Dodai helped the sword-wielding jonin close his eyes.
"You despicable Nara, you despicable Yamanaka."
Dodai glared angrily with one eye at Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi.
"Inoichi, why didn't you cut off his head?"
"Shikaku, you have no idea how fiercely that sword ninja resisted. If I'd been even a second slower, I was afraid he'd break free of the control. Besides, if we couldn't land a killing blow, it's still a huge gain just to land a hit, right? It's not like it's a Konoha ninja's life anyway."
"So, old man Dodai, did you hear that? That Cloud ninja broke free from control, but still died by your hands. You should know—his desperate struggle was to protect you."
"You despicable Nara, trying to shake my resolve?"
Dodai activated a sensing technique.
He quickly realized this kind of situation was happening everywhere.
Fighting against the Nara and Yamanaka clans was always like this—at any moment, you had to be wary of your own comrades suddenly turning into enemies.
Dodai looked across the battlefield, where Cloud ninjas were being relentlessly tormented by groups of Ino–Shika–Chō.
"Konoha's Ino–Shika–Chō… they've really thrown in everything they've got. After this, there won't be any Ino–Shika–Chō left in the ninja world."
Dodai ignited a red signal flare in his hand.
"Shikaku, should we stop him?"
"Inoichi, no need. That's probably their trump card. Our goal in this battle is to crush all of the Cloud Village's hidden moves—to beat them until they never dare launch another attack."
The hand seal Dodai had been forming dispersed instantly.
He had originally planned to guard against interruption, but they didn't act at all.
Too careless.
Did they really think having a slight advantage meant guaranteed victory?
You've never witnessed the power of a tailed beast—how could you possibly understand how terrifying they are on the battlefield?
Konoha… Hmph. Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito really protected you too well.
Today, I'll let you experience the might of a tailed beast once again.
"Roar—!"
A sound like something from ancient times echoed.
A monstrous figure wrapped in crimson chakra threads charged straight toward the Konoha formation, injuring quite a few Cloud ninjas along the way.
Yet no one paid it any mind.
"Great! It's Lord Blue B!"
"Let these Konoha fools witness the power of the Eight-Tails!"
Senju Hideki clashed once with Yotsuki Ei before separating.
Seeing the creature as more tails began to form—four tails already—
"So this is the confidence of your Cloud Village?"
"Hmph. Let me show you the terrifying destructive power of the Eight-Tails."
"A mere tailed beast. Only your Cloud Village treats it like treasure."
"What do you mean by that?"
Yotsuki Ei's chakra surged wildly.
He had a gut feeling—he couldn't let Senju Hideki leave here.
"Shadow Bind Technique."
A kunai flew in, pinning Yotsuki Ei's shadow.
"Damn it, the Nara clan—"
Yotsuki Ei unleashed all his chakra.
If he couldn't break this, people would die.
The Yamanaka clan head suddenly appeared before him.
"Mind Body Disturbance Technique."
"Lightning Release Armor."
The violent surge of chakra disrupted the Yamanaka technique and blasted away the Nara's binding kunai.
"Super Expansion Technique."
The Akimichi clan head sent Yotsuki Ei flying with a single punch.
"Hideki, go do what you need to do. Leave this one to us."
The Nara clan head spoke.
"Thank you. That helps a lot."
"Senju Hideki, don't think you can leave!"
Yotsuki Ei charged toward him at high speed.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Yotsuki Ei looked at the Ino–Shika–Chō trio blocking his path. His already dark face had turned pitch black.
"Blue B, it's up to you."
The Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, Blue B, stared at the Konoha army right in front of him.
Almost there… almost…
Just a little faster. Even if I die, it doesn't matter.
Eight-Tails, didn't you want freedom? I'll release you now.
Third Raikage-sama, I can give my life for you at this moment. The glory of the A–B duo will shine right now.
Half a skeletal frame had already formed around Blue B, and a bull-headed mask appeared.
"Glory shines upon me—Eight-Tails, release—"
"Hello there."
Senju Hideki suddenly appeared in front of him.
Crack—
A green pendant in Hideki's hand shattered.
A torrent of emerald chakra surged toward Blue B.
"Damn it—what is this?"
"I don't want this! Eight-Tails, didn't you want my body? I won't stop you anymore—come out!"
Yet no matter how desperately Blue B tried, the tailed beast's chakra kept dwindling.
Inside him, the Eight-Tails roared:
Damn it! This is Senju Hashirama's chakra! How is this possible? Hasn't he been dead for ages? And how can a dead man's chakra suppress my power?!
In the end, Blue B was completely restrained.
Hashirama's chakra even helpfully sealed away Blue B's own chakra as well, allowing Senju Hideki to capture the Eight-Tails jinchūriki effortlessly.
As expected of the great First Hokage—even in the Pure Land, he still contributes to Konoha.
Senju Hideki raised the captured Blue B high into the air.
"A mere Eight-Tails—just a toy of Konoha. Is this what gave your Cloud Village the courage to declare war on us? Huh?!"
As Hideki's voice rang out, the Cloud ninjas instinctively took a step back.
"Our trump card… is just their toy?"
"There's no way we can win this battle. Konoha is too strong."
"That monster, the Eight-Tails—it caused so much destruction for us, but against Konoha it's nothing."
Even Dodai's resolve wavered.
So tailed beasts… are just Konoha's playthings?
Then what did all those sacrifices mean?
The Cloud Village's morale plummeted like falling off a cliff.
"Relying on some external trick and daring to claim tailed beasts are nothing? What a load of nonsense."
A thunderous voice exploded across the battlefield.
A streak of lightning crashed down, instantly shattering dozens of Konoha ninjas nearby.
"It's the Third Raikage-sama!"
"We're saved!"
"Who cares about tailed beasts—we have the Third Raikage-sama!"
Dodai's resolve solidified once more.
You may have stopped one monster—but you've unleashed an even stronger one.
This battle will be Cloud Village's victory.
...
At that moment, a deafening roar erupted from the Konoha side.
It was Akimichi Chōza's voice—but the tone was unmistakably Nara Shikaku's.
This was Yamanaka Inoichi using a dual Mind Body Transmission Technique—first switching with Chōza, then with Shikaku.
That allowed Shikaku to use Chōza's massive body to speak.
As for why Chōza wasn't the one relaying Shikaku's orders—
Because what came next was a command that would send people to their deaths.
That kind of burden couldn't be placed on Chōza.
Of course, if Chōza knew, he would have been willing to bear it.
But Shikaku didn't tell him.
So the one who had to suffer… was Yamanaka Inoichi.
Yamanaka Inoichi: "Forget taking the blame—I'd rather carry that than collapse from exhaustion right now."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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