The intertwined battle lines stretched long, pulling out to a length of nearly two kilometers. No ordinary ninja dared to interfere in the clash between the Commanders-in-Chief. Around the Jonin, the rank-and-file were sparse, but where the common ninja fought, the scene was crowded and tragic.
On the battlefield, ninja instinctively avoided enemies of overwhelming strength, seeking out matching opponents under their captains' orders. This was a test of judgment and experience; a Genin wandering into a Jonin's battlefield would be vaporized by the aftershocks of a ninjutsu, dying a worthless death.
Hatake Sakumo drew his White Fang blade, leading the charge into the Leaf's left wing—the Sand's right. A white blade-light several meters long carved through the air, and two Sand squads were instantly decimated. Setting aside Sakumo's idealistic personality, his combat style possessed a profound beauty.
His swift Body Flicker, lightning-fast reactions, and the unstoppable momentum of his radiant blade filled surrounding allies with a sense of security.
Seeing Sakumo mowing through the ranks, Yagami felt an itch to join in.
"Purple Cat squad, focus on recording. White Sheep squad, protect them. Spotted Deer squad, follow me!"
Spotted Deer's aura shifted instantly as he drew his blade, following the Fox Unit Leader with excitement. Yagami flanked Sakumo, widening the breach the White Fang had torn open. While Sakumo pushed forward, Yagami intercepted any Sand ninja attempting to plug the gap.
High-pressure jets of Water Style: Severing Wave shot out; a single sweep was enough to bisect an entire squad. If the White Fang excelled at cutting men down, so did the Severing Wave. One white, one blue—the battlefield was filled with the aesthetic of violence.
Sakumo felt the pressure on his left vanish. Seeing it was Copper Fox, he thought, :I see.'
Between Copper Fox's absolute defense and his lethal Water Style, the Sand had no answer.
Yagami's eyes suddenly landed on a Sand Jonin—the very man who had taken Pakura away. 'I might not be able to take Rasa in a head-on clash yet, but you? I can handle you.'
After tanking a flurry of wind blades and kunai, Yagami slammed into the Jonin. The Sand ninja was bewildered—'Who is this god of death? Have I offended him before? Why is his aura so furious?'
With a dodge and a counter, Yagami shattered the Jonin's head with a single punch.
In just over ten minutes, the reinforcements led by Sakumo shattered the Sand's right wing. With the flank collapsed, the line could no longer hold. A flood of Leaf ninja poured into the Sand's rear.
In the center of the battlefield, Rasa saw his wing crumble. Seeing that brilliant white blade-light, his heart sank. 'It's over. The Hidden Sand has lost this war.'
He exchanged a look with Ebizo, knowing that preserving their remaining forces was now the only sane option.
Rasa shouted, "Advisor! I will hold the rear! Please organize an orderly retreat!"
Ebizo noted that Rasa was indeed the most exceptional youth in the village and worth cooperating with. It was a pity he and his sister were destined to put Camel Thorn on the Kazekage throne; even if Rasa tried to please him, he wouldn't gain their support. He looked toward the White Fang. Since Sakumo was here, he worried for Camel Thorn.
Rasa formed hand signs, sending waves of Gold Dust hundreds of meters wide toward Akimichi Yamashiro and Katsuyu. For a moment, the two were forced back.
Yagami watched the main battlefield. Giant-sized combat wasn't efficient for duels, but in a war, it was a weapon of mass destruction. Rasa's desperate strike killed many Leaf ninja, including several adjutants. Yagami caught sight of a disheveled Nara Umeka; her strength was insufficient for a war of this scale.
The Sand retreated into the deep desert, leaving behind wave after wave of rearguard units. Sakumo led his elites in a counter-charge, shattering the right wing again. The Sand's left and center might escape, but their right wing was doomed to stay here.
After another half hour, the fighting finally slowed. Yagami retracted his fist, the blood on it thick and viscous. He panted heavily, his chakra nearly bottomed out. The path from the plateau to the desert was littered with Sand corpses. The Leaf did not pursue further once they hit the deep sands; they lacked the water and the environmental adaptation.
The war was effectively over. All that remained was the peace treaty.
The Leaf commanders gathered by an oasis. Nara Shikaku sat in silence, staring at the water. With the proficiency exam policy abolished, he and Sakumo had reached a total impasse. As for Tsunade, she saw the tension but had no desire to involve herself.
Yagami approached Yellow Dog and whispered, "Commander, should we spread the word that Advisor Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law were killed? It might break their spirit."
Yellow Dog didn't bother with secrecy. He spoke directly to the commanders: "Fox, go ahead. Spread the word that Vice Commander Sakumo killed Chiyo's son and you killed the daughter-in-law. The White Field River was far; the Sand might still be holding out hope for that front."
Yagami glanced at Sakumo. Yellow Dog was clearly snatching credit—by claiming an Anbu killed the wife, it made Sakumo's achievement seem less singular. Luckily, Sakumo was a good man. If it were any other high-ranking official, Yagami would have been marked for spite.
The news reached the Sand via "lucky" escaped prisoners. Chiyo, leading the reinforcements, listened to the report in disbelief. "Evidence! I want evidence!"
Soon, the Leaf sent word: they were willing to exchange the bodies of the couple for several Leaf Jonin corpses. Chiyo looked at Ebizo in horror, and Ebizo lowered his head. Beside them, Rasa's expression was mournful, but a spark of... relief? flickered in his eyes. Within the Sand, the puppeteers and the secret technique ninja had always struggled for power. With Camel Thorn dead, Rasa's greatest rival was gone.
After days of confirmation, the Sand finally agreed to negotiations. The Leaf began an orderly withdrawal. On the way back, Yellow Dog called for Fox. He studied the battlefield records. "Are all the details of Hatake Sakumo's abilities in here?"
Confusion flickered in Yellow Dog's eyes—not because he doubted Sakumo, but because he was wondering how *he* would kill Camel Thorn in that situation. The answer was: it was almost impossible.
Yagami said, "Commander, Sakumo is too strong. His chakra saber torn through every puppet; even the most exquisite mechanism is useless once it's in pieces."
Yellow Dog nodded. "On the flank, Sakumo slew Camel Thorn. On the main field, he was the decisive factor. He is the primary hero of the Land of Rivers war. Before he arrived, casualties were nearly one-to-one. At least 500 Leaf ninja died on the front line. Without him, that number would be much worse. It's lucky you killed the wife, or all the glory would belong to him alone."
Back at camp, the command tent was buzzing, but Fox Unit found themselves with free time. Yagami gathered his three squad leaders.
"The war is ending. I'm applying for a short leave for all of you. But do not get lazy. Purple Cat, White Sheep, Spotted Deer—when you get back, I want a strength-improvement plan for each squad. I applied for some jutsu for you before, but it wasn't enough. Given our performance, I'll apply for another round. Everyone should pick one offensive and one defensive jutsu to round out their kit. Or, you can teach each other; once you've balanced your basics, you can apply for powerful B-rank or even A-rank techniques. Purple Cat, White Sheep, you both have your clan's secret techniques—think about how to enhance them. If you ask, I will petition the Anbu for the resources."
After they left, Yagami thought. 'I've got a title now; I'm a somebody in the Anbu. Yellow Dog won't refuse a few jutsu for my subordinates.'
That night, a figure entered Yagami's tent. He was looking over reports.
"Purple Cat? You finished your improvement plan that quickly?"
"Um... well..." Seeing her hesitance, Yagami asked, "What is it?"
"I just bathed."
"What?" Yagami glanced at the entrance. She had already lowered the flap. With the victory, everyone was unwinding. "Then I should go wash up too."
Purple Cat said, "I can't wait. I don't mind."
"Oh? Wearing nothing underneath? It seems you really can't wa—"
Half an hour later, Purple Cat was panting against his chest. "By the way, Captain, I have some thoughts on my training. Can you give me some advice?"
"I'll have to dig deep into your potential before I can give you a proper answer, don't you think?"
Another half hour passed. Purple Cat was pleading for mercy, her eyes hazy. "Now, tell me your ideas."
"Captain, I'm from the Yamanaka. Usually, our strength comes from Ino-Shika-Cho coordination. In the Anbu, I'm alone. The foundation of our secret techniques is strong spiritual energy. Do you think if I learned some Genjutsu, it would make up for the lack of teammates?"
Yagami nodded. Red-haired Kurenai in the original series was a rare Genjutsu specialist. "That's a great idea. High spiritual energy is perfect for Genjutsu. I'll apply for a high-level Genjutsu for you to unlock your potential."
The next day, Yagami took the plans to Yellow Dog. The Commander signed them without a second thought. "Some of these are back at the base, not here on the front. Especially the Genjutsu—they're rare. I'll give them to your unit when we return to the village. Fox, come with me first. The Sand is ready to negotiate. The delegation will be small to avoid sparking a fight. You and I will go as the Hokage's eyes to witness the terms."
Yagami had truly become Yellow Dog's right-hand man. The seven jutsu he requested were granted instantly. 'I should have asked for more,' Yagami thought.
Yellow Dog trusted him implicitly, and Yagami was careful to maintain that trust—it was a source of endless resources.
At the camp gates, the delegation gathered: Nara Shikaku, two adjutants, Yellow Dog, and Yagami. Tsunade was busy in the medical tent; she rarely dealt with politics. Negotiations required a baseline of sincerity, so the group was small. Even if a fight broke out, these five would be a nightmare for the Sand to handle.
***
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