Ryun's eyes held a hint of tenderness. "Is it heavy?"
Ju picked up one of the lunch boxes with one hand and shook her head, smiling. "Not at all! Well, Dad, I'm off to school!" With that, Ju waved goodbye to her father and headed for the door.
"Huh?" Ryun waved his hand, then shook his head. This kid, why wasn't she like him at all? So reckless!
Now that his daughter's lunch was made, it was time to make something delicious for his wife. Thinking this, Ryun turned and walked toward the kitchen.
Kumogakure
The Third Raikage sat cross legged on the Raikage's seat. No joy or anger could be seen on his face. His gaze slowly fixed on the shinobi, Ma Liu, who was prostrated on the floor below.
"Speak. How did things go?" The Third Raikage seemed like an ancient, slumbering evil dragon, his every word and action filled with oppressive force. Ma Liu, prostrate on the ground, trembled all over.
"R, Raikage sama, that Tsuchibutori Takeshi, I used Corpse Dissolving Water to destroy the body and eliminate the traces. The mission is complete. Only..." Ma Liu hesitated, his words trailing off. He slightly raised his head, cautiously looking at the Third Raikage's eyes.
That momentary eye contact made Ma Liu shudder. He hurriedly lowered his head again. A smell of urine emanated from his crotch. He did not dare speak.
"Only what? Speak freely. Just the fact that you executed that fool Tsuchibutori Takeshi is a great achievement. Whatever mistake you made, this Kage will let it pass." After saying this, the Third Raikage waved his hand, a smile on his face as he spoke.
Ma Liu looked up at the Third Raikage again. It would have been better if the Raikage didn't smile. This smile instead made Ma Liu feel chilled to the bone. "R, replying to Raikage sama, this subordinate, after dealing with Tsuchibutori Takeshi, was caught red handed by Uchiha Itachi."
"Oh? Caught red handed by that guy, and you still came back? Can't tell, you have some skill, kid!" The Young Lord A raised an eyebrow, as if from this moment, he was reexamining Ma Liu.
"N, no, Young Lord, it was because Uchiha Itachi let me come back to deliver a message to the Raikage, so he didn't do anything to this subordinate!" Ma Liu dared not lie about such a matter. As for the fact that he handed over the list of Kumo spies, he chose to conceal it.
The Third Raikage sat above, suddenly interested. He placed his feet on the ground and walked toward Ma Liu. Tap, tap, tap. The sound of his shoes fell on the floor, step by step, getting closer to Ma Liu.
The sound seemed to step on Ma Liu's heart, making his guts feel like they were splitting open. His originally prostrate posture curled up even more. He prayed incessantly in his heart that Raikage sama would not notice anything wrong.
Otherwise, based on his betrayal of all the Kumo spies, and the Third Raikage sama's decisive, kill all witnesses attitude, he would surely die. He might even bring disaster upon his family. He didn't want to choose either outcome. He couldn't choose either outcome.
Therefore, he, Ma Liu, had to withstand this psychological pressure and fear. Only by holding on would he, and his family, not have to die. The Third Raikage's eyes were now turbid. He stopped when he reached Ma Liu.
Ma Liu's heart shook. Was it coming? Just as he bowed his head,苦苦思索着如何應對 (desperately thinking how to respond), the Third Raikage suddenly squatted down to look him in the eye.
Ma Liu never expected the Third Raikage to use this method to converse with him. Ultimately, the Third Raikage's aura was too strong. Ma Liu couldn't hold back and hastily retreated.
The Third Raikage's large hand clamped onto his shoulder. "Running from what? I'm just old, feeble and muddled, can't hear well. Wanted to get closer, see your face, hear your words clearly."
Seeing the Third Raikage really had no other intention, Ma Liu finally relaxed. He forced himself to endure the sticky feeling of his pants soaked with urine, kneeling and sitting. Seeing this, the Third Raikage smiled. He sat on the floor with his legs spread apart in a casual sitting posture.
"Tell me, what message did that Uchiha Itachi want you to bring." The Third Raikage laughed heartily, though it was unclear what he was laughing about.
"Replying to Raikage sama, Uchiha Itachi said, this time it was a problem with an individual in your village's brain, I won't pursue it. If there is a next time, whether it's my daughter or someone from another clan, I will wage war on you." As soon as Ma Liu said this, the entire room fell silent. Not a sound could be heard.
Ma Liu glanced around and found everyone's faces were ashen and unpleasant. Especially the Young Lord A. His face was now full of humiliation. Over these eight years, he had worked diligently alone. Over these eight years, he had trodden on thin ice. Eight years, eight years.
He had practically forced that future Fourth Raikage, who didn't use his brain and only knew how to work hard, into someone who could use his brain a little simply. Although he clearly understood in his heart that this was Ryun's warning to their Kumogakure.
But his hot temper still made him unable to help but widen his eyes. "Father, this Ryun is going too far."
"Sit down." The Third Raikage's aged voice rang out.
"But, Father." The Young Lord A looked at the Third Raikage sitting on the floor, his face filled with disbelief.
"I told you to sit down." The voice was so loud it echoed throughout the entire Raikage's office. Even the shinobi guarding the entrance to the building outside couldn't help but tremble.
The Young Lord A opened his mouth, then finally nodded. He sat on the floor, sulking.
The Third Raikage looked at Ma Liu. "You've worked hard, child. Go home quickly." The Third Raikage didn't notice anything abnormal. Nor did he act like in his youth, grabbing someone by the neck and questioning if the news was correct whenever they brought bad news.
Now he was old and frail, no longer the reckless and dictatorial man of the past. Looking back on his life, he found he always seemed to choose the wrong path. And he began to reflect that every time this wrong path was connected to Konoha.
Watching the days pass one by one, watching his body deteriorate day by day, he now seemed to have made a decision. He wanted to do something for Kumogakure.
He stood up and looked at his own son. His large hand clapped onto his shoulder. "A." Father and son looked at each other. The Young Lord A's heart felt blocked now. He was a bit flustered. He seemed to realize something.
He was about to speak when the Third Raikage shook his head. "From today on, you are the Fourth Raikage. From now on, you must take the development of Kumogakure as your own responsibility, dedicate yourself until your body can no longer move. Understand?"
The Young Lord A, no, he should now be addressed as the Fourth Raikage A, his eyes filled with tears. He had already guessed what his father intended to do. With his father's pride, he would absolutely not allow himself to die on a sickbed.
But now Kumogakure had just barely recovered. He couldn't bear to raise troops to attack Konoha or Iwagakure either. He had been unable to make up his mind to go all out against which side.
And Konoha had already stated their position. They didn't want to wage war against Kumogakure over this matter. Telling them to be careful didn't mean Konoha was weak. It meant Konoha didn't want to fight them.
In that case, Iwagakure became Kumogakure's primary target. The Third Raikage's health was declining day by day. The aging of the body could not be stopped. While he could still move, he wanted to help his son sweep away all pressure and obstacles.
He wanted to use his own broken body to cause Iwagakure some final trouble.
After giving these orders, the Third Raikage opened his eyes. Alone, he charged toward the direction of Iwagakure. His speed was such that even the Fourth Raikage A, pushing himself to the limit, could not catch up.
"Father!" The Fourth Raikage's voice was very loud. Many people and ninja clans heard this cry. However, they all sighed. They had all guessed what the Third Raikage intended to do now.
The sound echoed for a long time. No response came. The Fourth Raikage knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face continuously, dripping onto the ground. He still mumbled 'father' under his breath.
Outside Iwagakure
The Third Raikage, alone, had rushed here. Any shinobi on the road who tried to stop him, he killed with a single move, then continued advancing. Finally, he now stood at the gate of Iwagakure.
Ōnoki had already received the news and had the army prepare for battle inside the gate. The fighting spirit of Iwagakure had also reached its peak now. Ōnoki was in the sky, looking down at the Third Raikage below, this old rival he had fought for most of his life.
"A. What wind blows you to my Iwagakure today? Where is your army?" Ōnoki's voice was similarly aged, but it sounded full of vigor.
"To attack your Iwagakure, I don't need an army. I alone am enough." After saying this, the Third Raikage raised his chakra to the extreme. His hunched body straightened once more. Lightning flashed in his eyes.
Ōnoki was a bit dumbfounded. Wait, going all out right from the start? And why was A alone? Before he could react, the Third Raikage A extended one finger, roaring, "One Finger Nukite." He blasted it toward the village gate.
A huge bolt of lightning accompanied his roar, striking the gate of Iwagakure. Instantly, the gate of Iwagakure was shattered into dust. Even Ōnoki drew a sharp breath.
"Everyone, kill him. We cannot let him break into Iwagakure. Otherwise, our wives, children, and elderly will suffer." Ōnoki spoke, then began to gather power. Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique.
The Third Raikage's white hair now flew wildly. His muscles bulged all over his body. Chakra erupted outward. Looking at the sea of Iwagakure's army before him, he did not retreat. Instead, he roared loudly, "Come on."
The Third Raikage did not choose to attack the village itself. Because if he did, Ōnoki might desperately try to stop him, and then his plan would fail. He simply wanted to use his own broken body to drag a few more Iwagakure shinobi with him to the Pure Land.
To lessen some pressure for Kumogakure, for his son. At this moment, Ōnoki still hadn't figured it out. He had even forgotten to request aid from Konoha. Being fought to the village gates by the Third Raikage alone, his anger now blazed.
"If that's the case, then you stay here. A." Ōnoki pushed both hands forward. A white beam of light shot toward A. A grabbed an Iwagakure shinobi and threw him toward the Dust Release. The shinobi managed to block it for two seconds. And these two seconds were enough for the Third Raikage A to move out of the attack range of Ōnoki's Dust Release.
"Dammit." Ōnoki roared.
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