In Iwagakure's main camp.
Kitsuchi sat at the head position. Han and Shu, along with other jonin from the original camp, occupied the left side of the tent while a group of support ninjas led by Akatsuchi filled the right.
Counting roughly, eight jonin including Akatsuchi sat on the right. Combined with the seventeen capable jonin remaining in Iwagakure's main camp, the difference in numbers between Iwagakure and Konoha wasn't nearly as significant as Fugaku imagined.
As Kitsuchi was thanking Akatsuchi for leading the relief squad earlier, suddenly one Iwa ninja rushed into the tent.
"Enemy attack!"
"Fugaku Uchiha has brought Konoha's main force and already breached several outposts. They're approaching our base!"
Upon hearing this, the Iwa ninjas' shock quickly turned to fury, as they clenched their fists in readiness.
Akatsuchi slammed the table. "Perfect timing! This is our chance to avenge our fallen comrades!"
The newly arrived support ninjas burned with battle spirit, but Kitsuchi and others maintained cautious expressions.
They had fought against Konoha before. Despite many elite jonin returning to Konoha, the Leaf army had gained large numbers of lower-ranked ninja — making them no easy opponent.
Todoroki remained calm. "Our main reinforcements haven't arrived yet, so it's unwise to engage them directly. We must defend the camp like a fortress."
"What are we afraid of—" Akatsuchi began to protest.
Kitsuchi raised his hand. "I am the commander here!"
With those words, he led the way out of the tent, using Body Flicker Technique to instantly reach atop the earthen wall constructed in front of the camp. Below, more than a thousand Konoha ninja were charging forward in great momentum.
The charging Fugaku and two figures beside him suddenly stopped, forming rapid hand seals.
[Fire Release - Great Flame Annihilation!]
[Wind Release - Great Breakthrough!]
[Wind Release - Vacuum Sphere!]
Instantly, a fireball like a falling meteor hurtled toward the outer wall of Iwagakure's main camp.
Unlike the Great Fireball Technique which covered wide area, Great Flame Annihilation focused its power much more intensely, strong enough to split mountains and crack stone.
This blazing sphere, like a falling asteroid, would shatter Iwagakure's protective barrier on impact, leaving the camp completely vulnerable.
Kitsuchi naturally wouldn't allow Fugaku to succeed.
[Earth Release – Earth Wall!]
After completing the hand seal, Kitsuchi pressed both palms onto the ground. Instantly, a massive thick earthen wall erupted in front of him.
Boom!
The giant fireball smashed into the earth wall, shattering it into pieces that flew everywhere amidst clouds of dust and smoke.
In the next moment, a colossal hand darkened the sky as it descended down.
Clearly, Konoha's real means of destroying Iwagakure's outer defenses wasn't just Fugaku's Great Flame Annihilation, but rather Choza Akimichi's Partial Expansion.
As the enormous palm drew near and the howling wind roared toward them, the desperation in the eyes of the Iwa ninjas on the outer wall was plain to see.
Just then, an unexpected darkness fell from above. When they looked back, they saw a massive stone giant emerging behind them.
Crossing its arms in front of its chest, the stone colossus blocked Choza Akimichi's descending giant palm from the heavens.
BOOM!
After a tremendous explosion, the giant and the giant palm separated instantly upon contact.
The rock giant couldn't withstand this mountain-shattering force and involuntarily staggered backward, each step leaving a massive crater in the ground. Even the earth seemed to tremble as though a mighty dragon stirred beneath it.
Meanwhile, Choza Akimichi wasn't faring well either. While flying backward, he pulled his enormous hand back, crashing into the Konoha troops behind him and throwing their ranks into chaos.
Fugaku activated his Sharingan, clearly seeing the tall, fat man standing atop the rock giant.
The man's appearance was unmistakable—Fugaku recognized him at once and gave a knowing nod.
Who else but "[Akatsuchi, the Tsuchikage's Shield with Monstrous Strength]" could possibly block Akimichi Choza's sky-obscuring palm strike head-on?
Recognizing Akatsuchi instantly, a shadow of gloom flickered across Fugaku's eyes. Maybe Iwagakure used the same strategy as Konoha—sending elite Jonin ahead first while reinforcements followed.
But now that the war horn had sounded, there was no room for retreat.
"Raze Iwagakure's main camp to the ground! Kill these Rock Ninjas and avenge our fallen!" Fugaku roared furiously, leading the charge toward Iwagakure's outer wall.
As commander of this Konoha unit, he had no intention of hiding at the rear. He rushed straight to the front lines, passing tactical command over to Shikaku—better suited for it.
Climbing Iwagakure's ten-meter-high outer wall felt like scaling Everest for ordinary men and posed some difficulty even for regular ninja—but for Fugaku, it was like walking on flat ground.
Rock ninjas guarding the wall saw him charge and immediately rushed him, kunai drawn.
The black three tomoe within Fugaku's crimson pupils slowly rotated. One by one, enemy ninjas froze mid-step when meeting his gaze, standing motionless as he hurled kunai to kill them off.
Pfut! Pfut! Pfut!
Splatters of blood burst from their necks like blooming flowers. Soon, all nearby Iwa shinobi around Fugaku had dropped lifelessly to the ground.
Unwilling to let Fugaku massacre inside Iwagakure's base unchecked, Kitsuchi rushed forward quickly and engaged him directly.
As soon as Kitsuchi confronted Fugaku, other ninja also paired up and began fighting fiercely.
Akatsuchi faced off against Choza Akimichi. These two giants rampaged recklessly across the battlefield, and both sides instinctively cleared out an enormous space for them.
Seeing Han charging around attacking everyone, Shibi Aburame maneuvered his [Bug Cloud] to intercept him. An incomplete [Jinchuriki] battling a perfect [Elite Jonin], the two warriors were evenly matched for the time being.
Within mere moments, both sides clashed violently. Initially, the Iwa ninja held slight advantages due to their defensive position within the camp.
However, as the battle erupted into chaos, the heaven-shaking and earth-shattering Ninjutsu launched by the Jonin tore through the camp multiple times, tipping the balance in favor of the Konoha ninjas.
Seeing large numbers of Iwa ninjas dying, Kitsuchi exchanged one final blow with Fugaku before leaping onto a high wall and shouting, "Retreat to the central encampment!"
Immediately afterward, the Rock ninjas started withdrawing while still fighting defensively.
The Konoha ninjas swiftly pursued, but the moment they advanced, explosions erupted beneath their feet.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Continuous deafening booms accompanied by raging fireballs suddenly blocked the pursuing Konoha forces. Iwagakure's demolition squad truly proved their worth as trap masters—planting clay bombs silently and skillfully during their retreat.
Once the flames momentarily subsided, fearless Konoha ninja rushed forward again without hesitation.
On this battlefield, there was no rest—not unless you're willing to lie down permanently.
Explosions kept booming as ninja tools flew in all directions. Diverse ninjutsu raged chaotically, instantly driving the battle at Iwagakure's main camp into a white-hot frenzy.
...
Konoha's main camp.
Hyuga Deima stood atop the western high wall of the camp, scanning the surroundings with meticulous attention. Though his Byakugan remained inactive, he was confident that nothing unusual could escape his sharp eyes.
The war on the Northwest border was under the command of the Uchiha clan.
Unwilling to kiss up like other ninja, he refused to flatter and instead vowed to carry out his duties flawlessly to avoid drawing the Uchiha's ire.
Suddenly, he sensed an unusual increase in humidity within the air.
Looking toward the distance, he noticed wisps of white mist forming, quickly spreading forward in rolling waves.
This area was located in the northwest—known for its dry air. Where had this fog come from?
Deima deemed it abnormal and shouted, "Ambush!"
Clang!
A sharp alarm rang through the entire camp. At the same time, thick, suffocating white mist swallowed Konoha's main base.
A surge of chakra flooded his eyes as Deima's forehead veins bulged.
"Byakugan!"
The most powerful visual dōjutsu in the ninja world activated. The thick fog turned as clear as glass.
Through the mist, Deima saw two figures approaching slowly from the distance.
What made him break into a cold sweat was that both figures had massive chakra reserves. Particularly one of them—their chakra amount rivaled even that of The Third and Fugaku.
Such massive chakra definitely didn't belong to ordinary elite jonin.
As the alarm echoed from Konoha's main camp, Orochimaru said, "Juzo-kun, it seems our infiltration plan has failed!"
Biwa Juzo replied, "I never really intended infiltration anyway. Now it's your turn. This is Plan B."
Orochimaru nodded, took out a kunai, and sliced his index finger, then formed hand seals rapidly.
"Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram!"
[Ninjutsu - Summoning Technique!]
In an instant, three enormous figures appeared within the dense mist, then darted toward Konoha's main camp with a flash.
Seeing the massive beasts' size, Deima immediately backflipped away while shouting loudly, "Retreat! Jump down from the high wall!"
Boom boom boom——!
Peng!
Several Konoha ninjas stationed on the walls hadn't even reacted before seeing three gigantic dark shadows rush through their carefully set traps and slam directly into the camp's fortified wall.
Dozens of meters high and several meters thick, these reinforced earthen walls were an impregnable fortress. With them, they could even gain temporary respite when facing consecutive attacks from Iwagakure's ninjutsu.
Yet against the impact of these giant serpents, the thick earth wall violently trembled, cracked severely, then shattered open, creating a huge breach channel.
With the camp wall destroyed, several ninjas who had been patrolling above were also swallowed whole by the giant snakes.
Deima couldn't afford time to mourn his comrades before a huge Cleaver Sword burst through the air, whistling toward him in a deadly arc.
Deima's Byakugan caught the enemy's speed, but his body couldn't keep up.
Dodging backward to evade the cleaver's slash, Deima was immediately struck in the abdomen by an opponent's lightning-fast Roundhouse Kick, sending him flying through the air.
Biting back intense abdominal pain, Deima forced himself upright just as the enemy's massive blade came down toward his head.
The chilling sound of the blade sliced through the air, making his scalp prickle. In that moment of desperation, a familiar figure suddenly appeared before him.
Clang!
The enormous blade was blocked by a slender throwing knife.
Stunned, Deima watched as the legendary Cleaver Sword—famed throughout the Ninja World—cracked from colliding with that glowing green-edged throwing knife.
Boom!
The two locked in stalemate kicked off simultaneously.
Then Deima saw the ninja who had nearly crippled him with a Roundhouse Kick get hurled backward five or six meters by a brutal counterattack.
Twisting his body to dissipate the tremendous force, Aozora fixed Biwa Juzo in his already-activated Sharingan gaze and coldly asked the man behind him, "Can you keep fighting?"
That voice from ahead carried such annoying arrogance that Deima instantly recognized its owner.
He never imagined it would be this detestable Uchiha who saved his life.
Receiving no reply, Aozora impatiently repeated, "Can you keep fighting?"
Fighting against Orochimaru and Biwa Juzo, Aozora didn't want to waste any combat effectiveness—otherwise today would become a massacre at Konoha's camp.
Spitting blood from his chest and abdomen, Deima immediately responded, "Of course I can!"
Two giant snakes slithered into the camp like dragons unleashed upon the water, wreaking havoc everywhere and drawing the attention of two other Jonin rushing to reinforce.
Then, Orochimaru rode atop one snake's head into the encampment.
The supporting Konoha ninjas hastily unleashed their signature Ninjutsu techniques, attaching explosive tags to kunai before hurling them at Orochimaru.
[Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!]
Facing the hail of explosive projectiles and kunai, Orochimaru waved his arms as countless serpents burst from his sleeves, hissing and lunging at the Konoha ninjas.
Poisonous snakes surged like a relentless tide, creating a repulsive and terrifying spectacle.
The sea of snakes devoured the incoming attacks and surged toward the Konoha ninja.
[Fire Release - Great Fire Annihilation Technique!]
Amid their panic, a fireball descended from behind through the sky, exploding into a Sea of Flames upon impact, engulfing the snake tide and leaving charred, sizzling corpses below.
Midair, Biwa Juzo slammed his Cleaver Sword into the ground to stop his backward momentum.
He cast Aozora a cold glance before saying, "Orochimaru, your Hidden Leaf truly is a cradle for prodigies."
Orochimaru's gaze swept between Aozora and Tetsuka, lingering on the pair of crimson eyes, finally settling on Aozora.
He grinned with a sinister chuckle. "Indeed, true talents abound here! It seems this mission might bring me unexpected rewards!"
Initially sent here simply seeking opportunity to capture Fugaku and extract information about Mangekyou and Izanagi from him, Orochimaru hadn't expected to encounter not one but two Uchiha with active Three Tomoe Sharingan, one of whom was remarkably young.
Chills ran down Aozora's spine under Orochimaru's greedy stare.
He quickly leaped to Tetsuka's side and immediately whispered, "The newcomers are members of the Akatsuki organization. One is Biwa Juzo, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, skilled in ninjutsu and Water Release techniques—most likely an Elite Jonin. The other is Orochimaru. I won't bother going into extra details about him."
Although they had already suspected the two men's identities, hearing confirmation from Aozora still sent a chill down both Tetsuka's and Deima's spines.
Reputation walks before its man—like a tree's shadow.
Even with the pride of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, they dared not underestimate any strong ones who had carved their names into the Ninja World.
Because every title in the ninja world was written in blood. Whether it be "Broken Blade" Biwa Juzo or the Cold Monarch Orochimaru, both had climbed their thrones on mountains of fallen ninja corpses.
Just then, another Jonin arrived at the battlefield.
Seeing the figure standing atop the giant serpent, Tomoka Hattori instantly turned pale and gasped, "Lord Orochimaru!"
He had once followed Orochimaru into battle against Sunagakure, holding deep reverence and fear for him.
Deima snapped sharply, "Tomoka, he's no longer a ninja of Konoha! Have you forgotten how he used villagers for human experiments?"
Deima's reprimand brought Tomoka back to his senses, yet facing Orochimaru, he still couldn't bring himself to attack.
Observing this, Aozora suggested to Tetsuka, "Get the Genin out of here. Let the Chunin handle the snakes. I'll hold Orochimaru off while you three deal with Biwa Juzo first. Once you're free, come back and help me finish Orochimaru together."
Of the six Jonin currently guarding the main camp, two were occupied fighting the giant snakes and couldn't come. Only these four could face the two newcomers.
Tomoka, filled with dread toward Orochimaru, might not be able to fully exert his strength if forced to fight him directly. Better to let him build confidence by fighting Biwa Juzo first, then join me to surround and kill Orochimaru.
Hyuga Deima's Gentle Fist technique would have minimal effect against Orochimaru but work well against Biwa Juzo.
Tetsuka himself could effectively fight Orochimaru, but even with his assistance, Aozora didn't dare guarantee victory. It would be better to have Tetsuka team up with Deima and the others to eliminate Juzo first.
From their brief previous encounter with Orochimaru, Aozora was confident he could hold his ground for some time.
Tetsuka turned his head toward Aozora and said, "Aozora, you…"
Deima also looked at Aozora in surprise. If he recalled correctly, Aozora's Kage Bunshin were known to be exceptionally cautious about self-preservation.
"Don't think too much!" Aozora cut him off. "Just trust me!"
After studying Aozora carefully for a moment, Tetsuka loudly commanded, "All Genin, immediately leave the battlefield. Chunin, go deal with the giant snakes first. This battle is ours to handle!"
As soon as Iron Fire issued his command, nearby Genin scrambled away in panic while Chunin obeyed orders and rushed toward the two enormous serpents.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>