"Truly... incredible!"
"Forget the Raikage... has Naruto's speed really reached this level?"
Everyone watching was stunned.
The battle had long since become more than a contest of speed.
A raging hurricane collided repeatedly with blazing lightning, each clash shaking the battlefield.
"Hurricane Style: Wind Release – Hurricane Punch!"
"Lightning Release: Heavy Lightning Strike!"
Naruto's Hurricane Punch, empowered by his Fluid Wind Mode, collided head-on with the Fourth Raikage's devastating elbow strike.
Boom!
The impact sent both fighters flying backward.
In terms of raw speed and physical strength, the Fourth Raikage still held the advantage.
However...
Naruto's Wind Release naturally countered Lightning Release.
Their chakra neutralized one another, leaving neither side with a clear advantage.
For the moment...
The battle remained evenly matched.
---
Crack!
Boom!!
As the battle intensified, both warriors continued increasing their speed.
Their chakra surged higher and higher.
Every exchange became faster.
Every collision became stronger.
Both had pushed themselves to the very limits of speed and power.
"Hurricane Style: Wind Release – Vacuum Blade!"
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
This time...
The battle became a clash of blades.
The Wind Release Body Technique specialized in slicing through anything before it.
The Lightning Release Armor excelled in piercing attacks and overwhelming destructive force.
Wind and lightning collided again.
Screech!
A terrifying sound tore through the air itself.
Naruto was blasted backward.
At the same time...
The Fourth Raikage's Lightning Armor was sliced open.
The attack nearly reached his flesh.
Cold sweat instantly covered the Raikage's forehead.
"My Lightning Armor... was actually damaged?"
"It nearly broke through completely!"
The flames of battle burned brightly in both men's eyes.
The Fourth Raikage laughed.
"Excellent!"
"I admit it."
"You're incredibly strong."
"But..."
"You still aren't my equal."
Naruto wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Instead of anger...
He smiled.
"As expected of the Raikage-sama."
"Your strength truly is incredible."
"It won't be easy to break through your Lightning Armor."
The Raikage snorted.
"And your Fluid Wind Armor isn't bad either."
"Otherwise..."
"You wouldn't still be standing after taking both my Heavy Lightning Strike and my Lariat."
Naruto's smile widened.
"Then..."
"Let's decide the winner with our next attack."
---
At those words...
Tsunade and Shizune's expressions immediately changed.
"He's using it..."
Naruto instantly gathered every trace of Wind Release chakra surrounding his body into the palm of his hand.
Then...
He compressed it.
Again.
And again.
Until the enormous mass of chakra became unbelievably dense.
Eventually...
It condensed into a tiny, needle-like blade of pure wind.
Everyone watching widened their eyes.
Naruto roared,
"Take this, Raikage-sama!"
"Hurricane Style: Wind Release – Extreme Piercing Needle!"
A shrill whistle ripped through the battlefield.
The next instant—
The Fourth Raikage's Lightning Armor shattered.
The tiny Wind Needle pierced straight through his shoulder.
Blood exploded into the air.
A crimson mist drifted across the battlefield.
Naruto Uzumaki...
Had pierced through the Fourth Raikage's ultimate defense.
---
Silence.
Complete silence.
Every member of the Five Kage...
Every Kage Guard...
Every samurai present...
Stood frozen.
No one could believe what they had just witnessed.
Naruto had pierced straight through the Fourth Raikage's body.
That was the legendary Lightning Release Armor activated through Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Although it wasn't quite as powerful as the Third Raikage's legendary Ultimate Shield...
It was still one of the strongest defensive techniques in the entire Ninja World.
For the first time in many years...
The Fourth Raikage had suffered such a serious injury.
Even Tsunade and Shizune looked worried.
"That technique..."
"Has Naruto completely mastered the Wind Needle?"
Shizune asked nervously.
Tsunade slowly shook her head.
"No."
"Not yet."
"If he had perfected it..."
"Its power would be far more terrifying."
---
Darui and C stared in complete disbelief.
"Raikage-sama..."
"His body was pierced..."
"That's impossible."
"What kind of monster is this kid?"
Nearby...
Ōnoki, Mei Terumī, Baki, and everyone else were equally stunned.
Only Gaara smiled faintly.
"Naruto..."
"You've become even stronger."
"As expected of you."
---
The person most shocked, however...
Was the Fourth Raikage himself.
Looking down at the bloody hole in his shoulder, he watched fresh blood pour out before instantly evaporating under the crackling lightning surrounding his body.
He stared directly at Naruto.
"Brat..."
"What kind of ninjutsu was that?"
Naruto smiled confidently.
"One of the ultimate techniques of my Wind Release Chakra Mode."
"I compress my Wind Release chakra to its absolute limit, forming a needle."
"It maximizes cutting power..."
"Piercing power..."
"And penetration."
"No matter how strong the opponent's defense is..."
"It can't withstand a strike like that."
The Fourth Raikage couldn't help laughing.
"So that's how it is."
"I truly underestimated you."
"It's one thing for Wind Release to counter Lightning Release."
"But piercing straight through my Lightning Armor..."
"And injuring me..."
"That's a first."
"If my armor represents the strongest shield..."
"Then your technique is the sharpest spear."
"No matter how strong the defense..."
"It can still be pierced."
He took a deep breath.
"I'll honor our wager."
"I lost."
---
Although victorious...
Naruto showed no arrogance.
He looked at the Raikage and smiled.
"Raikage-sama..."
"That wasn't your full strength."
"I could tell."
"You were still holding back."
For perhaps the first time that day...
The Fourth Raikage smiled.
"What a sharp-eyed brat."
"You're right."
"I didn't use my strongest form."
"But..."
"A loss is still a loss."
"I won't make excuses."
"The Hidden Cloud Village withdraws from competing for leadership of the Dawn Alliance."
"Hokage..."
"The responsibility now belongs to Konoha."
The Raikage's true strongest form was the complete Lightning Release Armor, where lightning erupted wildly across every inch of his body.
Its speed...
Power...
Defense...
And physical strength...
All rose to an entirely new level.
But this had never been a battle to the death.
There was no need to use that power.
Even so...
He had already fought with nearly seventy to eighty percent of his full strength.
Naruto, meanwhile...
Hadn't used everything he possessed either.
---
Tsunade smiled.
"Raikage."
"You may be hot-headed..."
"But you're surprisingly honest."
Then she turned toward Naruto.
"Well done."
Naruto scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
His final technique—
Hurricane Style: Wind Release – Extreme Piercing Needle
—compressed every ounce of Wind Release chakra into a tiny needle.
Its destructive power was terrifying.
It could shatter armor...
Even ignore conventional defenses.
Still...
Just as Tsunade had said...
The technique wasn't fully perfected.
Otherwise...
Its power would have been even more frightening.
---
Tsunade turned toward the assembled Kage.
Her eyes stopped on Ōnoki.
"Tsuchikage..."
"What do you say?"
Ōnoki curled his lips into a bitter smile.
"Uzumaki Naruto..."
"What an extraordinary young man."
"Konoha has produced another unbelievable genius."
"I'm afraid..."
"The future of Konoha will become even brighter."
"Our Hidden Stone Village..."
"Can no longer compare."
He sighed.
"Since the Raikage has accepted defeat..."
"I have nothing more to say."
Relief finally appeared on Tsunade's face.
The impulsive Raikage had never been her greatest concern.
The truly troublesome opponent had always been Ōnoki.
Now that the old Tsuchikage had stepped aside...
Leadership of the Dawn Alliance naturally belonged to Konoha.
Just as Mei Terumī had predicted from the very beginning.
Konoha possessed the greatest amount of intelligence regarding the Akatsuki Organization.
Its achievements against them were unmatched.
It had also already secured the support of both the Hidden Sand and Hidden Mist Villages.
Once the Raikage and Tsuchikage accepted the decision...
No one else could oppose it.
Baki immediately stepped forward.
"Hokage-sama."
"The Hidden Sand Village is Konoha's ally."
"We are willing to follow your leadership and join the alliance against the Akatsuki."
Mei Terumī smiled elegantly.
"The Hidden Mist Village feels the same."
---
Mifune quietly let out a sigh of relief.
He had prepared himself for the worst.
After all...
The Five Kage Summit had never been expected to end peacefully.
Conflict between the Five Great Nations had seemed inevitable.
Yet...
Everything had finally settled down.
And the person who made it possible...
Was the youngest person present.
Uzumaki Naruto.
At that moment...
The Five Kage...
Their guards...
And every samurai of the Land of Iron...
Looked at Naruto with completely different eyes.
No longer was he merely a talented child.
Now...
He stood before them as one of the strongest shinobi in the world.
Mifune cleared his throat.
"With all Five Kage agreeing to establish the Dawn Alliance..."
"And with the Five Great Nations joining forces against the Akatsuki Organization..."
"Konoha Village and Hokage-sama are hereby recognized as the leaders of the alliance."
"The primary purpose of this Five Kage Summit has now been fulfilled."
He looked toward the assembled leaders.
"Kage-sama..."
"Please return to the conference hall."
"There are still many details that require discussion."
Everyone nodded.
Following Mifune back toward the main hall...
The Five Kage began discussing the remaining matters concerning the newly established alliance.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)