Those who start wars… deserve to die

A was thrown out by Killer B, and immediately, B's tails rapidly grew, his body spinning like a top. 

Dual swords, Hachibi.

Utilizing every weapon his body could manage, he forcibly carved a bloody path, reaching A before he landed, rescued by Dodai.

"Killer B and Hachibi indeed have good compatibility. After unsealing, Hachibi actually took the initiative to assist him… Ridiculous!"

Kyōichi sighed inwardly.

However.

This was just right.

He hadn't intended to kill the Yondaime A anyway. 

The Sandaime Raikage had to die, but if the Yondaime also perished, Kumogakure would face a leadership vacuum, leaving Ōnoki and Kirigakure unchecked. 

"Ōnoki!" 

The Sandaime Raikage roared in fury, his hands like blades, seeking opponents amidst the crowd.

No Iwa-nin could withstand a single strike from him— 

Including Jōnin. 

Ōnoki witnessed the consequences of enraging the Sandaime Raikage.

The Sandaime Raikage had gone berserk, evading rather than blocking attacks from Kyōichi and Minato, combining Ippon Nukite with black lightning.

Wounds increased. 

Iwa-nin casualties surged.

Ōnoki wished to kill him but knew he couldn't match him in close combat. Using Dust Release… 

Unless he was willing to sacrifice his own men.

If sacrificing a few Iwa-nin could eliminate the Sandaime Raikage, he deemed it worthwhile.

But if allies died and the enemy survived, that would be disastrous.

Ōnoki dared not gamble.

He could only hope Kyōichi and Minato would exert more effort, but…

They were already giving their all.

Wind Release sword techniques, Flying Thunder God, and Rasengan were used in succession—such performance was commendable. However, the Sandaime Raikage was now on guard, making close approaches more challenging—

Of course.

This was because the Seven Day technique hadn't been used.

That technique consumed lifespan; it wasn't worth using just for money.

Five million wasn't worth it! 

Simultaneously, the effects of the Light-Weight Rock Technique gradually waned, slowing their speed.

Ōnoki instantly descended.

Placing his palm,

Kyōichi felt his body become lighter, his speed surpassing previous levels.

"Hurry up!"

"Tsuchikage-sama, you're mistaken. That technique is a forbidden jutsu; I can't use it lightly…" 

"I'll pay more!"

Ōnoki gritted his teeth. 

He was well aware that Kyōichi was merely "trying hard" but not "giving his all," as he hadn't used Ice Release or that sudden acceleration ability, nor had he employed those flying explosive tags.

Clearly.

This wasn't Kyōichi's full strength.

"For the friendship between Konoha and Iwa-nin, even forbidden jutsu must be utilized…" 

As Kyōichi finished speaking, his figure vanished with a "whoosh."

In the next instant, the Sandaime Raikage saw a blurred figure appear before him.

Kanda Kyōichi?

He twisted to evade, but the opponent's speed had more than doubled, and this time, instead of using a sword, he…

Delivered a kick!

Boom!

So… fast!

As the foot collided with the Sandaime Raikage's body, a massive sound erupted.

A thought flashed through the Sandaime Raikage's mind.

The next second, he was kicked away.

Heavenly Foot of Pain!

Moreover, due to the ice layer covering the foot, the Lightning Release Armour's electricity had no effect on him, and the Sandaime Raikage's Ippon Nukite failed to touch Kyōichi, rendering it ineffective.

This kick wasn't highly damaging.

However.

Under immense force, the Sandaime Raikage found it difficult to stop mid-air, and the kick seemed to have other effects, causing him to lose control of his body, his limbs in disarray.

Simultaneously, in the direction he was kicked, a light sphere was approaching.

Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!

With great effort, the Raikage managed to throw out an explosive tag.

Boom!

A loud explosion erupted.

He was blasted down toward the ground by the force.

Minato was momentarily stunned, then quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to rush over, intending to knock the Raikage into the Dust Release. But by then, the Raikage had already regained partial control of his body under the effects of the Chaos Impact.

Body Flicker!

In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Minato.

So fast!

Minato was shocked and instantly used Flying Thunder God to teleport away.

The Raikage missed his strike, but he had bought himself valuable time. His body was gradually adjusting to the erratic rhythm of the Chaos Impact. Just then, Kyōichi was in front of him again.

His twin blades spread out like the wings of a hawk.

Whoosh—

A piercing wind whistled through the air.

The Raikage tried desperately to dodge, but Kyōichi had the Lightened Boulder Technique cast on him, and combined with his own Body Flicker Technique, there was no way the Raikage could outrun him.

The twin blades struck.

The first slash pierced through the Lightning Release Armor. The second landed on the exact same spot, cutting open a bloody gash. And then—

A third blade!

Kyōichi spat out an ice blade infused with intense Wind Release chakra.

The Raikage managed to shift his hand to block it.

But—

There was still a kick!

With monstrous strength and Chaos Impact, Kyōichi kicked him away once more. The Raikage quickly tried to stabilize himself with Lightning Release chakra—but found his body was disoriented again.

Something's wrong!

More precisely, it was Kyōichi who had helped reset his body's control.

So when the Raikage tried to move with the old rhythm—

His coordination fell apart again.

The Raikage was getting anxious. If this kept up, things would go badly.

But looking into the distance, he saw that most of the Kumo ninja had already broken through the defensive line. The rest were retreating under Killer Bee's cover.

Even though the Iwa ninja still had a third defensive line, the Kumo forces were behind it.

They were safe now.

The Raikage grinned—and then—

Boom!

Lightning exploded beneath his feet. Using it for propulsion, he neutralized Kyōichi's impact. Black lightning surged around him, instantly forcing both Kyōichi and Minato back.

However—

Ōnoki's Dust Release came in from a devious angle.

Even though the Raikage had used lightning to boost his speed, he wasn't used to aerial movement, whereas Ōnoki was a master of it—he had calculated the trajectory perfectly.

Despite the surprise attack, the Dust Release still hit part of its mark.

The Raikage's arm was disintegrated.

But he became even more ferocious. The black lightning expanded into a spherical "domain," making it impossible for Kyōichi or Minato to get close. Then they saw the black lightning bolt charging into the Stone ninja ranks.

A moving mass of black lightning, like a storm of death, devoured every enemy in its path.

And—

He continued his rampage, trying to regroup with the main Kumo force.

"Stop him!"

Ōnoki was panicking.

They'd already lost too many men. If the Raikage escaped on top of that, it wouldn't just be a matter of casualties—Kumo's retaliation afterward would be disastrous. What could they use to stop it?

The Iwa ninja began casting every jutsu they could think of.

Stone Pillars, Earth Prison Hall, Ground Core Shift…

Anything that could delay the Raikage, even for a moment. Ōnoki and the rest were going all in, sparing no cost to ensure his death.

Kyōichi didn't chase.

He knew—the Raikage wouldn't make it out alive.

This wasn't the Edo Tensei version of him. His chakra had limits. The Lightning Armor, Hell Stab, and Black Lightning techniques all consumed enormous chakra.

Even a Kage couldn't sustain them for long.

What he was burning now was his life force.

"A worthy opponent."

"Starting a war always comes with a price. Konoha doesn't fear war—nor can we casually forgive invaders. In fact, we've already been merciful. If we'd used sealing techniques…"

Kyōichi murmured and shook his head slightly.

They hadn't used sealing techniques.

If they had—

No matter how powerful the Sandaime Raikage was, the combination of Samehada, Wind Release swordsmanship, and Ice Release would've opened a crack in the Lightning Armor, allowing Minato to land the sealing marks.

More complex techniques like Four Symbols Seal might not have had enough time, but simpler ones—like the Evil Sealing Method or Five Elements Seal—could activate instantly.

Even a slight disruption in a battle between Kage-level opponents could be fatal. The Raikage would've lost even faster.

So yes, they had held back.

—

"Raikage-sama!"

Killer Bee saw the Raikage charging through and tried to go help him. But the next moment, he saw him turn back to attack the Iwa ninja again. The ones surrounding Bee went to intercept the Raikage instead.

"Fool, that chakra of his now comes from his life force. Even if you save him, he'll only be a dying man… The power I gave you isn't invincible. Be rational—what matters now is surviving."

A low voice echoed in Killer Bee's mind.

The Raikage was one of the few who had defeated him in a direct fight. The Eight Tails respected him—and his current actions were those of a true warrior.

But still—

There was no saving him.

If Killer Bee turned back now, he'd just throw his life away.

As much as the Eight Tails resented being sealed inside a human, he had to admit—this current Jinchūriki was one of the rare ones he could talk to. He wasn't ready to die alongside him just yet.

Even if he could be revived…

It would take time. And who knew if he'd be captured again?

Times had changed.

The shinobi world was full of strong foes now, and the Sage of Six Paths was gone. Instead of betting on an uncertain future, maybe it was better to get along with this fool of a Jinchūriki.

Killer Bee had no idea what the Eight Tails was thinking.

He was still hesitating. But seeing the Raikage fight back into the Stone ranks, it was clear he was creating a chance for Bee to escape. He understood—the Raikage didn't want him to come back.

"If you can't make the choice, I'll make it for you."

The Eight Tails let out a cold chuckle.

Then its power surged.

Killer Bee transformed into his Tailed Beast form and charged back toward the Land of Lightning, no longer looking back.

The black lightning still rampaged.

But—

The Raikage's chakra was clearly waning. His speed had dropped noticeably. Even so, the surrounding Iwa ninja still couldn't stop him.

Until eventually—

He couldn't even break through the Earth Release stone walls. One after another, they surrounded him—rock walls and stone pillars trapping him within. From inside came the dull sound of shattering stone.

The Iwa ninja didn't dare let their guard down.

Not until there was complete silence. After a long while, Ōnoki finally gave the order to lift the jutsu—

Inside, the Third Raikage lay collapsed on the ground.

The black lightning no longer sparked.

"Even someone as powerful as the Third Raikage… couldn't escape death."

Orochimaru whispered with admiration.

They had followed from behind, ready to intervene. But now—it clearly wasn't necessary.

"If Kyōichi and Minato hadn't stepped in, the Raikage might not have died."

Jiraiya thought for a moment, then added, "Kumogakure is too aggressive. They're constantly provoking wars. If the Raikage had survived, within five years we'd likely be at war with them again. And by then, his son would be even stronger."

"You think I care how he died?"

"Of course not. I'm just trying to convince myself. Those who start wars… deserve to die."

Jiraiya rose to his feet and left in silence.