly when Might Duy opened the Eight Gates instead of giving Might Duy a nice funeral to enjoy?
In summary, Raiga Kurosuki is all bark and no bite.
Just like Zabuza, he keeps a young girly looking boy by his side for emotional support.
Makoto and his group reached the mountainside and happened to encounter Raiga and his partner, Ranmaru, descending from the summit.
Seeing Hashirama Senju dressed strangely in tattered warring states armor, the two immediately grew wary.
"Who are you? What's your purpose here?"
Although Hashirama wore a Konoha forehead protector, there was no telling if it was just Kirigakure Anbu disguised to trick them.
"Oh, we're here to find the Three-Tails. Do you know where it is?" Makoto spoke up casually.
"No idea. Get lost."
Raiga frowned, his tone unfriendly.
"If you don't know anything, then you're just useless trash. Completely worthless."
Though Makoto insulted him, he noticed Ranmaru (the boy on Raiga's back) glancing around nervously—clearly, he actually knew.
He made a subtle gesture to Uchiha Hikari behind him.
As for Hashirama Senju, he wouldn't understand subtle gestures anyway, so Makoto simply spoke to him directly.
"Use the Wooden Golem."
"Huh? Okay."
Hashirama was momentarily stunned but still followed Makoto's instruction. He clapped his hands together.
Rumble.
A massive Wooden Golem erupted from the ground, towering over the forest.
Meanwhile, Hikari activated her Susanoo for the first time—a skeletal ribcage glowing crimson red.
"Useless?! Who are you calling useless?! Are you looking for tro—"
Raiga, highly sensitive to the word "useless" due to his trauma, was about to explode in anger when he saw this scene.
His previously arrogant demeanor instantly turned to bewilderment.
His jaw dropped.
The Kiba swords slipped from his hands and clattered to the ground.
Clang.
"That's the same Susanoo as Uchiha Madara's... and this is the Wood Release Golem... Their next attacks will either hit the Three-Tails or you two. Your choice."
Makoto stepped forward, casually picked up the legendary Kiba swords from the dirt, and tossed them into a Sealing Scroll like he was picking up litter.
"Hey! Why are you stealing from me?! Where's your dignity as a strong fighter?!" Raiga cried out in distraught.
Upon seeing the Susanoo and Wooden Golem, he'd already started wondering if he'd committed some heavenly crime to deserve this bullying.
Then, looking down, something even more devastating happened.
In the blink of an eye, his main weapons had been stolen.
'Seriously, man?'
'If you can command these two monsters, what's the point of stealing my swords? Is there no justice in this world?'
Raiga was overcome with grief and indignation, conveniently forgetting that he was a rogue ninja unprotected by the law.
Ranmaru, unconcerned about the swords, hurriedly stepped in front of Raiga.
"We know! We know where that big monster, the Three-Tails, is! I'll take you there, just spare us!"
Hashirama's Wooden Golem remained motionless; he had never intended to harm them in the first place.
As for Uchiha Hikari...
Seeing yet another pair of men clinging to each other (Raiga and Ranmaru), Hikari trembled with anger once more.
'Why is this era so gay?!'
Unfortunately, being a naturally kind-hearted Uchiha, she ultimately refrained from nuking them.
"Relax, just lead the way."
Makoto flew to the top of the Wooden Golem, directing Hashirama to lower its massive palm.
Ranmaru, Raiga, and Hikari (who had dismissed her Susanoo) stepped onto the palm and were lifted to the giant's head.
"Lead the way."
"O-okay."
Ranmaru gave directions using his special vision, while Hashirama controlled the wooden giant to begin striding forward through the forest.
Raiga sat dazedly atop the wooden giant's head.
He was still struggling to process everything that had happened today.
The last time he'd felt this bewildered was when a Konoha Genin (Might Duy) had inexplicably kicked four other Ninja Swordsmen to death in one go.
That time, they'd all been arrogantly mocking that Genin together, thinking about how to toy with him... but then... BOOM.
Were they under some kind of curse?
Every time they acted arrogantly, would they encounter a monster in disguise?
"Raiga Kurosuki, you're married, right? Why have you been wandering outside with this young boy all this time, never thinking about going back to visit your wife?" Makoto asked suddenly.
"Married? ...Uh, I mean, I'm not married?"
Raiga answered instinctively before realizing his tone was inappropriate for a hostage and quickly switching to a gentler voice.
"No, sir. I'm single."
"Oh?"
This response genuinely surprised Makoto.
According to the Boruto timeline, Raiga should have a daughter named Buntan Kurosuki.
And since Raiga dies soon in the original timeline, that daughter should have been conceived around now.
And he still wasn't married?
Of course, Makoto wasn't worried about whether Buntan would be born or not.
He had originally just wanted to remind Raiga that he might have been NTR'ed.
But now it seemed Raiga was devoted to the boy, Ranmaru, and didn't care about any woman.
Buntan Kurosuki from Boruto's generation was clearly about the same age as Sarada Uchiha, maybe two or three years older at most.
And before being defeated by Naruto, Raiga had been wandering with Ranmaru for several years.
The timeline discrepancy was growing larger.
Moreover, it had been mentioned before that Naruto's generation had rushed into marriage and pregnancy—after Naruto got married, everyone else started frantically having sex within months to catch up.
So there shouldn't be any huge margin of error.
Unless Raiga had been revived through Impure World Reincarnation later to have a kid... or unless Buntan Kurosuki had a gestation period of three years like Nezha... then Raiga must have been cheated on.
'Wait. If he's single and wandering the woods with a boy... who the hell is Buntan's father?'