In the western Land of Fire, within a canyon.
Killing intent surged into the sky.
Three thousand Kumo shinobi stood assembled, a dense, black tide of figures.
Many of them still looked pale from the long-distance teleportation, but their eyes burned with savage light.
The shame of the Third Raikage's lone death, and the pride of being the strongest village in the shinobi world, had ignited a battle-hungry fire in every single one of them.
To trade their lives for a future worthy of the Hidden Cloud was a price they were willing to pay.
At the center of the formation, Mabui leaned against a boulder, panting heavily as a medical-nin channeled Chakra into her body.
The cost of the Heavenly Transfer Technique had far surpassed expectations. She felt utterly drained.
But seeing the growing number of comrades gathered in the canyon, she believed it was all worth it.
Killer B leaned beside her, seven swords strapped to his back, humming a broken rhythm.
"Yo, yo… stupid brother, don't worry… watch me crush 'em all, make 'em sorry… yeah…"
His rap sounded relaxed, but the veins bulging on his clenched fists betrayed his tension.
Even the Eight-Tails inside him was abnormally silent, silently transferring vast Chakra to prepare for the coming battle.
At that moment, the Fourth Raikage, A, walked out from the ranks, bare-chested.
His bulging muscles radiated pure, explosive power.
All eyes turned to him.
Young and old alike, their gazes burned with passion.
The canyon fell utterly silent. Only the wind could be heard.
"We were discovered ahead of schedule!" the Raikage's thunderous voice echoed through the canyon. "So what?"
"We came here without the intention of returning alive!"
"Doro and the others died to give us this chance to stand here!"
"That's why, today, Konoha's decades-long dominance will end at our hands!"
"Raise your heads, tighten your grips on your blades!"
"Let your enemies know with blood and screams which village is truly the strongest in the shinobi world!"
"Roar!!!"
Three thousand Kumo shinobi roared in unison, their voices echoing into the sky, filled with a burning desire for glory.
The Raikage raised his right fist high, Lightning Release erupting from his body.
"All forces, attack!"
...
Inside the Hokage's office, silence reigned.
The Hyūga shinobi who had risked his life to return from the frontlines had already been taken away to rest, completely drained of Chakra and mental strength.
But the news he delivered stunned everyone present.
Three thousand.
That number pressed on their chests like a boulder.
Panic spread like wildfire.
"Three thousand Kumo shinobi… how dare they!" a Jōnin cried out in alarm, his face draining of color. "How did they even do it?"
"We're finished… our main forces are all stationed at the border. We only have maybe eight hundred left in the village!"
"A four-to-one ratio. How are we supposed to win this fight?!"
Even Minato, the Fourth Hokage, was sweating coldly.
He had prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Reality, however, had outstripped even that by a factor of ten.
Only one person in the room remained composed.
Arashi.
He listened quietly, expression unreadable.
No one could have imagined the towering rage concealed beneath his calm exterior.
Kumo's move had gone beyond his expectations.
They weren't just attacking Konoha.
They were trying to break his blade.
Konoha could not be allowed to suffer such damage.
His anger and killing intent turned to ice.
He calmly placed the scroll back on the table.
Clack.
The quiet sound echoed through the room, cutting off all discussion.
Everyone instinctively turned to the Daimyo.
"What's with all the panic?" Arashi's cold gaze swept across them. "Three thousand? That's a lot?"
"This is Konoha."
"This is the strongest village in the shinobi world."
"Beneath our feet is home turf built up over decades."
"The defense formations outside the village, the underground traps and barriers, the full-coverage sensory network—are those just for show?"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word pulled the panicked Jōnin and officers back from the brink.
"Kumo has numbers, yes."
"But they are deep in enemy territory, without supply lines or reinforcements. Each death is permanent."
"And us?"
"We have Konoha, fortified for forty years as our foundation."
"Two thousand reinforcements are already en route."
"So tell me, how exactly are they going to win?"
Realization.
That's right. This is Konoha!
And reinforcements were coming.
All they had to do was hold the line.
Panic receded. Battle intent flared.
Minato was the first to move. He took a deep breath, then bowed deeply to Arashi.
"Your words are wise. I apologize for my lapse."
When he looked up, all hesitation had disappeared from his eyes.
"Please give the order, Daimyo-sama."
"Please give the order, Daimyo-sama!"
The Konoha shinobi in the room all shouted in unison.
"Please give the order, Daimyo-sama!"
Arashi nodded in satisfaction.
This was the atmosphere he needed—absolute obedience.
"Tsunade."
"Here."
From the back of the group, Tsunade stepped forward.
Though she had her own frustrations about the Daimyo temporarily taking command, the emergency left no room for dissent.
"Organize every medical-nin in the village," Arashi ordered, voice firm. "You're in charge of all wounded."
"Also, relocate all civilians to the shelter behind the Hokage Rock."
"Yes!" Tsunade replied without hesitation. She turned and left, moving swiftly.
"Third Hokage."
"I'm here." Hiruzen stepped forward, expression grave.
"You will command the barrier unit and the village's internal security forces." Arashi tapped a few points on the map. "Guard every street. While we face Kumo, I don't want any rats sneaking around behind us."
A sharp light flickered in Hiruzen's old eyes.
"Does Daimyo-sama mean…"
"A precaution," Arashi replied coldly.
"I understand!" Hiruzen nodded firmly, then departed.
"Orochimaru."
"Hehehe…" A low chuckle echoed from a dark corner.
Orochimaru stepped forward, licking his lips. "What are your orders, Daimyo-sama?"
"You'll be responsible for post-battle cleanup." Arashi's tone remained flat. "I want samples of Kumo's high-level fighters, especially those capable of using Lightning Release Chakra Mode. The more, the better."
"As you command." Orochimaru's smile widened, his figure sinking into the ground.
He knew this Daimyo had power beyond anyone's imagination.
"Fourth Hokage."
"Daimyo-sama!"
"Those two thousand reinforcements, they'll only arrive by nightfall?"
"At the earliest, yes."
Arashi looked calmly at the map, then shook his head.
"Two thousand won't be enough."
He pointed at two additional positions on the map, one near the Iwa border and one near the Suna border.
"Have each force stationed there dispatch five hundred. Converge on Konoha. Set a hard deadline for their arrival."
Even Shikaku frowned at this command.
"My lord, those troops are too far. By the time they arrive, the battle will be over. A distant remedy can't treat a present crisis…"
"Treat an illness?" Arashi turned to him, voice cold. "Who said they're here to treat anything?"
He said no more, but a sneer formed in his heart.
Reinforce?
He never intended for them to reinforce anything.
He had no interest in a defensive battle.
What he wanted was total annihilation.
Those thousand shinobi weren't reinforcements.
They were coffin lids.
Prepared for the three thousand Kumo shinobi who had dared to dive into the Land of Fire.
None of them would leave alive.
(To be continued.)
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