The Cloud Village's large-scale invasion caused Konoha's defensive lines to collapse entirely.
When only one person remains standing from a defensive unit, the stark difference in strength between the two sides becomes clear.
Sensing the threat posed by the Cloud ninjas, Konoha redirected reinforcements from two other fronts back to the homeland to confront the Cloud forces. This was to be the final remnants of the Third Great Ninja War.
The Raikage, seeing this as a rare opportunity, didn't want to let it slip away. After wiping out Konoha's defensive forces, he decisively pushed deeper into enemy territory. As long as they could sweep away Konoha's defensive power, they would be able to regroup and launch a full-scale attack on Konoha.
A nation's military strength is represented by its ninja village. Once the village is destroyed, the country becomes toothless, no longer a threat.
Under Ye Zi's watch, the Raikage wiped out an entire city on his way to the rendezvous point, just to replenish their food supplies. It was effortless—he destroyed the city with a casual ease, leaving it engulfed in flames. Countless civilians were killed or injured—this was the power of a ninja.
After reaching the rendezvous point, they were not far from Konoha. At a ninja's marching speed, they could reach it within an hour. After some time, Tōtai's unit also arrived at the rendezvous point.
Ye Zi's shadow clone joined up with his original body.
After releasing the jutsu, Ye Zi received the shadow clone's memories. Konoha's third defensive unit had been annihilated, with no survivors.
"A and the others are taking their time," Raikage commented, glancing at the number of Cloud ninjas present. He nodded slightly but frowned when he noticed that A and B's unit had not yet arrived.
"They must have encountered some trouble," Tōtai suggested while allowing his men to rest.
Raikage crossed his arms and coldly stared in the direction of Konoha. "Our communication methods are too weak. We'll need to think about improving them afterward."
"Yes," Dodai agreed.
Multiple points of combat meant that communication was crucial for victory, but improving this had always been a challenge. Additionally, establishing a proper medical ninja system should be prioritized—its role in warfare was unparalleled.
The Cloud ninjas spread out in the forest, silently recovering their strength, preparing for the impending full-scale assault.
Hidden in the shadows, Ye Zi silently observed the tail end of the Cloud forces, careful not to get too close and risk being detected.
The transmission of information is the most basic ability of a ninja village.
Despite the total collapse of the defensive line, the intel quickly reached Konoha.
In the Hokage's office at Konoha's headquarters, the crisis lay before them, and the village's leaders had gathered.
"...Completely wiped out…" Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the map with a heavy expression. Even Orochimaru couldn't hold back the Raikage's might, though it wasn't Orochimaru's fault—the Raikage was indeed powerful. Even if Hiruzen himself went to the front, in his current condition, he would likely lose as well.
If the situation became more dire, he couldn't afford to stay in the rear. He would have to take up arms and fight.
"The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki is missing. She should never have been sent to the front lines. If the jinchūriki is captured by the Cloud ninjas, the consequences will be dire," Danzō said coldly, casting a sharp glance at Hiruzen.
Hiruzen met Danzō's gaze for a moment, then returned his focus to the map. "I'll take responsibility afterward. Right now, the priority is stopping the Cloud ninjas."
Danzō's eyes narrowed, hiding a flicker of cold intent as he replied, "Minato and Tsunade's units are on their way. They should be able to intercept the Cloud forces."
"That's right. Jiraiya's forces are in a strong position, so he can send some troops to help as well," Homura Mitokado said, his eyes also on the map. The changing situation made him consider how to trap the Cloud forces within the Land of Fire. If they won this battle, the Cloud would have no strength left, and the war would likely come to an end.
"The only remaining threat is the Cloud Village. We must win this battle. Every available force must be deployed," Koharu Utatane stated calmly.
Hiruzen pondered for a moment before nodding. "Have Jiraiya split his forces and join up with Tsunade. This may be the final battle."
After the decision was made, the orders were sent out. Jiraiya, upon receiving them, immediately handed command of the front to Uchiha Fukuchi and led a portion of his forces to the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, saved by Ye Zi, was making his way back to Konoha despite his injuries.
On the other hand, Kushina, focusing on stalling, was successfully delaying A and Killer Bee.
Their goal to capture her alive had led A and Bee to hold back, and combined with Kushina's terrifying healing ability and seemingly endless chakra, the two brothers couldn't find an opening.
To counter the threat from the shadows, A had his subordinates form a perimeter around the battlefield. Although their role in this level of combat was limited, they were tasked with preventing Kushina from escaping and guarding against reinforcements from Konoha.
The plan to capture the Nine-Tails jinchūriki had caused them to miss their window of opportunity.
Initially, sending Kushina to the front lines had been a decision by Hiruzen, respecting her wishes. They hadn't expected it to work out like this.
If it hadn't been for that sudden shadow clone, they would have already captured the Nine-Tails.
Every time they broke her arms and legs, they would heal almost instantly. If they aimed for her vital points, they risked killing the jinchūriki. These constant concerns prevented them from subduing Kushina.
As time dragged on, A's frustration grew.
"Bee, we can't drag this out any longer."
"Big bro, this woman is a pain." Killer Bee sighed. Even the Eight-Tails' tails, once severed, took time to regrow. But this woman could heal her broken limbs in seconds.
The main problem was that she was intentionally stalling, making her even harder to deal with.
Having figured out their strategy, Kushina gradually became familiar with A and Bee's fighting style, making the battle less overwhelming.
If it weren't for her limited range of jutsu, with the support of the Yin Seal and the Nine-Tails' chakra, Kushina might have been able to defeat them. Unfortunately, the superhuman strength she learned from Tsunade was useless against the speed of A and Bee.
The battlefield had been turned into a wasteland, with craters of varying depths covering the area, leaving no trace of greenery.
Amidst the stalemate, Minato Namikaze and his reinforcements arrived.
The Cloud ninjas stationed at one of the perimeter points were instantly wiped out by Konoha's arriving forces, and soon the Cloud forces realized the Konoha reinforcements had come.
"It's the Yellow Flash!"
Recognizing Minato's signature technique, the Cloud ninjas were immediately on edge.
A clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with cold fury as he glanced at Kushina. He couldn't contain the anger boiling inside him.
The plan to capture the Nine-Tails had failed the moment Konoha's reinforcements arrived.
"They've finally come," Kushina sighed in relief as she noticed the Cloud ninjas' agitation. This was the moment she had been waiting for.
Leading nearly a hundred elite jōnin, Minato had rushed over from the Land of Earth. Upon seeing that Kushina was unharmed, his tension eased. Among his troops were top-tier members of the Aburame and Inuzuka clans—the finest warriors to survive the war.
"Our mission is to intercept the Cloud ninjas. But if we can defeat them here, all the better," Minato said, holding a marked kunai, addressing the Konoha ninjas around him.
The Konoha jōnin all understood that this could be the final battle. If they won, Konoha would have effectively won the war, and peace would soon follow.
With steely resolve, they prepared for battle.
There were no further words. As soon as both sides encountered each other, the fight began.
Meanwhile, Raikage, who had been waiting for A and Bee, was surprised to find that instead of them, he was met by Tsunade and the White Fang's forces.
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Currently on Chapter 257 - The Impure Summoning of 'That Person'