After reporting the gathered intelligence to Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and Shion naturally rejoined the team, merging with Shinji's student squad.
"Shinji!"
Shion looked a bit embarrassed, like a child caught misbehaving.
Shinji said, "Pretty bold, huh? I'll deal with you properly when we get back!"
Shion stuck out her tongue and slipped over to Yakumo's side.
Shinji then glanced at Sasuke and Sakura. "Follow me for now!"
"Got it!"
Sasuke and Sakura nodded, falling in line with the team.
Compared to the Cloud Hidden's route, the combined Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden forces were clearly closer to the Sand Hidden shinobi. It wasn't long before they neared the grassland where the Sand Hidden had encountered the Akatsuki members.
However, the closer they got to the battlefield, the stronger their unease grew.
By all logic, a battle of this scale should have been deafening, with sounds carrying for miles.
Yet, as they crossed the final stretch of forest and approached the grassland, an eerie silence hung in the air!
"Something's wrong!"
"This is bad!"
As they got close enough for dojutsu to scout, Yakumo and Neji cried out almost simultaneously.
Their exclamations from the dojutsu users sparked even greater unease among the group, but Kakashi, as the leader, didn't halt the team.
After passing through the last patch of forest, the Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden forces finally reached the grassland battlefield.
The fighting had already ended.
The scene before them was littered with Sand Hidden shinobi, sprawled haphazardly across the ground. Some were still groaning in pain, suggesting they were only severely injured, not dead.
At the center of the battlefield, the Fourth Kazekage lay in a pool of blood, his fate uncertain.
Sasori crouched beside him, his face twisted with mockery, eyeing the Kazekage like a prized trophy.
A bit farther off, Itachi, Juzo Biwa, and Deidara—clad in their red-cloud Akatsuki cloaks—stood casually in a row, seemingly uninvolved in the fight.
"This…"
"The Sand Hidden were completely wiped out?"
"The Kazekage was defeated too?!"
The sight before them filled the Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden shinobi with shock and fear.
For most shinobi, a Kage's presence was tied directly to morale and confidence. Seeing the Kazekage lying in a pool of blood, his life hanging in the balance, shook many to their core.
From the positioning of the other Akatsuki members, some drew an even more shocking conclusion: the one who fought seemed to be only Sasori, the rogue Sand Hidden shinobi.
If Sasori alone had defeated the dozens of Sand Hidden shinobi led by the Kazekage himself, this battle was going to be far more difficult than anticipated.
Because of this, the Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden forces didn't act rashly upon arriving. Instead, they faced off against the four Akatsuki members while slowly forming their battle formation.
Asuma said to Kakashi, "Kakashi, we still have ninja academy students in our team. Don't be reckless!"
Kakashi nodded.
He was under more pressure than anyone. The strength the Akatsuki displayed far exceeded his expectations. His only hope now was that the Fourth Raikage's Cloud Hidden forces would arrive soon.
On the battlefield—
Sasori glanced at the Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden forces, his eyes settling on Kakashi at the forefront. He murmured, "Kakashi Hatake…"
Memories flooded his mind.
Losing his parents at a young age was why Sasori's personality was so reclusive and volatile. And the one who killed his parents was none other than Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake, known as the "White Fang of the Leaf."
Juzo Biwa spoke up, "If we keep dragging this out, it'll never end. Let's retreat!"
Itachi nodded lightly. "Mm."
Deidara called out, "Big Bro Sasori, let's go!"
Sasori withdrew his gaze, raised his right hand, and shot out several chakra strings that latched onto the Four-Tails Jinchuriki Juzo Biwa had tossed aside earlier. With a light tug, he flung the Jinchuriki onto the back of Deidara's explosive clay bird.
The Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden forces watched helplessly as Sasori reclaimed the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, unable to act.
Kurotsuchi glared at Deidara, now aligned with the Akatsuki, her teeth gritted, but the situation left her no room for reckless moves.
Then, Sasori lifted the Fourth Kazekage from the ground.
The Kazekage weakly grabbed Sasori's arm, struggling to speak. "You damned bastard…"
Sasori chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, I'll turn you into a masterpiece no less perfect than the Third."
From a distance—
"The Kazekage's still alive!"
The allied forces' hearts stirred.
Kakashi shouted, "Release Kazekage-sama!"
Unlike the Jinchuriki, the Fourth Kazekage wasn't just the leader of the Sand Hidden but also its pride. If the Hidden Leaf and Rock Hidden forces allowed the Akatsuki to take him, the consequences would be catastrophic, potentially shattering the alliance of the five great shinobi villages.
Even letting the Akatsuki escape with the Four-Tails Jinchuriki was preferable to letting them take the Kazekage.
Sasori's expression darkened as he glanced at the allied forces. "This is my precious material. Asking me to let him go is impossible. But you're welcome to try and take him back!"
"Damn it…"
The allied forces stirred with agitation.
Sasori's provocation fueled their anger, but the Akatsuki's dominance—and the defeated Sand Hidden shinobi scattered across the ground—made them hesitant to act rashly.
Kakashi slowly lifted the headband covering his Sharingan.
No matter what, as the commander, he couldn't let the Akatsuki take the Fourth Kazekage. He had no choice but to fight!
The situation filled Sasuke with rage. He wanted to strike, but the lingering pain in his eyes reminded him that his current condition made fighting the Akatsuki impossible.
Haku, Karin, Yakumo, Kimimaro, and Neji were torn with conflicting emotions.
As members of "Dawnbreak," they couldn't just stand by and watch the "Dark Akatsuki" take the Jinchuriki and the Kazekage. Yet their leader hadn't given them permission to act freely.
Shion, however, remained calm. She quietly sidled up to Shinji and whispered, "Shinji, what do we do now?"
"Stay put!"
After scolding Shion, Shinji turned his attention to the battlefield.
It was he who had summoned Deidara, using Jikibi to notify him to reinforce Itachi and Juzo Biwa, ensuring the Four-Tails Jinchuriki fell into the Akatsuki's hands.
But Sasori had gone too far. If the Fourth Kazekage died, it could destabilize the alliance of the five great shinobi villages. Shinji still needed the villages and the Akatsuki to balance each other.
Whoosh.
So, in the next moment, while everyone was stunned by Sasori's dominance, Shinji leaped forward, charging at Sasori, who was holding the Fourth Kazekage.