At the medical unit behind the encampment, Sakura finishes producing medicines prepared using Wood Release.
"You few, help me deliver these medicines to the warehouse. Make sure to do a good job recording the categories and effects!" Sakura stretches and instructs the medical Ninjas under her command.
"Yes, Sakura-sama!"
The Ninjas from Konoha's Medical Department stand at attention, like soldiers awaiting inspection by a commanding officer, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Sakura waves her hand and walks out of the tent, to avoid staying inside and affecting their efficiency. But just as she lifts the tent flap, intense Chakra Fluctuations come from the direction of the Earth Release barrier. The sound of various ninjutsu bombarding the ground rises and falls.
She gestures to Sasuke, who is leading the guards of the medical unit camp. Sakura suppresses her Chakra and disperses the Wood Release debris on the ground, then leaps up the cliff wall in one bound, rushing quickly toward the front line.
Below the wall, witnessing the bloody slaughterhouse littered with severed limbs and debris, the Kirigakure reconnaissance team's expressions are grim.
"Captain, the Konoha bastards are slaughtering our ally's refugees!" A reconnaissance team member approaches the Kirigakure's Ninja wearing a Jonin uniform, reporting the results of their reconnaissance Ninjutsu.
"Sigh, those Konoha madmen!" The Kirigakure's Jonin, missing one eye behind an eyepatch, sighs.
Even as a veteran of the Bloody Mist, having survived from before Kirigakure's coup d'état, he is unwilling to lightly start a war with Konoha at this critical juncture.
First, because Kirigakure today is not what it once was. Having lost two Tailed Beasts, they dare not confront Konoha head-on in a direct battle.
Second, because among the five Great Ninja Villages, only Konoha has defeated the Akatsuki. Although Konoha also suffered tremendous losses, they took this opportunity to successfully flex their muscles to the five great nations.
And now, already within the territory of Konoha's encampment, as a Jonin, he isn't foolish enough to hope the enemy hasn't noticed them. He quickly begins to formulate a countermeasure.
"Kura, Fuchi, you two return by the same route and report this situation to Elder Genji. I'll go with Nagare to contact the Konoha's Ninjas!"
The experienced leader immediately splits his squad into two parts, assigning one part to each task to ensure that his village's leadership receives the complete information as quickly as possible.
After splitting up, the Kirigakure's Jonin takes one of his team members and begins to approach Konoha's defenses, using himself as bait to test Konoha's attitude.
"Friends from Konoha, come out and talk!"
Emerging openly from their concealed state, the two Kirigakure's Ninjas slide down from a high ground on the side and walk toward the wall built by Konoha.
"Phew, good..."
Kakashi on the wall breathes a long sigh of relief. He had thought a fierce battle was unavoidable, but it seems there are also reasonable people in Kirigakure.
After a moment's thought, Kakashi braces himself on the wall with one hand and, taking Sato Sakura with him, walks down from the high wall, slowly descending to the ground below.
The two sides meet at the base of the wall. Seeing Konoha's willingness to talk, the Kirigakure's Jonin strikes first: "Slaughtering the citizens of our ally, the Land of Frost… is Konoha trying to start a war with Kirigakure!"
"Oh, you're twisting the truth. Isn't it Kirigakure that's using the Land of Frost for human experimentation and ordering them to charge our Land of Fire's border?" The experienced Kakashi doesn't fall into the verbal trap set by the other side, calmly refuting the Kirigakure's accusations.
Seeing that neither side's demeanor suggests they are lying, the negotiations reach an impasse. Silence spreads among the four.
Deep underground, Black Zetsu, who has been watching them, sneers and orders the black sprouts flowing through the soil: "Give them a push, Hiruko!"
Immediately, a flow of Chakra rises from beneath the ground, seeping into the bloody slaughterhouse above.
Beside Kakashi, Sato Sakura stands on tiptoe in her Ninja sandals, kicking at the dirt idly, a rainbow light flickering in her eyes.
So she reaches out and grabs Kakashi's collar. Invisible Haki flows from her arm, forming a transparent armor outside their bodies.
The Kirigakure's Ninjas are not so lucky. Twitching sprouts shoot out from between the soil, instantly piercing the neck of the Ninja called Nagare.
His carotid artery ruptures, and the spurting blood sprays directly into the Kirigakure's Jonin's eyes, making them bloodshot.
"Nagare!!!"
A sorrowful cry rings out. The Kirigakure's Jonin does not hesitate and attacks the two Konoha's Ninjas. "As expected, you black-hearted Konoha bastards can't be trusted! Prepare for war!"
His fingers weave through hand seals. Chakra gathers in his chest, making it swell. He unleashes Kirigakure's signature Ninjutsu, a terrain-altering technique that every Water Release Ninja uses.
—Water Release: Waterfall Basin Technique.
In the next moment, water sprays out. A surging, rushing flood bursts from the Kirigakure's Jonin's throat, turning the entire scene into a swamp.
The Ninjas above on Konoha's fortifications also notice the battle, but with two of their comrades still at the center of the battlefield, they dare not release ninjutsu to attack.
Underground, Black Zetsu sees the two sides begin fighting and shows a satisfied smile.
'Yes, yes! That's it! Fight, fight!'
'Hopefully, you two sides will beat each other's brains out. Then we can benefit from the conflict!'
"Despicable Konoha's Ninjas!"
The surging water washes away Sato Sakura's dirt. Seeing this, the Kirigakure's Jonin reaches out and condenses a water blade, charging straight at Sato Sakura, whom he determines to be the one who used the technique.
"You fool!"
There is no fear in Sato Sakura's eyes. Her spirit, suppressed to the extreme, suddenly releases. Dark thunder erupts violently, turning into a high-pitched cry that sweeps across the entire defense line.
Her arm gradually expands, tearing the sleeve of her shirt. A giant arm over ten meters long grabs the Kirigakure's Jonin, holding him like a bug in her hand.
"The Akimichi Clan's Multi-Size Technique?! How did you... never mind."
Kakashi's pupils contract at the sight of Sato Sakura's arm, but clearly, on a battlefield changing in an instant, this is not the time to ask about such things.
He looks up and explains to the Kirigakure's Jonin above: "This has nothing to do with us. Calm down and listen to our explanation!"
"What's there to say? You Konoha have slaughtered civilians, and now you want to silence us witnesses!" The Kirigakure's reconnaissance squad Jonin Captain yells, his neck stiff, acting completely obstinate.
"Being this stupid, you shouldn't even be a Jonin. Don't insult the same rank as Mother!" Sato Sakura, who has spent years battling across the seas with Sakura, loses patience. "For us to crush you, it wouldn't take much more effort than crushing a bug. So we talk, you listen. Understand?"
She increases the force of her grip, making the Kirigakure's Jonin's bones emit cracking sounds. His face turns red with pain, veins bulging.
Just as he is about to be crushed by the irritable Sato Sakura, in a beam of rainbow light through the air, a figure, arriving late, appears.
"Don't be afraid, children! I'm here!!!" With a bold smile, Sakura descends from the sky.
Unfortunately, no one responds.
The girl looks around and only sees Kakashi with his dead fish eyes, a Kirigakure's reconnaissance team member who seems about to die, an enraged Kirigakure's Jonin, and Sato Sakura with shining eyes.
She raises her hand in confusion and scratches her head.
"Ah, this... Did I come too late?"