Jiraiya felt like a tiny boat adrift on a vast ocean, perpetually menaced by towering waves. If he got hit by these living walls and ground, he would be crushed into paste and become one with them forever.
Above, Kabuto watched everything unfold with great delight. Even if this jutsu failed to kill Jiraiya, it would drain much of his stamina and chakra, making him far easier to handle.
"The tide always overtakes the wave before it."
Then, everything went dark.
The only thing he could hear was that cursed frog croak echoing endlessly in his mind, refusing to fade. He found himself trapped in an unfamiliar space enclosed by undulating walls of water that restricted his movement. Even the snake emerging from his bellybutton was stuck.
Four colossal frog warriors stood at each corner, guarding the chamber. "Where... am I?"
"This is your end," echoed Jiraiya's voice, as that annoying frog croak continued.
[Magen: Toad Confrontation Chant!]
A sharp pain shot through Kabuto's chest, followed by his neck—then his head flew off.
How could this happen? His plans, his experiments, all the effort he had invested—it was nearly successful. He was about to obtain power beyond everyone else, about to become someone like the Sage of Six Paths.
He had come so far—only one step from victory!
## Several Hours Later, Konoha ##
Konoha now looked like a ghost town.
The streets that once bustled with life were completely deserted, except for uniformed Konoha shinobi patrolling and keeping watch.
Although it was still daytime, launching an attack wasn't considered wise. Yet every ninja had already received orders and stood ready for battle.
Plant-men? How could such creatures even exist?
Tobi perched atop a high tower, gazing down at the entire village. No expression showed on his face. Why should he worry? This was just a game after all. His true intentions weren't about destroying Konoha.
It was time to move.
He disappeared into the hole in his mask without a trace.
Just then, explosions echoed through the streets of Konoha.
Countless White Zetsu erupted from beneath the earth. Some hadn't even reached the village before being burned to ash by fire techniques from Konoha's ninjas. Those who survived the initial onslaught clashed violently with the Konoha forces.
The entire village fell into chaos. The White Zetsu ruthlessly destroyed buildings like savage beasts.
They paid no heed to Konoha's defenses, but their sheer numbers made ignoring them impossible.
Their attacks weren't random—they were brutally direct, like relentless waves battering a coastline until it finally collapses.
"Choji, hold the main gate!"
"Choji, stay focused!" Shikamaru shouted as he used his [Shadow Imitation Jutsu] to strike the approaching White Zetsus. "You doing okay over there?"
[Partial Expansion Jutsu]! Choji's arms ballooned to massive proportions as he swung them wildly, sending a dozen White Zetsus flying. "Well, at least we were ready for something like this. But where did these guys even come from?"
Suddenly, one of the White Zetsus came to a complete stop. It glanced around bewildered before a shadowy tendril pierced its chest, ending its existence.
"Could you wait until I'm out before finishing them off?" Ino stepped out of the fallen White Zetsu's body, her [Mind Transfer Jutsu] nearly drained. "What if I hadn't gotten out yet? What was I supposed to do then?"
"But you *did* get out," Shikamaru shot back without hesitation. "No time to complain—keep fighting. Besides, I thought being in the back would be safer."
Just then, a massive explosion erupted in the distance, startling Shikamaru and the rest of Team 10. The shockwave leveled a nearby building along with countless White Zetsus.
"Sensei, cut it with the explosions already!" Shikamaru groaned.
Their teacher, Asuma Sarutobi, calmly emerged from the rubble, holding his chakra blade. He scanned the area cautiously, checking for any surviving enemies.
"There was no one left inside," Asuma shrugged. "And besides, if I hadn't lured those guys into that building, don't you think it would've been harder for you to take them down? What else could I have done? I can't just stand back and watch my students risk their lives recklessly."
In reality, they weren't supposed to destroy any buildings—the Hidden Leaf had a carefully planned defense strategy. All they needed to do was wait for the right moment to act. There was no need to risk damaging their own village through reckless engagement.
"Who exactly are those people?" Ino asked, caught off guard as she looked toward a new group appearing in the distance.
They wore black uniforms and masks beneath hooded cloaks, moving with swift coordination.
They divided into squads, some staying behind to help the Konoha ninja fight the remaining resilient foes while others advanced toward the heart of the village.
Something about them seemed oddly familiar—not just to Shikamaru, but to the others too.
"They look like... Root operatives."
They all knew Sai. He had joined their team several months ago after Naruto was promoted to jonin.
The short swords they carried were identical to Sai's—broad-bladed and blunt-tipped, designed purely for slicing. That made Shikamaru even more convinced these people must somehow be connected to Sai.
But whoever they were, they'd definitely helped Konoha out in a big way today.
"Need help, Sensei?"
"Asuma!" A female Anbu kunoichi, her voice barely above a whisper, suddenly appeared before Asuma and asked.
She had short black hair reaching her shoulders, wore a Konoha forehead protector, a mask covering the lower half of her face, and was dressed in a black combat uniform with a hooded cloak draped over it.
"The village is in chaos right now, and we're stretched thin. Do you have any orders for us?"
Her voice carried a youthful tone, yet she remained composed amid the battlefield.
Asuma nodded. Though unsure which command this sudden Anbu squad answered to, he dutifully took charge of the battlefield.
"Drive the enemies into that area, then block off every exit. Don't let any of them escape. Once you receive the signal, retreat. Got it?"
"Understood." The female Anbu member nodded, then turned and vanished into the night, the rest of the Anbu squad following closely behind.
Asuma gazed toward where they had vanished, shook his head slightly, then turned back toward the battlefield.
"Root still exists? I wonder if the Elder knows about this?"
Regardless, there was no denying the fact that they had just provided invaluable support to Konoha.
Suddenly, a slow, thunderous drumbeat echoed through the air. All the Konoha ninja immediately ceased their attacks and began to retreat. This sudden change left the White Zetsu utterly bewildered.
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