"The White Fang's blade?"
The Third Raikage let out a cold, sharp laugh. "I would truly love to see that terrifying fang once more!"
In a blur of motion that defied the human eye, he surged forward. The sheer displacement of air created a localized gale as he materialized in front of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
"What a shame," he sneered, his voice a low growl of mockery. "You Konoha fools couldn't even tolerate his brilliance."
He didn't even bother with ninjutsu. He simply pivoted on one heel, his leg swinging out like a massive, iron-hewn scythe. The strike was so swift and powerful that Akimichi Choza and his teammates were sent spiraling back, coughing up sprays of blood before they could even process the movement.
"Rotation!"
Hyuga Hizashi's pupils contracted to pinpricks. His Byakugan screamed a warning, allowing him a fraction of a second to react. He spun with desperate intensity, releasing a dome of protective chakra.
It didn't matter. A black-skinned fist, imbued with the force of a falling meteor, tore through the hemispherical defense with brutal efficiency. The impact snapped six of Hizashi's ribs instantly, sending him skidding across the battlefield.
"That leaves only you, Danzo!"
The Third Raikage stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing the one-armed Danzo like a serrated blade.
"So be it," Danzo ground out. His breathing was ragged, and the weight of the Raikage's presence felt like a physical mountain on his chest. But he did not flinch. "As long as I draw breath, you will not set a single foot into the Land of Fire."
Despite the overwhelming odds, the "Root" of Konoha showed the iron-blooded resolve that defined his career. If he could die here and take the Raikage with him, he would have achieved more than Hiruzen ever could. He would protect the village in a way the Third Hokage never dared.
"Surrender, Danzo," the Raikage offered, his eyes narrowing. Even in his bloodlust, he could respect the man's stubborn grit. "You cannot stop me."
Danzo responded by raising his remaining arm in a final, defiant gesture.
"Do you truly wish to die with me?"
The Raikage gave a disdainful smirk. He wasted no more words. He lunged forward like a rampaging Tailed Beast, the ground beneath his feet shattering into dust. His style was a reflection of his soul: pure, unadulterated recklessness.
"Reverse Four Symbols Seal!"
Danzo's eyes burned with the light of a man who had accepted his end. He reached for his final forbidden technique, intending to drag the Raikage into the void with him.
But terror seized his heart as the Raikage's speed suddenly doubled. The giant had been holding back.
I've been played... Danzo thought, a bitter, helpless smile touching his lips. Death wasn't just approaching; it was already here. The seal was too slow. The Raikage was too fast. His final moment of glory was about to be snuffed out before it could even begin.
"Against my absolute strength and speed, what do you have left?" the Raikage mocked, the light of victory shining in his eyes.
The Titan Returns
"He might not have anything left, but I certainly do."
A voice like a tolling cathedral bell rang out, echoing through the battlefield with the force of a physical blow.
Faster than the Raikage's lightning-enhanced strike, a massive figure in a tailored black suit materialized beside Danzo. He didn't use a flashy technique; he simply stepped into the path of the disaster.
Ikki reached out with a hand that seemed to span the horizon, his five fingers spreading like a heavy iron net. He caught the Raikage's fist mid-air.
BOOM.
The collision of fist and palm released a shockwave so violent it felt as if a mountain had collapsed. The ground beneath them disintegrated, long fissures snaking outward for dozens of meters. A localized hurricane of displaced air tore through the camp, sending tents and equipment flying.
Danzo, caught in the immediate radius, was thrown through the air like a leaf in a storm. He coughed up a trail of blood before being caught mid-flight by Kato Dan.
"Lord Danzo! Are you alright?"
Danzo opened his eyes, ignoring his battered state as he stared back at the center of the crater.
"The man who intercepted him... is it...?"
"It's Lord Ikki," Kato Dan whispered, his voice full of awe.
There, amidst the settling dust, stood the nearly nine-foot-tall titan. Ikki looked as immovable as a mountain peak, his black suit pristine despite the chaos. His massive palm remained clamped around the Third Raikage's fist, holding the "Strongest Spear" of the Hidden Cloud in a dead, immovable grip.
"Iron Fist... Ikki."
The Third Raikage slowly raised his eyes, fixing them on Ikki's weathered, resolute face. He looked for a sign of decay, a hint of the years slowing the man down. He found nothing but iron.
"This is our first meeting," Ikki said, his voice flat and unimpressed. "So, you're the one they call the Shadow of the Cloud."
He looked down at the Raikage with the same casual indifference one might show a passing traveler. In Ikki's eyes, the man who had terrified Konoha for days was just another "kid" playing at war.
"I am Ai, the Third Raikage of the Hidden Cloud," the giant responded, his muscles tensing as a long-dormant fighting spirit began to boil in his veins.
He had waited for this moment since the news of the Rock's surrender had reached him. Now, finally, the legend was within his reach.