War leaves no room for luck.
As the Third Raikage A expected, not only did their attempted sneak attack fail, but even the unusual gathering of Cloud Hidden Ninjas in the Land of Hot Springs could not escape Konoha's sensory network.
Upon receiving a series of the latest intelligence reports, Senju Mori quickly made arrangements.
He gathered most of the Ninja squads, reorganized them into the original First and Second Combat Units, and assigned sensory Ninja to guard and defend the area around the Konoha camp.
They were constantly prepared to respond to a large-scale attack from Kumogakure.
Kumogakure committed a similar number of forces to this battle as Konoha, approximately 1,300 Ninja.
This was also the majority of the forces that Third Raikage A could bring to the battlefield after a brutal coup, while ensuring internal stability of the Village.
However, due to previous losses in squad battles, they were slightly inferior to Konoha in the number of Jonin.
Kumogakure completed its assembly in the darkness, crossed the border at dawn, and by early the next morning, their large army appeared outside the Konoha camp.
Although he had received relevant intelligence beforehand, when he truly saw the scene before him, Third Raikage A still felt an urge to curse.
"How could the senju of the forest, once renowned throughout the Ninja World, produce such a sinister and despicable fellow!"
Ignoring the numerous malicious traps they encountered along the way, the Konoha camp before them was built by the water, leaning against a swift and wide river.
The front of the camp was fortified with numerous defensive structures built with Earth Release, specifically reinforced with Sealing Jutsu, appearing like a massive fortress wrapped in layers.
Konoha had already discovered the approaching Kumogakure, but showed no intention of forming up to meet them in battle.
Large numbers of Konoha Ninja stood like silent statues, densely packed on layers of rock walls, ready for battle, their cold Kunai and Ninja blades reflecting the early sunlight.
And although the ground around the camp looked flat, A knew clearly that beneath it, in who knows how many places, were buried large numbers of explosive tags, or hidden deadly traps... Looking at the impenetrable Konoha camp before him, and then glancing back at the Kumogakure army behind him, the Third Raikage almost squeezed two words through his gritted teeth.
"Attack!"
With a command, countless Cloud Hidden Ninjas swarmed forward.
Dozens of Ninja skilled in Earth Release charged at the forefront, launching a large-scale combined Ninjutsu at the first opportunity.
"Earth Release: Mud Flow Jutsu!"
Large sections of the ground instantly softened into mud, rolling forward like waves, and the numerous explosive tags buried outside the Konoha camp were continuously detonated, creating deafening explosions.
Cloud Hidden Ninjas rushed out from the smoke and dust, treading on the scarred, scorched earth, continuing their valiant charge towards the Konoha camp.
Unlike the traps buried underground, Konoha's defensive structures were reinforced with Sealing Jutsu, preventing Kumogakure Ninja's Earth Release from being directly effective; they could only be forcibly destroyed by high-power offensive Ninjutsu.
Compared to Earth Release, most Kumogakure Ninja were more proficient in Lightning Release Jutsu.
Amidst the roaring thunder, countless lightning flashes and electric arcs shrieked and roared, fiercely striking the outermost rock wall of the Konoha camp, and fine cracks began to spread like a spiderweb.
At the same time, Konoha launched a fierce counterattack.
Fire Release Ninja, led by the Uchiha Clan, leaped onto the high walls.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
One after another, massive, high-temperature fireballs spewed forth, raining down like a meteor shower, incinerating countless Cloud Hidden Ninjas who couldn't dodge in time, and the air was instantly filled with the smell of burnt flesh.
With the superhuman power of Ninjutsu, Senju Mori never deluded himself into thinking that the pre-built defenses alone could completely stop the Kumogakure Ninja's offensive.
But it was clear that these defensive structures created more advantageous terrain for the Konoha Ninja, a safer environment for casting Jutsu, and significantly depleted the Kumogakure Ninja's Chakra.
That was enough.
The deaths of their comrades did not instill fear in Kumogakure; more Ninja came in waves, and while trying their best to avoid the fireballs, they launched a second wave of lightning frenzy.
"Rumble—"
Under the devastation of the lightning, the outermost rock wall finally collapsed, but what was revealed to the Kumogakure Ninja was not Konoha's camp, but a slightly shorter second rock wall.
The Uchiha Clan Ninja had already retreated; inside the second rock wall, unseen by the Kumogakure Ninja, Earth Release Ninja, primarily from the Senju Clan, knelt on the ground, all pressing their hands to the ground beneath them.
"Earth Release: Multiple Earth Rising Spears!"
In an instant, countless sharp stone spears erupted from underground!
Screams instantly rang out.
Compared to the scorching fireballs flying from a distance, attacks emerging directly from underfoot were far more deadly.
Many Cloud Hidden Ninjas were pierced through their feet and thighs, some even had their entire bodies impaled, and bodies were hoisted by the stone spears, hanging high in the air.
Blood flowed down the stone edges, staining the earth dark red, creating a terrifying scene like a grim hell.
"Everyone, get out of the way!"
A roar like thunder suddenly erupted, and even in this chaotic and noisy battlefield, it clearly reached the ears of every Cloud Hidden Ninja.
A golden flash of lightning came from afar, and the muscular man enveloped within it was their Kage—the Third Raikage A.
A couldn't help but take action himself!
The excessively heavy casualties far exceeded the Raikage's psychological bottom line.
He didn't know how many more layers of these hateful rock walls there were, and he could no longer allow the Cloud Hidden Ninjas to be pointlessly depleted, dying in droves in this meaningless siege.
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode!"
His entire body erupted with dazzling golden lightning, and he transformed into a bolt of lightning tearing through the air, ignoring all attacks, and fiercely slammed into the second rock wall!
"Boom—"
The rock wall, strong enough to withstand an entire round of attacks from the Cloud Hidden Ninjas, shattered with a roar, creating a huge gap in the very center, sending the Konoha Ninja behind it flying like broken kites.
"Oh—!"
Kumogakure's morale soared, and they instantly erupted in deafening cheers; the Raikage's unparalleled martial prowess ignited their fervor, and they surged madly through the huge gap A had created.
A's offensive did not stop.
His thigh muscles tensed again, and his thick right hand shot out quickly, four fingers tightly pressed together.
"Hell Stab! Four-Finger Nukite!"
Under the assault of the Four-Finger Nukite, A charged like a wild bull, directly collapsing a small section of the third rock wall, revealing behind it—the Konoha camp, enveloped by a transparent barrier.
Breaking through two rock walls in a matter of seconds, the Third Raikage A, his body flashing with lightning, roared to the heavens.
"Attack!!!"