At this moment, all the shinobi of Cloud Village were utterly stunned, their eyes fixated on Akira, each and every one of them dumbfounded.
The secret Lightning Release Armor technique was known to be exclusive to the Raikages of Cloud Village. However, none could have imagined that Akira would also be able to wield this technique.
What's even more astounding was seeing Akira extend a single finger, clearly displaying the Hell Stab technique, having mastered it to the pinnacle level of the One-Finger Thrust.
How could this be possible? How did Akira learn this technique? And how could he unleash such power?
"What's wrong, Raikage? Are you scared to take my One-Finger Thrust?" Akira mocked, maintaining the state of the Lightning Release Armor, turning his taunt toward the Raikage.
The provocation was effective against the Fourth Raikage.
Upon hearing Akira's words, the Raikage's eyes widened in rage, and he could no longer hold himself back.
His figure moved like a bolt of lightning, attacking Akira directly with his Hell Stab. The speed of this thrust was so rapid that all anyone saw was a flash of lightning. It was the kind of speed that, in the original tale, even the Mangekyou Sharingan could barely keep up with, let alone the average shinobi.
"Hell Stab!" The moment the Fourth Raikage launched his attack, Akira's instinct kicked in, and he responded in kind with his own Hell Stab.
It all happened within the blink of an eye.
As the two lunged at each other, their fingers collided with a violent clash—the "strongest spear" against the "strongest spear." The resulting shockwave made everyone present tremble in awe.
Terrifying lightning burst forth, causing the entire inn to shake violently, as though it might crumble under the strain of the sheer power being unleashed.
With a resounding bang, Akira's stance remained firm, as though his feet were rooted into the ground. He stood unwaveringly in place.
On the other hand, the Fourth Raikage was pushed back, forced to stumble seven or eight steps, leaving several deep craters beneath his feet as he struggled to maintain his footing.
Shaking his arm, the Raikage felt a numbing sensation spread through his limb. The shock of it left him stunned. Despite both being in the Lightning Release Armor state, Akira's strength had far exceeded his own? How could this possibly be true?
A mocking smile played across Akira's lips as he looked at the Raikage.
He had acquired the Hell Stab ability thanks to his power of extraction.
However, with his vastly superior chakra reserves and physical strength, he was able to suppress the Raikage by an entire level.
Thus, when both were using the same Lightning Release Armor and the same Hell Stab, Akira's output naturally overwhelmed that of the Raikage.
"This can't be… I actually… lost…" the Raikage murmured, his voice filled with disbelief as he gazed at Akira. His expression betrayed the utter shock he felt at being bested by Akira with his own signature move.
To lose using his own greatest strength—such an outcome was impossible to accept.
"There's nothing impossible about it," Akira replied coolly. Then, with no further warning, his body shot forward like a lightning bolt, streaking straight toward the Raikage.
In this Lightning Release Armor state, Akira could clearly feel the electricity stimulating every cell in his body, vastly boosting his strength, speed, and durability. For the first time, he truly felt like a taijutsu master.
He moved like lightning, completely dominating the Fourth Raikage in their exchange.
Both were using the same Lightning Release Armor technique, yet Akira's foundational attributes—his strength, his defense—were all superior to those of the Raikage. Naturally, the power he displayed was far greater.
The Raikage, known across the shinobi world as one of the foremost experts in close combat, found himself, for the first time, facing a truly daunting opponent.
In terms of raw strength, Akira was stronger.
In terms of defense, Akira's dragon-transformed body was more resilient.
Even in terms of speed, Akira's Mangekyou Sharingan provided exceptional dynamic vision that complemented his swift movements—an advantage the Raikage did not have.
Thus, even with an equal mastery of the Lightning Release Armor, Akira's attributes outmatched the Raikage's in every aspect, and his attacks displayed a clear superiority.
The two clashed again and again, both using the Lightning Release Armor, their battle fierce and intense.
But in reality, it was Akira who was dominating the Raikage.
"No… This is impossible… How can this be happening!?" one of the Cloud shinobi exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.
Watching their Raikage, the strongest shinobi of the Cloud Village, get overwhelmed by Akira—being beaten down—left the entire crowd of shinobi in shock.
They had known Akira was powerful.
But for Akira to dominate their Raikage in the latter's area of expertise? If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn't have believed it.
"How did Akira learn the Lightning Release Armor technique?" one of the Cloud shinobi whispered in disbelief.
"Yeah, that's supposed to be one of our village's secret techniques. Where did he learn it?"
"And to think our Raikage-sama is actually being beaten by his own ability. What are we supposed to do now? Is there a way to turn this around?"
"Turn this around? How? We can't even get close to them in this kind of fight!" another shinobi responded, despair evident in his voice.
The nearby shinobi of Cloud Village whispered anxiously among themselves, all of them hoping for the Fourth Raikage to somehow defeat Akira.
But as the battle continued, it became increasingly evident that things were moving in the opposite direction of their expectations.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Akira, his body shrouded in Lightning Release Armor, felt as though he was overflowing with power. Every enhancement made him feel stronger, as if all the buffs had stacked upon him simultaneously.
Initially, the Fourth Raikage could barely manage to defend himself.
But as the battle progressed into a white-hot state, it soon turned into a one-sided beatdown, with Akira viciously pummeling the Raikage.
And despite the overwhelming power Akira exhibited, there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.
Why? Because the power Akira displayed was simply too terrifying. Moreover, at this level of intensity, no one else had the capability to intervene.
Eventually, after being repeatedly struck by Akira, the Fourth Raikage was sent flying through the air, his entire body smashed backward.
The lightning surrounding his body flickered and dissipated, the Lightning Release Armor deactivating as he lay weakly on the ground.
Seeing the Raikage in such a miserable state, Akira knew that he had taught him a harsh lesson. From now on, perhaps the Raikage would be more willing to listen.
The Raikage lay there, breathing heavily, utterly beaten. Around him, the Cloud shinobi stared, unable to believe what they were seeing.
The Lightning Release Armor had been the Raikage's greatest strength, but even after fighting Akira for so long, the Raikage had ultimately lost.
How could this be possible?
Even though they had seen the Raikage being defeated with their own eyes, the Cloud shinobi found it hard to believe.
How could this happen? How could their Raikage-sama have lost to Akira?
And to make things worse, he had lost using the Lightning Release Armor—the very technique that was meant to be his greatest strength.
"So, Raikage, how did my Hell Stab taste?" Akira asked, standing over the fallen Raikage, his voice calm and steady.
"Damn it, Akira… When did you learn the Hell Stab?" the Raikage spat, his eyes blazing with fury despite his injuries.
To be defeated using his own technique—to have his most prized ability turned against him—felt like a dagger through his heart.
Akira merely smiled. "The Hell Stab is only one of the many things I've learned."
The fact that even the Raikage had been defeated left every shinobi in Cloud Village shaken to the core.
Who was the strongest ninja in Cloud Village? Without a doubt, it was the Raikage.
The AB Combination of the Raikage and Killer Bee was renowned throughout the shinobi world. Both were elite Kage-level fighters.
But tonight, both Killer Bee and the Raikage had fallen at the hands of Akira.
For Cloud Village, this was a devastating blow.
These shinobi had once been filled with arrogance, confident enough to challenge the Leaf Village for the position of the strongest nation.
But now, their ambitions seemed utterly ridiculous.
"Alright, Akira… just tell me what you want," the Raikage finally said after a moment of silence, his voice filled with resignation.
He had completely lost. He had no choice but to concede.
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POWER STONE!!!
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