At the same time, the two bodyguards beside the Raikage exchanged glances, both seeing hesitation and unease in each other's eyes. Finally, one of them mustered the courage to take half a step forward and called out in a low voice: "Lord A…"
"What? Do you have objections to my decision?" The Raikage didn't turn around. His voice was cold, carrying an undeniable pressure. The thin arcs of lightning around his body seemed to tremble in rhythm with his words.
"Your subordinates wouldn't dare!" The two guards trembled and immediately knelt on the ground, their heads deeply bowed, not daring to breathe. Fine sweat beaded at their temples.
Seeing this, A simply let out a slow sigh. The severity in his tone vanished, replaced by a calmer, more subdued quality. His gaze fixed on the direction in which the Konoha reinforcements had fled, and he spoke slowly:
"Konoha… In the early years, there was Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, the twin pillars. Forget that—the other four villages were nothing more than jokes before them. We didn't even dare to think of becoming their enemies."
"But when those two were gone, Senju Tobirama appeared and, with ease, led Konoha to victory over us."
"When Senju Tobirama left, his disciple appeared. That old monkey, Sarutobi. In terms of true ability, I dare not claim I could defeat him reliably." In these words, there was fear of a formidable enemy, but no contempt.
"Then came the three ninja: Konoha's White Fang, the Yellow Flash, and Might Duy, who single-handedly took on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, beating four of them to death and sending the other three fleeing."
"That group hadn't even faded when a new generation of geniuses appeared. The White Fang's son, and now Nara Locke before me."
He paused, his knuckles turning white, his tone growing heavier: "Konoha has never lacked geniuses. If they can withstand the trials of war, they quickly become figures who shake the ninja world. And in the end, they all become…"
"A great headache for us in Kumogakure."
"I… envy that." A's tone lingered for a moment, his eyes flashing with the competitiveness and unwillingness of a strong man. Then, his entire body surged upward, and his voice became extremely resolute: "So today, no matter what, we must completely eliminate this threat. Forever remove a future problem for our village!"
At the same time, the new "headache," Locke, gauged the time. There was still about a minute left before the Raikage would move. He exchanged a glance with Choza, and Akimichi understood in an instant.
After Akimichi took a secret scroll from his hand and tossed it to Shirano Jūrō, the third-strongest in the unit, he said in a deep voice: "If I don't make it back alive, deliver this scroll to the front line commander. Remember, don't lose it!"
Shirano Jūrō looked up at Akimichi Choza and Nara Locke at the end of the unit. The image Locke had just captured of the Kumogakure elite flashed repeatedly in his mind.
He was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth and suddenly turned his head, shouting: "Yes!"
The final scene the two left for everyone was that of the old and the young turning and standing on a tree trunk, gazing at the Kumogakure elite pursuing them alone, their figures isolated.
Locke stood on the tree trunk, his arms crossed, his shoulders and back straight as a pine.
His chin was slightly raised, the corners of his eyes lifted. The unique rebelliousness of a young genius and his confident resolve came naturally—not the least bit deliberately showy. The confidence and arrogance etched into his bones seeped into every inch of his upright posture.
At this moment, he had none of the calm and introversion of the Nara clan. Instead, he exuded the edge of an Uchiha.
The dark-skinned shinobi was the first to give chase. When he saw that Locke wasn't even looking at him, his anger instantly surged.
Lightning-release chakra exploded across his body, channeling all of it into his limbs. He drew his ninja blade from his backhand and shouted loudly: "Die, you pineapple-headed bastard!"
The moment the blade reached his lashes, the corners of Locke's mouth merely curled into a cold sneer. He clenched one hand, his fingertips carefully forming the secret seal of the Heavenly Emperor, his voice cold:
"Shadow Binding Kill—"
In an instant, countless black shadow tentacles burst from the dense forest shadows, binding the three jonin charging ahead like iron chains. Only then did these Kumogakure ninja suddenly realize.
On top of this canopy, covered in branches and leaves, was a hunting ground specially created for Locke!
"Black Coffin."
Three words fell, and three pitch-black coffins clenched in response, completely sealing the three inside.
In the next second, the sickening sound of blood choking in throats rang out. That mournful, haunting noise made all the Kumogakure elite in pursuit freeze in place, their eyes filled with utter disbelief.
Why did that technique use only one hand seal? It was so fast that even ninja like them, who excelled at lightning-release chakra escape, couldn't react?
In an instant, every Kumogakure ninja present began to panic. All of them tensed up, warily eyeing every trembling shadow around them.
The quick-witted ones immediately slashed their blades to cut down the branches and leaves hanging overhead, letting the sky's light pour down, covering themselves completely. As if only by escaping the shadows could they avoid the strangling grip of that bizarre ninjutsu.
Seeing Locke casually reveal a technique he had never seen before, Akimichi turned his head and looked at Locke, his eyes full of disbelief.
He now reasonably suspected that the Nara clan's secret techniques had been transferred to him as a blood inheritance. Otherwise, why hadn't he even needed hand seals before?
In other words, Akimichi even suspected that he had only made the hand seals to confuse the Kumogakure ninja before him. Perhaps he was like the First Hokage—able to do whatever he wanted with just a clap of his hands.
The Black Coffin dispersed in response, and the three elite Kumogakure jonin, caught in the information gap, were once again revealed to everyone.
All three were covered in horrific penetrating wounds. Blood foam couldn't stop flowing from the corners of their mouths. With only half a breath left, they fell from the canopy without a trace of life, crashing heavily to the ground with muffled thuds, scattering fine dust and fallen leaves.
The muffled sound of their comrades hitting the ground became a call to war. The twenty-four Kumogakure ninja who had arrived one after another quickly recovered from their shock. Their rage overflowed, their eyes nearly bursting, vowing to avenge the tragic deaths.
No need to communicate with each other. The Kumogakure chunin had already reached an unspoken understanding. They gripped their ninja tools tighter, wanting to suppress Locke with an endless, intense onslaught, never giving the Konoha kid any room to form seals!
But if they wanted to get close to Locke, they first had to break through the iron wall that was Akimichi Choza.
Choza stood before Locke, the chakra beneath his feet suddenly condensing. The secret seal of the Akimichi clan formed rapidly in his palm, and he let out a low shout through his lips.
His entire body was instantly surrounded by dense, pale-gold yang-release chakra. The heat accumulated in his body transformed into a chakra explosion using the clan's techniques. The armor engraved with the character for "food" was filled with chakra, its edges drawn into sharp arcs but unbroken.
In the next second, his body swelled like a mountain. His limbs and torso became gigantic. His colossal, muscle-bound form blotted out the sky and sun, fully manifesting the Multi-Size Technique. Just his condensed aura and a pair of deep, cold eyes fixed on the hidden enemies made him seem like an insurmountable wall standing before Locke.
"Mega kid! Go!"
Choza shouted, his giant body condensing, the sound waves shaking the surrounding branches and leaves, making them tremble slightly. Standing on his broad shoulder, Locke looked up at the thunder rumbling in the distance. The corners of his mouth curled into a rebellious arc.
"Here we go!"