After they finished eating, the group chatted for a while. As the evening deepened into night, they slowly dispersed, aware that their carefree days were nearing an end.
To give Konoha's ninja a better chance of victory, Tsunade began producing large quantities of poison. As a skilled Medical-nin, she was well-versed in poisons and antidotes. Though it was something she would normally find distasteful, necessity left her no choice. Konoha's forces were significantly outnumbered by the combined armies of the two enemy villages, making poison a desperate but essential measure.
One day, Tsunade received intelligence that Iwagakure forces had crossed into the Land of Rain. She had been preparing poison when the news arrived, but she immediately set down her work. Without hesitation, she issued orders for an expedition.
"Gather everyone," she commanded. A ninja swiftly carried out her directive, and the Konoha camp quickly buzzed with activity. Fully dressed ninja assembled at the camp gate in preparation.
Before long, Tsunade and Kawakaze arrived together. Tsunade took one look at the gathered force and wasted no time. With a sharp gesture, she declared, "Let's go."
The group divided into two units. Sakumo and Duy remained behind with their group to guard against any move by Sunagakure, while Kawakaze and Tsunade led the main force toward the Iwa ninja.
The journey through the dense forest was swift and silent. The air was heavy with humidity, and before long, everyone was soaked. Yet, they pressed on without pause, their determination unwavering.
As they ventured further from the camp, they found themselves surrounded by towering trees that seemed to pierce the sky. Suddenly, a voice broke the quiet.
"Lady Tsunade, there are Iwa ninja spies ahead," reported a member of the Hyūga Clan, whose Byakugan had detected the threat with precision.
"Kill them."
Without waiting for Tsunade's response, Kawakaze uttered the two words without a hint of emotion. He didn't consider such a minor task worth his personal attention.
Before Minato or Nawaki could react, someone else stepped forward.
"I'll go."
Fugaku volunteered, his voice calm. In an instant, he vanished behind Kawakaze, leaping swiftly through the forest. Kawakaze's eyes followed him briefly as he disappeared into the distance. The boy's abilities had grown considerably—perhaps even enough to evade one of his own kicks.
The group didn't halt their progress. They couldn't afford to. The news of their movements was bound to spread. Iwa Ninja certainly had more than just a handful of spies observing them. Speed was their only chance to catch the enemy off guard.
Before long, Fugaku returned, a kunai in his hand still wet with blood. Without a word, he casually shook off the bloodstains and tucked the weapon back into his gear bag.
"It's settled," he said, his tone devoid of arrogance. If they couldn't handle a few spies, they had no business chasing the formidable foe ahead.
"Well done," Kawakaze said nonchalantly. If Fugaku had struggled with such a simple task, he wouldn't be fit to inherit the title of Uchiha Clan Head.
Meanwhile, the Iwa ninja tasked with reporting back regretted they didn't have more legs to run faster. Konoha's movements were alarmingly swift.
Ōnoki, leading the Iwa forces, was setting up camp after their exhausting journey. The chosen site was a hillock with high ground, offering a clear view while avoiding issues like stagnant water. With the expertise of numerous Earth Release users, sturdy earth houses quickly rose from the ground. The construction speed was rivaled only by that of Yamato.
Ōnoki was the first to enter one of the larger houses to rest. He intentionally assigned Rōshi to a distant area, unwilling to endure his nightly philosophizing. The two never got along, and Rōshi's habit of questioning Ōnoki every time they crossed paths only deepened their friction.
For his part, Rōshi didn't mind the arrangement. He was perfectly content to keep his distance and leave Ōnoki to his own devices.
Before Ōnoki could close his eyes for a moment's rest, an Iwa ninja came rushing in.
"Lord Third, the troops from Konoha are heading our way."
"Damn, so soon!" Ōnoki exclaimed, his expression darkening as he sat up. "Who's leading the troops?"
"Kawakaze Hatake and Tsunade," the ninja replied firmly.
"Damn, it's those two again," Ōnoki muttered. Without wasting any time, he issued his orders. "Gather, prepare for battle."
He left the room immediately, heading straight for Rōshi's location. If he didn't ensure Rōshi joined the fight, the man might stay out of it entirely, leaving Ōnoki with no choice but to swallow his pride as Tsuchikage.
Ōnoki pushed open the door to Rōshi's quarters, speaking before he even entered. "Rōshi, the Konoha ninja are here. Follow me out to fight."
Inside, Rōshi sat meditating. Opening his eyes, he looked at Ōnoki with a reluctant expression. "I know," he said, his tone stiff but accepting.
With visible reluctance, he rose from his seat.
"Let's go," Ōnoki said brusquely, uninterested in further conversation. He knew that, despite Rōshi's attitude, he would fight for the safety of the Iwa forces—and himself—when it came down to it.
Rōshi silently followed Ōnoki out of the house.
Even before the troops had fully assembled, another report arrived: the Konoha ninja were already close.
"Is that it up ahead?" Kawakaze asked the sensor beside him.
"It's already in sight, but their camp isn't fully set up yet," came the response. The veins bulging around the sensor ninja's eyes reflected the clarity of his Byakugan, capturing every detail of the Iwa camp's layout.
"Attack!" Tsunade yelled.
Behind her, the massive form of the Seven-Tails began to materialize, its violent Chakra surging outward. The oppressive energy forced nearby Konoha ninja to step back, wary of its intensity. Instantly entering a semi-Tailed Beast state, the Jinchūriki began forming a massive Tailed Beast Ball, its destructive power palpable.
Under the sensor's guidance, the Tailed Beast Ball launched toward the Iwa camp. The blast's trajectory carved a path through the dense forest, obliterating everything in its way and leaving behind a wide, clear trail leading directly to the enemy.
"Go!" Kawakaze shouted, taking the lead with his sword in hand. It was a fine weapon, forged by the best blacksmith in town—a step above Rōtetsu's work, though still temporary for his purposes.
The Konoha ninja fanned out behind him, moving in a wide arc to surround the hillock occupied by the Iwa forces.
Ōnoki was the first to spot the incoming Tailed Beast Ball, its size growing rapidly in his vision. Without hesitation, he soared into the air, swiftly forming hand seals.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
With precise control, he unleashed his Dust Release, intercepting the incoming attack.
Bang!
A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield as the two attacks collided, sending an enormous shockwave rippling outward. The trees in the surrounding area were reduced to splinters, and a massive crater appeared between the opposing forces.
"They're here. Let's go!" Ōnoki barked, his expression grim as he led the charge. The Iwa ninja surged out of their camp, their resolve hardened.
Beside him, Rōshi finally broke his silence. His gaze locked on Kawakaze and Tsunade, now visible at the front of the Konoha forces.
"Just the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki," he muttered, his tone filled with quiet confidence—echoing the voice of Son Gokū within him.
"Don't be careless," Ōnoki warned, his voice tense. He'd underestimated Kawakaze Hatake before and wasn't about to repeat that mistake.
"I want to see how powerful Kawakaze Hatake truly is," Rōshi said. The war had begun, and his fighting spirit flared, uncontainable.
The Konoha ninja swarmed the battlefield, clashing with the Iwa forces in a flurry of blades and jutsu. Both sides fought with ferocious determination, bloodlust thick in the air.
However, the Konoha ninja had a crucial advantage—Tsunade's poison.
The poisoned weapons turned the tide of the initial skirmish. A sword pierced an Iwa ninja's chest, and even without the poison, the wound would have been fatal. A kunai slashed through another enemy, sending blood spraying as the fighter collapsed, utterly incapacitated.
Tsunade's poison was merciless!