Chapter 60: The Thunder’s Final Crescendo

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Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

The Thunderous Impact detonated, shattering the ground even further. Arcs of purple lightning spread outward, extending more than ten meters.

"Ugh!!"

The Raikage spat out a mouthful of blood from the heavy blow. The Lightning Release Chakra Mode armor that enveloped his body had significantly weakened.

Naruto's arms trembled slightly as he remarked, "Huh, using such high-intensity Taijutsu for real makes me realize my body still can't fully keep up with this mode. That's great—this means there's still room for improvement."

"Argh!" The Raikage gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet, quickly putting distance between himself and Naruto. His eyes locked onto the purple lightning surrounding Naruto as he shouted, "How do you know this technique!?"

Naruto smiled. "Who knows?"

The Raikage thought hard, and suddenly, everything became clear. "It was Dodai! That bastard! When I get back to the village, I'll make him pay!"

Naruto advised, "Don't be so ungrateful, Raikage. If it weren't for Dodai, your casualties would've been even greater."

"Damn it!" The Raikage clenched his fists tightly. Even with his fiery temper, he couldn't deny that Naruto's words were true.

He then asked, "Why is your Lightning Release Chakra Mode different from mine? What's with that purple lightning surrounding you!?"

Naruto smiled. "How about this? If you want to learn, I can teach you slowly. But I hope you'll change your attitude and stop being so hostile toward me."

Naruto's offer was well-intentioned, but for the Raikage, a veteran master of Taijutsu, hearing such words from a younger shinobi felt like a humiliating slap in the face.

Enraged, he roared, "Don't get cocky! You're still far beneath me, brat!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "If we're being precise, not just you—even Onoki could be considered my junior. I just habitually use respectful language."

"Ridiculous nonsense! Die, Uzumaki Naruto!!!"

Crackle!

The Raikage unleashed his full Lightning Release Chakra Mode, his hair standing on end.

Naruto observed with interest. "Huh? Your chakra is even stronger than before. Looks like you've been working hard lately."

The Raikage bellowed, "Every day, I think of only one thing—to kill you, destroy the Akatsuki, and avenge my beloved brother!"

Boom!

He charged forward, his lightning-clad fist aiming directly for Naruto's face.

"Lightning Taijutsu: Liger Bomb!"

Swish!

A flash of purple lightning—Naruto sidestepped the attack.

"What!?" The Raikage was stunned. "In the past, only your father could dodge this move, relying on his reflexes and the Flying Raijin Jutsu. But you're the first to evade it purely with speed!"

Clang!

The Raikage halted abruptly, pivoting in place and transforming his punch into an elbow strike.

"Heavy Stream Burst!"

Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest to block.

Boom!

The Raikage was once again shocked. "He withstood it!?"

This was a move that once required the Shinra Tensei to counter!

Naruto said calmly, "Now it's my turn to strike back."

Crack! Crack!

Bolts of lightning erupted from both sides. Naruto's Shadow Clones appeared suddenly, kicking the Raikage into the air in succession.

As he ascended, the Raikage's eyes widened. "Lightning Shadow Clones!?"

"To be precise, they're Purple Lightning Shadow Clones."

Crackle!

The clones vanished, and Naruto, cloaked in purple lightning, leapt into the air, grabbing the Raikage mid-flight.

Crackle! Crackle!

The purple lightning surrounding Naruto's body morphed into ropes, binding the Raikage. Then, Naruto spun rapidly, turning them into a whirling top of lightning that smashed into the ground.

"Thunder Lotus!"

Boom!

The spinning lightning drill bored ten meters into the earth.

As the final burst of lightning propelled Naruto into the air, he twisted his body mid-flight. His right leg, glowing with explosive purple lightning, came down like a battle axe, striking the Raikage squarely in the chest.

"Thunderous Barrage!"

Thud!

The lightning strike pierced through the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode, leaving a deep wound on his chest that reached the bone.

"Don't underestimate the Raikage!"

With a fierce expression, the Raikage endured the pain, grabbed Naruto's ankle, and counterattacked by slamming him into the ground.

"Nani!?" Naruto was momentarily caught off guard as his back hit the ground with a loud crash.

Raising his leg high, the Raikage concentrated terrifying amounts of Lightning Release Chakra into his foot and brought it down with immense force.

"Obliteration Thunder Axe!"

Naruto chuckled. "Now this is exciting!"

"Shinra Tensei!"

Boom!

Repulsive force erupted.

The Raikage's Thunder Axe stopped mid-air, and his body was flung backward. The uneven force caused him to spin like a pendulum before he landed, stumbling ten steps before regaining his balance.

He glared with wide eyes. "That damned repulsive force again!"

Swish!

Naruto used the Flying Raijin Jutsu to return to the ground from the crater. With a flick of his cloak, he said, "I have far more options than you."

The Raikage wasn't foolish. He realized that with Naruto's current mode, combined with the Rinnegan's abilities and the Flying Raijin Jutsu, it was nearly impossible for him to land a decisive blow.

His expression darkened. "Uzumaki Naruto, you've already mastered our Kumogakure's ultimate technique. But do you dare to fight me like a man, using only Taijutsu, one-on-one?"

Naruto tilted his head. "Oh? Is this a provocation?"

The Raikage growled, "Do you dare or not!?"

Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I have conditions."

The Raikage's eyes lit up. "Name them!"

Naruto lowered his hand. "If I face you head-on in a Taijutsu duel and win, you and Kumogakure must promise never to trouble Sasuke again."

The Raikage scoffed. "Hmph. I'd almost forgotten about him! Fine. If you face me fairly without using any of your flashy abilities, even if you die by my hand, I swear on my name as Raikage and the honor of the Yotsuki Clan that I won't go after Sasuke—so long as he doesn't provoke Kumogakure first!"

Naruto grinned. "Deal."

Inwardly, he thought, Good. After all, we were comrades in my past life. I don't want to kill you, A.

"Prepare to die!"

Crackle! Crackle!

The Raikage extended his right index finger, channeling immense Lightning Release Chakra to form a lightning spear.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "That's the Third Raikage's strongest spear, the One-Finger Nukite. So he's mastered it? No wonder he's so confident."

"It's too late for regrets now!"

Boom! The Raikage charged forward.

"Here it comes."

Zap!

Purple lightning surged around Naruto's left hand as he dashed to meet the Raikage head-on.

"Hmph. Facing me head-on instead of standing still? You've got guts, but—"

"Die, Uzumaki Naruto!!!"

Swish! The lightning spear thrust forward, but Naruto subtly shifted his position.

Scratch!

The spear grazed Naruto's mask, leaving a mark.

"Thunder—Chidori!"

Slash!

At the same time, Naruto's purple lightning-covered left hand pierced through the Raikage's shoulder.

The Raikage's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible!"

Slash!

Naruto said coldly, "You've lost, Raikage."

Slash! Supporting the Raikage's left shoulder with his right hand, Naruto withdrew his left hand from the Raikage's right shoulder.

Crackle!

"I... I won't accept this!" The Raikage's lightning dissipated as he collapsed face-first onto the ground.

Thud!

The Taijutsu duel ended with the Raikage's defeat.