…or something along those lines is probably what Gaara was getting at when faced with his father. It feels like forever since the resurrected Kages were shown (a good 19 chapters ago by my count), so I don’t know what’s more unbelievable: Gaara’s division kiting them around through the night or the Kages patiently walking towards them the entire time. This goes all the way back before the beach battle after all, which concluded at nightfall and saw all the survivors return to the med camp for treatment. I guess a more sensible (and probable) explanation is that we’re being now being shown what took place concurrently, except it sure doesn’t seem that way when Naruto and Bee are shown rushing to the scene just before.

Whatever the case, this felt like a bridging chapter of sorts to hype up Gaara’s battle with the Fourth Kazekage, as well as Oonoki’s clash with his predecessor, the Second Tsuchikage Muu. As things stand now, it sure looks like a pretty lopsided tilt with the Third Raikage and Second Mizukage present, leaving me wondering if Naruto and Bee will arrive to even things out. The next best thing to a Kage-level ninja is probably a Jinchuuriki, plus it comes with the added pairing of Bee versus the Third Raikage — the next best thing to A himself showing up. I’d definitely say it’s a possibility, since Naruto and Bee are looking to make a big splash on the battlefield right away, and taking out a couple of resurrected Kages would do just that. For comparison sake, it would also show that Naruto is able to defeated a Kage-level ninja, much like Sasuke’s already done. (Granted, one could argue that someone like Pain is Kage-level+.)

If the two of them don’t meet up with Gaara, I’m looking at Madara and/or Kabuto to finally get into the mix themselves, seeing as the latter took immediate notice to Naruto’s return when he crushed the magnet-element bloodline limit user like he was nothing. As unfortunate as it was for him and his short-lived screen time, I have to say that F probably had it worse. I mean, the guy was doomed to fail ever since he got that name. I’m going to take a wild stab and say that when White Zetsu caught him off-guard, his immediate reaction was, “Oh f…”

Anyway, bring on the big guns next time.

18 Comments

  1. I can’t help but want Kabuto’s side to win since he assembled such a team of badasses. It’s depressing to know that all they’ll be able to do is kill mooks.

    treize
    1. Danzo, the leader of Root and the almost kage that was going to replace Tsunade when she fell to a comma. Sasuke took him down, after Madara just announced the war currently being played out right now.

      Otaku_Brawler
    2. I wouldn’t really call Danzo a hokage level ninja IMO. He strongly relied on Izanagi and even with that making him practically invincible he couldn’t do much towards Sasuke with his own skills. Just because his powers were stolen from other ninjas doesn’t make them any less of his powers but it was painfully obvious that he would have died within minutes if Izanagi hadn’t saved him.

      Sasuke probably could have finished off the Raikage 1v1 although I don’t believe that A got to being Raikage without any ranged jutsus, I could be wrong though. Worst case scenario for A is that he’d probably die from Amaterasu after he broke through Susanoo and killed Sasuke.

      1. Yeah, I definetely don’t consider Danzo a Kage level ninja. His tactic was simply get hit til Sasuke got tired. Not really a good strategy I’d say. Especially since each Izanagi ate up one sharingan, so he’d need to replace them.

        And yeah, to me Pain is definetely Kage level, if not more so. He decimated Konoha with one attack and Tsunade, as well as Jiraiya, were useless against him, and I definetely saw them as Kage level.

        To me, Naruto is already beyond Kage level. I don’t think Sasuke is there yet. Even with Susanoo and Amaterasu, Kyuubi Naruto spamming rasen-shurikens would make short work of him.

        seltzermx
      2. Who said Raikage could break through Susanoo? If his ultimate move Raiger Bomb couldn’t cut it, neither would his Guillotine Drop. If Gaara hadn’t shown up, the outcome of the final clash between him and Sasuke would be reminiscent of the one that happaned a minute ago when Raikage tried to land a karate chop – he would hurt himself without inflicting any significant damage to his opponent.

        k
  2. I like how there’s so many battles going on concurrently and that we’re actually getting to see all of them, but part of me doesn’t like it since it’s taking a long time to push the story farther. I want some Itachi/Pain action

    1. Bleach made the mistake of having a war arc that lasted forever because of the individual battles.

      I’ve been liking the fights in this arc so far, but I’m definitely more interested in fights between living characters than these zombies. If this is the last Naruto arc, I could see this getting dragged out even more than usual.

      caramel_cod
  3. Looks like Naruto finally is picking up steam again. I wonder if this battle will truly be the last in the manga… Or will Sasuke bring in an extra element and inherit Madara’s plan.

    Flappy
  4. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again: I’m digging what Naruto (manga) has become and all the loose ends it’s slowly tying up with this war. If this is the beginning of the end, then thumbs up for Kishimoto. If the manga won’t end after the eventual clashes with Sasuke and Madara; and a new, random villian pops up…….God help Kishimoto.

    I really doubt the latter will happen, though.

    …And lol, very nice ending Divine: “Of f…!” x)

    Justinnnnnn
    1. I could be wrong, but I remember reading something about the manga author saying this will be the final arc of the Naruto manga and is looking to do possible spin-offs.

      Kuro-puppy
  5. “This is not a 2 year time-skip” I giggled there.

    I remember in Ruroken when a young Shinta told Hiko that “Once dead, they (people, good or bad) are the same”. The Kages got over their quarrels in life and have faith in their successors.

    Your puns are improving, great timing.

    Lectro Volpi
  6. I was starting to think that they forgot about the Kage battle, but now it’s all good. The action was expected to be intense and the explanations in between the battles were the same deal. The cliffhanger just left me thinking what else is Gaara going to say/do next. I don’t want to get my hopes up just yet, but I think this battle will only take place for a while until Naruto comes to put a stop to it. Looking forward to more sand-ninjustu and/or summoning jutsu.

    Pikachu

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