Half a day later, a relatively intact Iwa unit appeared on the horizon.
The shinobi from the Land of Lightning front had returned.
At first, they were excited, but their expressions quickly turned solemn when they saw the allied forces stationed twenty kilometers outside Iwagakure.
Twenty kilometers outside the Village.
Countless banners stood tall as the allied armies of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind gathered here.
They were stationed at this location, silently watching the Iwa shinobi retreating from the Land of Lightning front.
Rasa smiled. "They've finally returned."
He stood at the front of the formation, gazing at the distant outline of Iwagakure.
He took a deep breath, as if he could smell the dust and fear in the air drifting from the Village.
Orochimaru stood beside him, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips occasionally, golden slit pupils filled with barely concealed excitement.
However, his tone carried a warning. "Don't get too excited, Rasa-kun."
"Iwagakure, this mountain Village, won't be easy to break through."
"Mountain Village?" Rasa sneered, the corner of his mouth lifting in an arrogant smile laced with killing intent.
"So what?"
"Once your people arrive, we'll have the advantage in both numbers and supplies."
"Moreover, in war, morale is the most important factor."
"They are a defeated army, just back from the battlefield. Where would they get morale from?"
Orochimaru smiled but said nothing more.
He continued observing the Village nestled within the mountains.
It was indeed easy to defend and hard to attack.
But precisely because of that, once it was breached, the screams from within would be even sweeter.
Taking it would come at a price.
But war itself was just a game of trading lives for victory.
"Report!"
A Konoha sensory shinobi suddenly appeared.
"To the south, Hokage-sama and Jiraiya-sama's units have reached their positions!"
"To the north, Fugaku-sama's units have also reached their positions!"
Rasa and Orochimaru exchanged a glance.
"It seems our people have arrived," Orochimaru said softly. "Now it's up to you."
"Don't worry, leave it to me." Rasa grinned. "Then... let's begin."
He raised his hand, no longer suppressing his killing intent.
"Issue the order!"
"Begin the encirclement!"
...Tsuchikage Building rooftop, Iwagakure.
Fierce winds howled, flapping Ōnoki's robes.
He stood overlooking the Village.
Every street was full of movement.
Shinobi were reinforcing defensive structures and transporting the last of the strategic supplies.
The civilians had already taken shelter in air raid bunkers before the retreating Iwa troops returned.
Some wealthy families had even moved their entire households to the Capital of Earth.
At this moment, dark clouds of war loomed over Iwagakure.
"Tsuchikage-sama," Ishikawa's voice came from behind, "The troop numbers have been tallied."
Ōnoki slowly turned, his back slightly hunched.
"Read them."
"Western army, one thousand two hundred survivors."
"Southern army, nine hundred eighty survivors."
"Land of Lightning front, two thousand two hundred retreated."
With each number Ishikawa read, Ōnoki's face turned paler.
"Adding the shinobi remaining in the Village and the emergency conscripted retired shinobi..."
"Our total forces number four thousand seven hundred thirty."
This number... less than five thousand.
Before the war started, Iwagakure had eight thousand elite shinobi.
After just one campaign, they had lost nearly half.
"What about the allied forces?" Ōnoki asked, forcing himself to stay calm.
"Only a rough estimate..."
Ishikawa's voice trembled. "To the west, the Konoha and Suna allied forces number between four thousand five hundred and four thousand eight hundred."
"To the south, the Konoha force led by Namikaze Minato and Jiraiya-sama has two thousand eight hundred."
"To the north, the Konoha unit led by Uchiha Fugaku, one thousand."
"The total allied forces... around eight thousand five hundred."
Hearing that number, Ōnoki couldn't help but close his eyes.
Nearly five thousand exhausted troops against more than eight thousand elite shinobi.
"What about supplies?" Ōnoki asked again.
"We still have plenty," Ishikawa said. "Last time, during the Rōnin raid, most of the losses were monetary and scrolls. Weapons like kunai and shuriken weren't affected."
"As for food, the Village has reserves, enough to feed ten thousand people for half a year."
Ōnoki nodded. That was at least good news.
They didn't need to fear a prolonged siege.
Regardless, this battle had to be fought.
Even if it meant the destruction of the entire Village.
"Issue my orders!"
Ōnoki's voice turned cold and firm.
"Assemble all Jōnin for an emergency combat meeting!"
"Yes!"
...Tsuchikage Building, conference room.
The atmosphere was oppressive.
Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, Ishikawa, and even Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki who rarely got involved in political matters, were present.
Every face in the room was solemn.
"Everyone," Ōnoki looked around the room, "the allied forces' encirclement has been completed."
"The battle to protect Iwagakure has begun."
Dead silence.
You could hear a pin drop.
"I know you're all tired, and scared."
Ōnoki didn't say anything to boost morale, only stating the reality. "You just crawled back from the battlefield. Your wounds haven't even healed, and now you face an enemy nearly twice our size."
"But!"
"Look behind you!"
"That is our home. Our wives, children, and parents are all there!"
"We, the shinobi of Iwagakure, can die standing, but we will never live kneeling!"
"There is no retreat!"
"Tsuchikage-sama is right!" A one-armed Jōnin suddenly stood up, eyes wild. "We'll fight to the death!"
"Let's take them on!"
"Defend Iwagakure!"
Roars echoed throughout the conference room.
Ōnoki's eyes glinted with satisfaction. Iwagakure still had comrades willing to protect their home.
"Very well."
"The allied forces are attacking from three sides. The west is led by Rasa and Orochimaru. The south by Namikaze Minato, and the north by Uchiha Fugaku."
"Our forces will also be split into three."
"The main battlefield in the west will be commanded by me and Kitsuchi. We will deploy two thousand five hundred shinobi."
"The southern front will be led by Akatsuchi and Ishikawa. They will hold the line with two thousand troops."
"The northern front will be defended by Rōshi, with one thousand five hundred."
"Understood?"
"Understood!"
Everyone shouted in unison.
"Remember!" Ōnoki's finger tapped heavily on the table.
"Rely on our defenses. Do not engage them outside the Village. Their supply lines are long. We can afford to wear them down!"
"Grind them down, and kill them here!"
"Go prepare!"
Ōnoki waved his hand.
"Everyone, hold the line!"
"Yes!"
The group dispersed, full of killing intent.
In the empty conference room, only Ōnoki remained.
He stared at the battle map for a long time, then let out a deep sigh.
"I hope... we can last until they run out of supplies."
...The next day, early morning.
The first light of dawn painted the sky red.
Outside Iwagakure.
More than eight thousand allied shinobi had already assembled on three fronts.
West side.
Rasa and Orochimaru stood side by side.
Behind them, four thousand five hundred allied shinobi were lined up.
"Are you ready?" Orochimaru asked.
"Ready to begin at any time," Rasa said with a smile. Then he raised his right hand and brought it down. "Attack!"
At his command.
"Kill!"
The battle cries instantly tore through the stillness of the morning.
Within the allied ranks, Suna shinobi began their assault on Iwagakure.
The Konoha shinobi remained in position, ready to serve as a mobile support unit.
At the same time.
South side.
Minato waved his hand. Two thousand eight hundred Konoha shinobi launched their charge.
North side.
Fugaku's Sharingan spun slowly as the Uchiha and other Konoha shinobi behind him charged as well.
Three-sided encirclement.
The Battle for Iwagakure had officially begun.
(To be continued.)