One-Tail Jinchūriki
The Water Release unit advanced swiftly to aid the Earth Release squad, reinforcing the power of the Earth Flow River. Together, they unleashed a powerful mudslide toward the Sunagakure camp. The assault overwhelmed the initial sand fortifications.
The combination of water and sand greatly increased the weight of the sand, straining Karura's control. Eventually, her defensive constructs collapsed under the onslaught, and the golden sand wall erected by Rasa was also swept away.
Even so, Rasa and Karura managed to intercept most of Konoha's initial offensive, giving Sunagakure a brief chance to regroup. However, their trap network and defensive layers were utterly destroyed.
Now, close-quarters combat was inevitable.
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, let's go!" Orochimaru called out, charging forward with deadly intent.
"Magnet Release: Gold Dust Spikes!"
Rasa raised his hand, releasing a barrage of glimmering gold dust, shaped into deadly spikes, toward the incoming Konoha shinobi.
"Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashōmon!"
With a snarl, Orochimaru summoned three massive demon-faced gates that slammed into the ground, blocking the attack. His golden, snake-like eyes were locked onto the most dangerous figures on the battlefield.
Beside Rasa, Karura raised her arms. A swirling sphere of sand formed before her.
"Secret Technique: Sand Coffin!"
The sand coiled like serpents, striking at Orochimaru. But the tendrils were shredded mid-air by whips of white hair.
"Hehe~ Such a beautiful kunoichi from Sunagakure… you're mine."
Jiraiya's voice rang out, as he intercepted Karura with a smirk, his wild hair flailing behind him.
BOOM!
Tsunade's fist shattered the ground beneath her, launching debris toward Chiyo, who was already advancing with her puppet.
"Go, senior Gongdo!"
Kato Dan shouted to his fellow jonin, Kimura Gongdo, as they both pierced forward like arrows, leading the Konoha formation deep into the enemy ranks.
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Shuriken cut through the air alongside fireballs, water bullets, and lightning arcs. The cries of battle clashed with thunderous explosions. It was a full-scale war—thousands of ninja engaged, perhaps nearing ten thousand.
This wasn't just a skirmish. It was a historic battle. A battlefield graced by titans like the Legendary Sannin and Chiyo, one of Sunagakure's most revered elders.
"Gulp…"
Ming Jing clearly heard Inuzuka Rui swallow beside him. Despite their training, the sheer scale of the war dwarfed anything they had experienced.
Their team was formidable for their age—perhaps comparable to elite Chūnin squads. But here, they were just one of many. Still, Ming Jing did not underestimate them. With their current progress, his teammates could rise to jōnin rank before adulthood—if they survived.
As the battle intensified, Dan and Gongdo advanced rapidly. But Sunagakure wasn't without strength. Several elite jōnin intercepted them, halting their push.
Even so, Konoha maintained battlefield superiority.
Meanwhile, deep within the Sunagakure encampment…
In a heavily secured chamber, an old monk sat in silence. He clutched prayer beads and recited solemn mantras, mourning the young shinobi who had already fallen.
Suddenly, the iron doors creaked open. A ninja in a white turban entered.
"Old monk. It's time."
"Amitābha," muttered Fenfu, the monk Jinchūriki. He slowly stood and began walking.
Moments later, a deafening roar shook the battlefield.
A monstrous figure loomed over the plains—a colossal, bloated tanuki with purple-blue markings. It towered like a small mountain.
"That's… Ichibi!" a Konoha ninja shouted in horror.
Orochimaru's expression darkened. He bit his thumb, slammed his palm down, and summoned a massive purple serpent—Manda, the boss summon of the snakes.
"Orochimaru! You'd better have a good reason—"
"Shut up. Eat your fill later—after we win," Orochimaru snapped.
Rasa gritted his teeth and intensified his chakra flow, manipulating waves of glittering gold to keep Orochimaru occupied.
"You're not getting through!" Rasa yelled, eyes full of determination.
"I'll kill you eventually," Orochimaru hissed with a sadistic grin, his tongue licking his lips.
Despite being outmatched, Rasa's Magnet Release: Gold Dust technique proved difficult to counter. Even Orochimaru couldn't ignore the threat.
Orochimaru was tied down. But that didn't mean Ichibi would go unchallenged.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A red cloud of smoke exploded across the field. Gamabunta, the massive Toad Boss of Mount Myōboku, appeared with Jiraiya on his head, sword drawn.
Jiraiya pointed toward the One-Tail. "Let's go, Gamabunta!"
Karura attempted to assist the rampaging beast but was intercepted by Kato Dan and Kimura Gongdo, who had rejoined the fray.
"So the One-Tail was their trump card," murmured the head of the Nara clan, standing beside the Yamanaka clan leader at the command post.
Even now, they didn't send the reserves.
"We wait. Konoha is still holding the advantage. The reserve troops strike when the enemy exhausts their options."
Suddenly, the battle took a drastic turn.
A pale green mist drifted across the battlefield. Konoha shinobi began to sway, disoriented and fatigued. Many collapsed—or were cut down in moments by enemy blades.
Sunagakure's shinobi moved unhindered.
"It's poison," Tsunade muttered, avoiding an attack and rapidly performing a detoxification jutsu. "Non-lethal, but crippling on the battlefield… Chiyo's doing."
This was Chiyo's battlefield alchemy: a wide-area poison that weakened enemies without killing them outright—perfect for shifting the tide of war.