"You run fast. But do you really think you can get away?"
Kitagawa Gen, however, paid it no mind. His left hand had already been locked in a seal, compressing a Water Dragon Tornado to its very limit until it resembled a javelin, which he then drove mercilessly into the ground!
[Boom—]
The raging torrent tore through the high platform, as if it could no longer bear the strain. Countless fissures spread outward like wild veins.
An endless flood of water engulfed Rasa's sand, swept Orochimaru out of hiding, and even swallowed the Fourth Raikage standing to the side!
...
"That brat…"
Elsewhere, Ōnoki stood with Genji, both having chosen not to join the battle.
The Kirigakure and Iwagakure shinobi who had come with them gathered quietly behind. Since their Kage had elected not to fight, they naturally refrained from acting.
Yet Ōnoki's expression was far from pleasant. Staring at Kitagawa Gen atop the platform, he couldn't help but recall that Dust Release attack which had pierced the One-Tail and ambushed Orochimaru's group.
At this point, he felt nothing but frustration. He honestly wanted to mutter, That was just a joke earlier…
Of course, it was only a thought. Given the situation now, he suspected both Kumogakure and Sunagakure had chosen the wrong side.
"It seems this time… Konoha has won."
Genji finally broke his silence.
"Orochimaru's allies don't seem able to intervene. They appear to be outside the village."
"Strange. Just before, it clearly felt like the battle had erupted inside Konoha. How did it suddenly shift outside, and with such commotion?"
Ōnoki nodded, tilting his head to peer outward. But the training ground platform was too tall—he could see nothing.
Still, feeling the earth quake so violently beneath his feet, he was deeply curious about what was happening beyond.
Even so, he restrained himself. No matter how much his curiosity burned, he had to stay and witness this "Battle of the Kage" to the very end.
"Most likely someone else has stepped in."
Genji could make no sense of it either. He let out a quiet sigh.
"Either Konoha got lucky, or they still have another hidden card to play. If such a clash truly had broken out within Konoha itself, then no matter how prepared they were—or how strong Kitagawa Gen might be—it would've been meaningless."
"Indeed."
Ōnoki could only sigh. No matter how powerful an individual, it was nearly impossible to cover everything alone.
Kitagawa Gen was undeniably strong. Even relying on the Flying Thunder God, it was a fact that he could take on three Kage at once and still hold the upper hand.
But if the shinobi outside managed to strike at Konoha as a whole, then even his strength would count for nothing.
The Fourth Raikage and Rasa had dared to make their move precisely because of this. The overwhelming chakra that had swept across Konoha earlier had made its strength clear. Yet no one had expected things to turn out this way.
"Che. What's the point in watching this? I'd rather head outside and see the real action."
Behind Ōnoki and Genji, Deidara pursed his lips as he watched Kitagawa Gen's towering, heavy strikes on the platform.
His eyes brimmed with envy. Clearly, he wanted to make a move himself.
"You're not curious about the outcome?"
Terumi Mei glanced at Deidara. Though they weren't familiar, she knew he was Ōnoki's disciple.
"I heard you were… quite close with Kitagawa Gen, weren't you?"
"Exactly because I know him well, that's why I don't see any problem with this. Hm."
Deidara cast a glance at Terumi Mei. Even with his small head, he knew very well who this woman was.
Of course, he didn't care about that. What mattered to him was that this woman was talking about Kitagawa Gen.
"Gen is someone who shares the same art as me. And on top of that, he even mastered my Dust Release! The fusion of two arts—I can't even imagine how he could lose!"
"Wait—he mastered your Dust Release? Doesn't that make you angry?"
"Why should I be angry? It's not like I invented it myself."
"..."
"Him learning my art only proves that he recognizes my art. Hm!"
"..."
Terumi Mei stared at Deidara's earnest expression. For a moment, she seriously wondered if this disciple of the Tsuchikage had a screw loose.
And it wasn't just her. The Kirigakure shinobi behind her all looked at Deidara with strange expressions. Even the Iwagakure shinobi seemed utterly exasperated.
"Shut your mouth!"
Ōnoki, naturally having heard everything, couldn't hold back anymore. He snapped his head around and roared.
Even he couldn't understand it—was this really something to be proud of?
"It seems you have quite the disciple, Tsuchikage-dono."
What made his face grow even darker was Genji suddenly speaking with a smile.
Turning his gaze toward the One-Tail, whose body had been shattered by Dust Release and was still writhing on the ground in a fit of rage, not yet fully restored, Genji let out a sigh.
"As expected of Dust Release. Truly terrifying power."
"You—"
Ōnoki's face darkened further. He was just about to retort when sudden changes appeared again atop the platform.
Though the vast torrent of Water Release had flooded the stage, the Fourth Raikage and the others had quickly burst out of the surface. Gazing at the raging waters that covered the high platform, the Raikage's eyes burned with intensity.
"This is an opening—but watch out for Lightning Release!"
He spoke in a low voice. Water conducted lightning. Kitagawa Gen had created conditions for himself, but hadn't he also given them a chance?
At this moment, Rasa's entire body was numb, and Orochimaru was in disarray. Still, both of them nodded.
But before they could act, a sudden chill erupted!
[Buzz—]
The entire water's surface instantly froze into solid ice, the sheets of frost roiling and spreading, rapidly sealing the three of them in!
"Ice Release?!"
The three of them paled. Layer upon layer of ice closed in, restricting their space to move.
And at that very moment—they sensed it.
Looking up, they saw Kitagawa Gen's hand glowing once again with pure white light.
"Farewell."
His voice echoed softly, and in the next instant, the radiance of Dust Release roared forth with a thunderous boom!
"Haah!"
Lightning chakra exploded violently from the Fourth Raikage's body. He tore free of the ice's grip with brute force, charging ahead.
Orochimaru's body twisted like a serpent, coiling and weaving through the frost spikes as he wriggled out at extreme speed.
But Rasa's face twisted in horror.
"No!"
His paralyzed body left him almost no room to react. All he could do was roar in unwilling fury—before the white light pierced him clean through.
In an instant, his form disintegrated, breaking down into atomic particles, his entire being collapsing into nothingness.
And as Kitagawa Gen's gaze shifted, the frost spreading across the ground surged upward, transforming into a massive dragon that lunged to tear Orochimaru apart.
"I recall… you didn't believe me when I said I had erased the Flying Thunder God seal on you."
Almost at the very same instant, Gen's voice came from directly behind the Fourth Raikage.
That voice made the Raikage's face twist in shock. He whirled around, trying to act—but a sharp pain suddenly tore through his arm!
In his stunned gaze, he saw his own right arm spinning away, blood spraying in all directions.
He hadn't even registered the pain yet when he suddenly lowered his head.
There, a short blade had already pierced straight through his back and jutted out from his chest. At that moment, Kitagawa Gen's voice rang out again.
"I have to admit—you read people perfectly!"
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ōnoki and Genji both fell into heavy silence.
Especially after witnessing that unbelievable Ice Release, Genji couldn't help but turn to lock eyes with Ōnoki.
And in each other's eyes, they both saw the same thought reflected back.
Damn it—we chose sides too early.
...
"It's over, Danzō."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's adamantine staff pointed at Danzō, his voice heavy and low.
"This time, you've lost."
"Lost…?"
Shimura Danzō glared hard at Sarutobi Hiruzen. Of course, he could feel the chakra in his body fading away.
And the battle on the other side was plain for him to see. He knew full well that he had already lost.
Although reincarnated through the Impure World Reincarnation, stripped of many of his former powers, he still had the body that knew no injuries and chakra without end.
But even with that, he could not truly contend against his old friend.
Especially now, with Orochimaru battered and struggling to protect himself, he had been forced to rely only on his own power.
Gazing at the friend he had known for nearly seventy years, Shimura Danzō fell briefly silent.
The bonds of shinobi were strange things. Danzō hated Sarutobi Hiruzen with a venom that would not fade—for in his eyes, it was this man who had stolen the Hokage's seat from him.
That hatred… not even death could erase it.
And yet, when everything seemed about to end, there was always some inexplicable feeling rising within him.
"You're wrong, Monkey. I haven't lost!"
Suddenly, Danzō let out a cold snort, his voice flat and unyielding.
"It was only bad luck—I was always one second too late. I didn't lose to you!"
"At a time like this, you're still so stubborn?"
Hiruzen's tone carried both sorrow and frustration. But Danzō only sneered.
"Stubborn? At the very least, under my rule, Konoha would never have come to this state. I could never lose to you!"
With those words, Danzō's body began to disperse, fading into nothing—leaving only an unfamiliar shinobi's corpse collapsing to the ground.
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