To outsiders, the fight between the two seemed like just a fleeting clash, but in reality, Hoshiyomi and the Third Raikage had already exchanged several blows in the blink of an eye.
As the two separated once more, the surrounding Suna and Kumo shinobi widened their eyes, eager to see who had gained the upper hand.
But to their disappointment, neither side seemed injured or disadvantaged. Did that mean the first round had ended in a draw?
Just as the crowd wondered this, Hoshiyomi's voice rang out, tinged with amusement:
"The strongest shield truly lives up to its name—you nearly blocked me completely."
On the other side, the Third Raikage's expression was dark. Despite his efforts to dodge, Hoshiyomi's blade had still grazed his ribs.
What shocked him most was the sharpness of that sword. Though it had barely cut across him, it had actually sliced through his Lightning Release Armor.
Fortunately, years of tempering his body with lightning had turned his flesh into steel-hard muscle and bone. Otherwise, even he might have been bleeding from that strike.
Konoha's Silver Moon… he really can't be underestimated.
But how had Hoshiyomi done it? How had he touched the Lightning Release Armor directly and remained completely unharmed?
As this question gnawed at him, the Raikage's eyes fell on Hoshiyomi's hands. His face shifted in shock.
"You actually cloaked your hands with wind chakra of such extreme density? How is that possible?!"
That was the answer—Hoshiyomi had dared to touch the armor because his hands were sheathed in highly condensed Wind Release chakra, insulating him from the lightning and giving him the opening to strike.
Seeing the Raikage's astonishment, Hoshiyomi shrugged casually.
"That's nothing special. It's not just Wind Release—I can do the same with Lightning Release too."
As he spoke, the wind chakra dissipated from his hands, replaced by concentrated lightning chakra that crackled and snapped.
The Raikage's face tightened. To handle lightning chakra of that density without years of body-tempering training… this Gekko Hoshiyomi is a monster.
In that instant, all trace of disdain vanished from his heart. What replaced it was solemn respect. Hoshiyomi was not just stronger than Rasa and Bunpuku combined—he was on a different level entirely.
This man… was the greatest opponent he had faced in over fifty years!
The thought ignited his blood, and he grinned broadly at his foe.
"I must admit—you're a terrifying opponent. In that case, it's only right I show you my true power."
As he spoke, his Lightning Release Armor flared brilliantly, lightning surging skyward as he entered his full-power Lightning Release Chakra Mode—a form he had only ever used against the Eight-Tails.
Now, he would fight Hoshiyomi at full strength.
This time, he didn't immediately charge. Instead, his hands blurred through seals with blistering speed.
"Lightning Release: Black Panther!"
The lightning around his hands shifted, turning from pale blue to a pitch-black sheen in mere moments.
Then, with a sudden motion, he flung it forward. The black lightning twisted in midair, transforming into the shape of a great panther that leapt hungrily toward Hoshiyomi.
Upon seeing this technique, Hoshiyomi immediately recalled its description from records: this was a secret jutsu created by the Third Raikage himself. When used, it released panther-shaped black lightning that focused its attack on a single target while spreading outward, making it impossible for the opponent to move.
Realizing this, Hoshiyomi dared not take it lightly. He spun his Mikazuki Munechika and released a slash of high-density Wind Release sword energy.
The wind blade collided with the Black Lightning Panther, shattering it. But as it broke apart, the dispersed black lightning filled the air, obscuring Hoshiyomi's vision and cutting off his line of sight to the Raikage.
Where is he?
Hoshiyomi hastily extended his sensory ability to locate the Raikage, but before he could pinpoint him, a voice thundered from above:
"It's too late—Lightning Oppression: Horizontal Chop!"
Hoshiyomi looked up to see the Raikage descending from high above, right arm raised and poised to deliver a crushing strike. This was the terrifying hand chop said to have severed the Eight-Tails' horn—an attack that could not be resisted head-on.
As the hand strike loomed larger in his view, Hoshiyomi didn't hesitate. He activated Shunpo and darted aside to evade.
But even so, he had underestimated the Raikage's might. The destructive power of this Horizontal Chop was no weaker than Tsunade's Chakra Enhanced Strength in her Byakugō mode.
Though the attack missed, the sheer force shattered the ground, gouging out a crater tens of meters wide.
Caught in the shockwave, Hoshiyomi faltered for a moment, his footing thrown off. The Raikage seized that instant of imbalance, unleashing his full speed to close the distance.
His fists, faster than lightning, hammered down like a relentless storm. Hoshiyomi, having lost the initiative, was forced onto the defensive, blocking desperately with his Mikazuki Munechika.
In the blink of an eye, the Raikage had thrown dozens of punches. Hoshiyomi parried with all his strength, but hadn't yet had the chance to enhance himself with buffs.
At this moment, he had neither opened the Six Gates nor entered Sage Mode—against the Raikage's bombardment, his defense was strained to the limit.
Anger flared in Hoshiyomi. As the Raikage prepared to unleash one final, crushing blow, Hoshiyomi wrapped his body in a thick layer of Wind Release chakra. Gripping his blade with both hands, he swung it fearlessly at the Raikage.
The Raikage's fist smashed into Hoshiyomi's chest at the same moment Hoshiyomi's blade cleaved into the Raikage's torso.
Hoshiyomi was sent flying, crashing through countless unfortunate Suna and Kumo shinobi caught in his path.
The Raikage, breathing heavily, felt a stabbing pain in his chest. Glancing down, his pupils shrank in shock—there, across his chest, was a wound so deep it exposed bone. He could even see the cut etched into his rib.
Even for him, it was enough to draw a sharp intake of breath.
"I must admit, Gekko Hoshiyomi, you are the strongest opponent I've ever faced. But unfortunately for you, the victor of this battle… is me."
But just as he thought victory was his, a voice rang out:
"The victor? Don't boast shamelessly."
The Raikage's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked up. Hoshiyomi was slowly rising from the pile of fallen shinobi he had been smashed into. The gaping wound in his chest was closing rapidly—healing before his very eyes.