After undoing the Transformation Jutsu, the Hidden Rock Ninja reverted to their original form, revealing Ayane.
She sat down on a rocky hill, taking out the scroll she had stolen from the Third Raikage. According to Earth General's intel, it contained the treasure tool Amber Purifying Pot left behind by the Six Paths Sage.
Inside the Amber Purifying Pot was an enormous amount of ore that the Third Raikage and others had arduously gathered from within the Land of Earth, along with many precious chakra metals unique to the Land of Earth.
But those things, from now on, all belonged to her.
"However, that Raikage truly has tough skin. Even after taking a hit from my Divine Sky Strike, he was still lively and jumping about. Quite a remarkable fellow."
To this day, no ninja has ever taken her Divine Sky Strike head-on and not fallen.
The Gentle Fist of the Hyuga Clan targets the internal organs directly, using acupoints to block the enemy's chakra flow.
Even Ruri, when fighting her, often kept her distance, using large-scale Ninja Techniques to cover her attacks, not daring to make close contact casually.
Engaging in close combat with a ninja from the Hyuga Clan is extremely dangerous.
Especially her developed Gentle Fist—Divine Sky Strike, which possesses immense power and is particularly destructive to internal organs. Theoretically, anyone struck by Divine Sky Strike would immediately die from burst internal organs.
Yet that Third Raikage did not fall. Taking it head-on only made him spit blood, and Ayane could imagine that, although the Raikage's internal organs weren't as tough as his outer flesh, they were certainly of a superhuman level.
Nevertheless, taking that hit must have been extremely unpleasant.
As for escape, it was impossible. In such an encirclement, locked firmly by countless Perception Ninja, with more and more Hidden Rock Ninja converging, all intent on definitely killing the Third Raikage.
Even without her sudden intervention, defeat was only a matter of time. Her appearance and ambush only sped up the opponent's death, but the result would remain unchanged.
"How much longer can that Raikage hold on? I'm really looking forward to it. Let me take a nap here and then get up to see."
◎
The sun quickly set and then rose again into the sky.
Unknowingly, a day had passed.
The Hidden Rock Ninjas were all silent, staring at the body standing firmly in the field.
The Third Raikage.
His body was unharmed, without a single scar, and the blood at the corner of his mouth had dried in the wind.
He stood motionless, with chakra still shining like lightning, his pale yellow long hair waving in the dusty backdrop.
There was no breath left, and although faint electric light still flowed in his eyes, his gaze had become impossibly dim, confirming the fact that the Third Raikage was already a cold corpse.
Onoki descended from the sky, eyes landing on the Raikage's corpse, his expression slightly complex, followed by a sigh.
Seeing the Third Raikage A slain here, he couldn't help but feel a sense of empathy,
wondering if one day he might die the same way, with his body and dignity trampled by the enemy as well.
But… this is the price of being a ninja.
It's also a ninja's life.
As one of the Five Kage, he must bear the heavy realization.
On the battlefield, the weary cheers of many Hidden Rock Ninja could be heard.
They couldn't comprehend Onoki's thoughts, but they understood that with their own strength, they successfully defeated the Cloud's Raikage, a ninja with a legendary name among the Five Kage.
This achievement was enough to make them feel proud and honored.
"Let's take him back."
Onoki ordered two trusted Jonin to come up and lift the Third Raikage's body, heading back to the Hidden Rock Village.
◎
"Is it finally over?"
Seven or eight kilometers away on a rocky hill, Ayane witnessed the entire battle process. The process and outcome were so thrilling that she was somewhat at a loss for words.
The Hidden Rock's tactics this time were exceptionally impressive. Although the main participants in the encirclement action were Chunin, they united with their feeble power and, through a seamless Earth Style combined attack, successfully took down one of the Five Kage, the Raikage.
This included no element of luck. One can only say that the Hidden Rock's Earth Style combination techniques indeed had their merits.
Nevertheless, based on Ayane's observations, even using such outstanding Earth Style tactics in the battle with the Third Raikage, many Hidden Rock Ninja still made glorious sacrifices, with countless injured.
If not for her mid-way intervention, dealing the Raikage a Divine Sky Strike, the number of sacrifices among the Hidden Rock Ninja might have been even greater.
"Lightning Style restrains Earth Style, but Earth Style can limit the performance of Lightning Style Ninja by transforming the battle environment... Who actually restrains whom is really hard to say. It truly was a splendid battle."
Ayane expressed such an exclamation, genuinely praising the battle she witnessed.
The Raikage's fierce offense and defense with Lightning Style Nin-Taijutsu, the Hidden Rock Ninja's Earth Style tactics cooperation, were all top-notch in their respective fields.
The fights from both sides opened Ayane's eyes wide.
With the battle over, the Hidden Rock Ninja began to retreat, and Ayane staying to watch held no further meaning.
"Alright, now I can focus on chasing down rats. The work of a rat-catcher is truly troublesome."
The matter of the Third Raikage was just a minor episode for Ayane.
Ninja battles occur every day, and even the Five Kage have high risks of sacrifice on the battlefield.
The Second Hokage of Konoha, the Second Tsuchikage of the Hidden Rock Village, the Second Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village, including the Second Raikage of the Cloud, all perished on the battlefield.