---
Uchiha Madara looked at Black Zetsu with an expression beyond words, his face twisted in sheer disbelief.
He nearly blurted out, "Are you f*g kidding me?"
Black Zetsu coughed in embarrassment. "Ahem~ Well, about the Uzumaki we've been keeping an eye on… His original name was Namikaze Onigiri, but he later changed it to Namikaze Naruto."
Madara's eyes narrowed, his glare sharp enough to pierce through the shadows. "Then from now on, we call him Namikaze Naruto."
Black Zetsu nodded. "Understood. When do we eliminate him?"
Madara's lips curled into a sinister smirk. "No rush. We'll deal with him when the time is right. Who knows? This Naruto might surprise us."
"Understood!" Black Zetsu bowed in acknowledgment.
---
The Battlefield Moves—Cloud vs. Stone
At that moment, Third Raikage led thousands of Kumo-nin into the Land of Earth's borders.
Killer Bee, as usual, was rapping off-beat. "Yo yo~ Cheek Nao, gimme a set of pancakes and fruits! Is Mr. Raikage here yet, or what's the scoop?!"
Third Raikage's eyebrow twitched. "…"
Then, his voice thundered over the troops. "This time, we're taking full advantage of the battle between Konoha and Iwagakure at Amegakure! We're storming into the Land of Earth and crippling Iwagakure itself!"
The Third Raikage raised a fist into the air, his deep voice filled with unwavering determination. "Konoha's scheming bastard, Danzo, has assured us that he will keep Iwagakure occupied in the Rain Village! That means we just need to strike at the right time!"
The Kumo-nin roared in agreement.
With a grin, Third Raikage gave the final command. "Move out!"
---
Onoki's Fury
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of Iwagakure, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki sat at his desk, listening intently to an Anbu report.
"What did you say?!" Onoki slammed his hands onto the table, his voice filled with rage.
"The 400 Iwa-nin who participated in the ambush against Tsunade have been completely annihilated?!"
The Anbu nodded solemnly. "Yes, sir. Based on the remains at the scene, it appears the devastation was caused by large-scale Lightning Release techniques."
Onoki's frown deepened. "Lightning Release…?!"
A sinking realization struck him. "Not good!"
Before he could issue an order, another Anbu appeared, panting heavily from the urgency of his message. "Lord Tsuchikage! A large force of Kumogakure shinobi has crossed into our territory! The enemy numbers are in the thousands! The Third Raikage himself is leading the charge, and they've already wiped out multiple of our outposts! Casualties are in the thousands!"
A vein pulsed on Onoki's forehead. "Boom!"
He slammed his fist onto his desk, shattering it into pieces. "Damn it! Kumogakure dares to challenge us?! They've gone too far!"
His eyes burned with fury. "Summon all Iwa-nin! Those assigned to defend the village will now join the battle! We will crush these invaders and show the world that the Land of Earth is not to be trifled with!"
The Anbu hesitated. "But, Lord Tsuchikage… what about the battle at Amegakure?"
Onoki clenched his fists. "Withdraw from Amegakure! Forget the fight against Konoha and the Rain Village! We haven't lost anything significant in that skirmish. If they dare to pursue us, we'll wipe them out too!"
"Understood!" The Anbu immediately vanished to relay the message.
Onoki turned his gaze toward the horizon, his expression dark and venomous. "Raikage… this time, you won't leave my land alive."
---
Cloud vs. Stone: The Clash Begins
The Kumo forces surged deep into the Land of Earth's territory, meeting little resistance at first.
Third Raikage smirked. "Hahaha! So this is all Iwagakure has to offer?"
BOOM!
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled.
"Earth Release: Iron Prison!"
Massive iron walls shot up from the earth, forming an inescapable circular fortress around the entire Kumo army.
The Third Raikage's expression hardened. "Tch… an ambush!"
Hundreds of Iwa-nin appeared atop the iron walls, and in the sky above, Onoki hovered, his glare filled with cold fury.
"Third Raikage!" Onoki's voice rang out. "You dare invade my land while I'm occupied with Konoha?! You shameless brute! You won't be leaving here alive!"
Despite the situation, the Third Raikage chuckled, unfazed. "You think a few walls can contain me?"
Then, he turned to his subordinates. "In a moment, I'll break through this wall. Once I do, Tutai, you will lead the others and retreat immediately! I'll hold them off!"
"Lord Raikage!" Tutai protested. "We will fight to the death with you!"
The Third Raikage's voice boomed. "Shut up! Look around! Can't you see the odds?"
He scanned the battlefield—Iwa's forces numbered nearly 10,000.
His expression darkened. "Damn it… I fell for that snake Danzo's trick."
Lightning surged around his body.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!"
A blue aura of pure chakra crackled to life around him, increasing his strength and speed to near-unparalleled levels.
He turned toward the iron wall and clenched his fist.
"Hell Stab: Four-Finger Spear!"
BOOM!
His attack shattered the wall, creating an opening.
"Move! Now!" he roared.
With reluctance, the Kumo forces began their retreat, their eyes filled with sorrow as they left their leader behind.
"Don't let them escape!" Onoki ordered. "Earth Release: Rock Iron Cannon!"
Thousands of Iwa-nin launched massive rock projectiles toward the retreating Kumo forces.
But the Third Raikage stood firm.
"Lightning Release: Chakra Mode!"
He dashed forward, deflecting each incoming attack with raw power alone.
By the time his forces had fully escaped, he turned to face the Iwa army, now alone.
Onoki smirked. "Since you care so much for your men… you can stay here and die!"
The battlefield erupted.
Three days later…
The dust had finally settled.
A lone figure stood at the center of the ruined battlefield.
The Third Raikage, body covered in wounds, stood tall, unmoving.
The surrounding Iwa-nin, exhausted and wary, kept their distance, unwilling to get any closer.
Onoki walked forward, surveying the destruction. "For the first time, I feel that killing you at such a high cost was actually worth it."
With that, he turned and walked away.
And so, only the silent, unyielding figure of the Third Raikage remained—standing, even in death.
The Second Great Ninja War had come to an end.
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