Whoosh—
Minato stood at the forefront atop an elevated platform, gazing down at the densely packed rows of Konoha ninjas below.
The force numbered nearly a thousand more than the estimated ten thousand ninjas. They were lined up neatly, creating an awe-inspiring sight.
Could this be the power behind a great nation?
Complete silence filled the air.
Everyone waited for their commander's words and orders.
Discipline was fully embodied in every ninja. Looking down from above, Minato felt a surge of passion.
This was the first time he had ever led such a vast army.
This war was completely unlike any before.
In the past, his battles were small skirmishes. Even on frontline battlefields, it was rare to see so many ninjas fighting together all at once.
Ninjas were meant to be assassins lurking in the shadows.
They should be beings that remain still until their movement shocks the world.
But now, ninjas resembled soldiers preparing for large-scale warfare—readiness to overwhelm enemies through sheer presence and might.
"Everyone from Konoha, the war has begun."
His voice opened calm but steady, cutting through the silence.
Yet faint thunder rumbled behind him.
"This is a battle we must face. The enemy is the powerful Akatsuki Organization. However, we possess an advantage they cannot match—our united determination!"
His voice grew stronger, as though already seeing the battlefield ahead.
"Protect the village, protect your loved ones, protect the rare peace within the Shinobi World."
"Don't you all still remember what happened to our village not long ago? Countless comrades, friends, and family members fell—lives we can never forget. Even now, the village is still under reconstruction. If we don't want history to repeat itself, then we must pick up our weapons and protect everything!"
Minato's voice didn't seem loud, but amplified by chakra, it echoed across the entire field.
Every ninja who heard these words unavoidably recalled recent events—their eyes reddening slightly.
At this moment, the collective momentum of the ninja force kept rising—unbreakable!
"Today, let us end all of this!"
His voice gradually softened but gained intensity.
"Move out!"
Minato saw no need to add more. Most already knew the truth; words would only slow them down now.
Actions would ultimately prove everyone's resolve.
This Allied Ninja Forces wasn't as disciplined as what Saitama remembered—no unified uniforms, no standardized forehead protectors, nor coordinated formations.
But that didn't mean they were easier to defeat compared to those in memory.
Although the entire alliance was loosely divided into Five Fronts, communication among them remained strong.
Thanks to Mind-based Secret Arts and specialized tools, even when separated, they could still coordinate effectively.
Konoha's forces set off toward the border of the Land of Rain, with the other four fronts doing the same.
The main force charged ahead while commanders like Minato held back slightly, staying positioned in the center for coordination.
King against king, general against general, pawn against pawn.
This was standard practice in all wars.
Therefore, until the enemy deployed enough ninja, this would remain a clash between ninja armies.
Even though this clash itself was not equal.
...
The Depression, lush with vegetation, looked nothing like the typical environment of the Land of Rain.
However, the temperature here was lower, and the air was humid. Crystalline dewdrops hung from the leaves.
A scene of pristine natural harmony unfolded.
Sss--
Until a snake poked its head out from the bushes, its tongue flickering in and out, producing a sound that sent tingles down one's spine.
Its head had a triangular shape—clearly a venomous snake.
Yet, its crawling movements were unusually gentle, as if afraid of disturbing some nearby creature.
A rabbit resting deep within the grass caught the snake's attention. Slowly weaving through the bushes, it began closing the distance between them.
The rabbit, busy munching on grass, remained completely unaware.
Though it took a bite and then lifted its head to look around, it still failed to spot the snake using the environment as cover.
Swoosh—
A strike as quick as lightning.
When eyes finally locked onto the snake and rabbit again, they were already entangled.
The snake bit down hard on the rabbit while wrapping its body tightly around it.
The rabbit's eyes widened, filled with red.
Its trapped legs kicked helplessly backward,
But found no purchase.
As time passed, blood began dripping from its mouth, and its struggle weakened.
Eventually, the rabbit stopped breathing and went still.
The snake then moved again.
First loosening its jaws slightly to check on the rabbit, and once confirming it was completely dead,
It didn't immediately consume its freshly captured prey. Instead, it held it in its mouth and crawled back along the path it came.
"You're here. I was wondering where you went. Lord Orochimaru told you not to run off, yet you still wouldn't listen."
Soon after passing through the bushes into a drier open area, the snake heard a male voice.
Still holding the rabbit in its mouth, it lifted its upper body and proudly presented the freshly caught prey to the boy who had spoken.
There were two small crimson moles above the boy's eyebrows, giving him a slightly seductive aura.
His skin was pale. Even an absent frown carried a hint of cold severity, oddly contrasting yet somehow blending perfectly with his overall look.
He was none other than Kimimaro, Lord Orochimaru's loyal and ever-present young follower.
Kimimaro reached out and patted the snake's head gently before turning away.
"Don't run off again. Lord Orochimaru won't be pleased."
He motioned for the snake to follow.
As they continued forward, Orochimaru gradually appeared within sight of both boy and serpent.
Dressed just as always, he sat calmly on a stone bench, before which lay a stone table with a Go board set up.
"You're back? The real action's about to start. Don't wander too far."
Orochimaru cast a sidelong glance at Kimimaro and spoke softly.
His raspy voice drifted through the humid air, sending involuntary shivers down the listeners' spines.
It was like suddenly hearing a deep, resonant voice echo through an ancient temple at midnight.
On the Go board in front of Orochimaru, five black stones had already been arranged in a scattered formation.
Kimimaro remained silent as he slowly approached, then fixed his gaze upon the game.
Though he didn't understand it at all, this did nothing to dampen his deep admiration for Orochimaru.
"Taking on this menial task, I find myself struggling to get proper appreciation. But the thought of facing off against the entire Shinobi World excites me greatly—it's been years since I've felt such exhilaration."
A faint smile flickered across Orochimaru's face as he slowly picked up a white stone with his right hand, naturally addressing Kimimaro as he did so.
"As long as you're happy, Orochimaru," Kimimaro replied calmly. His eyes, however, burned with quiet passion.
No matter what Orochimaru intended to do, he would always be the sharpest spear in his master's hands—fighting to the death for his sake!
"Then let the world see what I'm truly capable of!"
Clang—
Orochimaru placed the white stone directly before one of the black ones, facing it head-on, then widened his mouth into a grin, his tongue extending beyond his lips.
At this moment, Orochimaru felt incredibly thrilled, excitement sparkling in his eyes.
Though he had never cared much for worldly matters, this sensation of challenging the entire Shinobi World alone had managed to warm his otherwise ice-cold blood just slightly.
This was going to be an exciting and dangerous experience!
He whispered to himself inwardly.
...
Konoha frontline.
"Halt! There's something ahead!"
A Hyūga ninja serving as scout raised his right hand to signal his comrades behind.
Shua Shua—
The densely packed unit stopped instantly, without even a second's hesitation.
This wasn't Konoha's full force but merely the vanguard unit.
Since Konoha had over ten thousand ninja, after discussions between Minato and the top leadership, they divided their forces accordingly.
There was the advance unit that led the charge, the combat units assigned to reinforce different positions, the surprise attack platoons tasked with flanking maneuvers, the medical division responsible for treating the wounded, and logistics units handling supplies and equipment management.
These main divisions were further subdivided into more specialized units according to specific functions, such as communication units, sealing units, close combat units, and ranged combat units.
Approximately eleven thousand Konoha ninja participated in this operation.
The Vanguard Unit numbered two thousand, mostly elite Chunin, Special Jonin, and Jonin with exceptional combat strength.
The Combat Unit was envisioned as the core force and thus accounted for over four thousand, almost five thousand ninja. However, their average strength was slightly above regular Chunin level, forming a well-balanced Ninja Army.
The Surprise Attack and Diversion Platoon had the fewest members—only several hundred—but they were also the strongest ninjas; otherwise, they wouldn't be capable of executing a successful surprise assault.
As for the remaining forces, they belonged to two other units. Their overall strength was relatively low, making them unsuitable for direct confrontation on the main battlefield.
"What's going on?"
Many ninjas gripped their weapons tightly, staying alert while confusion stirred deep within them.
Earlier, when they crossed into Rain Country's territory, they encountered no resistance at all. They advanced unimpeded dozens of miles into the Land of Rain without even seeing a single Amegakure ninja.
This led them to believe that Amegakure and the Akatsuki had abandoned any futile resistance, choosing instead to focus all their strength at the center for a decisive battle.
Yet who could have imagined that before this thought even lasted long, enemies appeared?
"Is it Amegakure's forces?"
A squad leader–level ninja frowned, staring toward the dense mist ahead and asked aloud.
"Not sure yet. But it isn't an entire unit—just a handful of individuals: one, two, three… altogether four people. However, their chakra fluctuations are extremely powerful!"
The Hyūga ninja continued observing through his Byakugan, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.
Through the Byakugan, four figures stood shoulder to shoulder, their entire bodies pulsing with raw, unrestrained energy.
Moreover, there was something strange about these four—their life flames weren't visible, yet their bodies overflowed with chakra.
Everything felt somewhat eerie.
"Could it be members from the Akatsuki Organization?"
The squad leader carefully considered before immediately sending the information backward.
Never would he have expected the Akatsuki to take the initiative. It seemed they already knew sending Amegakure ninjas would be practically handing out free kills.
Soon, Minato and others, originally stationed in the middle of the formation, moved forward to the front line.
Minato, serving as the general commander and leading the Vanguard Unit, was tasked with clearing obstacles for the following troops.
Don't question why the Joint Alliance leader himself was on the front lines—it just worked out that way.
Having received critical intelligence, he arrived at the front as quickly as possible.
"Keep advancing!"
Minato narrowed his eyes toward the distant direction, but thick fog obstructed visibility, preventing him from seeing clearly ahead.
After the Hyūga ninja repeatedly confirmed no ambushes lay ahead, Minato signaled the army to continue moving forward.
This place was wide open enough—was it deliberately chosen by the enemy as the battleground?
Who might be waiting ahead?
Without Amegakure ninjas acting as cover—was this to minimize losses, or did they feel confident relying solely on individual power?
Advancing another few hundred meters, Minato kept scanning the surroundings vigilantly, thoughts swirling inside his mind.
Whoosh—
Four blurry figures finally came into view. The Vanguard Unit stopped on its own accord.
Minato stood at the forefront, his Divine Battle Robe fluttering gently in the breeze.
[Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!]
Without Minato's command, a row of ninja stepped forward and simultaneously unleashed their technique.
Like a hurricane, the jutsu surged forward, sweeping away all the mist that had been obstructing their view.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
One blurred figure among the enemy moved as well, seemingly activating a technique to neutralize the approaching ninjutsu.
The mist between both sides was cleared by this countermeasure, instantly making the battlefield visible.
Minato immediately spotted several indistinct figures ahead.
The instant he saw them, his eyes widened slightly and his face hardened with shock.
The ninja following behind him also sucked in sharp breaths, their expressions drastically changing.
Among these four individuals, two were quite familiar to everyone present.
They could be considered rather famous figures within Konoha.
However, they should've both been deceased, buried in the Hero's Graveyard of the village.
"Long time no see, Minato."
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi wore black shinobi armor, his voice carrying a trace of resignation.
He stood beside Danzo, who had just released the technique to counter Konoha's ninjutsu, and Danzo's expression was equally dark and terrifying.
That utterly uncontrollable body made him, a man who spent his life controlling others' bodies, feel like he'd just swallowed a mouthful of filth.
"Long time no see, Third, and Danzo... Elder!"
Minato stiffened, his right hand instinctively reaching for the gear bag at his waist.
"Neither did I expect our reunion with Konoha's ninja would take place under such circumstances."
Hiruzen offered a bitter smile, his dark eyes tinged with self-mockery.
Although he had never personally mastered the Impure World Reincarnation technique,
as the Hokage who had held office the longest and was hailed as the "Professor of Ninjutsu,"
he had studied Kinjutsu sealed within the Scroll of Seals, including the Impure World Reincarnation.
He naturally understood exactly what condition he was in now.
"I didn't expect you'd follow in my footsteps, Hiruzen. I thought you'd grow old peacefully in the village."
Danzo appeared much younger than Hiruzen, his hands also restored to perfect condition.
He cast a sidelong glance at Hiruzen, his tone flat and unreadable, giving away no emotion.
"Ha ha, everyone dies eventually when they grow old — I'm no exception!"
Hiruzen laughed heartily without mentioning how he actually died seeking vengeance for Danzo.
"You must be Dan from their side. I still remember you vaguely."
The Third turned his gaze toward another ninja standing opposite him, quickly recognizing the young man's identity.
"Yes, Third-sama."
Dan initially looked around bewilderedly.
He only remembered dying — then waking up inside a pitch-black box, and just like that, he ended up here.
The opposing side seemed to be Konoha ninja, led by an imposing individual dressed in ceremonial robes. Could that be the new Hokage?
Dan didn't understand the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu, so he only knew that he seemed to be under someone else's control. The enemy he was about to face would be the village he once loved.
Also under control were the Third Hokage, who appeared much older than in his memory, and Danzo.
As for the mustachioed middle-aged man beside them, Daan had no recollection of him whatsoever.
"It seems we are the Third Hokage, Danzo, and this honorable Minister Daan — I've never met him before in my life. Honestly, I can't control my own body right now. Also, I should have died already after fighting against Mist's Seven Swordsmen. Clearly, I shouldn't be here at all."
The last person spoke loudly, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, speaking with a kind of mysterious confidence.
"You're...?"
The Third stared at this last individual. He looked familiar, but for the moment, he couldn't recall who it was.
He remembered every powerful ninja in Konoha's history, yet even though this man was also a Konoha ninja, he couldn't place his name.
"Ah… My name is Might Duy, a humble Konoha Genin."
Duy's expression faltered slightly, but quickly returned to normal.
He was used to being overlooked — after all, he'd once been just a lowly Genin, a perennial failure, practically an object of ridicule among Konoha ninja.
"Oh, now I remember — you're Guy's father!"
Recognition lit up the Third's eyes, and he finally recalled who this was.
Though Might Duy's ninja career had mostly been unremarkable, near the end he had suddenly shined brilliantly, drawing attention even from the entire Leaf Village.
After all, he was the one who redefined what a taijutsu specialist could be — the first man ever to push [Eight Gates] to their ultimate limit!
"That's correct. It's an honor the Third still remembers someone like me."
A smile spread across Duy's face. It seemed he took pride in the fact that his son's name was actually known by such a prestigious figure as the Third Hokage.
"Guy has already become a Jonin in Konoha, respected elder Duy."
Minato, standing nearby, recognized Might Duy and replied.
"I never imagined Guy would become so accomplished — surpassing even his old man. Hard work always pays off!"
Duy turned toward Minato. When he was alive, Minato had still only been a Hokage candidate. Who could have guessed that now he was already the Hokage himself?
How quickly time had passed!
"It appears our hidden adversary knows Konoha very well. They not only mastered the secret Kinjutsu of the Impure World Reincarnation, but also managed to collect our blood and flesh!"
Danzo stared at Minato, his mind swirling with thoughts, his expression flickering between emotions.
He never imagined a day would come when he himself would be reduced to a mere pawn.
"Long time no see, old man Third."
Now that the identities of all four resurrected individuals were clear, Minato's expression grew even darker.
At this moment, a voice rang out inside the minds of the Third and the others.
"Orochimaru!"
The Third immediately recognized the owner of this voice. His face darkened further.
Indeed, only a handful of people could master such a technique and obtain their remains.
And Orochimaru was undoubtedly the most likely suspect!
"I never expected it to be you!"
Danzo narrowed his eyes, clearly surprised. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to go this far this time.
"Exactly. It's me. Looks like you two old men—the Hokage and Danzo—might be past your prime, but at least your memories are still intact."
Orochimaru's voice continued echoing inside the minds of the four.
"Orochimaru, why are you doing this?"
Dan died early, so he didn't understand everything.
Back when he was still alive, Orochimaru had already been one of Konoha's Sannin, second only in prestige to the Hokage within the village.
Yet now, someone who once had such a promising future seemed to have turned against the village itself.
He couldn't wrap his head around it.
"Dan, you've been dead for so many years. Many complicated things have happened in the village. Either way, I'm already a rogue ninja from Konoha. As for now? Think of it as a test run!"
Orochimaru replied to Dan. Back then, because of his relationship with Tsunade, he'd also become quite familiar with Dan.
And the deaths of both Dan and Nawaki had accelerated his pursuit of the meaning of life.
"Was it because of the Hokage position? Did you do all this because you lost to Minato in the contest for Hokage?"
Minato's popularity within the village had reached its peak, while Orochimaru had been viewed with prejudice by many people due to certain incidents.
Therefore, at that moment, he used his brain and came up with this explanation.
"Tsk—" Orochimaru gave a dry laugh inside their minds, clearly amused by Guy's guess.
"Do you really think I'd launch such an unprecedented war over something so petty? What I seek is far beyond mere titles like Hokage."
"It's Saitama Uchiha, isn't it, Orochimaru? You've allied yourself with him, or perhaps with the Akatsuki Organization."
The Third said gravely, grasping the key point of the matter.
Among them, he had died most recently, so combining what he was seeing now, he already had some definite ideas.
"You guessed correctly, but there's no prize."
Orochimaru paused briefly, then his tone turned cold.
"Now comes the time for your Konoha ninja reunion. I hope you'll all enjoy it."
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!
As soon as Orochimaru finished speaking, the expressions of the four changed instantly.
"Scatter!"
Minato also noticed the change in the four and immediately ordered the main force behind him to disperse.
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Within almost an instant, the group of over a thousand ninja scattered apart, creating distance from the four in their Impure World Reincarnation state.
Minato himself didn't move, but a kunai was already between his fingers, ready for battle at any moment.
"Hokage-sama!"
From within the rear forces, two figures shot forward, landing behind Minato.
He glanced sideways slightly and saw it was Asuma Sarutobi and Might Guy.
Both served as squad leaders within the vanguard unit. Although Asuma wasn't nearly as strong as Guy, coming from the Sarutobi clan meant he was still quite talented, and he had indeed become a jonin.
Seeing that these two were involved, Minato did not order them back.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side, the Third and Guy subtly shifted their gazes the moment these two appeared.
"It's unexpected that the enemy would use such forbidden soul-binding techniques to disturb the spirits of the dead. This is absolutely unforgivable!"
"Guy..."
Guy looked at Duy, whose eyes seemed ready to spark with fury, and whose expression was shockingly angry.
Even though Duy had died, he'd always lived in Guy's heart like a spiritual pillar.
Although the man had spent his entire life as a lowly Genin, looked down on by others, in Guy's heart, his father had been a great hero of the village.
But now, that very hero had been dragged back into this world through some technique used by the enemy, forced to do the very thing he had despised most while alive.
This was something Guy, as a son, found almost impossible to accept!
"Hey there, my son Guy!"
There, the moment he saw Guy, Duy immediately recognized him.
He raised his hand and gave him a thumbs-up, revealing a smile familiar to Guy.
"Father!"
Guy stared at Duy with a serious look.
"It seems the enemy summoned me from beyond death just to fight you," Duy said, having accepted his current state. "So then, my son Guy, show your father how much you've grown!"
Though Duy appeared easygoing and simple-minded, when it came to major matters, he possessed extraordinary wisdom.
"Looks like we've got no choice—we'll have to fight. Minato, you should know the condition we're in under this Kinjutsu. Get ready to seal us!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen could already feel his body growing increasingly uncontrollable—clearly Orochimaru was about to make his move.
"I understand!"
Minato nodded and subtly signaled behind him with his left hand.
From a distance, a squad of ninjas clutching sealed scrolls began to gather together.
They were members of the sealing team.
"Watch out—it's coming!"
Though Danzo had always resented Minato during his lifetime for blocking his rise to power and sidelining him once Minato became Hokage,
he would absolutely never agree to becoming Orochimaru's tool for directly attacking Konoha.
Thus, as soon as his body responded to Orochimaru's command and moved, Danzo immediately called out to warn Minato and the other Konoha ninja.
Boom—
Three [Ninja Seals] were swiftly formed across his chest before he exhaled sharply and slightly leaned forward.
A massive Wind Release technique erupted forth, sweeping across dozens of meters in an instant.
Violent winds slashed across the ground, leaving countless fine cracks in their wake, filling the air with oppressive force.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!—
Minato and the others quickly dodged sideways.
But Danzo wasn't the only one launching an attack.
Alongside him, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the former Third Hokage—also joined the assault.
[Katon: Great Fire Dragon!]
A giant [Fire Dragon] surged forth from behind the Third, growing even larger due to the influence of Danzo's Wind Release.
Roar—
The flames merged with the wind, amplifying each other, instantly expanding to cover sky and earth.
In this Impure World Reincarnation state, the Third no longer needed to conserve Chakra, deliberately weakening the strength of his techniques.
As such, this Katon displayed full power equivalent to his peak condition.
"I'll handle fighting my father!"
As Guy split away from Minato, he murmured those words softly before leaping aside.
While under Orochimaru's control, Duy stayed close behind Guy and headed toward the open area on the opposite side.
"Asuma, you and the other Jonin should team up to fight Elder Danzo. Remember, they're in the state of Impure World Reincarnation and cannot be killed permanently. So during the time after shattering them when they recover, that's the perfect chance to seal them away!"
Minato noticed Asuma was clearly eager to go after the Third Hokage, but his strength still fell short. Thus Minato directly gave out orders.
Among the four of them, the most difficult to confront might be the "Master of Ninjutsu," the Third. With abundant Chakra, he was practically a walking ninja artillery unit.
The easiest opponent to handle would probably be this Taijutsu expert, Duy.
As for the two individuals Dan and Danzo, Danzo was relatively easier to deal with compared to Dan since Asuma had encountered him before, meaning he already possessed relevant information.
Although Danzo's Wind Release techniques became troublesome with infinite Chakra support, at least they followed a simple pattern.
Dan, on the other hand, wasn't familiar to many among the forces. Many shinobi struggled against his Spirit Transformation Technique.
Even Minato had only ever read about the technique called [Spirit Transformation] on scrolls.
"Got it!"
Asuma understood battlefield priority meant obeying commands from superiors.
Glancing over at the Third, he quickly waved at several nearby Jonin, signaling them to follow as he moved to attack Danzo.
To engage Danzo, first they needed to split the battlefield, separating the Third and Danzo.
Boom—
The spot where Minato and others had just stood moments ago was swept by a wave of jutsu unleashed by the Third and Danzo. First sliced apart by Wind Release, then consumed by Fire Dragon flames.
In an instant, it turned into a wasteland.
"This kind of exhilaration hasn't been felt in a long time. But if I had my way, I'd never have to feel like this again."
After releasing the jutsu, the Third dashed forward directly while expressing deep pessimism about Konoha's current situation.
Even Minato found it hard to get close once the Third unleashed fully.
One man against ten thousand—he could practically pull it off.
"So who am I facing?"
Standing still, Dan watched clearly as the Third charged straight at Minato, the current Hokage.
That ninja named Duy was soon confronted by his own son.
Meanwhile, Danzo became surrounded by a squad of elite Jonin.
Glancing over at the main force maintaining vigilance, Dan's heart suddenly tightened.
An uneasy feeling stirred in his chest.
Though reluctant inside, his movements didn't slow down even slightly.
Whoosh—
Almost instantly, he activated [Spirit Transformation].
His hands made hand seals at his chest before his soul departed the body, flying in that direction.
"Damn it!"
Minato dodged the Third's jutsu with a Body Flicker technique, yet more ninjutsu immediately bombarded him.
Yellow flashes continuously illuminated the field.
However, the tireless Third stuck to him like glue, not giving him a moment to counterattack.
He also knew there remained one unattended Impure World body—Dan.
And Dan's ability posed a huge threat; it was like a nightmare against densely packed ninja forces.
Although the Vanguard Unit members were no weaklings, that was only in comparison to ordinary ninja. Moreover, Dan at this moment was an existence with infinite chakra, housed within the undying form of the Impure World.
Seizing a momentary gap while dodging, he caught sight of Dan from the corner of his eye.
As expected, a flash of blue light flickered—Dan's soul had already separated and dashed toward the ninja forces behind Minato.
"Minato, quickly gather a team of ninjutsu-specialist ninja to attack me directly; otherwise, just relying on your Flying Thunder God Technique and Body Flicker Technique alone won't be enough to counter the Third."
The Third spat out yet another fireball over ten meters in diameter while shouting a warning to Minato.
Orochimaru hadn't restricted their ability to speak during battle, so he could offer Minato advice mid-fight.
Minato naturally understood the logic behind the advice.
However, ordinary ninjutsu specialists would struggle to suppress the Third effectively, and besides, the Third wasn't just a fixed artillery of jutsu.
Swoosh—
A kunai left his palm, flying sideways.
He twisted his body, drew another kunai, braced one-handed on the ground, and launched himself backward through the air in a reverse arc.
Just as he was about to land, the Third's jutsu slammed into his previous position. Narrowing his eyes, he hurled the second kunai.
Clang!
The two kunai collided midair.
One fell toward a distant corner, while the other flew at a sharp angle straight toward the Third, who had just finished casting a technique and was preparing to close in.
[Flying Thunder God Technique]!
Minato had finally found a suitable opening to strike back after enduring the Third's relentless onslaught of jutsu.
Thus, as soon as the kunai followed the predicted trajectory, he activated the technique.
Whoosh—
He vanished from the spot in a blur.
[Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan]!
When he reappeared, his right hand formed a massive ninjutsu.
The surging chakra reassured the Third, standing right in front of him, that he had the advantage.
Yet, the Third's movements did not slow down in the slightest.
[Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall]!
This body was specially crafted by Orochimaru, infused with large quantities of Hashirama's cells to ensure maximum effectiveness of his role as a jutsu artillery platform.
Additionally, thanks to the presence of Hashirama's cells, the sluggishness normally associated with the Impure World body had been significantly reduced, thus increasing its sensitivity and responsiveness to external stimuli.
Smack!
The Third pressed both hands onto the ground—the earth trembled, and several layers of solid rock walls rose up from beneath him, forming a barrier between the two.
Boom—
Minato slammed the Rasengan into the earthen wall blocking his path, shattering it instantly.
But that wasted second caused him to miss the best chance to strike the Third.
[Fire Release: Great Flame Technique]!
In a half-crouching posture behind the rock wall, the Third released another jutsu.
Boom—
A massive surge of scorching flames erupted from his mouth, so hot they violently rippled the surrounding air.
The flames surged skyward at a forty-five-degree angle. Minato's eyes narrowed as the heat rushed toward him.
Swish—
Knowing this was no time to take a direct hit, his figure vanished midair and instantly reappeared where his other kunai had landed.
Up against the Third Hokage—who could freely use any ninjutsu and possessed combat experience and knowledge surpassing nearly everyone in the shinobi world—he felt a bit troubled.
This was a gap even the Flying Thunder God technique would struggle to close!
"No wonder Akatsuki dares to challenge the entire ninja world—the Impure World Reincarnation kinjutsu is just too overpowered!"
Crackling zap!
A bolt of lightning surged from the Third's feet, rapidly closing in on this side.
Minato stopped thinking and vanished in a flash.
BOOM—
On the other side, one of the ninja restraining Danzo was struck by his ninjutsu. A sharp crack echoed from within the ninja's body before he collapsed lifelessly.
Asuma and several other jonin seemed hard-pressed handling Danzo.
Still, they had the numbers, so they managed to keep things under control and prevent Danzo from tipping the balance in other battles.
"Guy, you truly make me proud!"
The body Orochimaru specially prepared for Duy could withstand the opening of the third gate without breaking apart.
Combined with other traits of the Impure World body, this version of Duy could still unleash strength rivaling a Kage—or even surpass it.
He kept attacking relentlessly, trading blows with Kakashi. Sparks flew into the air from the intense friction caused by their lightning-fast Taijutsu strikes.
This was ultimate taijutsu—utterly real, no deception involved.
BOOM!
Guy swung with a sweeping kick, but Kakashi blocked it just in time, then countered with a fierce upward kick to Guy's face.
A section of Guy's cheek shattered like porcelain, paper-like shreds fluttering into the wind.
But almost instantly, those minor wounds healed completely as if nothing had happened.
"I carry my father's Ninja Way forward—I've sprinted down the path of Taijutsu all my life. How could I ever disappoint him!"
Guy roared furiously, his evaporating sweat enveloping him as his muscles tensed.
In truth, the injuries from his last battle with Pain hadn't fully healed yet.
But for this crucial fight, he gritted his teeth and endured until now.
"Well done! Truly my son!"
Guy was delighted.
Then, his fist slashed through the air and smashed into Kakashi's exposed chest.
Wham! Kakashi's face briefly paled before he slashed downward with both hands, countering fiercely.
He had opened the same number of gates as Guy, but due to the nature of the Impure World body, he couldn't secure an immediate victory.
He pushed Guy back, lightly touched the ground with his toes to create distance, and prepared to end this quickly using the Eight Gates Release Technique!
"Left side!"
Dan took over a Konoha ninja's body almost instantly, then swung his arm and sliced off another ninja's arm.
Each time he acted, he gave warnings to his allies.
However, due to the massive skill gap, these ninja struggled to react in time.
Plus, since Dan was controlling someone else's body, the other ninja hesitated to attack recklessly, fearing they'd harm their comrades.
"What about the Sealing Team? Go after my real body now!"
Only after switching bodies multiple times among the crowd and cutting down dozens of ninja did he remember this key point.
He shouted loudly at once.
Whooshwhooshwhoosh—
Several ninja exchanged glances before dashing toward Dan's original body.
But in the blink of an eye, Dan was caught by his spiritual form and had his soul directly severed, his body falling lifelessly to the ground.
For a moment, unrestricted Dan became like a battlefield god, charging through enemy ranks, slaughtering anyone who dared approach his physical body.
Still, Konoha's ninja kept coming in waves, relentlessly attacking Dan's real body.
Spirit Transformation Technique had originally been unique to Konoha, and for over twenty years since Dan's death, no one else had mastered it.
So no one knew how to deal with such an opponent.
Though they all understood that Dan's physical body was the key weakness, none could get close enough to exploit it.
However, soon enough, the ninja developed a strategy targeting Dan's unique abilities.
They held formation instead of charging recklessly, focusing on long-range harassment to keep him occupied.
If Dan tried to switch bodies for an attack, shinobi from the Nara and Yamanaka clans would step in with mind-based techniques to counter him.
It wasn't a satisfying tactic by any means, but it significantly reduced their losses.
An important point must be made here—although Ino–Shika–Cho was originally composed of just three individuals, the secret arts weren't limited strictly to clan heads or heirs.
As large clans, these families didn't isolate their techniques from other members.
At the very least, fundamental ninjutsu like Shadow Imitation Technique and Mind Body Switch Technique were commonly known among them.
Thus, under the effective suppression of the Ino–Shika–Cho alliance, Dan's destructive power was greatly diminished.
While stabilizing their position on the battlefield, they also requested reinforcements from the rear units.
Another capable ninja was needed to stabilize the overall situation.
The sudden reappearance of figures like the Third Kazekage through Impure World Reincarnation caught Konoha off guard—they hadn't yet adjusted their forces effectively.
Figures like Jiraiya, Kakashi, Shisui, and Fugaku had already been dispatched to other units, assigned different missions.
Therefore, the vanguard unit struggled against four Kage-level enemies, clearly lacking sufficient elite strength.
After all, no one had anticipated such a scenario.
There were still six confirmed core Akatsuki members at large—at best, equating to six Kage-level threats—which meant each front line might not even get one.
So the current situation was highly unexpected, falling outside of everyone's predictions.
...
Similar to Konoha's predicament,
When Suna, Mist, Cloud, and Stone simultaneously advanced into the Land of Rain, shortly after crossing the border, their vanguard units encountered familiar figures—comrades reborn through Impure World Reincarnation.
Rasa stood atop flowing sand, his expression grim as he glared at the female ninja surrounded by three fireballs nearby, and the Third Kazekage floating midair on a mass of Iron Sand Body.
Taking his position as Fourth Kazekage, if there was anything that haunted Rasa with regret, it was undoubtedly how Pakura had become a tragic victim of inter-village politics.
Seeing her reappear on the battlefield filled him with an inexplicable reluctance to face her again.
The politics between villages were nothing but filth.
Back then, abandoning Pakura had been a carefully calculated decision based on multiple considerations.
Although heartbreaking, it was an unavoidable choice for the village.
"So this is the enemy's trump card? Manipulating the souls of the deceased?"
Chiyo stood behind Rasa, her wrinkled face showing an unusual expression—part shock, part fury...
For behind Yagura and The Third Kazekage, she saw the figures of her very own son and daughter-in-law.
Years of longing had suddenly become reality, yet this old woman found herself at a loss.
And this was certainly not the reunion with her son and daughter-in-law that she had hoped for!
"It seems the one who will succeed you as the Fourth Kazekage is none other than you, Rasa!"
Over there, The Third Kazekage spoke.
He remembered this young man named Rasa—he had once intended to groom him.
Beside him, however, Yagura stared fixedly at The Third Kazekage, his killing intent unconsciously spreading outward.
Though he didn't know why he had returned from death again,
Nothing else mattered anymore now that the betrayer stood right before his eyes.
Only by killing him could he ease the pain in his heart.
After all, being abandoned by the leader he trusted and the entire village was the hardest wound to bear!
...
"I'm sorry, Lady Terumi Mei. I failed to make full use of the opportunity you've given me."
Ameyuri looked at Terumi Mei standing ahead, then shifted her gaze to Yagura beside him.
"I already understand what happened. No need to explain further. Prepare yourself for battle. We must stop them no matter what!"
Before the Mist forces arrived, Terumi Mei had a quick exchange with Yagura, so she now understood what had occurred after her death.
She and Yagura stood at the very front, flanked by the Seven Swordsmen, cutting off the path of the Mist forces, who dared not advance.
"I understand."
Ameyuri quickly regained her composure. The ninja behind her also took up battle stances.
...
"Dodai, hold nothing back against my father and me, or Kumo will suffer heavy losses!"
The Fourth Raikage and The Third Raikage stood side-by-side before the Kumo forces, their expressions grim.
"I'll do my best!"
Dodai stared at the two Raikages; sweat poured uncontrollably down his face.
They didn't know which ninjutsu the enemy had used to control the already-dead Raikages, bringing them into direct opposition.
"Request reinforcements from other villages. You won't be able to stop us two alone! Order the lower-ranked ninja to retreat. Only Jonin-level fighters should stay here to stall us. Don't cause unnecessary casualties."
The Third Raikage signaled Dodai while currents of electricity began gathering across his entire body.
Their unseen enemy clearly couldn't wait any longer.
From his recent conversation with his son, the Fourth Raikage, he'd gotten a rough idea about the current situation in the shinobi world.
Although during his time the Akatsuki hadn't yet revealed itself, even so, its bold move shocked him deeply.
"Fall back!"
Dodai waved his hand behind him, and large groups of ninja started retreating.
This wasn't just another drill.
Faced with two powerful Kage whose might was acknowledged in history, they felt fear deep within their hearts.
All they could hope for now was to buy as much time as possible.
Dodai knew his limits. Facing just one Raikage, he might've stood a chance with support from his subordinates, but two at once? That was pushing it.
This was going to be tough.
"Little Onoki," Darui teased, arms crossed over his bandaged chest, "didn't expect you to get so old already—or have a son that big."
Beside Onoki stood his son, Kitsuchi, eyes locked intently on the figure in the sky.
Behind them both was another ninja—one Orochimaru had stumbled upon and deemed worthy of being brought back through the Impure World Revival technique.
His name was Shū. He'd been killed on a mission by Saitama, back when Saitama was still with Konoha.
His ability was the same [Explosion Release] as Deidara's.
But clearly, his mastery couldn't compare—his skill was limited mostly to short-range combat.
"Master," Onoki called out, floating midair with a serious expression, "I never expected my opponent to be you!"
Behind him, the Iwagakure forces had already pulled far back.
Against an expert in [Dust Release], sending more troops would only mean unnecessary losses. It was better to retreat first and minimize casualties.
"I hate to be such a bother," Darui muttered, raising his right hand sideways as he spoke toward Onoki.
Boom——
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