---
Hearing the Raikage A's complaint, Naruto sighed helplessly.
"Then why don't you tell me how to defeat you so you'll finally be convinced?"
The Raikage scoffed. This brat, Naruto, was really too naive.
He snorted coldly and declared, "Unless you fight me without using the Nine-Tails' chakra and rely solely on your own abilities, I won't acknowledge your strength!"
Naruto rolled his eyes silently, then waved his hands lazily. "Alright, alright, I'll play your game."
With that said, Naruto deactivated his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
In the distance, Darui chuckled.
"Oh? The Nine-Tails chakra is gone?"
C watched carefully and responded, "No, he released it on his own."
Tutai furrowed his brows slightly. Something about this felt off.
Back on the field, the Raikage's eyes gleamed as he watched Naruto seriously disengage the Nine-Tails' power. Though he remained outwardly composed, a flicker of excitement crossed his face. But he kept up his facade of righteousness.
"Naruto, let me be clear. I'm not doing this for victory. The chakra of the tailed beasts never belonged to humans in the first place. Using it is no different from cheating!"
"Only when we confront each other with our own strength—no tricks, no crutches—that's when a true contest occurs. That's when a loss is honorable, and a win is undisputed!"
He crossed his arms, exuding arrogance.
Naruto nodded agreeably. "Yeah, yeah, you're absolutely right. I promise I won't use the Nine-Tails' chakra or the Rinnegan. But you need to promise me something too."
Raikage A smirked. "Go ahead. I'm listening."
Naruto pointed directly at him. "If I can defeat you without the Nine-Tails or Rinnegan, then you have to keep your promise—agree to my request, and issue an official apology to Konoha."
Raikage A laughed confidently and waved his hand. "I, Raikage A, always keep my word. Likewise, if you lose, don't complain when I take things into my own hands. Deal?"
Naruto smiled. "Deal."
Then, Naruto gestured. "Wait a sec—I need to call a witness."
He raised his voice and shouted, "Uncle Tutai! Come over here for a sec!"
Though confused, Tutai obeyed and walked toward them.
After Naruto explained the situation, Tutai turned to Raikage A with uncertainty. The Raikage scowled and said, "Naruto, are you saying I'm the kind of man who breaks a promise?"
Naruto smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Lord Raikage, but Kumogakure has pulled off a lot of underhanded moves over the years."
With that, Naruto pulled out two scrolls, wrote the agreement terms on them, and signed them with his chakra imprint. He handed both to Tutai.
"Sorry for the trouble, Uncle Tutai."
Tutai passed one scroll to Raikage A, who accepted it begrudgingly.
"Fine." Raikage A pressed his own chakra imprint onto the scroll. The agreement was now binding. Each had one copy.
Tutai sighed, took Raikage's scroll, glanced at Naruto, and stepped back.
Back with Darui, C asked, "What was that? What did they sign?"
Tutai handed it to him. "See for yourself."
C studied it carefully, and a few seconds later his eyes widened.
"Naruto… he's insane!"
Darui looked over his shoulder, then shook his head.
"This… this is like cutting off both his arms and still trying to box with Lord Raikage!"
Omoi and Karui walked over. After reading it, Karui rubbed her chin.
"Is it just me, or does this make Raikage-sama look kinda like a bully?"
Omoi punched her shoulder. "Naruto brought this on himself. He humiliated our Lord Raikage. This is just karma."
Tutai stared at the boy in the arena. He couldn't help but wonder what Naruto was thinking. Why would he make such a reckless bet?
The air grew still. A heavy silence descended upon the field.
Raikage A focused, his chakra surging violently.
He glared at Naruto and said coldly, "Kid, I won't hold back in this fight. You chose this. Whether you live or die is up to you. Don't think a little scroll will stop me. Even that drunkard Tsunade won't be able to do anything if I kill you."
Naruto said nothing, eyes still closed.
Raikage A snorted. His Lightning Release Chakra burst outward like thunder, activating his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. His cells energized, speed and strength maxed out.
Then he extended his right arm, chakra compressing and condensing into a deadly point.
C gasped as he sensed it.
"Lord Raikage… he's going to use that technique?"
Tutai's expression changed.
"It's the Hell Stab—Four-Finger Nukite!"
As a former close aide of the Third Raikage, Tutai recognized the technique instantly. But as he watched the Raikage reduce his fingers to one…
"The Hell Stab… One-Finger Nukite!"
It was clear Raikage A had been secretly honing this technique.
Hell Stab was a signature Lightning Release technique developed by the Third Raikage. The thrust generated by it was like a lightning bolt, capable of piercing any defense. And reducing the number of fingers concentrated the power even more. The smaller the point of contact, the greater the penetration—hence why the One-Finger Nukite was called the strongest spear.
However, every reduction in fingers significantly increased the difficulty of mastering the technique.
It was obvious now—Raikage A had been rigorously training in private to live up to his father's legacy.
Across the field, Naruto opened his eyes. His Sage Mode was active, and the orange pigment around his eyes deepened. Natural energy had accumulated to its peak.
Looking at the Raikage's incoming attack, Naruto chuckled quietly.
"Hmph. Guess I didn't need to save so much chakra after all."
He formed a hand seal, and with a poof, a shadow clone appeared and immediately began forming a Rasengan.
Raikage A, misinterpreting Naruto's words, growled.
"Naruto! After that little ambush in the Land of Iron, I've been training non-stop to complete this ultimate technique! Today, I'll show you what it means to obliterate everything!"
With a hiss, Raikage A lunged. His body became a blur, arm extended, one finger forward like a spear, slicing through the air with a sharp buzzing sound.
Naruto's Rasengan was finished. His clone vanished, and he faced the charging Raikage head-on.
Darui watched tensely. "Man, I hope Lord Raikage doesn't kill him. That'd be a nightmare to explain to Konoha."
C narrowed his eyes. "That's just a regular Rasengan. What is Naruto thinking…?"
Tutai clenched his fists. Something felt off ever since Naruto signed that scroll. A creeping sense of dread had taken root in his chest.
Back on the field, Raikage's One-Finger Nukite was about to strike Naruto dead center—but then Naruto moved.
Sage Mode's danger perception and enhanced reflexes kicked in. He sidestepped with perfect timing, barely avoiding the fatal thrust. Raikage's eyes widened in surprise—he didn't expect such agility without the Nine-Tails' power.
But before he could recover, Naruto countered.
He slammed the Rasengan into Raikage A's arm.
BOOM!
The force twisted Raikage's arm mid-thrust. The piercing angle veered off-course—and in a horrifying twist of fate, Raikage A's own arm pierced straight through his chest.
Blood exploded from the impact. Raikage A stumbled backward, coughing blood, disbelief etched across his face.
Outside the arena, everyone was stunned into silence.
Tutai's eyes widened in horror, realization dawning.
"I… I get it now! The wound… the w
ound on the Third Raikage's chest—I finally understand how it happened!"
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