Soon, Shisui and the others arrived at the edge of the Land of Fire, close to the border of the Land of Water.
The distance to the Land of Water was only about a hundred kilometers — not far for shinobi. But it was enough to keep the Hidden Mist forces from fully utilizing the sea's power.
Kirigakure had a great number of Water Release shinobi, and combat near the coastline would be a massive advantage for them. Even if Shisui was confident in victory, there was no need to suffer unnecessary losses.
He and Zabuza concealed themselves in the forest. Cicadas buzzed nearby, but the moment they arrived, the birds scattered — leaving an almost eerie silence behind.
They didn't bother erasing their tracks. With their strength, fighting the forces of the Land of Water felt like child's play.
"Shisui, the aerial unit sent word — the Mist shinobi are about to make landfall! Should we ambush them?"
Zabuza crouched on a thick branch, his expression brimming with excitement.
He was technically leading the operation, but both of them held enough power to command. Truthfully, Zabuza preferred being on the frontlines — blades drawn, blood pumping.
Shisui shook his head.
"No. An ambush could inflict severe casualties, but these shinobi may soon become our subordinates. We're here to win the war — not commit slaughter. We only need to defeat them."
Zabuza paused, then nodded. Shisui's outlook far exceeded his own.
Haku accompanied them as medical support — a pacifist who hated killing. The three of them alone were already more than enough to overwhelm Kirigakure's forces.
"Prepare to engage."
Shisui bit down on a foxtail stem, a faint blush flashing across his calm expression — betraying how fired up he truly was.
Those hundred kilometers wouldn't buy much time… and Terumī Mei was rapidly approaching.
Mei was not eager to face the Umbrella Organization head-on. But their ambitions were far too aggressive — she had no choice but to march out and confront them. And deep down… she felt a growing unease.
Their route was meant to be unpredictable. Yet every step they took was being tracked by the aircraft in the sky above.
As her squad pressed forward, a Mist scout suddenly appeared.
"Lady Terumī! A large chakra force detected ahead — around fifteen kilometers!"
"What?!"
Mei's eyes narrowed. Those chakra signatures could only belong to the Umbrella Organization… but how had they found their exact position so easily?
She exhaled slowly.
Avoidance was no longer an option. Time to measure the enemy's strength for herself.
Mei also reasoned that the Umbrella Organization couldn't have committed all their power here — the Land of Earth was closer to their base. They were likely engaged there already.
And she was right. Umbrella forces had already clashed with the Earth shinobi — and the Cloud shinobi were also present.
At that moment, on a vast plain, countless shinobi stood poised for battle.
Raikage A no longer suppressed his burning desire for revenge. Ōnoki studied the Raikage — his body covered in scars, his temperament transformed.
That stubborn brute has certainly changed… Perhaps his suffering turned into newfound strength.
Inside the command tent, the two leaders discussed strategy. The Umbrella Organization army was openly stationed nearby — arrogant, unbothered, and waiting for their enemy to strike first.
Their blatant provocation made blood boil… but rushing in would only play into their hands.
"Hmph! Aren't the Sarutobi and Shimura clans here too? Let them lead the charge. Becoming Hokage isn't so easy!"
A slammed his palm against the table — his fiery temper exploding. His confidence surged; he had grown stronger, and now he craved vengeance.
Ōnoki said nothing — but inwardly, he agreed.
Let the Sarutobi and the others suffer.
He was astonished that Hiruzen's clan still held so many shinobi. That old man must have funneled immense resources into his family while still Hokage.
After this war, the Hokage position had already been promised back to the Sarutobi clan. The Land of Fire's Daimyō supported them wholeheartedly.
To Ōnoki, the Sarutobi clan had long since become nothing more than puppets of the Daimyō's will.
The reason the Sarutobi and Shimura clans were so desperate to secure the Hokage position was simple: power and profit.
They had promised to hand over ten percent of Konoha's annual revenue to Iwagakure and Kumogakure — twenty percent in total when combined with two allied villages.
That twenty percent translated into billions of ryō.
On top of that, each village acquired an iron mine, and their merchants now enjoyed extravagant trade privileges within Konoha and across the Land of Fire.
A massive windfall.
"Hahaha! Lord Raikage's idea isn't bad at all. Seems I've underestimated you!"
Ōnoki laughed heartily—
Crack—crack!
A sharp popping noise came from his back. Ōnoki immediately froze, waist twisted in pain, expression locked in place.
Raikage A merely snorted in disdain. But despite the old man's frailty, his real power lay in decades of battle experience… and Dust Release, one of the deadliest techniques in the shinobi world.
Before long, the two Kage issued a joint command:
The Sarutobi and Shimura clans would lead the charge.
However, those two clans weren't stupid. They instantly realized they were being pushed forward as cannon fodder.
Still—the throne of Hokage was within reach.
The Sarutobi clan head, a stern middle-aged man, clenched his fists as ambition burned in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he rallied his forces forward and advanced directly toward the Umbrella Organization's encampment.
When Naruto received the report, he raised an eyebrow.
Sarutobi and Shimura only.
A faint, cold smile crept across his lips.
Perfect.
There was no need for restraint.
"Attack."
His voice was low, decisive.
"Make them regret ever stepping onto this battlefield."
A rain of steel erupted.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Tens of thousands of projectiles filled the sky, a metallic storm descending toward the Umbrella frontlines. The Sarutobi clan head truly was ruthless and ambitious — to elevate his clan, he had opened their secret techniques to strengthen all members.
But such efforts meant nothing here.
The Umbrella soldiers remained calm and coordinated.
"Defensive formation! Earth wall — now!"
A colossal earthen barrier surged upward, blocking the majority of shuriken and ninjutsu in an instant.
"Water Release units — stand by!"
Well-trained squad leaders stepped forward, their commands precise and synchronized. Water bullets shot out in coordinated volleys, dousing the flames before they could even spread.
The Sarutobi and Shimura clans, shocked by the swift counter-response, quickly attempted to overwhelm them again with another combined barrage of Fire Release techniques.
This time, the Shimura clan joined in force—
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Wind fed fire.
The blaze surged into a towering inferno, roaring across the battlefield with unstoppable might — a wave of flames that rolled toward the Umbrella defensive lines, intent on consuming everything in its path.
In moments, the center of the battlefield became a roaring sea of fire.
...
TN:
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