The Third Raikage and the Rock Ninja Army
When Chi Yu heard rumors that the Third Raikage might personally join the frontlines, he grew suspicious—not of Kumogakure's ambition, but of Iwagakure's true intentions. Something about the timing didn't sit right.
Given the state of the shinobi world, Kumogakure was a much easier target than Konohagakure or Kirigakure. If that was the case, the legendary event in which the Third Raikage faced off against ten thousand Iwa-nin might soon unfold before his eyes.
And Chi Yu didn't intend to miss it.
He was curious—not just about witnessing the Raikage's battle prowess, but about whether Iwagakure even had ten thousand available ninja in the first place. The entire military strength of Konoha barely hovered around that number, and their forces were already stretched thin across multiple fronts.
Because of the dispersed nature of the war, Konoha could only allocate a few hundred shinobi per battlefield, preserving the rest for homeland defense and rapid-response contingencies. The scale of Iwagakure's alleged mobilization seemed suspicious.
"Ten thousand ninja?" Chi Yu muttered. "Even if they pulled back their forces from Kusagakure, would they still have that many left?"
Besides, the Land of Earth was separated from the Land of Lightning by multiple buffer nations—making such a massive deployment hard to miss. How could the Third Raikage not have caught wind of it?
Skepticism crept in.
---
Chi Yu approached Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I'd like to apply for a mission."
Orochimaru, seated cross-legged, raised a pale brow. "What kind of mission?"
"I want to gather intelligence—specifically, to verify whether the Third Raikage truly intends to enter the battlefield himself."
"That's already been confirmed," Orochimaru said with mild surprise. "Is there still any point in investigating?"
"Yes," Chi Yu replied seriously. "Because I suspect Iwagakure has plans that go beyond the front in Hot Water Country."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "Are you suggesting… Iwa might launch a large-scale offensive against Konoha?"
Chi Yu shook his head. "No. I believe their target may actually be Kumogakure."
Orochimaru blinked, visibly intrigued. "Iwagakure attacking their ally?"
Chi Yu began explaining, "Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage, is a shrewd and calculating man. While Iwa and Kumo have technically cooperated during this war, Iwa's operations in Kusagakure have been surprisingly conservative. Their casualty reports are suspiciously low. I believe Iwagakure has conserved its core forces—unlike Konoha and Kumo, who've exhausted themselves in drawn-out engagements."
He continued, "Suna is too weak and impoverished to offer any benefit. Kiri is isolated and embroiled in internal turmoil. Konoha, despite the war, has seen the rise of powerful individuals—like the Yellow Flash—and morale is high. But Kumo is another matter. Their elite forces have been bogged down in the Land of Hot Water for years. And now, with the Raikage personally joining the war effort, Kumo's rear defenses are dangerously exposed."
Chi Yu leaned forward. "If Onoki wanted to weaken Kumo and tip the scales of the war, now would be the time. Intercepting and killing the Raikage would devastate Kumogakure's morale and leadership."
Orochimaru went silent for several moments, then finally nodded. "An unlikely scenario... but not impossible. Very well—consider the mission approved."
Chi Yu bowed slightly. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei. I'll depart immediately."
---
Chi Yu's analysis led him to the Land of the Moon—a buffer nation between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water. It was the most logical ambush site.
Several days later, his prediction proved accurate.
As soon as the Third Raikage's chakra entered the Land of the Moon, Chi Yu sensed it. During previous infiltration operations in Kumogakure, he had committed the man's chakra signature to memory. The Raikage was accompanied by roughly twenty elite bodyguards—formidable, but not invincible.
Chi Yu trailed the group, keeping a safe distance.
Two days passed.
Then, as Chi Yu meditated beneath a tree, he suddenly stood.
"They've arrived."
Through his enhanced perception, he sensed a massive Iwa force—approximately 7,000 shinobi. Not quite 10,000, but still overwhelming. Most were standard rank-and-file shinobi, yet the formation was tight, and a few high-level chakra signatures stood out.
Curiously, the Raikage and his men showed no signs of awareness. They were still advancing calmly, unaware of the ambush.
How could Kumo's intelligence network be this blind? Chi Yu thought.
He moved quickly. The confrontation was imminent.
---
By the time he reached the battlefield, the standoff had already begun.
The Third Raikage stood before a vast army of Iwa-nin. At their head was a large, imposing man with stone-like skin—Kurotsuchi's father, Onoki's son, Hōntō (Huangtu in your original text). [Note: Canonically, his name is Kitsuchi, not Huangtu/Hōntō; I've used the official name.]
The Raikage's voice was low and dangerous. "What is the meaning of this? Onoki promised your forces would flank through Grass Country and join the battle in the Land of Hot Water. Why are you here?"
Chi Yu's eyes narrowed.
Onoki had lied.
The supposed 'flanking maneuver' was a ruse. The Iwa army had traveled under false pretenses to ambush the Raikage far from any reinforcements.
Kitsuchi stepped forward. "Tsuchikage-sama's new orders. Eliminate the Third Raikage—then launch an offensive on the Land of Lightning."
Fury erupted in the Raikage's eyes. "That damn old man! He dares betray our alliance?!"
Kitsuchi didn't flinch. "This is war, Raikage. Deception is part of the game. Surely you understand that."
In response, the Raikage activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, his body engulfed in flickering blue-white light.
"Listen carefully," he ordered his subordinates. "I'll hold them off. Head to the Land of Hot Water immediately. Pull our forces back. Tell A… he is the new Raikage."
"Raikage-sama!" one of them shouted, eyes wet.
"Go!" the Raikage barked. "You are Kumogakure's future. Don't waste your lives here!"
With tears in their eyes, his men turned and vanished into the distance.
The Third Raikage stood alone, facing an army of thousands.
Chi Yu watched silently from the shadows, both awed and somber.
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