The next instant, iron spikes began spreading outward from the Third Kazekage as the center point.
Very quickly, this narrow area transformed into a massive iron sand barrier.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Boundary Technique!
Minato immediately appeared beside Kyohiko, grabbing his shoulder to make their escape, but in that moment, iron nets spread out to isolate the two of them.
The Third Kazekage swooped down from above.
Within the iron sand barrier, his speed was extremely fast and he could fly with great agility. Unless facing ninja with special abilities, he was practically invincible.
This was why he was called the strongest Kazekage.
Countless iron sand blades took form.
Minato twisted and turned through the gaps between attacks, while Kyohiko directly used chakra bursts to shatter the surrounding iron sand blades.
"How many more times can you afford to use chakra like this?"
The Third Kazekage sneered coldly.
He admitted it.
For a mere ten-year-old boy, Kyohiko's talent was extraordinarily high.
To possess jōnin-level abilities at such a young age - even many jōnin would be defeated by him in just a few moves. But no matter what, there was always one weakness.
Chakra reserves!
This was precisely what his trap targeted.
At this moment, Rasa also controlled his gold sand to surge toward Minato.
One attacked Kyohiko, the other tied up Minato.
For him to personally take action while also coordinating with an elite jōnin...
The Third Kazekage's focus on Kyohiko couldn't be more obvious!
Aburame Shibi felt his heart sink to the bottom.
He controlled his insect swarm to rapidly flood into the iron sand barrier, but they were all quickly surrounded and compressed by the iron sand and gold sand, blocked outside.
Within the iron sand barrier, the Third Kazekage condensed numerous iron needles that rained down from above.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!
The area around Kyohiko became nearly uninhabitable. He could only rely on continuous chakra bursts to withstand wave after wave of attacks.
"Attack!"
"Kyohiko!"
Minato shouted loudly.
However, the boy paid no heed, leaping up toward the sky with resolute determination.
At this moment, the Konoha ninja let out furious roars, desperately pushing back the enemies before them, hoping to assist the two trapped within the iron sand barrier.
Yet...
While harassing Minato, Rasa still had energy to spare to harass them as well.
Because the main force dealing with Kyohiko and Minato was still the Kazekage within the iron sand barrier, where he could move freely.
Seeing Kyohiko charging toward him, the Third Kazekage formed an iron spear in his hand. His figure blurred as he flew behind Kyohiko, preparing to impale him with one strike.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
No matter how talented, he was still just a child!
While undoubtedly powerful, his judgment of the battlefield situation lacked rationality. Sometimes retreat wasn't wrong - being too stubborn and prideful would only bring disaster to the ninja forces.
He controlled the iron spear to shoot toward Kyohiko's back.
In that instant, Kyohiko twisted midair, delivering a knifehand strike to the iron spear.
Iron sand grew around him, compressing his space to survive.
Chakra bursts maintained his vitality.
But at the same time...
The Third Kazekage noticed the strange markings on Kyohiko's face were disappearing, his aura rapidly declining.
This was the moment!
He clasped his hands together. Above, the iron sand condensed into a massive rectangular prism that came crashing down.
Minato instantly appeared beside Kyohiko.
In the next second, he reached toward the sky, directly teleporting the iron sand construct away.
However, more iron sand continued spreading and growing.
The iron sand barrier persisted!
An iron spike directly pierced Minato's arm and leg.
Within the iron sand barrier, the Third Kazekage moved with ease and confidence. But just as he prepared to deliver the killing blow to both of them, Minato abruptly vanished into thin air.
The next moment, an abnormal sense of crisis arose in the Third Kazekage's heart.
He had no time to determine the source of the threat.
Just as he was about to fly away, an earsplitting screech and crack came from beneath the ground.
The earth was fracturing, quaking.
What was happening?
Both Konoha and Suna forces were stunned.
But...
"Everyone, retreat quickly!"
Kakashi shouted.
The Konoha ninja immediately pulled back.
In the next second, he felt a terrifying gravitational pull from below, far exceeding normal gravity!
Finally...
BOOM!
A deafening explosion as the surrounding ground collapsed, revealing three bizarre iron pillars.
Through sealing techniques and summoning techniques, these coil-wrapped iron pillars broke through layer after layer of earth, rising until they were just below the surface.
The Third Kazekage grew increasingly uneasy.
He hadn't yet guessed what the trap was, but his sharp instincts screamed that something was wrong. He immediately fired the retreat signal flare.
Then, the Third Kazekage flew upward, preparing to escape.
But...
Underground, Orochimaru and his shadow clones, along with the ninjutsu team, were each controlling an iron pillar, continuously channeling chakra into the coils.
This required an enormous amount of chakra.
The team below had lain in ambush for a long time. Now, their combined chakra output was more than enough to sustain it briefly.
Even if only for an instant, it was sufficient—
The massive iron sand barrier was instantly drawn by the tremendous magnetic force, collapsing with a thunderous crash!
"What?!"
From his vantage point in the distance, Ebizō was filled with shock and panic.
He understood now.
Konoha's goal had never been defense—it was to lull them into complacency!
Every move in their strategy was designed to make the Third Kazekage and Rasa believe that Magnet Release's flight ability was safe, that they could safely attempt to kill Kyohiko.
But in reality, their true target had always been the Kazekage!
"Quick, save Lord Kazekage!"
He shouted desperately.
Yet—the invincible Third Kazekage in everyone's minds, needing to be rescued?
No one had ever imagined such a scenario.
Even more...
Many instinctively moved to cover and assist, only to find their puppet components being pulled away, their puppets instantly collapsing into scattered parts.
This magnetic force was too powerful!
Rasa was horrified.
He had been flying on a platform of gold sand, but the trace amounts of iron within were now being violently attracted toward Konoha's position, dragging him along.
Rasa had no choice but to leap off from midair.
Fortunately, the height wasn't too great, and there were Suna ninja below to catch him, so he landed safely.
But...
The Third Kazekage wasn't so lucky.
The wings he had spread to fly away now became his shackles, his body instantly plummeting downward.
He immediately dispersed the iron sand.
Though this stopped his descent...
In that moment, a figure appeared before him.
Kyohiko?!
How was this possible!
"How do you still have chakra left?"
Moreover, those strange markings reminded him of a terrifying legend—
It was said that Hashirama Senju possessed a power capable of subduing tailed beasts!
Could it be...?
The Third Kazekage's mind raced with dreadful realizations.
He didn't know that Kyohiko's current state was Sage Mode. By sheer coincidence, he assumed Kyohiko might have mastered an ability similar to the First Hokage.
At this moment, endless fear and regret flooded the Third Kazekage's heart.
Damn it all!
This wasn't another Tobirama Senju in the making!
This was another Hashirama Senju—a God of Shinobi!
If he had known earlier, why would he ever have made an enemy of Konoha?
But regret was useless now.
At this moment, the Third Kazekage could only think about how to survive—or...
Inform the subordinates of the intelligence you've obtained!
Either refrain from opposing Konoha, or take this chance to kill Kyohiko now.
His thoughts raced, but the magnetic force beneath him remained immense—in fact, after absorbing his iron sand, the magnetic pull in that area had grown even stronger than before!
His kekkei genkai was rendered useless, while Kyohiko's speed far exceeded his expectations.
At this point, the only thing he could rely on was shadow clones.
The Third Kazekage intensified the magnetic force, his body rapidly descending to evade Kyohiko's charging assault.
Yet—
The figure above him dissipated into nothingness.
A shadow clone?
His mind went blank.
The next instant, a figure shot upward from the ground like lightning.
Boom!
A thunderous burst of chakra, unleashed in the form of monstrous strength, erupted from Kyohiko's fist—delivering a devastating blow that pierced straight through the Third Kazekage's shadow clone.
But the Kazekage had already conjured a mass of iron sand beneath him.
The iron sand plummeted, crashing down toward Kyohiko.
In response, Kyohiko formed a single-handed seal, creating a shadow clone.
With his other hand, he threw a punch.
Even the hardened iron sand was no match for the power of sage techniques and monstrous strength—shattering and scattering under the force of his blow.
His shadow clone surged with water.
Water and lightning intertwined, forming a coiling, electrified dragon that spiraled upward.
Sage Art: Thunderwater Dragon Bullet
The Third Kazekage was powerless to resist.
With all his might, he roared—
"Run! Get out of here!"
Then, layer upon layer of iron sand enveloped him.
The moment the water dragon struck, it seemed to let out a furious roar—its overwhelming impact slamming the Kazekage straight into the earth.
...
The shinobi of Sunagakure had never imagined that the Magnet Release they took such pride in would one day become the death knell for their Third Kazekage and their puppeteers.
Now, the only threats they could pose to Konoha were wind techniques and poison.
Yet—
Neither could save the Kazekage.
Amidst the deafening roar, Ebizō's vision blurred with tears. He knew—the Third Kazekage would not escape.
"Elder Ebizō, let me go again—"
Before Rasa could finish, he saw it—a water dragon, far more terrifying than before, materializing in the distance and crashing violently into the Third Kazekage.
At this moment, Kyohiko stood triumphant—gripping the water dragon with one hand, pinning the Kazekage beneath his foot, an indomitable figure of absolute dominance.
Rasa was stunned—then overwhelmed with despair.
Why was this man, Ryoho Kyohiko, so impossibly strong?
And—
How could they counter Magnet Release?
He couldn't comprehend it.
From afar, a faint cry reached them.
Run!
Get out of here!
Gritting his teeth, Ebizō barked, "Retreat!"
He had finally made his decision.
If they stayed any longer, every shinobi of Sunagakure would die. They had to preserve the village's hope.
In an instant, the army withdrew—leaving only the distant water dragon, still hammering against the black sphere like a falling meteor.
Every Suna shinobi present knew.
That was their Kazekage.
And yet—
He was about to die.
...
BOOM
The iron sand exploded outward like a bomb.
In his final moments, the Kazekage's chakra transformed into an overwhelming magnetic force—just as Orochimaru and the jutsu squad's chakra below began to wane.
At last, he regained control of the magnetism.
But—
He had only moments left.
Kyohiko, still gripping the water dragon, drove his other fist forward with devastating force—shattering the iron sand barrier the Kazekage had erected.
So—
With his last strength, the Kazekage unleashed all his iron sand in a lethal barrage.
"Fall back!"
Minato's pupils contracted.
In an instant, he teleported to Kyohiko's side—then vanished again, taking both Kyohiko and the Third Kazekage with him.
Half of the iron sand burst outward, morphing into countless blades and swords that rained down indiscriminately.
Fortunately—
With the Kazekage gone, Orochimaru seized control of the magnetic force once more.
The storm of iron weapons lost momentum mid-flight, their lethality drastically reduced.
Though many were still wounded, the casualties were minimized.
The battlefield was left in ruins.
A few previously injured shinobi, caught in the crossfire, were impaled—their lives extinguished instantly.
Underground, Orochimaru gasped for breath.
Controlling two electromagnetic rods alone had drained him significantly.
If not for that, he would have ordered a pursuit of the fleeing Suna forces.
But now—
Sealing away the three iron pillars, he muttered,
"They'll be useful later."
With what little chakra he had left, Orochimaru led the jutsu squad back to the surface.
"The war is over."
His voice was quiet, yet it sparked an eruption of cheers from the ranks.
Even Aburame Shibi was no exception.
He had suspected Kyohiko and Orochimaru had a scheme—perhaps another ambush on Sunagakure. But never had he imagined—
Their target was the Third Kazekage himself!
"Aim for the hardest bone to break."
And they had succeeded!
His face twitched, caught between laughter and tears.
This battle had defied all expectations.
Orochimaru turned.
"However, the greatest credit does not belong to me. Every part of this strategy was Kyohiko's design."
Then, with a faint smile, he gazed toward the Land of Wind.
"For years to come, Sunagakure won't dare show its face again."
Crushing an enemy's pride was far more devastating than destroying their flesh.
Losing shinobi was recoverable—they could always train more.
But having their prized Magnet Release neutralized? That was a deathblow to Sunagakure.
It meant their Magnet Release and puppetry would be severely diminished.
Unless they uncovered Konoha's methods, Suna would never risk another invasion.
The foot of Kikyō Mountain erupted in triumphant roars as shinobi fanned out to secure the area—rounding up survivors and taking them prisoner.
By the time the sweep was done, the land beyond Kikyō Mountain lay in ruins.
...
Atop Kikyō Mountain, Kyohiko exhaled slowly, his nerves still rattled.
The Third Kazekage's final explosion had been terrifying—had Minato not acted swiftly, teleporting both him and the Kazekage to safety, the consequences would have been dire.
Even if he had survived unscathed, Konoha's forces would have suffered heavy losses.
"Truly a Kage-level opponent."
Kyohiko's voice held a note of respect.
Minato nodded, his expression somber.
"Yes. For Sunagakure's sake, he mustered his last ounce of strength—such a fearsome will."
"To Suna, he was a great Kazekage. But to us, he was the enemy."
Kyohiko sighed.
"Such is war. There is no right or wrong—only interests and allegiances."
"Is there no way to end war?"
Minato's voice was heavy with doubt—a question that had haunted him for some time.
How could peace ever be achieved?
Kyohiko's gaze drifted into the distance, as if peering through time itself.
Even in his previous world, with millennia of history, true peace had remained elusive. Who was he to claim an answer?
Still, if he had to say—
"Perhaps… by eliminating divisions and aligning shared interests. But that would require both opportunity and long-term effort."
Then he looked down at the Third Kazekage.
Even in death, the man's eyes remained open—fixed on the Land of Wind.
He had been a great Kazekage.