____________
Kumogakure.
Amid towering mountains, where clouds coiled around blue buildings—this was Kumogakure.
At this time, a few years before the Third Great Ninja War, the Hidden Cloud Village was at the peak of its military supremacy under the leadership of the Third Raikage, publicly known as "The Strongest Shield."
Suddenly, without any warning, the summit of the largest mountain trembled. This was no natural earthquake—it was a heavy presence that made even the village's thunder lose its dignity. In the grand training field, Rob stood.
This time, it was not a clone. It was the real Rob, with red hair and eyes filled with an unprecedented excitement.
He was wearing different clothes than usual—not a formal suit this time, but a shinobi outfit that longed for the battlefield.
His presence was quickly noticed by hundreds of elite shinobi, wearing gray flak jackets and white protectors, all gathered in this place.
"Uzumaki Rubiro… You've finally come!"
The voice roared like a lion. The Third Raikage (A) stepped out from his towering blue office. He was a giant with dark skin, granite-like muscles, and a lightning tattoo shining on his shoulder.
Behind him stood his son (young A) with sharp features, the advisor Dodai, and the teenager Killer B, who was curiously playing with the hilts of his swords.
"As expected, you dared to enter the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Did you come with your real body?"
The Raikage said as he advanced, lightning beginning to dance around his body.
"It seems you are very well-informed, Lord Raikage," Rob said with a smile.
"Well-informed? You've been roaming the other four villages for months. Did you think Kumogakure wouldn't know about you? We've been preparing to welcome you for a long time."
The Third Raikage said with a smile. His long blond hair swayed over his shoulders as he stepped forward, stopping right in front of Rob and looking down at him coldly.
With a body over two meters tall, he stood more than a head taller than Rob.
"Did you come to hand over the secrets of the Uzumaki and the Kyuubi that you draw? Or did you come to die above the clouds?"
The Third Raikage said coldly.
Rob smiled and raised his hand, which began to radiate absolute cold.
"I came to test the truth of the 'Strongest Shield.' I was told your body cannot be scratched… let's see if it can withstand my ice."
That was true. This time, Rob didn't come only to open the final, Major Art Store—he came to test his limits, to break out of his stagnation, and to feel the thrill of battle!
He had grown a little tired of drawing manga, publishing it, and collecting Art Coins. That sense of routine had become somewhat boring.
He wanted to create a challenge for himself…
Before opening the fifth store, he would fight!
This was how he would open his fifth store.
"Heh, you want to fight me? I thought you were a peaceful merchant."
The Third Raikage crossed his arms together as he spoke, but the lightning surrounding him revealed his own desire for battle.
He hadn't gathered his military forces atop the clouds for nothing. Since news of the Art Store, the Naruto manga, and Uzumaki Rubiro began to spread, Kumogakure had picked it up almost immediately.
The fact that Uzumaki Rubiro was a rogue shinobi from Konoha with near-Kage-level strength was already well known.
Even more concerning was the Art Store—the immovable metal fortress. Once it appeared in a village, it practically meant the end. So far, none of the other four villages had been able to uproot the Art Store from their territory, and they had completely surrendered to the cognitive poison that was gnawing at their cultures!
That was right. The Third Raikage and his aides had already read all available volumes of the Naruto manga, which were spreading rapidly through the shinobi world and enjoying massive popularity!
Even without the Art Store in their village, Naruto manga already had some fame among the Cloud shinobi.
"I am indeed a peaceful merchant, but there's no harm in getting some physical warm-up…"
Rob replied with a gentle smile.
"I'll give you a fight that satisfies you, but you must not open your store here. If you survive my fists, you will leave obediently. Otherwise, I will use Kumogakure's military force to keep you here forever."
The Third Raikage pointed to the hundreds of shinobi behind him who were wiping their weapons and preparing for battle. Among them were his son—the next Raikage—and the 14-year-old Killer B, the infamous Eight-Tails Jinchuriki!
"That's fine. You can use your military force, too. I don't mind."
Rob replied coldly this time, as the aura around him changed.
He had realized that the Third Raikage before him was strong—very strong! Far stronger than Hiruzen, Shazan, Mizuro, and even Onoki!
Boom!
The Third Raikage activated Lightning Chakra Mode. He turned into a blue streak, flashing in a fraction of a second. Rob did not retreat; he activated the power of the Hie Hie no Mi.
"Ice Saber!"
A sword of solid ice formed in Rob's hand and collided with the Raikage's strike.
Boom!
A shockwave exploded, shattering the solid rocky ground of the arena. The Third Raikage was not surprised—instead, he intensified his lightning, using the Four-Finger Thrust.
The battle was so fast that ordinary shinobi saw nothing but a blue flash colliding with cold mist.
'This… is a real battle!'
Rob felt excitement for the first time—the feeling of your bones shaking under the pressure of legendary power.
Rob used raw ice abilities, without true mastery, launching sharp ice spears from the air.
But the Raikage passed through them with his body as if they were water spray. His body truly was the "Strongest Shield."
"An Ice Release Kekkei Genkai? Interesting. How does an Uzumaki possess this ability? Aren't you known for your powerful sealing techniques?"
The Third Raikage asked curiously.
After minutes of intense fighting, Rob began to feel his human limits. The Third Raikage was a tireless monster, and his lightning chakra was slowly breaking through Rob's ice. A cutting wound appeared on Rob's shoulder, and red blood dyed the white ice.
"You're skilled, boy… but lightning melts everything!" the Raikage shouted, reducing his fingers to a single one. "The Strongest Spear: Hellstab!"
"Strange… why isn't he slowing down?"
Rob felt shocked. He had been releasing his terrifying freezing power the entire time—by all logic, the Raikage should have turned into an ice statue long ago!
"Are you confused? Heh… your ice abilities are truly amazing, but you seem like a beginner in using them… far too superficial. I haven't even wasted any chakra to resist frostbite."
The Raikage mocked as he moved at extreme speed.
'Truly terrifying…'
Rob felt death brushing against his skin. The Raikage's killing intent alone was enough to paralyze any shinobi. And at that moment, when the lightning-covered finger was about to pierce his chest… time stopped in Rob's consciousness.
"Ice Age!"
Rob spoke the words, and the ground around him turned into an icy hell! Ice erupted in all directions!
A shocking scene occurred—the Third Raikage stood frozen in midair, and behind him, the shinobi who were preparing to intervene were completely frozen into ice statues.
But in the next moment, the ice began to crack and shatter around the Third Raikage.
Crack!
He quickly broke free and retreated.
He looked at the frozen statues behind him—his son A, his adopted son Killer B, Dodai, and the elite shinobi of the village.
"Use chakra bursts to escape the freezing state."
The Third Raikage said as he refocused on Rob.
"Intruder… you are strong, but you will die here today."
The Third Raikage stared coldly at Rob as he said that.
"You may consider me an intruder now, but believe me, I won't be in the near future."
Rob said, breathing heavily. Fighting the Third Raikage was truly forcing him to understand his limits.
Simply put, right now, he was far weaker than the Third Raikage. Even with the Ice Devil Fruit ability, and even if he used his other power of paper manipulation, he would still be unable to fight on equal footing with the Third Raikage, who looked like a monster in human form!
Since the battle began, he hadn't even made him sweat.
"Truly, the Strongest Shield… a title not given for nothing…"
Before Rob could finish his words, he saw a lightning-covered finger growing larger in his vision.
Instinctively, he formed an ice wall around his head for protection—but the finger pierced through the ice wall effortlessly.
Rob reflexively protected his head with his arms, but the finger pierced straight through his right arm.
Bones were shattered, and blood splattered across the brown face of the Raikage.
His expression was cold and merciless as he watched Rob's right hand dangle—completely out of commission.
This was the first real injury Rob had ever suffered.
____________
Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
____________
Chapter 98: Summoning the Strongest Marine Soldier!
Chapter 99: Subjugation! Art Store — Kumogakure!
Chapter 100: Withdrawal! The Beginning of Volume Four.
Chapter 101: What Seals Cannot Hide
____________
BlackStar_BH:
The chapters currently available on Patreon are up to Chapter 125.
There are 30 advanced chapters available now:
5 chapters in the Silver tier ($5 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Gold tier ($10 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Platinum tier ($15 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Diamond tier ($20 subscription), and 10 more chapters in the Emperor tier ($30 subscription)
On Patreon and Ko-fi, too.
In the coming days, chapters will be made available for all tiers, reaching up to 50 advanced chapters… Enjoy!
____________
✨ Small Support Request
A friend of mine recently started his very first novel on Webnovel, and I truly know how difficult the beginning can be for new authors.
If you have some free time, please consider checking out his novel Rewriting The Fate Of Demon Slayer and leaving even a small comment; it would mean a lot to him.
Your support helps build a real and supportive author community ❤️