236-240

Chapter 236: Let You Guys Act Tough First  

Inside Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage had been locked in a fierce battle against the Edo Tensei-revived Kinaku and Ginkaku for quite some time.  

Though Edo Tensei prevented Kinaku and Ginkaku from wielding their full strength from when they were alive, the infinite chakra and indestructible bodies granted by the technique more than made up for it.  

Even a powerhouse like the Fourth Raikage was getting pushed back, blow after blow, by the two brothers.  

“Hmph! Kumogakure’s really gone downhill if a scrub like you is Raikage!”  

Seeing the Fourth Raikage struggle against them, Kinaku and Ginkaku mocked him mercilessly.  

“Damn it!”  

“Damn your mama!”  

Before the Raikage could retort, Kinaku charged forward and smashed him to the ground with a brutal hammer strike.  

“Big black guy, you’re done for!”  

Kinaku smirked, shaking the Kōkinjō (Golden Canopy Rope) wrapped around his arm.  

Then, Ginkaku swiftly swung the Zanreiken (Spirit-Severing Sword), slicing through the Kotodama (Spirit Word) that emerged from the Raikage’s body.  

“Crap!”  

Realizing he’d been hit by both the Kōkinjō and Zanreiken, the Fourth Raikage knew he was in deep trouble.  

Though he’d never faced Kinaku and Ginkaku before, as Raikage, he was well aware of the powers of their ninja tools.  

The Kōkinjō could force a person’s most frequently used word—their Kotodama—to manifest.  

The Zanreiken could then sever and curse that Kotodama.  

If the victim spoke their cursed word afterward, they’d be sucked into the Shichiseiken (Purple-Gold Gourd), trapped forever with no escape.  

Kinaku and Ginkaku had used the Kōkinjō, Zanreiken, and Shichiseiken to take down countless formidable foes.  

Knowing this, the Fourth Raikage clamped his mouth shut, refusing to say another word. He charged at the brothers again, attacking in silence.  

But to his shock, despite not uttering a single word, he was still sucked into the Shichiseiken.  

“How is this possible?!”  

As his body was pulled into the gourd, the Fourth Raikage let out one final cry of disbelief.  

“Hmph! Doesn’t matter if you stay quiet. After a certain amount of time, you’ll still get sucked into the Shichiseiken!”  

“Silence is golden, but sometimes it’ll still get you killed, haha!”  

Having easily dealt with the Fourth Raikage, Kinaku and Ginkaku burst into wild laughter.  

“But I think silence is the best way to handle enemies.”  

“Who’s there?!”  

Just as Kinaku and Ginkaku were cackling like mad, Kazama appeared right in front of them.  

“Hmph! Another punk who doesn’t know when to quit!”  

Spotting Kazama, Kinaku and Ginkaku sneered again.  

In their eyes, no one was worth taking seriously.  

“Kid, that headband says you’re a Konoha ninja. Didn’t your current Hokage tell you? The Second Hokage died at our hands! If a Hokage couldn’t beat us, what makes a runt like you think you can stand in our way?!”  

“It’s exactly because you killed the Second Hokage that I’m here to make you pay!”  

“Haha!”  

Kinaku and Ginkaku doubled over with laughter at Kazama’s words.  

“Kid, don’t think knowing some space-time ninjutsu means you can act tough in front of us!”  

With a roar from Kinaku, the Kōkinjō on his arm shot out, wrapping around Kazama.  

Ginkaku followed up, wielding the Zanreiken to slice through Kazama’s Kotodama and curse it successfully. 

Chapter 237: Thrashing Kinkaku  

Kazama, however, showed no signs of panic. 

He had deliberately let Kinkaku and Ginkaku suck him into their Benihisago (Crimson Gourd). How else could he rescue the Yondaime Raikage trapped inside? 

“As expected, it’s a space-time technique!” 

Once inside the Benihisago, Kazama immediately realized it was a separate dimension. 

“No wonder shinobi who get sucked in can’t escape. Too bad for you, this is useless against me!” 

For Kazama, with his Kamui (Divine Authority), the Benihisago was no different from a neighbor’s backyard garden. He could escape anytime using his space-time ability. 

“Kinkaku, are today’s shinobi this easy to deal with? They’re practically trash!” 

“Not practically—they are trash!” 

“Haha… what the—?!” 

Just as Kinkaku and Ginkaku were basking in their arrogance, a powerful shockwave sent them tumbling head over heels. 

“So, how’s my Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push) to your liking, boys?” 

“You…” 

“You actually…!” 

Kinkaku and Ginkaku stared, dumbfounded, at Kazama, who had seemingly come back from the dead. They had never seen anyone escape their Benihisago before. 

And it wasn’t just Kazama who emerged—alongside him was the Yondaime Raikage, previously trapped in the gourd. 

“You little punk, you’ve got some insane luck, saving even the Raikage!” Kinkaku and Ginkaku snarled viciously. 

“Luck? Nah. I chose to enter your Benihisago so I could save the Raikage.” 

“Damn you! You dare underestimate us?!” 

Infuriated that Kazama didn’t take their Benihisago seriously, Kinkaku and Ginkaku flew into a rage. They charged at Kazama and the Raikage, each taking a target. 

The Raikage, still heavily injured from earlier, moved sluggishly. As Ginkaku closed in for the kill, the Raikage found himself unable to dodge. 

“Punk, worry about yourself first!” 

Kinkaku, seeing Kazama’s attention on the Raikage instead of him, was livid. He swung the Bashōsen (Banana Palm Fan), unleashing a barrage of wind, lightning, water, fire, and earth attacks at Kazama in one go. 

“Alright, let’s have some fun!” 

Kazama activated his six-tomoe Rinnegan and used Tenshuriki (Heavenly Hand Power), instantly swapping places with Ginkaku, who was charging at the Raikage. 

Before Ginkaku could process what happened, he was struck down by the Bashōsen’s attack, collapsing in a heap. 

“How is this possible?!” 

Kinkaku was stunned. His attack had clearly been aimed at Kazama, yet it hit Ginkaku instead. Looking across, he saw Kazama now standing beside the Raikage, having somehow teleported there. 

Kinkaku realized Kazama was no ordinary opponent. 

“Swapping positions? There’s a ninjutsu like that in this world?!” 

Kinkaku pieced together the mechanics of Kazama’s technique. Having never seen or heard of such a jutsu before, the more he thought about it, the more unnerved he became. 

“Now’s not the time to get distracted!” 

While Kinkaku was reeling from Kazama’s abilities, Kazama used Tenshuriki again, instantly appearing behind Kinkaku. In a flash, he sliced off both of Kinkaku’s arms and seized the Bashōsen and Kōkinjō (Golden Canopy Rope). 

“I’ll be taking these ninja tools, thanks!” 

“Hmph! Don’t get cocky, kid!”  

Kinkaku sneered coldly, eyeing the Bashōsen and Kōkinjō in Kazama’s hands. 

Chapter 238: Thrashing Kinaku and Ginkaku  

“These are the Sage of the Six Paths’ ninja tools! They’re insanely powerful, but they also burn through a ton of chakra. No one but us brothers can even use them!”  

As Kinaku boasted, Kazama whipped out the Shichiseisen (Seven Star Fan) and unleashed a barrage of wind, lightning, water, fire, and earth attacks.  

The onslaught obliterated Kinaku and the just-reformed Ginkaku, reducing them to ash once again.  

“Didn’t you say no one else could use it? So why can I?”  

“You bastard!”  

Kinaku and Ginkaku couldn’t believe their eyes—Kazama was wielding the Shichiseisen with ease.  

“Kid, you’re full of surprises, but with your strength, you can probably only use it once. I don’t buy that you can keep it up!”  

Before they could finish, Kazama swung the Shichiseisen again and again, annihilating the brothers dozens of times over.  

Seeing Kazama casually spam the Shichiseisen, Kinaku and Ginkaku’s jaws dropped. Even they couldn’t use it repeatedly like that—the fan demanded an obscene amount of chakra.  

“Oh, forgot to mention—I’ve got infinite chakra!”  

As he spoke, Kazama activated Tenshuryoku (Heavenly Hand Power) and teleported behind Ginkaku in a flash.  

“Ginkaku, watch out!”  

Kinaku shouted desperately, but Kazama, boosted by Tenshuryoku, was just too fast. In the blink of an eye, he sliced off both of Ginkaku’s arms.  

The Zanreiken (Spirit-Severing Sword) and Shichiseiken (Purple-Gold Gourd) naturally fell into Kazama’s hands.  

Now holding all four of the Sage of the Six Paths’ ninja tools, Kazama was done wasting time with the brothers.  

He used the Kōkinjō (Golden Canopy Rope) and Zanreiken in tandem, sucking Ginkaku into the Shichiseiken.  

“Next up, you!”  

Kazama turned to Kinaku.  

“So, you gonna let me suck you into the gourd willingly, or do I have to beat you half to death first?”  

Hearing Kazama’s taunt and seeing his brother Ginkaku trapped in the gourd, Kinaku exploded with rage, practically shaking with fury.  

A crimson Bijū cloak flared around his body.  

“Kazama, be careful! Kinaku ate Kurama’s flesh back in the day—he’s got some of the Nine-Tails’ chakra!”  

The Raikage, watching from the side, shouted a warning.  

But he forgot that Kazama didn’t even flinch facing the real Kurama. Why would he care about Kinaku’s knockoff version?  

“Now that Kurama’s chakra is coating my entire body, the Kōkinjō can’t touch me, so it’s useless! Dream on if you think you can suck me into that gourd!”  

With a furious roar, Kinaku’s Bijū-transformed body lunged at Kazama.  

“Punk, I’m gonna tear you to shreds for killing Ginkaku!”  

“Kill me? Maybe in your next life!”  

Facing Kinaku’s full-powered Bijū strike, Kazama blocked it effortlessly with one hand.  

“You’ve got some monstrous strength too?!”  

Feeling Kazama’s overwhelming power, Kinaku was stunned again.  

“It’s not just strength. My techniques cover everything—Gakidō (Preta Path)!”  

Kazama smirked coldly, absorbing all of Kinaku’s Kurama chakra in an instant.  

Before Kinaku could react, Kazama bound him with the Kōkinjō, severed his Kotodama with the Zanreiken, and sucked him into the Shichiseiken.  

Watching Kazama dispatch Kinaku and Ginkaku so effortlessly, the Raikage felt like a total failure in comparison.  

“This Kazama kid is something else. Even Kinaku and Ginkaku didn’t stand a chance!”  

Yakushi Kabuto, observing from the shadows, let out a cold chuckle. 

Chapter 239: Getting Ready to Crush the Third Raikage  

“Alright, let’s see just how badass you really are—Edo Tensei!”  

With Yakushi Kabuto’s hand seals, the battlefield was suddenly flooded with the revived forms of the Fourth Kazekage, Third Raikage, Second Tsuchikage, and Second Mizukage.  

“Kazama, you little punk, let’s see how you handle this, haha!”  

The arrival of these Kage-level powerhouses instantly tipped the battlefield in the enemy’s favor.  

The Shinobi Alliance was completely overwhelmed by these Edo Tensei Kage-level masters. Even the Akatsuki and Otogakure forces, who had initially held their own, were now being pushed back relentlessly.  

After all, these were bona fide Kage-level shinobi, far stronger than Kinaku and Ginkaku.  

“Lord Kazama, we’ve got trouble!”  

Obito rushed to Kazama’s side as soon as he got the news.  

“The central Shinobi Alliance battlefield is getting hit hard—Second Mizukage, Second Tsuchikage, Third Raikage, and Fourth Kazekage just showed up!”  

“Damn it! The enemy’s so low, using our villages’ legendary Kages as weapons!”  

The Fourth Raikage, standing nearby, was livid, practically jumping with rage.  

“I’m heading out to reinforce them!”  

Kazama knew the central Shinobi Alliance had no one capable of facing these Kage-level opponents. He had to get there fast, or the Alliance would suffer massive casualties.  

“Little brother Kazama, these revived Kages are insanely strong. You might not be able to handle them alone. Let me come with you!”  

Seeing that Kumogakure’s enemies were nearly wiped out, Kazama nodded at the Fourth Raikage’s request.  

When Kazama and the Fourth Raikage arrived, the first opponent they encountered was the Third Raikage.  

“Father!”  

Even knowing his father was an Edo Tensei puppet and an enemy, the Fourth Raikage couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.  

“Kid, you’ve grown a lot…”  

“Hmph! This isn’t the time for family reunions!”  

Before the Third Raikage could finish, Yakushi Kabuto seized control of his body, sending him charging at the Fourth Raikage and Kazama.  

“My body’s no longer my own—don’t let your guard down!”  

Clad in his Raiton no Yoroi (Lightning Release Armor), the Third Raikage cranked his speed to the max, moving almost as fast as the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique).  

Thanks to his Rokugōma Rinnegan (Six Tomoe Rinnegan), Kazama could track the Third Raikage’s movements and dodge his attacks.  

The Fourth Raikage, however, wasn’t so lucky. In a single clash, he was sent flying by a brutal hit from his father.  

“Sorry, Kazama. I came to help, but I’m just holding you back!”  

The Fourth Raikage, sprawled on the ground, was frustrated with himself.  

“No worries. Take a breather and leave the Third Raikage to me!”  

“Hmph, you little punk!”  

Yakushi Kabuto smirked at Kazama again.  

“I’ll take out the Fourth Raikage first, then deal with you!”  

Always one to pick the easier target, Kabuto ordered the Third Raikage to finish off the badly injured Fourth Raikage.  

“Jigokuzuki: Yonhon Nukite!” (Hell Stab: Four-Finger Piercing Hand)  

“Is this the end?”  

The Fourth Raikage knew his father’s signature move all too well—anyone hit by it was as good as dead.  

With despair, he closed his eyes, bracing for the end.  

But the next moment, he felt no pain at all. 

Chapter 240: Thrashing the Sandaime Raikage  

Kazama blinked and realized he was suddenly standing behind the Sandaime Raikage. In his original spot, Kazama’s figure now appeared. 

Seeing Kazama save him yet again, the Yondaime Raikage was moved to tears. But his relief quickly turned to worry. 

The Sandaime Raikage’s Jigoku Tsuki: Yonhon Nukite (Hell Stab: Four-Finger Spear Hand) had just struck Kazama’s body. Though the Yondaime Raikage knew Kazama’s defenses were formidable, he also knew his father’s Hell Stab was even more devastating. 

“Haha! Kazama, you brought this on yourself!”  

Yakushi Kabuto had originally targeted the Yondaime Raikage. He hadn’t expected Kazama to switch places with him. Though Kabuto didn’t know how Kazama pulled it off, he didn’t care. He’d long despised Kazama and was eager to kill him to vent his hatred. 

“What?!” 

But just as Kabuto thought Kazama was done for under the Sandaime Raikage’s attack, he saw Kazama absorb the entire assault into his body. 

Ding! Successfully absorbed Jigoku Tsuki: Yonhon Nukite. Congratulations, Host, for acquiring Jigoku Tsuki: Sanbon Nukite (Three-Finger Spear Hand)! 

“Try this one for size—Jigoku Tsuki: Sanbon Nukite!” 

Hearing Kazama’s words and seeing him unleash the technique, the Sandaime Raikage, the Yondaime Raikage, and Kabuto, lurking in the shadows, were all floored. 

Kazama, shrouded in crackling lightning, sent the Sandaime Raikage flying hundreds of meters with a single strike. 

“Holy crap!” 

The Yondaime Raikage’s jaw dropped as he watched his father get launched backward. The Sandaime Raikage was renowned for his unparalleled physical strength, once holding off an army of ten thousand single-handedly. Yet Kazama had taken him down with one move—how could the Yondaime not be stunned? 

“A Konoha ninja using my signature technique? That’s beyond unexpected!”  

Though the Sandaime Raikage had been knocked back, Kabuto’s Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation) forced him to rise again and face Kazama. While his body was under Kabuto’s control, his mind remained his own. Seeing Kazama wield a Sanbon Nukite even stronger than his own Yonhon Nukite left him in awe. 

“This isn’t the time for chit-chat!” 

Furious that the Sandaime Raikage failed to kill Kazama, Kabuto seethed. He commanded the Sandaime to unleash an even more powerful attack—Jigoku Tsuki: Nihon Nukite (Two-Finger Spear Hand). 

“Watch out!”  

The Sandaime Raikage tried to warn Kazama, but his attack was already hurtling toward him. 

“Haha, you little punk! Don’t think blocking the Yonhon Nukite makes you hot stuff. The Sandaime Raikage’s Hell Stab gets stronger as the finger count drops!”  

Kabuto was about to cackle triumphantly when he froze. 

The Sandaime Raikage’s Nihon Nukite hadn’t done a scratch to Kazama. 

“What the hell?! What’s going on? Is this Kazama punk even human? How can he absorb something as powerful as the Nihon Nukite?!” 

Kabuto was practically tearing his hair out in frustration. 

Ding! Successfully absorbed Jigoku Tsuki: Nihon Nukite. Congratulations, Host, for acquiring Jigoku Tsuki: Ippon Nukite (One-Finger Spear Hand)!