Chapter 492: Want to Avoid Being Cut? That’s Difficult!

In the original timeline, the Third Raikage's death was entirely his own doing.

Had he not chosen to stay behind to hold off the pursuers, allowing his guards to escape, even if Ōnoki mobilized every ninja in Iwagakure, he wouldn't have been able to surround and kill him.

But the Third Raikage was too confident. By staying behind, he handed Ōnoki the perfect opportunity to drag him down.

If the Third Raikage had left immediately, Ōnoki would have been powerless to stop him.

The leader of the Cloud Village sacrificed himself for his guards, an act that ultimately led to his demise.

It was a baffling decision.

Were the lives of a few Raikage guards more important than the life of the Raikage himself?

Even Tobirama Senju, who had stayed behind to cover for his disciples during the First Ninja World War, had a clear reason—his sacrifice allowed future leaders to escape and carry on his legacy.

But the Third Raikage?

He stayed behind for a few guards, giving them the chance to escape while sacrificing himself.

It begged the question: Who protects whom?

Are Raikage guards supposed to protect the Raikage, or is the Raikage expected to protect his guards?

If the guards couldn't even safeguard the Raikage, what purpose did they serve? Were they just for show?

Ōnoki, though now facing no apparent ambush, remained suspicious. He knew the Third Raikage well enough not to trust his words.

But the Third Raikage didn't care about Ōnoki's doubts.

He reached into his robes, pulled out a scroll, unfurled it, and with a flick, released its contents onto the ground.

Ōnoki's eyes widened in disbelief.

Roshi!

The sight of Roshi's lifeless body shocked him to his core. The implications were clear—the Four-Tails had been extracted and sealed within the Cloud Village.

Ōnoki gritted his teeth. He knew immediately that this was the Third Raikage's retaliation.

Iwagakure had refused to admit defeat, and this was the price. The Four-Tails was now in the Cloud Village, and all they received in return was Roshi's corpse.

"Ōnoki, do you like the gift I brought you?" the Third Raikage asked with a dark smile.

Ōnoki's expression twisted with anger. "Raikage, you've gone too far!"

The Third Raikage laughed. "You were the first to play dirty, Ōnoki. Don't think I'd let it slide. The Four-Tails will stay in the Cloud Village. Consider this the return of your Jinchūriki."

Ōnoki's fists clenched. "You think the other villages will let you keep the Four-Tails? Konoha, the Mist Village, and the Sand Village will never allow it."

"Of course," the Third Raikage said, shrugging. "I'm not saying the Four-Tails belongs to the Cloud Village. I'm simply saying it's staying here for now. Ownership can be debated later. Isn't that the kind of game you like to play?"

Ōnoki's face darkened. The Third Raikage had adopted the same shameless tactics, ensuring that the Four-Tails' ownership remained ambiguous.

By not sealing the Four-Tails into a new Jinchūriki or declaring it as Cloud Village property, the Raikage avoided provoking outright opposition from the other villages.

The tactic was simple: stall.

As long as the Four-Tails remained in the Cloud Village, even without a clear declaration of ownership, the Rock Village would have to negotiate its return. And that would come at a price.

Ōnoki was seething.

The Third Raikage's rogue tactics were infuriating, but Ōnoki couldn't openly challenge him. The Cloud Village hadn't officially claimed the Four-Tails, so no village could accuse them of wrongdoing.

The ambiguity meant that retrieving the Four-Tails would require prolonged negotiations and concessions—something that played directly into the Third Raikage's hands.

"The Four-Tails is doing fine in the Cloud Village. I'll be waiting for your people to come collect it whenever you're ready," the Third Raikage said with a smirk before turning to leave.

Watching the Third Raikage walk away, Ōnoki's jaw tightened in frustration.

He considered pursuing him but quickly dismissed the idea.

The Third Raikage was fast and could retreat through the Land of Fire if needed. Even if Ōnoki mobilized his forces, the Raikage would likely escape with minimal effort.

More than that, pursuing him might lead to another humiliation.

"Roshi, you absolute fool!"

Ōnoki glared at Roshi's corpse, his fury boiling over.

If not for the potential backlash from his villagers, he would have disintegrated Roshi's body with Dust Release on the spot.

"Take Roshi's body back to the village for burial," Ōnoki ordered, his voice heavy with irritation.

The Four-Tails was now in the Cloud Village, and retrieving it would be a costly endeavor. Ōnoki's carefully crafted strategy to avoid concessions had now backfired, leaving him with a dead Jinchūriki and no leverage to reclaim the tailed beast.

The Third Raikage, meanwhile, was feeling triumphant.

His frustration over Iwagakure's refusal to admit defeat had been replaced with satisfaction. He had turned the tables on Ōnoki, and the look on the Tsuchikage's face had been priceless.

"Go to the Land of Fire and send a message to Konoha. I intend to pay them a visit," the Raikage instructed his men.

"Yes, Lord Raikage."

Since he was already in the area, it would be a waste not to stop by Konoha. He also wanted to speak with Tsunade and Shinki about the Four-Tails situation.

Although he envied Konoha's Nine-Tails, he knew the Four-Tails couldn't be permanently kept. But as long as the Four-Tails remained in the Cloud Village for now, he had done enough to appease his villagers.

Without the Four-Tails, the Third Raikage would have struggled to justify the cost of a war that didn't end in outright victory.

After crossing through the Land of Taki, the Third Raikage didn't return directly to the Land of Lightning but instead continued toward Konoha.

Early the next morning, a messenger arrived at the Hokage Office, summoning Shinki.

Shinki, still half-asleep, groaned as he rolled out of bed.

After a quick wash and change, he hurried to the Hokage Office.

"What's the matter? It's not even light out yet."

Inside the office, Tsunade was already waiting. Like previous Hokages, she often spent her nights at the office to deal with urgent matters.