The protective barrier shattered instantly.
The raging winds continued forward without losing any momentum, countless razor-sharp wind blades surging toward Darui.
Forced into a corner, Darui immediately activated his Bloodline Limit once again.
"Storm Release: Laser Circus!"
Brilliant laser beams shot into the air, intertwining with Naruto's Fluid Wind Release technique. Wind and lightning clashed violently, creating an explosive collision.
Smoke instantly engulfed the battlefield.
Lightning crackled.
Fierce winds roared.
For a brief moment, everyone's vision was completely obscured.
Darui's eyes lit up.
"This smoke isn't necessarily a bad thing."
"If he can't see me, this is the perfect chance to counterattack!"
Without hesitation, he pushed his chakra to its absolute limit, preparing to unleash his strongest Storm Release technique.
But before he could act—
"Fluid Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
Naruto suddenly appeared directly behind him.
His attack struck with terrifying precision.
"What?!"
Darui's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How did he find me?"
"Does he possess sensory abilities too?"
Once Naruto entered Fluid Wind Mode, every current of wind on the battlefield became an extension of his senses.
Every movement.
Every breath.
Every trace of chakra.
Even the slightest disturbance in the air was reflected back to him.
Tracking an opponent hidden by smoke was effortless.
Moreover, after countless rounds of training and compressing his Wind Release chakra to its limit, Naruto's newly perfected Fluid Wind Release: Pressure Damage had become several times stronger than before.
Darui's face turned pale.
He instinctively realized the danger before him.
There was no longer any room to hold back.
He poured every last drop of chakra into his strongest attack.
"Storm Release: Laser Circus!"
The countless curved laser beams surrounding him suddenly converged into a single dazzling ray.
The blinding beam shot straight toward Naruto, carrying overwhelming destructive force.
But—
Naruto's Fluid Wind Release: Pressure Damage had already reached its peak.
The two attacks collided violently.
BOOM!!
The explosion shook the battlefield.
Countless Wind Release blades burst outward like a violent storm, tearing through everything around them.
Darui's pupils shrank.
"This is bad..."
At that critical moment—
A figure descended like a bolt of lightning.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Darui.
Wrapped in blazing lightning chakra, he raised both arms to shield him.
"Raikage-sama?!"
The newcomer was none other than the Fourth Raikage.
The instant he realized Darui couldn't withstand Naruto's attack, he acted without hesitation.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode erupted around his body.
He transformed into a streak of lightning and intercepted Naruto's attack head-on.
Using the overwhelming defense granted by his Lightning Release Armor, he intended to neutralize the attack with his own body.
Crack!
Boom!!
Violent winds and lightning exploded against one another.
The battlefield trembled.
The Fourth Raikage's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
With a furious roar, he poured chakra into both hands and forcibly dispersed Naruto's Wind Release attack.
Even Naruto looked surprised.
"He blocked it... with his body?"
Before anyone else could speak, Tsunade angrily stepped forward.
"Raikage!"
"We agreed this would be a battle between the Kage Guards."
"And yet you interfered."
"So this is how the Hidden Cloud honors its promises?"
The Fourth Raikage snorted.
He knew he had broken the agreement.
But he couldn't simply watch Darui suffer serious injuries.
Although he was hot-tempered, he genuinely cared about his subordinates.
"Hmph!"
"Our Hidden Cloud underestimated this brat."
"We lost this battle."
His eyes shifted toward Naruto.
"But..."
"I'd like to fight him myself."
"Don't misunderstand."
"A loss is a loss."
"Our village accepts defeat."
"I'm only stepping in because I want to test this boy personally."
Hearing those words, Tsunade finally relaxed.
Regardless of his personality, the Fourth Raikage was still the leader of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
Since he had publicly admitted defeat before Mifune and the other Kage, there was no way he could take back his word.
Everything else he said was simply to preserve his own dignity—and the pride of the Hidden Cloud Village.
She snorted.
"Raikage, even if you win, all people will say is that you bullied a child."
"And besides..."
"There's no guarantee you'll win."
"So don't underestimate Naruto."
The Fourth Raikage folded his arms.
"Darui underestimated him."
"I won't make the same mistake."
"What I'm curious about..."
He grinned.
"...is whether my Lightning Release Chakra Mode is stronger than his Fluid Wind Mode."
Tsunade looked toward Naruto.
"Naruto."
"The decision is yours."
"Do you want this fight?"
Naruto didn't hesitate.
"Of course!"
How could he pass up an opportunity like this?
His previous Fluid Wind Release: Pressure Damage was already one of his strongest techniques.
Even after Darui weakened part of its power with Storm Release...
The Fourth Raikage had blocked the remaining force using nothing but his physical body.
Naruto had never encountered such incredible defense before.
Far from discouraging him...
It ignited the excitement burning deep inside him.
Nearby, Ōnoki, Kitsuchi, and Akatsuchi exchanged astonished looks.
A thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy...
Had defeated Darui.
Whatever exaggerated rumors had once surrounded Naruto...
None of them mattered anymore.
Everyone present had witnessed this battle with their own eyes.
It had been completely fair.
Ōnoki sighed deeply.
"Other than Deidara..."
"The younger generation of the Hidden Stone Village can't compare to Uzumaki Naruto."
"...Not even Kurotsuchi."
Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi understood exactly what he meant.
After Deidara left the village, talented young shinobi like Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi had become the Hidden Stone's greatest hopes.
But compared to Naruto...
Even ten Kurotsuchis and ten Akatsuchis combined wouldn't be enough.
Mei Terumī and Baki were equally shocked.
Although they had watched Naruto fight before...
Every time they met him, he seemed vastly stronger than before.
His growth was unbelievable.
Still...
Neither of them believed he could actually defeat the Fourth Raikage.
That would simply be too outrageous.
Naruto, however, showed no fear whatsoever.
Instead, he smiled.
"Raikage-sama..."
"Your speed is incredible."
"And your defense is unbelievable."
The Raikage had appeared almost instantly.
He had even blocked Naruto's ninjutsu with his own body.
Naruto had witnessed everything clearly.
Even the Wind Body Vibration Technique in his Fluid Wind Mode wasn't as fast as the Raikage.
It was the first time he had ever met someone this quick.
The Fourth Raikage truly was a formidable opponent.
The Raikage proudly snorted.
"I am known as the fastest man in the Ninja World."
"That title isn't just for show."
"Since the death of the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze..."
"There hasn't been anyone who could rival my speed."
"As for defense..."
"My Lightning Release Armor may not equal my father's Ultimate Shield..."
"But it isn't something anyone can casually break."
His words still carried a hint of arrogance.
Yet Naruto didn't become angry.
Instead...
He simply smiled.
"I'd like to test that."
Those words came from the bottom of his heart.
There was no life-and-death struggle here.
No hatred.
No revenge.
Only a chance to fight...
To improve...
To challenge someone stronger than himself.
At that moment, Naruto felt nothing but pure joy.
The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes.
"You want to test me?"
He grinned confidently.
"If you can keep up with my speed..."
"If you can land even a single hit on me..."
"I'll consider this battle your victory."
Naruto laughed.
"You're still underestimating me."
Suddenly—
His chakra erupted to its absolute limit.
Fluid Wind Mode reached its peak.
Wind Release chakra exploded around his body, spinning violently like a massive hurricane.
An overwhelming aura swept across the battlefield.
Everyone watching turned pale.
"He was still hiding his true strength?"
Darui clenched his fists in shame.
"...I truly underestimated him."
"I'm sorry, Raikage-sama."
"...And I'm sorry to the Hidden Cloud."
Even Dodai was left speechless.
The next instant—
Naruto transformed into a streak of flowing wind.
His speed was so overwhelming that only a blurred afterimage remained behind.
Ao immediately activated his Byakugan, pushing its perception to the absolute limit.
Everyone else could only stare in disbelief.
Yet the person most shocked of all...
Was the Fourth Raikage.
He had already witnessed Naruto's Wind Body Technique.
It had been impressive.
But compared to what he was seeing now...
It was like comparing a candle to the sun.
Previously, Naruto had only used the Wind Body Acceleration Technique in his normal state.
Now...
He was using the Wind Body Vibration Technique while in Fluid Wind Mode.
This was his true peak.
Although Naruto was still slightly slower than the Fourth Raikage...
The difference had become incredibly small.
"Here I come!"
Naruto's voice echoed across the battlefield.
Yet his body had already arrived before the sound itself.
His speed had long surpassed the speed of sound.
Even the Fourth Raikage was astonished.
But his reaction was just as fast.
Lightning exploded around his body.
His figure vanished in a flash.
"So fast!"
Naruto couldn't help but marvel.
Without hesitation, he accelerated again and gave chase.
To everyone watching...
The battlefield became a dance between wind and lightning.
A raging hurricane pursued a bolt of lightning across the battlefield, colliding, weaving, and clashing faster than the eye could follow.
Even Ao, using the Byakugan's extraordinary vision, could only barely keep track of their movements.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)