Chiyo and the Kazekage knelt on the ground, gasping for breath.
In that last moment, they had defended with all their might to avoid being cut down by a single strike.
But Chiyo's Chikamatsu's Ten Puppets had been destroyed, leaving her completely powerless, and the Kazekage's sturdy Iron Sand had been reduced to dust under that blade.
The two of them stared at White Fang in fear.
"What kind of sword is this!?"
How could such a powerful slash exist?
If the opponent could unleash another strike like that...
They would no longer be able to block it.
"The third layer of the Basic Internal Energy Technique... I still haven't fully mastered it."
White Fang sighed. That slash had only tapped into a fraction of the third layer's power.
It was a testament to just how formidable this sealing technique was.
It no longer relied on chakra but drew upon the energy flowing through the world.
He had heard of such a power before—natural energy.
Uchiha Kin's genius might have even surpassed that of the Second Hokage.
White Fang's gaze shifted into the distance.
Figures were approaching, their movements hurried. With his keen eyesight, he could make out the forehead protectors of Sunagakure.
The Sand Shinobi reinforcements had arrived.
"What a pity."
White Fang sighed. He could no longer unleash another slash like that.
That strike had not only drained all his chakra but also exhausted his physical strength. The only reason he was still standing was because he dared not show weakness.
While one of the two before him had lost their combat ability, the other was still capable of fighting.
Yet he could barely move.
At this moment, he wasn't ready to give up his life.
But with the arrival of the Sand Shinobi...
It seemed his life was truly about to end.
"I won't be able to take you back."
He had broken his promise to Uchiha Kin.
The Kazekage watched White Fang with lingering fear, only calming slightly as the Sand Shinobi drew nearer.
"Kazekage-sama!"
"Kazekage-sama!"
"Kazekage-sama!"
Everywhere he looked, Sand Shinobi filled his vision.
It was as if White Fang stood alone against the entire Hidden Sand Village.
And in a way, that was exactly the case.
"Kazekage-sama, kill White Fang!"
"He's slaughtered so many of us!"
"End him!"
The Sand Shinobi glared at White Fang with fury. This single man had nearly shattered their entire defensive line.
The Kazekage's lips twitched. He wanted to give the order to kill White Fang.
But he didn't dare.
He glanced back at the severed mountain range in the distance. If the enemy unleashed another slash like that...
As the Kazekage, he had the confidence to fight, even if his chances of victory were slim. At least he could hold the line.
After all, even a 0.1% chance was still a chance.
But the shinobi behind him were his subordinates. While he might survive, he had no confidence in protecting them.
They were the strength of Sunagakure. If they were lost here, the village might even fall from its place among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Yet... perhaps White Fang no longer had the strength for another slash.
As he hesitated—
"Who dares!?"
A furious roar echoed.
A massive figure descended from the sky, crashing onto the ground with a thunderous "boom," kicking up a cloud of dust.
When the dust settled...
Tsunade stood atop a giant slug, shielding White Fang with her arms crossed, her cold gaze sweeping over the Sand Shinobi.
She had cut off any possibility of them attacking.
Behind her, plumes of smoke erupted as Konoha shinobi emerged one after another.
In numbers, they now rivaled the Sand Shinobi.
"Tsunade..." Chiyo's face darkened as she glared at her.
These two—one was her rival, the other was the man she hated above all others.
The two sides stood in a tense standoff.
The Kazekage studied White Fang, who showed no signs of weakness, and finally made his decision.
"Retreat!"
Even if White Fang couldn't unleash another slash, the tide had already turned. There was no point in continuing the battle.
At the Kazekage's command, the Sand Shinobi obeyed without question. The Third Kazekage's authority was absolute.
Chiyo shot White Fang a venomous look.
But for the sake of the village—unlike those who had arrived later—she understood the consequences of acting rashly.
Without another word...
The Sand Shinobi withdrew, surrounding the Kazekage as they retreated.
Once the last of them had vanished from sight, White Fang could no longer hold on. His face paled, and he collapsed backward.
Luckily, Uchiha Kin—who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere—caught him just in time.
White Fang managed a weak smile at Kin.
"We can go home now."
With that, he lost consciousness.
"You bastard..."
Kin gritted his teeth. Why had this idiot dragged him along? If not for that, would Kin have risked his life to save him?
Did he think a single sentence would make up for it?
Listen here.
This isn't over!!
Tsunade cast a deep glance at the shattered mountain range in the distance. It was that earth-shattering slash that had led them here.
"Has Sakumo reached the same heights as my grandfather?"
Aside from Hashirama Senju, she had never seen anyone else wield such power.
That slash hadn't just cut through a mountain—it had split an entire range.
A single strike had altered the geography of the Land of Rivers.
The answer would reveal itself once White Fang awoke.
None of them noticed...
A white figure flickered beneath the earth, vanishing in an instant.
Konoha.
The report of Sunagakure's retreat at the hands of White Fang alone landed on Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.
"White Fang!" Danzō Shimura snorted coldly, tossing the report onto the table. "A single slash to cut a mountain range? What a joke. Does he think he's the God of Shinobi?"
Koharu Utatane frowned in disagreement. "But the altered terrain in the Land of Rivers is undeniable."
This wasn't just one person's account—multiple reports confirmed it.
Danzō scoffed.
It wasn't that he didn't believe it—he simply refused to accept it. If the village had such overwhelming power...
Wouldn't his chance at becoming Hokage slip away again?
He had been counting on the next Hokage position.
"Enough arguing," Hiruzen cut in, tossing a sealed letter onto the table. "This is Sakumo's personal account. Read it yourselves."
Danzō snatched it up immediately.
"So that's how it is!"
His face lit up with sudden delight.
White Fang's letter was brief, mentioning only three things:
First, to atone for his mistake, he had chosen to resolve the Sand Shinobi threat alone.
Second, the secret behind that slash—the third layer of the Basic Internal Energy Technique. According to White Fang, anyone who mastered the third layer could theoretically achieve similar power.
Third, he hadn't truly mastered the third layer. He had forced it through sheer willpower, channeling the sealing technique of the third layer just once.
That was how he had unleashed that single strike.
Though it would take him a long time to accumulate enough chakra to use it again.
For Danzō, this revelation sparked a glimmer of hope.
"The power of the God of Shinobi... and it's right here."
If he could obtain this power, the Hokage seat would be within his grasp.
Noticing Koharu and Homura Mitokado waiting, he reluctantly handed them the letter.
"How is this possible? Uchiha Kin's Basic Internal Energy Technique again!?"
The three of them were stunned.
They had already witnessed many of the technique's extraordinary effects.
But now, it could reach such heights?
"Enough," Hiruzen said flatly, eyeing them. "The question now is how we should handle Hatake Sakumo."
...
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(End of Chapter)