Author's note: Sorry for not posting as often, I have been swamped with work. For those who read chapter 27 a few days ago, I added a scene to it to introduce a new enemy too. Please go read the last part again to get better context of this chapter. Also I have been getting different messages in my inbox about ideas for the story, keep in mind that I will follow the cannon storyline, adding my twists here and there. Some things may have plot armor, bear with it.
Naruto quickly prepared himself, sensing imminent danger drawing near. As he felt two distinct chakra signatures approaching the vicinity of the house—not too close, but enough to raise his suspicions—he formed the cross-shaped seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Instantly, ten shadow clones materialized around him. "Spread out and hide around the house," Naruto instructed firmly. "Stay alert. Protect Tsunami-chan and Inari at all costs." Without another word, the clones swiftly vanished into the shadows, concealing themselves in strategic positions.
With his precautions in place, Naruto narrowed his eyes and began rapidly spamming Shunshin, disappearing into a blur of motion as he hurried towards the bridge at maximum speed.
On the Bridge
A dense, oppressive mist blanketed the unfinished bridge, obscuring the horizon. Kakashi stood poised and tense, Sharingan spinning fiercely as he carefully scanned the swirling haze for any sign of movement. Hinata stood protectively in front of Tazuna, Byakugan active, while Sasuke maintained a calm yet alert stance.
Zabuza's cold voice echoed menacingly through the mist. "This time, you won't defeat me, Copy Ninja."
Suddenly, the mist shifted violently, and six Zabuza water clones surrounded Team 7, their blades glistening threateningly. Sasuke's shoulders tensed, his hands steady as his body instinctively shivered with anticipation. Zabuza laughed mockingly from the mist, noticing Sasuke's slight trembling.
"What's the matter, brat? Scared already?" he taunted maliciously.
Kakashi glanced at Sasuke knowingly, his Sharingan eye spinning calmly. "Relax, Sasuke. You're ready."
Sasuke exhaled slowly, the trembling subsiding instantly. A fierce smirk slowly emerged on his face. "You misunderstand, Zabuza," he growled confidently. "I'm shaking of excitement."
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, giving Sasuke a nod. "Show them."
With a sudden burst of speed, Sasuke vanished from his position. In a blur faster than the water clones could react, he struck with devastating precision, each clone bursting violently into splashes of water. Sasuke reappeared beside his team, casually spinning a kunai around his finger.
Zabuza's voice rumbled, clearly impressed despite himself. "Haku, it seems you've finally found yourself a worthy rival."
"Indeed," Haku replied calmly, stepping forward, eyes narrowed with cautious respect. Zabuza and Kakashi leaped backward simultaneously, each carefully measuring the other's movements as tension crackled fiercely between them. Without warning, Haku surged forward toward Sasuke, senbon gleaming sharply in her hands. Sasuke's eyes sharpened dangerously, charging straight toward her in response, kunai held firmly.
"Hinata! Protect Tazuna!" Kakashi commanded firmly, Sharingan spinning fiercely as he launched himself toward Zabuza.
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei!" Hinata replied instantly, quickly positioning herself protectively before the terrified bridge builder.
Haku and Sasuke clashed violently, exchanging rapid strikes with incredible precision. Their taijutsu was swift and graceful, a dance of steel and fluid movements, neither gaining the upper hand.
Suddenly, Haku spun rapidly like a tornado, her graceful movements turning into a deadly whirlwind as she closed the distance. Sasuke intercepted her spinning form with a sharp swing of his kunai, grinding harshly against Haku's senbon. Both shinobi pushed fiercely, locked in place, struggling for dominance.
Haku smirked softly, leaning closer to Sasuke as they strained against each other. "You're skilled, Uchiha, but you've already lost this exchange," she whispered confidently, her dark eyes glinting calmly. "Right now, I have two distinct advantages. One, we're surrounded by water, giving me endless ammunition. Two," she shifted her grip suddenly, expertly trapping one of Sasuke's arms, "I've already blocked one of your hands. You're fighting at a disadvantage."
Sasuke growled softly, narrowing his eyes as he quickly molded his chakra, preparing a substitution. Before he could counterattack, Haku's free hand blurred through a rapid sequence of one-handed seals. Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief,Impossible - One handed seals!.
She paused on the final seal, calling sharply, "Water Style: Thousand Needles of Death!" Instantly, water surged upward, forming countless deadly needles surrounding Sasuke. His eyes widened sharply, quickly releasing the substitution he'd prepared earlier, narrowly escaping as the needles pierced through empty air.
Haku leapt back swiftly, landing lightly and scanning for Sasuke, her eyes cautious. She saw nothing, confusion briefly flickering across her face.
"You're too slow," Sasuke said coldly from behind her. Haku's eyes widened in surprise as Sasuke swiftly kicked her in the head, sending her stumbling forward and forcing her to regroup quickly.
Meanwhile, Kakashi stood calmly in the swirling mist, eyes narrowed sharply as he scanned for Zabuza's movements. Zabuza circled silently, Kubikiribōchō gripped tightly, searching carefully for an opening. Kakashi stood unwavering, Sharingan spinning slowly as he patiently waited, alert for even the smallest movement.
Zabuza growled quietly in frustration, unable to find an opening in Kakashi's solid stance, his mind racing. Suddenly, the sound of Sasuke's clash with Haku echoed clearly. Zabuza's eyes narrowed sharply at the brief distraction, sensing Kakashi's momentary lapse.
But it was Zabuza who froze in shock as Haku stumbled backward from Sasuke's kick. The swordsman's eyes widened in disbelief, recognizing the incredible speed and skill of the young genin. Haku lost in terms of speed! Zabuza thought.
"This boy…" Zabuza muttered in astonishment, gripping Kubikiribōchō tighter, "He's grown stronger. Haku—don't underestimate him!"
Haku quickly recovered, eyes sharp and determined. "Yes, Zabuza-sama," she replied firmly, stance shifting seriously. "I understand."
Zabuza's voice darkened menacingly, promising fierce retaliation. "No more holding back. This fight is only beginning."
"You're skilled," Haku acknowledged softly, "but it's pointless. You cannot defeat me now."
She quickly formed another rapid series of hand seals, each precise and flawless. Sasuke stood defensively, narrowing his eyes cautiously. The seals completed in a blur, none recognizable to him. Haku landed softly, murmuring quietly, "Ice Style: Crystal Ice Mirrors."
Instantly, ice formed rapidly around Sasuke. Before he could react, he was surrounded by a dome of mirrors, each reflecting his tense, wary expression back at him. Haku stepped gracefully toward one mirror, merging seamlessly with its reflective surface, and suddenly her reflection appeared simultaneously within every mirror around him.
"This fight is already over," Haku said quietly, voice echoing ominously from every direction. "No one has ever defeated this technique, not even Zabuza-sama."
Sasuke clenched his teeth, preparing himself as Haku drew multiple senbon, launching them mercilessly at him. He swiftly activated his Sharingan, narrowly dodging the lethal strikes. However, several needles still grazed him, shallow cuts forming along his arms and shoulders.
Hinata watched anxiously from outside the dome, heart racing with worry. Unable to bear Sasuke fighting alone, she quickly hurled a kunai toward the nearest mirror. "Sasuke-kun!"
In response, Haku's reflection partially emerged from the mirror effortlessly catching the kunai mid-air. "I told you," she said softly, eyes cold yet calm, "my jutsu has no weakness."
"Are you sure about that?" a voice suddenly challenged from above.
Before Haku could react, a fierce kick connected harshly with her masked face, sending her stumbling out of her mirror. Sasuke's eyes widened in relief as Naruto landed gracefully outside the dome, grinning confidently at him.
Sasuke's lips curled upward slightly, relief hidden beneath his arrogant expression. "Took you long enough. Dobe, you're late."
Naruto chuckled briefly, but his expression hardened instantly. "Yeah, yeah. Stay sharp. We're not alone."
Suddenly, Naruto's senses screamed a sharp warning. Instantly, he drew Crimson Tide, barely managing to block an incoming blade. Despite blocking, the overwhelming force behind the strike hurled him backwards, sending him skidding violently across the stone surface of the bridge.
He swiftly rolled back to his feet, gripping his sword tightly, glaring through the mist. "There's a third enemy here!"
A cruel laughter echoed through the mist, sinister and cold. "You're more skilled than I expected, brat," the voice sneered mockingly, "and a swordsman to boot. I'll make sure you have a proper funeral."
Naruto growled, rapidly forming hand seals. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" he shouted, sending a powerful blast of wind around him, clearing the mist within a ten-meter radius.
But the mist stubbornly persisted, thick and oppressive, refusing to disperse fully. The sinister voice laughed again, clearly amused. "Nice try, brat—but it's useless. Zabuza and I combined our chakra into this mist. You won't blow it away so easily."
Naruto smirked confidently, his stance firm as his eyes burned defiantly toward the hidden figure. "Who said I needed to disperse the mist completely? All I need is enough visibility around me to fight," he stated boldly, hands tightening around Crimson Tide's hilt.
The voice laughed darkly, amused by Naruto's quick thinking. "Smartass brat," he sneered mockingly. Suddenly, from within the swirling mist, a figure stepped forward. It was a tall, lean man with long, straight dark-greenish hair cascading loosely down his back, partially framing his face. His sharp features were highlighted by dark, ominous markings around his blue eyes. He wore a sleeveless black vest over a tightly wrapped, bandaged torso, loose grey pants tucked neatly into bandaged shin-guards, and standard shinobi sandals. Strapped firmly on his back was a large cloth-covered bag, seemingly heavy but carried effortlessly.
His sharp, predatory eyes gleamed maliciously, and an arrogant smirk curled his lips. Strapped across his back were two uniquely designed blades—twin swords crackling faintly with suppressed electricity, exuding a deadly aura.
Naruto tensed visibly, eyes narrowing cautiously. Those swords…
"Impressive, brat," the figure remarked smoothly, amusement evident. "You're sharper than you look."
Naruto's gaze hardened further, muscles coiling tensely. "Raiga Kurosuki," Naruto said evenly, recognizing him instantly. "Kirigakure no Raijin, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."
Raiga chuckled appreciatively, clearly pleased. "I see you've done your homework," he said mockingly, his arrogant eyes scanning Naruto's weapon closely. A flicker of genuine curiosity entered his gaze. "That's an interesting blade you have there, kid. Looks suspiciously similar to the Red Death's legendary sword." His smirk widened slightly. "Tell me, what's your name?"
Naruto met Raiga's gaze steadily, gripping Crimson Tide firmly. "Naruto Uzumaki."
Raiga raised an intrigued eyebrow, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Uzumaki, huh? Interesting. That sword you wield—it looks uncannily like hers. The Red Death. Perhaps this fight will be worth remembering after all."
Naruto steadied himself, heart pounding with anticipation. "You'll find out soon enough."
Raiga smirked fiercely, drawing his twin blades smoothly, lightning crackling briefly along their deadly edges. "Let's see if your blade is more than decoration, Uzumaki."
Instantly, both shinobi charged, their blades clashing explosively, sending sparks showering around them as their duel began fiercely.
Hinata's POV
Meanwhile, Hinata stood cautiously near Tazuna, senses fully alert. She strained her Byakugan, focusing desperately through the chakra-laden mist despite the painful resistance. During their time at Tazuna's home, she'd diligently trained her eyes to withstand such conditions, yet the mist's dense chakra still blurred her vision significantly. Still, she could faintly detect two familiar chakra signatures approaching rapidly.
"Tazuna-san, please step back!" Hinata urged sharply, dropping smoothly into a defensive stance, palms open and poised. Her gentle voice carried undeniable authority, clearly surprising the older man, who complied without protest.
Moments later, two figures emerged from the swirling mist, approaching menacingly. Hinata's eyes widened slightly in shock, recognizing them instantly as the Demon Brothers. Meizu stood with a dark scowl, his right hand still bandaged heavily from the devastating wound Naruto had inflicted. Gozu sneered darkly beside him, bloodlust clear in his eyes.
"You again?" Hinata whispered sharply, her voice filled with disbelief and cautious readiness.
Meizu laughed bitterly, glaring hatefully at her. "Surprised? You shouldn't underestimate us. Raiga-sama rescued us from those pathetic Konoha shinobi you sent after us."
Hinata quickly dropped into her combat stance, steadying her breathing as determination flooded her gentle eyes.
"This time, we'll finish what we started." Meizu and Gozu smirked darkly, charging toward her in unison. Hinata steeled herself, readying for the difficult battle ahead.
Kakashi POV
Kakashi stood tensely amidst the suffocating mist, his Sharingan spinning rapidly as he strained to detect Zabuza's hidden movements. His breathing was controlled, focused, ears alert for the slightest sound. Suddenly, a flash of steel sliced through the mist—Kakashi barely dodged as the massive blade of Kubikiribōchō swept dangerously close to him, disappearing again almost instantly.
Kakashi cursed silently, eyes narrowing in frustration. Zabuza's using his long reach and the mist to his advantage, he thought bitterly. He needed to finish this battle quickly; from every direction, he could hear sounds of combat—Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata each locked in their own fights.
As if sensing his thoughts, Zabuza's sinister laugh echoed menacingly through the mist. "Worried, Kakashi? If you go help your precious students, I'll slaughter the bridge builder in an instant. But if you continue fighting me… my allies will kill your students. Tell me—what will you choose?" He laughed darkly, voice dripping sadistic amusement.
Kakashi clenched his fists, his eyes blazing fiercely. Hang on, you three… just hang on!
At Tazuna's House
Inside Tazuna's home, Tsunami sat anxiously beside Inari, quietly offering him a plate of snacks. Her hands trembled slightly, thoughts filled with worry for Tazuna and Team 7 fighting on the bridge.
Suddenly, without warning, the front door violently slammed open, startling both mother and son. Two men stepped inside menacingly—the same two that had accompanied Gato when he visited Zabuza. One was muscular and tall, shirtless with a rough appearance and a black eyepatch covering one eye, a sword strapped loosely at his waist. The other man was shorter, slimmer, with messy grey hair hanging loosely down to his shoulders, wearing a purple bandana tied around his forehead.
Tsunami immediately sprang up, fear gripping her heart. "Inari! Go upstairs and lock yourself in!" she cried urgently, pushing him away.
Inari hesitated, terrified. "But mom—!"
"Go! Now!" Tsunami yelled fiercely, quickly turning toward the kitchen to grab a knife. Before she could reach it, the muscular man grabbed her roughly, pinning her against the wall effortlessly, grinning cruelly.
The smaller one glanced around carefully, smirking upon recognition. "Looks like we got Tazuna's daughter. Gato wants her alive."
From the corner of his eye, he spotted Inari trembling atop the staircase. His smirk widened maliciously as he approached, intending to seize the boy too.
"No!" Tsunami screamed desperately. "If you touch my son, I'll bite off my tongue and die right here!"
The smaller man stopped abruptly, growling angrily at Inari. "You better thank your mother, brat—she just saved your worthless life."
Dragging Tsunami roughly outside, the muscular man chuckled darkly, his one visible eye roaming her trembling form. "You know, before we hand her to Gato, we should have a little fun. She's pretty sexy, after all."
Tsunami's eyes widened in horror, tears forming as she struggled helplessly. The smaller one shrugged apathetically. "I won't join you, but go ahead. Gato planned to let the boys have their way with her anyway."
The muscular man grinned sickeningly, gripping Tsunami tighter and beginning to grope her, causing her to scream in desperation. "I'll break you nicely, sweetheart," he sneered.
Suddenly, Inari charged out of the house, voice shaking but brave. "Leave my mom alone!"
The smaller man turned with a furious growl, drawing his sword and charging toward Inari. "Now I'm gonna kill you, brat!"
He swung down mercilessly—but suddenly, Inari vanished in a puff of smoke, replaced instantly by empty air. Behind him, Tsunami's form transformed into a wooden log, startling the muscular man who stumbled backward in confusion.
"What the hell—!?" he shouted, eyes darting around in panic, realizing they'd been tricked.
The two kidnappers spun around, their eyes widening in shock as Naruto—unbeknownst to them, merely a shadow clone—stood a short distance away, holding both Tsunami and Inari securely. Naruto's icy-blue eyes were devoid of their usual warmth, now radiating only a chilling, deadly intent. The air seemed to freeze around him, the temperature dropping rapidly.
"You picked the wrong family to mess with," Naruto said coldly, his voice dangerously quiet.
Despite their fear, the larger of the two thugs desperately tried to feign confidence. "Tch! Don't get cocky, brat. We'll crush you easily!"
Naruto smirked darkly, eyes sharp. "Your second mistake was not paying attention to your surroundings."
Their eyes widened in horror as two shadow clones appeared silently behind each of them. Before they could even scream, the clones swiftly plunged kunai directly through their skulls, killing them instantly. Both bodies collapsed heavily onto the ground.
Naruto immediately softened his expression, turning gently towards Tsunami, who clutched a sobbing Inari tightly in her arms. A warm, reassuring smile replaced his earlier harshness.
"I'm so sorry it got this far," Naruto apologized sincerely, his tone gentle and soothing. "We got distracted by some memories from another clone on the bridge."
Inari wiped tears from his eyes, looking up gratefully at Naruto. "Thank you, Naruto-nii-chan," he whispered shakily.
Naruto's eyes softened warmly, placing a gentle hand on Inari's shoulder. "You were incredibly brave, Inari. Standing up to protect your mother—that's what heroes do. Do you believe in heroes now?"
Inari's eyes brightened, and he nodded firmly, offering Naruto a genuine smile through his tears.
On the Bridge
Metal clashed fiercely as Naruto and Raiga engaged in a furious battle. Their blades met repeatedly, sending sparks flying with every brutal collision. Naruto's swordsmanship, though impressive, couldn't match Raiga's seasoned mastery. The rogue swordsman pressed forward mercilessly, forcing Naruto into constant retreat.
Realizing he needed to change tactics, Naruto summoned several shadow clones to distract Raiga, gaining momentary breathing space. Raiga scowled impatiently, lightning chakra suddenly surging violently through his twin Kiba blades. Instantly, a powerful surge of blue-white lightning exploded outward, obliterating all the clones around him simultaneously.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as Raiga charged swiftly, blades glowing ominously. Before Naruto could react, Raiga impaled his chest, only for the supposed 'original' Naruto to vanish in a puff of smoke.
Raiga's eyes widened briefly in surprise, realizing too late he'd been tricked. A nearby stone transformed instantly into Naruto, who dashed swiftly toward Raiga, his blade aimed directly at the rogue's neck, intending a decisive strike.
Yet just before Naruto's sword connected, a muffled voice urgently called out from within the cloth-covered bag strapped on Raiga's back: "Raiga! Behind you!"
Instantly, Raiga spun, barely managing to deflect Naruto's attack in time. Naruto retreated quickly, eyes narrowed suspiciously at the bag, realization dawning upon him.
There's someone hidden in that bag… Naruto muttered thoughtfully.
Raiga smirked maliciously, repositioning his blades confidently. "You'll never strike me from a blind spot. My eyes see everything."
Naruto tightened his grip on Crimson Tide, his thoughts racing. If I want to win, I'll have to separate Raiga from that bag first.
With Sasuke:
Sasuke stood in the center of the icy dome, breathing heavily as Haku's senbon rained relentlessly around him. His Sharingan spun fiercely, enabling him to dodge lethal strikes, yet unable to prevent shallow cuts from accumulating across his skin. He grimaced, eyes narrowing sharply.
He'd already attempted multiple Fire Style jutsu, hoping to melt the ice mirrors around him, but the crystal-like ice resisted his flames effortlessly. Frustration mounting, he clenched his teeth, quickly running through a set of hand seals, pouring chakra into his lungs.
"Fire Style: Inferno Beast!" Sasuke shouted fiercely, unleashing his most powerful fire jutsu, although it took a good portion of his chakra, causing a drop ofsweat to roll down his forehead. A blazing, lion-shaped mass of fire surged forward violently, crashing into one of the ice mirrors with a deafening crack, breaking the mirror, albeit barely.
Hope surged through Sasuke's chest as he rushed desperately towards the broken mirror, seeing his opportunity to escape. However, before he reached the exit, several senbon needles struck the ground mere inches ahead, forcing him to leap back defensively.
Haku's calm voice echoed coldly from every mirror, genuinely impressed yet emotionless. "Remarkable, Sasuke-san. To even crack, forget break my ice mirrors—you must have used your strongest jutsu."
As Sasuke watched in frustrated disbelief, the broken mirror rapidly reformed itself, sealing his escape once more. Breathing heavily, he realized grimly: I have to get Haku out of these mirrors and face her directly. But how?
With Hinata:
Nearby, Hinata was facing her own struggles against the relentless assault of the Demon Brothers. Individually, she could handle either Meizu or Gozu with relative ease, but their flawless teamwork proved to be overwhelming. Her Byakugan strained to keep up, her breathing uneven from exhaustion as she desperately blocked their coordinated attacks.
Meizu laughed darkly, taunting her cruelly. "What's wrong, girl? Scared to fight us? You're no ninja—just a pathetic little princess."
Hinata tried to ignore him, maintaining her defense—but Gozu continued mercilessly. "Gato's got special plans for pretty little kunoichi like you," he sneered maliciously. "He and his men will have a lot of fun with their new toy."
Hinata's eyes widened in terror, momentarily frozen as panic briefly seized her. In that momentary lapse, Meizu delivered a swift kick to her side, sending her crashing painfully across the bridge. Hinata gasped, sliding painfully across the cold stone.
The brothers charged forward eagerly, readying their final strike. Yet, before their blows could land, Hinata sprang upward gracefully, landing in a firm stance, eyes blazing fiercely. She steadied herself, breathing deeply, her fear rapidly fading as her thoughts filled with resolve.
I can't afford to freeze now, she thought firmly, picturing Naruto's confident grin and Sasuke's unwavering determination. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are fighting enemies even stronger than these two—I refuse to hold them back!
Resolve flooded her gentle eyes, her stance stronger than ever. "This fight is far from over," Hinata said firmly, surprising the brothers with her newfound determination.
Naruto gritted his teeth as he dodged another crackling bolt of lightning that surged toward him, narrowly escaping its destructive force. Raiga's relentless assault left him no room to breathe—every movement Naruto made was countered with another blast of "Lightning Style: Fangs of Lightning", forcing him into constant motion. The lack of cover on the open bridge made it even harder; without trees to substitute with, he had to rely on quick thinking, swapping places with scattered kunai or stones to barely evade the deadly attacks.
His lightning manipulation is insane! Naruto thought as he skidded to a stop, panting slightly. Raiga wasn't even forming hand seals, yet he was launching high-level lightning jutsu effortlessly. No... wait, that's not it…
Naruto's sharp mind quickly pieced it together—it wasn't Raiga's natural ability that made his lightning control so overwhelming. It was the swords. The Kiba Blades were amplifying his chakra, allowing him to unleash lightning techniques without the need for seals.
A smirk tugged at Naruto's lips. Good.If the swords are the key, then I just have to outplay them.But first that bag.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto adjusted his stance, flipping Crimson Tide into a reverse grip. His body tensed, his chakra surging in anticipation as he whispered the name of the technique he had been working on.
"Uzumaki Kenjutsu: Blood Moon Counter."
With a sudden burst of speed, Naruto spun sharply, Crimson Tide whirling in a deadly crimson arc around him. Wind chakra surged through the blade as he combined the spinning motion with a Shunshin, transforming into a streaking red blur that shot straight through Raiga with terrifying speed.
Raiga's eyes widened in genuine shock, his body reacting on instinct as he barely twisted away at the last second, evading what could have been a lethal strike. A thin trail of blood dripped from a fresh cut on his side as he landed a few meters away, eyes narrowing dangerously.
Damn… that was close! Raiga thought, gripping his swords tightly. He had underestimated the brat. That was a mistake he wouldn't make again—next time, if Naruto caught him off guard like that, it wouldn't just be a scratch.
But something felt off.
A nagging feeling settled in his gut, and as his eyes darted to Naruto, he immediately realized what was missing.
His bag.
Raiga snapped his head around, just in time to see Naruto standing a short distance away, a sly grin on his face as he held the stolen bag in his hand.
"Looking for this?" Naruto taunted, tossing it lightly before creating a shadow clone that grabbed the bag and vanished in a Shunshin, taking the stolen prize far from Raiga's reach.
Raiga's teeth clenched in fury. He had been tricked.
Naruto had never intended to kill him with that last attack—his real target had always been the bag.
Lightning chakra surged violently through Raiga's body, sparks crackling in erratic patterns around him. His once-arrogant smirk was now replaced by a deep, murderous scowl.
"You shouldn't have done that, Uzumaki," Raiga growled, his voice low and filled with rage.
Above them, dark storm clouds rapidly gathered, thunder rumbling ominously in response to Raiga's wrath.