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Resets Weekly! [Monday]
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After resting for ten days in the Night-Singing Sand Sea, Danzo's army finally moved! Following another twelve days of rapid marching, the troops reached Lake of the Moon. Without any hesitation or delay, they launched a direct assault on the Sunagakure fortifications. It wasn't a probing attack, nor was there any reconnaissance—just a full-force, head-on charge like a reckless street brawl.
Jinghang couldn't help but feel puzzled. Had Danzo been brooding for ten days in the Night-Singing Sand Sea only to come up with such a crude plan? A street fight? Strike first to gain the upper hand? Jinghang couldn't make sense of it. Picking up his binoculars, he carefully observed the battlefield.
From Jinghang's experience, this was no feint or staged attack from Konoha. The presence of Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and even the yet-to-be-seen Tsunade confirmed the seriousness of the assault. Although Konoha's forces had traveled far, their strength lay in their numbers. Sunagakure, on the other hand, had fewer troops but compensated with well-rested soldiers and a robust defensive system. The two sides were evenly matched for the moment.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Three loud shouts rang out, followed by three massive puffs of white smoke.
As the smoke cleared, a giant toad, a colossal snake, and an enormous slug appeared on the battlefield. The previously entangled ninjas from both sides paused, lifting their heads to gape at the three enormous summoned beasts. The Konoha shinobi erupted into cheers, their morale surging.
"Damn it, no honor in that!" Jinghang muttered. Without hesitation, he pulled out two scrolls and unleashed his Iron Sand.
"Magnet Release: Colossus Jutsu!"
From the rear of Sunagakure's forces, a towering black giant, as massive as the three summoned beasts, took form. The iron giant resembled an ancient general, clad in a beast-faced helmet and armor, wielding a Fang Tian Halberd in its hand. Its commanding presence was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
"Halt, you scoundrels! Witness Lü Bu taking on the Three Heroes!" Jinghang shouted theatrically, directing his iron giant to charge into the fray against the three legendary Sannin. The Sunagakure shinobi erupted into cheers, their morale rejuvenated.
"Did you see that? Add that jutsu to the plan!" Danzo ordered as he looked up at Jinghang's towering colossus.
"Understood. The plan will need adjustments. That jutsu looks troublesome," replied Shikacho Nara, his gaze fixed on Jinghang. His eyes seemed to pierce through the massive iron figure.
"You have seven days."
"That's enough."
"Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"
Jiraiya and his summoned toad, Gamabunta, unleashed a combination attack. A massive fireball, fueled by oil, roared forward with overwhelming force, engulfing the left side of Lü Bu. The iron giant was instantly consumed in flames.
However, Jinghang remained calm, manipulating the Iron Sand to swirl and shift. The left side of Lü Bu's armor seemed to disintegrate, revealing that the burning iron sand had been isolated and reshaped into a flaming iron ring. With a swift motion, Jinghang hurled the fiery ring toward Tsunade.
The fire ring struck Katsuyu, the giant slug, causing it to split into countless smaller slugs. The fragments quickly reassembled nearby, reforming into Katsuyu, which retaliated with a spray of strong acid. A loud hiss followed as white smoke rose from Lü Bu's body.
"Damn it, I didn't account for that," Jinghang cursed through gritted teeth. Against acid attacks, the Iron Sand had no effective counter. He could only evade for now.
Rather than retreat, Jinghang advanced. The iron giant Lü Bu thrust its halberd at Katsuyu, forcing the slug to split again, disrupting its acid spray attack. Meanwhile, Orochimaru, riding atop Manda, closed in swiftly, coiling the giant snake around Lü Bu. Orochimaru leapt down, his Kusanagi Blade in hand, lunging directly at Jinghang.
Seeing Orochimaru's approach, Jinghang showed no signs of backing down. In an instant, he formed a pair of Iron Sand nunchaku in his hands, charging forward with a loud, high-pitched battle cry to meet Orochimaru head-on!
Thus, Jinghang single-handedly took on the Three Sannin, holding his ground without faltering. The battlefield seemed to spin like a whirlwind, the chaos so intense that the surrounding ninjas instinctively stepped back, giving the combatants a wide berth. The fierce battle raged from daylight until dusk before both sides finally withdrew.
"No wonder they were named the Sannin by Hanzo the Salamander. I've never faced opponents this challenging—so versatile, with such strong regeneration and stamina! I underestimated the talent in this world," Jinghang remarked as he wiped his neck with a hot towel, his tone filled with admiration.
"Indeed, they're promising young shinobi. You handled two of them well, but three must've been a bit much, right?" said Chiyo, her tone kind as she addressed Jinghang.
"Karuke! Get in here!"
"Lord Third Kazekage, what are your orders?" A young ninja wielding a massive iron fan entered the tent. He was Karuke, the younger cousin of Karura, a member of Sunagakure's Iron Fan Clan. Known for his competence, he excelled at his Three-Star Fan Jutsu.
"Go to the camps and select five hundred elite shinobi. Tonight, we strike under the cover of darkness!"
"A night raid!?"
"We're tired, and so are Konoha's ninjas. They're not made of iron! Tonight, we'll torch their main camp and freeze them out!" Jinghang grinned wickedly.
"I find Jinghang even harder to deal with than Hanzo! I felt like I was giving it my all, yet he seemed to be holding back," Jiraiya said.
"His close combat and taijutsu are also formidable," Orochimaru added.
"His chakra reserves are immeasurable. If it weren't for the three of us attacking from multiple angles, his Iron Sand manipulations would have been even more diverse. Alone or in pairs, we wouldn't stand a chance against him. You two didn't lose unfairly last time," Tsunade remarked, glancing at Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
"Agreed," Shikacho Nara murmured, scribbling rapidly in his notebook. After a while, he looked up at Tsunade and asked, "Do you think Katsuyu's acid had any effect on that iron giant?"
"Yes, absolutely. After being hit once by Katsuyu's acid, Jinghang's iron giant was constantly evading further attacks."
"Good. During tomorrow's battle, try to force Jinghang to use more techniques. I need to calculate the total amount of iron sand he has. I'm counting on you three." Shikacho bowed slightly to the Sannin before leaving the tent.
"Report! The enemy is launching a night raid!"
The three Sannin exchanged glances and immediately rushed out of the tent. Outside, the camp was already ablaze.
The night raid didn't yield the expected results. Thanks to Danzo's strict military discipline and the well-trained Konoha shinobi, the defense and counterattack were swift and effective. After burning down a third of the camp, Jinghang realized the situation was unfavorable and ordered a retreat.
Unexpectedly, the next morning, Danzo ignored the fatigue of his troops and resumed the offensive against Sunagakure, even personally leading the charge to boost morale. Left with no choice, Sunagakure's forces had to mobilize fully. Even Ebizō, who had come to deliver supplies, was forced into the fray. The shortage of capable fighters was dire.
By the third day, Konoha's relentless attacks showed no signs of stopping. The reckless, casualty-ignoring assaults made Jinghang suspect a deeper plot. Though Sunagakure held the advantage of fighting on home turf with fortified defenses, the continuous battles left Jinghang utterly exhausted.
"Karuke! Gather a thousand men tonight. Go to Konoha's camp and make as much noise as possible—beat drums, shout, and cause chaos. If they come out, retreat. If they go back to sleep, start again. I don't care if Danzo sleeps tonight, but you're not sleeping if he does!" Jinghang barked his orders at Karuke, his frustration evident.
This strategy worked. Danzo's forces retreated thirty miles the next day, raising a No Battle flag and ceasing all activity near Sunagakure's defenses.
"How many days has it been?"
"Three days."
"No activity at all?"
"None whatsoever."
Jinghang clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"I bet that old turtle Danzo is up to no good."
"No matter. Elder Chiyo, I'll trouble you to make a trip. Without supplies or water, let's see how long they can hold out!" Jinghang declared, slamming his fist onto the map of Konoha's camp.