Elsewhere, Jōnin from the Ino–Shika–Chō clan held back Chiyo through tactical intelligence, while Orochimaru's fire dragon continued to keep the One Tail Jinchūriki at bay.
With few capable of countering the thirty fire dragons in the sky, Sand Shinobi found themselves in dire straits.
Ordinary ninjutsu was ineffective against the dragons' tough hides—only powerful Wind Style attacks could inflict significant damage.
Initially, Sand Shinobi managed to hit the wings of five or six dragons with Wind Style ninjutsu, forcing them to crash to the battlefield. However, these victories were short-lived.
The grounded dragons became berserk, lashing out wildly and proving even harder to deal with. To make matters worse, the Konoha Shinobi forces continued to press their advantage alongside the dragons.
The Third Kazekage, realizing that the One Tail Jinchūriki was ineffective and that Sand Shinobi's lines were in complete disarray, recognized the battle was lost.
Prolonging the fight would only result in greater casualties. Furthermore, the blessings they had relied on before the war would not last much longer.
If the conflict dragged on, they risked losing Shukaku altogether. Once the One Tail broke free, it wouldn't return to Sand Shinobi Village willingly.
"Retreat!" the Third Kazekage finally commanded, cutting their losses and signaling the withdrawal of Sand Shinobi forces.
Third Kazekage wrestled with the decision, but in the end, he made his choice.
"Rasa!"
Hearing his name, Rasa unleashed a powerful surge of chakra, sending a wave of gold dust rising from the ground to attack Orochimaru.
"Kazekage-Sama, I'll hold off Orochimaru! You handle the Summoning beasts!"
Third Kazekage felt a pang of discomfort—he had intended to take on Orochimaru himself and have Rasa deal with the Summoning beasts while leading Sand Shinobi's retreat.
However, Rasa had acted first, forcing his hand. With no other choice, Third Kazekage turned his attention to controlling the iron sand to destroy the fire dragons.
Meanwhile, Rasa's sudden burst of power managed to temporarily stall Orochimaru. While Orochimaru could have easily overpowered Rasa, he saw no need to do so.
After all, destroying Sand Shinobi Village wasn't worth revealing his full power, particularly secrets like Wood Style and the Sharingan that he coveted.
With the retreat order from Third Kazekage, Sand Shinobi's already fragile frontlines collapsed entirely.
The Kazekage, pouring out his remaining chakra, desperately rescued Bunpuku and managed to shoot down more than ten fire dragons.
Ultimately, he was forced to abandon some rear guard ninjas to ensure the survival of the majority. Leading most of Sand Shinobi's forces, he retreated from the battlefield, his chakra nearly depleted.
"We won! We won!"
The surviving Konoha Shinobi were overcome with emotion. Some wept with joy, while others sank to the ground in shock and exhaustion.
After regaining their composure, they stumbled across the battlefield, searching for their teammates.
Amidst the chaos of a battle involving thousands, the scale of destruction was staggering. Corpses lay scattered across the open battlefield, and rivers of blood pooled into pits.
A rough count estimated over 400 dead, with Sand Shinobi accounting for 70% of the casualties.
Despite the overwhelming numbers of Sand Shinobi compared to Konoha's forces, the latter's victory was a rare and remarkable achievement, aided significantly by the fire dragons.
Orochimaru glanced at Rasa, who was now paralyzed by snake venom, and gave a firm order: "Gather the corpses and return to Kikyo City!"
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," the remaining Konoha Shinobi responded in unison.
On this battlefield, Orochimaru's reputation among the Konoha Shinobi reached its peak. His cunning and strength had played a pivotal role in securing victory, earning him immense respect.
As the Konoha Shinobi carried out their tasks, a small drone descended from the sky. Its unfamiliar appearance immediately aroused suspicion.
The shinobi were wary, but Orochimaru waved them off. "Don't worry about it. It's one of ours."
"Understood, Orochimaru-sama."
While the others obeyed, their curiosity lingered. Orochimaru, however, knew exactly what the drone was.
It was there to capture footage, and its presence signified that Kain was nearby, observing the battle.
Orochimaru couldn't help but smirk. Kain was proving to have an even darker sense of amusement than he did.
Still, Orochimaru temporarily ignored the drone and focused on managing the battlefield to ensure everything ended perfectly.
The corpses of the fire dragons were also not wasted. Orochimaru intended to use them as food for Manda.
While Manda no longer demanded live sacrifices, the massive Summoning beast required rewards to stay motivated.
Orochimaru understood this better than anyone. By offering sufficient benefits, he ensured Manda—and by extension, the fire dragons—remained under his control.
Intelligent Summoning beasts like Manda were valuable assets, and Orochimaru knew how to make the most of them.
As the war concluded, the Konoha forces were busy cleaning up the battlefield, treating the wounded, and organizing patrols to guard against potential counterattacks from Sand Shinobi.
By the time everything was in order, the sky had already darkened.
At this point, Orochimaru left a Shadow Clone in Kikyo Castle and headed to a secluded spot in the woods just outside the castle. There, Kain had been waiting for some time.
"Orochimaru, today you've made a name for yourself in the ninja world. With this victory, there's at least a 90% chance you'll become the Fourth Hokage," Kain remarked.
Hearing this, Orochimaru chuckled. "If it's not 100%, then there are still variables. When the time comes for the Fourth Hokage to be chosen, I fear we may see a repeat of the Second Hokage's succession."
Kain frowned and asked, "Are you worried? Does Sarutobi Hiruzen have the resolve of the Second Hokage?"
"Don't underestimate Sarutobi sensei," Orochimaru replied. "He solidified his position as Hokage through war. He earned his title as the 'Professor' of the ninja world. In his prime, he was a decisive leader. When he noticed the rise of Rain Shinobi Village, he didn't hesitate to start a war—not only to secure his own position but also to suppress Rain Shinobi and drag Sand Shinobi into the conflict."
Kain nodded thoughtfully. "So, you think some insurance is necessary?"
Before Kain could continue, Orochimaru suddenly sneered and interrupted. "It seems we have an uninvited guest, Kain-san."
With that, Orochimaru's body dissolved into countless snakes, which slithered rapidly in all directions.
A moment later, the sound of a scuffle broke out in the woods, about ten meters away.
"Someone arrived here before me?" Kain frowned. He hadn't checked the area thoroughly upon his arrival, assuming no one else was around.
However, Orochimaru had quickly sensed the presence of an intruder.
….
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