Hmm? The clone's dead?
At the edge of the battlefield, Kakashi paused mid-swing. His Sharingan flickered slightly.
"Oh well... he died doing what he loved—spying on people dramatically."
The Cloud Shinobi chūnin in front of him noticed the momentary lapse and lunged forward, kunai aimed straight at Kakashi's chest.
Bad move.
Swish!One clean cut later, the chūnin fell clutching his throat, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Seriously?" Kakashi muttered, glancing at the corpse. "All that enthusiasm... no technique. Guess enthusiasm doesn't block swords."
He turned his head toward the heart of the battlefield, where an enormous pyramid of sand loomed in the distance like a bad omen.
"Shukaku's sealing technique... so that's what it feels like to be buried alive without the funeral part."
Earlier, Kakashi had sent out two shadow clones—one to Minato's side of the battlefield, the other near Killer Bee—to gather intel. Disguised as fallen ninja, they had watched the battle unfold in silence. It was perfect: frontline action, minimal risk, and maximum data for later reflection.
"Clone No. 2, you were the bravest fake dead body I've ever created."
But not even keeping distance could save his clone from the sheer power of Shukaku's sealing move.
"Yep. That's a tailed beast for you. Overkill and sand in places you don't want to think about."
Kakashi mentally noted the One Tail's sealing method.
Big profit. Minor trauma. Worth it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Back at the center of chaos, Shukaku was grinning like a maniac, raising his claw to finish off the Cloud Shinobi.
That is, until an explosion shook the ground behind him.
"What?!"He turned around just in time to see Gyūki burst out of the sand pyramid, looking more than a little scorched.
"Shukaku, you really pissed me off this time!"
The Eight Tails' voice thundered with fury, and the atmosphere darkened as an enormous, churning sphere of chakra began to form above his head.
"Eh? Tailed Beast Bomb already?" Shukaku frowned, his earlier arrogance replaced with concern. "So we're skipping foreplay now?"
Gyūki glared. "No more games. Let's see how far you've come!"
"Fine, you want to compare sizes? Let's go!" Shukaku roared, and began forming his own dark, crackling Tailed Beast Bomb in response.
BOOM!!!
The two Tailed Beast Bombs collided mid-air.
First, there was silence. Then came the blinding white flash, followed by a titanic shockwave that carved into the earth and sent thousands of ninja flying like leaves in a hurricane.
Entire battalions were vaporized.
Wind, sand, and chakra slammed across the battlefield like a divine punishment. No one was safe. No one had time to scream.
"Okay, mental note," Kakashi muttered, shielding himself, "never talk smack around giant chakra bombs. They get real touchy."
Even the most hardened shinobi paused at the destruction, staring in awe at the power wielded by the tailed beasts.
The Third Raikage and Fourth Kazekage (Rasa) immediately disengaged from their duel and raced toward the explosion site.
Minato followed silently, thoughts heavy.
If Konoha's ever attacked this fiercely... will Kushina have to transform into the Nine Tails too?
No.
I'll never let it come to that.
In the center of a scorched, glassy crater, the forms of Killer Bee and Bunpuku were barely recognizable, both having reverted from their tailed beast forms.
Bunpuku lay unconscious in Chiyo's arms, while Bee rested against the Third Raikage, bruised and battered.
Though their tailed beasts were healing them, their condition was critical.
"Quick! Get Bee and Bunpuku to the medics!"Rasa and the Third Raikage barked orders without hesitation.
The jinchūriki were the hearts of their villages' strength. They couldn't afford to lose them now.
Ai and Chiyo sprinted in opposite directions, carrying the injured men back to their respective camps.
The remaining Kage stood in tense silence.
"REPORT!"
A Cloud Shinobi messenger skidded to a halt in front of the Third Raikage.
"Lord Raikage! Four to five hundred Konoha shinobi have broken into our rear camp! They're Uchiha! Their clan leader is leading them personally—our Anbu can't hold them!"
The Third Raikage's face twisted with shock.
"Konoha's reinforcements?! At this timing?!"
If their rear camp fell, everything—supplies, medics, reinforcements—would collapse.
He clenched his fists tight enough to draw blood.
"Everyone, listen up!" he barked.
"All forces are to retreat to the rear camp immediately! Defend it at all costs!"
"What about the Sand Shinobi on the frontlines?" a shinobi asked urgently.
Raikage's expression hardened."I'll hold them off myself."
Silence. Then—
"NO! Let us—"
"Shut it!"His shout silenced them instantly.
"As long as I live, you obey my command. That's what it means to bear the title of Raikage!"
"YES, SIR!"
Cloud Shinobi saluted with clenched fists and misty eyes before scattering to relay the order.
Raikage turned alone to face the enemy forces: Rasa, Minato, and countless Sand Shinobi still standing.
His muscles tensed, lightning chakra surging around his body like a living storm.
"That last battle wasn't enough."
"Now it's your turn. All of you—come at me!"
To be continued....