Kumogakure Front.
When the Kumo shinobi attempted to launch a covert attack, things played out almost exactly as they had several times before: they failed.
With Konoha fighting a defensive battle, its well-prepared forces held the advantage of terrain.
Reconnaissance by the Aburame, Inuzuka, and Hyūga clans, combined with the aerial squads, once again rendered the battlefield transparent from every angle.
Alarms rang throughout Konoha's command post on the Kumogakure front!
Danzō was discussing the situation with Tobirama when he heard the Yamanaka-Nara coordination shinobi rapidly reporting intelligence on the enemy's troop strength.
Danzō was just about to say something when he saw his beloved disciple meet his gaze.
Danzō instinctively nodded.
Tobirama immediately issued his orders: "All Konoha shinobi, the command post is issuing the following deployment. Minato and I will engage Kumogakure's Fourth A and the Eight-Tails jinchūriki."
"Advisor Danzō and Duy will deal with the enemy's Two-Tails jinchūriki."
"Keep this in mind: the two of you need to put enough pressure on the Two-Tails jinchūriki. Although we have fewer troops, we still need to create the effect of besieging a point to draw in reinforcements and force Kumogakure to commit troops to the Two-Tails' position."
"Once their forces begin concentrating there, report to me immediately. I'll support you with Impure World Reincarnation and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. When that happens, make sure you keep yourselves safe."
"The rest of Konoha's shinobi may conduct a flexible withdrawal along the battle line, but the line as a whole cannot be lost. The Aburame shinobi are to take advantage of the enemy's massed charge to inflict heavy casualties on them!"
"All units, take note: because the enemy's reserve manpower is several times greater than ours, our priority remains inflicting casualties on their fighting strength. Do not cause pointless losses by blindly chasing greater battlefield achievements."
"But if the opportunity presents itself, try to capture some chakra from the enemy jinchūriki. It would be extremely useful for Tailed Beast research."
Of course, the only ones really capable of doing that were Tobirama, Minato, and Danzō.
Perhaps the kikaichū of Aburame Tatsuma, which had been enhanced by the Research Department, could devour a little Tailed Beast chakra as well.
"If anyone has a problem, say it now. If not, execute the orders immediately!"
In the blink of an eye, Tobirama had finished deploying the entire battle line.
Danzō blinked.
He felt as though his authority had just been completely bypassed…
But looking at that face with the same bone structure as his teacher's, he ultimately chose to keep quiet.
Hadn't everyone heard?
Impure World Reincarnation, the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags were all about to come out…
Even if his teacher himself had returned to life, this was pretty much exactly how he would have done things!
Danzō increasingly felt that he was fortunate to have found such an excellent disciple.
As for Seisui impeaching him before, the Darkness of the Shinobi was magnanimous and didn't hold grudges…
'If I die, Seisui will definitely be heartbroken.'
'But there's nothing to be done. I can't stay by his side forever, even if he carries sensei's bloodline. Besides, Seisui has already grown into his own. If I die, it'll be the perfect time for him to inherit my mantle…'
Danzō's thoughts wandered wildly. When he imagined Seisui shedding tears at his funeral, he even found himself looking forward to it a little.
Hiruzen probably would too, wouldn't he?
"What are you standing around daydreaming for? Move!"
Tobirama frowned and barked at Danzō, "You need to charge at the very front. Have you forgotten your agreement with Lord Hokage?"
Danzō froze for a moment.
"I know!"
It was worth mentioning that Tobirama and Danzō's bizarre way of interacting had shocked everyone at first, but after seeing it enough times, they had gradually grown accustomed to it.
It had even improved Danzō's reputation somewhat. Quite a few people began to feel that he wasn't actually so "cold and hard."
He was someone who could listen to what others had to say. Some shinobi even privately thought that perhaps they had misunderstood the Root of Konoha.
...
On the front lines.
Yugito Nii had entered a partial Tailed Beast Transformation. Dense chakra cloaked her body, flickering with the unique ghostly blue flames of Matatabi, the Two-Tails.
In this form, Yugito possessed both the defensive power of a Tailed Beast and Matatabi's distinctive mobility, granting her tremendous speed, close-combat ability, and regenerative capabilities.
Tailed Beast Ninjutsu: Mouse Hairball!
A massive, rat-shaped mass of flame erupted from Yugito's mouth, then burst apart in an instant into numerous smaller fireballs.
They could even automatically track enemies, nimbly pursuing the Konoha shinobi!
Because of Tobirama's orders, the Konoha shinobi didn't stubbornly hold the battle line. Instead, they used Earth Release and Water Release to maneuver around Yugito, preventing her from tearing through the line too violently and shattering their formation.
Once a jinchūriki like her broke into their ranks, the enormous margin for error afforded by her abilities would allow her to break the formation with ease.
Once rank-and-file shinobi lost the organization needed for coordinated attacks, they would become nothing more than a disorganized mob.
'What a crafty strategy from the Konoha shinobi…'
'Are they trying to slow me down?'
Yugito drew a deep breath. A Tailed Beast Ball began gathering before her lips, preparing to use the Tailed Beasts' most brutally straightforward form of large-scale attack to smash Konoha's defensive line apart!
But at that moment—
A figure wreathed in surging blue energy came hurtling toward her!
It was Might Duy, who had opened the Eight Gates—Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder!
Duy roared, his heavily muscled body leaving a blurred, deep-blue afterimage through the air.
The next instant, his right leg tore through the air with a sonic boom as he drove a vicious kick toward the Tailed Beast Ball Yugito was forming!
The kick was faster than the eye could follow. Yugito didn't even have time to complete a defensive move. Her eyes hardened, and she actually tried to match Might Duy in speed…
A dull impact rang out!
Duy's kick slammed squarely into her forearm. Yugito was immediately knocked off balance, and the half-formed Tailed Beast Ball slipped out of control, collapsing in midair into streams of violent energy that scattered in every direction!
Dust and smoke erupted everywhere!
Before Yugito could steady herself, Duy's legs were already coming at her in a relentless storm of kicks.
Blue steam carried fierce gusts of wind with it. Every kick possessed enough force to split rock and crack mountains, driving Yugito back again and again. Even through her Tailed Beast cloak, the arms she used to block the kicks went numb and trembled from the impacts.
Duy drew a deep breath as the force around his fist coalesced into the image of a roaring tiger.
This was the latest taijutsu move he had developed. Although it was not yet complete, it was already more than sufficient for actual combat!
"Daytime Tiger!"
The gray-white tiger roared forth, lunging toward Yugito with a deafening bellow!
Yugito's pupils contracted. Her Tailed Beast chakra erupted to its limit as she used the Two-Tails Matatabi's mobility to flee at high speed, with absolutely no intention of taking the attack head-on.
'It's a little weaker than I expected. Damn it, am I still not youthful enough? I'll have to keep working hard after the war…'
A trace of regret flashed through Duy's mind.
He had gotten a somewhat late start. The taijutsu he had developed in the past had mostly focused on the fundamentals. It was only after receiving the transplanted "Hashirama–Yamato cells" that he had begun developing advanced taijutsu specifically designed to complement the Eight Gates.
The Daytime Tiger exploded near Yugito. Although she managed to evade part of the impact, its terrifying power still blasted apart most of her Tailed Beast cloak.
Yugito grunted, dropping to all fours as blood streamed from the corner of her mouth.
At the very moment she was sent flying backward, a sinister figure silently appeared in midair behind her.
Danzō's entire body was wrapped in Wind Release chakra, making him resemble a blade suspended within the shadows. A cruel, cold gleam flickered in his eyes.
Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!
Countless small yet incomparably sharp wind bullets screamed forth at Danzō's command, pelting Yugito's Tailed Beast cloak like a torrential downpour.
Shrill cutting sounds rang out without pause. Her already half-destroyed Tailed Beast cloak was ripped open by the wind bullets, leaving vicious gashes across it.
Once the razor-sharp Wind Release struck flesh, the wounds it left cut deep enough to reach the bone.
Yugito roared repeatedly in pain and turned to counterattack, only to be tied down once again by Duy charging straight at her.
Duy's speed was astonishing. Blue steam trailed far behind him, and every punch and kick carried overwhelming force!
Yugito could only dodge desperately from side to side, pleading with the Two-Tails inside her to help heal her wounds and lend her even more chakra.
One of the Two-Tails' major abilities that distinguished it from the other Tailed Beasts was its stronger regenerative ability—the proverbial nine lives of a cat.
Yugito repeatedly leapt backward as she dodged, trying to create some distance.
But Might Duy gave her no chance whatsoever to catch her breath, sticking relentlessly to her.
Every time their fists collided, Yugito felt that he was the monster who ought to be called a jinchūriki!
Even after Yugito once again entered a partial Tailed Beast Transformation, her arms becoming like the enormous claws of a monstrous cat, every swipe carrying surging Tailed Beast chakra and tremendous force…
Duy, with the Gate of Wonder open, was even more ferocious than she was.
The blue steam surging from his body was no less imposing than the Two-Tails' blue-black Tailed Beast chakra…
Meanwhile, Danzō continuously maneuvered through the air, occasionally firing several extraordinarily sharp wind bullets to disrupt her movements and leave wounds across her body that were difficult to heal.
The two coordinated exceptionally well, steadily beating Yugito back.
At that moment, Yugito made another shocking discovery: there was something strange about Duy's regenerative ability…
This man was practically a jinchūriki himself!
Whenever Danzō attacked Yugito, he sometimes employed methods unlike those of any other Konoha shinobi. Some of his Wind Release attacks would engulf Duy as well, striking without distinguishing friend from foe…
Naturally, the attacks were primarily concentrated on Yugito, but Duy was occasionally caught in them too, leaving several wounds across his body.
Yet beneath that strange blue steam, Duy's injuries rapidly healed, far faster than the regeneration the reanimated Kumo shinobi had witnessed before.
This was because the stimulation of the Eight Gates pushed Duy's physical potential to its absolute limit, including the "Yamato–Hashirama cells" within his body, greatly enhancing their regenerative ability.
Because their vitality remained far too powerful, the "Hashirama–Yamato cells" were currently unsuitable for large-scale transplantation. Yet they were exceptionally well suited to Might Duy, who used the Eight Gates to push his body beyond its limits.
Together, the two possessed a remarkable compatibility.
"Perfect opportunity!"
Danzō's pupils sharpened. He expelled Wind Release chakra compressed to the absolute limit from his mouth, forming a humming blue-white blade.
Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!
Propelled by the airflow, Danzō plunged down from the sky, rapidly closing in on Yugito!
Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!
The powerful Wind Release shockwave first arrested Yugito's movement, and the incomparably sharp Vacuum Blade swept horizontally!
With a single slash, Danzō severed one of the Two-Tails' tails just as Yugito was entering a complete Tailed Beast Transformation!
"Duy, interrupt her complete Tailed Beast Transformation!" Danzō barked.
Under normal circumstances, entering a complete Tailed Beast Transformation should have taken only an instant for a jinchūriki like Yugito.
But her injuries were severe, greatly slowing the process.
"Yes, Advisor-sama!"
Duy gathered his strength, preparing to deliver a decisive blow to Yugito and the Two-Tails.
Maintaining the Seventh Gate continuously still placed a certain burden on Duy.
It was just that he recovered very quickly, so he wouldn't be left completely exhausted and unable to move for several days afterward.
But at that moment—
Yugito had charged too far ahead, allowing the Kumo shinobi behind her to catch up. Quite a few elites who had noticed something was wrong were also rapidly converging on her position.
Lava Release: Rubber Wall!
From beneath Yugito's feet, a substance resembling molten rubber suddenly surged up and enveloped her, forming an extremely resilient protective barrier.
Duy still made no attempt to dodge or retreat. With tremendous ferocity, he brought his leg down in a kick aimed straight at Yugito's head!
But in the end, his kick struck the sphere formed by the Lava Release, sending the entire thing flying!
'Dodai is here…'
'So that's why Seisui had Duy and me deal with Yugito together… He predicted that Dodai would serve as a mobile force to support these Kumo elites. He is the village's strategist, after all…'
Understanding flashed through Danzō's eyes.
Lava Release had several different manifestations. Iwagakure alone possessed two: the "lava" wielded by Rōshi and the "lime" and "cement" forms used by its Lava Release forces.
Dodai had mastered yet another form of Lava Release transformation, one more akin to "rubber."
It was an almost perfect defensive ninjutsu, but it was highly vulnerable to sharp Wind Release attacks.
"Tatsuma, seal the Two-Tails' severed tail inside a scroll and have the kikaichū carry it away first!"
"Even if the Two-Tails jinchūriki still has enough strength to fight, her combat ability has been greatly reduced… Duy, Tatsuma, Shikuro, we're switching to defensive counterattacks. Target the Kumo shinobi leadership and kill them."
"If the enemy tries to retreat, pursue them, but don't get drawn into a prolonged fight. Have the Aburame shinobi send their kikaichū around to cut off their retreat. We'll besiege the Two-Tails jinchūriki and draw in their reinforcements!"
"Draw all those rank-and-file Kumo forces over here. Make them all come protect the Two-Tails jinchūriki!"
Danzō carried out the orders of his beloved disciple Seisui to the letter.
"Understood, Danzō-sama…"
"My insects are telling me that their 'Head Ninja' and main force are rapidly closing in on our position. Their numbers exceed anything we've faced before."
Tatsuma spoke quickly.
Danzō gave a cold laugh.
"So what if there are more of them? Hold the line! Use every scroll and ninja tool we have!"
"Have the Tsuchigumo Clan deploy their explosives at full capacity. Every member of the Iburi Clan is to turn into smoke and tie the enemy down. If they want to go from reserve troops to full-fledged Konoha shinobi, this is their best opportunity!"
"Tell everyone: the harder we hit them, the more Kumo shinobi will come! And remember, reinforcements will grow right out of the ground!"
Tatsuma immediately replied, "Yes, Advisor-sama!"
Danzō was the commander of the Kumogakure front personally appointed by the Hokage. Whether the matter was large or small, his word was final, so his orders had to be carried out.
But Tatsuma was deeply puzzled…
What did he mean by reinforcements growing out of the ground?
Konoha's manpower on the Kumogakure front was nearly five times smaller than the enemy's…
In the current shinobi world, maintaining the balance of jinchūriki and Tailed Beasts was of paramount importance.
The moment Kumogakure realized there was a possibility of losing one of its own Tailed Beasts, it would undoubtedly rush in frantically to rescue it.
That would place tremendous pressure on the battle line!
Tatsuma was very curious as to why Danzō would do this.
Most of Konoha's large-scale destructive ninjutsu were highly effective on the defensive, while relatively few were suited to taking the offensive…
Meanwhile, on another section of the battle line.
Minato and Tobirama stood side by side, facing Kumogakure's A-B Combo.
The Fourth A and Killer B, who wielded an even greater degree of Tailed Beast power.
"I'll take the jinchūriki. You deal with the other one…" Tobirama loosened up, glanced at the blades Killer B was carrying, and smiled.
Wasn't it just a matter of trading sword strikes with a jinchūriki?
As it happened, he was also a master swordsman, and there was something akin to a "Tailed Beast" inside his body as well.
"It looks like something went wrong on your other battlefields. The Kumo shinobi fighting alongside you have been temporarily redeployed, haven't they?"
Minato spoke softly: "Why don't you retreat? Otherwise, if you lose, there might not be many shinobi available to come rescue you…"
"If something happens to the Third Raikage's son, the intensity of the war will keep escalating. Then Konoha will inevitably lose more people too, and that would really trouble me."
Minato scratched his head and sighed.
Yet while the Fourth A's attention was drawn to him, his hands scattered Flying Thunder God kunai in a dense shower, startling both Killer B and the Fourth A.
What the hell was this blond guy babbling about?
"Were you taking the opportunity to set up your Flying Thunder God markers?"
The Fourth A narrowed his eyes. "Don't think you can fool me!"
"Wow, you figured it out. Impressive…" Minato laughed. "You saw right through me!"
The Fourth A's expression stiffened, his face reddening slightly.
He had discovered that although Minato's expression and tone carried a naturally airheaded quality, the things he said were exceptionally infuriating.
There was a certain beauty to the way he sugarcoated everything while secretly preparing to screw someone over…
"I'll handle this blond brat. That so-called Flash is nothing before my Lightning Release Chakra Mode, tempered through countless trials. I just need to remember where all his markers are!"
Under the tremendous pressure exerted by Konoha, the Fourth A of the present had trained even harder.
The world developed dynamically in response to countless factors. Once Konoha, the most important variable, changed, the effects would inevitably spread to the other major hidden villages.
Compared to his father, the Third Raikage, at the same age, the Fourth A had already surpassed him in speed, though his ability to withstand punishment was somewhat inferior.
"Yo, Big Bro! Then leave this Uchiha to me~"
"Yo~ Sharingan, genjutsu, can't stop me, Eight-Tails and me as one, what harmony, invincible~" Killer B said to Tobirama in a bizarre cadence.
Over the past few years, Killer B's talent had been fully realized in Kumogakure.
Not only had he developed a deep partnership with the Eight-Tails, but his physique had also grown at an astonishing rate, as though someone had inflated him.
When he had first partnered with the Fourth A, they had been a young boy and a young man. Now Killer B was actually a full size larger than his big brother.
'Naturally gifted?'
Tobirama nodded slightly. Killer B's situation wasn't particularly rare in the shinobi world.
There was no need to look far. Tobirama had personally watched Kisame, who had once studied abroad in Konoha, eat his way to more than three times his original size in the Ninja Academy cafeteria within a single year!
By the time he left, he already had the physique of a grown man…
He certainly hadn't made that trip to Konoha for nothing.
'I wonder how that little shark brat is doing?'
'His character and potential were both quite good. Hopefully he knows how to read the situation. After all, he studied at Konoha's Ninja Academy, so he can be considered half a Konoha man. He'd better not oppose Hiruzen…'
The thought crossed Tobirama's mind.
Kisame's straightforward and honest personality had been rather likable, very much the kind of temperament old-school shinobi appreciated.
"B, crush them quickly, then reinforce the other battlefields!" the Fourth A roared as he charged toward Minato.
Thunder erupted around his entire body as he pushed his Lightning Release Chakra Mode to maximum output.
"Yeah, Big Bro!"
Although Killer B's tone remained flippant, the small eyes behind his sunglasses were utterly serious.
"A young punk who's just filled out, pretty strong, but still just a little brat~"
"War means we fight and kill~ only one of us gets out alive!"
As the final line of his rap left his mouth, Killer B had seven swords positioned across his body.
The blades were held in his hands, the crooks of his knees, beneath his arms, and in his mouth!
Acrobat!
At that moment, boiling Eight-Tails chakra erupted around Killer B. The seven blades spun and thrust as he barreled toward Tobirama like an armored war machine!
"Tailed Beast power, huh?"
Tobirama smiled, drew Izuna's Tōenmaru, and said softly: "Izuna, let's go!"
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