"This technique is..."
"There are two types of Bloodline Limits! You are..."
The fiery red lava melted the snow on the ground, and even Uzumaki Raiden could clearly feel the temperature in the area rising significantly.
The terrifying Lava Release, along with the strange jutsu that emitted corrosive gas, made Uzumaki Raiden instantly recognize the enemy before him.
"It's Terumi Mei from Mist!"
"Were you working in Anbu during this period?"
Uzumaki Raiden put some distance between himself and his opponent, studying the Mist Anbu standing before him. Their uniform was somewhat loose, and if the person hadn't spoken earlier, Raiden wouldn't have been able to determine their gender based on appearance alone.
The person before him didn't look much like a woman.
As Uzumaki Raiden assessed his opponent, Terumi Mei was also observing him. Since neither side was in a hurry to attack, the scene entered a brief standoff.
Likewise, the Mist Anbu surrounding Uchiha Itachi and the others did not rush to strike, simply keeping them encircled.
"What are they waiting for?"
Raiden glanced toward the distance, noticing that the Mist Anbu restraining Itachi and the others had yet to make a move. He thought carefully for a moment.
Though his opponent showed no intent to attack first, Raiden had no time to waste in a drawn-out standoff.
With a flick of his wrist, the long sword in his hand spun, and its hilt landed firmly in his palm. He casually tossed the scabbard aside, exposing the blade's cold, gleaming edge.
"You dared to attack me, so you must have already made up your mind."
"I won't hold back!"
Raiden's voice rang loudly, and the moment he finished speaking, his figure vanished in an instant.
"He's coming!"
The Mist Anbu had already anticipated Raiden's movement when he drew his sword. The moment Raiden disappeared from her sight, Terumi Mei instinctively rolled away without hesitation.
She knew exactly what kind of enemy they were dealing with in this assassination mission, and she had been on edge since the battle began. Though her eyes could not catch Raiden's movements at all, her instincts pushed her to react.
"Hmph!"
Just as Terumi Mei dodged, she heard a sharp exhale near her ear. A split second later, an immense force struck her waist and abdomen, sending her flying through the air and crashing hard onto the ground.
Where Terumi Mei had been standing a moment ago, Uzumaki Raiden now stood.
She had attempted to predict Raiden's attack, but she had miscalculated entirely, taking his kick head-on.
"The intel was correct. This man is definitely the Fourth Hokage of Konoha!"
"No one else could possess such terrifying combat power!"
"His speed is too overwhelming. My physical abilities can't keep up at all!"
Clutching her stomach, Terumi Mei quickly got back on her feet. Though Raiden's attack had been powerful, it had not completely incapacitated her.
"Captain!"
One of the Mist Anbu from the squad surrounding Itachi and the others hurried to Terumi Mei's side, checking her condition with evident concern.
"Aren't Mist Anbu supposed to be ruthless? This squad is a little different."
Raiden absentmindedly flipped his sword as he observed the scene. His previous attack had only been a test—he hadn't gone all out in either speed or strength.
Yet, even at this level, his opponent had been unable to properly withstand the blow. This gave him a clearer understanding of their capabilities.
"Did they really send this squad to assassinate me? Are they just walking to their deaths?"
As Raiden pondered, he pointed his sword toward Terumi Mei and the Mist Anbu beside her. A bolt of lightning surged from the tip of the blade, flashing toward them in an instant.
"Captain!"
Raiden's attack was too fast. The Mist Anbu standing beside Terumi Mei reacted instantly, stepping in front of her without hesitation and taking the full force of the lightning strike.
"Aaargh!"
A scream echoed as the Anbu collapsed in pain.
Terumi Mei had not expected Raiden to launch such a sudden attack and could only watch as her comrade fell before her.
But she had no time to grieve. The moment Raiden unleashed his attack, he vanished once again.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Terumi Mei knew the battle could not continue like this. The power gap between her squad and their opponent was too vast. A direct confrontation was unwinnable—they needed alternative tactics.
A dense, thick mist poured from her mouth, quickly blanketing the battlefield. She hoped to use it to conceal her squad's movements, but just as she began to disappear into the fog, Raiden suddenly appeared in front of her and seized her by the throat.
"Tell your men to withdraw, or I'll kill you."
Raiden lifted Terumi Mei effortlessly, bringing her closer as he whispered in her ear.
"You..."
Terumi Mei barely managed to open her mouth before Raiden quickly twisted her chin to the side, preventing her from speaking further.
God knows what kind of strange jutsu she might release from her lips. Against an opponent like her, precautions were necessary.
With Terumi Mei subdued, the mist technique lost its sustaining chakra and began to dissipate rapidly.
The Mist Anbu had been prepared to fight within the thick fog, but just as it enveloped the battlefield, it suddenly began to fade.
To make matters worse, their captain had been captured in an instant.
"How is this possible? Is there really such a massive gap in strength?!"
All the Mist Ninjas were left in shock. The difference between their captain and the enemy was so immense that she hadn't even been able to mount a proper counterattack before being subdued.
"Interesting. As expected of Konoha's Fourth Hokage."
"I like you very much, Uzumaki Raiden."
Terumi Mei's lips curved into a smile, despite Raiden's grip around her throat.
Hearing her words, Raiden frowned slightly. But at that moment, the Terumi Mei he had captured transformed into a puddle of water and disappeared.
"Water Clone?"
"She must have swapped with the clone when she was covered by that other Anbu earlier!"
Raiden's expression darkened as he quickly turned toward the nearby forest.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
Under Raiden's gaze, an enormous wave surged out of the forest, towering over ten meters high. The massive volume of water crushed everything in its path, toppling trees and sweeping forward with terrifying momentum.
The technique's range was immense, not only engulfing Raiden but also the Mist Anbu standing nearby. However, the Mist ninjas seemed prepared and retreated swiftly. As they did, they hurled kunai embedded with explosive tags toward Itachi and the others, preventing them from escaping.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"
With Kakashi's shout, a large clay wall, carved with a dog's head, rapidly rose to block the incoming kunai. Though the explosives didn't cause real damage, they were enough to slow their movements.
Watching the massive wave approach, Kakashi and the others tensed.
"Don't move!"
Just as Kakashi prepared to reinforce the earth wall with chakra, Raiden's voice rang out hoarsely.
Then, he stepped in front of them, golden light radiating from his body. In the next instant, golden chakra surged outward, enveloping the entire group.
The enormous wave crashed into the chakra barrier, but the golden energy shattered the water on impact, dispersing it in all directions.
The water level dropped rapidly, yet a thin mist began to rise from the forest. As the effects of the Great Waterfall Technique faded, the mist thickened, reducing visibility to less than a meter.
(End of this chapter)