The next morning, Kakashi and the others were abruptly awakened by a rapid knock at the door. When they opened it, they found Baki standing there, sent by Rasa himself, to invite Minato's team to join the battle.
After a quick wash and gathering their gear, the four followed Baki out to the edge of the First Line Sky Ravine. The vast desert spread out before them, where the massive Sand Shinobi army was arrayed in orderly formation, facing off against the 10,000-strong Cloud Shinobi force standing firm just beyond.
"You've come at just the right moment, Minato," Rasa said as he approached, his eyes sharp and commanding. "I'll need your help to hold back the Third Raikage later."
He glanced at Minato's students and continued, "As for your students, I'm sending Baki to escort them throughout the journey. Their safety is paramount."
At this point, Baki was only a Jōnin. In a war of this scale, a mere Jōnin's impact might be limited, but Minato's reputation was legendary — his strength certainly rivaled, if not surpassed, Rasa's. It made strategic sense to trade the protection of the younger generation to Baki, so that Minato could lend his full power to the battle itself.
"Understood," Minato nodded calmly, then immediately formed a Shadow Clone using half of his chakra.
After giving Kakashi and the others brief instructions, Minato and Luo Sha headed toward the front lines.
"Don't worry," Minato's clone said with a gentle smile. "Even as a Shadow Clone, I maintain the strength of an elite Jōnin, and I can teleport back to my original body at any time with Flying Thunder God."
Obito, standing nearby, replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, we all believe Minato-sensei is the strongest!" His confidence came from the vivid memory of their teacher taking on the AB combination alone. Who could harm Minato in their presence?
On the other side, Luo Sha had already brought Minato to the front. His expression turned grave, and with swift hand seals, a golden platform surged upward from beneath his feet. It rose three stories high, stopping abruptly.
Facing the gathered soldiers, Luo Sha raised his voice, amplified by his wind attribute chakra. His powerful words carried over the battlefield, reaching every Sand Shinobi ear:
"My fellow countrymen, the invaders stand before us. This battle cannot be avoided."
"Behind us are our families, our friends, our loved ones, and our people. I ask you — what shall we do?"
A fierce roar answered, a surge of energy pulsing through the crowd.
"Kill them all!"
"Push them back!"
"Fight on!"
"Fight to the death!"
The voices cascaded, rising like thunder, filling the air with unyielding determination.
Luo Sha raised his right hand to silence the clamoring warriors, who immediately fell quiet.
"That's right. Since they want war, then war they shall have. Today, we fight not to survive, but to win — or die trying!"
"Fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death!"
A unanimous cry erupted across the ranks.
The thunderous roar of over 7,000 Sand Shinobi surged forward like a tidal wave, crashing against the Cloud Shinobi lines.
The Third Raikage snorted contemptuously.
He had initially hoped to negotiate a bloodless surrender, to capture the Sand Shinobi without shedding unnecessary blood.
Now, it seemed, that hope was lost.
"All troops, listen up! Attack immediately!" The Third Raikage's booming voice rang out. "Those who resist will be killed without mercy!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!!"
"Kill!!!"
Ninjas from both armies surged forward, the gap between the two forces shrinking rapidly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sharp whistle of kunai tearing through the air filled the battlefield as tens of thousands of blades were launched from both sides.
No one aimed precisely anymore — against such overwhelming numbers, accuracy was irrelevant.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The first waves of kunai exploded upon impact, their attached explosive talismans detonating simultaneously.
Screams pierced the chaos.
The weaker ninjas at the front lines were torn apart — impaled by razor-sharp kunai or obliterated by the concussive blasts.
Blood and gore painted the ground, the carnage horrific and absolute.
But the brutality did not stop there.
A dense green smoke erupted from the Cloud Shinobi camp.
Figures stumbled within its poisonous tendrils, tearing at their skin, wailing in agonizing pain as if dragged into the underworld itself.
This was the Sand Shinobi's poison smoke — a toxic gas designed to incapacitate the enemy.
Even the Cloud Shinobi elite, who could withstand kunai and explosions, were not spared from its venomous effects.
Yet, amid the chaos, a conspicuous gap opened at the battlefield's center.
One or two ninjas occasionally brushed close in duels but immediately withdrew — wary of the poison.
It was a strange, tense calm amid the storm.
"You are the Third Raikage," Luo Sha called out, narrowing his eyes with a gleam of respect. "I've long heard tales of your prowess. Today, my brother Minato and I have come to test our strength against you — together."
The Third Raikage's gaze flickered to Minato's Konoha forehead protector.
His pupils constricted sharply.
"Yellow Flash of Konoha," he said in a low, harsh tone. "So Konoha has allied with the Sand Shinobi."
He looked solemn.
Konoha was no easy prey, and an alliance with the Sand was troubling news.
"Yes," Minato responded calmly. "By the Hokage's order, Konoha and the Sand have signed an offensive and defensive pact. Reinforcements are already en route. If you retreat now, you may yet escape."
The Third Raikage laughed, a fierce, chilling sound.
"Haha, what a joke! What good are reinforcements? Even if Sarutobi himself arrived, I wouldn't flinch."
"Besides," he spat, "I'll kill you before then."
The idea of Konoha losing such a prodigy made his blood boil.
He had fought countless battles fueled by reckless courage.
Fear was not in his nature.
"Brother Minato," Luo Sha interrupted, "stop wasting words. Let's join forces and carve a new era for the Cloud Shinobi today!"
Retreat?
The very thought was laughable.
With Luo Sha and Minato standing together on the frontline, and the elite Uchiha reinforcements soon arriving from behind, the Third Raikage was determined to hold his ground.
Even the legendary Clay Buddha might frown at their audacity — but the Sand had already beaten a path to his doorstep.
To surrender now would be unacceptable to both the leadership and the 7,000 Sand warriors.
Minato saw the burning rage in every face and realized peace was impossible today.
"Very well," Minato said quietly, raising both hands.
Twenty Flying Thunder God kunai shot from the air, piercing the earth and forming a tight circle around the battlefield.
"The Strongest Lightning Style Armor!" The Third Raikage declared with disdain, but instantly activated his ultimate technique.
His hair stood on end as his body was covered in crackling lightning chakra — a manifestation of his body's ultimate activation under lightning stimulation.
"Magnet Style — Gold Dust World Law!" Luo Sha shouted.
Golden sand erupted violently from the earth beneath him, condensing into a massive sphere that encapsulated the Raikage.
Inside the sphere, countless bamboo-sharp golden sand spikes jutted out from all directions, intent on piercing through the Raikage's defenses.
Did the attack succeed?
Luo Sha stared intently at the sphere.
He was confident in his Magnet Style bloodline, yet the Raikage's power was legendary.
Suddenly, a violent roar exploded from within the sphere.
A brilliant flash of lightning pierced the golden sand.
Luo Sha's eyes widened in shock, every hair on his body standing on end.
His instincts screamed danger — if he did not retreat immediately, death was certain.
Swish!
Just as Luo Sha attempted to command the sand defense, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.
His vision blurred, and in an instant, he found himself fifty meters away from his previous position.
Is this the legendary Yellow Flash?
"Thanks, Minato-brother," Rasa said, regaining his composure, his gratitude clear in his voice.
Without Minato's timely intervention, he might have been killed — defenseless and caught off guard.
"Be careful," Minato warned seriously. "The opponent claims to have both the strongest spear and the strongest shield. He is said to be able to fight the Eight-Tails hand-to-hand, relying on his physical body alone."
The Raikage's lightning-fast strike had exceeded Minato's expectations.
If Minato had not secretly marked Rasa's clothes with the Flying Thunder God seal, and if he had not maintained constant vigilance, Rasa might have been lost in the blink of an eye.
Luo Sha nodded solemnly, recalling the terrifying strength of the man before him.
Dark-skinned, long pale yellow hair, a long beard — yet possessing unimaginable physical power.
Even with all this, a jagged lightning-shaped scar marred the Raikage's chest.
What kind of monster could have inflicted such a wound?
Could it be the Eight-Tails itself?
If so, then the Eight-Tails must be even stronger than the One-Tail.
Minato had mentioned encountering the AB group on their way here, one of whom was the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.
He had also invited the Sand Shinobi's war ace, the One-Tail Jinchūriki, to join the battle.
Meanwhile, Fūfuku was engaged in fierce combat against the AB combination and other masters, alongside Chiyo and Yekura. The outcome remained uncertain.
No — they had to defeat the Raikage first, then rush to aid their allies!