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 it's jinchūriki lost control, with even his A|son eventually becoming part of the group that supported him. 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 army of ten thousand Iwagakure 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 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 is caring for the people of his village, as he made it a personal responsibility to capture the Eight-Tails whenever its host would lose control, as well as fought against ten thousand enemies all by himself in order to allow his comrades to escape safely.

Appearance
The Third Raikage was a tall, dark-skinned man with a muscular, body builder like stature, long white beard and hair. He had light coloured eyes with dark sclera. His top lip also had a darker pigmentation than the bottom. He also 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 from his neck all the way across the right side of his chest. His canine teeth were also noted to be slightly elongated.

His typical attire consisted of Kumogakure's distinctive singe shoulder-strap flak jacket with no other clothing underneath, a forehead protector that he wore like a bandanna and a thick rope belt tied just above his black pants. 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. 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.

Even more than these impressive attributes, he was renowned for his tremendous level of endurance so much so that his body gained the name the because it could withstand any type of technique. 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. 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 Wind Release: Rasenshuriken with little to no damage despite his Lightning Release Armour being neutralised. With his immense endurance, 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 claims 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 endurance, 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 recognizing 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 of the others, due to the influence of the wretched ability used to revive them.

Pursuing the retreating division throughout the night, each of the Kage lament 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, while apparently still sharing some of the Fourth Kazekage's scepticism. 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 their movements, the Raikage attempts to encircle Gaara while evading his technique but is instead restrained by the embrace of the latter's sand.

Observing the Fourth Kazekage being sealed, his Lightning Release Armour activates instinctively to the threat and destroys the necessary sealing tag, to which he tells the Second Mizukage that their bodies appear to have been programmed to automatically respond to enemy attacks. Freed from their bonds, the two storm the approaching division, before each begins to divulge the particulars of their own 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 several shinobi of the Fourth Division bear down on him, Temari uses the Wind Release: Cast Net technique to cut him into pieces and calls for the Sealing Team to seal him immediately. However, this was unsuccessful and the sealing team ended up being incapacitated by the Raikage. As Temari reformulates her plan, the Third spots Dodai amongst the shinobi, who tells Temari that they need more powerful long-range wind release technique in order to take on the Raikage because of his immense durability. Kabuto then proceeds to remove his personality in order to buy himself some time. As Naruto makes an appearance on the battlefield, the Third watches on as he advances.

Using the sun to blur his attack, Naruto attempts several times to hit the Third with a Rasenshuriken, but because of the lightning armour enhancing his reflexes he is able to dodge the first two attempts. On the third attempt the attack connects and he is caught in a giant wind sphere. However it is later revealed that the technique had little to no effect on the Raikage at all and he quickly breaks free once again as several shinobi move to seal him.

He then advances on them with his Hell Stab attack. The allied force in response put up several defences, but his attack easily breaks through them. As he emerges from the other side of the wall, several shinobi attack him thinking that they would have the element of surprise, but he quickly defeats them.

The Raikage destroys the cliff that Dodai and Naruto are standing on and folds his fist as he prepares to punch Naruto. However, Dodai intercepts the attack creating a ball that the Raikage punches. Believing that Dodai had encased Naruto in a ball and sent him bouncing away, the Third gives chase to the ball. After catching it and slicing it in half he realises that it is empty and charges after Naruto. As he advances, he reduces the number of fingers used in his technique to one and attacks. Naruto is able to dodge the attack and parries with a Rasengan aimed at the Raikage's arm. The force of the attack causes the Third to impale himself with his attack. As his body begins to crumble, the Sealing Team acts immediately and seals his body.

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."