Chapter 96 096: Have You Ever Experienced Pain?
The forest rapidly receded on both sides, the wind howling in their ears.
Raikage A sprinted madly through the woods with Killer Bee on his back. His footsteps were heavy and hurried, each one leaving a deep imprint in the dirt.
His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving violently. Sweat rolled down his cheeks and dripped onto the ground, instantly trampled by his pounding feet.
He looked incredibly disheveled. His clothes were covered in mud and crushed leaves, and his messy, short blonde hair had lost its usual sharpness, drooping limply over his forehead.
The two had already left the borders of the Land of Hot Water and entered the Land of Moon. Once they crossed the Land of Moon, they would reach the Land of Lightning.
Even with Raikage A's immense stamina, running non-stop for the better part of a day had left him exhausted. But he didn't dare stop. A lingering sense of unease haunted him, like a needle pricking the back of his head, preventing him from relaxing.
"Bee," Raikage A spoke, his voice hoarse. "Can you still sense that guy?"
Killer Bee was slumped against his back, looking even worse for wear than the Raikage.
His sunglasses were gone—lost either during the battle or the frantic escape—revealing a pair of somewhat dull eyes. His clothes were torn in several places, and blood seeped through the bandages wrapped around his body.
His breathing was shallow but rapid, a clear sign that his injuries were severe.
Killer Bee closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, his expression darkening.
"That bastard is annoying, trailing behind without a care, chasing us like a mad dog after a bone, yeah."
His voice was weak, yet he still maintained his usual rapping rhythm, though it lacked its former cheerfulness and carried a heavy burden instead.
Raikage A's cheek twitched, and his face grew grim.
He was furious. As the Raikage, he had never been reduced to such a pathetic state.
Chased for hundreds of miles without even the strength to turn around and fight. Even worse, deep down, the heart of a Kage had unknowingly developed a deep fear of that person.
It wasn't out of cowardice, but because he couldn't gamble with Killer Bee's life.
Raikage A had experienced the youth's strength firsthand. That giant—seemingly the legendary power of the Uchiha clan known as Susanoo—was an entity capable of suppressing the Eight-Tails Gyuki head-on. It was not something they could handle in their current condition.
"Don't worry," Raikage A gritted his teeth, his voice relatively calm.
"Yugito Nii and the others left before us. They'll definitely reach the village faster and prepare a response. Once we get back, if that guy dares to show up, we'll make him pay."
Killer Bee fell silent.
A moment later, his voice drifted from Raikage A's shoulder. It still carried that rapping cadence, but the tone was somber.
"If that guy goes crazy, the village will be in a bind. His power is too strong, leaving us looking weak and behind, yeah."
Raikage A's face twisted in annoyance; he wanted nothing more than to throw the fool off his back.
'Damn it, at a time like this, he's still acting like this.'
He took a deep breath, suppressing his frustration, and pushed his legs to move even faster.
"He won't be able to," Raikage A said in a deep voice. "Kumogakure will show that guy what real power is."
The two didn't speak again.
Raikage A sprinted in complete silence, carrying Killer Bee on his back.
His speed had increased, each stride covering more distance, every step utilizing all his remaining strength. His legs ached and his lungs burned, but he didn't dare slow down.
He was afraid the youth would suddenly catch up, afraid Killer Bee wouldn't hold on, and afraid he would regret it.
Two kilometers away.
Uchiha Taiga leaped across the tree trunks, his movements light and unhurried.
With a gentle tap of his feet against the branches, his body glided forward dozens of meters. He appeared incredibly graceful, showing not the slightest hint of fatigue from the massive battle.
A backpack rested on his shoulders, and three ninja swords hung at his waist. As he moved, the scabbards gently clinked together, producing a rhythmic chiming sound like soft music.
His hands were tucked into his sleeves, his eyes half-closed, and his expression completely relaxed. He didn't look like he was in pursuit; it felt more like he was on a spring outing.
Despite his casual demeanor, his Byakugan remained locked onto the two figures ahead. Even from two kilometers away, they were as clear in his vision as if they were right in front of him.
The corners of Uchiha Taiga's mouth curled up. He could clearly see Raikage A's heavy footsteps, Killer Bee's heaving chest, and the sweat and exhaustion etched on their faces.
He neither sped up nor slowed down, simply tailing them at a leisurely pace.
Time slipped away as the pursuit continued.
The sun rose, and then it set.
The moon rose, and then it set.
Stars twinkled in the night sky before being swallowed by the light of dawn.
One day passed.
Two days passed.
Raikage A ran almost without rest. When he grew too tired, Killer Bee would take over and carry him.
Killer Bee had regained some stamina. The regenerative abilities of the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki were truly astounding; his wounds had already scabbed over, and his chakra was mostly replenished.
He carried Raikage A and continued the sprint, his speed barely slower than the Raikage's.
The two took turns running, never stopping for a single moment.
Leaving the Land of Moon, they soon entered the Land of Lightning, where the terrain began to gradually incline.
The plains vanished, replaced by rolling hills and deep gorges.
The paths grew rugged, and the forests thinned out. Bare rocks jutted from the earth, gleaming with a pale gray light under the sun.
The air thinned, and the blowing wind carried a biting chill.
Towering mountains became more frequent. Some peaks pierced the clouds, their summits blanketed in pristine snow. Others were steep and treacherous, looking as though they had been carved by a giant blade.
The ravines were bottomless, with only thick mist churning in their depths. The bizarre and majestic landscape was truly a sight to behold.
Uchiha Taiga followed behind, still unhurried.
His speed didn't decrease with the changing terrain, nor did he accelerate to close the distance. His footsteps maintained a steady rhythm—neither fast nor slow, completely at ease.
His Byakugan remained locked on the figures ahead. He made no effort to hide his chakra signature, openly broadcasting his presence as if to tell the people ahead that he was right there, following them, and not going anywhere.
Eventually, Kumogakure finally appeared in their line of sight.
It was a village built atop a mountain, surrounded by sheer cliffs and bottomless ravines.
The buildings were constructed along the mountainside, overlapping in layers that stretched from the base all the way to the peak. Outside the village stood high stone walls, manned by numerous ninjas clad in Kumogakure uniforms. They gripped their ninja tools, standing in strict formation.
The village entrance was densely packed with people—Jonin, Chunin, ANBU, and several elders dressed in traditional robes.
Raikage A charged through the village gates with Killer Bee on his back.
Seeing them, the Kumogakure ninjas on high alert breathed a collective sigh of relief. Some tightened their grips on their weapons, while others ran forward to receive them.
Raikage A didn't stop. Carrying Killer Bee, he continued his sprint, pushing through the crowd and racing down the streets toward the heart of the village, leaving behind only a single command.
"Everyone, on high alert! Intercept that guy and be extremely careful! Bee and I will join you shortly!"
Outside the village, Uchiha Taiga came to a halt.
He stood on a jutting rock, gazing up at the mountain-top village.
The entirety of Kumogakure was laid bare before his Byakugan.
The buildings and streets, the ninjas stationed on the stone walls, the ANBU hiding behind cover, and the civilians within the village—everything was crystal clear, as if it were right in front of him.
Then, he smiled.
"Finally here."
Uchiha Taiga's voice wasn't loud, but he made no effort to suppress it either.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he moved.
His feet slowly left the ground as his body began to rise.
There was no flapping of wings, nor any explosive burst of chakra. He simply floated upward naturally, as if he had broken free from the earth's gravity. His body ascended slowly through the air, rising higher and higher.
Uchiha Taiga stood suspended in the sky, looking down upon Kumogakure from above.
The wind blew past his hair and the hem of his clothes, brushing against the ninja swords at his waist.
The corners of his mouth curled up into a smile as he spoke once more.
This time, his voice reached the ears of every single person present.
"As the most warmongering village in the ninja world... have you ever experienced pain?"