The Raikage stood tall before his gathered shinobi — an elite force of nearly a hundred ninja. His expression was grim, his presence radiating power. This was no mere mission; it was a crusade born of vengeance.
"Your fellow shinobi fell in the Land of Snow!" Raikage A's voice boomed like thunder. "Will we not avenge them?"
A unified roar erupted from the crowd below.
"Avenge! Avenge! Avenge!"
Lightning crackled faintly around the Raikage's fists as he raised one high.
"Very well! We march to the Land of Snow — and we'll make them pay in blood!"
"Yeah! Yeah! Avenge! Check it out, check it out, avenge!"
Killer Bee's odd rap broke the tension, earning him an immediate glare from his older brother.
"Enough!" A barked.
Without another word, the Raikage launched forward, his immense frame vanishing in a streak of lightning. One after another, the Kumogakure shinobi followed, their chakra surging as they raced across the snowy expanse.
Killer Bee grinned, his Eight-Tails chakra flaring briefly before he too followed in pursuit.
From the distance, Mabui watched their departure. A cold unease settled in her chest.
"…Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" she murmured, frowning slightly.
After a pause, she shook her head.
"Perhaps it's just my imagination."
She turned and returned to the Raikage's office, resuming her administrative work — though her intuition whispered otherwise.
Meanwhile, deep within the Umbrella Base, Naruto and the others received word of Sasuke's mission results.
Even Naruto himself was caught off guard.
He had expected Sasuke's team to fight the enemy to a draw — maybe even gain a slight upper hand. But an outright annihilation of a Kumogakure squad? That exceeded his expectations entirely.
He smiled faintly.
"They've grown stronger than I thought."
Still, he quickly turned thoughtful. Based on their report, he now had a clearer understanding of Yakumo Kurama's power.
At her current level, anyone below Kage-class would struggle immensely against her, especially when she had her teammates' support. However, facing a true Five Kage-level opponent would be far more difficult. Their mental fortitude and chakra control were on another level.
"Her potential is terrifying," Naruto mused.
"Once Yakumo's spiritual energy matures, even a Kage might not be her equal."
Both Sasuke and Neji had shown remarkable growth as well.
This stage of life was a time of rapid progress — their chakra reserves and physical strength were increasing almost daily. Their martial training had further refined their chakra control, making their combat efficiency skyrocket.
However, Naruto knew that chakra refinement and martial cultivation were like two rivers flowing in opposite directions. If they focused too much on one, the other would inevitably slow.
"After all," Naruto murmured to himself, "chakra is born from the balance of physical and spiritual energy."
That was why Sasuke currently prioritized chakra cultivation above all else — a suggestion from Naruto himself.
If Sasuke was destined to awaken the Rinnegan, then chakra would be his foundation.
Without it, the Rinnegan would be nothing more than a powerless relic — like a weapon without ammunition.
For Sasuke, martial arts served as a supplement — a means to strengthen his vessel for the immense power that would come.
Neji, on the other hand, pursued balance. His Gentle Fist style demanded not just chakra precision but a resilient body to withstand high-intensity combat. For him, taijutsu and chakra refinement were intertwined — inseparable paths leading toward mastery.
The Gentle Fist was, after all, the perfect fusion of ninjutsu and taijutsu.
As for Rock Lee, he had taken a different route altogether.
He had completely dedicated himself to martial cultivation, barely training chakra anymore.
Through his own discovery, he found that when opening the Eight Gates using pure vital energy, the results were even more explosive than before.
The stronger his body, the more devastating the Gates became.
Lee had recently finished tempering his bones and had begun refining his meridians — a step that expanded his body's ability to channel energy and endure strain.
"The human body really is a universe of its own," Naruto thought. "The deeper we explore, the more endless its potential becomes."
"Raikage won't let this go," Naruto finally said, his tone firm.
"With his temper, he'll definitely retaliate. And this time, he has the perfect excuse."
Neji frowned slightly. "Do you think he'll lead the army himself?"
Naruto nodded. "Most likely. The loss of an entire squad is no small matter."
Lee clenched his fists eagerly. "I've heard the Raikage's power is incredible — his Nintaijutsu can cut through steel!"
He grinned, remembering his own recent training. He had been meditating under a waterfall, allowing its crushing pressure to temper his body faster.
Though the gravity chamber worked well, he preferred the sensation of nature itself pressing against him — the raw dialogue between man and the elements.
Naruto looked around at his team, his gaze sharp. "Be ready. If the Raikage moves personally, this won't just be a battle… it'll be a storm."
The room fell silent.
Each of them understood — facing a Kage was no small matter.
Even for the Umbrella… this time, the lightning of Kumogakure would strike with full force.
Sasuke wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could challenge a Hokage yet.
Against opponents below the level of the Five Kage, he had confidence. But a true Kage was an entirely different matter — a class of shinobi who stood atop the world.
Naruto, meanwhile, was quietly analyzing the situation. This time, he knew he had to act personally. The Raikage's power could likely only be matched by Shisui right now, yet even Shisui wouldn't be able to defeat him easily. Even if Shisui managed to overcome Ay, it would be a hard-fought victory.
Zabuza had once reached the level of a Kage, but only briefly. His arsenal of lethal techniques was limited. Naruto had already shared with him several of the Second Hokage's Water Release techniques — jutsu renowned not just for their overwhelming scale and destructive power, but for their speed. Tobirama Senju's Water Release was feared precisely because of its swift execution and minimal hand signs.
As Naruto reflected, he realized that his own strength now rivaled that of the legends — Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. Though he lacked Wood Release and Susanoo, his mastery of Martial Arts had reached a state of perfect harmony, awakening within him a Martial Divine Power — Super Speed Regeneration.
He wasn't sure if everyone would awaken the same ability, but he suspected not. His regeneration likely stemmed from the Uzumaki Clan's life force — their fabled vitality that bordered on the divine.
At present, he was probably the only one in Umbrella who had reached such a realm. The others were progressing rapidly, but only Tsunade and Lee had come close to bridging that gap.
Tsunade, relying on her immense physical foundation and medical expertise, advanced much faster in Martial Arts than Lee. She had already begun tempering her internal organs — the final step before achieving perfect harmony of body and spirit. Once that was accomplished, a Martial Divine Power would naturally manifest.
But relying solely on raw vitality and internal energy wasn't enough. Against shinobi who wielded countless Ninjutsu and Kekkei Genkai, a pure Martial Artist would find themselves at a disadvantage.
Only those who had awakened a Martial Divine Power could stand on equal footing with the strongest of the Five Kage — perhaps even surpass them.
In the early stages of cultivation, Martial Artists were generally weaker than shinobi. However, upon reaching the Jōnin tier, their physical prowess and speed surged exponentially. In close combat, a typical shinobi would be defeated before they could even form a single hand sign.
Naruto had tested his newly awakened Super Speed Regeneration multiple times. Superficial wounds vanished instantly, and even grievous injuries healed in moments.
As long as his head or heart remained intact, no wound could truly threaten his life. His regeneration had likely reached the realm of the Six Paths.
That was why he was convinced his power now stood on par with the First Hokage and the Uchiha who had once challenged the gods.
With his overwhelming physical might, vast arsenal of techniques, and Sage Mode enhancing them all — it was no longer certain who would win or lose in a true battle between them.
...
TN:
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