Chapter 25

*Six Months Later*

The past few months, I had fought countless battles and had been on more S-rank missions than I could possibly keep track of, well most of the battles I'd fought were my S-rank missions so there's that. By now, the moniker 'Blood Fox' was known throughout the world, and it struck fear in the hearts of my opponents. I reckon if they knew who I was, I'd have a better moniker, 'Konoha Blood Fox' felt too generic.

The war was finally reaching its dying embers, most nations had exhausted their shinobi force so I reckon the war would end in a month or two.

'Whatever happens, this would be my last battle,' the war had exhausted me already, and if Kumogakure isn't filled with idiots, they'd sign an armistice with Konoha after the battle.

I looked down from my sitting spot atop the branch of a very large tree, the tense bodies of around five thousand Konoha shinobi filling up my vision.

'I don't know what Hiruzen is thinking, Konoha is clearly going to win the war. So why is he offering a white peace? He could literally force them to cough up compensation, they started the war in the first place....'

I was forced to look up as the cry of a messenger bird entered my ears. Stretching out my hand, the bird landed on it. Retrieving the scroll tucked into the small pouch wrapped around its leg, I opened it and noticed it's from Hiruzen.

The first thing I saw was, "Don't Kill the Raikage.' It went on to briefly explain why, but I got bored of Hiruzen's explanation. I then lit the paper on fire, letting the wind carry the ash away.

'What is this idiot thinking.'

I completely understand, as the Hokage he wants the war to end as soon as possible, but killing the raikage would ensure Kumogakure thinks twice about continuing the war.

'Tobirama wanted peace with Kumogakure but that failed. Is that the angle Hiruzen is still playing at?' I wondered.

*Tch!*

I dropped down from the tree before walking towards the leader of this shinobi brigade. "Don't you think they've rested enough, Danzo? We should leave."

"Hiruzen doesn't want me to kill the raikage," I informed him.

"Hmm," Danzo placed the hand on his chin. "It kind of makes sense. If you kill the raikage in the coming fight, Kumogakure might pull out of the war for now, but another war would break out in a few years in the name of vengeance. And based on the personality of the current Raikage, a peace treaty would be far more likely with him than whoever would replace him."

I thought of what Danzo said, it was pretty much what Hiruzen had sent in his message but more into details.

"We'd be up with the shinobi he's leading in less than two days, so I guess I have to beat him up enough for him to see reason."

"Yes, you do," Danzo replied.

*A Day Later*

Around five thousand Konoha shinobi were standing opposite almost the same number of Kumo shinobi, with the Third Raikage leading them. Based on numbers alone, the battle could go either way but numbers alone don't decide wars. If it did, Kumogakure would have won the war by now.

...

I walked forward, towards the raikage. "I hear they call you Almighty A now?!" I said to him.

"You should agree to the armistice, and the subsequent peace treaty."

"Why would I do that? Only the loser would agree to one," A replied.

"Konoha would win the war, yet we are offering you one. We fought before and you couldn't touch me, nothing has changed since then."

"You couldn't leave a scratch on me either," A curtly responded.

I chuckled before responding, "Is that what you think?"

"So be it then," I said before walking away.

"So he rejected?!" Danzo asked the moment I got next to him, although he already knew the answer to his question.

"Don't die, you're still valuable to Konoha."

I chuckled but didn't grace Danzo with a reply.

Letting out a roar, the kumo shinobi charged at us with A at the forefront. Konoha shinobi hadn't moved yet, they were waiting for the signal to attack and I gave it to them.

The moment after the Kumo shinobi charged at us, the shinobi at the forefront fell with chakra rods sticking out of their bodies.

"I guess that's it," Danzo said, charging too with the entire shinobi brigade.

I then created 10 shadow clones to join the fight before going after my opponent.

Applying lightning chakra to increase my speed, I ran after the rampaging Raikage, punching him away from the Konoha shinobi he was about to kill.

A flew backward for a few meters before he caught himself and landed on his feet, there's was no need to talk anymore so I attacked immediately his feet touched the ground.

Appearing behind him, I applied wind chakra to my tanto and swung it at his neck. A turned to defend, I then shrunk myself and flashed over to the opposite side. Holding the tanto in a pakal grip, I brought it down on the shoulder of the raikage.

In a burst of speed, A moved slightly causing the tanto to miss. He then tried to counterattack, but I was already prepared for the eventuality of my attack not hitting.

'Wind Release: Arrow shot'

I released chakra rods, with their tip covered in compressed wind arrow-head. The chakra rods not visible to the naked eyes closed the short distance between the raikage and my now falling body. Due to the wind coating, it shot through the lightning chakra armour before returning to its original size in the raikage's body.

"Hnn" The raikage grunted as he dropped to the ground.

"You won't be able to move," I said to him. The chakra rods absorbs chakra, rendering anyone stabbed with it immobile. After seeing it do so with Kinkaku, I theorised it could absorb and restrain the chakra of everyone, not just people with tailed beast chakra.

I wasn't going to end the fight this quickly though. Letting out a smirk, I shrunk the chakra rods already inside the raikage.

"Ready for round two?!" I shrunk my tanto, getting into a taijutsu stance.

*Boom*

The ground around us cracked the moment our fist came in contact. The raikage rained punches on me but I formed a high guard with both arms, completely defending myself.

'Hell Stab'

The raikage concentrated his chakra on his left index finger intending to stab me. Instinctively I moved my chakra to defend, a compact earth wall sprung up between us, protecting me from the raikage's attack.

'Did I do it?!' I wondered but immediately ignored it as I was attacked again.

The raikage sent a punch this time, I leaned to the right, dodging his punch. I was faster than him so before he could react. I grabbed his outstretched hand with my left, and with my right hand, I grabbed his neck before choke slamming him.

*Boom*

A crater formed beneath the raikage as I slammed him on the ground.

*Puchi*

"Ahhh!!" The raikage let out a scream as the lightning chakra armour surrounding him dispelled and his body, riddled with chakra rods.

I activated my byakugan behind my mask. Looking around the battlefield it was obvious Kumogakure was losing. Under the lead of Danzo alongside my overpowered clones, the Kumogakure Shinobi stood no chance. Although my fight with the raikage lasted for less than five minutes, it was enough for the Kumogakure shinobi to have lost one-fifth of their numbers.

'It feels like an overkill sending 10 shadow clones against them, alongside an equal number of Konoha shinobi as backup to the clones.'

Watching my shadow clones cut down the Kumogakure shinobi, I began to wonder how I possess such strength. 'Hashirama-sensei and Madara were strong, but they weren't this strong when they were 13, It feels like my abilities are alien.'

'And the earth wall, I'm sure my chakra did that. If it's true, how did I create ninjutsu without hand-signs,...' I turned my attention away from my thoughts to the groaning raikage, placing the questions I had on the back burner for now as no one would be able to answer them for me.

'Earth release: Earth Cuffs'

Earth rose from the ground as I finished the jutsu, wrapping around the raikage. I summoned a tanto and crouched right beside his face.

"I told you the next time we meet I'd kill you."

"Then....why...are you de..delaying," replied the raikage, spewing blood from his mouth.

'Although Hiruzen said not to kill him, I can just say it was an accident.'

Holding the tanto in a pakal grip, I brought it down on the skull of the raikage.