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Chapter 122: A and B
"Oi, old man Burai."
Garp hopped off Burai's neck and plopped down on a nearby rock, gasping for air.
Even though he'd won, this nine-year-old body had reached its limit.
Every muscle was screaming, especially his calf, which had taken the brunt of that Lightning Armor kick. It was now trembling uncontrollably.
"You're a man of your word, right?"
Garp grinned, flashing a mouthful of pearly white teeth. His smile carried an undeniable wildness that was impossible to ignore.
"From now on, this old... from now on, stay out of my business, no matter what I do."
Burai slowly sat up, rubbing his sore neck.
He looked at the brat in front of him, barely as tall as his thigh, with an incredibly complex expression.
If this were the past, he would have slapped the kid silly and cursed him for not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.
But now, staring into Garp's wild eyes, Burai swallowed the curse words right on the tip of his tongue.
"Damn brat..."
Burai exhaled a turbid breath that tasted of iron and awkwardly propped up his upper body.
"You win."
Those two simple words seemed to drain all his strength, yet also felt like the lifting of a heavy burden.
Garp laughed heartily and tried to stand up to celebrate, but his legs gave way, and he nearly face-planted.
"Tch, this body is still too weak."
Garp slapped his thigh in dissatisfaction. "Back in the day, a warm-up like this wouldn't even make me break a sweat."
Burai's eye twitched.
Warm-up?
Knocking a Jonin to the ground is a warm-up?
Where on earth did this kid pick up this strange way of talking?
.....
Meanwhile.
On a cliff five hundred meters away from the training field.
Two towering figures stood amidst the wind and rain. The gale howled around them, snapping their cloaks loudly, yet they stood immovable.
The man in the lead was built like a black iron tower.
His dark skin was covered in various jagged scars—medals from countless battles.
Just by standing there, the air around him seemed to thicken and grow heavy, as if even lightning had to bow before him.
The pillar of the Hidden Cloud.
The man known as the "Strongest Spear" and the "Strongest Shield."
The Third Raikage A.
Half a step behind him stood an equally muscular young man.
Although he lacked the heavy, accumulated pressure of the Third Raikage, the sharpness radiating from his entire body was like a freshly unsheathed blade, its edge fully exposed.
This was the Third Raikage's son, and the heir upon whom high hopes were placed—A.
At this moment, both of their gazes were locked tightly onto the training field below.
They had witnessed the entire unbelievable father-son duel.
"What do you think, A?"
The Third Raikage's voice was low and resonant, like muffled thunder rolling through the clouds.
A stood with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed deep in thought.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he replayed Garp's final shoulder throw in his mind.
That movement...
"He's strong," A said in a low voice, his tone devoid of any dismissiveness.
"It's not just a matter of talent. That kid's combat intuition... is simply absurd."
"Although Burai suppressed his chakra, he's still a Jonin with vast combat experience. For Raito to break his moves purely on physical reaction and technique without any chakra assistance..."
A paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"If it were a life-or-death fight, Burai could have killed Raito in an instant just by releasing his chakra limits. But under equal rules, Raito's taijutsu proficiency is even more terrifying than that of many Chunin."
The Third Raikage nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth curving into a meaningful arc.
"You got one thing wrong."
A was taken aback. "What?"
"That wasn't intuition."
The Third Raikage turned, his large, copper-bell-like eyes fixing on his son.
"It was instinct."
"In that moment just now, Burai hesitated because that was his son. But that brat Raito didn't. He seized that split-second opening and launched a fatal strike without a shred of hesitation."
"On the battlefield, that kind of calmness and decisiveness is more important than any ninjutsu."
The Third Raikage took a deep breath, his gaze burning.
"That brat is a natural-born war machine. Given enough time to grow, once he masters chakra and ninjutsu..."
"He will become the Hidden Cloud's sharpest blade, one that will pierce the throats of the Five Great Nations!"
A fell silent.
Looking down at the small figure bargaining with Burai, a strange surge of fighting spirit rose within him.
Only nine years old.
What was I doing at nine?
Although I showed exceptional talent, I definitely couldn't toy with a Jonin like that kid just did.
"Pops."
A suddenly spoke, his voice a bit dry.
"Do you want him to be my 'B'?"
In the Hidden Cloud, the Raikage and his partner were known as "A" and "B."
A and B were not just brothers, but the perfect combination on the battlefield.
The Double Lariat.
It was a terrifying killing move that could only be executed when two people's coordination reached the ultimate level.
The Third Raikage didn't deny it; he simply looked at A quietly.
"You saw his talent. The Yotsuki bloodline, the astonishing combat instinct... if cultivated properly, he might be able to keep up with your speed."
"Maybe even..."
The Third Raikage didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.
Maybe even surpass you.
A was silent for a moment, then shook his head.
His gaze became firm again, unshakeable as a rock.
"No."
"He's strong. Maybe in the future, he'll be stronger than me. But he's not suitable to be my 'B'."
The Third Raikage raised an eyebrow. "Oh? The reason?"
"Because of his eyes."
A pointed at Garp below.
"That's not the look of someone willing to be a supporter. That guy only has himself and the fight in his eyes. He's a lone wolf, a lion that can't be tamed."
"My 'B' requires absolute synchronization, the kind of trust where you can entrust your back to the other person."
In A's mind, the image of a certain kid appeared—one who always wore sunglasses and hummed weird raps.
Even though that guy looked unreliable, and even though he was a Jinchuriki.
A felt a true resonance with that rapping idiot.
"I've already found my 'B'."
A raised his head, looking straight into his father's eyes, his voice powerful and resounding.
"Killer Bee. Only he can match my Double Lariat."
The wind and rain grew stronger.
The Third Raikage looked at his son, who was now capable of standing on his own. After a long while, he suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
"Bwahahahaha!!"
The laughter was like thunder, shattering the curtain of rain filling the sky.
"Good! Very good!"
The Third Raikage slapped A on the shoulder with enough force to crush rock.
"Since he's the one you've chosen, then walk that path with conviction!"
"As the Raikage, if you can't even trust your own judgment, how can you lead the village!"
A stumbled slightly from the slap, but a smile appeared on his face as well.
"However..."
The Third Raikage changed the subject, his gaze turning once again to the training field in the distance.
"Even if he can't be your 'B', this rough diamond can't be wasted."
"Yotsuki Raito..."
The Third Raikage muttered the name, ambition burning in his eyes like a flame.
The current situation in the ninja world was volatile.
The Land of Fire stood dominant. The Hidden Leaf produced heroes in droves, its foundations remaining unfathomably deep, with geniuses like "Konoha's White Fang" Hatake Sakumo rising to prominence.
That stubborn old mule Onoki from the Hidden Stone in the Land of Earth still held his ground thanks to his Particle Style.
As for their Hidden Cloud in the Land of Lightning, although their people were fierce, they always fell just a breath short in terms of top-tier combat power.
But now, things were different.
"A, you, Killer Bee, and now this Raito."
The Third Raikage clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking loudly.
"When your generation fully matures..."
"The Hidden Cloud will become the strongest existence among the Five Great Ninja Villages!"
"The Leaf's Will of Fire? The Stone's Will of Stone? In the face of absolute power, they will all be crushed!"
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