The Iwagakure forces attacked far sooner than Jiraiya had anticipated.
At the first frontline of the Land of Fire, Jiraiya spotted figures emerging incessantly from the distant mountains. Thanks to the enhanced visual acuity granted by the Basic Internal Energy Technique, he could see clearly across the vast distance—Iwagakure ninja charging forward, weapons in hand, roaring toward their position.
"Kill them all!"
Their actions made it clear: they had abandoned all pretense of stealth, opting instead for a direct, head-on assault.
If that was how they wanted it—
Jiraiya bit his thumb and slammed it onto the ground.
Boom!
A massive toad materialized beneath him.
"Then I'll give you exactly what you're asking for," Jiraiya declared, his armor billowing in the raging wind.
Behind him, rows of Konoha ninja stood ready—some on the ground, others perched on tree branches or hanging upside down. Among them were the sunglasses-clad members of the Aburame Clan, the Inuzuka Clan with their loyal ninken, and even a significant number from the Hyuga Clan, alongside other shinobi families. The majority, however, were civilian-trained ninja who had risen through the ranks in recent years.
"Everyone!" Jiraiya called out from atop the giant toad, his gaze fixed on the battlefield ahead.
"Lord Jiraiya!" the crowd responded in unison.
With a nod, Jiraiya addressed the toad beneath him.
"Gamabunta! Let's move!"
"Roger!"
Gamabunta's hand tightened around the hilt of the massive sword at his waist.
"Charge!!" Jiraiya bellowed.
With a mighty leap, Gamabunta launched himself into the heart of the Iwagakure forces. His blade flashed like a blur, cutting down enemy ninja with ruthless efficiency, while Jiraiya spewed torrents of fire, scorching entire swaths of the battlefield.
"Jiraiya!!"
"You won't get away with this!!"
"Today, Konoha falls!!"
Three figures broke through the Iwagakure ranks, converging on Jiraiya. Though none were elites on his level, they were high-ranking jonin—strong enough to pose a threat.
As Jiraiya became entangled with the trio, the battle erupted in full force.
Konoha ninja clashed with Iwagakure's forces.
The Inuzuka and their ninken whirled through the enemy like twin tornadoes, leaving chaos in their wake—until earthen walls erupted from the ground, trapping them.
Swarming insects, unleashed by the Aburame, devoured enemy ninja in a living tide, only to be met with explosive fire techniques that incinerated them by the thousands.
Though outnumbered, Konoha's forces held a slight edge in skill. Yet the gap wasn't wide enough to prevent the Iwagakure ninja from breaking through to the rear.
As the enemy advanced, the forest behind the frontline became a secondary battleground.
Hidden among the trees, Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina tensed at the distant roar of jutsu. The sheer intensity of the fighting was unlike anything they'd seen before—no mere skirmish, but all-out war.
"Why does this war even exist?" Kushina muttered, unable to hold back the question.
Minato hesitated, then recalled a story Kin had once told him idly:
"Two rulers, seated high above, disagree. So they send the sons of farmers to kill each other across vast distances. In the end, the rulers shake hands and make peace."
Were the daimyo those rulers? Were the ninja the farmers' sons?
Minato doubted the Hokage could be the ruler in this analogy.
"Pretty ridiculous, isn't it?"
Kin's voice echoed in his mind.
Shaking off the thought, Minato focused—the enemy had arrived.
Two Iwagakure ninja emerged ahead, their mission clear: breach Konoha's rear lines at all costs.
A gust of wind stirred the leaves.
The Iwa-nin tensed, eyes darting toward the sound.
"This damn technique heightens sensitivity too much," one gritted out. The recently acquired jutsu boosted their reflexes, agility, and strength—but sometimes, excessive sharpness became a liability.
"Shut up and keep moving," the other panted, scanning the shadows. Their orders were to sow chaos in the Land of Fire, but Konoha's defenses were formidable.
Silently, they pressed on, aware of their precarious position. As mere chunin, they'd been lucky to make it this far—but luck wouldn't last forever.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Shuriken sliced through the air. The duo leaped aside, only for the weapons to curve mid-flight, homing in relentlessly.
Interlocking hands, they yanked each other sideways, barely evading. As they landed, their bodies sank into the earth like water, vanishing without a trace.
The forest fell eerily quiet—a silence thick with danger.
Then—
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Kushina's completed seals summoned a colossal water dragon that crashed into the ground, blasting the hidden Iwa-nin into the open.
Minato was already upon them. His kunai parried one attacker's strike, but the other drove a kick into his gut—
Poof!
A log replaced him. In the next instant, Minato reappeared beside the first Iwa-nin, his kunai striking like a viper at the man's throat.
Clang!
The second ninja barely intercepted the blow.
Snarling, the first retaliated, plunging his kunai toward Minato—
Poof!
Another substitution. Minato retreated mid-air, wind chakra swirling around him. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a razor-edged gust slicing across the distance.
The Iwa-nin's eyes widened—how was the wind blade so fast?—before his life was cut short.
"Bastard!! Konoha scum!!" The surviving ninja yanked out an explosive tag—
Only for Kushina to materialize behind him, half her face shrouded in shadow, a single crimson eye gleaming.
Her fist smashed into his spine.
Crunch.
The force hurled him into the earth, his body folding grotesquely backward.
No time to rest. Minato and Kushina turned in unison as new figures raced toward them through the trees.
...
"Thanks to Kobe Robertson for the support!"
Read 50 advance at patreon.com/CNBLUE
(End of Chapter)