The explosion's sound spread for miles, and the violent hurricane whipped against the clothes of everyone in the Cloud.
"What happened? Go check it out!"
A hint of surprise flashed across Raikage Ai's face before he ordered with a grim expression.
"An attack?!"
"Could it be that Uzumaki Raiden is reneging on his word and trying to ambush our Cloud ninjas here?!" This thought crossed Raikage Ai's mind but was quickly dismissed.
"No, with his strength, he could have killed me outright. He had plenty of opportunities to do so last night. This explosion shouldn't be his doing."
"Then who is it?!"
While Raikage Ai pondered, an Anbu from the Cloud rushed toward him and reported, "Lord Raikage, the road ahead has collapsed. We need a ninja skilled in Earth Release to rebuild the path."
"The cause of the explosion remains unclear, but it seems to have triggered the collapse."
The Anbu relayed all available information before noticing Raikage Ai walking past him, heading toward the site of the explosion. As he walked, he stated, "I'll see for myself."
"There's no way this is just a coincidence. Someone is targeting us Cloud ninjas!"
Following Raikage Ai, a group of Cloud Jonin moved to the front of the formation, where they saw the devastated road.
They were on a high mountain, and the only retreat route toward the Land of the Moon was the winding mountain path ahead. However, the explosion had completely destroyed it, causing a landslide. A stretch of road hundreds of meters long had collapsed, sending rocks tumbling down the slope and into the valley below.
For elite ninjas, crossing this gap was simple, but many members of their force lacked such abilities.
Their team was trapped on the mountain!
"Where are the Earth Release users? Have them repair the road!" Raikage Ai commanded in a deep voice.
Following his order, several Earth Release ninjas stepped forward and quickly approached him. One of them, using sensory abilities, moved close and whispered, "Lord Raikage, I've detected a powerful chakra on the mountain!"
The ninja pointed toward a nearby rock wall. Raikage Ai narrowed his eyes, scanning the bare surface.
His subordinates wouldn't lie. If they reported an enemy's presence, there had to be one!
"Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!"
Suddenly, a series of loud noises erupted above them. The rock wall shattered, and massive boulders rained down after the explosions.
"Enemy attack!"
Raikage Ai roared as lightning armor enveloped his body. In a few swift movements, he leaped up the slope and shattered several boulders before they could reach the Cloud ninjas.
The troops reacted quickly, unleashing a flurry of jutsu to counter the falling debris.
"Lightning Release: Thunderball!"
"Water Release: Water Wall!"
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Various ninjutsu lit up the battlefield, but some Cloud ninjas, unable to react in time, were struck by falling boulders—some seriously injured, others killed outright.
"Damn it! Who is behind this?!"
Raikage Ai crushed more debris while glancing at the bloodstains in their ranks, his face dark with rage.
"Water Release: Water Adhesion Trap!"
From behind the falling rocks, a transparent liquid burst forth, splashing directly onto Raikage Ai. Many other Cloud ninjas were also caught off guard as the liquid rained down on them.
"This is... glue?!"
Killer Bee attempted to move, only to find the substance extremely sticky, restricting his mobility. Some weaker ninjas were almost completely immobilized.
"Who the hell is this person?!"
Raikage Ai had destroyed several boulders and landed back on the ground, but he immediately noticed the glue-like substance clinging to him.
He had never encountered a Water Release technique like this before, making it impossible to identify the attacker.
"Raikage, I've got you!"
Just as Raikage Ai was trying to assess the situation, a puddle of water nearby began to shift and rise, gradually forming a human shape. Within moments, a middle-aged man emerged.
He wore a Konoha-style green vest, resembling a Chunin at first glance. Gripping a kunai tightly in both hands, he glared at Raikage Ai with pure hatred.
"A Konoha ninja?" Raikage Ai's expression stiffened as he examined the man. His own sensory abilities weren't the strongest, but even he could tell—there were no other Konoha ninjas nearby.
The Cloud forces had been thrown into disarray by the falling rocks, creating a prime opportunity for an attack. Yet, only this middle-aged man had made a move.
That meant there was no Konoha army backing this attack.
Connecting the dots—the man's hateful gaze, his words—Raikage Ai quickly understood the situation.
"Heh! So, I'm the target?" His voice remained calm, his expression unreadable.
At that moment, the middle-aged man effortlessly moved across the adhesive liquid, kunai in hand, and charged at Raikage Ai.
"Die, you bastard!" A crazed grin spread across Kamizuki Ken's face as he lunged, his kunai aimed straight for Raikage Ai's neck.
He had planned this ambush carefully, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Kamizuki Ken knew he wouldn't survive. Even if he killed Raikage Ai, the Cloud forces would hunt him down.
But none of that mattered—he could finally avenge his younger brother!
The kunai closed in on Raikage Ai's neck—
Yet, there was no panic on the Raikage's face. At the last moment, his chakra surged, and his lightning armor entered its second stage!
Clang!
A crisp sound rang out as the kunai shattered upon impact.
"This…!"
Kamizuki Ken's face twisted in shock. The kunai had struck Raikage Ai's neck directly—yet, it broke.
His target had been unguarded, yet he still couldn't pierce his chakra armor?!
He had heard that Raikage Ai's lightning armor was incredibly tough, but this kunai wasn't ordinary—it was a specially crafted ninja tool!
"You poor fool."
Raikage Ai showed no trace of mockery, only pity.
His right hand shot forward, seizing Kamizuki Ken's arm. With a mere squeeze, he fractured it instantly.
A surge of pain jolted Kamizuki Ken back to reality. Yet, despite the excruciating agony, he didn't scream. He simply stared into Raikage Ai's eyes, his hatred intensifying.
(End of Chapter)