Knowing that Fumori Masaki will arriving with reinforcements, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others couldn't help but feel relieved. The slugs Fumori Masaki had prepared in advance proved invaluable. Without them, someone would have had to distract the Golden Horn and Silver Horn troops while the others sought support.
The fate of anyone used as bait was grim; even a momentary distraction wouldn't change the outcome. The Golden Horn and Silver Horn, with their Nine-Tailed Chakra and twenty elite ninjas, were formidable foes. Only the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara could guarantee victory against such enemies. Today, no one in the ninja world could face them alone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others now looked to Tobirama, waiting for orders. Should they join forces with Fumori Masaki, or were there other strategies?
Tobirama wasn't planning to join the main forces directly. He worried this would cause the Golden Horn and Silver Horn to retreat, missing the chance for annihilation. They needed to engage before the enemies could react. Tobirama spoke, "Prepare yourselves for a tough fight, but once Masaki and his troops arrive, we'll have the advantage."
Everyone nodded. The enemy had an overwhelming numerical advantage. Even if one could hold off the Golden Horn and Silver Horn, their remaining troops still outnumbered Tobirama's guards four to one. A well-coordinated four-person team could defeat an enemy one level stronger than them.
They no longer fled but rested in place, recovering chakra and energy. No one spoke; the atmosphere was too tense for lightheartedness.
Sensing the distance between the Golden Horn and Silver Horn troops and the Konoha forces, Tobirama asked, "Are you ready?"
"Ready, sensei," the guards of Second Hokage responded in unison.
"Good, let's do this." With that, they hid in the woods, preparing to ambush.
Golden Horn and Silver Horn, with their guards, were approaching, unaware of Konoha's presence. Their focus was entirely on the trails left by Tobirama and his guards. They were confident they were closing in on their targets.
Surprised that the enemy had stopped running, Golden Horn and Silver Horn didn't care. They were intent on finding and killing the Second Hokage and Second Raikage.
Despite their heightened combat awareness, the ambush from Tobirama and his guards was swiftly countered by Golden Horn and Silver Horn, who blocked the attack.
"Haha! Finally decided to fight, Second Hokage? Running like a coward, your brother would have been shameful!" Golden Horn taunted, releasing the Nine-Tails' Chakra, enveloping himself in a translucent red aura.
The initial attack failing wasn't surprising. Golden Horn and Silver Horn were at Kage level, and their elite guards wouldn't fall easily. Tobirama, unfazed by the provocation, followed the combat plan with his guards.
The fierce battle's noise was unmistakable. Fumori Masaki and his troops, hearing the distant sounds and seeing occasional jutsu lighting up the sky, knew they had to hurry.
Arriving at the battlefield, they found it divided. Golden Horn, Silver Horn, and Tobirama in one side; the duo brother's troops clashing with Tobirama's guards in another. Tobirama seemed in good shape, but his guards were battered. They were outnumbered and outmatched by the elite forces of Golden and Silver Horns.
The arrival of Fumori Masaki's reinforcements reversed the numbers. Now, Konoha and Yunyin surrounded the Golden Horn and Silver Horn troops.
Golden Horn and Silver Horn, seeing the unexpected reinforcements, were puzzled. How could these forces be here when the Second Hokage and his guards were engaged?
Tobirama and his guards quickly regrouped with the main forces of Masaki, easing the pressure. Sora scanned the battlefield but didn't see her teacher and his guards. She knew they wouldn't be far.
"Kinkaku, where is my sensei?" Sora demanded.
"Second Raikage? He's here," Golden Horn patted the Crimson gourd on his body. "You miss him, Sora? You can join him." Mocked Kinkaku
"Traitor!" Sora retorted.
"Traitor? Second Raikage betrayed Kumogakure. Only the strong can lead our village!" Golden Horn snarled. "Even alone, we fight until the end."
"You're mad," Sora said, feeling uneasy about these so-called village heroes.
"Mad? Sora, why side with Konoha? They're enemies. You are Kumo ninja,and yet you stand with them? Who's the real traitor?" Golden Horn shot back.
"We're allies now, both seeking peace. You—warmongers—are the true threat," Fumori Masaki interjected, smiling at Silver Horn. "Why persist after repeated failures?"
"Fumori Masaki!" Silver Horn's eyes filled with rage, gripping the Seven Star Sword tightly.
"Enough talk, let's fight," Fumori Masaki said. Tobirama, nodding, indicated he had recovered. Masaki ordered the attack.
Konoha and Kumo ninjas advanced together. Betrayers like Golden Horn and Silver Horn were intolerable. Fumori Masaki, Sora, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and others confronted the Golden Horn and Silver Horn. Masaki focused on Silver Horn, while the others handled Golden Horn.
"Think you can beat me alone?" Silver Horn scoffed at Masaki.
"No need to think, it's been proven," Masaki replied, recalling the battle for the stockpile.
Silver Horn's anger flared, remembering that fight where he lost his arm, rendering him unable to use ninjutsu. The source of his loss stood before him!
Fumori Masaki sensed the natural energy flow, thinking, "As expected."
During the stockpile battle, he felt strange natural energy, initially attributing it to the Nine-Tails' Chakra. Later, he realized Golden Horn and Silver Horn's Nine-Tails Chakra was replenished by natural energy, transforming into tailed beast chakra.
This led Masaki to theorize that the tailed beast's chakra could be regenerated through natural energy, hinting at a deeper connection. If a secret technique or device could harness this, it would be revolutionary.
Snapping back to the present, Masaki stared at Silver Horn, pulling out a scroll. He summoned a sheathed blade, its sharpness evident even through the scabbard.
"Ginkaku, you should feel honoured," Fumori Masaki declared, a determined glint in his eyes. "You're the first to face my brand new weapon." He tightened his grip, the air around him growing tense as he readied himself for the impending clash. The weight of his words hung heavily, a challenge that Ginkaku couldn't ignore. Masaki's confidence was palpable, as if his new weapon held the power to shift the course of their battle.