As Naruto and his companions set off for the training island near Kumogakure, the Allied Shinobi Forces also began gathering at Kumogakure.
This would serve as the central command post for the entire alliance. The Iron Country had crafted new forehead protectors engraved with the kanji for "Shinobi" (忍), which were distributed to every participating ninja. Wearing their freshly forged protectors, shinobi from all the villages were assigned to different divisions according to their specialties.
A total of 87,640 troops were assembled — comprised of shinobi from the Five Great Nations and samurai from the Iron Country. It was the largest military force in the history of the shinobi world, an unprecedented alliance that would likely never be repeated.
And yet, their true enemy might not even amount to five people.
The Allied Shinobi Forces were divided into several divisions.
The First Division, the Mid-Range Combat Unit, was made up mainly of ninja skilled in projectile and weapon-based combat. It was commanded by Darui of Kumogakure and tasked with defending the Kumogakure coastline.
The Second Division, the Close-Range Combat Unit, specialized in engaging large numbers of enemies on the front lines. It was led by Kitsuchi of Iwagakure.
The Third Division, the Mid-to-Close-Range Combat Unit, focused on endurance battles and was commanded by Kiyosuke.
The Fourth Division, the Long-Range Combat and Support Unit, was responsible for assisting both the front and rear lines. It was nominally under the overall commander Gaara, though he had appointed a deputy commander for operational control.
The Fifth Division was the Special Combat Unit led by Mifune, composed entirely of samurai and shinobi who used unique techniques or unconventional fighting styles.
In addition, there were specialized units such as the Surprise Attack Division, the Intelligence Division, and the Medical Division. The total number of shinobi was staggering — and so was the number of expendable soldiers.
Kiyosuke looked down at the sea of black figures below him, scratched his head, and said,
"There are so many of them... Do we even have that many ninja in our village?"
He didn't remember Konoha having tens of thousands of shinobi, yet somehow so many had gathered here.
Mifune smiled beside him.
"Perhaps you've just never paid attention. As one of the Five Great Villages, Konoha would never have a shortage of shinobi."
"That's true enough."
Kiyosuke nodded. Below, the noise of thousands of voices rose up — chatter, arguments, and nervous murmurs. Many of the gathered shinobi were of the younger generation, who had never seen real war. Anxiety filled their faces. Some had even begun to quarrel after discovering that former enemies were now standing in the same ranks. How could they possibly tolerate that?
"Shut up already."
Kiyosuke frowned, cleared his throat, then roared,
"Quiet! If anyone keeps yelling, I'll burn you for firewood!"
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone who recognized him immediately fell silent. The Konoha shinobi were the first to stop talking, followed by those from Sunagakure and Kirigakure — the three villages that knew Kiyosuke's strength best. The remaining two villages soon followed suit.
A person's reputation casts a long shadow — and Kiyosuke's power was no joke. They had no choice but to shut their mouths.
The area fell completely silent. Kiyosuke nodded in satisfaction and turned to Gaara.
"Alright, it's time for you, the Regimental Commander of the Allied Forces, to give your speech."
"Thank you."
Gaara nodded and stepped forward. His speech began by explaining the origins of the war and his own purpose in joining it. He didn't elevate it to some lofty talk about protecting the world — he spoke from the heart, saying that he was fighting to save his friend, Naruto.
His honest words moved the crowd. The army below erupted again, but this time it was no longer in argument — it was in response to Gaara's conviction.
They would fight as shinobi!
"The morale's looking good!"
Kiyosuke smiled, clearly pleased as he gazed at the crowd below.
It seemed Pakura had taught Gaara quite a bit.
Pakura herself had also joined the army this time, though she wasn't with his division. She had been assigned to guard the daimyō, along with Mei Terumī.
Well… that might complicate things a bit.
Scratching his head with a sigh, Kiyosuke heard Gaara call out,
"Everyone, prepare to move out!"
"Yeah!"
Kiyosuke and the others leapt down, landing before their respective divisions. He turned to Kakashi and said,
"Kakashi, I'm appointing you as vice commander and tactical advisor. You'll command alongside me."
Kakashi's skill and intelligence were unquestionable. If his chakra reserves were just a bit higher, he could probably go toe-to-toe with the Sage of Six Paths.
With his usual dead-fish eyes, Kakashi muttered,
"Hey, hey, you're just trying to make me do all the work while you slack off, aren't you?"
"Exactly."
Kiyosuke grinned. Kakashi was the best man for the job — no question about it. It would be foolish not to make use of such talent.
Obito, on the other hand, wasn't assigned to any division. Instead, he had been sent to track down Uchiha Madara. Only he could use space-time ninjutsu, and with Kamui, no one could stop him if he decided to run.
"Move out!"
The massive army set forth at once. Their opponents would be a hundred thousand White Zetsu clones and numerous reanimated shinobi.
Following the guidance of the Intelligence Division, the five main divisions split up. After about an hour of marching, Kiyosuke's unit stopped in a dense forest — the enemy had appeared.
Countless White Zetsu clones emerged from the ground and attacked without hesitation.
Kiyosuke grabbed one by the neck and slammed it into the ground.
"Where's the Yamanaka Clan liaison? Get everyone coordinated! Be careful — these bastards aren't ordinary!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Allied Shinobi Forces' communication system relied on sensory-type ninja, the best from each village. With the aid of ninja tools, they could maintain telepathic links across the entire army.
The number of White Zetsu was overwhelming — and worse, among them were numerous Edo Tensei resurrected shinobi.
"Tch. So Kabuto really did team up with that guy. That makes things a lot less fun."
Kiyosuke clicked his tongue and punched through the chest of an Edo Tensei ninja wearing a Sunagakure flak jacket.
The reanimated shinobi's face showed no pain, only confusion.
"Have… we met before?"
"Huh? I don't think so."
Kiyosuke frowned, trying to recall. He was pretty sure he'd never seen this guy in his life.
Suddenly, another reanimated ninja shouted,
"Wait! Isn't that Asakawa Kiyosuke from Konoha?!"
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Kiyosuke looked completely baffled. Why did none of these people ring a bell?
"So it really is you!"
The Sunagakure ninja shouted, retreating as the gaping hole in his chest began to mend itself.
"You don't remember me? You killed me back in the day!"
"???"
Kiyosuke stared, utterly lost.
Kakashi gave him a deadpan look.
"It's been over ten years. Who the hell remembers every face they've killed in battle?"
"Damn it… it's really been that long, huh? Ugh! What's happening to my body? It's moving on its own— Wind Release!"
Kakashi mirrored the technique, countering it perfectly.
"Looks like the coming battles won't be easy."
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