A (Third Raikage)

The was the leader of Kumogakure thirty years prior to the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Background
The Third's rule was punctuated by the berserk attacks of the Eight-Tails but as Kumogakure couldn't afford to dispose of such a valuable war deterrent, he was forced to look for a suitable jinchūriki in quick succession, after the conclusion of each rampage. During one of these attacks, the Third fought the Eight-Tails alone, allowing his comrades to escape. Their battle resulted in the Raikage receiving a self-inflicted wound to the chest after he collapsed upon his own hand, which became his life's shame. Since this event, he made it a personal duty to combat the Eight-Tails whenever its jinchūriki lost control, with even his A|son eventually becoming part of the group that supported him during these occurrences. At one point, he chose to seal the Eight-Tails in the Kohaku no Jōhei, resulting in the host's death, hoping that someone else would have more success in controlling it.

Between these attacks, the Third held try-outs along with Dodai in order to search for a tag-team partner for his son, which is a long-standing tradition for the Raikage. As the exercise was seemingly going to end in failure again, he lamented the fact that this would have been unnecessary if A had an actual brother. After seeing the dummy's head finally fall off, he looks on at B and his son, glad that they had finally found a suitable candidate. Ultimately, when Killer B was made the jinchūriki, the Eight-Tails' rampages were at long last brought to an end.

At some point he also mentored Darui, passing the secrets of the Black Lightning technique down to just him. In his later years, he once faced an opposing force of ten thousand shinobi by himself for three consecutive days and nights, in order to allow his comrades to escape to safety. He eventually died as a result of this encounter and with his death, the position of Raikage was passed onto his son, A. He would however become renowned for his extraordinary level of durability and endurance and strength above all else, to the point where his body itself would become reputed as the "strongest shield".

Personality
The Third Raikage is a calm and seemingly level-headed person. He is also a man of honour as seen when he became outraged when Mū tells Ōnoki to take advantage of the Allied Shinobi Forces after it is disbanded. He is also a very proud and caring individual who will readily use himself as a shield or "go-between" to protect his comrades. This was also exemplified when it was revealed that after he received a scar from fighting the Eight-Tails, not even his son asked him about it in detail, out of his respect for his father's pride.

He, like the other Kage, was upset that he has to fight people from his own village but at the same time he had a lot of confidence and believed that the new generation would be able to surpass and defeat them. He cared greatly for the people of his village, as he made it a personal responsibility to subdue the Eight-Tails whenever it would go on a rampage, as well as fought against ten thousand enemies all by himself just to allow his comrades to escape to safety.

Appearance
The Third Raikage was a tall, dark-skinned man with a muscular, body builder-like stature. He had long blond hair and unusual eyes which had green-coloured irides, a dark sclerae and no pupils. His top lip also had a darker pigmentation than the bottom one and he had a mole above his right eyebrow. He has the kanji for tattooed on his right shoulder and a lightning bolt shaped scar that runs all the way across the right side of his chest. His canine teeth were also slightly elongated.

His typical attire consisted of Kumogakure's distinctive single shoulder-strap flak jacket with no other clothing underneath, a forehead protector that he wore like a bandanna and a thick rope tied around his waist. It was also shown that at some point in the past, he also wore bandages around his forearms.

Abilities
The Third was undoubtedly an immensely powerful shinobi and is recognised as the greatest Raikage. He had enormous chakra reserves, being able to use the Kohaku no Jōhei to seal the Eight-Tails each time the beast went berserk during his time. He was able to single-handedly delay an entire army consisting of ten thousand shinobi for three days and nights before finally collapsing, he was also said to be the only ninja capable of going up against a tailed beast.

Taijutsu
The Third was said to possess great strength and speed. He was fast enough to dodge Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken twice, despite the technique's immense speed. Naruto even noted that his speed was on par with his A|son's during their battle. Even more than these impressive attributes, he was renowned for his tremendous level of durability so much so that his body gained the name the because it could withstand any type of technique. The only attack that was strong enough to injure him was his own, which resulted in the scar on his chest. Even the Eight-Tails commented that he was a very tough and resilient man. Another testament to this is when he survived a direct impact of the Rasenshuriken with little to no damage despite his Lightning Release Armour being neutralised. With his immense durability, Mabui stated that he was the only person capable of being transported by the Heavenly Transfer Technique without being torn to shreds because of his tough body.

Nature Transformation
The Third was a very powerful Lightning Release user, known for using Black Lightning, which he passed on to Darui. Like his son he is also capable of using the Lightning Release Armour. Similar to the Chidori he can focus his lightning chakra into his fingers, creating a strong piercing effect and can make the piercing effect even more powerful by focusing the lightning chakra by reducing the number of fingers used. Dodai states that it is his strongest ninjutsu referring to it as the. With this power he could cut off all the tails of the Eight-Tails at once, and even pierce his own body.

According to Dodai, only long-range Wind Release attacks could harm him, but due to his immense durability, along with the virtual immortality granted by the Summoning: Impure World Resurrection technique, none of them were effective against him.

Shinobi World War Arc
In preparation for the Fourth Shinobi World War, the Third Raikage was resurrected by Kabuto Yakushi alongside other deceased Kage, in order to fight against the Allied Shinobi Forces.

When Mū, despite his camouflage, is detected approaching the Fourth Division, Kabuto has him summon three other Kage in order to provide support. Amongst this number is a bemused Third Raikage, who questions the others about his present location, before seemingly recognising the Fourth Kazekage. During a later argument between the Second Mizukage and Second Tsuchikage, the Third expresses his disappointment in being unable to fight all three, due to the influence of the wretched ability used to revive them.

Pursuing the retreating division throughout the night, each of the Kage lamented the possibility of opposing shinobi from their own respective village yet only the Third Raikage remained optimistic that the current generation had surpassed them since their demise. Confronted by an enormous wave of sand that is halted by the Fourth Kazekage, he correctly identifies the former as the individual who could manipulate Gold Dust, a capability that saves him once again but from the clutches of Gaara's arms of sand instead. Complementing the Fourth by telling him that his son was an excellent shinobi, he later lashes out at Mū when he advises Ōnoki to assure Iwagakure's dominance by taking advantage of the alliance's eventual disbandment. As the battle recommences after he implores the opposition to stop them, the Third attempts to encircle Gaara while protected from his Sand Hail, but is instead restrained by the embrace of the latter's sand.

Observing the Fourth Kazekage being sealed, his Lightning Release Armour activates involuntarily to this threat and destroys the sealing tag, to which he tells the Second Mizukage that their bodies have been programmed to automatically respond to enemy attacks. Freed from their bonds, the two storm the approaching division, before beginning to divulge the particulars of their abilities. Identifying himself as a capable Lightning Release user, the Third instructs the opposition to have their Earth Release shinobi construct defences, while those with Wind Release attack him relentlessly.

As numerous shinobi converge on him, Temari appears to successfully cut the Third into several pieces using her Wind Release: Cast Net technique, before directing the Sealing Team to bind him immediately. However, all of her efforts prove to be merely superficial, resulting in a considerable number being incapacitated by the uninjured Raikage. Whilst the enemy reformulates their strategy, the Third spots Dodai amongst them, who proceeds to inform Temari that more powerful wind release techniques are required to confront the Raikage's legendary durability. As the nature of his death is disclosed, Kabuto takes the opportunity to erase the Third's personality in order to buy himself more time, just as Naruto Uzumaki makes his appearance on the battlefield.

Despite utilising the sun to obscure his attack, Naruto's first few attempts fail to connect with the Raikage, due to his enhanced reflexes allowing him to evade it twice. However, on the third, he is unable to avoid the attack and is instead caught at the very centre of the resulting sphere, but even the damage inflicted by this proves to be minimal and the Third quickly recovers before he can be secured. Advancing upon the stunned opposition whilst activating his Hell Stab technique, the allied forces hastily construct several defences in response, yet the attack penetrates both with considerable ease. Emerging from the other side only to be ambushed by a number of shinobi, who presumed that the element of surprise would be enough, the Third proceeds to quickly defeat them before engaging the rest of the division.

Destroying the cliff where Dodai and Naruto had sought refuge, the Raikage folds his fist in preparation to incapacitate the falling Naruto but thanks to Dodai's intervention, he punches his Lava Release: Rubber Ball instead. Believing that Naruto had been encased within the ball, which had been sent bouncing away by his prior strike, the Third gives chase. However, after catching up with and slicing the ball in two, he realises that it was empty and so, changes direction in order to pursue Naruto. Reducing the number of fingers used in his technique to just one as he advances, the Third's attack is dodged by Naruto and parried with a Rasengan, aimed at the Raikage's left arm. The force of the blow causes the Third to impale himself with his own attack and as his body begins to crumble, the Sealing Team takes immediate action and completes his imprisonment.

Trivia

 * The concept behind the Third Raikage's possession of both the and the  was adapted from an anecdote found within the book Han Feizi, written by Han Fei, illustrating a contradiction relating to the Irresistible Force Paradox. The story goes as follows:
 * "There was a man in Chu who sold shields and halberds. Praising them he said: "My shields are so strong that nothing can pierce them." And praising the halberds he said: "My halberds are so strong that there is nothing that they cannot pierce." A person asked: "What if someone pierces your shields with your halberds?" He could not respond."


 * In chapter 554 when the Third is referred to as the "greatest Raikage", the word used for the Raikage's description (最豪) can mean anything from 'greatest' to 'strongest' to 'manliest'.
 * When the Third Raikage tells the allied troops about his abilities, he says, . In the tankōbon version, this is changed into,.

Quotes

 * (To the other Kage) "It's not as tragic as you make it out to be. I have faith that the kids of all our villages have grown up to surpass us."