When the Third Raikage, which is hailed as the [Strongest Raikage], arrived at the scene.
He saw his son, his attendant, and many of the Kumogakure's Ninjas lying on the ground and cried out in shock:
"A! Dodai!"
"Rooaaar-!!"
The Eight-Tails, which is as huge as a small mountain, violently shook its arms, letting out a fierce roar that echoed through the valley.
Even more eye-catching were the blood-red three tomoes in the center of its white eyes under the bright moonlight.
"Could it be... Uchiha Madara!?"
Without Jin needing to deliberately deceive him, the Third Raikage's mind immediately went there.
He was from the same generation as Hiruzen.
Although he hadn't personally witnessed Madara's feat of controlling a Tailed Beast with his Sharingan like the Konoha Council had,
This was a major event that shook the Ninja World back in the day.
For the younger generation, it was already a legend recorded in history…
But for their generation-
It was a fact they had lived through.
"N-no, impossible!"
But just after uttering the name, the Third Raikage shook his head fiercely, denying it:
"Uchiha Madara died at the Valley of the End over twenty years ago. Even if he were alive, he should be an old man who can barely walk. How... how could he still have the strength to control a Tailed Beast?"
Mito, who is also from Madara's era, already had earth piled up to her neck and wouldn't live more than two years.
Not to mention Madara was a few years older than the old woman.
'Precisely because of such thinking, mediocrities like you will never reach the heights Madara and I achieved.'
The masked man atop the Eight-Tails' head crossed his arms over his chest, looking down from above.
Even the Senju brothers and Izuna, who had actually experienced the Warring States Period with Madara, had to admit Jin's cosplay this time was spot-on.
That 'I'm the strongest, even god can only be second' show-off vibe was so similar.
Not to mention the verbal tic of mentioning 'Hashirama' every three sentences.
Hashirama felt that if he put himself in the Third Raikage's shoes, he might have believed it too.
"Whoever you are, it doesn't matter! Daring to attack Kumogakure means this matter cannot end simply!"
The Third Raikage gestured with his eyes for his subordinates to move the injured A, Dodai, and others away for treatment.
Then he raised his hand and pointed at 'Madara', shouting:
"Before I twist your head off, return the Eight-Tails first!"
Recalling how Madara had once tamed the Nine-Tails as a summon and controlled it in battle against Hashirama, the Third Raikage vaguely guessed what this masked man intended to do.
As the second strongest among the Nine Tailed Beasts-
The Eight-Tails' importance to Kumogakure was self-evident.
He absolutely couldn't let this guy take it!
"Oh~ Is that so?"
'Madara' let out a chuckle full of mockery.
Under his control, the Eight-Tails opened its bloody maw.
Dark red, nearly black energy rapidly condensed at the front, swiftly gathering into a sphere.
"A Tailed Beast Bomb? Don't think I'm afraid!"
The Third Raikage's body erupted with lightning, covering him from head to toe in less than a blink.
If Sakumo was a peak Kage-level powerhouse, then the Third Raikage, who had fought the Eight-Tails to a draw multiple times and even narrowly won a few times, was a tier above him.
He was the world's number one, having reached the [Super Kage]-level that only Hashirama and Madara had attained so far!
Others might fear Tailed Beasts, but he wasn't the least bit afraid.
Whoosh!
The Third Raikage vanished in an instant, reappearing in front of the Eight-Tails in the next.
Before the other party could even finish gathering energy for the Tailed Beast Bomb, he prepared to kick the Eight-Tails in the throat.
The first priority was to get the Eight-Tails away from Kumogakure's residential areas.
If they fought here-
Who knew how many innocent civilians would be caught in the crossfire!
Thud-
However, the kick that would normally send the Eight-Tails flying dozens of meters.
This time, the Eight-Tails didn't budge an inch.
Hearing a crisp sound like metal clashing, the Third Raikage looked down.
He saw on the Eight-Tails' head, there's now a demonic mask helmet, armoring the Eight-Tails' entire head, including its neck.
And it was continuously spreading to its chest, shoulders, and other areas.
[Hashirama: It's appeared! It's that move of Madara's! That move gave me a lot of trouble back in the day!]
Jin: "..."
'A lot of trouble?'
Jin suspected Hashirama was just trying to save Konoha Dance King's dignity.
'Wasn't the Dance King crushed by your True Several Thousand Hands Buddha statue back then?'
But Jin didn't care.
After all, he was playing with Susanoo cloaking a Tailed Beast for the cool factor!
"Eight-Tails! Use Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Jin issued commands as if possessed by a Pokémon Master.
By now, the Tailed Beast Bomb in front of the Eight-Tails' mouth had long been fully charged, aiming at the Third Raikage still in mid-air.
The spherical, high-density concentrated Chakra transformed into a ray in the next instant-
Fire!
For a moment, time in Kumogakure seemed to stand still.
Boom!!!
No one knew how long it lasted-
The deafening explosion and the shockwave that crushed everything merged together, continuously spreading outward, further and further.
Until it spread throughout the entire Kumogakure.
Finally, it turned into a giant mushroom cloud, rising slowly.