A fierce battle was raging on the border of the Land of Fire.
The ten-day war between several small nations had finally spilled into Fire Country territory.
Both sides had begun deploying reinforcements.
The Wind Country's ninja forces had reached 5,000 strong.
Konoha had increased its own forces to 4,000.
Inside the Konoha encampment, Akamichi Tekkaze was studying a map intently.
Beside him stood more than twenty Jōnin who had joined the battle.
One of them stood out—a white-haired Jōnin with a calm demeanor.
He was none other than Kato Dan, Tsunade's boyfriend.
"Has Sunagakure gone mad? They just sent five thousand ninjas in one go. Aren't they guarding any of their other borders?" said Inuzuka Duwan, a Jōnin from the Inuzuka clan. A black-and-white wolfhound sat by his feet, its blue eyes giving it a look eerily similar to a husky.
Kato Dan thought for a moment and responded, "The Wind Country is still funneling in troops. They've been infiltrating through the Land of Ash, the Land of Flowers, and the Land of Rain."
"With our current defensive lines, it's going to be hard to completely stop them."
Namikaze Minato nodded and added, "And their weapons are excellent. Their iron ore reserves far surpass ours. If this continues, I'm afraid the other great nations might…"
One-on-one, the Land of Fire wasn't afraid of anyone.
But because Fire was the strongest and most fertile country in the ninja world, the other nations wouldn't just sit by and let it crush the Wind Country without consequence.
That was exactly why the Wind Country dared to be so bold.
They were based in a desert—no nation wanted to invade them.
They could freely mobilize a large number of troops.
Konoha, on the other hand, had to defend all of its borders. If they thinned their forces even slightly, the other three great nations wouldn't hesitate to strike.
Akamichi Tekkaze tapped the map with his fan.
"That's why we must strike like thunder. Annihilate the Wind Country's main force right here. Break their morale!"
He looked around at the assembled Jōnin in the tent.
"Konoha's supplies have arrived. Everyone, prepare for battle tonight!"
As the Jōnin left to get ready, Tekkaze stopped Minato.
"Minato, stay behind."
Once the others had gone, Tekkaze said seriously, "Your speed is unmatched. I need you to sneak into the enemy's rear and cut off their supply lines."
"This intel came from Anbu at great cost."
He handed Minato a scroll.
Minato accepted it and quickly read through the detailed supply routes of the Wind Country.
"I understand," he said calmly.
"I'm counting on you," Akamichi said solemnly.
While Fire Country ninja generally outclassed the Sand Shinobi in individual strength, that advantage wasn't enough to offset the sheer numbers of the enemy.
If Minato could sever their supply line, the Wind troops would lose cohesion—even within Fire Country territory.
But such a mission wasn't just about skill—it took courage.
If Minato hadn't already proven himself outstanding in this war, Tekkaze wouldn't have entrusted him with the task.
The next morning, the armies of Fire and Wind clashed in their first all-out confrontation.
Konoha's shinobi and Sunagakure's forces fought fiercely.
But soon, a major problem became apparent.
The kunai used by Konoha's ninjas were shattering after just a few strikes.
The same went for their swords.
The tide of battle shifted instantly.
The Sand Shinobi, armed with superior weapons, fought more fiercely than ever. Konoha's side, unable to rely on their broken tools, began to falter.
Some even began retreating.
In the end, Konoha was forced into a strategic withdrawal.
For an entire day and night, nearly 10,000 troops from both sides battled in the dense forest.
The casualties were staggering.
Crows circled the skies above the battlefield, refusing to leave.
That night, inside his tent, Akamichi Tekkaze sat in silence, staring at the casualty report before him.
His face was grim.
"Total casualties from today's battle: 653 dead, 102 severely injured…"
"Nine Jōnin killed."
That meant nearly half of Konoha's fighting force had been lost in just one day.
And it wasn't because Konoha's shinobi lacked strength or courage.
It was because of the weapons delivered from Konoha.
Akamichi Tekkaze slammed the table in front of him, shattering it into splinters.
"Send a report to the village immediately! I want to know what the hell is going on!"
His fury wasn't without direction.
A name surfaced in his mind—Mitokado Homura.
An old teammate of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Homura was currently in charge of Konoha's weapon production.
While Danzo controlled the shadowy Root division and Tekkaze commanded the border troops, it was Homura who oversaw arms manufacturing.
But now wasn't the time for politics.
Right now, his priority was protecting the shinobi under his command.
They couldn't afford to be wiped out here.
Tekkaze's eyes turned steely.
"Send orders. Have Kato Dan lead the 5th, 7th, and 8th squads and retreat toward Mount Kikyo."
"As for the 2nd and 3rd squads, they'll stay with me. We'll block the enemy and buy time for the others to evacuate!"
His secretary hesitated.
"But sir… the 2nd and 3rd squads are composed of members from various clans. You… you're putting them all at risk…"
That included members of the Akamichi clan, and even young elites like Nara Shikahisa and Yamanaka Inoichi.
Tekkaze looked at him coldly.
"Konoha is in crisis. Is it so wrong to have the children of noble clans stand up? Or are you saying it's fine if I die, but those kids must live?"
The secretary dared not speak further and quickly went to carry out the orders.
Tekkaze picked up his battle fork and stepped out of the tent, watching the fires of war burning in the distance.
Just then, a loud commotion erupted on the left side of the camp.
"What's going on?" Tekkaze asked sharply.
The Hyuga clan ninja who had been following closely behind suddenly widened his eyes.
His face turned pale after what he saw.
"Master Tekkaze, the enemy is attacking!"
Akamichi Tekkaze immediately picked up his weapon.
Just as he was about to charge into battle, the Hyuga ninja added,
"My lord, it's the Cloud Shinobi!"
"Cloud Shinobi?!"
Tekkaze quickly grabbed the map. The disturbance was coming from the direction of Mount Kikyo!
That meant the Cloud Shinobi had crossed the border, come through Mount Kikyo, and joined forces with the Sand Shinobi to besiege Dawang's position!
Tekkaze gripped the heavy iron trident in his hands tightly, the metal creaking from the pressure.
The Hyuga ninja looked in another direction and said gravely:
"The Sand Shinobi we were fighting earlier today are also present."
Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted in the distance.
Cloud Shinobi and Sand Shinobi—attacking simultaneously!
Akamichi Tekkaze didn't hesitate and roared his command:
"Everyone, prepare to fight! Kill as many as you can!"
"Yes, sir!"
The entire Konoha camp was soon engulfed in a heavy atmosphere of grief and fury.
With enemies attacking from both sides, there was nowhere to run.
Running would only mean dying faster.
All they could do now was fight.
Fight to survive!
Among the most nervous were the rookies—the ones stepping onto the battlefield for the first time.
Like Uchiha Mikoto and Hyuga Rei (Ling Yi).
The two of them happened to be in the same squad.
But it wasn't a regular mission squad—this was a temporary combat unit of six people.
Now, only three remained.
The cruelty of war was evident.
Konoha's forces were already half gone.
Yet even in this state, they had to face enemies who outnumbered them two to one.
They didn't even have proper weapons…
Hyuga Rei looked toward the direction of the Sand Shinobi attack.
"Mr. Simu… are you coming?"
Uchiha Mikoto gripped her kunai tightly.
Under the pressure and bloodshed of this war, she had finally awakened her Sharingan.
A complete three-tomoe Sharingan!
"Rei, cover me!"
"Got it."
Hyuga Rei nodded firmly.
Just then, the distant warning sirens began to sound.
"Enemy attack! Prepare for battle!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions lit up the forest.
Amid the flying artillery fire, a massive figure loomed into view, growing larger and larger—like a titan stepping onto the battlefield.
All eyes turned toward him.
It was Akamichi Tekkaze, in his gigantic form, wielding an iron trident lined with jagged spikes.
He raised it high and roared in the direction of the oncoming Cloud Shinobi:
"Cloud Shinobi! Since you dare to invade Konoha, be prepared to die here!"
"Hahaha! Akamichi Tekkaze, still talking big even now… I must say, I admire your courage!"
The one leading the Cloud Shinobi assault was none other than the legendary Cloud Jōnin—Tutai.
He and Tekkaze were longtime battlefield rivals.
"Heh… you old dog still dare show up here? Then let me send you to the afterlife myself!"
With grim determination, Tekkaze transformed into a massive, rolling ball of flesh and chakra—the Akamichi clan's signature technique—hurtling toward the Cloud forces like a tank.
BOOM!
Trees snapped like twigs as his massive body crushed everything in its path.
"Everyone, get out of the way!"
Tutai didn't want to see his comrades flattened by the charging giant, but some Cloud ninja who couldn't dodge in time were instantly crushed into pulp.
Tutai quickly stepped forward and formed hand signs.
"Lava Style: Membrane Wall!"
A torrent of thick lava spewed from his mouth, quickly solidifying into a massive barrier in front of him.
BAM!
Tekkaze's chariot form smashed into the lava wall.
He reverted to his human form mid-charge, raised his iron trident, and brought it crashing down!
CRACK!
The lava wall split clean in two.
Tutai glared at Tekkaze with his remaining eye.
At the same time, he shouted coldly:
"Sand Shinobi! If you don't act now, this will all fall apart!"
Suddenly, Tekkaze looked down.
The ground beneath his feet had turned pitch black—covered in fine iron sand.
"Magnet Style: Iron Sand Burial!"
An icy voice rang out.
Tekkaze's expression changed drastically.
"Magnet Style… the Sand Shinobi are here too…"
The iron sand surged upward, forming massive hands that tightly gripped his calves.
The pressure from the sand began to crush the bones in his legs.
Above the battlefield, a cloud of iron sand floated in the air.
A man in a white robe stood atop it.
He wore a wide bamboo hat bearing the kanji for Wind (風).
It was the Third Kazekage—Sasori's mentor—Salamon.
"You didn't expect even the Third Kazekage to take the field himself, did you? Looks like the Wind Country really plans to go to war with Konoha for good."
Tekkaze made a quick decision.
He shrank his body rapidly, raised his trident—and without hesitation—sliced off his own crushed leg!
SPLURT!
Blood sprayed like a fountain.
He immediately used a binding technique unique to the Akamichi clan to stop the bleeding.
"You're still as ruthless and decisive as ever… Tekkaze."
Salamon stood above, looking down at him—and the entire Konoha army.
The coordinated assault of Cloud and Sand was now in full force.
Konoha's shinobi were being wiped out, little by little.
Rei and Mikoto's team was also in a desperate situation.
They were surrounded by three Sand Shinobi—each controlling two puppets. Six puppets in total.
Their last teammate had already died.
Despite killing three enemy shinobi with their perfect teamwork, the odds were overwhelming.
And now, with Cloud Shinobi joining the fray, things had turned completely hopeless.
"Run, Rei!"
Uchiha Mikoto clutched her bleeding shoulder, yanking out the kunai embedded in it, blood spurting out.
Rei's face was pale. She shook her head.
"There's nowhere to run."
With her Byakugan active, she could see everything.
All paths were blocked—enemies surrounded them from every side.
Mikoto let out a bitter smile.
"In that case… I guess we die together today."
Hyuga Rei gave a faint smile.
A figure flashed through her mind.
"Mr. Simu…"
"Die, Konoha dogs!" shouted one of the Sand Shinobi hidden in the trees.
The six puppets lunged forward, blades flashing.
Victory already felt guaranteed for the Sand Shinobi.
But just then—the ground trembled.
BOOM!
A massive form crashed to the earth in front of Rei and Mikoto—it was Akamichi Tekkaze!
He was covered in blood and looked monstrous.
Behind him, Tutai and the Third Kazekage were approaching step by step.
"Be obedient and die, Tekkaze," Salamon said coldly.
Countless specks of iron sand surged into the sky like a swarm of black locusts.
They gathered into dark clouds and came crashing down toward Tekkaze—and toward Rei and Mikoto standing behind him.
"It really is terrifying… the Third Kazekage."
Just then, a lighthearted but calming voice echoed beside Rei's ears.
Her eyes widened, her vision gleaming with hope.
"Yata Mirror: Yasaka Magatama!"
The sky lit up—brilliant and blinding.
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