Mu and Shamon's faces turned dark at Tobirama Senju's words. Their defeat during the last alliance attack on Konoha had been a deep shame for the four major ninja villages.
Now, Tobirama was rubbing salt in their wounds, reminding them of that humiliation right to their faces. It left both of them simmering with resentment.
"This time is different from last, Tobirama Senju," Mu countered sharply, "You may talk tough, but the fact remains that Konoha has already lost a fifth of its forces."
With his rebuttal, Mu targeted Tobirama's sore spot directly. The battles on the Land of Rain's front had been vicious beyond description; in a mere ten days, Konoha had lost one-fifth of its troops.
If it weren't for Tobirama's Edo Tensei technique, Konoha's casualties in the Land of Rain might have reached half by now.
"Hmph, as if the ninja of your Iwa-Suna Alliance aren't dying in droves too. And that strange feeling—dying at the hands of your former comrades—must be particularly exhilarating." Tobirama's words made Mu and Shamon's expressions even colder.
The three said nothing further; their battle resumed, fierce as ever. In terms of skill, they were quite evenly matched. Tobirama's Flying Thunder God technique allowed him to handle both attackers smoothly, preventing any advantage.
This balance had become the norm: Tobirama's role in this war was to keep Mu and Shamon occupied, stopping them from targeting other Konoha ninja. The fighting continued, on and on, until it seemed even the rain and thunder grew tired and ceased.
The dark clouds above, however, loomed undisturbed, and the blood that still soaked the ground stained it a dark red.
There were no longer shouts or curses, only the endless sound of weapons clashing. Exhaustion had claimed everyone's voices, and their movements now were mostly reflex, driven only by sheer survival instinct.
Their arms were already sore, their nerves numb, and only their wills continued the fight.
When at last the Kage of both sides stopped, they silently returned to their camps, each knowing without a word that the battle was over.
Or rather, temporarily paused. Both sides withdrew to a safe distance, watching each other from afar.
The earth, torn and churned, began to settle, swallowing the bodies strewn across the battlefield.
Back at the Konoha camp, the ninjas who were still able-bodied retreated quietly to their quarters, lying down in silence.
The wounded queued, waiting for treatment. The camp was hushed; everyone was exhausted, weary, and numb. With dusk approaching, the ever-present clouds of the Land of Rain cast the surroundings in perpetual gloom.
Rain drizzled down again, tapping softly against the earth. A cold breeze swept through, sending chills and dampening spirits further.
Even those thankful for surviving yet another skirmish found that their relief was weighed down by fatigue and the heavy atmosphere.
In the main tent, Tobirama Senju massaged his temples, looking worn out himself. Fighting either Mu or Shamon alone was no easy feat; handling them both was simply an exhausting task.
Without Flying Thunder God and the environmental advantage the terrain provided, holding off these two Kage would have been impossible. Yet once again, he had managed to keep them occupied.
"Lord Second Hokage, the casualty report is ready," the Nara clan head announced gravely. "In this battle, Konoha lost three hundred ninja, with another eight hundred injured."
This war had been particularly bloody, and while Konoha had suffered, the Iwa-Suna Alliance had endured even more. With the undying Edo Tensei ninja on their side, Konoha's forces were comparatively resilient, making the Alliance's casualties two to three times higher.
This was why the Land of Rain battlefield was referred to as a "meat grinder."
Hearing the death toll, Tobirama fell silent, his expression heavy.
The other elite ninja around him felt the same weight, knowing that every post-battle briefing meant fewer comrades beside them.
"Lord Hokage, urgent report from the Land Of Moon battlefield!" A voice suddenly called from outside, breaking the silence as everyone's gaze turned toward the tent's entrance.
"Enter!" Tobirama ordered.
A ninja rushed in and handed Tobirama a slip of paper. Perched on his shoulder was a pigeon—a summoning beast that had brought the report. Tobirama unrolled the note, his eyes narrowing briefly before a smile crept onto his face.
Seeing this, the surrounding ninja perked up, sensing good news.
"Lord Second, let's see what miracle Commander Mochizuki Hui has pulled off this time!" The Nara clan head said, smiling as he took the paper from Tobirama.
"What?!"
After reading the contents, he gasped and then broke into a wide grin.
"Unbelievable… Lord Hui has, in less than ten days, forced the Kumogakure to surrender and even captured their Third Raikage, A, as a hostage!"
Instead of passing the paper around, the Nara clan head shared the news directly with everyone.
"What?!"
The entire group was stunned.
"Is it true? Kumogakure has surrendered?!"
Some found it hard to believe and asked aloud for confirmation.
"Yes, Kumogakure has indeed surrendered," the Nara clan head confirmed, prompting smiles all around.
"Haha, Commander Hui is always full of surprises!"
"Less than ten days, and Kumogakure has surrendered. This is a miracle in the history of warfare!"
"This is incredible! Commander Hui truly deserves the title of the next God of Shinobi—who else could achieve such a feat?"
The room erupted in excited praise, although one ninja voiced his curiosity amid the cheers. "How did he manage it? Even if Lord Hui took down most of Kumogakure 's elite forces, they still had nearly ten thousand ninja in the field. How could they surrender just like that?"
Hearing this, Tobirama didn't leave them guessing. He revealed the plan behind Mochizuki Hui's success.
"Before the war even began, Hui sent Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang, leading elite Anbu into the Land of Lightning. Once hostilities broke out, they located Kumogakure 's supply lines and cut them off entirely."
"That's an impressive tactic, but would that alone really force them to surrender?" another asked, still puzzled. After all, Kumogakure 's supply line could be rebuilt if they dispatched enough ninja to secure it.
"Hui developed a flying ninjutsu and launched aerial attacks on Kumogakure 's forces, completely shattering their last hope!" Tobirama said proudly. "Flying ninjutsu—something even I haven't achieved—yet Mochizuki Hui has already mastered it!"
But Tobirama added with a wry smile, "After all, Mochizuki Hui was taught by me!"
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