Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Raikage A and Killer Bee exchanged a glance. Dazzling lightning erupted from both of them simultaneously. Blue electrical arcs danced across their bodies, crackling loudly. Their forms blurred within the lightning, charging toward Uchiha Taiga like two bolts of electricity.

Their figures constantly crisscrossed—darting left and right, front and back—weaving through the battlefield like phantoms. Their speed was incredibly fast, stamping crater after crater into the ground as crushed stone and dirt splattered behind them.

Their teamwork was flawless. One pinned him down from the front while the other flanked from the side. The rhythm of their attacks shifted unpredictably, making it impossible to defend against.

The short sword in Killer Bee's hand was coated in Lightning Style chakra. The blade vibrated violently, emitting a loud hum.

*Supervibrato Lightning Style Swords!*

Every strike carried high-frequency vibrations. Once it hit, it wouldn't just cut; the vibrations would cause devastating internal damage.

Raikage A clenched his right fist, which was also enveloped in Lightning Style chakra. He leaned forward slightly, lowering his center of gravity like a fierce beast ready to pounce.

*Heavy Assault!*

This move concentrated his entire body weight and speed into his fist. A single strike possessed enough power to shatter a small mountain.

Faced with such a combination, an ordinary person wouldn't even be able to track their movements with their eyes, let alone defend against them.

Uchiha Taiga's eyes lit up as he watched the two streaks of lightning rushing toward him.

He didn't dare to be careless. These two were at the absolute pinnacle of Nintaijutsu in the ninja world. One was renowned for his strength and speed, while the other excelled in swordsmanship and agility. Their combined might was far greater than the sum of its parts.

Lightning began to flicker across his own body as well.

*Crackle.*

Electrical arcs leaped outward with him at the center, striking the surrounding ground and leaving scorched marks. His hair drifted slightly in the electrical current, and the white of his eyes shone exceptionally bright under the reflection of the lightning.

*'Here they come.'*

Three streaks of lightning collided at the exact same moment.

*Boom!!!*

With a massive explosion, the ground beneath their feet caved in, forming a shallow crater several meters in diameter.

Dirt and gravel were blasted away by the immense shockwave, shooting out in all directions like artillery shells.

Surrounding trees were uprooted by the blast of air, their trunks flipping several times in the sky before crashing heavily back to the earth with a dull thud.

The three figures separated after the clash, only to crash into each other again at an even faster speed.

From a distance, it looked like three bolts of lightning constantly colliding and crossing paths. Every clash was accompanied by a thunderous roar, and every crossing whipped up a fierce gale.

Craters multiplied across the ground, and the area of toppled trees expanded. The air was thick with dust and debris, obscuring the battlefield.

These collisions were happening almost every split second.

In the distance, the Kumogakure ninjas who had retreated to a safe zone watched the scene with their hearts in their throats.

Some gripped their ninja swords tightly, some unconsciously took a half-step back, and others had beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.

They were the elites of Kumogakure and had seen countless battles, but a fight like this... Three people, three streaks of lightning. Every collision was like two mountains smashing together. They had never witnessed anything like it.

Yugito Nii stood there, staring at the destroyed forest, feeling an immense pressure in her heart.

Her lips were pursed, her brows furrowed, and her fingers trembled slightly.

She knew Uchiha Taiga was strong, but she never expected him to be this strong. To face the Raikage and Killer Bee simultaneously and still fight to a standstill was unbelievable.

"My lady, let's leave first," a Kumogakure ninja whispered as he stepped up beside her.

"Leave this place to Lord Raikage and Lord Bee."

Yugito Nii glanced at the ninja, then back at the battlefield, and gritted her teeth.

She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay and see the outcome of this battle.

But she knew all too well that Uchiha Taiga had placed a contingency on her. If she stayed, not only would she be of no help, but she might also drag the Raikage and Killer Bee down.

"Let's go."

Making up her mind, she turned around and walked away without looking back.

The rest of the Kumogakure ninjas quickly followed.

One of the main objectives of their mission was to retrieve their Jinchuriki. Now that the goal was achieved, they naturally didn't dare to delay.

As for Uchiha Taiga, he was truly beyond their ability to handle. That was a matter for the Raikage and Killer Bee.

The clashes on the battlefield had reached a fever pitch.

Raikage A's breathing grew ragged, his chest heaving.

Several new tears appeared on his clothes—marks left by Uchiha Taiga's blade. Although they hadn't cut into his flesh, they made him feel the mounting pressure.

He was a veteran of a hundred battles and had faced countless formidable foes, but he had never encountered an opponent like this. He was clearly just a teenager, yet he didn't lose out to him in strength, speed, or technique. His swordsmanship was even superior to Killer Bee's.

Killer Bee's situation wasn't much better.

His sunglasses were askew, his forehead was covered in sweat, and his breathing was heavy. His arms trembled slightly—the aftereffect of blocking Uchiha Taiga's attacks for so long.

The next moment, Killer Bee suddenly let out a loud shout.

"Bro!"

Raikage A's pupils shrank slightly, instantly understanding Killer Bee's intent.

The two shifted positions while moving at high speed, charging at Uchiha Taiga from the left and right.

The lightning around them flared even brighter, shifting from blue to a blinding white. The air around them ionized, crackling sharply.

"Lariat!"

The two roared in unison, their voices echoing across the battlefield.

Their bodies shot forward like two meteors, pincer-attacking Uchiha Taiga from the front and back.

Both raised their right arms simultaneously, elbows pointing forward, the tips coated in Lightning Style chakra. Their speed was pushed to the absolute limit.

This move was the ultimate secret technique of Raikage A and Killer Bee's teamwork!

Attacking from the front and back at the same time, they aimed to crush the enemy between their lightning-infused arms, killing them in a single blow.

In the nick of time, the corners of Uchiha Taiga's mouth curled up.

He didn't retreat or dodge. Instead, he made a move neither of them anticipated.

He sheathed the ninja sword in his left hand, then threw the short sword he had snatched from Killer Bee in his right hand straight at Raikage A.

The short sword spun through the air, as fast as a bolt of lightning, aiming right for Raikage A's face.

Raikage A merely tilted his head slightly. The short sword flew past his ear, not even clipping a single strand of hair.

But that fraction of a second's delay was enough.

The two sides clashed.

Raikage A and Killer Bee raised their arms simultaneously, elbows forward, aiming to crush Uchiha Taiga's neck.

Their attacks arrived from the front and back at the exact same time, sealing off all room for evasion.

If this strike landed, Uchiha Taiga's neck would be snapped by the two immense forces, killing him on the spot.

Uchiha Taiga's body flipped half a turn in mid-air, his legs whipping out like long lashes toward their arms.

His left leg struck Raikage A's arm, and his right leg struck Killer Bee's arm. Then, with a fierce exertion of force, he spun like a top, completely deflecting the two incredibly vicious forces.

Raikage A leaned forward slightly, his footsteps stumbling.

Killer Bee also lost his balance, tilting to one side.

Both took two steps back before stabilizing themselves.

Their expressions changed.

"Now!"

Killer Bee didn't hesitate. His body jolted violently, and a thick octopus tentacle suddenly shot out from behind him.

The tentacle moved with astonishing speed, wrapping around Uchiha Taiga's waist in the blink of an eye. The suction cups on the tentacle clamped tightly onto his clothes, binding him securely.

Raikage A's face twisted into a fierce scowl. He kicked off the ground, launching himself at Uchiha Taiga. His right hand formed a blade, coated in Lightning Style chakra, and chopped toward Uchiha Taiga's neck.

*Lightning Oppression Horizontal!*

This hand chop was powerful enough to sever steel.

However, it still couldn't do anything to Uchiha Taiga, because bright yellow chakra surged out from his body.

The chakra rapidly condensed outside his body, forming a half-body skeleton in the blink of an eye. Flesh, meridians, and skin then grew over the bones.

The armor of Susanoo tightly encased Uchiha Taiga's body within it.

Raikage A's hand chop struck the Susanoo's armor.

*Crack!!*

A crisp sound rang out as cracks appeared on the Susanoo's armor.

The cracks spread outward from the point of impact, covering the entire face of the armor like a spiderweb, but the Susanoo did not completely shatter.

Uchiha Taiga burst into laughter.

"Exhilarating! This is too exhilarating! This is how it should be!"

His eyes shone like two stars, and the smile on his face was as radiant as a child who had just received a new toy.

The expressions of Raikage A and Killer Bee changed simultaneously.

Killer Bee let out a furious roar.

His eyes instantly lost their light, his pupils dilating as his eyeballs rolled back, revealing the whites.

The next moment, his body began to expand rapidly.

His clothes tore open, and dark patterns surfaced on his skin, resembling some ancient totem.

His limbs thickened, his body grew taller, and his head deformed as more octopus tentacles sprouted from his back. Eight tentacles thrashed in the air, covered in suction cups.

In almost the blink of an eye, the Eight-Tails Gyuki revealed itself.

Its massive body blotted out the sky and the sun. Its eight tentacles danced in the air, sweeping down a large swath of surrounding trees.

Its eyes were a hollow white, devoid of emotion, filled only with the brutality of a wild beast. It opened its mouth and let out a deafening roar.

Raikage A flipped and landed on top of Gyuki's head. Looking down from above, he stared fixedly at Uchiha Taiga, his gaze brimming with killing intent.

Uchiha Taiga looked at the colossal Eight-Tails Gyuki, his smile unwavering.

With a thought, his Susanoo began to expand.

The half-body skeleton transformed into a full-body skeleton. Flesh, meridians, and skin grew over the bones, and a gigantic samurai appeared on the battlefield.

It stood a full hundred meters tall, just as massive as the Eight-Tails Gyuki.

It was clad in golden armor, every scale gleaming with a metallic luster. Its right hand gripped a massive chakra sword, the blade flowing with dazzling golden light. Its face was indistinct, with only two spots of crimson light flashing where its eyes should be.

*Perfect Susanoo!*

The golden Susanoo giant and the dark Eight-Tails Gyuki stood face to face.

The mountain forest seemed insignificant beneath their feet. The trees looked like blades of grass, and the boulders like pebbles. Sunlight pierced through the space between them, casting massive shadows on the ground.

Uchiha Taiga stood at the chest of the Susanoo giant, his arms crossed over his chest, looking at the Eight-Tails Gyuki opposite him.

"Come on."

His voice wasn't loud, but it could be heard clearly amidst the deafening roars.

"Let me see just how strong the power of the Eight-Tails really is."