Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou [177]

Amid the splatter of fresh blood, Minato Namikaze's pupils contracted in shock as he blurted out, "So fast!"

The Flying Thunder God Technique was indeed fast. In an instant, Minato appeared, but in the fleeting moment when he swung his kunai, the Third Raikage had already reacted, blocking his throat with his arm.

The Wind Release Chakra Blade only left a scar on the Raikage's arm, while a violent, lightning-clad fist came roaring toward Minato's face.

"You brat, you're dead!"

The Third Raikage roared in fury. So close… just a little more! He was on the verge of ascending to the legendary throne of the ninja world, yet he almost capsized in the gutter.

With the roar of lightning, a loud explosion resounded, and the ground around them shattered into pieces.

"Damn it, he's still alive!"

Watching Minato Namikaze's seemingly perfect killing move fail, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, showed a look of anger. Minato, on the other hand, broke out in a cold sweat. Just a moment ago, he was so close…

"Lord Third, the Raikage's speed and reaction are too fast!"

If it weren't for the Flying Thunder God being a space-time ninjutsu, Minato wouldn't have been able to dodge the counterattack earlier. Even so, small cuts caused by flying debris now adorned his cheeks.

Amid the raging thunder, the Third Raikage roared in anger, but cold sweat broke out on his face. He had almost capsized in the gutter as well.

"It's Konoha's space-time ninjutsu! That kunai fired earlier was camouflaged by other techniques!"

At this moment, the Third Raikage was recalling the earlier battle in his mind. During Hiruzen Sarutobi's Five Release: Great Combination Bullet technique, five strange kunai were secretly launched.

"So that's how the space-time ninjutsu is activated—through this formula!"

All of this happened in an instant. From Minato Namikaze's appearance to the moment the Third Raikage's heavy punch shattered the ground beneath him, it all transpired in the blink of an eye!

And in that brief moment, the mood on the battlefield swung like a rollercoaster for both sides.

The shinobi of the Kumo shouted and roared in anger. The Third Raikage's feat of fighting three opponents single-handedly completely boosted the morale of the Kumo forces.

Especially since their opponents included the legendary heroes of Konoha. This battle was giving the Kumo Shinobi the backbone to stand tall.

"Konoha scum! We Kumo Shinobi are the strongest!"

"Haha, those so-called legendary heroes are no more than cowards before our Raikage!"

In contrast, while the morale of the Kumo Shinobi soared, Konoha's side showed signs of panic.

Losing one-on-one could be explained as being countered. Losing two-on-one was already humiliating enough. But now, three-on-one… and they were still losing!

Wasn't this supposed to be Konoha's strongest Hokage? What a disgrace!

"Shirou, the situation has changed. The plan to crush the Kumogakure is not looking good."

Mikoto appeared by Shirou's side, speaking in a low, grave tone.

Shirou's mouth twitched at her words. "Not looking good"? This wasn't just "not looking good"—they were being completely overwhelmed!

"Tell the Uchiha elites to be careful."

The Konoha shinobi on the battlefield were dumbfounded. Their wide eyes reflected disbelief.

They had prepared for many possible failures, even assuming the highest likelihood of intelligence leaks. But they had never imagined the problem would be their Hokage losing to the enemy Raikage.

One-on-one, two-on-one, three-on-one, and they were still being dominated!

Unbelievable!

The Kumogakure Collapse Plan—on the battlefield, even if the Kumo Shinobi outnumbered them and their morale was sky-high, and even if they entered a berserk state, the combined efforts of Konoha's clans had been able to suppress them.

But in the clash of the Kages, the situation was completely reversed!

"Damn it! So this is the so-called Kumogakure Collapse Plan by the Third Hokage?"

"The Third Hokage lost! How could this happen?"

In the distance, Koharu Utatane, who was commanding the battlefield, stared in shock, her eyes wide. At that moment, she didn't know how to process what was happening—it was surreal!

The next moment, she calmed herself and thought of the more severe consequences. Urgently, she shouted:

 "Send orders! Prepare to protect the Third Hokage during his retreat. The Third Hokage can lose, but he must not be killed on the battlefield!"

"Konoha shinobi, hear me! Prepare to cover the Third Hokage's retreat. Under no circumstances can we allow our Hokage to be killed on the battlefield!"

The Konoha forces turned pale, their expressions filled with frustration and unwillingness. How had it come to this?

If their Hokage, fighting three-on-one, was defeated in front of their very eyes, and worse, killed, it would be earth-shattering. It would even change the political landscape of the entire ninja world.

Before everyone's eyes, within the barrier, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, teamed up with Danzo Shimura and a space-time ninjutsu user. Yet they were still being dominated.

"Haha, Sarutobi, Danzo! After today, you'll be nothing more than stepping stones for me, the Third Raikage!"

With his momentum growing, the Third Raikage's eyes gleamed with excitement and exhilaration. He hadn't expected Konoha's Kage to be so weak.

While venting his rage, he also employed psychological tactics.

Amid the raging, frenzied lightning, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura weren't weak. Their overwhelming barrage of ninjutsu was something few Kage-level opponents would dare to face head-on.

But this time, they were facing the Third Raikage, whose ultimate taijutsu rendered most ninjutsu attacks ineffective.

Minato continued to flash around the battlefield within the barrier, often using his space-time ninjutsu to rescue Hiruzen and Danzo.

This gave the two more opportunities to unleash their ninjutsu, but no matter how much they attacked, they couldn't break through the Raikage's defenses!

"Hiruzen, we must restrain him, or we'll have no chance at all!"

He was too fast! Even with their terrifying forbidden techniques, they couldn't hit him!

"Minato, look out!"

At that moment, the Third Raikage suddenly let out a ferocious laugh and, turning into a bolt of lightning, thrust his hand directly toward Minato.

"I'll kill you first, you annoying blonde brat!"

As the lightning raged, Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade, but his face suddenly changed, and he shouted in alarm:

"No! The Raikage's target is the barrier!"

By the time they realized this, it was too late. In an instant, the violent lightning struck one corner of the Four Violet Flames Formation. The sound of the barrier shattering reverberated as Hiruzen Sarutobi roared in fury from afar:

"Shinnosuke!"

The Four Violet Flames Formation was incredibly strong, especially since this time it was being maintained by eight Jonin, with two at each corner.

But with Minato, who had been supporting Shinnosuke in maintaining the barrier, joining the fight, one corner of the barrier had become a weak point.

With a deafening boom, the lightning surged onto the battlefield. At that moment, Konoha's forces were paralyzed.

The Kumogakure Collapse Plan had completely failed!

The Kumo Shinobi erupted into jubilant cheers: "Lord Raikage!"

Bursting out of the barrier, the Third Raikage was like a rampaging-tailed beast. Without hesitation, he charged straight into Konoha's ranks.

"Haha, Konoha scum! You were the ones who declared war on us! Now, in the name of the Third Raikage, I officially declare: The Kumogakure will launch a full counterattack! Revenge!"

"Revenge! Revenge!"

At that moment, the battlefield saw the appearance of the Third Raikage, who was elevated to legendary status in the eyes of countless Kumogakure shinobi. The Raikage they followed was truly a legend of the ninja world!

"Hurry! Quickly protect the Third Hokage!"

The morale of the Kumogakure forces soared, while the Konoha side fell into chaos and disarray.

With the Third Raikage charging out, the Four Violet Flames Formation shattered, simultaneously announcing the complete failure of Konoha's plan to dismantle Kumogakure.

"Raikage!"

From the smoke and dust, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, emerged, his eyes wide with rage as he glared at the Third Raikage. This man had dragged him, once revered and untouchable, down from his pedestal! Hiruzen was filled with hatred, anger, and unwillingness!

"Danzo! Deploy the Root division! All Konoha shinobi, hear my command: encircle and kill the Raikage! Under no circumstances can the Raikage leave here alive today!"

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was like a man possessed, his bloodshot eyes filled with fury. As long as the Third Raikage lived, what did Hiruzen amount to? The carefully orchestrated plan to claim supreme glory by crushing Kumogakure had turned him into nothing more than a laughingstock. This, he absolutely could not tolerate!

Especially considering the catastrophic impact this failure would have on the greater situation—it was nothing short of a disaster!

For someone once exalted, being dragged down in such a manner was a blow even someone as strong as Sarutobi could barely endure. His mental state was on the verge of collapse.

"Hahaha! Hiruzen Sarutobi, if it weren't for the sheer number of Konoha shinobi, I would've taken your head right here in front of all of them!"

The Third Raikage stood like a god of thunder, rampaging through the Konoha forces. Though his strength remained the same as before, his presence had undergone a complete transformation.

Previously, he had been the Third Raikage of Kumogakure—nothing more. But now, he was the man who, on the battlefield, had taken on three shinobi and defeated the Third Hokage, a legend of the ninja world, in front of Konoha's army.

Though his power hadn't objectively changed, the shift in his will and aura made him seem even stronger.

This was no illusion. It was real. Chakra, after all, was the combination of mental and physical energy, and this battle had forged in the Third Raikage an unshakable belief in his invincibility. This belief solidified his chakra even further.

It might sound mythical, but it was a fact. Just as Hanzo the Salamander had grown weaker in his later years due to a loss of conviction, despite his chakra and body remaining intact, the Third Raikage's unwavering belief in his invincibility had made him stronger.

Stepping on the name of Konoha's Third Hokage, the Third Raikage had forged his faith in his invincibility.

From afar, Koharu Utatane, witnessing the shift in the battlefield, turned pale and immediately ordered:

"Send word to the Uchiha, Hyuga, ANBU, and all elite Root members to cover the Third Hokage's retreat!"

There was no longer any chance of victory.

"Lord Third, retreat! The plan has failed!"

"Hiruzen, the Raikage broke the barrier because he feared being entangled with us, so he seized the opportunity to shatter it!"

While Hiruzen Sarutobi was on the verge of madness, consumed by rage, the disheveled Danzo Shimura remained calm.

The moment the Third Raikage broke free, they had already lost. If they had managed to keep him within the barrier, there might have been a sliver of hope—perhaps by using some forbidden technique to restrain him.

But on the open battlefield, the Raikage's unbridled fury was like a raging storm. They had no way to capture this force of nature.

If the Third Raikage was like an unstoppable berserker on the battlefield, then the Third Hokage was akin to a walking artillery platform.

However, when the lines between the two sides blurred and devolved into chaos, the Third Hokage's large-scale ninjutsu was rendered ineffective. Conversely, the Third Raikage's rampage seemed utterly unrestrained.

Amid this grim situation, Hiruzen Sarutobi's frenzied state left Danzo both furious and secretly delighted.

"Hiruzen, calm yourself! All Konoha shinobi, listen to my command—protect the Hokage and retreat! Retreat!"

It was plain to see for anyone: the tide of battle had turned. The best option for Konoha now was to retreat.

"Danzo! I am the Hokage! I order you to spare no effort to kill the Raikage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi roared, his eyes bloodshot. How could he lose? This defeat not only shattered his supreme reputation but also destroyed all his plans.

This loss would drag Konoha into the quagmire of war!

"Hiruzen! Get a grip!"

For the first time, Danzo Shimura showed anger as he pointed at the battlefield, openly defying Hiruzen Sarutobi's authority as Hokage.

"Continuing this battle is meaningless! What we need to do now is regroup! Konoha faces even greater challenges ahead!"

Despite his defiance, deep within Danzo's heart, a thrill of excitement bubbled up—one he could hardly believe himself. He had just defied the Hokage!

Even greed began to sprout within him. With Hiruzen's fall from grace after this failure, the Hokage seat was within Danzo's reach.

"Hiruzen, war has already erupted. The ninja world is in turmoil, and Konoha is in its most perilous moment. The village still needs us!"

At that moment, Koharu Utatane's voice, transmitted through Yamanaka clan techniques, echoed in the minds of Hiruzen, Danzo, and others.

"The village still needs us!"

Those words brought a glimmer of clarity back to Hiruzen's bloodshot eyes. Koharu's urgent voice continued:

"Hiruzen, we led Konoha through the First Great Ninja War. We triumphed in the Second. Now the Third has just begun. As long as we're still here, Konoha will survive this crisis…"

As Koharu's voice resonated in their minds, Hiruzen's dazed expression gradually brightened as he rediscovered his purpose.

Konoha still needed him!

He still had to lead Konoha out of the abyss once again.

"Give the order to retreat!"

Regaining his composure, Hiruzen Sarutobi, though reluctant, realized that for the sake of the village, he could not die so easily on the battlefield. He immediately issued the retreat order.

"Retreat! All Konoha shinobi, alternate in covering each other! Avoid prolonged engagements and protect the Third Hokage's retreat!"

Koharu's words also planted a terrifying thought in Danzo's mind.

Konoha was about to face the combined threat of the four great ninja villages. If Danzo could turn the tide during this war and save Konoha, he would secure unmatched renown. And with Hiruzen stepping down after this catastrophic failure, Danzo could finally claim the title of Hokage.

"I can become the Hokage!"

At that moment, Danzo's heart burned with ambition.

"Retreat! Cover the Hokage's withdrawal…"

Even Namikaze Minato could see the situation. If the battle continued, it wouldn't just be the elite clans that would be decimated.

If the Third Hokage were truly to be killed on the battlefield by the Raikage, that would be a nightmare for Konoha.

"Kill them all! All Kumo Shinobi, follow Lord Raikage and slay Sarutobi!"

The failure of the Kumogakure Collapse Plan had already led the Kumo Shinobi to abandon their positions and prepare to retreat while rescuing the Raikage.

However, while Konoha made a colossal mistake, the temporary commander of the Kumo Shinobi did not. Upon receiving the intelligence, they were both shocked and quick to issue the most decisive battle orders.

"Relay the command! All our shinobi are to pursue and kill the Third Hokage alongside Lord Raikage!"

Meanwhile, Tsunade, who was commanding the frontlines, became enraged upon receiving the urgent report that the Third Hokage needed reinforcements. With a single punch, she sent a Kumo Shinobi flying.

"Damn it! What kind of war is this?! I was just about to break through the Kumo Shinobi's defenses, and now you're telling me to pull back and provide reinforcements?!"

At that moment, Tsunade was angrier than ever before. She roared at the Konoha shinobi behind her:

"Do you realize that this order will not only force us to abandon a victory already within our grasp but even worse, could potentially ignite a war that spreads directly into the Land of Fire itself?!"

It wasn't unreasonable for Tsunade to be furious. After all, she had personally led Konoha's forces, and good news was coming in from every front. Even the most challenging positions were about to fall under her assault. Yet now, she was being told to retreat!

"What the hell is going on?! The Third Hokage is leading Konoha's most elite forces!"

Faced with Tsunade's questioning, Namikaze Minato, who had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to deliver the message, looked pale. He had no time to offer explanations.

"Lady Tsunade, the Third Hokage has been injured. Our forces are being pursued by the Third Raikage and the Kumo Shinobi army. If the Third Hokage were to fall on the battlefield…"

Tsunade's expression darkened upon hearing this report, her eyes widening in disbelief. What kind of joke was this?! She had considered many possible failures, but she had never imagined the problem would arise with the Third Hokage.

Is the Third Hokage being pursued? And worse, there was a real chance he could be killed on the battlefield?! The consequences of a Kage being slain in combat would be catastrophic.

"Relay my orders!"

At that moment, Tsunade didn't hesitate for a second. She roared decisively, issuing one command after another.

"Immediately order all our forces to abandon their captured positions and concentrate their strength for a retreat! At the same time, the Third, Fourth, and Sixth Divisions are to follow me and provide immediate support to the Third Hokage!"

Even in her furious rage, Tsunade understood the gravity of a Kage being slain. No matter the cost, even if it meant abandoning a hard-won victory, they had no choice but to act.