The sudden appearance of Wood Release completely shattered Iwagakure's momentum.
Kitsuchi stood between Han and Rōshi, his decision made in an instant.
They had to retreat.
Neither Rōshi nor Han had any experience dealing with Wood Release, and Iwagakure's battle plans had no effective countermeasure against it. If they kept fighting, they risked losing both Jinchūriki on this very field.
Kitsuchi's fists hardened into rock as he launched a ferocious assault at Mori, forcing him back to create an opening for the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki to withdraw.
Across the battlefield, Rōshi saw Han break free—and fury ignited within him. The crimson chakra cloaking his body intensified as his four tails lashed wildly behind him.
He opened his mouth, gathering a violent surge of Yin–Yang chakra. The energy compressed and spun into a black orb, pulsing with a sinister light.
"Oh no!" Jiraiya's expression darkened.
Gamabunta roared, spitting out another massive Teppōdama to intercept the attack.
But Rōshi, now almost fully in his tailed beast form, was too fast. He dodged aside, the ground shattering beneath his leap.
Just as the Tailed Beast Ball neared completion, thick vines erupted from the soil, wrapping around Rōshi's limbs and torso.
The energy sphere wavered, its stability faltering—but Rōshi gritted his teeth, forcing the condensed chakra down his throat.
Mori's hand clenched.
The vines tightened instantly, wrenching Rōshi's balance.
BOOM!
A torrent of black energy exploded from Rōshi's mouth—but because of the pull, the blast veered upward, rocketing into the sky instead of toward the battlefield.
Even so, the residual shockwave blasted across the field. Jiraiya crossed his arms to shield himself, but the sheer force still sent him skidding back several meters.
Now!
Kitsuchi fired off several Stone Bullets, precisely severing the vines that bound Rōshi's limbs.
The freed Four-Tails Jinchūriki slammed his feet into the ground and launched himself backward, landing heavily beside Kitsuchi.
At last, the two Jinchūriki were clear of immediate danger.
Kitsuchi's hands flashed through a rapid series of seals before he slammed his palms onto the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Divide!"
The battlefield rumbled violently as the ground split apart. Massive, hill-sized ridges rose from both sides, closing in on Mori and Jiraiya at the center.
Rōshi, steadying himself, took a deep breath and unleashed a wide stream of molten lava, further tightening the trap and limiting their escape paths.
"Bunta, dispel the summoning."
Knowing that Gamabunta's enormous size would make him an easy target, Jiraiya didn't hesitate.
"The rest is up to you!"
A huge plume of white smoke burst forth, and Gamabunta vanished back to Mount Myōboku.
Mori and Jiraiya quickly pulled back, widening the gap between themselves and the enemy.
Using that crucial moment, Kitsuchi grabbed Han and Rōshi—one in each arm—and kicked off the ground with startling speed for a man of his build. His massive frame blurred as he raced toward the Iwagakure defensive lines.
Once he reached a safer distance, Kitsuchi barked an order to a nearby messenger-nin:
"Send the signal! All troops—cover each other and retreat!"
A deep, resonating tremor rippled through the earth as the coded signal spread across the entire Iwagakure front via Earth Release.
Almost instantly, the front-line units began to pull back in perfect coordination. The vanguard retreated while the rear units advanced to cover them, the whole army ebbing away like a receding tide.
But Kitsuchi didn't move to safety.
He stayed forward, eyes sharp, forming more seals.
"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Earth Release: Stone Bullet Technique!"
He and his elite squads reshaped the terrain—raising walls, collapsing trenches, and firing volleys of Stone Bullets—to block pursuit and buy time for the withdrawal.
At Konoha's command post, Shikaku immediately noticed the shift.
"Iwagakure's retreating—in formation." He adjusted his strategy without hesitation. "Relay my orders! All units advance in formation—maintain discipline and pursue!"
"Priority: capture stragglers and wounded. Secure the border—don't let a single Iwagakure ninja slip into the Land of Fire to wreak havoc."
"Notify the Anbu tactical squad—no reckless advances. Stay with the main force!"
Under Shikaku's direction, Konoha's pursuit was calm and methodical.
They didn't rush in blindly. Instead, the squads advanced steadily, pressing the retreating Iwa lines while capturing any ninja who lagged behind.
The chase continued all the way to Kannabi Bridge.
Iwagakure's main force was already crossing to safety. Just as Konoha's vanguard stepped onto the bridgehead—
A small figure floated silently in the air on the opposite bank, as if he had been waiting there all along.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
He didn't move to attack. He simply watched them—his gaze heavy and unyielding.
"Hold position!" Jiraiya commanded sharply.
Konoha's momentum froze at once.
"Set up camp! Defensive perimeter—now!"
The orders spread like wildfire. Ninja dug trenches, erected barriers, and positioned sentries.
By the time the dust settled, the two great forces once again stood face-to-face across Kannabi Bridge.
Only this time, the initiative belonged to Konoha.
After inspecting the forward defenses, Jiraiya returned to the command center.
"Ōnoki himself is here," he said grimly. "That's our limit. We can't push further."
Shikaku nodded thoughtfully. "As the Tsuchikage, he won't dare cross into the Land of Fire. Too risky—and the rewards aren't worth it."
He exhaled slowly. "But his presence makes Iwagakure's stance clear. This—" he gestured at the bridge, "—is their bottom line."
Konoha, already stretched thin by fighting on two fronts, couldn't afford a direct assault on a defensive line anchored by a Kage.
Unless...
Shikaku's gaze flicked toward the masked man standing quietly nearby—code name Mori.
Unless Sunagakure honored the alliance and launched an offensive from the west.
Mori knew better. He wasn't Uzumaki Naruto; his persuasion skills had limits.
And Sunagakure's current leadership was certainly no Gaara.
Technically, the Grass Village still existed in name, but with Ōnoki and two Jinchūriki occupying their territory, they had no voice in this war.
Hanzō's shadow still loomed over the region, a reminder of what happened to those who meddled recklessly.
All Konoha could do now—was wait.
Wait for the outcome of the eastern front.
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