Konoha's four-front battle was commanded by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who oversaw strategic operations while Konoha's top brass coordinated battlefield tactics.
On the battlefield between Kumogakure and Konoha, Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, served as the frontline commander. Kumogakure's forces had breached the borders of the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost, pushing into the Land of Fire.
In the Land of Rain, Iwagakure clashed with Konoha and Sunagakure, while in the Land of Grass, Jiraiya and Tsunade led Konoha's forces as commander and deputy commander, respectively.
Despite suffering from hemophobia, Tsunade maintained her leadership, utilizing advanced medical ninjutsu to counteract her condition. By manipulating her optic and olfactory nerves through precise chakra control, she altered her perception—dulling the sight and smell of blood, allowing her to function in battle. However, this process required preparation. In her later confrontation with Orochimaru and Jiraiya, the sudden nature of combat prevented her from making these adjustments.
On the battlefield between Konoha and Kirigakure, the Uchiha and Hyūga clan leaders served as chief and deputy commanders. During this period, the heads of these clans were not Uchiha Fugaku and Hyūga Hiashi, but their predecessors.
The Kirigakure front was unique—unlike other battlefields, which were dominated by civilian shinobi supplemented by clan forces, the Kiri battlefield was primarily fought by elite clan shinobi. This front was also within the Land of Fire, as Kirigakure had already conquered the Land of Whirlpools. During the First and Second Shinobi World Wars, Konoha's clashes with Kirigakure had always occurred in or around this territory.
The Third Great Ninja War posed the greatest threat to Konoha—failure on any front could trigger a chain reaction leading to total defeat. Namikaze Minato, due to his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, played the role of a rapid-response force, primarily reinforcing the most intense battles against Kumogakure and Iwagakure.
With Konoha itself under attack, Minato naturally returned. His arrival shifted the balance—an elite shinobi capable of eliminating fifty Iwagakure ninja in an instant, his presence decisively turned the tide. Instead of assisting scattered groups, he targeted the heart of the battle, heading directly toward the most intense fighting.
At Mount Kikyo's mountainside, ten elite jōnin from Kumogakure and Sunagakure were surrounding Hiruzen Sarutobi. This assault on Konoha did not involve Kage-level opponents, as both villages sought to prevent Konoha's Kage-level forces from withdrawing from the front lines. Additionally, sending their own Kage-level shinobi into the Land of Fire's interior was too risky—if Konoha's defenses were stronger than expected, retreat would be nearly impossible.
In terms of power, a Kage-level shinobi held more value than multiple jōnin—typically, it took at least six or seven well-coordinated jōnin to match one Kage. A lone jōnin would be overwhelmed within moments in direct combat. However, ten jōnin working together could challenge even a legendary shinobi.
Unfortunately for them, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still in his prime. His physical abilities, combat experience, and mastery of ninjutsu and genjutsu remained at their peak. He held the advantage, already defeating four jōnin without sustaining injury. Given time, he could have overwhelmed them all, though killing them outright would be difficult, as seasoned jōnin were adept at retreating when necessary.
The battle's balance shifted dramatically when Namikaze Minato arrived. As a shinobi, Minato had no reservations about striking from the shadows. The Flying Thunder God Technique made his ambushes lethal—four jōnin were instantly slain, their throats cut before they could react.
With only six jōnin remaining, the enemy formation collapsed. Capitalizing on their momentary panic, Hiruzen deployed four shadow clones and executed the Five Elements Great Consecutive Bullet technique, instantly eliminating five more. The last surviving Kumogakure jōnin attempted to flee but was swiftly cut down by Minato.
After briefly conversing with Hiruzen, Minato rushed toward Kikyo Castle, while Hiruzen and his clones moved to assist other Konoha forces.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Konoha's forces struggled to prevent Kumogakure and Sunagakure from breaching their defenses. Some enemy forces had already infiltrated Kikyo Castle, wreaking havoc on its structures. Inside, Konoha shinobi fought desperately to prevent deeper incursions into the village.
With Minato reinforcing the battle and Hiruzen freed to assist elsewhere, the tide turned in Konoha's favor. Victory at Mount Kikyo was now only a matter of time.
Unbeknownst to them, Uchiha Gen was carrying out his own hunt, targeting enemy shinobi and harvesting their souls to prolong his Homunculi's existence. While the lifespan he collected did not benefit him directly, it empowered his creations.
Plant-based Homunculi could sustain themselves naturally, but others required external energy. Unlike human corpses, which could not be revived with the Soul-Soul Fruit's power, sentient trees could be infused with harvested souls, turning the battlefield into Gen's personal hunting ground.
Enemy shinobi entering the forest—whether by chance or design—fell victim to these animated trees, their life force drained before they could react. This tactic proved especially effective against unsuspecting chūnin and genin from Kumogakure and Sunagakure.
Rather than actively supporting Konoha's main forces, Uchiha Gen patrolled the periphery of his domain, ensuring his own safety while accumulating power.
By the afternoon, the Sunagakure-Kumogakure coalition was decisively defeated—some surrendered, while others attempted to flee. However, retreating through the Land of Fire was nearly impossible. Konoha's tracking specialists relentlessly hunted down the remnants, while reinforcements from the front lines intercepted retreating enemies.
Invading Konoha was one thing—escaping alive was another. Few among the coalition managed to flee, as Konoha's elite shinobi specialized in tracking and pursuit.
Amidst the chaos, Uchiha Gen continued his massacre, preying upon panicked enemy ninjas. Those ensnared by his living trees had no chance to resist, their souls harvested one by one. Any lingering energy stored within his creations was reclaimed, ensuring nothing was wasted.
Even among those who managed to regain composure, Gen wielded illusions like Naraku Path, sowing terror to weaken their defenses before striking. The combination of psychological manipulation and soul-harvesting proved devastating—fear was a weakness few could overcome.
As the battle ended, Gen took inventory of his harvest. Exactly 69 souls—an ominous yet strangely poetic number, each one belonging to a shinobi. Though most were genin, their spirits were still far stronger than those of ordinary civilians.
With his work complete, Gen returned to Mount Kikyo. Having lingered for too long, his absence might have been noticed—better to reappear before suspicions arose.