"He's a man of resolve."
Raikage Ai looked into the hateful eyes of the middle-aged man before him and spoke softly. The lightning on his palm crackled even more fiercely.
"Do you have any last wishes?"
"If it's not too much, I'll grant it."
Raikage Ai lowered his gaze as he asked. He respected his opponent's determination, but admiration alone wouldn't spare his life. However, granting a dying man a final request was something within his power—a small act of consideration.
"You bastard!"
"Damn it! Die! Just die already!" Kamizuki Ken roared, biting the corner of his lip until it bled. His left hand frantically struck at Raikage Ai's Lightning Armor. Blood oozed from his palm, yet his face showed nothing but madness—he felt no pain at all.
"What a shame."
Raikage Ai shook his head slightly before reaching out, grabbing Kamizuki Ken's other arm, and casually tossing him aside. In a flash, his fingers thrust into Kamizuki Ken's chest. Blood burst from his back.
At that moment, Kamizuki Ken lost all strength. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his pupils slowly losing focus.
"...Konoha..."
A faint, mosquito-like whisper reached Raikage Ai's ears. Even at death's door, Kamizuki Ken managed to voice the last thought buried deep in his heart.
Silently, Raikage Ai withdrew his blood-stained hand, watching the man collapse into a puddle.
"Brother? The glue's viscosity is gone? It's over on your side?"
"Who was this guy?!"
Killer Bee rushed to Raikage Ai's side, staring at the lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. His concern was evident.
"I don't know. Tell Konoha to send someone to retrieve his body."
Just as Raikage Ai finished speaking, a breeze brushed past him. Turning his head, he saw that a red-haired young man had appeared beside him at some point.
"I'm already here," Uzumaki Raiden said calmly, walking toward Kamizuki Ken's body. He reached into his robes, pulled out a scroll, and began forming hand seals.
"You didn't send this guy?" Raikage Ai asked as he watched Uzumaki Raiden seal the corpse.
"If I wanted you dead, would I need someone else's help?" Uzumaki Raiden sealed the body inside the scroll. At Raikage Ai's question, he merely shook his head.
"This man, Kamizuki Ken, was a hero of Konoha."
After securing the body, he turned slightly and spoke in a hushed tone before vanishing in a blur.
"Kamizuki Ken..."
Raikage Ai stared in the direction Uzumaki Raiden had disappeared, then waved his hand, signaling the Earth Release ninjas to rebuild the road.
For the Cloud forces, Kamizuki Ken's attack was nothing more than a brief incident. Some ninjas had died, but their losses were minimal. As for the body, even Raikage Ai had no desire to stir up further trouble over it.
A few days later, the Cloud troops had completely withdrawn from the Land of Rivers. Uzumaki Raiden and his team, who had been monitoring them, also began their return to camp.
Uzumaki Raiden did not conceal the truth about Kamizuki Ken from the rest of his squad. Everyone knew that Kamizuki Ken had died trying to assassinate Raikage Ai.
Raiden had the ability to save him—but he chose not to. This decision left an uneasy impression on his Konoha comrades. As they traveled back, the atmosphere remained heavy.
Upon returning to camp, Uzumaki Raiden handed the scroll containing Kamizuki Ken's body to Nara Shikadai before silently leaving with Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.
The task of reporting to higher-ups fell to Nara Shikadai. Raiden had no further obligations at the front line—his journey awaited.
"Both Kamizuki An and Kamizuki Ken have fallen in battle."
"Inform Izumo. His father and uncle have both perished on the battlefield."
"The remaining fallen ninjas will be buried in the cemetery, and their names will be engraved on the memorial stone. The notification and pension arrangements for their families... leave that to the Fourth Hokage."
"So many of our village's elites have perished in this war..."
Inside the Hokage's office, Namikaze Minato received the latest frontline report. He relayed the news to Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, requesting their assistance with administrative duties.
After reading the battle report, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed heavily. He set the document back on Minato's desk and slowly walked out of the office.
Years of war had left the Third Hokage physically and mentally exhausted. Though the Fourth Hokage had gradually taken control, many matters still required Hiruzen's input.
At that moment, he felt utterly drained.
Under Minato's gaze, Hiruzen's hunched figure seemed even more burdened.
The pale yellow sunlight poured from the sky.
In a quiet courtyard within the Land of Flowers, Uchiha Itachi was practicing swordsmanship, wielding the Sakegari no Tachi with both hands.
Uchiha Itachi's taijutsu followed the traditions of the Uchiha clan, which, despite not specializing in kendo, utilized the Sharingan's insight to refine their swordsmanship.
Uzumaki Raiden lounged at the edge of the small courtyard in a wooden recliner, gently rocking as he basked in the warm winter morning sun, watching Itachi train.
On the veranda, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin stood side by side, observing the boy as he practiced, sweat dripping down his face.
"Itachi, two-handed and one-handed sword techniques are completely different."
"At your current age, you need both hands to wield the Sakegari no Tachi properly. A two-handed sword isn't just about 'striking the surface.'"
"The key to using a two-handed sword is wrist control, strength training, core stability, and footwork. A proper thrusting technique is just one aspect of wrist training. If you want to master the Sakegari no Tachi, you can't rely on isolated drills alone."
The Uchiha clan primarily focused on slashing techniques in their swordsmanship, with some emphasis on footwork. Generally, their one-handed sword style was sufficient. But for a two-handed sword, additional techniques were necessary.
As Uzumaki Raiden spoke, he rose from his chair—not to take the Sakegari no Tachi from Itachi, but to construct a two-handed sword with his Lightning Release chakra. Then, in an open area, he demonstrated.
Uchiha Itachi, ever the diligent student, activated his Sharingan and closely observed every movement.
Once Raiden finished his set, Itachi gripped the Sakegari no Tachi tightly and began to imitate him.
The Sharingan allowed him to analyze Raiden's technique with ease. However, his body wasn't yet strong enough to replicate it flawlessly.
After two attempts, he slowed down and began repeating Raiden's movements with careful precision.
"As expected of Uchiha Itachi. He memorized it after just one viewing!"
"This guy might be an even greater genius than Kakashi!"
Obito Uchiha watched Itachi swing the Sakegari no Tachi, then stole a glance at Kakashi.
At that moment, Kakashi was also observing Itachi with a serious expression. The young prodigy's talent was undeniable.
The pressure Kakashi felt from Itachi was immense—this junior was beyond anything he had anticipated.
(End of Chapter)