If Takeshi had been facing the Third Raikage instead of Ay, he would have simply gathered his people and fled, running for a while before launching a Rasenshuriken from a safe distance.
The Third Raikage was too unyielding.
His defense was formidable, and his offense was devastatingly powerful. Facing someone like that left virtually no room for error, while he could just charge through everything recklessly.
Ay was much easier to handle. Takeshi exchanged a few more blows with him, and Ay became agitated, though his attacks grew less fierce, mostly because his body was aching from the earlier hits and he was running low on energy.
"Ay-sama, Konoha's reinforcements are increasing."
"Damn it, where are those Kiri bastards? Haven't they launched an attack? How could they let so many people get here?" Ay roared furiously.
His subordinates had no answer.
Those Kiri ninja would just hit and run, never daring to engage in a proper fight. They were good at causing trouble, but expecting them to accomplish anything meaningful was a pipe dream.
A single Byakugan user was enough to keep them completely suppressed.
Ay truly wanted to rescue his brother, but seeing Bee, bound by ice, being brought to Minato's side and having three or four seals placed on him, just like they had done with Yugito before, he made a decision. "We..."
"Cat, you're reaching your limit too, aren't you?"
Just then, a figure approached from the rear. The Third Raikage had arrived.
His right hand was heavily bandaged, while the rest of him appeared relatively unharmed. It seemed the injury wouldn't prevent him from fighting.
Instantly, the two sides separated, the Third Raikage standing between them, and the battlefield fell silent.
"Let's talk properly. Where is Tsunade?" the Third Raikage called out, using his left hand to grab a piece of a broken tree and sit down on it.
"Meow~ Tsunade-sama is having a drink back at the camp, waiting for you to come and deliver your head," Takeshi shot back while inwardly cursing, 'Damn it',
Both father and son from Kumo were cut from the same cloth. Ay had cut off his own hand after getting hit by Amaterasu, and here the Third was, right hand mangled, ready to fight like nothing happened.
'Do they have no regard for their bodies? Can't they just be good patients?' Takeshi grumbled.
"It's been a long time since someone could injure me. Your Wind Release is damn strong, hmm... even though you're a cat, you're undeniably powerful."Third Raikage gave a thumbs-up.
He'd mulled it over before taking the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken head-on. Part of him wanted to challenge it, to see if the move could even injure him.
But then again, he was the Raikage, it was his duty to test such threats head-on. He didn't feel any particular anger or hostility towards Takeshi, only... annoyance. The move was just too sneaky, not a straight, honorable fight at all.
"Let's make peace. You return Yugito and Bee to us, and we from the Kumo will help you fight the Iwa. That seems like a good deal." The Third Raikage sat there, speaking casually, like he owned the place.
'Too arrogant!' Takeshi thought, taking a few steps back.
"Your proposal is very good, but since we're talking about peace, perhaps you should show a little more sincerity and discuss it at our main camp," Minato said, standing up.
He had recovered a good amount of chakra. Far from his peak, maybe, but unleashing a full-power Rasenshuriken was certainly doable. If the Third Raikage was really looking for a fight, they could take him down with them.
"You want the Raikage to go to your main camp!" Ay stepped forward angrily, ready to fight Takeshi and Minato desperately, but Takeshi darted to Bee's side and gently placed a paw on his head.
Bee had already woken up.
However, seals had been placed on him, completely locking away his chakra. In his current state, relying only on taijutsu, even someone like Genma could defeat him, let alone Guy, Kakashi, and Obito standing guard nearby.
Even though he was surrounded by enemies, Bee wasn't afraid at all, rapping in his usual accented voice. "Caught in the net, man, but this Jinchuriki ain't sweatin' yet, check it!"
"Bee, shut up," Ay fumed.
'At a time like this, he's still adding fuel to the fire? Can't he just be quiet?'
With a gentle pat of the cat's paw, Bee's mouth was sealed shut with ice. Then the black cat hopped onto Bee's head, putting him roughly eye-level with the sitting Third Raikage.
"Meow~ Is this considered surrender?"
"Whatever, surrender or trade, it doesn't matter," the Raikage replied. "The problem now is you return Yugito and Bee to us, and then we Kumogakure will help you divert the pressure from Onoki's forces."
The Third Raikage sat there, clearly having thought this through.
The fundamental reason for attacking Konoha was territory, but these two Flying Raijin users gave him a massive headache. Fighting these two thorny opponents was far less appealing than grappling with his old friend Onoki.
At least Onoki was more straightforward, unlike these two from Konoha...
"Cooperation is possible, but the Jinchuriki cannot be given back to you yet," Tsunade's voice called from behind. She walked out of the forest with a cold smile, punched a tree cleanly in half, and sat down on the trunk, looking quite relaxed and composed. "They are our spoils of war, and what if you break your word? Wouldn't Konoha suffer a huge loss?"
"Are you saying I would break my word?" The Third Raikage stood up abruptly and reached out his right hand...
He sucked in a sharp breath. *Hiss*! Pain flared. He was so used to using his right hand that it had instinctively moved first when he put force into standing.
His face scrunched up slightly, but he didn't even let out more than a grunt. Instead, he endured the pain, sat back down, and said in a calm tone, "Since I have agreed, I won't go back on my word."
"Who can guarantee that? You even told the Kiri ninja you would fight Konoha together, and now aren't you turning around and cutting a deal?" Takeshi said, heartlessly twisting the knife.
That one sentence plunged everyone from Kumo into silence.
'Are you deliberately provoking us? If we could defeat you, would we still be sitting here?' the Raikage thought. 'It's not like I haven't been utterly frustrated by your two Flying Thunder God users. Now that two Jinchuriki's from the Kumo have been captured by you, what else can we do? Surrendering isn't shameful.'
The Third Raikage sighed, just about to continue speaking, when Tsunade picked up on Takeshi's words, playing along like a seasoned partner.
"Look, Raikage, if you hadn't fought this battle tonight, I might have been able to heal the injury on your arm. But now you fought and sent Bee over... The 'Ay and Bee' duo... won't that sound a bit... incomplete, with one of you gone?"
"..." Ay's mouth twitched. He couldn't say a word.
"It's just one hand," the Raikage retorted.
"Meow~"
"What I am best at is Lightning Release Armor and the Hell Stab Four-Finger Spear Hand: Sky Drop, not some delicate technique," the Raikage growled, taking a deep breath and forcefully ignoring the interrupting cat. "Are you doubting I can't take people down without my right hand?"
"Meow!"
At this point, Nekomata's summoning time was up, and he automatically returned to the Ninja Cat Fortress. Rin, meanwhile, was still helping treat the injured on Konoha's side. The atmosphere between the two sides fell silent once more.
After a long while, the Third Raikage sighed and said, "Alright, you heal my hand and release Bee. As for Yugito, she can stay with you for now. However, after the fight with the Iwa is over, if you don't release them, then I can only resort to your methods."
The "your methods" the Third Raikage referred to undoubtedly meant Takeshi and Minato's tactic of constantly ambushing and harassing. While he couldn't withstand a Rasenshuriken head-on, who could stop him from ambushing other Konoha personnel? He didn't fear strong enemies, only opponents who fought without honor.
For a village Kage to be forced to abandon pride and resort to guerrilla warfare and sneak attacks, that truly meant being pushed to the absolute limit with no other options.
"Very well. Then Rin, go examine the Raikage's injury. If he dares to harm you, I will cripple Bee and the other Jinchuriki to avenge you," Tsunade said, seemingly indifferent and calm.
'The scene was still a bit too bloody,' Takeshi saw her fingers trembling slightly. 'If she hadn't forced herself to adapt by staring at blood before, she might have been experiencing severe hemophobia right now.'
"Yes." Rin didn't hesitate. She stood and walked towards the Raikage.
The Third Raikage raised his left hand. The Kumo ninja automatically dispersed, retreating into the forest behind, leaving only Ay with him, so Konoha's people wouldn't feel apprehensive.
After all, the Konoha had only sent a little girl, they couldn't be too petty.
However, the Third Raikage had no idea that Tsunade was still struggling with her fear of blood. If she were truly asked to step up and heal, she would have been helpless. Sending Rin over was simply a calculated move.
Rin went over and examined him carefully. After a long while, she said, "Most of the cells in your right hand have been destroyed by Wind Release ninjutsu. Healing will be extremely difficult. As long as the materials are prepared, Tsunade-sama can completely heal it."
"Materials?" the Raikage asked.
"That's right. Money, shinobi tools, explosion tags... these are all crucial materials for treating your injuries." Rin explained, delivering Tsunade's outrageous demand.
'They're extorting us!' Ay was furious, but what could he do? Were they not going to treat him? This was the Third Raikage's right hand, even if he could use the Hell Stab: Four-Finger Spear with either hand, his dominant one was always stronger. It had to be saved if possible.
"Little girl, are these the materials?" The Third Raikage smiled as he looked at Rin.
Rin was stunned for a second, then quickly nodded.
His expression quickly hardened. "That's too much. Some you'll have to provide yourselves. We can only provide some shinobi tools."
"Deal," Tsunade stated.
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