When thinking of the Uchiha, the first rule is that one must never look into their Sharingan to avoid Genjutsu, rather than simply hiding one's hand signs. To possess the ability to copy ninjutsu, the wielder of the Sharingan must also have exceptional chakra control and a deep understanding of the "ninja arts."
Of course, Tsunade had another theory in her heart. The creator of the [Lightning Style Chakra Mode] was the Second Raikage, a member of the Yotsuki clan. It was later passed down to the Third Raikage.
Given that Kiyoshi carried half the Yotsuki bloodline, the idea that he could easily replicate this secret technique actually made sense.
"They've started," Kiyoshi said suddenly.
Hearing this, Tsunade shifted her gaze away from Kiyoshi and toward the battle ahead. The Third Raikage was like a shark entering a school of fish, cruelly using the "high heat," "tearing," and "paralysis" effects of his lightning to slaughter any Hidden Stone ninjas in his vicinity.
In an instant, the earth roared. Countless rocks and clumps of earth began to condense. High in the mountains, this was the home field for Stone ninjas to use their techniques!
Kiyoshi's Sharingan spun rapidly in his sockets. Tsunade couldn't help but look back, seeing what looked like a cluster of crimson flames moving at high speed.
'So the chakra runs like this here...'
By observing the Third Raikage, who had practiced the [Lightning Style Chakra Mode] to perfection, Kiyoshi's own understanding was rising continuously. From basic entry to proficiency, it was still refining.
The only thing lacking was actual combat with this move. This was the so-called "snowball effect." Under the influence of various factors, Kiyoshi's learning ability had reached a terrifying level.
In terms of the ability to learn ninjutsu, Kiyoshi was confident that few in the current Hidden Leaf could surpass him. The reason he didn't make a absolute guarantee was because of a few top-tier students like Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze.
But Kiyoshi believed that once he gathered two Three-Tomoe Sharingan or obtained a few more Traits, he would surpass them.
"Fall back! Don't cluster together!" Kitsuchi shouted.
The Third Raikage wrapped powerful lightning around his body for both offense and defense. With his cells activated, he possessed extreme movement speed and a formidable resistance to injury—so much so that it was hailed as the "Strongest Lightning Armor."
In the distance, the Stone ninjas gripped their kunai and katanas tightly. Everyone knew they couldn't engage in close combat. But there was simply no time to dodge! However, after the initial panic, the remaining Stone ninjas proved they weren't fools and began to summarize the Third Raikage's patterns. Since he was hard to hit, they would wear him down!
The sun set bit by bit. The Third Raikage, whose momentum had been like a mountain, began to show signs of flagging. The amount of chakra he could refine from his body grew less and less.
He took a gap in the fighting to swallow a Food Pill and continued the battle. The pills in his pouch were limited; at this rate, he could hold out for three days and three nights at most—unless a Hidden Cloud unit arrived to reinforce him.
But that was impossible. The distance between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth was vast, separated by a series of small nations and the Land of Fire. The travel required was equivalent to running from the easternmost edge of the Land of Fire to the westernmost.
'It seems this will be my burial ground,' the Third Raikage thought while fighting through the blood.
"Hell Stab: Four-Finger Spear!"
Even more concentrated lightning surfaced on his hand, like a bolt of lightning killing every Stone ninja in a straight line.
"Enemy forces here!" a Stone ninja suddenly shouted.
The Third Raikage looked over immediately. He feared his son had returned. From a hilltop to the northwest, two young ninjas leaped out: a blonde kunoichi and a youth wearing an Uchiha cloak.
"Tsunade and... Kiyoshi Yotsuki."
The Third Raikage recognized the arrivals. As one of the Sannin, Tsunade was famous throughout the ninja world; few didn't know her. The name of the boy beside her was much smaller, but the Third Raikage had seen Kiyoshi's portrait before. Thus, he knew instantly who it was.
"Keep the units steady! Spread out and maintain a formation suitable for releasing Earth Style from a distance!" Kitsuchi issued orders one after another. Sweat soaked his beard that wrapped around his cheeks.
Every village's combat gear was different. Theirs consisted of red tight-fitting combat suits with brown Jonin flak jackets, a long red sleeve on the left arm, and the right arm exposed. Tsunade and Kiyoshi's attire was clearly the standard Hidden Leaf style.
The secret that they had mobilized ten thousand Stone ninjas here absolutely could not be leaked! If the Land of Fire took the opportunity to unite with other nations to intercept their forces and sent another squad to raid the heart of the Land of Earth, the Hidden Stone Village would face the risk of an attack on their homeland!
"Kiyoshi, we've been spotted." Tsunade slapped a summoning tag onto the ground, summoning Katsuyu. Since she had hemophobia, she naturally couldn't use the conventional summoning method.
These tags contained her blood, allowing her to use them directly without having to see blood. She had used similar means in the Land of Wind. Fortunately, this condition was known only to a very few insiders.
"Let's deal with the surrounding ninjas first." Kiyoshi's Sharingan observed several fast Body Flicker-type ninjas. They seemed able to condense rocks in the air so they could step on them to jump, gaining leverage. Gaara could similarly control dust floating in the air to achieve a near-levitation effect.
"This is a clone of Katsuyu." A small slug fell from the massive Katsuyu, and Tsunade placed it on Kiyoshi's shoulder.
*Hiss...*
The white snake in Kiyoshi's sleeve flicked its tongue irritably. It was obvious she didn't like having other summoned beasts on Kiyoshi's body. Kiyoshi stroked the white snake's head a few times to soothe her. Then, he immediately summoned his ninja blade, coating it with both Lightning and Fire chakra natures.
Tsunade closed her eyes and clenched her fists. At this moment, she could only avoid looking at blood to prevent triggering her hemophobia.
*Slash!*
In an instant, three Stone ninjas who rushed forward were sliced in half. The blood was immediately evaporated by the flames, leaving the smell of charred flesh in the air. they looked at Kiyoshi in terror before intense pain hit them a second later.
"Be careful, neither of these ninjas is simple!"
A Stone ninja slapped the ground with both hands. The solid earth beneath Kiyoshi's feet suddenly became soft and viscous, like a marsh.
Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!
However, to their astonishment, Kiyoshi leaped up, crossing the dozens-of-meters-long swamp in one bound! If one looked closely, they could see translucent air currents around Kiyoshi, constantly assisting his glide.
"Lady Tsunade, I'll handle these for now." Kiyoshi swung his blade, continuously killing the Stone ninjas who approached.
Even with a force of ten thousand, where most of the elites and combat power were focused on the Third Raikage, the number of people diverted to Kiyoshi was not to be underestimated.
*Crackle!*
Azure lightning streams flickered around Kiyoshi's body, making him look like a figure cast in thunder, cutting through those who dared to block him like rotten wood. This flamboyant display naturally drew everyone's attention.
Kitsuchi's brow furrowed. Tsunade-hime of the Sannin was one thing, but where did an Uchiha this strong come from? And he even knew the secret Nintaijutsu of the Land of Lightning?
Kitsuchi had the same thought as Tsunade: that Kiyoshi had used the Sharingan to copy the Third Raikage's Nintaijutsu after just a few glances! Such a genius had to be stifled here!
Kitsuchi immediately dispatched five elite Jonin to flank Kiyoshi. The rest continued to hinder the Third Raikage's movements.
'This talent... should I say he's worthy of being a clansman of the Second?' The Third Raikage had always respected the Second Raikage, as his Nintaijutsu was taught by the man, who was both a teacher and a friend.
'Since I can't walk out of here...' The Third Raikage looked at the endless mountains and the dense crowds of people on the plains at the foot of the mountains. He wanted to do one last thing.
That was to see if Kiyoshi Yotsuki's heart belonged to the Hidden Cloud. If he had already sided with the Hidden Leaf, he would stifle Kiyoshi here in advance! Kiyoshi's growth had completely deviated from the intelligence reports.
If he held hostility toward the Hidden Cloud, he would clash with his son and the comrades of the Hidden Cloud—something the Third Raikage could not tolerate. Every Kage, no matter how poor their personal character, cared for their village.
First, he exhaled a cloud of gas that spread with extreme speed.
Fire Style: Hiding in Dust Technique!
As the Third Raikage, he possessed the Fire, Earth, and Lightning chakra natures. Naturally, he knew some Fire Style ninjutsu.
"Hell Stab: One-Finger Spear!"
The Third Raikage channeled most of his refined chakra into this single move.
*Boom!*
The earth fractured and spread like a spiderweb, a deep crater being hammered into existence! Numerous Stone ninjas who didn't have time to dodge had their internal organs shattered by the force.
Those further away were thrown by the upheaved ground. This was the so-called Strongest Spear. When reduced from four fingers to one, the damage of the lightning reached its peak. The kicked-up dust immediately obscured the area.
Kiyoshi, who was in the middle of killing enemies, immediately wanted to leap up. But a pair of large hands emerged in his vision. Kiyoshi's Sharingan insight barely managed to capture this scene, and he instinctively blocked.
*Clang!*
The blade struck sparks, the fire and lightning flowing over it sizzling and screaming. The spot that had already been cratered collapsed once again. Other areas also began to trigger a chain reaction, sinking further.
*Rumble!*
It was a scene of crumbling mountains and splitting earth.
"Kiyoshi!" Tsunade cried out as she leaped onto Katsuyu's head. They had hit a fault line or a loose rock layer! It must have been the high heat and shockwave released by the Third Raikage's Lightning Style that affected the structure beneath the plain, causing a cave-in.
"Spread out and surround this area!" Kitsuchi ordered.
One group of people rushed toward the distance, while another group searched the collapsed area. A portion of Stone ninjas who knew Wind Style began to use it to disperse the sand and dust.
At the very bottom, beneath the intricate plains, Kiyoshi quietly looked at the Third Raikage. The area had collapsed at least several hundred meters, even hitting an underground river. This made the mountain structure beneath the gray fog even more complex.