Raikage Tower was the most breathtaking structure in Kumogakure—an elegant, towering edifice cloaked in shimmering glass. Standing by its windows, one could feel completely surrounded by clouds and mist.
The highest floor of this building housed the Raikage's private office.
Inside the office, A—Fourth Raikage—and his new secretary-in-training, Mabui, were deep in work.
After his father, the Third Raikage, died in the Third Great Ninja War, A stepped into the role of Fourth Raikage during a time of chaos.
Now he had matured into a capable Kage, but the war still weighed heavily on his mind.
Seated at his desk, A flipped through reports from the frontlines with a frown.
"Should've known better than to underestimate Konoha..."
After the end of the Third Great Ninja War, Kumogakure and Konoha signed an agreement—one that marked Kumogakure as the defeated side.
Upon learning of the Nine-Tails' attack in Konoha and the deaths of Minato Namikaze and his wife, Kumogakure immediately reignited hostilities with Konoha, hoping to nullify that humiliating treaty and claim benefits from Konoha.
To guard against small attacks from other villages, both sides held back their elite forces, relying mostly on mid-tier ninja.
A centipede may not fall even in death. (This idiom means a powerful entity may remain strong even after defeat.)
Konoha was far stronger than he had expected.
This war had become a prolonged stalemate.
Konoha suffered under the strain and wanted no part in an endless conflict.
Kumogakure suffered too; without results in this war, all the resources invested since the Third Great Ninja War would amount to nothing.
"Mabui, haven't those two arrived yet?"
A stood up, slamming both palms onto his desk furiously as he roared.
Papers flew everywhere as the table cracked from the force of his blow.
Mabui turned around, her young and innocent-looking face unusually calm.
Her calmness was legendary—that's why they picked her so young to work beside A.
A hot-tempered leader needed someone cool-headed and meticulous to balance him out.
While tidying things up off the floor, Mabui said evenly, "Please wait just a bit longer, Lord Raikage. I'm sure Master B and Yugito are already on their way…"
"Damn idiot! Ruined my inspiration!"
With a rhythm more awkward than energetic, the office door kicked open.
B appeared before them.
"Aniki, what's going on?"
A's eyebrows twitched repeatedly. "Let's wait until Yugito arrives."
Soon afterward, Yugito entered the Raikage's office, silently standing before A.
She—who was now controlled by Kaguya's possession—Yugito.
Recently, Yugito had been training intensely, and Kaguya hadn't intervened in her life.
When the Fourth Raikage called for her and the Eight-Tails' Jinchuriki, Kaguya instantly seized control of her body, locked away Yugito's mind, and cut off all her senses.
B's expression suddenly grew extremely serious.
Glancing between them, A growled, "We can't afford to stay deadlocked any longer."
"The longer this drags on, the higher our losses will be, and villagers will grow increasingly discontented."
"Konoha is the same."
"Based on received intelligence, they're even more exhausted from war than we are. They definitely won't want a full-scale war."
"The nature of war is to pursue interests. No matter what, we must take a bite out of Konoha."
"Most of Konoha's experts have either left or are hiding in their village. There's no one at the front who can match you guys."
"Therefore, I'm considering sending one of you to the battlefield to change the course of the war."
"After that, things will become very easy. No matter what demands we make, Konoha will have no choice but to agree..."
A spoke eloquently, explaining his plan.
Killer B wasn't listening at all.
From the moment Yugito entered, the Gyuki within him had been acting strangely—speaking disjointed sentences and strange words.
"Why does Yugito seem different? She isn't really Yugito—who is she?"
"No, wait, she should be her... I sensed Matatabi from her."
"Bee, chase her away right now! No, don't get close to her! Let's leave quickly!"
The Gyuki was extremely restless, "Bee, don't hesitate anymore!"
Noticing Bee looking toward her, Yugito calmly met his gaze.
So the Tailed Beast truly has acute perception...
"Hey, are you two even listening to me? If you're going to flirt with your eyes, at least pick a better occasion..."
With one punch, he pulverized the office wall. A's furious voice echoed through the entire building.
"Foolish Aniki, there's no way I'd like a girl who doesn't appreciate music!"
Speaking thus, as if this were a concert venue, Killer B began rapping while twisting his body into various bizarre dancing moves and poses.
When A noticed a specific hand gesture during B's performance, he did a double-take.
He remembered this was a secret code they used when training together to develop coordination.
Its meaning: dangerous person present.
A mentally counted those present – B, Yugito, Mabui, and five Anbu operatives.
They were all allies; where would the danger come from?
"Yoshii, show's over."
After finishing with a dramatic pose, Killer B turned toward Yugito.
A glanced at her casually.
Yugito's expression shifted slightly, but she still said nothing.
Even Mabui, who was organizing documents nearby, faintly sensed that something was off.
"Yugito, B, let's have a little sparring match to see if your abilities have improved lately—whether you can suppress Konoha's ninja and complete my plan." A said.
Without waiting for a reply, he led the way. Killer B and Yugito followed behind. The three departed from Raikage Tower's mountain peak toward an open space.
"Follow us," Mabui told several Anbu operatives who had not yet departed.
When they arrived at an expansive area far from buildings, A turned toward Yugito and said, "Yugito, you'll start first."
Standing aside silently, the Gyuki within B constantly urged him to leave immediately.
"You and me, in a fight?" Yugito asked.
"That's right. No need to get nervous."
As he spoke, A's aura surged violently, chakra exploding outward with blue arcs of lightning flickering across his body.
"Don't you want some time to prepare?"
"Prepare?" A laughed heartily. "Enemies aren't going to stick around waiting for you, are they?"
Before he finished speaking, A charged straight toward Yugito.
The Kumogakure ninja were famous for their taijutsu, and A, the Raikage, was no different.
With his hot-blooded temper, it only made sense that he preferred fighting styles that were simple, brutal, and straight to the point.
Even if his opponent was a woman, it made no difference.
"Fair enough. Then go ahead and die."
Yugito replied with cold indifference.
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