Ōnoki! You DARE?!
"A, go!"
Dodai panted heavily, realizing there was no room for hesitation.
The enemy had come prepared!
Instead of pursuing, the Sandaime Raikage turned and charged toward the Iwa-nin, only to be met by Ōnoki.
Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Technique!
A cylindrical beam shot forth.
The Raikage dodged, but the Kumo-nin behind him weren't as fortunate.
Three or four evaporated instantly.
Yet the Raikage couldn't afford to worry about them now. His priority was carving an escape route.
However—
Another blade gleamed toward him.
Having learned his lesson, the Raikage recognized its essence.
The "blade light" was actually highly condensed, near-solidified Wind Release chakra, but the true danger wasn't the blade itself—it was the "light."
Both genjutsu and invisible wind blades, their sharpness surpassed the physical sword.
His ultimate defense had been breached!
The Iwa-nin erupted in euphoria, but Kyōichi himself was dissatisfied.
Even with Minato's assistance, their combined strongest Wind Release attacks had only barely pierced the defense, leaving a minor wound.
This level of injury wouldn't even hinder the Raikage's movements. And this was with the element of surprise—had he been prepared, the outcome would've been worse.
Ōnoki understood this too, his optimism fading.
Moreover—
The Raikage was already closing in, disregarding his men's safety. Against such recklessness, Ōnoki was powerless to stop him.
BOOM!
Explosions erupted as trap tags activated—But they failed to breach his defense!
The Raikage rampaged through the battlefield, deliberately triggering traps to clear a safe path.
Absolute madness!
Kyōichi couldn't help but admire him.
A true beast.
But admiration aside, he couldn't let this continue. Spinning midair, one of his blades transformed into the bandaged Samehada.
Then—
WHOOSH!
The Raikage blocked with a kunai—
Only for Kyōichi's strike to feint and redirect, Samehada's second blade flashing toward his kunai-holding hand.
The Raikage's expression darkened.
His left arm's Lightning Armor had mysteriously lost substantial chakra…Dangerous!
Reacting instantly, he vibrated the kunai with Lightning Release chakra and hurled it lethally forward—
While shifting his stance to shield his weakened side, his right hand speared toward Kyōichi's torso in a mutual-destruction gambit.
BOOM!
His thrust collided with Minato's Rasengan instead.
Though it caused no damage, the interruption created an opening—
Leaving another hairline cut on his arm.
Then both Konoha ninja vanished.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
The Raikage inhaled sharply, recognizing the Second Hokage's infamous technique.
Now he understood—
Marked kunai weren't their only anchors. Minato himself served as a teleportation beacon, enabling their rapid coordination.
In essence—
One approach equaled two attackers.
And just as he processed this— Ōnoki's Particle Style beam arrived.
Unlike before, with Kyōichi and Minato harassing him, dodging became impossible.
"Raikage-sama!"
Dodai turned pale seeing his leader engulfed by the disintegration beam—
Were it not for A shoving him aside, earthen spikes would've impaled him.
"GO!"
A didn't look back.
Regardless of his father's fate, his mission was clear—Break through Iwa's defenses!
Lightning Chakra Mode blazing, he and Killer B charged the crumbling earth wall along the cleared path.
Dozens of Iwa squads intercepted—
But their ninjutsu shattered harmlessly against the Lightning Armor, while projectiles and explosives only inflicted superficial wounds.
Within moments—
They reached the base of the towering barrier.
Lightning Straight!
A single chop channeling most of his remaining chakra smashed through the fortification!
Yet beyond it lay another twenty Iwa squads, their numbers overwhelming.
Ōnoki considered vaporizing A with another Particle Style technique—
Until—A high-frequency vibrating kunai shot from below, piercing all defenses.
Distracted, Ōnoki barely registered the Sandaime emerging from the ground—having kicked a crater into the softened earth to escape the beam's range.
Covered in dirt but alive, the Raikage bull-rushed the Iwa lines.
Kyōichi and Minato's attacks?
He blocked only Samehada, tanking everything else.
Wounds multiplied—But he bought enough time to reach the earth wall—And slammed into it like a human cannonball!
BOOM!
The wall collapsed as the Raikage plowed through Iwa's ranks, his fingers slaughtering jōnin effortlessly.
Kyōichi and Minato "pursued"—Their speed suspiciously lagging, only engaging after the Raikage had killed dozens and thrown the Iwa forces into chaos.
Seizing the opportunity, the Kumo main force breached another gap, clashing with the secondary defensive line.
Further ahead, skirmishes between Iwa and Lightning Country's defenders were visible—but Iwa's numbers were finite.
One more push, and they could link up for escape.
The real challenge was this final line—
Most Kumo-nin were exhausted, especially A, B, and Dodai after leading the charge.
"Big bro, I'll cover! You go!"
B's blades crackled as tailed beast chakra erupted.
His cloak forming while tentacle appendages sprouted, becoming lethal weapons.
Ultra-Vibrato Lightning Swords!
Each strike cleaved through earth techniques as he carved a path forward.
"B… you bastard! Survive! I'll wait for you to surpass me!"
A wept openly—though not blood-related, their bond transcended words.
This was B's sacrifice.
Using the beast's power to save them all.
A had no choice.
His chakra was spent after breaking the walls.
This war had punished his recklessness.
"Obviously, dumbass, bastard!"
B rhythmically cursed while fighting, his lightning-wreathed blades and tailed defenses creating an opening for the retreat.
"Kyōichi! Why aren't you—?!"
Ōnoki fumed, recognizing their deliberate slacking.
Minato's capabilities were unclear, but Kyōichi's full speed should've been far greater!
"Ahem. Minato's chakra hadn't recovered. We'll handle the Raikage now."
Kyōichi shot Minato a look.
Minato nearly facepalmed.
Blame-shifting again?
This was your plan!
But he played along—Letting the Raikage thin Iwa's ranks benefited Konoha.
Acting sooner might've redirected Ōnoki's fury toward A and B.
Everyone here schemed—no need for pretenses.
Instantly, Kyōichi's speed quintupled as the First Gate opened!
Appearing before the Raikage, he swung Samehada to sap chakra while Minato—
Palm coated in Wind Release chakra—
Pressed against the Raikage's armor, neutralizing its Lightning Release properties.
Before the Raikage could react—Disorientation.
The Flying Thunder God Technique had teleported him miles away via a pre-placed special kunai.
The Raikage staggered, then roared in frustration.
Damn you, Tobirama!
What kind of bastard invents such a technique?!
Snatching the kunai, he crushed it to dust.
Then charged back toward the battlefield.
He couldn't abandon A and B!
Ōnoki initially rejoiced—Problem solved!
Until.
The Raikage reappeared moments later, having sprinted the entire distance.
"Why not send him farther?!"
"Chakra-intensive. And slow. Wouldn't have worked."
"..."
Ōnoki swallowed the obvious lie.
But the brief delay allowed him to act—
Another Particle Style beam lanced toward the exhausted A.
"Ōnoki! You DARE?!"
The Raikage ignored Kyōichi and Minato entirely, taking a deep gash to his arm to intercept—Hurling explosive kunai to divert Ōnoki's aim.
He succeeded—A was blasted away unharmed, though B lost several tail appendages to the disintegration.
His son was safe.