Chapter 21: Fighting the AB Duo Alone!

“Darui! C! You two take your teams and deal with those two flying ninjas!” the Raikage, Ay, quickly issued tactical orders.

“Watch out for that scythe ninja!” Ay added, relaying the intelligence he had gathered from his recent clash. “That guy seems to be able to absorb chakra!”

“Bee! Follow me and meet this arrogant fellow!”

As the renowned ‘AB Duo’ of the shinobi world, they had swept across the battlefield during the Third Shinobi World War, invincible and unstoppable. It was only when they encountered the faster ‘Yellow Flash,’ Minato Namikaze, that they were finally outmatched.

But now that Minato was dead, the Fourth Raikage, Ay, had become the fastest man in the shinobi world of this era!

No one doubted the combat prowess of the AB Duo!

Darui and C each led their respective squads of Cloud ninjas to launch a pincer movement against the two airborne enemies.

They did not dare to be careless, not only because the enemies had the audacity to attack the Cloud Village with only three people, but also because the ability to fly was extremely rare in the entire shinobi world!

So far, they had only heard of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Stone Village, being able to hover!

With yellow short hair and a handsome face, C led several Cloud ninjas to engage the Maiden of Jade first.

Several Cloud ninjas utilized Earth Style ninjutsu, causing countless earthen spears to erupt from the ground and thrust toward the sky in an attempt to restrict the Maiden of Jade's movements. C, leading three Cloud Jonin, used these earthen spears as stepping stones to leap into the air, their Lightning Style ninjutsu cutting through the smoke.

However, the Maiden of Jade's ribbons were as troublesome as venomous snakes; they could extend freely and were sharp enough to cut through iron. Once a ribbon struck a body, an ordinary ninja would be either killed or severely wounded!

The Maiden of Jade moved like a dancer, elegantly "performing" in mid-air as she brandished her ribbons. One by one, Cloud ninjas were pierced by the ribbons or sent flying, coughing up blood after being struck.

For a moment, not a single person could get close to her.

On the other side.

The Death God swung his scythe, engaging the Cloud ninjas led by Darui.

“Water Style: Water Bullet!” Several Cloud ninjas skilled in Water Style performed hand signs, firing countless bullets made of water at the Death God as he flew toward them.

The destructive power of these "Water Bullets" was comparable to large-caliber bullets, capable of piercing through iron plates in a single strike.

The Death God dodged the incoming water bullets with effortless grace and charged straight for Darui.

“Storm Style: Arashi Kousosuo!” Darui performed hand signs!

A blue sphere of light erupted into over a dozen electrified water pillars, roaring toward the Death God in the sky.

These "water pillars" seemed to possess laser-like guidance, striking the Death God from multiple directions.

Seeing this, the Death God swung his scythe.

Several wind blades sliced through the smoke, forming a wind net in mid-air that completely cut through and absorbed the incoming Storm Style ninjutsu.

“What!” Darui was shocked to see his proud "Storm Style: Arashi Kousosuo" being easily sliced apart by the enemy's "wind blades."

Immediately after, these "wind blades" continued their trajectory, striking several Cloud ninjas who failed to dodge in time.

“Ah!” The struck ninjas let out screams of agony.

Darui looked over quickly, only to see that although their bodies had not been cut by the wind blades, they had collapsed to the ground as if they were dead, unable to stand again.

“Be careful!” Mabui shouted a warning. “That guy's scythe can absorb chakra! Don't let him hit you!”

The analytical and perceptive Mabui, acting on the intelligence provided by the Raikage, quickly ordered the Cloud ninjas to adjust their tactics.

Ninjas rely heavily on chakra; once the chakra within the body is exhausted, death is usually the only outcome.

“I'll draw his attention! Mabui! You organize the long-range attacks!” True to his status as a successor to the Fifth Raikage, Darui immediately decided to act as bait.

Using the architecture of the Raikage building, Darui continuously climbed to higher ground before leaping toward the Death God!

“Lightning Style: Black Panther!” Although Darui could not use flight techniques, he possessed wide-range ninjutsu.

Countless dark purple bolts of lightning converged on Darui's body, forming a black lightning panther that lunged at the Death God!

The Death God swung his scythe once more.

Darui immediately activated the second stage of the Black Panther; the black lightning panther expanded, transforming into a massive electrical net that swept over the area!

Facing this net woven from black lightning, the Death God spun his scythe like a lawnmower, absorbing all the lightning chakra it touched!

“How is this possible!” Darui watched this scene from the air, utterly speechless.

——————

On the main battlefield.

The fierce battle between the Cloud's AB Duo and Menma within the smoke had reached a fever pitch.

The Raikage, Ay, in his Lightning Release Chakra Mode combined with Lightning Style Taijutsu, was as unstoppable as a thunderbolt, launching continuous attacks!

Killer Bee was also wielding his seven swords, dancing like a swarm of bees, coordinating perfectly with his brother to launch attacks from both sides.

True to his nickname "The Seven Swordsmen," his moves were ruthless, yet he simultaneously hummed and rapped, which was quite irritating.

However, the mysterious stranger used only a single kunai to parry Killer Bee's fluid onslaught of seven swords, all while simultaneously dodging the Raikage's Taijutsu attacks.

Despite it being their first encounter, they felt as if the opponent understood their combat styles perfectly.

“Lightning Style: Raikage's Hand!” Ay concentrated his Lightning Style chakra into his hands, leaping into the air and diving down in a hand-chop form!

This was a "hand-chop honed through bone-shattering training, sharpened to the brilliance of a flash!"

Killer Bee also swung his swords to block the mysterious stranger's path of evasion.

“Mini Rasenringyu!” Holding a kunai in his right hand, Menma parried Killer Bee's sword attack, while his left hand condensed a dark purple sphere, crashing it head-on into the Raikage's "Lightning Style: Raikage's Hand!"

Despite the name "Mini Rasenringyu," its size was no smaller than a "Wind Style: Rasenshuriken."

*Boom!*

The violent collision of the two ninjutsu caused the dark-attribute chakra and the Lightning Style chakra to intertwine, emitting a piercing explosion.

Ultimately, Uzumaki Menma's "Mini Rasenringyu" proved superior. The dark chakra, carrying the Wind Style, acted like countless blades, tearing through the Lightning Style chakra coating the Raikage's hands.

The violent dark chakra struck the Raikage's arm, carving deep gashes into his tempered limb, leaving it bloodied!

“Ah! Damn it!” In pain, the Raikage's face contorted as he was knocked back several meters!

Even his heavy metal armguards were "bitten" into by the violent dark chakra, leaving jagged gaps.

It was only because the Raikage's body had been tempered by Lightning Style chakra that he could withstand this "Mini Rasenringyu"; an ordinary Jonin would have been killed or severely wounded by such a hit.

“Yo~ Big bro, you okay~?” Killer Bee retreated to Ay's side, asking with concern.

“Bee! This guy is no ordinary opponent! Use the Tailed Beast Transformation!” Ay knew that their current method of fighting would not defeat the enemy, so he prepared to release his full power.

“But Big bro~ this is the village~ the Eight-Tails will destroy the village~” Killer Bee was somewhat worried.

“Mabui!” Ay roared.

However, when he turned his head, he saw that over a dozen Cloud ninjas in the distance had already been killed or wounded!

Darui and C were also locked in a desperate struggle.