Chapter 303: Encirclement and Slaughter of the Third Raikage
"Sayun-kun, did you encounter the Scorch Release user from the Sand, Pakura ?"
Orochimaru's gaze passed over Jiraiya and landed on the Lightning Clone - Sakumo , asking with curiosity.
Earlier, when the two had split up to offer support on different fronts, Orochimaru hadn't encountered Pakura 's Scorch Release attacks on his end—meaning Sayun had likely faced her instead.
That woman's power was terrifying.
Orochimaru had fought her before. Her horrifying high-temperature, compressed heat rays had pierced right through his Wood Release.
He had only withdrawn after a few brief exchanges due to a lack of chakra.
In terms of strength, before acquiring Wood Release, without using summoned beasts for support, he might not have even been her match.
If Sayun had encountered her, with his speed and current strength, eliminating her shouldn't have been difficult.
If that woman were dead, Konoha would gain the upper hand in this battlefield for good.
"I did run into her. We fought," Lightning Clone - Sakumo nodded.
"How did it go?" Orochimaru's eyes lit up as he asked.
The Lightning Clone - Sakumo pulled back the collar at his neck, revealing burn-scarred and wrinkled skin on his shoulder. He shook his head with a wry smile. "Her Scorch Release was strong. She's developed a taijutsu technique where her entire body turns red, like she's cast in molten magma. Her speed surpassed even mine. At the end, she hit me with a large-scale attack not inferior to a Tailed Beast Bomb—it wounded me."
"If you ever face that woman, be extremely cautious of her wide-area attack—it's really powerful," he added with a hint of lingering fear. "If my reflexes hadn't been fast enough, I wouldn't have made it back."
"Pakura from the Sand is that strong?" Orochimaru frowned slightly. He hadn't expected that woman to be so powerful—that even someone like Sayun, with his terrifying Gray Lightning Release, could be hurt by her. With a sigh, he said, "It seems we'll be clashing with her again in the future."
"The Sand has really produced a lot of strong shinobi in this generation!" Jiraiya added in awe from the side.
Besides Sasori of the Red Sand and Scorch Release Pakura , even Rasa, who was fighting on the front against Iwagakure, had made a name for himself with his Gold Dust Magnet Release. Jiraiya had heard the stories.
It clearly showed the Sand Village had birthed many elite shinobi in this generation.
Fortunately, Jiraiya was now here to help.
The three chatted for a while longer about the next stage of the war, and then Lightning Clone - Sakumo took his leave, returning to his tent.
"If Iwa is trying to negotiate peace and Jiraiya came here, they must be planning something big."
Thinking about the reason for Jiraiya's arrival, Lightning Clone - Sakumo had a hunch and immediately passed the information to the Earth Release Clone - Shiyan.
Even though Li Yao's clones were mentally linked, they didn't constantly monitor one another—that would be too mentally taxing.
So, special signals were used to pass important intel.
In Iwagakure, after receiving the Lightning Clone's information, the Earth Release Clone - Shiyan had his own suspicions.
Eastern Land of Earth, with the sun high overhead.
It was midday, and both Shiyan and Haitu flew high above, heading toward the battlefield between Iwagakure and Kumogakure.
Before setting out, the elders had warned them that the Third Tsuchikage was trying to find a way to eliminate the Third Raikage.
Now, coupled with the intel from Lightning Clone - Sakumo , it was highly likely that the battle mentioned in the original story—where twenty thousand shinobi were used to exhaust the Third Raikage to death—was currently underway.
This explained why Iwagakure wanted to negotiate with Konoha and reallocate forces.
"We need to hurry!"
Shiyan quickened his pace. The Third Raikage couldn't be allowed to be worn down to death.
Whether for revenge or to build prestige and claim the title of Fourth Tsuchikage, he needed to personally kill the Third Raikage.
The Wind Release Clone was also already en route to the battlefield between Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
Of the five Kage who once surrounded and hunted Li Yao, he had already personally killed two. The Third Hokage was being saved for last. The Third Raikage and Third Tsuchikage—now was their time to die.
…
Boom boom boom!
Rumble…!
On a flat plain surrounded on three sides by mountains in eastern Land of Earth, twenty thousand Iwagakure shinobi were relentlessly attacking a single man.
Zzzzzzz… The man under siege was cloaked in Lightning Release chakra armor—it was the Third Raikage himself.
"Water Release – Glue Platform!"
"Earth Release – Yellow Swamp Technique!"
"Wind Release – Wind Blade!"
Across the plain, Iwagakure shinobi launched sticky and swamp-based jutsu to restrict the Third Raikage's incredible speed—but he was far too fast. With a blink, he'd escape the affected zones.
Zzz!
A sharp lightning-infused finger pierced straight through a mid-ranking Iwa ninja's skull—insta-kill.
Clang!
Crunch!
A kunai shattered against the Raikage's armor. Before the attacker could react, the Third Raikage whirled and kicked him in the chest—snapping his ribs and driving them into his organs, killing him instantly.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The Third Raikage blitzed through the dense Iwa ranks like living lightning, cutting down shinobi left and right.
But the number of Iwa shinobi was too great. Many attacks still landed on him, though his armor held strong.
"Ōnoki, are you really just going to watch your comrades die like this!?"
Even as he fought, the Third Raikage glared skyward at Ōnoki hovering above, trying to provoke him into a duel. Only then could he find a chance to break through and escape.
But Ōnoki didn't budge. Hands pressed together in constant readiness to unleash Dust Release, his cold gaze stayed fixed on the Raikage as he kept slaying Iwa shinobi.
His mission was to prevent the Third Raikage from flying.
If the Raikage dared to take to the air, Ōnoki would fire a large-scale Dust Release to kill him on the spot.
This was the trap they had painstakingly set to kill the Third Raikage—Ōnoki wouldn't waste the opportunity by engaging him directly.
Even if it meant losing countless shinobi, as long as the Third Raikage died, it would be worth it.
"Damn fox…"
The Third Raikage's eyes darkened as he cursed under his breath, then charged in a new direction.
"Lava Release – Rubber Rock Wall!"
"Lava Release…"
"Lava Release…"
Three rubbery stone walls rose in succession, halting the Raikage's advance.
Without giving him a chance to gain speed, an entire squad launched massive Water Release jutsu, flooding the plain to entangle him further.
"Damn it… Black Lightning!"
The Third Raikage erupted with a massive burst of Black Lightning, instantly clearing a 50-meter radius around him of Iwa shinobi.
But it wasn't enough. In the distance, a hundred Iwa shinobi united to unleash Earth Release – Seismic Core Technique.
RUMBLE!
The entire valley plain suddenly sank a hundred meters into the earth.
From within the valley, wave after wave of Iwa shinobi charged at the Third Raikage.
Outside the valley, more stood ready to suppress any attempt he made to climb out.
But this was still the Third Raikage.
He forced his way up the vertical cliff walls and engaged Iwa forces in close-quarters combat on the ninety-degree rock face.
Before long, the siege had dragged on for two hours.
The battlefield had moved outside the valley.
Over five hundred Iwa shinobi were dead, including a number of jōnin. Most casualties were chūnin and genin.
But the Third Raikage remained entangled by Iwa's forces, unable to escape.
Ōnoki still hovered coldly above, watching it all.
(END CHAPTER)
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