---
High above the Hidden Cloud Village, Naruto Uzumaki hovered in mid-air, suspended effortlessly with a calm yet oppressive aura surrounding him.
Inside the Raikage's office, the Fourth Raikage, A, had just been informed by C that Naruto might be arriving. His reaction was a mix of fury and anxiety—he truly hadn't expected that Naruto would actually show up.
With a sharp movement, A vaulted over the sofa behind him, smashed through the glass window with a thunderous crash, and leapt out. C followed him immediately. Darui, after a moment's hesitation, thought, Screw the stairs for once. Time to go all out.
Omoi, Darui, and Samui all leapt after them without a second thought.
Back in the office, Mabui looked at the shattered glass and sighed, shaking her head. She turned to a ninja standing behind her and said, "Tell the logistics department to send over a new marble table and replacement for the window glass."
With a series of swift shunshin movements, Raikage A appeared in the center of the village in a flash. The moment he looked up, he spotted Naruto floating calmly in the air—and for a moment, his heart skipped a beat.
C caught up, his eyes widening at Naruto's stance in the sky. "Lord Raikage… That move…!"
Darui's hand went straight to his massive cleaver of a sword. "Is he going to use that technique?"
Meanwhile, Tutai had already led a group of Kumogakure shinobi to the area and conducted a preliminary test attack. Lightning surged up toward Naruto in the air, but he simply evaded or absorbed it, making no effort to retaliate.
Tutai reported back quickly, "Lord Raikage, the person in question is Naruto Uzumaki from Konohagakure. So far, he has not launched any offensive action against our village."
Naruto glanced at Tutai with a faint smile. "Uncle Tutai, no introduction is necessary. The Raikage knows me well."
Omoi drew his sword and shouted, "Naruto! You bastard, give me back my master!"
Darui hissed, stepping in. "Cool it. Didn't you hear C? Naruto is not someone to mess with lightly."
Omoi snapped, punching Darui in frustration. "Coward! Get out of my way!"
Samui scowled. "Stop the bickering. Follow Lord Raikage's lead and be ready to act on his command."
The Fourth Raikage locked eyes with Naruto. "Naruto… where is my brother?"
"He's with me," Naruto replied flatly. "Helping me with something important. What of it?"
A gritted his teeth. "I have one demand: return my brother. If you do, Kumogakure and Konohagakure can continue to work together. I'll overlook everything—even your rogue comrade, Uchiha Sasuke!"
Naruto's gaze sharpened. "Your brother came with me of his own free will. It was his decision—one made for Kumogakure's future, and yours. You lack the foresight to see what's coming. But I won't blame you for that."
He paused, then added coldly, "But your diplomatic message to Konoha offended me."
As he spoke, a terrifying pressure exploded from Naruto's body. The Heaven's Majesty—the aura of a true Sage—flared around him. Even the lightning strikes aimed at him were blown back by the sheer force of his chakra.
The shinobi of Kumogakure were struck speechless.
"What insane chakra is this?!"
"This pressure—it's even worse than when Lord Killer Bee goes all out!"
"This is the power of Konoha's Jinchūriki!"
"No… this is the Rinnegan's power! He hasn't even drawn on the Nine-Tails yet!"
"What?!"
---
Kumogakure, the dominant military power after the Third Great Ninja War, had long prided itself on strength and strategic superiority. The number of elite jōnin and chūnin gathered in the village today reflected its robust backbone.
In the past, even Konoha had compromised under Kumogakure's pressure—resulting in the sacrifice of Hyūga Hizashi.
But today, for the first time, the shinobi of the Hidden Cloud felt oppression. Not just tension, but actual dread—pure, overwhelming pressure radiating from one individual.
Tutai stared at Naruto, overwhelmed. He'd heard the stories—tales of the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki—but nothing had prepared him for the raw, terrifying truth of Naruto's presence. He turned to the village's last pillar of strength: the Raikage.
With Killer Bee gone, the village's highest combat power now rested solely on Raikage A.
C had already told the Raikage the reason for Naruto's arrival, so A shouted out in challenge:
"You were the one who provoked me—taking my brother! So I responded with diplomatic force. I know how powerful you are, Naruto. You could wipe out my entire village in a flash, but listen well: if you so much as lay a hand on the Hidden Cloud, I'll take my army to Konoha tomorrow and burn it to the ground!"
The Raikage's fiery declaration instantly reignited the morale of the Kumogakure shinobi, who had been nearly paralyzed by Naruto's oppressive aura.
"We'll defend the village to the death!"
"For Lord Raikage!"
"Long live the Raikage!"
"Those who dare attack us—will be annihilated!"
---
Raikage A stood tall, his fighting spirit restored by the chorus of loyalty from his village. He locked eyes with Naruto, who smiled faintly.
"You've always been bold, Raikage A."
For a brief moment, A saw an image of the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—in Naruto's expression. That same maddeningly calm, golden-haired look.
"Come down and fight me if you have the guts," A challenged, clenching his fists. "Don't rely on your Rinnegan! You're using the eyes of a Sage—how can you be proud of that? Prove yourself! If you can beat me without those powers, then I'll acknowledge you!"
Naruto chuckled. "You like close combat, don't you? So do I. Let's see which one is stronger—my Nine-Tails-enhanced taijutsu, or your Lightning Release: Armor!"
He slowly descended from the sky.
A stared up at him. "So you're really going to fight me in hand-to-hand combat?"
Naruto smiled. "You said it yourself. And if I win, I want your word that you'll listen to what I have to say."
A laughed heartily, thumping his chest. "Fine! I, the Raikage of Kumogakure, swear—if you don't use the Rinnegan and you defeat me fair and square, then I'll agree to your terms, as long as they don't endanger the village."
Naruto nodded seriously. "It's a deal?"
A: "My word is iron."
He turned to Tutai. "Shut down the village's defensive barrier. I want an open field for this battle!"
Tutai was stunned. "But, Lord Raikage! What if someone infiltrates the village while you're fighting—?"
"Just do it!" A roared. "Enough with the chatter!"
Turning back to Naruto, he scowled. "He doesn't even need to be so flashy. If he did use the Rinnegan, Kumogakure would already be reduced to rubble. No defense could stop him. Konoha isn't just strong anymore… they're monsters."
Tutai stared at Naruto with awe. This kid… this monster… he's only sixteen?!
Even the Raikage had no real solution for dealing with him.
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