From a certain perspective, Orochimaru and the Kazekage were destined to cross paths. The Third Kazekage he now held in his grasp, and the Fourth Kazekage he would later face—these encounters were fated.
If Hayashi and Tsunade were called "Puppet Destroyers," it was not an exaggeration to call Orochimaru the "Kazekage Terminator."
Hayashi even had a fleeting, somewhat mischievous thought: when Orochimaru came to rescue the Five Kage and saw Gaara lying on the ground, was he suppressing some restless excitement?
Shaking off the distraction, he focused on the battlefield ahead.
Before advancing to the main fighting grounds, Orochimaru summoned Manda. Though temperamental and demanding, Manda's immense size and combat power gave their group undeniable superiority. Standing atop the giant snake, the combined weight and presence of the team caused almost all ninja below to hesitate, even Tsunade, who had been bolstering morale just moments before.
Orochimaru's calm, hoarse voice cut through the tension. "Ninja of Konoha, Konoha has won this war."
His tone lacked triumph; the battlefield was soaked in blood, and victory felt muted amidst so many deaths.
Orochimaru then turned to the Sand ninja, who were frozen in disbelief, and raised the Third Kazekage high above his head, holding him like a discarded tool.
Before anyone could react, a sharp female voice rang out, slicing through the battlefield's uneasy silence.
"Konoha White Fang!"
From the Sand ranks, Chiyo leaped forward, ignoring the captured Kazekage, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Hayashi alike. Her target was clear: Sakumo Hatake, wielding his short blade.
All else—the Third Kazekage, the ongoing war, her own safety—was irrelevant. She sought only revenge for her fallen son and daughter-in-law.
From Konoha's perspective, Sakumo's actions had been heroic. But Chiyo's attack on him created instant tension. Within seconds, the Konoha ninja formed hand seals, launching coordinated jutsu toward her.
As the era's strongest puppeteer, Chiyo remained composed. From her sleeve, she produced a blue sealing scroll, and when the white smoke cleared, ten puppets emerged.
White Secret Technique: Collection of Ten Puppets!
Chiyo's precise finger movements caused the puppets to generate suction, forming a tornado-like barrier that absorbed incoming attacks. The Wind-Fire combined jutsu, executed by over twenty jonin, was partially neutralized as it approached the puppets. Even as three puppets began showing signs of strain, Chiyo maintained control, continuously channeling chakra to stabilize them.
Hayashi noticed Sakumo already rushing toward her. Jiraiya had been right: life and death were secondary in this battle. Capturing Chiyo alive held immense strategic value, enough to outweigh her combat threat. Any means could be justified to benefit the village.
Most Sand ninja chose not to fight, even those in puppeteer squads directly under Chiyo. The only one still resisting was Chiyo herself, fighting not for the Kazekage but for her lost family.
Sakumo's arrival was decisive. He effortlessly dodged attacks and, with a single precise strike, knocked Chiyo unconscious, ending the immediate threat.
Orochimaru, calm and commanding, addressed the remaining Sand ninja as he casually deposited the Third Kazekage onto Manda's back.
"Ninja of the Sand Village, you now face two paths. You may continue fighting, but no mercy will be shown. Or you may surrender unconditionally. Those who surrender will be allowed to leave the battlefield unharmed and return to your village safely."
Silence fell. Almost everyone waited for Orochimaru's second offer.
The battlefield, once evenly matched, was now overwhelmingly dominated by Konoha. The capture of the Kazekage and Chiyo tipped the scales entirely.
Orochimaru did not force prisoners of war to Konoha, nor did he kill indiscriminately. Such actions could provoke retaliation and unnecessary casualties. In wars like these, pragmatism always prevailed over vengeance.
Finally, a timid Sand Chunin raised his hand. "I surrender... I don't want to fight anymore."
"Alright," Orochimaru replied. "You may go."
"R-really?" The Chunin bowed quickly and fled.
Once one ninja surrendered, the rest followed swiftly. Within minutes, all Sand forces chose surrender, leaving only Konoha ninja and the unconscious Third Kazekage and Chiyo on the field.
The war that had raged across the Land of Rain for years had effectively ended, leaving the Konoha forces in complete control.
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