The Fourth Raikage was gravely wounded.
That single strike—Uchiha Yuan's so-called "Heaven Breaker"—had done more than pierce a hole through his chest; it had damaged his heart and lungs as well.
Right now, he was standing only through sheer willpower. To conserve chakra, he had not re-entered his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, instead channeling what little chakra he could gather solely into his right arm to perform Lightning Release: Horizontal Thunder Slash.
In a blur of motion, the Raikage appeared before Uchiha Yuan again. His massive frame loomed like a mountain, radiating crushing pressure.
In the next instant, lightning traced a deadly arc through the air—his hand, shaped like a blade, cutting downward at terrifying speed.
Uchiha Yuan twisted aside, dodging the vertical slash, only for the lightning to whip horizontally toward him an instant later.
Within a heartbeat, blinding streaks of thunderlight filled the space around him, hemming him in completely. His figure flickered and shifted within the storm of blades, forced to evade within mere inches.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out as Uchiha Yuan was sent hurtling backward like a cannonball.
In that brief exchange, he had narrowly dodged four lightning-fast slashes, but his movement faltered for just an instant—and the Raikage's knee struck like a battering ram, slamming into him with devastating force.
Uchiha Yuan's body twisted mid-air, thrown violently backward—only to see the Raikage already upon him again.
"Lightning Release: Thunderclap Bomb!"
The Raikage roared, reaching out with one massive hand wreathed in lightning.
Feeling countless electric currents locking onto him, Uchiha Yuan crossed his arms and slashed upward in an X-shaped strike.
Boom!
The air convulsed with a violent shockwave. Both figures were blasted apart, each slamming back down to the ground.
When Uchiha Yuan landed, the earth beneath his feet cracked apart, collapsing into a wide crater several meters across.
"Pffft!"
Blood spurted from his lips. Even as he staggered, his hands darted behind his waist, drawing two kunai in a single fluid motion. One intercepted a streak of incoming black light—while the other shot forward like lightning.
Clang!
The impact rang sharp and metallic. Chijō tumbled backward, flipping once in midair before landing dozens of meters away.
The armor on his shoulder was split, a long gash bleeding freely beneath it.
Chijō's face darkened. This brat's reaction speed—he's still moving like that even after all those injuries?!
Uchiha Yuan glanced his way, and the killing intent in his eyes sent a chill straight down Chijō's spine.
Then—swish!—a kunai came flying straight at him.
He leapt aside instinctively, barely dodging—only for his senses to scream a warning. A second streak of black light flashed into view.
Uchiha Yuan had anticipated his dodge—the second kunai followed the first in perfect timing, faster, sharper, impossible to evade.
Thud!
Chijō hit the ground hard. A kunai was buried deep in the left side of his chest.
Careless… what speed…!
His thoughts blurred as pain spread through him. At the last moment, he had twisted his body, saving his heart by a hair's breadth.
Meanwhile, the Fourth Raikage's boots gouged two long trenches across the ground, more than thirty meters in length. He panted heavily, his chest marked by two dark, burned lines forming an "X."
Was that… Fire Release taijutsu?
He hadn't expected Uchiha Yuan not only to break free of his lightning lock-on, but to counter with a Fire-style technique of such intensity.
He had no time to ponder further.
Because Uchiha Yuan was already coming for him.
The air pressure howled like a storm of blades as the young Uchiha closed the distance. The Raikage's gaze sharpened—then Uchiha Yuan's fist came crashing toward him.
He answered in kind, his own punch striking forward with crushing force. But the instant their fists were about to collide, Uchiha Yuan's form vanished.
The Raikage's eyes widened. His body reacted before his mind did—he swung a fist backward.
At the same moment, Uchiha Yuan's figure appeared behind him.
A roar like thunder tore through the air—a dragon's cry that shook the ground.
Uchiha Yuan drove his fist forward, and behind him a golden dragon phantom surged upward, spiraling as it struck.
Rising Dragon Strike!
Their fists met.
A massive shockwave erupted, the air itself twisting and exploding outward in wave after wave of violent pressure.
The Fourth Raikage was blasted away, crashing to the ground nearly a hundred meters distant. He lay flat on his back, his right arm dripping blood, the flesh split open in jagged, bleeding cracks.
Tap.
A single footstep echoed. The Raikage looked up and saw Uchiha Yuan descending from above, slowly walking toward him.
What is this chakra…?
The Raikage's expression changed subtly.
Uchiha Yuan's entire body was covered in fine cracks, blood seeping from them like from shattered porcelain. Beneath his skin, threads of radiant light flickered like flowing fire, faintly illuminating the intricate web of his veins.
He planted his foot firmly on the Raikage's face, grinding down mercilessly. "Heh… worthy of the title Raikage—you actually forced me this far."
The Raikage let out a raspy laugh, blood at the corner of his mouth. "Hahaha… Uchiha Yuan… your condition's worse than mine. Your body's as fragile as paper now. It's only your chakra keeping you on your feet."
Uchiha Yuan sneered. "And you—right now you're nothing but meat under my boot."
A flash of cold light passed through the Raikage's eyes. "Hmph. You may have driven me this far, Uchiha Yuan—but in the end, victory will be mine."
Lightning Release: Twin Black Panther Fang!
From his sides, two massive panthers formed from black lightning appeared, lunging at Uchiha Yuan from both directions.
His expression shifted. He leapt upward, slicing one panther apart with a blade-hand strike—but the second pounced from below, crashing into him.
Crack!
Thunder roared as black lightning exploded outward.
Uchiha Yuan's body smoked as he hit the ground hard. He struggled back to his feet—just in time to see Kurojō lifting the wounded Raikage by the arm.
More sounds of movement filled the air.
One after another, more Cloud ninja landed around their leader. Chijō, supported by another shinobi, limped into view as well.
One of the Cloud nin, his face twisted in fury, shouted, "You bastard! How dare you lay a foot on Lord Raikage's face?!"
They had seen it—the sight of Uchiha Yuan trampling their leader's head burned into their minds. Each of them was seething, ready to tear him apart.
Kurojō turned to the Raikage. "Lord Raikage—what are your orders?"
The Raikage spat blood and spoke coldly, "Kill him."
At that moment, across the battlefield, the Cloud had seized complete control. Only a handful of Konoha shinobi remained, surrounded and still fighting desperately in the distance.
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