After reaching a brief tactical agreement, the Third Raikage and Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki joined forces—an unprecedented move given the history of hostilities between Kumogakure and Iwagakure. Yet, the looming power of Uchiha Byakuya, and the vulnerable state of Konoha, made strange alliances necessary.
Without delay, the united armies marched into the Land of Fire, aiming to crush Konohagakure in a pincer assault.
Inside Konohagakure, War Council:
Uchiha Byakuya stood at the forefront of the mobilization. Nearly every clan had answered the call—Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, Hyūga, Aburame, and others. The war drums of Konoha beat once again.
"Lord Byakuya, urgent report!"
Yamanaka Inoichi rushed to the center of the command post, accompanied by his teammate, Nara Shikaku.
Inoichi's tone was grave. "Our sensory units have confirmed it. The Cloud and Rock forces have merged. And Iwagakure has deployed 10,000 shinobi."
A hush fell.
"Ten thousand... all from Iwa?" Shikaku's brow twitched. "That's virtually their entire shinobi force. They're betting everything."
Shikaku quickly assessed the tactical implications: no village could afford to lose its full fighting force, not even Iwa. This was an all-in assault. A gamble of desperation—or confidence.
"With Byakuya's strength, either village could be handled independently," Shikaku muttered. "But together… This changes things."
Panic began to rise among the elite Jonin and commanders.
"Why now!? Why join forces with enemies so recently at war?"
"It must be fear. They've seen what Byakuya can do."
"Even so—what kind of fools unite against Konoha like this?!"
"Inoichi, Shikaku!" one elder snapped. "Do we have a strategy?!"
Shikaku remained silent, eyes narrowed. The numbers, the terrain, even the weather—none of it favored them. But neither did fear.
Uchiha Byakuya: Unshaken Resolve
Byakuya stepped forward, arms folded across his chest, expression unreadable. His voice cut through the noise like wind against steel.
"What are you all afraid of?"
He turned his gaze on the commanders.
"Are they Madara? Are they Hashirama? No."
"Even if they were, I would still walk forward."
"The Iwagakure can throw ten thousand at us. Kumogakure can charge with their lightning corps. Let them come."
The hall fell silent.
"I have the cells of the Senju and the blood of the Uchiha. I am the balance of both."
His Mangekyō Sharingan flared momentarily—an echo of Madara's divine presence. For a brief moment, even Inoichi and Shikaku felt their will tremble.
"I do not fear numbers. I crave them."
"Negative emotions fuel my strength—and what better offering than an army of 10,000 terrified shinobi?"
March to War
Byakuya raised a hand, and the Uchiha clan, clad in black and crimson, moved without hesitation.
"Follow me. We will not retreat. We will finish this."
"Yes, Lord Byakuya!"
The Uchiha marched like a thunderstorm on the move, their unified chakra pressure causing even the seasoned Jonin to catch their breath.
Inoichi stared after them. "Shikaku…"
Shikaku exhaled slowly. "This war's outcome won't be decided by numbers. Not anymore. We follow his lead—prepare the field. Reinforce the borders. If Byakuya can crack their morale, we can break the rest."
"Of course I followed..."
"Maybe Lord Byakuya truly doesn't see these armies as a threat..."
Nara Shikaku spoke, his usually calm eyes tinged with concern.
Despite acknowledging Byakuya's overwhelming power—having once annihilated Sunagakure's elite forces nearly single-handedly—Shikaku couldn't ignore the strategic realities.
Sunagakure, while one of the Five Great Nations, had long been regarded as the weakest among them, its military hollowed out after years of internal strife and failed invasions.
But Kumogakure and Iwagakure were different.
Both had immense military might, brutal combat styles, and two of the most dangerous Kage alive—A, the Third Raikage, famed for his indestructible body and unmatched physical strength, and Ōnoki, the wielder of the Dust Release, capable of disintegrating matter on a molecular level.
United, their combined forces not only matched Konoha—they surpassed it.
"We're in a bind," Shikaku admitted internally. "No perfect strategies left… only faith."
"You're right. At this point, we can only place our hopes in Lord Byakuya."
Akimichi Chōza agreed solemnly.
"If anyone can break through this siege, it's him."
The Ino-Shika-Chō trio exchanged glances. Doubt simmered below the surface, but their steps remained firm as they moved in formation behind Byakuya.
Across the camp, many Konoha shinobi remained uneasy.
Some remembered the Uchiha massacre. Others had never truly trusted Byakuya. But as whispers of war howled through the trees and storm clouds gathered at the horizon, trust became a necessity.
Border of the Land of Fire – Four Days Later
Byakuya stood on a ridge above the forward position, his Mangekyō Sharingan already active, silently watching the enemy movements like a hawk surveying prey.
Konoha shinobi had only just begun setting up the initial barrier seals when the sky split.
"Incoming!!"
A massive bolt of lightning crashed down into the trees ahead, blasting apart defensive bunkers before they were complete.
"We're under attack—Cloud-nin incoming!"
"All units! Battle formation now!"
Hyūga Hiashi shouted, activating his Byakugan.
"Don't let them breach the perimeter—hold until Uchiha-sama gives the signal!"
But the chaos had already begun. The vanguard of Kumogakure, led by the Third Raikage himself, charged like a living battering ram.
"HAAAAAH!"
With a roar, A's entire body crackled with black-blue lightning, his Lightning Release Chakra Mode amplifying his speed and strength to monstrous levels.
Like a thunder god, he smashed through the Konoha front line, tossing shinobi aside like rag dolls.
"Konoha's finished! Drive them back before they fortify their position!"
A bellowed, carving a path of devastation through the Konoha defenders.
The camp fell into partial disarray. Explosive tags ignited, kunai clashed midair, and screams echoed through the border valley.
From atop the hill, Byakuya watched silently.
His Mangekyō spun.
With a single step, his figure blurred into a shadow—and then vanished.
"You're too reckless, Raikage..."
In the next instant, lightning clashed with pure black flame.
Byakuya had entered the battlefield.
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