"This..."
After witnessing the Iwagakure frontline's jutsu outside the Grass Ninja Village, with dust and gravel flying everywhere, Fugaku Uchiha expected both sides to plunge into an all-out battle—one that would decide the pride of their village and clan.
So when he saw the Iwagakure Enforcement Squad collectively throwing kunai and shuriken, Fugaku Uchiha, already prepared, immediately performed hand seals.
[Fire Release - Great Fire Annihilation!]
A tidal wave of chakra-infused flames erupted from his mouth like a raging tsunami, blasting away all airborne ninja tools just released by Iwagakure. The firestorm continued unabated, sweeping toward the retreating members of the Enforcement Squad!
"Ahhhh!!"
Several Iwagakure ninjas who were slightly slower in escaping were instantly engulfed in flames. The agonized screams of the dying shattered what little resolve the remaining Iwagakure ninjas had left, driving them to flee even faster.
"Jonin lead the charge! Advance!"
Due to the obscuring and disruptive fire, Fugaku Uchiha couldn't directly see Iwagakure's movements at this moment. True to the saying "even a rabbit deserves a lion's effort," he gave it his all. He waved his arm forward, ordering his Uchiha shinobi with the Three-Comma Sharingan to break through the fiery barrier using the Shifting Body Technique, charging forward sword in hand to attack seemingly nonexistent enemies.
Yet when the Uchiha Jonin burst through the flames and reached where the Iwagakure forces had stood moments ago, all they could see besides several still-twitching scorched corpses was the retreating backs of the fleeing Iwagakure ninjas.
"Huh...?"
The Uchiha Jonin were equally confused.
Ever since the formation of Konoha's Military Police Force, the Uchiha had been confined to internal affairs within the village, spending their days either handling trivial matters or capturing spies and undercover agents. They had virtually no experience in full-scale battlefield combat. So when faced with such a situation, they had no idea how to react.
"Should we… pursue them?"
One of the Three-Comma Sharingan Jonin hesitated, pointing ahead and glancing at his comrade.
At that very moment, the Uchiha clan's ninja force led by Fugaku Uchiha also emerged from the fire, discovering these Jonin whispering together while the enemy had already vanished without a trace.
"What exactly is going on here?"
Even Fugaku Uchiha, with a little battlefield experience, was just as confused.
According to his pre-planned battle strategy, once these Three-Comma Sharingan Jonin successfully breached enemy lines and disrupted their formation, his main force would follow up immediately with Fire Release techniques and Sharingan-based genjutsu attacks, launching a full assault aimed at breaking the enemy's formation and rapidly transitioning into chaotic close combat—something Uchiha warriors excelled at most.
But judging from the current situation...
"Launch a signal flare!"
Seeing all Iwagakure ninjas within the Grass Ninja Village already disappeared without a trace, Fugaku Uchiha struggled to make what he considered an appropriate decision. Consequently, following Konoha traditions, he could only request tactical guidance from the rear ninja headquarters about to initiate their offensive.
Within less than two minutes, under the leadership of Hyuga Soushu, the Coalition Force of Ninja Clans and Border Forces swiftly surged into the heart of the Grass Ninja Village. They quickly seized all important access points, cornering the fleeing Grass Ninja inside their respective homes.
"Is this a Kongcun stratagem (a deceptive tactic where enemies are made to believe the village is abandoned)?"
Hyuga Soushu, his Byakugan scanning the surroundings, began to sense something was off.
Within Grass Ninja Village at this moment, aside from the Grass Ninjas hiding in their homes and trembling in fear, there were no other outsiders present.
Not far away, Iwagakure had deployed a squad to face off against the Sarutobi–Ino–Shika–Cho Ninja Force. The rest of their forces had taken shelter inside an Earth Maze hastily constructed through ninjutsu techniques, appearing as if they had no intention of launching any further attacks for now.
Behind Iwagakure's forces, a faint yet sinister chakra fluctuation surged. Based on prior experience from the Campaign against Kumo, Soushu identified it as Tailed Beast Chakra, although he couldn't determine whether it belonged to Four-Tails or Five-Tails.
"Sealing Ninjas, prepare defense barriers! Hyuga warriors, form squads and sweep the village for Grass Ninjas! Uchiha Ninja Force, hold your battle formation! The rest of you, spread out and reinforce the perimeter!"
Soushu swiftly issued orders, and the entire Ninja Force sprang into action immediately.
Soon after, fully equipped Konoha Ninjas launched a full-scale village search operation, filling Grass Ninja Village with wailing and lamentation.
One by one, the Grass Ninjas were dragged out like cattle from their hiding places and bound tightly before being thrown into the village's central plaza without offering any resistance whatsoever.
After some time, a group of Hyuga warriors brought forward a severely battered Grass Ninja before Hyuga Soushu, reporting proudly, "General Soushu, we've captured the leader of Grass Ninja Village!"
"Is that so?"
Soushu carefully examined the bruised figure who could barely be recognized as human, questioning with evident skepticism, "Are you really Mang, the leader of the Grass Ninjas?"
"No! You're mistaken!"
The beaten man immediately denied the accusation.
"Yes it is! This is him!"
"He's definitely Mang, our leader!"
"All these evil deeds were ordered by him personally!"
The captured Grass Ninjas shouted in unison.
"Silence!"
Soushu roared, and the prisoners instantly fell silent.
"One last chance—state your identity clearly!"
Lifting his lantern-like weapon, Soushu pointed directly at the disfigured Mang and demanded.
"It is me."
This time, having been betrayed and cornered, Mang ceased attempts at concealment.
The Grass Ninjas' opportunistic loyalty and fickle nature astonished Soushu.
At that very moment, the Iwagakure detachment previously opposing Sarutobi–Ino–Shika–Cho Ninja Force outside Grass Ninja Village began a gradual withdrawal.
This sight further confirmed Soushu's suspicion about the Kongcun stratagem.
"Take them into custody for now!"
It wasn't yet appropriate to execute judgment-style punishments, so Soushu made no immediate decisions but simply assigned a Border Forces unit to take charge of guarding the Grass Ninja prisoners.
Once confirming all remaining hostiles inside Grass Ninja Village had been eliminated, Soushu bellowed loudly, "Uchiha! Are you ready for battle!"
"Tora!"
Under Fugaku Uchiha's command, three hundred Uchiha warriors roared back in unison, echoing the ancient military customs of the Warring States era—like daimyōs' generals answering a supreme commander's call to arms.
"You and the Sarutobi Ninja Force are to lead the charge! You must reach the summit of [Earth Maze] within three minutes after the general offensive signal is given and secure the front line!"
Hyuga Soushu had no intention of extending an olive branch to Iwagakure, which was currently adopting a defensive posture. Instead, he planned to continue expanding his gains: "Border Forces, assemble immediately and execute a flanking maneuver on the left flank!"
"The Coalition Force shall follow closely behind. After capturing the forward positions, immediately launch successive wave attacks by squadrons!"
"At your command!"
The Konoha Ninja Forces loudly responded once again, their morale soaring.
After confirming that the Leaf ninja had completely captured the Grass Ninja Village headquarters, Kitsuchi, whose face had darkened, immediately fired a signal flare to notify Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki at the rear who was serving as fire support, to get ready.
"They're really going straight for the [Tailed Beast Ball] already!"
Roshi quickly deduced Kitsuchi's message based on the type of signal flare. Though somewhat surprised, he didn't hesitate and transformed partially into his Tailed Beast state, beginning to draw out Tailed Beast Chakra to form a [Tailed Beast Ball].
"Ready for action."
On top of Iwagakure's earth fortress, Kari of the Explosion Corps started rubbing his hands together eagerly.
As ninjas raised during the [Ninja Village Era], most shinobi from various villages regarded the Uchiha Clan based on elders' oral accounts describing them as cowards who'd flee against a single foe or ambush when outnumbered 2 to 1. However, these proud young-generation shinobi were skeptical of those tales but eager to use the Uchiha as stepping stones to establish their reputations within their own village and even across the entire ninja world.
After all, if even the Senju of the Forest, once considered equal to or slightly superior to the Uchiha Clan, were devastated during the brutal meat grinder of the First Great Ninja War, how much stronger could the Uchiha, who sat out the [Great Ninja World Wars], really be?
Furthermore, during the [Ninja Village Era], each great village emphasized its own strengths in propaganda efforts, further bolstering the confidence of these Iwagakure ninja.
Though the combined might of Hyuga Soushu and Sakumo Hatake had indeed defeated Onoki's forces during the battle between the Iwagakure-Rain Alliance and Konoha Camp, those Iwa ninjas refused to believe it, dismissing it as mere chaos caused by losing the initiative. Now that they had constructed the ideal battlefield—the Earth Maze most suited for Iwagakure's fighting style—combined with the intimidation provided by the Jinchuriki at the rear, once the enemy Leaf ninja were forced to initiate an attack and entered their familiar labyrinthine traps, they'd blunder around blindly like confused flies and eventually be picked off one by one in this labyrinth!
Thus, the choice between advancing or retreating became the immediate dilemma for the Konoha forces.
Advancing meant battle, yet breaching Iwagakure's [Earth Maze] would not be easy—something the Leaf ninjas fully understood from the First Great Ninja War experience. However, if choosing to avoid the [Tailed Beast Ball]'s onslaught, not only would it directly damage their own morale, but also disrupt their formation. If Iwagakure suddenly launched an attack leaving their earth fortress, the Konoha forces might struggle to respond effectively and suffer serious losses.
Soushu's choice was not unexpected: "Uchiha! Are you ready to fight!"
"Tora!"
Under Fugaku Uchiha's lead, the three hundred Uchiha ninja responded like samurai from Japan's Sengoku period answering their warlord's summons.
"You and the Sarutobi forces will serve as vanguard. You must reach and secure the Summit of the Earth Maze within three minutes after the general attack signal is given!"
Hyūga Sōshū offered no explanation—only a direct order: "Except for the unit guarding the prisoners, the Northwest Border Forces shall assemble immediately and perform an encirclement maneuver from the left flank!"
"At once!"
By now, the Border Forces commander wasn't about to question anything. Looking at the situation, if even a single word of refusal escaped his mouth, he might end up seeing stars from a beating by Hyūga Sōshū's Torch Pole.
Thus, the previously scattered Border Forces ninja immediately left their positions and moved toward the left flank, waiting for the attack command before launching their assault. Meanwhile, under Fugaku Uchiha's command, the Uchiha forces Body Flickered out of the village to join with the Sarutobi Ninja Force, ready for the head-on assault.
Hyūga Sōshū continued issuing orders: "The Coalition Force shall follow immediately behind you. After capturing the forward positions, initiate sequential wave attacks by detachments!"
"We shall obey accordingly!"
Once more, the Konoha forces roared in unison, their spirits blazing high!
Through his Byakugan, Hyūga Sōshū could clearly see the sinister chakra pulses of the tailed beasts. Even regular Konoha Chunin were beginning to sense something was wrong.
Yet despite their anxious hearts pounding nervously, upon seeing Hyūga Sōshū still standing resolutely at the very front of the ninja ranks, slowly raising his signal flare, they began to calm down.
When the sky falls, leave it to the giants—especially one like Hyūga Sōshū, the legend who rose from nothing and never tasted defeat.
"Shoo!"
"Kill them!"
With the signal flare soaring into the sky, Fugaku Uchiha was the first to Body Flicker straight into the Earth Maze!
[Earth Release: Earth Pellet Technique]!
[Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld]!
The Iwa ninjas atop the Earth Maze immediately unleashed their ninjutsu for sniping operations.
A dense hail of earth-based projectiles rained heavily down on the Uchiha forces while the terrain itself softened beneath the effects of the jutsu, turning into extremely muddy marshland!
This combination of concentrated bombardment and highly effective enemy immobilization tactics formed the foundation of Iwa's disciplined Ninja Force reputation.
[Fire Release: Dragon Fire Emission Song Technique]!
[Fire Release: Inferno Blast]!
But the vanguard position didn't belong solely to the Uchiha. Alongside them stood the Sarutobi Clan—another ninja family renowned for mastering all five elemental transformations, especially fire techniques.
Under the joint fire release assault from both clans' Jonin-level ninjas, Iwa's initial round of earth attacks were easily neutralized while the mud-soaked terrain dried up completely from the intense flames. Even those few stray attacks that slipped through occasionally were effortlessly intercepted by the Ino–Shika–Cho triad.
Immediately afterward, the Konoha Northwest Border Forces also launched an assault on the left flank of the Earth Maze's defenses, drawing away part of Iwa's firepower.
As the vanguard forces advanced halfway, Hyūga Sōshū waved his hand powerfully, and the Coalition Force of Ninja Clans burst forward like tigers leaving their cages to begin their own assault.
"The Uchiha truly live up to their reputation!"
Inside the Earth Maze, Bakuton Shu couldn't help but marvel at the might of the Uchiha Ninja Force.
Still, it was admiration and nothing more.
Under his command, Iwagakure ninja positioned at the front lines began a slow retreat, launching ninjutsu attacks all the while, gradually surrendering their positions in the frontal section of the Earth Maze Labyrinth.
For Iwagakure ninja renowned for their Earth Release techniques, these defensive positions were merely disposable commodities. As long as they maintained the structural integrity of their forces and kept their chakra reserves intact, fortifications and defensive positions could be recreated endlessly.
In fact, according to Kitsuchi's strategy, instead of fighting Konoha ninja in open fields, his plan was to wage an attritional urban war inside this massive Earth Maze Labyrinth—a bloody meat grinder!
Moreover, most importantly, the Tailed Beast Ball being prepared by Roshi, the Four-Tails jinchuriki stationed far behind the frontline, would soon reach completion!
The first target for this devastating attack was the forward positions of the Earth Maze, personally designated by Kitsuchi.
"First into battle—the Uchiha!"
Fugaku Uchiha, commander of the Uchiha Ninja Force, rushed up to the Summit of the Earth Maze first. But before he could savor the moment, he was immediately awestruck by the intricate and pitch-black labyrinth stretching before him!
The retreating Iwagakure ninja—terrain-savvy earth rats—had already vanished deep into the maze before the Uchiha forces arrived at the battlefield, making it difficult even for the Sharingan wielded by members of the Uchiha Clan to locate them precisely.
But Fugaku Uchiha didn't have time to ponder further. He immediately raised his blade and charged straight ahead, becoming the first to plunge into the labyrinth.
Behind him, the Coalition Force of Ninja Clans was already surging forward. As the vanguard unit, he couldn't allow any traffic congestion on the frontlines.
At that very moment, however, an attack from afar was approaching.
A black-and-white swirling chakra sphere flew rapidly across the sky, its energy distorting the air like powerful tides. Within mere seconds after appearing on the horizon, it was about to crash into the formation of the Coalition Force.
Right at this moment, despite their pale faces filled with shock, the Sealing Ninja among the Coalition Force followed the previously issued orders, activating the defense barrier already prepared:
"Four-Corner Sealing Barrier!"
Activated by forty sealing ninja, a rectangular prism-shaped barrier composed of transparent purple flames quietly appeared, covering the entire Coalition Force of Ninja Clans within its protective range.
BOOM!
As expected, the Tailed Beast Ball shattered the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier on impact. The sealing ninja also spat blood and collapsed onto the ground.
After weakening through the barrier, though the Tailed Beast Ball's momentum had lessened somewhat, it still descended threateningly toward the Coalition Force!
Directly below where the Tailed Beast Ball was about to strike, Hyuga Soushu instantly activated his Body Flicker technique and shot upward to intercept it.
[Counter Storm!]
[Weapon Master!]
With both skills activated simultaneously, like a desperate insect flailing against a moving boulder, Hyuga Soushu swung the torch pole upward, striking against the Tailed Beast Ball!
Crack!
What followed was a crisp sound resembling the rupture of empty space itself!
The Tailed Beast Ball was cleaved apart mid-air and instantly dispersed into scattered Tailed Beast Chakra!
"Hiss!"
Roshi, controlling the attack from a distant location, couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air!
In one instant, he shattered the bond with the Tailed Beast—and with raw chakra alone, blew the Tailed Beast Ball to pieces!
With the Torch Pole in his grip already cracking under pressure, Hyuga Soushu hurled it straight at the Earth Maze of Iwagakure. His voice was ice cold as he muttered the punchline: *[Strong Demolition]*!
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