"Iwagakure may lack many things, but one thing we have in abundance is shinobi. Do you really think you can outlast us, Konoha? Go ahead—try setting up another one of those explosive tag traps!"
Higashi, commander of Iwa's forces, was well aware of the financial crises plaguing the great villages. Apart from Kumogakure, which barely maintained a balanced budget, every other village was drowning in debt.
Sunagakure, in particular, was on the brink—its annual interest payments alone nearly matched its total mission revenue. If not for their gold-sand mining operations, their economy would have collapsed long ago.
It was precisely this debt crisis that drove Suna to push for war.
To them, internal strife was inevitable—better to redirect that chaos outward than let it consume them from within. Apart from Kumo, which had a more unified military-government structure, every other village was in a similar predicament.
After all, the worst outcome of war was a surrender treaty—not annihilation. But the victor? They could erase their debts and stabilize their internal conflicts.
At its core, the Great Shinobi Wars were nothing more than extreme measures to resolve domestic crises.
Since this was all about money, even wealthy Konoha wouldn't recklessly waste resources and worsen its own deficit—or so Higashi thought.
BOOOOM!
Another deafening explosion shook the earth, sending another vanguard unit flying.
Judging by the scale, another ten thousand explosive tags had just detonated.
"Form defensive formations—NOW!"
After losing two vanguard squads, Higashi finally abandoned his stubborn advance and ordered a full halt, buying time for the scouts to dismantle the remaining traps.
But disarming explosive tags was no easy task—even for earth-hardened Iwa-nin, it took precious time.
Regret gnawed at Higashi. If I'd known about these traps, I would've retreated to the right flank instead. Even a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Bomb would've been better than being stuck here!
"Wipe out those damn flies on the mountain!"
With the main force stalled and under constant bombardment from the 500-strong Umino Explosive Corps, Higashi finally had time to deal with these pests. Before the escape route was cleared, he would crush this unit—if only to vent his fury.
Nearly a thousand Iwa-nin broke off, charging toward the Umino forces entrenched on the left ridge.
"Water Release Squad—PREPARE!"
Yoru immediately signaled the Water Release unit. Simultaneously, his shadow clones hurled several sealing scrolls down the slope before forming hand signs.
The scrolls burst midair, releasing a torrent of liquid nitrogen.
"Ice Release: Frozen Wasteland!"
The Water Release unit's technique, amplified by wind and the liquid nitrogen, transformed the mountainside into an arctic hellscape. Over a hundred Iwa-nin were instantly frozen solid, their assault shattered.
Now, the Umino Corps held the high ground—a modest hill, but with the added Ice Release barrier, it became an impregnable fortress. Meanwhile, sporadic explosions still rocked the scouts' path—proof that the traps remained active.
"Commander, what now?"
Advisor Mogura grimaced. They were trapped between a frozen mountain and an explosive dead end.
"Abandon the assault. Order the scouts to focus on disarming the traps and clearing our retreat."
Higashi's glare burned into the icy slope, but rage didn't cloud his judgment. Then, his eyes flicked to the right flank—where the Five-Tails, under siege by the Sannin, showed the first signs of exhaustion.
A glimmer of hope.
"New orders: Pivot right and retreat! Tell the sealing team to prepare for Five-Tails extraction."
The Five-Tails was Iwa's ultimate weapon—it could not fall into Konoha's hands.
Fully transformed, the Five-Tails was a monster. Even the Sannin—still not at their peak—struggled against it, their summons barely holding the line.
Spotting the retreating Iwa forces, the beast roared in fury, unleashing a barrage of mini-Tailed Beast Bombs. One even veered toward the Umino Corps' position.
Iwa's main force weathered the blasts with practiced Earth Release defenses—small-scale bombs were manageable.
But for the Umino unit?
"SCATTER!"
Shigure Tsuki's order came too late. Against a Tailed Beast Bomb, evasion was futile.
This is it. He braced for annihilation.
Then—
" 鮫肌・査克拉喰い !" (Samehada: Chakra Devour!)
Yoru leaped into the bomb's path, Samehada's maw gaping wide—and swallowed the blast whole.
A beat of silence.
Then—a satisfied burp.
Pure, refined chakra flooded into Yoru's system.
"Huh?"
To his shock, the energy was perfect for his Marrow Yang Release training—even alleviating the strain of his shadow clones.
"Is this… Yin-Yang chakra?"
Samehada had absorbed elemental techniques before, but they always left it uncomfortable—fire was too hot, water too dense.
But Tailed Beast energy?
It feasted.
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