Chapter 109: Cutting Off
On a mountain about a thousand meters from the dense forest where the Cloud-nin were marching, the Fourth Squad of Konoha halted in shock. Their eyes widened at the towering flames consuming the woods below.
A dreadful realization struck them all at once:
Enemy invasion!
Judging by the scale of the fire, the enemy force was anything but small. In fact, it was clear there were more enemy shinobi than the squad stationed at their outpost.
Although they had previously been ostracized by their commander, Uchiha Yashiro, the Fourth Squad still understood what had to be done. They were Konoha shinobi. When faced with an enemy invasion, grudges had to be set aside. Internal disputes were one thing, but when the enemy struck, unity came first.
The squad turned and immediately started racing back toward the outpost. But it didn't take long for their captain to realize something alarming—the enemy was advancing at a pace not much slower than theirs. If this continued, the enemy would reach the outpost almost simultaneously with them.
That meant their warning would be meaningless. The outpost would have no time to prepare.
Someone had to stay behind and buy time.
The captain, an experienced jōnin, made his decision instantly.
"I'll hold them off," he ordered firmly. "You three, hurry back and report! Tell everyone that the one we captured earlier was a scout from the enemy. Whether they fight or flee, tell them not to panic—and obey Uchiha Yashiro's command."
Without hesitation, he stopped and turned back toward the blazing forest.
The other three did not waste even a second arguing. They were jōnin as well—veterans who understood the weight of such a decision. If they had been in their captain's position, they would have done the same.
In silent agreement, each of them tossed their ninja tool pouches toward him before departing. Inside were their explosive tags, kunai, and senbon.
The captain caught them without looking back. He quickly began setting up explosive tag traps around the forest edge—some linked to kunai triggers, others rigged for remote detonation. With the enemy's numbers, there was no doubt they had sensory-type ninja. His traps might be discovered before they did much damage, but anything was better than nothing.
At the very least, if he triggered them all at once, the explosion would echo across the valley. Even if the enemy avoided casualties, the thunderous blast might alert the outpost faster than his comrades could.
Once his preparations were done, the captain concealed himself in a thick canopy, suppressing his chakra and stilling his breath until he seemed no different from a piece of deadwood.
The flames spread closer. Through the branches, he finally caught sight of the approaching enemy. Dozens of torches lit their march, but what froze his blood was the figure at the center: a towering, dark-skinned man with a white cloak draped over his shoulders.
The captain's pupils shrank. Recognition struck instantly.
He had seen that man years ago, during the Third Shinobi World War. Back then, he was one half of the fearsome "AB Combination." Now, he was the one who had inherited the title of Raikage—the Fourth Raikage himself, A.
He's personally leading this invasion?! Damn Kumogakure… their appetite is insatiable. They came the moment they smelled weakness.
Bitterness surged in his chest. Ever since the war ended, Kumogakure had pressed Konoha relentlessly, forcing them to pay in coin and territory. Many in Konoha wanted to resist, but the Third Hokage always counseled restraint.
"Ninja must endure what ordinary people cannot," Hiruzen had said again and again. "Konoha is in a period of weakness. We must be patient until the next generation grows strong."
They had obeyed, loyal to the Hokage, even if it meant watching Cloud envoys grow ever more arrogant as they stripped resources from their village.
And now this…
The captain's jaw tightened as he watched one of the Cloud shinobi report something to the Raikage while glancing in his direction. His heart sank.
I've been discovered.
He didn't hesitate. Hands flashing through seals, he detonated all the explosive tags at once.
The forest erupted in a deafening roar of flame and shockwaves. Branches splintered. Smoke billowed into the night sky.
But before relief could take hold, the captain felt it—a killing intent so sharp it seemed to pierce his spine. He froze, then looked up.
The Raikage was staring directly at him.
He saw me—!
Before he could even finish the thought, the massive figure vanished from sight.
The captain's instincts screamed. Years of battle experience kicked in, and he immediately performed the Substitution Jutsu. A log appeared where he had been hiding as he reappeared at the base of the tree.
An instant later, the Raikage—his body glowing with the crackling aura of Lightning Release Chakra Mode—smashed through the canopy where the captain had been concealed. The tree exploded into fragments under his fist.
Cold sweat poured down the Konoha jōnin's back. He had narrowly escaped death.
But then came the burnt stench—and the crushing grip of a hand around his throat. His feet left the ground. His vision swam.
Too fast…
Even though he had anticipated it, even knowing the Raikage was said to be as fast as the late Fourth Hokage, nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming reality.
His final thought before darkness swallowed him was simple:
So this is the might… of the Raikage.
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