"Is that Kamikawa Aoba?"
"I heard he's the strongest swordsman in Konoha since the White Fang."
"What did he mean? That the Raikage's right pinky was cut off by him?"
"Seems like it. And his right eye was probably injured by the Raikage."
"Really? I know this guy—he was just a Chunin before."
"That was three years ago. He's been stationed at the border of the Land of Fire for three years, fighting the Cloud Ninja dozens of times. His swordsmanship is sharp—he even survived facing the Raikage with only injuries."
"Someone this strong, why haven't we heard anything about him in the village? I only learned about him today."
"I'm not sure either. Rumor has it he was recently promoted to Jonin."
The Raikage remembered Aoba all too clearly. Back then, he had underestimated him and was nearly critically injured by that strange jutsu.
Fortunately, his experience allowed him to evade most of the damage—but he still lost his right pinky.
Losing a pinky didn't affect him much, but the Raikage knew better. For a top-tier taijutsu master, any physical imperfection would have consequences.
The impact might be minuscule—unnoticeable in ordinary battles. But in clashes between elite fighters, even the slightest flaw could become a fatal weakness.
For this, the Raikage utterly despised Aoba.
Yes, he had illegally crossed the border. Yes, Aoba had acted in self-defense. And yes, he had gouged out Aoba's right eye.
But in the Raikage's mind, none of that mattered. His hatred for Aoba burned just as fiercely.
I crossed the border illegally—true. I killed Konoha shinobi—true. I took your eye—also true. But setting all that aside, Kamikawa Aoba, are you completely blameless?
"You dare stand before me again, brat?" The Raikage could barely contain himself just looking at Aoba's face.
In contrast, Aoba's expression was completely different. He looked relaxed, not even adopting a defensive stance—just standing loosely before the Raikage.
"I remember standing before you like this last time. The result? Truly unforgettable."
Aoba lightly adjusted the eyepatch over his right eye. Unlike Kakashi's, there was no Sharingan beneath it.Moreover, the loss of his right eye had created a vulnerability in his combat abilities. That's why he developed a technique to mix Chakra with the wind, allowing him to sense his surroundings—compensating for the weakness of having only one eye.
"Is that so? Then this time, I'll pluck out your other eye and shove it into your mouth. Maybe that will leave a deeper impression on you."
"Absolutely no objections. But, Lord Raikage, how many fingers do you plan to use to accomplish that this time?"
Their words clashed like swords, the tension thickening with every syllable.
In terms of scars, Aoba was at a clear disadvantage. A missing pinky finger couldn't compare to a lost eye.
Yet the Konoha shinobi present were brimming with morale. Because Aoba was just an ordinary, no-name Jonin from Konoha.
If one of our nameless Jonin can wound the Raikage, then these so-called legendary Kage aren't so impressive after all.
The Raikage might be reckless, but he wasn't truly stupid. At this point, he realized Aoba had maneuvered him into a corner.
In truth, someone of his stature shouldn't even be wasting words on Aoba. Soldiers fight soldiers, kings face kings.
The only one present in Konoha's ranks qualified to speak with him was Shimura Danzo.
Yet the moment he saw Aoba, he couldn't control his temper and immediately engaged in verbal sparring—effectively lowering himself to Aoba's level.
Most people wouldn't notice these nuances. Konoha's shinobi academy didn't teach such things. But that didn't stop Konoha's ninja from feeling exhilarated by Aoba's approach.
On the other side, the Raikage, finally recognizing his misstep, stopped wasting time with Aoba. Lightning flickered across his body as he activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
This was arguably the strongest nin-taijutsu in the Shinobi World at this time. Even in later years, the Raikage used this technique to break through Uchiha Madara's Susanoo.
This alone demonstrated the terrifying potential of this move.
The instant the Raikage moved, Shimura Danzo performed a Body Flicker Technique, retreating into the crowd.
The sight nearly made Aoba burst into laughter.
Konoha was a military organization. The leader of this organization wasn't purely the strategic, intellectual type found in the real world—or at least not entirely. He also had to be the strongest combatant in the entire group.
When facing opponents beyond conventional means, he had to stand before his people and bear the pressure.
How could someone who retreated behind his own men at the first sign of battle ever earn the recognition to become a Kage?
The Raikage's intelligence was barely above feeble-minded, but in every battle, he charged ahead—unstoppable and undefeated.
Thus, his lack of intellect wasn't an issue. Because the reckless Cloud Ninja adored this kind of leader who led them to victory.
They didn't bother with elaborate schemes. If they wanted the Nine-Tails, they sent people to steal it from Konoha. If they wanted the Byakugan, they tried to snatch it from the Hyuga clan. If caught, they'd die without hesitation. Their plans were straightforward, devoid of sophistication—yet it left the Third Hokage utterly frustrated.
Because the aging Third feared these brash warriors most of all.
Danzo retreated, but Aoba did not. Instead, he drew his Kusanagi Sword and charged forward.The moment he drew his sword, he directly entered Sage Mode. At the same time, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer Bee's expression changed. He hurriedly warned the Raikage beside him.
"Be careful. The Eight-Tails tells me that kid has the aura of natural energy."
"Natural energy? Like the Fourth Hokage's sage techniques?"
"Uncertain. Normally, Sage techniques should cause physical mutations. But in reality, that kid doesn't show any. It might be a weakened version of Sage techniques. The Leaf Village has more than one Sage tradition—we should still be cautious."
"Understood." Though the Raikage was reckless, he took Killer Bee's opinion very seriously.
His gaze toward Aoba no longer held the previous disdain.
This was Aoba's first time entering Sage Mode in battle. The Sage Chakra multiplied his combat power exponentially.
With the acceleration effect of Wind Release Ninjutsu, Aoba actually managed to barely keep up with the Raikage's speed. This made the Raikage's expression grow slightly more serious.
In their last fight, the Raikage hadn't gone all out, and the kid had struggled to keep up. But this time, he was fighting seriously, yet the kid was matching him. It proved Killer Bee's concerns weren't unfounded.
The Leaf Village was truly favored by the heavens. This was likely another genius like the Fourth Hokage or Sakumo Hatake.
Such a genius absolutely couldn't be allowed to leave here alive.