Inside the Uzumaki shrine, Tsunade was distributing Katsuyu clones, trying to treat any of the wounded Uzumaki who could still be saved. The casualties from this war had been devastating for the Uzumaki clan.
According to Ashina, the total population of Land of Whirlpools had once been around five thousand. Now, nearly all the clan members on the outskirts were dead.
Even within Uzushiogakure itself, only around four to five hundred able-bodied fighters remained — plus eight to nine hundred women and children, leaving barely a thousand survivors in total.
Elsewhere, Orochimaru was explaining the situation to Clan Head Uzumaki Ashina.
When Ashina heard that the infiltration team had only consisted of six people, and that the main reinforcements wouldn't arrive until noon, he couldn't help feeling disappointed. Still, he kept his emotions off his face and continued encouraging his clansmen.
The Uzumaki, upon hearing that a larger force would arrive before midday — and that the enemy had lost their ships and had no escape — began to rally their spirits.
After all, when the light of victory was finally within sight, the darkness before dawn no longer seemed so unbearable.
The women of the Uzumaki clan didn't stand idle either. While the enemy's assault had temporarily weakened, they quickly brought food and water to the fighters, helping them recover as fast as they could.
About twenty minutes later, the intensity of the enemy attack suddenly surged again.
The Uzumaki scrambled to their feet and struggled to hold the line. Orochimaru and Jiraiya worked together to fortify the gate and walls with Earth Release: Earth-Style Rampart.
But this time, things were different. The enemy's ninjutsu was far more intense and concentrated, with several high-level techniques mixed in, instantly turning the battle into a precarious situation.
...
Outside the Shrine – Four Village Alliance
The joint forces of the four great ninja villages had regrouped. At this point, they were fully aware that their ships had been destroyed.
They were panicking. With their escape route gone, there was no turning back. But going forward… also meant death.
Konoha's reinforcements were almost here. Even if they pushed forward now, they would only delay the inevitable — they would eventually be wiped out by the arriving Konoha forces.
Their current desperate assault was nothing more than a last-ditch attempt.
They had heard the elders speculate that there might be a few boats hidden inside the shrine, prepared by the locals for escape. If they could break through the gates before Konoha arrived, maybe they could steal a boat and flee.
So with their lives on the line, they threw everything they had into the attack.
Inside the shrine, the Uzumaki defenders, along with Jiraiya and the others, were visibly pale. None of them had expected such a fierce counterattack.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru's Earth-Style Rampart was shaking violently. The two exchanged a glance — and in the end, Jiraiya summoned Gamaken.
With a puff of smoke, the enormous toad appeared.
"Ken, can you help hold this wall for a while?" Jiraiya asked.
Gamaken looked around and nodded solemnly.
"I may not be the most reliable, but I'll do my best to support you."
With that, he dropped his weapons and pressed his massive body against the earth wall, holding it in place with his weight.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Orochimaru continued to pump chakra into the barrier to maintain its strength.
But it was still a drop in the ocean. Against the coordinated assault of over a hundred jōnin-level enemies, even their efforts were falling short. Gamaken's massive body trembled — a clear sign that he was nearing his limit.
Just when things seemed hopeless, two new figures appeared from the rear.
It was Hoshiyomi and Uzumaki Masahiko.
Seeing the state of the battlefield, Masahiko immediately rushed forward to help defend and ease the pressure.
Hoshiyomi, on the other hand, made his way to Tsunade, gently wiping the sweat from her brow and quietly asking for a status report.
Tsunade's heart fluttered, but this wasn't the time to be shy or sentimental. Skipping any words of thanks, she quickly explained the current situation to him.
After listening carefully, Hoshiyomi nodded. Everything was still within his expectations.
Now it was time to see whether his final plan would work. If it failed, they'd have no choice but to hold out until Torifu's troops arrived.
It was currently 9:00 AM. There were still three hours to go. If it came to a full-scale melee, they might be able to hold the line — but Tsunade and the others would have to take real risks.
With that in mind, Hoshiyomi walked over to Ashina and asked:
"Clan Head Ashina — is there a boat stored somewhere in the shrine?"
After Masahiko briefly introduced Hoshiyomi, Ashina hesitated before answering truthfully:
"There is. What are you planning to do?"
Hoshiyomi replied:
"Let's toss two of them into the water and make sure the enemy sees it. I think it might have... unexpected results."
Ashina initially wanted to refuse. But then, after a brief moment, he realized what Hoshiyomi meant.
"You're saying… we bait them? But isn't that risky? What if they don't take it?"
Hoshiyomi shrugged.
"If they don't fall for it, then we keep fighting. It's not like we have many other options, right?"
Ashina nodded.
"You're right, young man. I've let age dull my instincts. But before we do this — someone needs to show them a reason to back off. Can you handle that? I can take your place if needed. These old bones still remember how to fight."
Hoshiyomi shook his head:
"Just get the boats ready. If I fail, you can back me up."
He took a deep breath, and in front of the astonished eyes of Tsunade and Ashina, he activated the Eight Gates.
Unlike when he'd faced Monzaemon, where he'd only opened the Fourth Gate, this time he went straight to the Sixth Gate — a level that put serious strain on the body.
In an instant, his chakra surged violently, radiating a terrifying presence. Everyone around turned to stare, stunned by the power erupting from him.
But Hoshiyomi paid no attention to their reactions. He gripped Mikazuki Munechika tightly, one hand on the sheath, the other on the hilt. With a two-step leap along the shrine wall, he launched himself to the top.
At that moment, he activated Nature Transformation, converting all his chakra to Wind Release. Then, he poured half of his total chakra into Mikazuki Munechika — the blade began to tremble from the sheer volume of wind chakra flooding into it.
Standing atop the shrine wall, facing the incoming barrage of jutsu, Hoshiyomi smiled.
"Piercing Sky Draw Slash!"
Mikazuki Munechika shot from its sheath — and in that instant, a massive blue-green blade of wind exploded outward.
The sword wave shattered dozens of jutsu and kunai, then slammed into the ground before the coalition army.
With a thunderous crack, the ground split open, forming a massive, gaping trench. No one could tell how deep it went.
But they all understood one thing — none of them could survive that slash.
The shinobi of the four-village alliance swallowed hard, their eyes locked on the glowing silhouette standing tall on the wall, radiating chakra like a spectral war god.
And then, they heard him speak — calm and cold:
"Cross this line… and die."