Within the Land of Grass
In the damp, shadowy forest, countless ninja silhouettes darted and leaped swiftly. Finally, a blinding ray of sunlight appeared ahead.
"The Heaven and Earth Bridge is just up ahead."
Emerging from the moist forest, a group of Konoha ninjas saw a wide, reinforced concrete bridge. Bold letters spelling "Heaven and Earth Bridge" were written on the vermilion bridge pillar.
Below the bridge, a massive gorge over a hundred meters deep roared with turbulent waters, creating a whistling sound as the wind swept through.
"Stay alert!"
At Jiraiya's grave tone, the thirty Konoha ninjas behind him instantly raised their guard. This terrain was perfect for an ambush.
Byakugan, activate!
Without hesitation, a member of the Hyuga clan in the team formed a hand sign, activating the Byakugan. Veins bulged around the sides of their face as they scanned the surroundings intently.
Suddenly, Hyuga Hizashi spotted something and urgently shouted, "Everyone, be careful! There are explosive tag traps on the bridge!"
"And there's a large number of chakra signatures in the forest ahead!"
Immediately, the Hyuga ninja in the group raised their voice. In an instant, the team members drew kunai and ninja swords, preparing for battle.
At the same time, Jiraiya, standing at the forefront with his white hair gleaming, broke the serious atmosphere by bursting into hearty laughter. With a series of hand signs, he summoned a creature using the summoning jutsu.
As the smoke dispersed, a giant crimson toad with black-striped markings appeared. Standing on the toad's back, Jiraiya spread his arms and bellowed with a grin:
"Haha! The Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku has already found you!"
This bizarre and comical display left everyone speechless. Shirou, along with other ninjas, exchanged glances of understanding before sternly shouting, "Location!"
Hyuga Hizashi immediately pointed in a direction in the forest and shouted, "At ten o'clock! The largest number of people!"
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
In an instant, Shirou formed hand seals and spat out several massive fireballs, sending them flying toward the forest in all directions.
At the same time, the surrounding Konoha ninjas roared as well, either unleashing Fire Release techniques or throwing kunai armed with explosive tags.
"Not good! We've been discovered!"
"Damn it, it's the Byakugan from the Konoha!"
Under the sudden barrage of ninjutsu and explosive tags, the ninjas hidden in the forest cursed and scrambled to dodge or defend.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Explosions rang out as flames engulfed the forest. As some enemy ninjas leaped out of hiding, Jiraiya's previously jovial eyes turned cold. His hands, already forming seals, executed his next move.
"Watch out! It's Jiraiya, the Elite Jonin of the Konoha!"
One of the enemy ninjas spotted Jiraiya among the Konoha team and cried out in alarm. But Jiraiya's pre-prepared jutsu was already unleashed.
Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!
The toad beneath him spewed oil as Jiraiya expelled flames. The combination created a devastating fire that engulfed the area. The flames adhered to surfaces, burning hotter than usual fire techniques.
From the beginning, their bait-and-switch strategy had been to prepare this devastating ninjutsu with Jiraiya's summoned toad. The direction the enemy fled became the perfect target zone for his technique.
Agonized screams erupted from the forest. Meanwhile, counterattacks were already underway.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Explosions from the exchanged explosive tags sent up clouds of smoke on both sides of the bridge.
As the smoke cleared, the ninjas on the other side of the bridge came into view, causing the Konoha ninjas to collectively gasp.
"Jiraiya-sama, these are the infamous mercenary ninjas of the Land of Lightning!"
A Jonin identified the mostly dark-skinned, muscular enemy ninjas. Their headbands bore the symbol "Plunder," instantly recognizable. Moreover, there were over eighty of them.
Jiraiya, noticing the heavy atmosphere among his team, burst into laughter and said, "Ah, the notorious mercenary bandits of the Land of Lightning. But why did you bring so much deadweight this time?"
Among the eighty enemy ninjas, only about thirty wore headbands signifying allegiance, while the rest appeared to be rogue or hired ninjas.
"Kushina!"
From the formation, Namikaze Minato suddenly shouted. Uzumaki Kushina's pupils dilated, her eyes filled with bloodshot rage as she locked onto figures in the distance.
"I know them! They're the ones who invaded my homeland and killed my family!"
At the sight of the enemy, Kushina's face contorted with unprecedented fury, memories of the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan flooding her mind.
"Everyone, be cautious! I've already requested reinforcements!"
Jiraiya's shout seemed to bolster the Konoha ninjas' morale. However, the enemy mercenaries sneered and mocked them.
"Reinforcements? Even if they're coming, we'll have time to kill you all before they arrive."
"Attack! Kill the Konoha ninjas and claim the bounties!"
"This lot is full of big fish—descendants of Konoha's elite clans!"
"Kill them!"
In an instant, over eighty enemy ninjas charged, sparking a chaotic battle.
"Kushina! If they're your enemies, then slaughter every last one of them!"
Shirou drew his ninja sword, his Sharingan awakening with a single tomoe, allowing him to track every kunai and shuriken trajectory with precision.
"Kill!"
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Ninjutsu clashed as the Heaven and Earth Bridge became a battlefield. In this chaotic melee of over a hundred ninjas, where coordination and survival instinct reigned supreme, danger lurked at every corner.
"Give me back my family!"
Kushina's hoarse voice roared as her eyes gleamed with a malevolent red glow.
"Not good!"
"This is—!"
Everyone immediately sensed a terrifying, ominous chakra. Even those without sensory abilities felt the suffocating presence of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
In the distance, animals fled in panic, birds took flight, and fish scattered beneath the river.
"Already leaking this much chakra?!"
While fending off two enemy ninjas, Jiraiya's pupils contracted as he glanced back at Kushina, now enveloped in the crimson glow of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
"My family! My home!"
Surrounded by tangible red chakra, Kushina's eyes turned into bestial slits, and her canine teeth sharpened into fangs. With a murderous gaze fixed on the dark-skinned enemy ninjas, she roared:
"Give me back my family!"
Her thunderous cry reverberated through the forest, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
Witnessing this, Shirou's face filled with awe.
This… this is the power of a jinchūriki!