A knew very well his father's defensive strength. Even if their ninjutsu specialists unleashed a barrage of jutsu at him, the Third Raikage would withstand it, likely without sustaining even a scratch. The only cost would be chakra expenditure.
Now that his father and Ye Zi were caught in such a bizarre stalemate, the most effective way to break it was simple, order their allies to bombard both of them with ninjutsu.
However, as a son, even though he knew this was the logical choice, it wasn't an easy decision to make, not even considering that his father would likely approve.
While A remained hesitant, nearly ten thousand Kumogakure shinobi had arrived, keeping a safe distance from the ongoing battle but completely surrounding Ye Zi and the Third Raikage.
The commanders of various battle units gathered at A's side, waiting for his next order.
The ten-thousand-strong force had been divided into specialized teams:
Ninjutsu specialists, Taijutsu and kenjutsu experts, Sensory and genjutsu units and Logistical and support teams.
The primary combat units were positioned closest to the battlefield, forming an overwhelming formation, sealing Ye Zi inside.
What would it feel like to face ten thousand enemies alone?
Despair? Helplessness? Regret? Fear?
The sheer imbalance in numbers would be enough to mentally break most people. Even if the thousands of shinobi shouted all at once, the resulting roar alone would be deafening.
Facing ten thousand alone, one must possess an unshakable heart and the mindset of a true warrior. Otherwise, they would lose before the fight even began.
Although Ye Zi had been in this world for a long time, this was the first time he had faced an entire army alone. Perhaps this was something he needed to adapt to.
Right now, Ye Zi was completely surrounded. In his Sage Mode, he could clearly sense the overwhelming number of chakra signatures, forming an impenetrable encirclement around him.
If one were to map it out like a star chart, he was a lone star, isolated and trapped amidst an endless sky of enemy constellations.
Regardless of how things played out, one thing was certain, if he couldn't capture the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, then his only other option was to die here.
There was nowhere to retreat.
Such hopeless circumstances could easily make a person despair, lose confidence, and give in to negative emotions. But not Ye Zi.
These ten thousand shinobi, including several powerful elites, had formed a colossal, impenetrable barrier before him.
But Ye Zi's goal was not to cross the barrier.
It was to shatter it.
Throughout his silent exchange of blows with the Third Raikage, Ye Zi's expression remained unchanged.
Like the calm surface of a frozen lake, his eyes held a chilling serenity, untouched by fear or anxiety.
Even as he stood at the heart of an army, Ye Zi's mindset remained unshaken, as if these ten thousand shinobi were nothing more than decorations.
But of course, they were not mere decorations.
This wasn't a force of disposable pawns or low-ranking genin.
These were hardened veterans, survivors of the previous shinobi war, forming an unrivaled army.
Though the pressure of the encirclement was immense, Ye Zi remained unaffected. Meanwhile, his clash with the Third Raikage continued without pause.
No one dared to recklessly interfere, getting caught in the crossfire would mean being ripped to shreds instantly.
Time continued to tick away.
At this rate, if no outside forces intervened, the deadlock between Ye Zi and the Third Raikage could last for days, perhaps even three days and three nights.
In the end, it would become a battle of willpower and endurance. Whoever collapsed first would lose.
Neither of them could afford to retreat.
To step back, even once, would give the other an opening, and in a fight like this, such an opening could be instantly exploited.
From the start of their exchange, they had maintained a precarious balance of power. The moment one side faltered, the accumulated momentum would burst forth, completely engulfing the first one to show weakness.
However, this stalemate wasn't just between two fighters.
There were ten thousand warriors here.
Would they really wait for the fight to conclude naturally?
Of course not.
They were looking for a way to break the deadlock, to find a way to injure Ye Zi.
And the decision lay in A's hands.
The Third Raikage had no time to give orders.
All he could do was trust that A would understand his intentions and give the necessary command.
Another ten minutes passed.
The rapid exchange of blows continued, neither side showing signs of fatigue.
The entire battlefield remained silent, tens of thousands of eyes fixated on the battle, watching as Ye Zi and the Third Raikage ravaged the water's surface with their relentless assaults.
Had the battle taken place on solid ground, the area would have been reduced to rubble long ago, a wasteland covered in craters and debris.
Finally, someone broke the silence.
"Lord A… Are we just going to stand here and watch?"
A dark-skinned middle-aged swordsman spoke in a low voice, unable to contain his frustration.
A remained silent.
He was usually a decisive person.
But the one standing in that battlefield was his own father.
Even though he had absolute faith in his father's strength, he hesitated.
However, deep down, he knew, his father would want him to give the order.
A clenched his fists, steeling his resolve.
He took a deep breath, his gaze turning sharp, and looked at the unit commanders.
In a firm, commanding voice, he declared: "Listen to my command. Ninjutsu units, prepare your strongest jutsu and fire at the target. All other units, don't just stand there. If you can use ninjutsu, use it. If not, throw every projectile weapon you have. Get moving—NOW."
The order stunned several commanders.
For a moment, they froze, exchanging uncertain glances.
A's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What are you waiting for? GO."
Hearing his unyielding command, the commanders gritted their teeth and swiftly relayed the orders.
The Third Raikage's legendary battlefield presence had always inspired confidence among his men.
To them, he had always been untouchable, a warrior without equal.
And that belief gave them courage.
As the orders spread, the entire formation shifted.
The Kumogakure army prepared itself.
The encirclement was now fully armed.
The moment A gave the final signal, ten thousand shinobi would unleash an assault more devastating than a Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Big Brother, Should I Use a Tailed Beast Bomb?" Killer B was eager, his eyes filled with excitement. He seemed to have complete faith in the Third Raikage, as if the idea of his father losing was unthinkable.
A responded by punching him in the face.
"Just stand there and watch quietly!" he ordered in a deep, commanding tone.
Truthfully, Ye Zi's strength had completely surpassed A's expectations.
He had never imagined that his father, who had crushed countless opponents without equal, would be caught in such a relentless deadlock.
This was something he had never seen before in all of his father's battles.
Killer B clutched his face in disbelief, feeling utterly wronged after getting punched.
Both Ye Zi and the Third Raikage could sense the shift in the battlefield.
"Finally figured it out, huh?" The Third Raikage's gaze turned icy cold.
He had waited long enough for this moment.
Ye Zi, on the other hand, remained silent and calm.
He focused on the web of fists and blades weaving before his eyes, yet his mind was already preparing for what was to come, a plan to take down a large portion of the surrounding Kumogakure forces.
He could feel it, over 8,000 shinobi had already begun channeling their chakra.
They were preparing to unleash a large-scale ninjutsu assault, and based on the fluctuations in their chakra, the jutsu they were preparing weren't low-level techniques.
8,000 ninja casting jutsu simultaneously…
Even if each of them only threw a single kunai, the sheer volume would be terrifying.
In reality, the remaining 2,000 shinobi weren't preparing ninjutsu, they were readying projectile weapons.
This was a full-force assault by ten thousand shinobi.
Yet even when faced with an army's worth of attacks, Ye Zi had no intention of breaking the stalemate first.
If the Third Raikage backed off, Ye Zi would ignore the oncoming storm of ninjutsu and kill him on the spot.
Both of them knew this fact.
Finally, once all 10,000 shinobi had finished preparing, A gave the order.
"Attack!" His cold and commanding voice echoed through The Valley of Clouds and Lightning.
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