"Too fast."
The sullen Kitsuchi sat motionless inside the command post, expression grim.
Despite holding the advantage of terrain, Iwagakure could not maintain its defensive lines under Konoha's full-scale offensive. The numbers simply weren't in their favor, and they were unable to withstand the fierce assault led by Hyuga Soushu and other clan ninja. After the frontline commander Explosion Release Kari was killed by Hyuga Soushu, the entire front began to collapse rapidly. Even the right flank of Earth Maze had already been breached by Konoha's border forces, forcing them into a phase of gradual retreat and desperate resistance.
Moreover, there was practically no one within Iwa's forces capable of matching Hyuga Soushu. Even when Iwagakure employed their specialty—Earth Release techniques to drastically alter the terrain—it still failed to slow down Hyuga Soushu's advance. With clan ninja breaking through earthen walls and plunging deep into the Earth Maze, the Iwa forces along the way were being blown apart like grass before a scythe.
It was a rout like a mountain crumbling—there was no stopping it now.
This was the brutal truth Iwagakure's Ninja Force now faced.
Certainly, even so, Iwa still possessed the means to destroy everything—the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi, who lay hidden north of the Earth Maze, anxiously awaiting orders to attack.
Yet Kitsuchi had not issued the final command. His Strategist Ninja, though impatient, could only wait for the commander's order.
"The Reserve Unit has already entered combat!"
A messenger ninja instantly appeared inside the command post, whispered briefly to the strategist, then vanished again. After hesitating for a moment, the Strategist finally spoke up, "Honorable Kitsuchi, it is time we begin our strategic withdrawal."
"Withdrawal?"
The long-silent Kitsuchi slowly turned his head, fixing the strategist with a stare. "Since when have you learned such a term used by Konoha to avoid responsibility?"
"Er..."
The puzzled strategist began to sweat.
Are you seriously going to argue about where a damn phrase came from at a time like this?!
What they were facing now wasn't merely danger or near-destruction—it was life or death, total annihilation looming at any second!
"Iwa can survive without me, even without you," Kitsuchi sighed deeply, sadness evident in his voice. "But it cannot survive without its Jinchuriki. Notify Roshi—the Four-Tails Jinchuriki—to withdraw immediately. He can't stay anywhere near the battlefield or Konoha will snatch him right up!"
"Honorable Lord!"
At this, the strategist couldn't hold back. "We still have a chance to turn the tide! As long as—"
"As long as deploying the Jinchuriki would make everything better, is that what you want to say?!"
Kitsuchi cut him off sharply, placing both hands on his knees and rising slowly to his feet, beginning to strap various ninja tools onto his body in preparation for battle. "Then tell me, how did Kumo's Two-Tails Jinchuriki end up dead?"
"There's still distance between Roshi and us. This is a good opportunity."
Still arguing, the Strategist didn't send the order to recall Roshi, as Kitsuchi had instructed.
"Oh, and send a written copy of the command ordering Roshi to retreat back to the village itself. Let him avoid any false accusations of cowardice or fleeing the battlefield!"
Kitsuchi completely ignored the Strategist Ninja's explanation or counsel, and instead proceeded to add his own instructions: "Don't rush this kind of matter, but you must move fast! Otherwise, if Konoha makes further progress, even our ninja hawks won't be able to take flight!"
"At once!"
The Strategist Ninja respectfully bowed and immediately body flickered toward the rear positions.
At this moment, the only safe location capable of sending messages outward was the undamaged northern fortress city made of earth.
After making a bold decision that even Kitsuchi himself wasn't sure was correct, he directly walked out from the command center. He began issuing orders to gather all ninja directly under Iwagakure Headquarters, reorganizing these bureaucrats—long untested in battle—into fighting groups preparing for a desperate resistance.
Iwagakure might fall, but the Stone Will shall never kneel!
This was also the only thing Kitsuchi could do under current circumstances.
With the front lines collapsing entirely, the Jonin commander of Iwagakure's hastily dispatched Reserve Unit was targeted and killed by Hyuga Soushu the moment he entered combat. Less than three minutes after officially engaging, they were utterly crushed beneath the Coalition Force of Ninja Clans' diverse onslaught.
Kitsuchi, awaiting the final hour, made no effort to stop his fellow Iwa ninjas as they fled into defeat, merely firing signal flares to indicate that any still willing to fight—who had simply been swept up in the panic—should rally toward him. As for those confused and fleeing blindly among the defeated, he simply ignored them.
Meanwhile, the unstoppable Hyuga Soushu finally succeeded in raising his Hero Template level to thirteen amidst this great slaughter!
This time, Hyuga Soushu allocated his new skill point to Skill E [Counter Storm], forming a [3-3-5-2] skill level sequence.
In the chaos of battle, especially when facing large numbers of enemies whose strength was insufficient to cause lethal damage, Skill E [Counter Storm]'s defensive capabilities and stunning effects proved extremely useful—it was practically the essential ability for invincible, one-man slaughter!
Immediately after casually distributing the skill point, Hyuga Soushu body flickered forward and landed before Iwagakure's final remaining forces who had prepared themselves defiantly.
"Finally broke through."
Looking at the terrified yet tightly gripping their weapons, and at Kitsuchi—whose face remained dark amid everyone gathered—Hyuga Soushu's face lit up with a brilliant smile.
"You insignificant little upstart!"
Kitsuchi spat venomously.
Yet considering the situation and his tone, it came off incredibly weak.
Ninjas were specialists in combat and killing, and for such a profession, history's law always crowned the victors while leaving the defeated to rot. Therefore, as the current victor, Hyuga Soushu didn't mind the whimper of the defeated dog one bit. Instead, he stared with his Byakugan toward the northern direction of the Earth Maze.
After breaching the earthen city, the shortened distance now allowed his Byakugan to spot Roshi hiding in the far distance. Right now, this stubborn monastic-looking ninja had already begun retreating strategically back toward the Land of Earth.
"It seems your final trump card has already abandoned you!"
Smiling cheerfully, Hyuga Soushu said, "Now that you're cornered, if you're willing to lay down your arms, I can guarantee you'll have the chance to return alive to Iwagakure Village."
Facing the remnants of Iwagakure with absolutely no chance left, Hyuga Soushu naturally had the confidence to make such an arrogant remark—one that practically dared the Iwa ninja to make a desperate last stand.
Moreover, as time passed and the Clan Coalition Forces gradually eliminated the Iwa ninja hidden throughout the Earth Maze, they tightened their encirclement, forming an unbreakable siege formation around the remaining Iwa forces.
Especially the Uchiha ninja scattered around, each one staring with blood-red Sharingan eyes, malicious grins twisting their faces as they scrutinized every vulnerable spot on these weakened Iwagakure ninjas like predators ready to pounce.
"No chance at all."
Kitsuchi understood this truth deep within his heart. However, as the son of the Tsuchikage, bearing the lineage of the Nidaime Tsuchikage, this pride would never allow him to flee or surrender.
Yet after advising the Jinchuriki tactfully to step back for the village's benefit earlier, Kitsuchi now felt sympathy for those comrades beside him who, though pale-faced, still stubbornly clutched their weapons or prepared themselves for techniques, unwilling to let them die alongside him.
"The injured should step forward."
Kitsuchi said calmly.
This statement essentially gave the surviving Iwagakure ninja an indirect opportunity to surrender voluntarily.
The category of 'injured' was rather broad and vague—ranging from physical disabilities to internal injuries caused by Ninjutsu backlash. So even someone who appeared physically intact with normal breathing might still qualify as an 'injured' individual.
But none of the Iwagakure ninja moved.
"If you refuse to surrender, then just go ahead and die!"
Hyuga Soushu abandoned any pretense and directly signaled his subordinates to launch the attack.
He himself didn't rush in immediately but instead locked onto the serious-faced Kitsuchi through chakra sensing, preparing to act when necessary.
As a commander, although leading by example is indeed a virtue, it's unnecessary to recklessly charge into every situation without discretion. Moreover, under the current favorable circumstances, ordinary ninja were already getting opportunities to earn merits and achievements. There was no need for Soushu to steal their credit.
Kitsuchi couldn't afford to move with Soushu's gaze locked on him.
In his perception, Soushu's deadly eyes continuously scanned across his body's vital points. Each point it touched sent chills through him, preventing him from making even a single move.
But doing nothing meant watching helplessly as his subordinates got slaughtered one by one by Konoha's clan ninja—like chickens being effortlessly killed one after another. Watching this bloody massacre unfold before his eyes only intensified Kitsuchi's hatred.
Yet emotions held no value in the face of actual strength.
Especially for native ninja without the bloodline of the Otsutsuki, their anger wouldn't give them a sudden burst of strength to turn the tide. At best, they'd merely feel angry for a moment, achieving nothing; sometimes, those lacking firm willpower would even let emotional fluctuations disrupt their combat movements, quickly leading to their downfall.
He inhaled sharply.
Kitsuchi exhaled deeply, drawing in the air saturated with the metallic scent of blood, beginning to gather chakra into his fists.
"You actually still dare to prepare for an offensive attack?"
Hyuga Soushu tilted his head, watching Kitsuchi attempt the futile act of resistance. A slight sneer surfaced on his face at just the right moment.
That very expression of mockery was enough to finally push Kitsuchi over the edge, his hatred and fury already burning intensely!
"Die!"
Kitsuchi roared furiously, then rushed toward Hyuga Soushu!
"Earth Release: Earth Pellet Technique!"
Though assuming a taijutsu stance, he released the Earth Pellet Technique mid-advance, firing a barrage of earthen projectiles from his mouth toward Soushu.
Even though he understood this level of ninjutsu wouldn't affect Soushu much—fully aware that causing serious damage would be difficult—Kitsuchi still decided to unveil his ultimate skill, ensuring that even in defeat or death, he wouldn't appear utterly pathetic!
"Don't underestimate Iwagakure's resolve, you fool!"
As the earth release technique left his lips, the enraged Kitsuchi swiftly performed a body flicker under the cover of his jutsu, throwing a punch straight toward Soushu's forehead!
Judging purely by physique, the stout Kitsuchi, built like a barrel, clearly surpassed Soushu in both weight and width.
Ninjas, however, were unpredictable beings—size didn't always correlate with strength.
Especially when facing a Hyuga ninja renowned for their mastery of taijutsu, they might have lean physiques, but this absolutely didn't mean they lacked sufficient power, considering that redirecting immense force still required great strength as its foundation.
So when Kitsuchi rushed in for taijutsu combat, Soushu didn't rely on flashy moves—just met him head-on with the Gentle Fist technique.
Beating someone on their home turf—that's the ultimate way to show respect!
[Gentle Fist Sixty-Four Palms!]
Soushu called out sharply, immediately concentrating chakra into his palms. His left hand blocked Kitsuchi's incoming fist while simultaneously sidestepping to evade, creating space before forming his right hand into a blade shape, striking directly at Kitsuchi's lower back.
"Hn!"
Kitsuchi couldn't help but emit a muffled grunt of pain.
But this was only the beginning—the initial block and counter strike merely served as prelude for the Gentle Fist's formal assault.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
The sixty-four strikes of the Gentle Fist rained down on Kitsuchi, who was already suffering from pain-induced numbness after the waist strike, instantly sealing all chakra pathways within his body.
Soushu followed up with a crushing uppercut, sending Kitsuchi soaring through the air!
"Boom!"
The thickset body hit the ground, raising thick clouds of dust. At this point, despite wanting to resist, every vital meridian and pressure point had been sealed by the Gentle Fist technique. Although conscious, Kitsuchi had completely lost bodily mobility.
This was the consequence of engaging a Hyuga ninja in pure hand-to-hand combat.
The Gentle Fist was never simply soft—it combined gentleness with hidden steel, and certainly never lacked necessary power.
Hyuga Soushu elegantly concluded his maneuver, signaling nearby Hyuga ninjas to move forward and restrain the now-defenseless Kitsuchi.
Meanwhile, what remained of Iwagakure's forces either lay dead or captured amidst the relentless pursuit by clan ninjas.
Thus, the Iwa Ninja Force that had entered Herb Country seeking yet another confrontation with Konoha was utterly destroyed.
Moreover, the casualty exchange rate in this defeat surpassed even that of the Rain Coalition Force's battlefield.
As for Kitsuchi, he became the second high-ranking village successor captured by Hyuga Soushu.
"Bring him forward!"
Hyuga Soushu ordered after tidying his appearance.
The Hyuga ninja immediately dragged the tightly bound Kitsuchi before him.
"Infringing upon the territory of Herb Country—this act undoubtedly violates the principle of peaceful coexistence. Jonin Kitsuchi, do you understand the gravity of your transgression?"
Soushu asked solemnly.
"How dare you!"
Though trapped and at their mercy, Kitsuchi still burned with fury upon hearing these words, nearly bursting into loud condemnation.
But the Hyuga holding him wouldn't allow such insolence. As soon as Kitsuchi opened his mouth to voice his outrage, one nearby Hyuga swiftly dislocated his jaw, rendering him unable to speak.
"Ah ba ah ba..."
Kitsuchi could only emit muffled, meaningless sounds from his mouth.
"No one shall destroy the deep-rooted friendship between the Land of Fire and Herb Country, between Konoha and Grass Ninja Village!"
Declared Hyuga Soushu. "Even the Grass Daimyo himself cannot change it!"
"That's my stance—who agrees, who dares challenge me!"
Never underestimate the audacity of someone who can flip right and wrong like a coin in the air.
Upon hearing this, those clan ninja who had just finished battle couldn't help but feel their minds blown. And those particularly sharp-minded among them even grasped a universal truth—when someone's strong enough, you'd better smile, no matter how much it grates on you!
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