Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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The words "I'm coming" echoed across the battlefield, capturing everyone's attention.

In an instant, Namikaze Minato appeared, utilizing the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport into the heart of the chaos. The battlefield was in turmoil, with the Third Raikage cutting through enemy lines like a force of nature.

Both Konoha and Iwa shinobi were avoiding direct confrontation with the Raikage, focusing their forces on the lower battlefield, where the fighting was most intense.

The Kumogakure forces were trapped, cornered in a mountain pass. If they didn't break through soon, they would be completely annihilated.

"You're late, Minato-Sensei," Muzan remarked, deftly dodging an attack as he moved to Minato's side. His sharp gaze swept over the battlefield before returning to the Raikage.

Even the strongest Earth Release techniques of the Iwa shinobi were useless against the Third Raikage. The only one capable of stopping him was standing next to him: Namikaze Minato.

Minato's hand began to glow as he formed a Rasengan, a technique that the Raikage had become all too familiar with from their previous encounters.

"Boom!"

Kitsuchi, the son of the Third Tsuchikage, was hurled through the air by the sheer force of the Raikage's assault. Grumbling in frustration, Kitsuchi yelled, "Konoha! Don't just stand there! We're allies, aren't we? Get over here and help!"

Minato exchanged a glance with Muzan. Kitsuchi was strong, but brute force alone wouldn't be enough to win this battle against the Raikage.

"Minato-Sensei, you'll have to engage the Raikage directly," Muzan called out. Lowering his voice so only Minato could hear, he added, "And guide the Iwa shinobi into better positions while you're at it."

Minato's eyes narrowed as he weighed Muzan's suggestion. It was risky but had potential. Minato was known for his compassion toward his village, but when it came to strategy, he wasn't above using his allies for a tactical advantage—even if they were from Iwagakure.

Without a word, Minato vanished in a flash, reappearing behind the Raikage thanks to the Flying Thunder God Kunai he had previously marked on the Raikage's body.

However, Minato wasn't aiming for a direct hit. The Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode provided an almost impenetrable defense, able to block even Minato's fastest attacks. His goal was simple—stall the Raikage. Though nearly invulnerable, the Raikage's stamina was finite. And Minato knew that the Raikage's eyes, the only unprotected part of his body, were his weakness, should the opportunity arise.

With Minato's interference, Kitsuchi let out a breath of relief as he watched the Yellow Flash dart across the battlefield with breathtaking speed.

"Could I really take him on?" Kitsuchi thought for a fleeting moment before the Raikage charged at him again, forcing him to narrowly dodge the attack. The thought vanished as quickly as it came—there was no doubt in his mind that the Raikage was a monster beyond his abilities.

While Minato and Kitsuchi kept the Raikage occupied, Muzan had his own responsibilities. According to their pre-battle agreement, his primary task was healing the wounded—Konoha shinobi first and foremost.

He treated some Iwa shinobi as well, but only those who made it to his side. And even then, his healing was only enough to keep them alive; whether they returned to the fight was of no concern to him.

Muzan had no intention of telling Minato how to pierce the Raikage's defense with the Rasengan. His job was to keep the Raikage distracted long enough for the Iwa forces to handle the rest.

Drawing his blade, Muzan noticed that its edge had slightly dulled from earlier clashes with Kitsuchi's Earth Release techniques.

"Crack!"

His blade sliced cleanly through the neck of a Kumogakure shinobi, the sound of bone scraping against steel filling the air. Exhausted from days of battle, the Kumo ninja were no match for Muzan's swift, lethal strikes.

Kumogakure's forces were crumbling under the combined assault of Konoha and Iwa. Their chakra drained, many of the shinobi were being swallowed by the mud or crushed under falling debris.

Yet, the Third Raikage stood unshaken, shrugging off every attack. Seeing the growing number of Iwa casualties, Kitsuchi grew desperate.

"Konoha! Namikaze Minato! We can't keep this up! Too many are dying!" Kitsuchi shouted, pleading for a solution.

Minato, still locked in combat with the Raikage, had no time to respond. Frustrated, Kitsuchi cursed under his breath. He created an Earth Wall, ordering his troops to fall back.

Any shinobi who directly engaged the Raikage would be as good as dead. Realizing this, the Iwa shinobi continued their retreat.

"Boom!"

Meanwhile, on the lower battlefield, Muzan faced off against four elite Kumogakure jounin. Their eyes filled with resolve, they charged at him, trying to buy time for their comrades.

But Muzan was like a storm. His chakra blade sliced through one of the jounin, though the man narrowly avoided a fatal wound at the last moment.

There was a subtle shift in Muzan's demeanor as he fought, something deep and powerful. If anyone had been paying attention, they might have noticed that the tide of battle was slowly turning in Konoha's favor.

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Drops of blood dripped from Muzan's blade—not from an enemy, but from the Iwa ninja he had just slain.

"It's true... with a broken section of the blade, it handles differently," Muzan thought. If Hatake's sword techniques were fully unleashed with a whole blade, even a prepared opponent wouldn't have escaped Muzan's strike. He glanced up at Yamanosatsu, who was fighting above, and mused, His skin is unbelievably tough.

Facing four Kumo Jonin, Muzan remained composed. He wanted to refine his taijutsu. Fighting against warriors like Yamanosatsu and the Kitsuchi had taught him much about close combat. While Muzan wasn't afraid of their taijutsu, taking unnecessary hits would still be painful.

Kumogakure's shinobi specialized in ninjutsu, and the night battle gave Muzan the perfect opportunity to treat them as live practice. Although they could fight back, Muzan's reflexes allowed him to dodge every strike.

Before long, the Jonin realized they were being toyed with and grew furious. No matter how they attacked, they couldn't touch Muzan. It was clear—they were nothing more than training fodder for him.

Muzan's movements were flawless, his timing perfect, leaving any onlookers in awe of his skill.

"Crack!"

With the back of his blade, Muzan shattered one Jonin's arm. Before the Jonin could react, Muzan followed with a powerful kick.

"Boom!"

The Jonin's body hit the ground with a heavy thud, a crater forming beneath him where his chest had been. His internal organs were utterly destroyed.

Never underestimate Muzan's strength. Even a flick of his finger could end a shinobi's life.

"You're next," Muzan said, his voice calm and emotionless.

Without wasting any more time, Muzan quickly dispatched the remaining Jonin. No one could stand against him. Wherever he went, death followed, his enemies too overwhelmed to even scream. He was like the grim reaper, harvesting lives with cold precision.

Those who witnessed Muzan's massacre dared not approach. Their thoughts turned to the legendary Konoha White Fang, recalling how he once dominated battlefields just as Muzan now did.

"It doesn't matter how many of these weaklings I kill..." Muzan muttered to himself.

He stepped over the bodies without a second glance. These were mere Chunin, future pillars of Kumogakure, now lying dead at his feet. This slaughter would leave Kumogakure struggling to find new leaders.

The mission's real objective was the death of the Raikage. Even if this squad was decimated, Kumogakure could recover. But the loss of the Raikage would cripple them beyond repair.

Muzan gazed at the enemy forces gathered outside. With Konoha and Iwa joining forces, and Konoha unable to gain an upper hand on the frontlines, Onoki had mobilized most of his troops. Visible forces alone numbered over five thousand, with Konoha sending about three thousand reinforcements.

Namikaze Minato, the Yellow Flash, was constantly harassing the Raikage with his speed, forcing him to stay on guard. If the Raikage let his defenses slip for even a moment, Minato could strike from behind.

This relentless pressure was sure to wear down even the mighty Raikage.

"Whoosh!"

Even with his legendary stamina, the Raikage's strength would eventually falter.

During one clash, the Raikage made a mistake. Minato's Rasengan hit him, but his Lightning Release Chakra Mode shielded him from serious damage. Still, the attack served as a warning—he couldn't afford to focus solely on killing Minato. His priority should be leading his forces out of the mountain pass.

"Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite!"

Raikage gathered immense lightning chakra at his fingertips, the energy crackling fiercely around him. The sheer power caused both sides to hesitate.

Anything in Raikage's path was obliterated!

His powerful attack pierced through the earth, shattering stone and sending debris flying. Fortunately, the softened ground prevented even greater destruction.

"Quick! All Kumo shinobi, ignore the enemy! Break out of this area with all your strength!" Raikage commanded.

Raikage no longer wasted his energy on weaker opponents. His only concern was getting his remaining forces out of the encirclement. Yamanosatsu, however, wasn't about to let him escape so easily.

Using Earth Release, Yamanosatsu constantly harassed the Raikage, while the outnumbering Iwa forces buried the escape routes with Earth Release, blocking every path.

"Boom!"

Had it been just the Raikage alone, not even Namikaze Minato could have stopped him. But the Raikage had to consider his comrades. Breaking through the earth and stone was draining him.

Sweat formed on the Raikage's brow, and the Kumo shinobi at his side knew they had to make a choice.

"Lord Raikage, don't stay here for us! If you escape, we can avenge this defeat!" one shouted.

"Yes, Lord Raikage! Their target is you!" another echoed.

"Fight them! Buy time for Lord Raikage to escape!" the others cried out.

None of the Kumo shinobi were cowards. Facing impossible odds, they chose to stand their ground. They refused to let the Raikage sacrifice himself for them—it would be a disgrace.

Seeing the determination in his comrades' eyes, the Raikage's emotions stirred. They were in this situation because of his decisions, and now he had to ensure they survived.

"Get out of here! Everyone, follow my orders! I'll hold them off!" Raikage shouted, kicking one of his men aside into the mud. His eyes sharpened with resolve.

Blazing with lightning, the Raikage prepared to hold back the enemy. The terrain, narrowed by explosions and Earth Release jutsu, would allow him to better block their advance.

"Black Lightning!"

The black lightning, like a fierce panther, roared across the battlefield—one of the Raikage's rare long-range techniques. It severed the enemy's charge, and the Konoha and Iwa forces understood what was coming—a final, desperate stand by the Raikage.

With Minato constantly pressuring him and his own body exhausted, the Raikage had no chance of survival. His fate was sealed in this battle.

"They've made their decision," Muzan observed from halfway up the mountain, his eyes cold. This was the indifference of someone who had seen too much death—a shift in character much like Orochimaru's.

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