Heriosm

At this moment, both Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate began to feel restless. They wanted to join the fight several times, but seeing Kazuya's unwavering stance, they restrained themselves, suppressing their inner impulses. After all, in Anbu, the orders of a superior are ironclad and must not be disobeyed.

"Greedy and cowardly!" Hayate, the sickly ninja, glared at Kazuya's back, silently whispering his disdain. To him, Kazuya seemed paralyzed with fear at the sight of Fourth Raikage, too scared to make a move.

"Hayate..." Uzuki Yugao, having grown up with Hayate, could easily guess what he was thinking with just a glance. But she disagreed. No! Captain Kazuya is not that kind of person! He is Konoha's hero!

Contrarily, Kurenai Yuhi had immense trust in Kazuya. She stood by him, waiting for his command.

"It's time!" Kazuya whispered suddenly. "The three of you, go to Captain Sarutobi. Stay clear of the main battle between Jiraiya-senpai and Fourth Raikage!"

"Yes, Captain!" Kurenai was taken aback. "Captain, what about you?"

"Me?" Kazuya smiled lightly. "The Fourth Raikage has invaded the Land of Fire. We can't let him leave easily."

"Move out!"

"Yes!"

Whoosh!

In an instant, the four of them disappeared.

Kurenai's face still held a look of shock. Did Captain Kazuya mean to challenge the Fourth Raikage? This is too dangerous!

...

Elsewhere, Jiraiya and Fourth Raikage were locked in a standoff. They both hesitated, thinking of a truce. Fourth Raikage was worried about Konoha's reinforcements, while Jiraiya knew the destructive potential of Raikage's speed and strength. If the Raikage went berserk, few Anbu around Jiraiya would survive. Moreover, killing Raikage might not be beneficial for Konoha.

Just as they both hesitated, a white smoke bomb exploded near Fourth Raikage.

"It's a smoke bomb!" Fourth Raikage was startled. Immediately, he saw a Konoha Anbu in a white mask and cloak appear before him.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Kazuya quickly formed seals, spewing out a massive Great Fireball with a diameter of over ten meters.

"Damn Anbu!" Fourth Raikage roared, throwing his elbow at the Great Fireball, intending to smash it like he did with Jiraiya's attacks.

"Hey... Get back!" Jiraiya shouted from a distance. "Fourth Raikage is no ordinary Kage-level ninja. You can't take him on alone!"

At that moment, Jiraiya felt his scalp tingle. How could there be such a reckless Anbu, daring to attack Fourth Raikage directly? Was he not afraid of death?

The Anbu ninjas nearby also saw the scene.

"It's Captain Kazuya!"

"He finally made a move!"

"Oh my god, is he actually going for Fourth Raikage?"

"I thought Captain Kazuya was just holding back. But as soon as he moves, it's big news!"

The Anbu were in shock. None of them dared to face Fourth Raikage unless absolutely necessary. The gap in strength was too great, affecting even their will to fight.

"Captain Kazuya..." Even Sarutobi Shinnosuke sighed. "Such heroism and fearlessness embody the true Will of Fire!"

The Anbu all showed admiration. Captain Kazuya was the real heir to the Will of Fire. Three years ago, he bravely faced the Nine Tails, nearly sacrificing himself for the village and his comrades. Now, he fearlessly challenged the Fourth Raikage, taking on a battle that wasn't his own. This was a true Konoha hero!

Many Anbu who doubted Kazuya's resolve now felt ashamed. They had misjudged him, thinking he was avoiding the fight. Instead, he had been seeking the right moment to strike. Brave, fearless, selfless—Captain Kazuya was the epitome of a hero.

"Captain Kazuya is fighting Fourth Raikage!" Hayate's expression was one of shock. He had previously disdained Kazuya, thinking him cowardly. But now, seeing Kazuya's bravery, he felt as if he'd been slapped in the face. Where was the fear of death? Captain Kazuya was trying to turn the tide of battle with a decisive blow!

At that moment, in Hayate's eyes, Kazuya's figure grew infinitely larger.

...

Meanwhile, Kazuya's battle with Fourth Raikage had begun.

Boom!

Fourth Raikage ignored the Great Fireball, trying to break it with a single move. But as his elbow connected, his expression changed.

"What a strong Chakra! This is no ordinary Anbu!" Fourth Raikage sensed something was off. The high-pressure Chakra in the Great Fireball far exceeded Jōnin level. Kage-level!?

Fourth Raikage's face darkened. When did Konoha have such a strong Anbu!?

"Explode!!!" Fourth Raikage roared, increasing his Chakra output.

Boom!

His Lightning Style ninjutsu was destructive, blasting the Great Fireball apart.

"Boy! If you want to fight me, you're still not..." Fourth Raikage began to taunt but stopped. Among the split Great Fireball were dozens of kunai with explosive tags, flying towards him through the flames.

In a blink, they were close.

Damn! What the hell! Mixing explosive kunai into a Great Fireball—what kind of devil thought of this!? This Anbu... his heart is too dark!