Chapter 245: The Strongest Shield? Not Necessarily!

The Third Raikage swung his arm twice, testing his range as he asked in a deep voice:

"Hyuga Shinki, the technique you used just now—was it related to attraction and repulsion?"

"Correct," Shinki admitted with a nod, his expression calm. "When used skillfully, the forces of attraction and repulsion are particularly effective at restraining taijutsu specialists."

The Third Raikage fell silent, his expression darkening.

So, you specifically prepared this just for me, huh?

Restraint of taijutsu specialists? Wasn't that a direct jab at him? The memory of the humiliating fall earlier resurfaced, and the frustration was evident on his face.

Shinki smiled faintly. "The reputation of Raikage's 'strongest spear' and 'strongest shield' is well-known across the ninja world. But no matter how strong the spear is, it must be able to reach the target. And as for the strongest shield…"

His smile widened. "I could keep playing with you all day."

The Third Raikage clenched his fists.

MMP!

The thought of continuing this frustrating battle was infuriating. Even if he could momentarily break free from the attraction and repulsion forces, fighting under such constraints was both humiliating and exhausting.

From the sidelines, Ōnoki chuckled smugly. "Raikage, are you ready to admit defeat?"

The Raikage shot him a glare so cold that it could have frozen lightning. "If you think you're so strong, Tsuchikage, why don't you try it yourself? Let's see if you can even stay airborne."

Ōnoki smirked. "Unlike you, I'm not foolish enough to rush headlong into a fight I can't win. But you, Raikage… thirty seconds into the fight, and you're already conceding? Tsk tsk."

The Raikage's glare intensified. "I am not conceding! I simply don't want to waste time on this trivial nonsense. Even if I can't reach him, his techniques can't harm me."

Shinki raised an eyebrow at the Raikage's boastful tone. "The strongest shield might not be as invincible as you think, Raikage."

The Raikage narrowed his eyes. "Are you implying that you, Hyuga Shinki, can break through my defenses?"

From the sidelines, Ay silently mouthed two words: "Empty boast." As the Raikage's son, Ay knew how formidable his father's defenses were. To break them seemed impossible.

But Ay didn't understand one thing—there were powers beyond conventional comprehension.

The Third Raikage smirked, his curiosity piqued. "Perhaps one day, I'll give you the chance to try."

With that, the Raikage brushed off the dirt on his body and addressed his men. "Let's go. I'll look forward to seeing if you can back up your words in the future."

Without waiting for a response, he turned to leave, his entourage following. He wanted to avoid giving Ōnoki or anyone else more time to gloat over his frustrations.

As the Raikage departed, the Third Mizukage nodded politely to the Third Hokage and left with his group. Finally, Ōnoki snickered as he spoke to Shinki. "I'll send someone to Konoha with the ore you requested. Be ready to sign for it." With that, he too departed, taking his people with him.

Now, only the Konoha and Sand groups remained.

The Third Kazekage hesitated for a moment before speaking. The Third Hokage, understanding the situation, turned to Shinki for confirmation. When Shinki nodded, the Hokage addressed the Kazekage:

"Kazekage, we understand your village is at war, so the ore compensation can be delivered in installments. Just ensure that the deliveries are timely to avoid misunderstandings."

The Kazekage nodded reluctantly. His village was struggling, and gathering such a large quantity of ore in one go was impossible. Splitting the compensation into installments was their only option.

As the Sand Ninja group left on a platform of iron sand, the Third Hokage watched with a mixture of envy and amusement. Ōnoki had flown away with his people, the Kazekage had used Magnetic Release to transport his team, and yet here he was, preparing to walk home.

Shinki casually unfurled a scroll, releasing a mount from within. The Hokage's expression darkened as Shinki climbed aboard, leaving the Hokage to trudge along the ground.

"You really can't lend me a ride?" the Hokage grumbled.

Shinki smirked. "Exercise is good for your health, sensei."

The Hokage sighed, resigned to his fate. "Fine, I'll throw my ham over my shoulder and walk like an old man."

On the way back to the Sand Village, Rasa, the Third Kazekage's student, looked troubled. "Sensei, are we really going to send so much ore to Konoha? It feels like we're losing out."

The Kazekage glanced at his disciple with calm eyes. "Rasa, you're looking at this from too narrow a perspective. Yes, it seems like we're losing on the surface, but in the long run, this arrangement benefits the village. Every major village involved has agreed to compensate Konoha. Refusing would isolate us diplomatically."

He paused before continuing, "Besides, if we refuse, Hyuga Shinki might push for a ban on puppet usage in war. With his abilities, enforcing such a ban would be disastrous for us."

Rasa nodded reluctantly, though he couldn't shake the embarrassment of the situation. Sand Village had lost both face and resources in this arrangement, and it stung deeply.

Meanwhile, on the road to the Land of Lightning, Ay glanced at his father's broad back. "Father, does this attraction and repulsion ability really restrain taijutsu users like us?"

The Raikage slowed his pace and turned to his son with a faint smile. "For now, it seems that way. But remember, Ay—every technique has a weakness. It's just a matter of finding it."

Ay nodded, determination in his eyes.

The Raikage chuckled softly. "That kid is talented, no doubt about it. It's just unfortunate…"

He looked toward the horizon. "...he's from Konoha."

>>>>>

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