Chapter 141: 137: Lightning
For Madara, all the actions and battles thus far had yielded nothing but bad news.
Defeating Ruri failed to bring him any joy, for she was, in his eyes, merely a fellow clan member whose will and principles diverged entirely from his own.
Repelling a fellow clan member, particularly one of a younger generation, held no merit and amounted to self-humiliation. In fact, even having his clan's revered artifact taken from him was a source of immense shame.
In his prime, he would not have regarded a ninja of this level as a worthy enemy. In the past and in the present, there was only one opponent he acknowledged deep within his heart—Senju Hashirama, the first Hokage and a man who was both enemy and close friend.
Even now, he had reached new heights by using his opponent and best friend's body.
Seated within his new stronghold, Madara panted softly. His condition had deteriorated, with sunken eyes and facial wrinkles resembling the gnarled bark of a dead tree.
"As expected of Madara-sama, you effortlessly shattered the enemy's spirit. With this, our side can be seen as regaining the upper hand."
Guruguru said as his skin now pale instead of the gray it had assumed when he was drained of energy.
"Regaining the upper hand? Guruguru, are you mocking me?"
Madara turned his head to look at Guruguru, who was attempting to console himself.
"Eh? Madara-sama..."
"So far, we've revealed all of our trump cards. If you believe this means regaining an advantage, Guruguru, I might need to confirm if your brain is still intact."
Madara responded with a chilling tone. His Sharingan displayed a cold aura that Guruguru tremble.
Guruguru began to stammer incoherently. Madara's anger seemed genuine, not a mere facade.
"Remember, Guruguru, this is your final opportunity. I'll only tolerate your failure once more."
"Yes, yes." Guruguru raised his head, sweat pouring from his forehead.
This was the first time he had seen Madara's cold attitude.
"By the way, what about that White zetsu just now?" Guruguru hadn't noticed the presence of White Zetsu, who had returned with him.
"I didn't pay attention and involved him. But at that point, it was difficult for me to intervene. Are you considering retrieving his body?" Madara asked calmly.
Guruguru didn't dare to speak any further; he was too afraid to even breathe. Any more unpleasantries would likely result in a gruesome end, possibly being flushed down the toilet with excrement.
"Shall we take back all the 'tentacles' positioned outside?"
Guruguru referred to the White Zetsu gathering intelligence within the territories of the five major nations.
"No. Withdrawing our external intelligence gathering would render us more vulnerable, revealing our weakness. A dying forest king doesn't intimidate the wolves; they would only become bolder in their attempts to feast on my flesh and blood."
Madara fully understood his current predicament. In these circumstances, showing weakness to external forces would have dire consequences. The display of strength earlier should serve as a powerful deterrent, giving him some breathing room.
He aimed to capitalize on this hard-earned opportunity, creating an aura of shocking power for potential enemies. Even as a fading forest king, not just anyone could recklessly challenge him.
Hence, maintaining the status quo was the most prudent course of action. People naturally retained a measure of reverence and fear for the unknown. Madara intended to use this mysterious image for any hidden enemies.
He was shrouding himself in mystery.
"Go. Do not disappoint me this time."
"Yes." Guruguru wasted no time; he dared not stay any longer and swiftly vanished into the earth, away from Madara's presence.
...,
In a high-end tavern in a town.
Ruri, wrapped in a bath towel with her hair coiled up, lay in the hot spring, finally allowing her nerves to relax. She gazed at the moon hanging in the night sky and released a long breath.
"Was that the power of Susanoo..."
She reminisced about the legendary and terrifying power she had witnessed in the underground cave.
The memory continued to replay in her mind, causing an unprecedented excitement and joy. None of her previous experiences, whether encountering tailed beasts or facing the Third Hokage, had brought her this level of exhilaration in battle.
"Hmph, after getting a first-hand experience of that power, how can i calm down..." A faint smile graced Ruri's lips.
She didn't experience fear just because her opponent was strong. Instead, after seeing such incredible power, she felt a growing desire to surpass the legend.
However, she was acutely aware that her current abilities fell far short of reaching the heights she had witnessed. Whether in terms of jutsus or strategy, her current prowess seemed insignificant when compared to that kind of power.
With these thoughts in mind, Ruri rose from the hot spring and made her way to the changing room. After dressing, she picked up her hard-earned prize—the Gunbai—and proceeded to leave the dressing room, heading towards the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant, Yu sat at the dining table, indulging in a lavish feast. Bones littered the table and the floor, and medical bandages wrapped around his head and body.
The establishment offered top-quality ingredients, serving a sumptuous seafood banquet—the very meal Ruri had promised Yu.
"Ruri-sama, have you finished bathing?" Yu mumbled with food in his mouth.
"Are you satisfied?" Ruri replied without directly addressing his question.
"Hi~ Almost there. Ah, I haven't eaten this much in ages. Thanks for the treat." Yu let out a satisfied burp, patting his full belly with delight.
"You're welcome. Now, let's head back to the Land of Demons." Ruri secured the Gunbai and her sickle, fastening them behind her back.
"Eh? It's getting late. Don't you want to rest for the night before we leave?" Yu asked in surprise.
"We're quite close to the Land of Earth from here, and I'd rather avoid drawing attention." Ruri explained.
She remained a rogue ninja, and although the Land of Earth's Iwagakure was unlikely to actively pursue Konoha's rogue ninja, her Uchiha lineage could still cause unnecessary complications.
"I see. I'll pack up then." Yu replied straightforwardly.
He quickly wiped the grease from his mouth and left the tavern with Ruri.
After paying a fee exceeding one hundred thousand ryo, Ruri exited the hotel, escorted by the staff's hospitality.
Outside the town, Yu was already prepared, wearing a backpack suitable for sleeping outdoors. Together, they headed towards the Land of Demons.
From their current location, it would take roughly a day and a half to reach the border of the Land of Demons, bypassing Iwagakure's martial law imposed due to its ongoing conflict with Konoha.
But these iea ninjas naturally couldn't cause any obstacles to Ruri, so they easily passed through the patrol range of these ninjas, and moving towards the Land of Demons via the shortcut.
"Be careful; this woman isn't only an Uchiha but also a former member of Konoha's White Fang's team." a cautious Jonin advised.
"Konoha's White Fang? We mustn't underestimate her." the rest of the Jonin concurred.
Ruri's gender wouldn't lead them to underestimate her, especially when they recalled the shocking reputation of Konoha's White Fang, a name that still held considerable power in their hearts.
Even the Kumo Jonins who had crossed paths with Konoha's White Fang once before preferred to avoid a second encounter. The legacy of his prowess was not to be taken lightly.
As for the Raikage, he showed no hesitation in his actions, driven by his Kumo ninja's determination.
Despite the astonishment of other ninja villages, their leader's daring disregard for his safety, confronting danger head-on on every battlefield, earned their admiration and pride.
Nonetheless, as Ruri observed the situation, she couldn't help but think, "This doesn't seem like a casual movement."
Observing Kumo's formidable lineup, it became evident that they possessed enough strength to conquer a small nation. The Raikage himself was leading the team, making it clear that this wasn't just a casual excursion.
Clearly, Kumo had ulterior motives behind this display of power.
"I'm merely passing through. It would be wonderful if the two of us could peacefully part ways." Ruri said peacefully.
After witnessing Madara's incredible power, her primary goal was to return to her training and grow stronger. Engaging in combat with the Raikage held no appeal at this moment.
However, the Kumo Jonin accompanying the Raikage were far from agreeable, and they showed no intention of allowing time for negotiations.
"A mere defected ninja has no place to be presumptuous here!" One of them rebuffed Ruri's words, and in response, the dozen or so Kumo Jonin advanced swiftly, showing no interest in granting Ruri the opportunity to negotiate.
Unlike Iwa, Kumo had not reached a point where they deemed it necessary to negotiate with a rogue ninja.
"It's truly bothersome dealing with people who can't understand diplomacy."
Ruri muttered as she retreated with Yu. Once engaged, the situation would indeed become troublesome.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Witnessing Ruri's release of the fireball jutsu, the Jonin collectively felt a pang of humiliation.
Without hesitation, Ruri retrieved the Gunbai she carried and swung it at the fireball she had released. The ninjas watched in shock as the fireball expanded significantly, significantly enhancing its lethality.
"Water Release: Water Array Wall!"
A surge of water formed a protective barrier against the fireball, momentarily withstanding its force before being overwhelmed.
This respite allowed the remaining Kumo Jonin to dodge, avoiding the fireball's reach and countering with their lightning release jutsu.
Lightning surged towards her, but Ruri promptly raised the Gunbai in front of her, causing the lightning to vanish as if absorbed.
"What sort of weapon is that? It absorbed our jutsu!"
The Kumo ninjas who were unfamiliar with the Gnmbai expressed their astonishment.
Their high-level B-rank lightning release jutsu had been effortlessly absorbed.
Ruri brandished the Gunbai, alerting the Kumo ninjas. However, instead of directing it at them, she swiftly turned and swung the Gunbai behind her.
The Third Raikage happened to arrive at that spot, and his lightning-infused fist descended upon the Gunbai.
Ruri's lips curled slightly upwards as Ai's eyes widened, sensing the overwhelming strength of the counterattack, preventing him from advancing further.
Countless bolts of lightning erupted from the Gunbai, comprising the powerful lightning release jutsu previously unleashed by the Jonins. All of it rebounded and collided forcefully with Ai's fist.
Boom!
The lightning generated a deafening explosion. Both Ruri and Ai retreated to a safe distance.
Although Ai's arm had briefly numbed when he struck Ruri, the sensation quickly dissipated. He acknowledged firsthand that the young Uchiha before him possessed considerable power.
"That will be all for today, Raikage-dono. If there's another opportunity, we can have a proper duel."
Ruri smiled faintly, leaped back, and Yu followed suit, wary of remaining in this confrontation any longer.
The Kumo Jonins appeared eager to pursue them, but Ai raised his hand, signaling them to desist.
"Let her go."
"Raikage-sama?" Thy turned around, surprised.
"That young girl is no ordinary ninja. The cost of eliminating her would be too high. Remember our mission's primary objective; we didn't come here to hunt down rogue ninjas." Ai reminded them.
"Yes, Raikage-sama."
Kumo's true mission was clear. Chasing after a defected Konoha ninja held far less significance than their upcoming operation.
Should this operation fail due to a pursuit of the traitor, the consequences would be dire.
Pursuing a Sharingan that might not even be attainable wasn't worth the risk. Furthermore, compared to the Sharingan of the Uchiha, the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan was of greater interest and strategic value to Kumo.
With such a Kekkei Genkai, Kumo's actions could be streamlined.
Ai shook off his recent battle experience with Ruri and continued his journey, thinking about the strange sensations he had observed during their brief conflict.
Yet, he decided not to dwell on it too long. As Kumogakure's Raikage, it was best to quickly eliminate rogue ninjas like her.
As he moved forward, Ai glanced back at Ruri's departing figure. The Kumo Jounin understood the importance of their next mission compared to chasing down a rebel ninja.
This place lay closest to the Land of Earth, making it apparent that Kumo's target was Iwagakure.
"Rather than attacking the Land of Fire, they've chosen to attack the Land of Earth. It seems many significant developments have happened in the world since my absence." Ruri contemplated.
Kumo's unusual actions had been known throughout the world since the onset of the Ninja World War. Many speculated that Kumo's actions aimed to attack the powerful Konoha, uniting Suna and Iwa to dethrone Konoha from its lofty perch.
However, Ruri now realized that Kumo had a unique strategy at play. While it had nothing to do with her, she opted not to become too entangled in their affairs. She continued on her journey with Yu, heading back to the Land of Demons.
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