"They were just contingencies I prepared beforehand."
Ning Feng didn't seem particularly concerned.
He merely shrugged and smiled casually.
Even he hadn't expected that, despite having so many life-saving abilities, he would still come so close to dying at the hands of Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
"Without Hashirama around, the next battles should be much easier."
A thought occurred to him.
Since Kabuto had sealed Hashirama away, then the only major Edo Tensei threats remaining on the Konoha battlefield should be Tobirama and Mū.
While those two were certainly powerful, they were still far inferior to Hashirama, a true Super Kage-level combatant.
At the very least, Minato should be able to handle them.
"Madara Uchiha is still causing trouble. The battlefield situation isn't exactly good."
Minato's expression remained grave.
Although Hashirama's disappearance had significantly eased the pressure on Konoha, Tobirama and Mū were hardly easy opponents.
"Shouldn't Konoha still have plenty of ninja that haven't been mobilized yet?"
Ning Feng glanced across the defensive lines.
From what he could see, Konoha hadn't deployed nearly all of its forces.
"That's true."
Minato gave a bitter smile.
"Because Sunagakure has also launched attacks against Konoha."
He genuinely didn't know what Konoha and Amegakure had done.
Yet somehow, three of the Five Great Nations had decided to join forces against them.
Konoha's ninja forces were numerous and generally of higher quality.
But under attacks from three fronts, their manpower had been stretched thin.
Each battlefield only barely matched the enemy in numbers.
Not to mention the constant harassment from the White Zetsu army.
White Zetsu could imitate both the appearance and abilities of shinobi whose chakra it absorbed.
That ability alone had given Konoha endless headaches.
Thankfully, Ning Feng had warned them beforehand, preventing countless casualties.
"What about medical ninja?"
"And Lady Tsunade?"
Ning Feng sighed.
He clearly remembered emphasizing the importance of deploying medical ninja.
The concept had originally been proposed by Tsunade herself, one of the Legendary Sannin.
Unfortunately, the short-sighted Third Hokage had rejected it outright.
Now that Hiruzen was dead and Minato was Hokage, there was no reason not to implement it.
Medical ninja could dramatically improve battlefield survivability.
"...Tsunade refuses to participate."
Minato smiled helplessly.
"She's probably still upset about having her proposal rejected by Hiruzen all those years ago."
Ning Feng shook his head.
That wasn't the primary reason.
The real issue was her hemophobia.
After losing both her younger brother and her lover, Tsunade had developed a severe fear of blood.
Because of that, battlefields had effectively become impossible for her.
"As for the other medical ninja..."
"They've already been assigned to the other fronts."
"We simply don't have enough people."
Minato rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Even as the Fourth Hokage, he often found himself relying on strategic suggestions from a five-year-old genius.
Whether it was ninjutsu or battlefield insight, Ning Feng was exceptional.
Sometimes Minato even felt as though Ning Feng were his teacher.
"Then that's fine."
Ning Feng smiled confidently.
"Leave this battlefield to us from now on."
With Hashirama sealed away...
It was finally time for him to shine.
Aside from that peak Super Kage-level opponent whose strength rivaled his own, everyone else was manageable.
"Good, Feng."
Minato smiled as well.
With Ning Feng's return, the pressure on this battlefield had decreased enormously.
Konoha, despite being outnumbered, might even be able to launch a counteroffensive.
Kabuto had already dispatched all of his Edo Tensei shinobi across Konoha's various battlefields.
On the battlefield where Minato was stationed—the one he considered most important—he had deployed several Kage-level reanimations.
"So we'll have to wait until tomorrow before launching the final assault?"
Kabuto looked at the map spread across the table and marked an X near one of Konoha's outer positions.
"Konoha's strength shouldn't be underestimated."
"It's better to proceed steadily."
Madara brushed his long hair aside and spoke calmly.
Having experienced countless wars throughout his life, he understood one truth:
The closer one came to victory, the less one could afford to rush.
"Have they located the Two-Tails?"
"They have."
"The Kumogakure people have been surprisingly cooperative."
Kabuto stepped back respectfully.
"Good."
Madara chuckled coldly.
"Once I've gathered the remaining beasts into their cage, I'll personally flatten Konoha and Amegakure."
He rose to his feet, preparing to depart and capture the Two-Tails himself.
Suddenly—
Kabuto cried out.
"What is it?"
Madara turned around, puzzled.
During their time together, he'd come to recognize Kabuto as a remarkably calm individual.
Why was he acting so shocked now?
"Uchiha Feng..."
"He's still alive?!"
Kabuto looked as though he'd seen a ghost.
His glasses had nearly slid off his nose.
His face was filled with disbelief.
"Still alive?"
Madara's expression immediately changed.
"Are you certain?"
Is this guy immortal or something?
How could he still be alive?
He had endured Tobirama's Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags and Hashirama's True Several Thousand Hands.
Even Madara himself, at his peak, wouldn't confidently claim he could survive that combination.
"He's definitely alive."
Kabuto forced himself to calm down.
Immediately, he redirected a large portion of the Edo Tensei forces that had been heading toward other battlefields and sent them toward Ning Feng's location.
"This is bad..."
"The numbers we left behind won't be enough anymore."
"They've begun their counterattack!"
Kabuto's face grew increasingly pale.
Originally, he had intended to gather all his forces and launch a full assault on Konoha tomorrow.
Without Ning Feng...
And with Minato occupied by the Masked Man...
The chances of his army crushing Konoha would have been nearly one hundred percent.
The reason he'd consulted Madara earlier was simply because he feared Konoha might retreat during the night.
But now...
Ning Feng was alive.
The entire strategic situation had reversed.
In fact...
There was a very real possibility that their Edo Tensei forces would no longer be a match for Konoha's army.
"Order all units to withdraw immediately."
Madara's voice carried an almost hypnotic certainty.
Kabuto instantly felt his panic settle.
"Once I've collected the remaining Tailed Beasts, I'll personally deal with him."
"Then... I'll begin withdrawing everyone now."
Kabuto's expression was ugly.
Hashirama, their greatest trump card, could no longer be used for the time being.
And based on the earlier battle where Ning Feng had single-handedly suppressed both Tobirama and Mū...
Retreating safely from that battlefield would be difficult enough.
"Hmph..."
Madara's Sharingan darkened ominously.
"Uchiha Feng..."
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