Although Kushina had only met Mei Terumi once during a brief diplomatic encounter, she had already come to consider the future Mizukage a genuine friend and ally.
Hoshigaki Kisame had once been a member of the Hidden Mist Village's elite forces. Not only had he betrayed and defected from his own village, but he had also attempted to assassinate the very leader he had sworn to protect. This represented exactly the kind of treacherous behavior that Kushina despised more than any other form of evil.
However, she deliberately refrained from immediately attacking Hoshigaki Kisame, because she understood all too well that her greatest asset - the Nine-Tails chakra that enhanced all of her abilities - would only serve as premium nourishment for his chakra-devouring sword.
Compared to the immediate threat posed by Hoshigaki Kisame, the most strategically dangerous opponent remained the Second Tsuchikage.
When the multi-front battle had first begun, the Third Hokage had provided her, Shisui, and Nawaki with crucial intelligence about the fundamental abilities possessed by the three legendary leaders who had been resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
The Second Tsuchikage, Mū, was himself an extraordinarily gifted sensor-type ninja who specialized in advanced stealth techniques, the fearsome Dust Release kekkei tōta, and a bloodline elimination ability that could literally disintegrate matter at the molecular level.
Among all of Konoha's current defenders, only Kushina possessed sensory capabilities powerful enough to penetrate his legendary invisibility techniques.
"HISS!"
Behind Kushina's position, the sentient sword Samehada in Kisame's grip appeared almost vibratingly excited. For a chakra-consuming weapon that fed on chakra, the Nine-Tails chakra radiating from Kushina's body represented the most exquisite delicacy imaginable.
However, caught between these two dangerous opponents attacking from different angles, Kushina found herself in an increasingly passive tactical position. Most critically, she could not safely use her chakra-based techniques against Kisame without providing additional nourishment to his weapon.
"Kushina!" Jiraiya's voice suddenly rang out across the battlefield.
The legendary Sannin could be seen successfully repelling Kimimaro once again before immediately pivoting to charge directly toward Orochimaru's position.
Simultaneously, the Third Hokage - who had been maintaining relentless pressure and forcing Orochimaru into an increasingly disadvantageous position - suddenly abandoned his assault entirely. He spun around with remarkable agility for his age and hurled the Ruyi Staff from his hands with devastating precision.
The legendary weapon shot toward the area behind Kushina like a guided missile, its obvious target being Kisame's exposed position.
Recognizing the incoming threat, Kisame quickly raised Samehada to intercept the projectile. How could he not have heard tales of Enma, the S-rank summoning beast that served as the Third Hokage's legendary partner?
The Ruyi Staff's impact temporarily forced Kisame to retreat and reposition. At that critical moment, Jiraiya and the Third Hokage exchanged meaningful glances, and the elder immediately launched himself toward Kisame's new location.
Observing the Third Hokage's rapid approach, a genuinely solemn expression flickered across Kisame's normally confident features.
Obviously, before launching this coordinated assault, the defenders of Konoha had already obtained detailed intelligence information about most members of their organization.
Therefore, Konoha's leadership had been able to allocate their combat personnel in a strategically targeted manner to maximize their advantages.
Facing the Third Hokage supported by his legendary summoning beast, the Monkey King Enma, Kisame understood that he would be unable to gain any meaningful advantage even if he avoided using chakra-based techniques entirely.
Moreover, if the Third Hokage standing before him had been ten years younger and at the peak of his legendary powers, Kisame probably wouldn't have possessed the courage to face him in direct combat at all.
The ninja heroes who had once been famous throughout the elemental nations might be significantly aged now, but their fundamental power and tactical brilliance remained formidable and should never be underestimated.
At that moment, Kimimaro began rushing toward Jiraiya's position once again, his bone weapons gleaming with deadly intent.
"You are not permitted to interfere in my battles any longer," Orochimaru commanded in his characteristic hoarse voice, glancing in the direction where the Third Hokage had repositioned himself.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!" Kimimaro immediately halted his charge and nodded with absolute obedience before redirecting his assault toward the Third Hokage instead.
By this point, the damaged streets and residential areas had become completely surrounded by active battlefields, with combat occurring simultaneously across multiple fronts.
Swoosh!
The Third Raikage and Shisui were engaged in a high-speed battle that moved at such erratic velocities that they were no longer fighting in any fixed location.
Meanwhile, Nawaki and the Second Hokage continued exchanging increasingly powerful water release techniques, their competing jutsu causing the air throughout the entire area to remain perpetually saturated with moisture.
Several meters away from these other conflicts, Jiraiya and Orochimaru stood facing each other in what had become a personal confrontation, the former's expression filled with profound regret and steely determination.
"I should never have been so soft-hearted all those years ago," Jiraiya stated coldly, staring at Orochimaru with an expression of complete emotional detachment.
After learning the full scope of what Orochimaru had accomplished during his years of exile and experimentation, Jiraiya's heart had finally accepted a painful truth. The loyal comrade who had once fought alongside him and Tsunade had effectively died more than a decade ago.
The individual standing before him now was nothing more than an enemy who harbored intentions to destroy everything Jiraiya held sacred.
Orochimaru ran his unnaturally long tongue across his lips in that characteristic gesture, chuckling with obvious amusement as he replied, "You were never qualified to show mercy toward me in the first place."
"That was true in the past, and it remains true now."
"Orochimaru, I'm going to end your miserable existence right here and now!" Jiraiya declared, his eyes blazing with lethal intent as he roared and began forming hand seals with practiced efficiency.
Observing this development, Orochimaru responded by creating his own sequence of rapidly changing hand seals with equal precision.
Swoosh!
One of Kushina's shadow clones that had dispersed throughout the village suddenly encountered Tsunade in a residential district that had been largely evacuated.
The primary purpose behind creating these clones had been to locate Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo, and other key defenders, then guide them to engage the various enemies that her sensory abilities had detected throughout the village.
Of course, the most critical objective remained finding and neutralizing Sasori before his poisons could be deployed against civilian populations.
However, at that moment, an unexpected figure appeared directly in front of both women, effectively blocking their intended path.
"Kushina, leave this to me," Tsunade said with characteristic confidence, glancing at the shadow clone beside her.
Minato had previously instructed her about the dangers of overusing chakra while in Nine-Tails mode, since the tailed beast would continuously extract energy from Kushina's own reserves. It would be more tactically sound for Kushina to either guide them to locate other enemies or simply dismiss the shadow clone to conserve chakra.
The shadow clone nodded in acknowledgment and glanced at their opponent with obvious surprise before dispersing with a distinctive "BANG!"
Only then did Tsunade turn her full attention toward the purple-haired woman standing before them.
"I haven't heard Minato or the others mention you," she observed with growing concern.
Her expression became increasingly grim as she considered the implications. Some of the attackers currently assaulting Konoha had been involved in the masked man's original devastating assault eleven years ago.
Others represented S-rank rogue ninja from various nations who had been recruited by the organization in recent years.
However, the woman before her clearly didn't belong to either of these previously identified categories, and apparently no one in Konoha's intelligence network possessed any information about her identity or capabilities.
In contrast, Konan recognized Tsunade immediately upon sight, because since the conclusion of the confrontation between Konoha and the Sand Village during the Third Great Ninja War, this legendary figure had replaced Chiyo as the strongest female ninja in the modern world.
She was listed alongside Jiraiya and Orochimaru as one of the legendary Sannin of Konohagakure.
"You dared to attempt tried the legacy of my ancestor," Tsunade declared with righteous fury. "No matter who you are or what organization you represent, you have committed an absolutely unforgivable crime!"
With these words, she charged directly toward Konan with obvious killing intent, clenching her five fingers into a fist as she prepared to deliver one of her devastating attacks.
What genuinely surprised Tsunade was that Konan showed absolutely no intention of dodging or attempting to evade the incoming assault.
While Tsunade was still processing this unusual tactical decision, her attack connected with its target.
However, with that single powerful blow, Konan's entire form scattered and transformed into countless pieces of white origami that began floating in all directions, gradually surrounding Tsunade from every possible angle.
"What an unusual technique," Tsunade observed with professional interest.
There had been no sensation of striking any solid object whatsoever. Instead, Konan had completely transformed into countless sheets of white paper that were now systematically encircling her position.
Before the origami could gather in sufficient numbers to create a serious threat, Tsunade immediately leaped backward, putting distance between herself and the floating paper constructs.
All of the scattered origami then converged above Tsunade's head, reforming into the upper body of the purple-haired woman with remarkable fluidity.
The white paper formed enormous wings behind Konan's reconstructed form, giving her the appearance of a divine angel descended from heaven itself.
Facing someone of Tsunade's legendary reputation and demonstrated power, Konan understood that holding back any portion of her abilities would be tantamount to suicide.
Suspended in the air above her opponent, she raised both palms as white origami began gathering behind her in massive quantities, transforming into what appeared to be thousands of paper shuriken floating in perfect formation.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"
With a graceful wave of her hand, Konan unleashed countless paper projectiles that poured downward like a devastating rainstorm of cutting edges!
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