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Wood Release had long vanished from the ninja world for so long—so long, in fact, that even Kitsuchi didn't recognize it at first.
All he could do was rely on instinct and experience: divide the battlefield, raise the terrain beneath the Jinchuriki, and sever the rampaging wooden roots before they spread further.
"Earth Release: Rock Iron Bullet!"
Dozens of Iwagakure shinobi puffed out volleys of stone, each projectile hardening in midair until they became solid cannonballs that hammered into the writhing roots below.
The impact shook the ground, stalling the advance of the Wood Release and giving Rōshi and Han the briefest chance to breathe.
The two Jinchuriki exchanged glances. When those monstrous roots had entangled them, they'd felt their chakra being drained—ripped straight from their bodies, beyond their control. The sensation left a cold dread lingering in their chests.
Not knowing what technique they were facing, both made the same decision: retreat.
But their opponent clearly had no intention of letting them go.
"Leaving so soon?"
Jiraiya slammed his hands together, and a massive summoning seal spread beneath his feet. A boom of white smoke followed, shaking the scorched earth.
Out emerged a giant toad clad in a dark red coat, a massive tanto strapped to his waist.
"Hey, Jiraiya… Jinchuriki again?" Gamabunta grumbled, pipe in mouth, his huge eyes scanning the chaos below. "This is getting old!"
Despite his words, he didn't hesitate.
"Water Release: Toad Oil Bullet!"
A gigantic sphere of oily water erupted from his mouth, roaring toward the retreating enemies. Rōshi met it head-on, his body flaring with molten chakra as he unleashed a blazing lava sphere.
Water and fire collided with a deafening explosion, birthing a flood of scalding steam that once again swallowed the battlefield.
Within the haze, Han's silhouette flickered. Steam hissed from vents across his armor, propelling him forward like a missile toward Gamabunta.
The toad snorted and swung his short sword down with both hands, the impact shaking the ground—but Han's sheer strength made Gamabunta's massive frame shudder.
"Tch—this guy hits harder than a mountain! Jiraiya!"
"Relax, Bunta! Isn't this the fun part?" Jiraiya shouted back, grinning through the smoke.
Meanwhile, Kakashi's single eye tracked the chaos through the thinning fog. The barrage of Rock Iron Bullets continued relentlessly, hammering the battlefield and disrupting the regeneration of Tenzo's Wood Release.
"Tenzo, use Earth Release to intercept Iwagakure's fire! Mori—support Jiraiya-sama!"
"Understood!"
Tenzo stepped forward, hands flashing through seals before slamming into the dirt.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
The ground roared as a colossal wall of stone erupted upward—tilted forward like a slanted ramp, perfectly angling itself to deflect the incoming barrage. The stone cannonballs crashed into the barrier, leaving deep craters but failing to pierce through.
Beneath the wall's protection, the wooden roots continued to grow once more.
At the rear, Shikaku's sharp voice rang out over the comm line.
"Cover Jiraiya-sama and the Anbu unit! Don't let Iwagakure regroup!"
The Konoha forces responded instantly. Their formation shifted, pressing forward with renewed aggression, cutting off the Iwagakure lines and isolating the battlefield into three distinct combat zones—each centered on one of the elite fighters.
By then, Mori's figure had already vanished. Using the steam, shattered rock pillars, and scattered debris as cover, he darted silently toward Han.
Rōshi's Lava Release had the greater destructive range, but he and Tenzo could both counter it effectively with high-level Water Release. Han, however—Han was the immediate threat.
Han, who had just forced Gamabunta back, suddenly felt danger flare behind him. He twisted and kicked—but instead of striking an opponent, his leg stopped short, bound tightly by something hard and alive.
Three thick wooden tendrils coiled around his limb, snaking higher with terrifying speed.
"This damn wood again!"
Rōshi turned, preparing to intervene—
"Don't get distracted!"
Jiraiya's voice thundered from above. Gamabunta's massive blade descended once more, wrapped in slicing wind pressure, forcing Rōshi to meet the blow head-on.
Meanwhile, Mori pressed his palm to the ground, channeling his chakra. Dozens of roots surged upward like serpents, wrapping around Han's torso and arms, tightening with relentless strength.
Han's eyes flared blood-red as the Tailed Beast's chakra erupted—but the Wood Release constricted even harder, draining his power faster than he could control. Just as he was about to lose the struggle—
A shadow dropped from above. A massive, stone-clad fist smashed through the wooden bindings, sending splinters flying.
Kitsuchi landed heavily beside Han.
"Han, fall back! That's the First Hokage's Wood Release!"
Only then did Iwagakure's commander fully grasp why Konoha dared to counterattack.
"So that's their secret weapon…" he muttered grimly, staring through the steam at Rōshi's faint silhouette. "Konoha… they've resurrected the impossible."
—
Far away in Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage stood before a floor-to-ceiling window, arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on the southern horizon.
He was waiting.
The door creaked open. His secretary entered silently, placing a sealed report on the desk.
The Raikage turned, tore it open, and scanned the contents.
"So… Ōnoki finally made his move."
"Mabui!"
"Yes, Raikage-sama!"
"Relay my command to the front lines. Open the Land of Frost border—allow the Konoha envoys to pass."
Akai's death still burned in his chest. The man had been loyal—unyielding. And yet, he'd died mysteriously within Konoha.
But the more the Raikage examined the situation, the less sense it made.
If, by some chance, Konoha's story was true—why had Akai appeared inside the Hyuga compound? If he had the skill to infiltrate unnoticed, how had he failed to escape?
And then, there were the escorts. Akai died, yet his two escorts escaped every blockade, crossing from the Land of Fire to the Land of Frost in one night—only to vanish afterward.
Too many inconsistencies. Too many hands at work in the shadows.
Someone—perhaps several someones—wanted to drag Kumogakure back into the war.
Not this time.
The Raikage's eyes narrowed.
This war won't start on their terms.
But one truth still burned in his chest like fire.
Akai's death would not go unanswered.
"If my man had to die, then his death will bring greater gains for Kumogakure."
His voice dropped into a low growl.
"The one who killed Akai will pay."
"And Konoha… will pay as well."
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