The Gap Between the Four Great Ninja Villages and the Empire

The Kage escorts chimed in: "But at the time, Raikage-sama thought it was fake intel Konoha used to deceive us, so he ignored it."

"I remember, I thought it was fake too." the other Kage said, showing shocked expressions. Their faces shifted, exchanging glances.

"The intel we thought was fake… could it be true? Besides our world, there's another similar world?"

"Clearly, it's true. I'm you from that other world, Fourth Raikage." Imperial Fourth Raikage nodded.

"Exactly. We represent the Empire's will, here to persuade surrender." Imperial Gaara said, arms crossed over his chest.

"Hokage-dono!" The Kage turned to Ninja World Tsunade in unison.

Ninja World Tsunade sighed. "That's the situation. One more thing to remind you: the Empire is immensely powerful. Konoha is far from their match; resistance is futile."

"Plus, in that other world, there are other versions of us. Joining them, I don't think it's a bad idea. And Akatsuki has nothing to do with us; Naruto was truly captured… some Empire members have taken on the task, thoroughly searching for Akatsuki's traces."

"Ridiculous!" Raikage A, with his fiery temper, stomped the ground, shaking the earth.

He stood, sweeping his gaze over Konoha's side. "Trying to use cheap tricks to make us surrender? You think we're fools?"

"Right! This foolishness ends here. No matter what you try, even if I had another granddaughter, I wouldn't acknowledge it! I have matters to attend to, excuse me, I'm heading back to Iwagakure." Ōnoki said, standing.

Whether the other world was real or not, he needed to return to Iwagakure to consider everything carefully—staying deep in enemy territory was too risky.

"Ara ara… Konoha, if you want me to surrender, no need for such trouble… just introduce me to a handsome man, and I might seriously consider it." Mei said with a faint smile, appearing relaxed.

"Mizukage-sama, please don't joke like that." Ao interrupted, serious.

"Right, Mizukage-sama…" Chojuro looked tense.

"Regardless, I must save Naruto first, excuse me, I can't stay." Gaara stood as well.

Several Kage intended to leave.

Imperial Raikage A flashed forward, his towering two-meter-twenty, muscular frame blocking the entrance.

"What's this? Planning to wage war with the Four Great Ninja Villages?" Ninja World Raikage looked furious.

"Our primary goal in coming to the ninja world is to unify it and join the Empire. The secondary goal is to retrieve Naruto and eliminate Akatsuki."

"The first goal is within reach; how could we let you leave? Obey your counterpart in this world—you can't oppose us." Imperial Raikage A said, arms crossed, his face arrogant.

"Arrogant!" Ninja World Raikage, enraged, erupted with lightning, entering Lightning Chakra Mode, thunder roaring.

His figure appeared before Imperial Raikage A, an elbow slamming hard into his chest.

"Lariat!"

*BOOM!*

A terrifying shockwave rippled.

Ninja World Raikage, shocked, looked up at the towering Imperial Raikage A, seeing his opponent's lips curl, stepping back only one pace, standing firm. His pupils shrank. "You withstood my Lariat!"

"What kind of monster is this guy! Taking Raikage-sama's Lariat without being flung back?"

"Did he use ninjutsu? Or some special ability?"

The other Kumogakure ninja looked terrified.

Imperial Raikage A lightly patted his struck chest, as if dusting it off. "This is your Lariat? So weak and feeble. My counterpart in this world, don't you eat?"

"Arrogant…" Ninja World Raikage's lips twitched, his face dark.

"Now, take my Lariat, my counterpart!" Imperial Raikage A grinned, his body erupting with chakra.

Lightning bolts spread outward with him at the center.

The ground struck by lightning scorched; rocks shattered. Buildings hit exploded.

Everyone around Imperial Raikage A retreated.

The meeting hall began collapsing.

Seeing this, Imperial Gaara waved his hand, turning the ground into a sea of sand, supporting the crumbling structure.

Ōnoki looked grim. "Such astonishing chakra… this power might surpass even the Third Raikage, the strongest in history…"

"The Fourth Raikage from another world is this strong?" Mei marveled.

"Why's it come to this?" Ninja World Gaara felt frustrated.

The overwhelming aura made Ninja World Raikage's pupils contract sharply.

Kumogakure ninja felt their breathing hitch, hearts pounding.

"Open your eyes wide and watch! This is the A clan's secret technique! Lightning Chakra Mode! Combined with Lightning Breathing Style! Thunder God Body! Haaa…"

Imperial Raikage A exhaled, his breath turning into lightning, striking Ninja World Raikage's body, forcing him to slide back two meters.

"Truly… an extraordinary lightning taijutsu…" Ninja World Raikage's expression grew grave.

The other Kumogakure ninja, shocked, some stood before Ninja World Raikage. "Raikage-sama, retreat! This guy's strange!"

"Raikage-sama!"

"Silence!" Ninja World Raikage stood firm, shouting: "As Raikage, I have no reason to retreat! You think I'm no match for this impostor?"

The Kumogakure ninja fell silent.

Ninja World Tsunade massaged her throbbing temples. "Raikage-dono, you're going too far. Using such power, what if you harm Konoha's civilians?"

"Relax, I'll control my force, no Empire civilians will be harmed. Lariat!" Imperial Raikage A shouted one last time.

He appeared before Ninja World Raikage's chest, his elbow slamming hard into it.

*BOOM!*

A sonic shockwave erupted, the impact spreading.

The group and the sand-supported meeting hall were blasted out!

Flying back dozens of meters, they slowly rose from the ground.

They looked back at the former meeting hall.

It was now a barren wasteland.

Besides the Kage and Konoha's side still standing, most Kage escorts had vanished.

What shocked the Kumogakure ninja more was a long trench stretching hundreds of meters where Raikage once stood!

"Raikage-sama!" The Kumogakure ninja, alarmed, rushed to the trench's end, finding Raikage lying on the ground, tattered, skin torn, chest slightly caved, blood dripping from his mouth, looking frail.

"Raikage-sama!"

"That bastard dared injure Raikage-sama like this! We must avenge him!"

"Silence!" Ninja World Raikage clutched his chest, shouting: "You idiots, I don't need your revenge! With your meager strength, you'd just die pointlessly! Cough cough cough…"

As he spoke, others approached.

Seeing his state, the other ninja villages' people were shocked, never expecting the other world's Raikage A to defeat Ninja World Raikage with one strike—the gap was too vast.

"Feel the difference now, my counterpart? I'm here to make you face reality. Don't resist pointlessly. Opposing the Empire is futile; it'll only lead to Kumogakure's people dying in vain, understand?" Imperial Raikage A appeared before Ninja World Raikage, extending his large hand.

"Brother, you went too hard. I wanted to beat up my counterpart too, but seems impossible now." Killer B said sourly, regretful.

"Too bad… if my counterpart wasn't a Jinchūriki, not captured, I could've messed with him. Messing with myself would've been fun." Imperial Killer B said.

Ninja World Raikage took Imperial Raikage's hand, standing with his strength. "You're strong, stronger than me, but Kumogakure won't surrender so easily!"

"Seems I need to show an even greater gap. Just me alone isn't enough to make you understand? Or do you still hold hope? Gaara, Kisame, Deidara, haven't acted yet?" Imperial Raikage A turned to the three.

Imperial Gaara, hearing this, faced Ninja World Gaara. "Sunagakure people, attack together. I'll show you the power gap. Only then will you see how meaningless resistance is."

Ninja World Gaara's expression grew serious. Without a word, he raised both hands.

The sand gourd behind him turned into claws, striking Imperial Gaara.

Imperial Gaara raised one hand.

The ground beneath him turned to sand, forming a massive shield, blocking the sand claws.

*BOOM!*

The claws hit the shield, then Ninja World Gaara's sand was absorbed and enveloped.

The sand shield flew skyward, morphing into a hundred-meter-long sand dragon, glaring at all Sunagakure ninja!

"This!"

"Such sand control… can Kazekage-sama match it?"

"The other world's Kazekage is a monster among monsters…"

The Sunagakure ninja were terrified.

"Hah!"

Facing the massive sand dragon, Ninja World Gaara's expression grew more intense, but he didn't give up. He slammed both hands on the ground, trying to turn it into a desert to resist!

But then, something shocking happened.

No matter how he channeled chakra, the ground wouldn't budge!

Meanwhile, the sand dragon above descended!

Blocking out the sky, all Sunagakure ninja were plunged into darkness!

"Wind Release – Slicing Typhoon!"

Though puzzled why Gaara couldn't counter, seeing the sand dragon near, Temari drew her iron fan from her back, swinging it fiercely.