Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly.
He was used to being underestimated, but what truly bothered him was that even this ninjutsu couldn't threaten the Third Raikage.
The man's defenses were terrifyingly strong.
But in the next instant, Raj's figure flickered, appearing right in front of the Third Raikage.
By now, Raj had grown significantly larger, about the size of an average adult dog.
Despite its increased size, its speed hadn't diminished; in fact, it had become even faster.
The Third Raikage couldn't react at all.
In a flash, he was kicked into the air, and then...
Boom! Boom!
Boom!
With each thunderous impact, Raj pummeled the Third Raikage through the air like a ragdoll, combining its monstrous strength, taijutsu, and the Flying Thunder God Technique.
This relentless assault left the Raikage no chance to retaliate.
After the brutal beating, Raj's tail transformed into a hammer of iron.
The fur at its tip exploded outward, each strand sharpening into a needle-like spike, all infused with potent Wind Release chakra.
With a half-circle swing, the tail-hammer slammed into the Third Raikage.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed.
The Third Raikage's right shoulder froze, the joint visibly dislocating.
"That felt good... ow..." he roared with laughter, ready to retaliate, but then Raj's combo struck again.
Another identical sequence.
'You think the same move will work twice? Breaking through my left-handed defense won't be that easy,' he thought to himself.
However...
This time, the final strike was different.
The Third Raikage looked up and saw Raj's four paws dancing wildly in the air.
Beneath them, four chakra spheres materialized, gradually merging into two, then one.
Two Rasengans spinning in opposite directions, fused into a single one? This Rasengan...
"That's insane!" Kakashi exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Though he couldn't fully grasp what was happening, he could see with his own eyes that the final fused Rasengan was extraordinary.
"Third Raikage!" Yugito sensed the terrifying power within the Rasengan and nearly charged forward in panic.
But without her Tailed Beast chakra, she was powerless to help the Third Raikage.
Rushing in would only mean certain death.
"You're going too far, Raj!" Tsunade roared, leaping forward to forcibly separate Raj and the Third Raikage.
Boom!
The Raikage crashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater.
Raj was sent flying, the ground trembling violently as a massive crater formed amidst the swirling dust.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Tsunade's forehead.
This technique was far too reckless.
She had intervened because she could see that Raj himself hadn't fully mastered it, using it on a whim.
How could she possibly allow Raj to truly attack the Third Raikage?
If he accidentally killed him, how would they ever resolve the situation?
Of course, the Third Raikage, as the one being attacked, was deeply disappointed.
Another new Ninjutsu.
He was confident he could withstand it.
If no one had stopped him, he might have been able to push his limits.
Since his battle with the Eight-Tailed Beast, he hadn't had such a satisfying fight in ages.
Though he had spent most of the time being pummeled - not landing a single blow himself - he was still exhilarated.
"Meow~ I'm done fighting."
Raj, having exhausted his Sage Chakra, wisely decided to withdraw.
He had unleashed two consecutive combos on the Third Raikage, dodging all of the Raikage's attacks.
The final Rasengan had indeed been improvised and proved difficult to control.
However, given the Third Raikage's monstrous defensive capabilities, even a direct hit might not have inflicted serious damage.
If he could be defeated so easily, how could he have fought the Eight-Tailed Beast to a standstill?
"Again, again! I'm not done having fun yet!"
"Meow~ No, no! I'm afraid I'll kill you."
Raj waved his
He waved a paw dismissively, his expression conveying:
"You're too weak. I won't fight you."
"Tsunade, you shouldn't interfere!" the Third Raikage growled, frustrated.
After several clashes, he had discerned the cat's pattern: explosive bursts of power followed by a gradual decline in stamina.
"You can't defeat him. Even if you gain the upper hand, you'll only exhaust your chakra by hiding behind your turtle she'll. Don't you feel ashamed using such tactics against a junior?"
Tsunade openly sided with Raj.
Raj reveled in this outcome, while the Third Raikage seethed.
It was the perfect scenario for her, and she now had ample justification to prevent the Raikage from retaliating.
"A junior?"
"Yes, Lord Raikage," Rin replied with feigned sincerity. "Raj is only a little over a year and two months old. Though he's a Jonin, he's still quite young."
'What kind of logic is that?!' Yugito thought, dumbfounded.
'Cats mature much faster! A one-year-old cat is already an adult!'
"You're resorting to attrition against a toddler? If Onoki heard this, he'd laugh so hard he'd throw out his back! Aren't you afraid of becoming a laughingstock in the Ninja World?"
Tsunade continued her verbal assault.
'Laugh so hard he'd throw out his back... What a sharp tongue,' Raj thought, secretly applauding.
As expected, there was a reason why Raj and Tsunade resonated so well in certain aspects.
Her every move aligned perfectly with Raj's intentions, leaving him no room to improve even if he had tried.
"Alright, alright, alright! No more fighting! What reward do you want, kid?" the Third Raikage growled, his anger palpable.
He had been thoroughly enjoying the battle, on the verge of turning the tide, when his opponent declared victory.
'What kind of game is this?' he thought, frustrated.
His displeasure only fueled Raj's satisfaction.
Because...
Glancing at the System Panel, Raj noted that while he had earned over 8,000 points the previous night, the Third Raikage alone had contributed over 2,000 points today.
'A double delight.'
'No, make that a triple pleasure, considering the reward.'
'Delicious!'
After a moment's thought, Raj realized he lacked the aptitude for Lightning Release.
Even if the Third Raikage personally taught him the Four-Finger Thrust or Lightning Release Armor, he doubted he could master them.
It would be better to have Kakashi learn them first.
"Teach Kakashi the Lightning Release Armor and Four-Finger Thrust," Raj proposed.
"Are you dreaming? I'm not going to teach Ninjutsu after a single fight! The ancestral sages of Kumogakure would strike me down! Pick something else."
"Meow~ Then just the Lightning Release Armor will do."
"..."
'So you're really going to haggle for half the price?'
The Third Raikage studied Kakashi intently, gradually recalling that this young man was Konoha's Lightning Release prodigy and, moreover, the son of the White Fang.
He gazed at Kakashi with amusement.
After a few seconds, the Third Raikage said, "Young man, you don't seem to be enjoying your time in Konoha.