“You are even more formidable than your teacher and the Third Kazekage. Those two fellows, they truly have successors.”
The Third Raikage watched as Shimizu healed the injury that could have crippled an arm in just a few breaths, and he couldn't help but become serious.
Shimizu's strength had, in reality, faintly surpassed his own.
Even after taking the Niban Nukite attack, he only suffered a serious arm injury, yet he healed it with medical ninjutsu in a few breaths. This level of medical ability definitely exceeded Chiyo, who was a first-class medical ninja in the ninja world.
Then, using the Ippon Nukite, it would probably be very difficult to kill the opponent.
Unless he could continuously unleash this level of attack, making the damage rate exceed the opponent's healing speed.
The Third Raikage knew that he couldn't take down Shimizu.
“Still fighting? Raikage-senpai, I can spend the whole day here with the two of you.”
Shimizu shook his hand and said with a smile.
“Is that so? But it doesn't matter. Anyway, the three of us have been fighting for so long, my companions should have already successfully taken the people out. As for me… I think the two of you won't be able to keep me here.”
Shimizu reached out and scratched his ear, looking at the Fourth Raikage who was engaged in close combat with the White Samurai and Fatty.
He didn't need to separate a puppet to stop the Fourth Raikage now. He could completely put on the Dai Ivan, and use the glider and airflow manipulation to fly away.
“……”
The Third Raikage was silent for two seconds.
Should he forcibly keep Shimizu of the Sand Village?
This guy was a few years younger than his son, but he already possessed fighting power at the very top of the ninja world. He would probably grow to a certain extent in the next few years, and his strength would become even more terrifying.
Would that pose a threat to Cloud Village?
The two sides were separated by most of the ninja world, and unlike Mist Village, which had invaded and plundered the Land of Wind from the sea, there was no hatred in history.
Such a young man in Sand Village would definitely be treated as a treasure by the Third Kazekage and Chiyo. If he were eliminated here, the two sides would truly forge a blood feud.
Not to mention, the two countries actually had a common opponent—the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire.
These two countries were closest to the Land of Wind and were the Sand Village's most direct competitors. For Cloud Village, these two countries were also Cloud Village's competitors.
Not to mention, the Third Raikage really didn't have the confidence to keep Shimizu.
If he was determined to do so, then he might be fine relying on his strong physical defense, but others might not be, and there would inevitably be heavy casualties.
The most rational approach was to put these aside and turn hostility into friendship.
It's just…
So unwilling!
“Stop it, do you mind talking to me?”
The Third Raikage reached out and called the Fourth Raikage to stop, and said to Shimizu:
“Of course, I don’t mind.”
After the Fourth Raikage stopped, Shimizu also reached out and used chakra threads to retrieve the three puppets to his side.
The Dai Ivan and Fatty were still okay, and the damage was not too serious, but the little boy was now close to being scrapped.
Being able to stop a combat power close to the Kage level for so long was already close to the limit of these three puppets.
Add one or two more, and it might be about the same. If there were seven or eight puppets of this level, the combat power could be doubled, and the overall power could be raised to a higher level, blocking Kage-level powerhouses.
This was also Ebizo's level of strength.
If he was two points stronger, then he would be almost the same as Chiyo.
“Dad! I’m about to win! Why did you call me to stop?”
The Fourth Raikage was panting, with a bloodstain on his shoulder inadvertently scratched by the Dai Ivan. Overall, he looked fairly intact.
The Third Raikage looked at Shimizu.
This guy was several years younger than his own son, but his strength was too much stronger.
“Uh…”
The Fourth Raikage touched his head and also reacted.
They had been fighting for so long, Shimizu's companions must have already transferred all the members of the Chinoike Clan.
“In order to let the Chinoike Clan join Cloud Village, the old man and the village have put in a lot of effort. As a result, you came today and picked the peaches. This makes it very difficult for the old man…”
“That’s really sorry, Raikage-senpai, but I think you should understand after living to this age that many things in this world are unreasonable, or rather, the fist is the hardest principle.”
Shimizu smiled.
There is nothing wrong with every first one! One look!
Anyway, Cloud Village can’t do anything to me.
“You’re right, the fist is the hardest principle.”
The Third Raikage was not angry either.
“But this time, it’s not that your fist is harder, but that you happened to punch this punch at the most critical moment. I can count you as winning, but Cloud Village cannot lose.
Give half of the people you took away to me, otherwise, I dare to guarantee that no more than half of you will be able to return to the Land of Wind safely.”
Shimizu raised an eyebrow.
This old guy… what he said made sense.
Among the Land of Hot Water and the surrounding small countries, the power of Cloud Village was the strongest, followed by Konoha.
If Cloud Village did not hesitate to dispatch a large number of ninjas, coupled with the entanglement of the Raikage father and son, then it would be difficult for dozens of people to send them all back to the Land of Wind.
After all, it was a ninja clan, and not all of them were ninjas. It was destined that they could not be compared with the ninja village army where everyone was a ninja. If they were intercepted by Cloud Village, then they would definitely only be able to leave some people behind.
In that case, the bloodline of the Ketsuryugan would definitely be taken away by Cloud Village.
“You should understand what I mean. You have already shown the strength that makes me respect you, and the strength of Sand Village is also worthy of my respect, so I am willing to solve it in a peaceful way. I think you don’t want your companions to see blood, right?”
“You want me to give up half of the people with just one sentence. If it were you, would you agree?”
Shimizu asked back.
“That’s your business.”
The Third Raikage crossed his arms and raised his head.
“Half is impossible. If anyone is willing to continue staying in this Hell Valley, I can give you a few.”
Giving up a few people in exchange for the peace of the second half of the journey was not a loss.
Anyway, being able to bring people back was a pure profit.
For Cloud Village, a few people made the difference between having and not having, but for Sand Village, the difference was not significant.
“Okay.”
“How can I believe that Cloud Village will not take action after I hand over the people? After all, your Cloud Village is the ninja village that likes to break promises the most.”
“You fart!”
The Third Raikage cursed.
