The Fire–Lightning battlefield, near Konoha's camp, a forest filled with a killing atmosphere—
A group of Konoha shinobi held kunai, watching with serious expressions a dozen or so Cloud shinobi opposite them.
Leading them were the future Fourth Raikage A, and the perfect Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B.
These two, at almost regular intervals, would lead a detachment to the area near Konoha's camp, constantly provoking them.
Today, of course, the same sort of scene played out again.
A stepped forward, looking disdainfully at the group of Konoha shinobi.
"I said, let your Ino–Shika–Cho come out and fight us. If they lose, we'll leave immediately."
"We two act as a pair, and those three act as a pair. In a fair fight, we're actually at a numbers disadvantage."
The Konoha shinobi were inwardly frustrated. If they could win, Ino–Shika–Cho would've come out already; why drag this on?
And knowing they couldn't win but still wanting to fight would only lower morale if they lost, and it would encourage the Cloud's arrogance.
Unless Shikaku's brain suddenly broke, he wouldn't do something that reckless.
Still, this dragging on wasn't good either. Letting the enemy stand at your doorstep and gloat day after day, where does Konoha keep its face?
Especially the shinobi guarding this area, who had to endure the enemy's humiliation every day without being able to strike back. Who could put up with that?
Seeing the Konoha ninjas still acting like scared turtles, A couldn't help but mock them.
"So this is the leader of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Konoha? I don't think much of it. You don't even dare fight. You should just give up that top spot and let Cloud take it!"
The Konoha shinobi were furious. One of them couldn't hold back and shouted, "That's because our heroes aren't here! Otherwise, how could you be so arrogant?"
A sneered, "Heroes? Isn't the Ino–Shika–Cho name pretty famous? Aren't they heroes? From what I see, your Konoha heroes are about as brave as scared bears."
The Konoha shinobi glared angrily, "You Cloud people talk big. You should know the fastest in the shinobi world right now is Konoha's Yellow Flash!"
A's expression darkened. That comment touched his sore spot.
Because that Konoha shinobi was right: Minato Namikaze had captured Rasa alive and returned safe from the Land of Rain, and after almost breaking Iwagakure on the Fire–Earth battlefield, his reputation had surpassed that of the Third Raikage.
For Cloud Village, which prides itself on speed, this was a humiliation. Especially since A was the Third Raikage's son; that Minato might already be faster than A was an insult piled on insult.
He roared, "THEN FEEL MY SPEED!"
Saying that, an electric light suddenly flickered around A. He inhaled deeply and sprinted at the Konoha shinobi.
It wasn't entirely sudden. A had shown attacking intent after switching into Lightning chakra mode, and the Konoha shinobi had taken up a defensive stance.
But A's charging speed was insanely fast.
The Konoha shinobi felt the world blur; he thought A was still far away, but suddenly A was right in front of him.
Only then did he manage to say, "So fast!"
Before the words finished, A's fist slammed heavily into his face.
BANG!
The Konoha shinobi was flung backward, smashed into a tree. His features twisted; his body was embedded in the trunk, already lifeless.
The surrounding Konoha shinobi hadn't expected A to strike so suddenly, and to kill. The key was, there was one dead person. And they hadn't clearly seen how A had covered that distance.
In their field of vision, their comrade was simply struck and hurled away.
Although the Yellow Flash is currently the fastest in the shinobi world, A's speed still exceeded their expectations.
The Konoha shinobi assumed defensive stances, cold sweat streaming down.
One of them said in terror, "What are you doing? Provoking a war?"
A only sneered, "If you're weak, don't provoke the strong, understand?"
"Start a war? With you few? As if."
Killer B couldn't help but dance and sing.
"Yo! Big bro, your temper's too hot."
"Messing around like this."
"Careful, Konoha might not let us leave."
A scowled at Killer B and clenched his fist, "Shut up!"
Killer B froze mid-gesture, holding an odd hand-and-foot pose, suddenly still.
A breeze passed; a bead of sweat slid down Killer B's forehead.
A noticed his brother's oddness and asked, "B, what's wrong?"
Killer B said, "Big bro, there really is a strong enemy coming, not far away. The presence is enormous, unfathomable like an abyss."
On hearing this, A relaxed his sensing and scanned toward Konoha's camp.
Then he froze too.
Because, like his brother, he felt that enormous presence.
Cold sweat broke out on A's face as he murmured, "Looks like someone impressive really showed up. B, this time we have to be serious."
Just after they sensed that presence, it instantaneously vanished from where it was.
Not gone. More precisely, it moved. The next moment it appeared around them.
A and Killer B turned toward the source of the presence and saw a figure already standing before all the Konoha shinobi, looking at them.
Small stature, spiky hair, big eyes.
They recognized the newcomer. The recently circulated portrait printed on the front page of the Registered Ninja Manual: Konoha's Black Fang, Uchiha Obito.
A said seriously, "So it's the legendary Konoha Black Fang who can match Uchiha Madara. No wonder he gives off such a terrifying presence."
"Looks like… you're not just that rumor. Some kid who threw a shuriken at Madara from eight miles away."
Obito's face darkened, 'That rumor clearly wasn't about Kakuzu, how did it turn into me?'
Apparently, aside from those who experienced the Fire–Earth battlefield and the Konoha villagers who blindly believed the propaganda, other villages' shinobi didn't believe he had power to rival Madara.
That was partly Hiruzen's own bragging, leaving a fixed impression on the shinobi world.
Obito said lightly, "Konoha's Black Fang will become history today."
A and Killer B were stunned, what did "become history" mean? Did it mean he'd be defeated here by them?
A couldn't help but say, "Looks like you have some self-awareness. You know you're no match for us."
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