The Iwa-nin were stunned for a moment, then roared in unison:
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
...
One after another, earthen walls rose from the ground. Though fragile, they could block the Tailed Beast Bomb for one or two seconds.
As the walls sprang up, Matatabi's eyes widened in disbelief. 'These ants... How dare they protect Kokuō in such a situation!'
It refused to believe it. Humans were selfish by nature! It refused to believe these shinobi could hold their ground!
Kokuō was deeply moved. With a roar, it divided its chakra into clusters and distributed them among all the shinobi!
Instantly, the shinobi's eyes lit up. This power could make their Earth-Style Walls sturdier and larger!
Without hesitation, they cast the jutsu again. Matatabi's face paled. It shot a glance at the other shinobi, signaling them to attack the Iwa forces.
The Kumo-nin understood the order and activated their Lightning Release Chakra Mode, charging toward the Iwa-nin. Kokuō swept its gaze across the battlefield and lowered its head, using its horns to slash through thirty enemies in an instant. However, some still slipped past and infiltrated their ranks, killing allies.
Frustration welled up in Kokuō. Inside the mental space, it spoke to Han: "I will release the transformation soon. You protect everyone. The chakra clusters won't disappear. My size is too large and may cause accidental harm to our own."
With that, Kokuō vanished, but the chakra clusters continued to flow from its body, distributing energy to the shinobi.
Han's eyes burned with fury as he glared at the Kumo-nin. With a single strike of his monstrous strength, he crushed the enemies.
Yugito snarled, "Enough!" The Tailed Beast Bomb charging in Matatabi's mouth halted, and its Tailed Beast form gradually dissipated, reverting to Yugito.
"All forces, retreat!" Yugito bellowed, leading the Kumo-nin as they pulled back. This battle had cost them nearly a thousand men, while the enemy had only lost around seven hundred. It wasn't worth it!
Her expression darkened. Losing the first battle meant they would be bogged down for a long time. The lives of their shinobi mattered too. If they continued fighting, this entire unit might be wiped out.
Seeing the unwavering unity of the Iwa-nin, her heart felt heavy. Matatabi remained silent, convinced it hadn't lost. If not for Yugito's panic, it could have defeated Kokuō and crushed the Iwa forces!
The Kumo-nin followed Yugito back behind the border, staring at the Iwa-nin with mixed emotions. Could they really defeat a village like this?
Meanwhile, the Iwa-nin erupted in cheers, chanting Han and Kokuō's names, making Kokuō almost embarrassed. In the mental space, its grin was harder to suppress than an AK.
Ōnoki soon received the frontline report and felt a surge of relief. Han had finally formed a bond with Kokuō, becoming a perfect Jinchūriki.
But it wasn't enough. The Third Raikage, A, was a monster who could clash head-on with Tailed Beasts!
Konoha Village
Kitsuchi arrived, looking as though he had fled through a warzone. As he tried to enter the village, the Konoha gatekeepers stopped him. "Halt! State your name and purpose!"
"I am Kitsuchi, envoy of Iwagakure. I request an audience with the Hokage!" He presented his credentials to the guards.
The guards exchanged glances. One kept watch while the other went to inform the Hokage.
Human joys and sorrows were not shared. While Konoha was still celebrating, Iwagakure was already at war with Kumogakure. Who could reason with that?
At the center of the banquet, Uchiha Ryun had an arm around Tsunade, smiling at the peaceful scene. 'How wonderful...'
Just then, the guard rushed over. "Lord Hokage, Vice-Hokage, the Iwa envoy Kitsuchi requests an audience!"
The lively atmosphere froze. Everyone turned to the guard, then to Hiruzen and Ryun. No one dared to speak. Even those holding chopsticks or cups set them down, waiting for their response.
Hiruzen glanced at Ryun, who looked at Tsunade. Encouraged by her gaze, he slowly stood. "Everyone, continue enjoying yourselves. The Hokage and I will handle this matter."
As soon as he spoke, the festivities resumed.
Tsunade watched her future husband with a faint smile. She hoped Ryun would prioritize the greater good and become a proper Vice-Hokage. Even if it meant less time together, it was all for Konoha.
Hiruzen and Ryun followed the guard to the gate, where they saw Kitsuchi. Both smiled.
"Brother Kitsuchi, what happened? You look exhausted. Come in, have a drink, wash up, and eat," Ryun said casually, as if nothing was wrong.
Kitsuchi scratched his head. "Lord Hokage, Lord Ryun, this is a letter from my father. He hopes Lord Ryun can intervene to protect Iwagakure in this crisis!"
Hearing it was a diplomatic matter, Hiruzen handed the letter to Ryun, his eyes filled with trust. "Ryun, the decision is yours. I won't read it."
He turned to leave, but Ryun grabbed his sleeve. "Lord Hokage, you're my superior. There's nothing you can't see. Let's read it together."
Unable to refuse, Hiruzen stayed. As they read, they realized Iwagakure was in grave danger—and Konoha was partly responsible.
Ryun carefully analyzed the letter. Ōnoki was right. Konoha couldn't allow Iwa's territory to fall to Kumo. If it did, what would happen after Ryun's time? How powerful would Kumo grow? Could Konoha still contend with them?
For the sake of future generations, he couldn't let Kumo seize Iwa's land. Unless Konoha took it instead.
"We understand the situation. But we can't act for free, can we?" Ryun said coolly, eyeing Kitsuchi meaningfully.
Kitsuchi bowed. "We are willing to offer mineral resources worth 300 million ryo as compensation for Lord Ryun's assistance."
Hiruzen's eyes gleamed at the sum. It sounded good to him.
Ryun had no objections either. It was just an excuse to act.
"Fine. I'll go with you to assess the situation." He clapped Kitsuchi's shoulder, and the two vanished instantly.
Hiruzen shook his head. 'The youth move so fast...' Then he paused, his expression twisting.
That wasn't a Body Flicker. It was the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Hiruzen's eyes bulged. He turned back, sensing the chakra traces. There was no doubt—it was the Flying Thunder God!
'Damn! The Flying Thunder God! Ryun actually... actually mastered it too?' Hiruzen inhaled sharply. 'How many skills does this monster have? Hashirama's Wood Release and Sage Mode, Madara's Mangekyō and Susanoo, Tobirama's Flying Thunder God... What can't he do?'
He sighed in relief. 'Thank goodness he's Konoha's Vice-Hokage.' With that, he shook his head and returned to the feast.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📖 Like the story? Read 120 chapters ahead!
🔗 patreon.com/atomelectron
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━