"They aren’t as good as the green-haired Mizukage brother..."
"Mizukage is the sa age as them and has already beco Mizukage..."
Even though it was ant as a complint, Yagura felt a burning anger in his heart. Black Earth’s words kept echoing in his mind.
While just casually wandering around, he encountered an influential, mysterious person, was controlled by genjutsu, and was then beaten by Konoha ninjas while being controlled. Konoha even kidnaped him.
Why is he always the unlucky one? And it’s not like he could say anything to a child’s innocent words.
However, a child’s innocent words are often genuine, which pained Yagura the most. His dignity had already vanished.
’I hate Iwagakure!’ Yagura thought with a dark expression.
Damn, Iwagakure, if there’s a chance, I’ll teach them a hard lesson. This is mainly for avenging the Second Mizukage, definitely not for any personal grievances! "Haha, sa age." Black Earth’s words instantly amused Nagasawa. He patted Yagura’s shoulder, laughing, and said:
"Little Black Earth, that’s right, the Fourth Mizukage is an extraordinary genius, becoming Mizukage at such a young age. He’s a role model for you kids."
"Yeah, I want to learn from Mizukage-sama and beco Tsuchikage soon, so grandpa can retire." Black Earth waved her little fists excitedly.
’Young, my foot. I was traversing the ninja world when you weren’t even born.’ Yagura wanted to retort to Nagasawa.
But thinking about his current situation—his chakra being sealed and the Three-Tails refusing to lend its chakra—plus Raikage’s strange attitude toward Nagasawa, he decided to play it safe. With a stoic face, he said:
"Nagasawa Advisor is joking. I’m not a youngster, just happen to look a bit young."
Giving Nagasawa a stern look was his final act of defiance.
"Really? Then how old are you, Mizukage-sama?" Black Earth asked curiously, suspecting that Mizukage might already be in his twenties, an adult.
"My child is almost getting married," Yagura said expressionlessly, without revealing his exact age.
"What!!" Black Earth exclaid in shock, her eyes widening as if her worldview was shattered.
"How can that be? Are you kidding?" Black Earth felt deceived. Sitting next to the 1.8-ter-tall Nagasawa, the 1.4-ter-tall Yagura looked even more negligible. Such a small Mizukage, and he’s a middle-aged man!
"Haha, Black Earth, don’t be rude. Mizukage isn’t a child, nor a liar," Onoki said, laughing. Black Earth’s innocent words also amused him.
Though Onoki wasn’t tall, he didn’t have a baby face. Anyone could see he was a seasoned veteran in the ninja world.
"Well..." Black Earth felt her fantasy shattered but quickly recovered. What Mizukage couldn’t achieve, she might be able to. Maybe she could beco the first young Tsuchikage.
Seeing Yagura being teased, the Fourth Raikage felt a sense of empathy. Before Yagura arrived, he had suffered from Nagasawa’s teasing.
Thus, the Fourth Raikage decided—
He wouldn’t speak today. He’d watch the match quietly and let Yagura continue to be teased.
Help Yagura? No way. As long as he wasn’t the one being teased, he was fine. Yagura was teased and had nothing to do with him.
The Fourth Raikage had realized that Iwagakure and Sunagakure had no intentions of causing trouble and were ready to follow Konoha’s lead.
He certainly couldn’t confront the three great ninja villages. One Konoha had already made his life miserable.
If you can’t beat them, join them. The Fourth Raikage highly approved of the Five Kage Summit’s re-convening and was greatly looking forward to the peaceful and beautiful world Konoha depicted.
As they chatted, the final match was about to begin, with both contestants ready.
Itachi and Kabuto stood facing each other with calm expressions, seemingly confident in themselves.
"I will defeat you!" Kabuto declared.
It wasn’t just for Nagasawa’s reward or the honor of being first.
As his brother Nagasawa had said, Itachi’s journey had been too smooth. Kabuto had experienced many hardships while living in an orphanage, things most ordinary children would never encounter, and it had shaped him.
On the other hand, Itachi was the son of the prestigious Uchiha clan leader and later beca Nagasawa’s disciple, living a life akin to a protagonist in a novel.
Itachi needed a failure; from that failure, he would rise to greater heights.
Kabuto was determined to give Itachi that failure.
He wasn’t one to boast; he didn’t have a guaranteed win over Itachi, but he would strive to defeat him.
"That’s what I want to say too. I will win!" Itachi’s usually expressionless face showed a rare desire for victory.
This wasn’t just for the honor of the Uchiha or Nagasawa’s reward.
As his teacher Nagasawa said, Kabuto’s growth had been too smooth. Itachi had been taken to the battlefield at the age of four, witnessing the horrors of war, even personally killing an enemy ninja who tried to kill him. He had seen the cruelty of war and the brutality of the battlefield, and his mind had been well-honed.
On the other hand, Nagasawa guided Kabuto since childhood, and his exceptional talent beca a revered genius as soon as he entered the ninja academy.
Nagasawa’s brotherly identity gave him many advantages. He was also the disciple of the Third Hokage, gaining insights from special departnts since childhood.
"Begin!" Kakashi shouted after finishing the countdown, swiftly using the Body Flicker Technique to retreat to the arena’s edge, officially starting the final match.
Bam, bam, bam!!! As Kakashi’s arm dropped, the two moved, continuously colliding, clashing with a speed invisible to ordinary eyes.
They tacitly refrained from using weapons, relying on the most basic taijutsu.
But even so, the collisions between their fists and feet generated shockwaves, indicating the sheer power behind those tiny fists.
The arena was marked with small craters as the two engaged in fierce combat.
The intense battle on the stage ignited the audience’s enthusiasm, with cheers for their favored contestants resounding.
"Go, brother! I believe you will win!" Sasuke cupped his hands around his mouth, loudly cheering for his beloved brother.
"Go, Kabuto! Defeat Uchiha Itachi!" Naruto grinned beside him, cheering for Itachi’s opponent.
Undoubtedly, this was a provocation. Sasuke glared fiercely at Naruto, then increased his volu, drowning out Naruto’s voice.
Naruto, unwilling to be outdone, raised his voice. They competed to see who could shout louder, with both putting all their effort into it.
Having exerted too much force, their cheers turned into indistinct cries.
However, for the two already competing, the exact words didn’t matter. They just wanted to determine the winner.
And at that mont, the situation on the stage changed.
Their fists collided, causing both to retreat a few steps and then they drew the weapons on their backs.
Kabuto infused his chakra into his short blade, extending the small blade with a segnt of water-blue light, turning it into a katana.
Itachi’s weapon was no longer the standard long blade used in training; it was a custom-made sword by Fugaku Uchiha.
"They’re so fast! Are they monsters? They’re so small, yet their speed is incredible," so ninjas in the audience exclaid.
The two’s speed surpassed their previous collisions, making so ninjas feel like their years of training were in vain.
Clang! A crisp tallic sound echoed, followed by a terrifying wind scattering the shattered ground’s dust.
Whoosh.
If soone observed closely, they would notice that their breathing had changed since the start, explaining their increased speed.
They had begun using breathing techniques, ending their warm-up and starting the actual fight.
This ti, Itachi suppressed Kabuto, his strength visibly greater, pushing Kabuto back several ters.
But Kabuto remained calm. He knew why. Itachi had trained in the original breathing technique, the Breath of the Sun. Even an incomplete version, in terms of pure strength, was unmatched by the Breath of Water.
However, this didn’t an the Breath of Water was inferior. Greater strength ant more severe consumption. Itachi could maintain the Breath of the Sun for only five minutes, ideally less in intense combat. And strength alone doesn’t determine victory; underestimating the power of water could lead to downfall.
After successfully suppressing Kabuto, Itachi exploded again, a faint red aura igniting around him, aiming to defeat Kabuto in one go.
At this mont, Kabuto perfectly utilized the fluidity and softness of water. Using the Breath of Water’s footwork, he moved as if leisurely walking, evading Itachi’s strikes at the last mont but never too far, giving Itachi the illusion that he could catch up with a burst of speed.
Itachi cald down, refraining from rash moves. He knew this was Kabuto’s tactic to wear him out.
Seeing Itachi halt, Kabuto ford seals, his hands moving swiftly, instantly releasing the Water Dragon Bullet.
A massive amount of water surged, forming a coiled dragon circling Kabuto’s tiny body.
At that mont, the audience rembered that these two were not just skilled in taijutsu. Their ninjutsu was equally impressive, capable of single-handed seals and simplified seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Itachi also swiftly ford seals, releasing a massive, five-ter-tall fireball.
One side had a seven-to-eight-ter-long water dragon, while the other had a five-ter-high fireball, both formidable.
"Their ninjutsu is also so strong. It’s really frustrating comparing oneself to them," so ninjas sighed. At that age, they struggled with the basic Three Body Technique.
And these two on the stage, fighting like this, didn’t resemble any lower-level ninja, capable of defeating many Chunin.
Boom, boom, boom!!
Sizzle! The fierce water dragon clashed with the intensely burning fireball, creating a blinding light and explosive sounds. The flas evaporated large amounts of water, producing a thick white mist that enveloped the entire arena.
The audience could only see flashes of blue and red light within the mist, unable to discern their movents.
The two figures beca visible as the mist cleared, with Itachi continuously pursuing Kabuto.
So observers might not notice anything, but true experts could see that Itachi was already disadvantaged.
Although both were equally matched and Itachi seed in control, a closer analysis revealed that Kabuto held the genuine initiative.
Kabuto had the upper hand if Itachi could cover the entire arena with his attacks or deliver an unavoidable strike.
"It looks like Uchiha Itachi is going to win."
But just as soone said this, Itachi on the stage underwent another change.
In a sudden burst of unprecedented speed, Itachi turned into a red streak, sending Kabuto flying, skidding ten ters before stopping.
’Didn’t want to use this, but there’s no other way now.’ Itachi’s breathing rhythm changed again, the faint red aura around him deepening.
He employed the explosive technique Nagasawa taught him, which he called the Burning State of the Breath of the Sun. This technique enhanced his power by burning his chakra and stamina.
But this power wasn’t free; it consud a lot of stamina and could harm the body if used for long periods without sufficient physical strength.
That’s why he managed to hit the elusive Kabuto.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Kabuto looked at Itachi in shock. But Itachi, who didn’t give him any chance, imdiately continued his assault.
Kabuto’s eyes shifted. Water has many forms, from a stream’s gentle flow to the ocean’s mighty waves.
Nagasawa had previously taught him an explosive technique that discarded the gentle and embracing aspects of water and pursued extre power. Kabuto called it the Raging Wave State.
He initially thought he wouldn’t need to use it, but seeing Itachi’s hidden depths, it seed necessary.
A wild aura emanated from Kabuto, his deanor shifting. The chakra blade in his hand glead brighter.
Kabuto infused his strength and chakra into his blade, eting Itachi’s flaming blade head-on.
Boom!!! A fierce explosion erupted, the powerful impact leaving marks on Itachi and Kabuto.
But neither stopped, their blades clashing, explosions continually rocking the arena.
"Aren’t they teammates? They seed to get along well before. Why are they fighting so fiercely now, as if trying to kill each other?" soone questioned.
Nagasawa could only smile faintly, keeping his wisdom to himself while being ready to jump in with healing jutsu at any mont.
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