It didn't take long before the screams within the barrier fell silent.
The Third Kazekage finally lifted his jutsu — the towering walls of iron dissolved into loose black sand, blanketing the earth.
Every Konoha ninja trapped within the barrier had perished.
Hanzō's colossal summon, the Salamander Ibuse, loomed in the distance like a dark monument amid the rain-soaked battlefield.
The surviving Ame shinobi, their faces smeared with blood and mud, gathered beneath it as Hanzō issued his next order.
"Count the losses."
A squad leader stepped forward after a brief headcount, his expression grim.
"Lord Hanzō, approximately two hundred dead. Around five hundred injured. Of those, at least a fifth will never be able to return to duty as shinobi."
Hanzō's eyes hardened behind his respirator.
"Recover the bodies. Ensure that each one is returned to their families with full compensation. Those who can no longer fight—I'll find work for them within the village."
The field around them was a vision of carnage.
Iron spikes jutted up from the mud, impaling dozens of bodies. The stench of blood was so thick that even through his mask, Hanzō could smell it.
As the Iron Sand receded, it revealed what it had devoured — twisted corpses, crushed and misshapen, their faces unrecognizable, their mouths and eyes packed with black grit.
Among them were Ame and Suna shinobi alike. Once the Kazekage's chakra faded from their bodies, the Iron Sand no longer distinguished friend from foe.
Only the torn and bloodied uniforms still hinted at who they once were.
For the first time in years, Hanzō felt nausea rise in his throat.
He had slaughtered before — even wiped out Iwa camps in cold precision — but this was different. The sight of his own men, mutilated beyond recognition, shook him to the core.
Everywhere he looked, his warriors were battered and broken.
Some were missing limbs. Others writhed on stretchers, screaming through bloodied bandages.
Those who still stood had faces drained of all emotion, staring blankly at the corpses of their comrades lying in the mud — yellow flak jackets soaked red, flesh marred by iron scars.
Even his two captains stood nearby, gritting their teeth as they wrapped rough cloth around their wounds.
Suppressing the bile in his throat, Hanzō raised his gaze to the gray skies and let out a long, weary sigh.
"So this… is the reality of life and death."
"In my previous life," he murmured quietly, "I'd watch war on a screen — cheering for the hero, thrilled by the spectacle,"
"But now that I am the man itself… why does victory feels so... Empty?"
Before he could dwell on the thought, Chiyo and the Third Kazekage approached from the distance.
"Lord Hanzō," Chiyo asked softly, "are you mourning your fallen men?"
"…Yes. They could have lived."
Her eyes widened slightly. Even the Kazekage looked taken aback.
In every report they had ever read, Hanzō of the Salamander was described as ruthless — a cold, unwavering warrior. Yet the man before them spoke with quiet grief rather than indifference.
"The people of the Ame are fortunate," the Kazekage said after a pause. "To have a leader with both strength and compassion."
"This is the price of war," Hanzō replied.
"But their will… will not be forgotten.
Their sacrifices will fuel the next generation. So long as we draw breath, we Ame shinobi will fight until our nation stands tall — free from the humiliation of foreign invasion.
That is our faith."
For the first time, he understood the true conviction of the original Hanzō — the man whose name he had inherited.
The Kazekage nodded. "The Ame's dream will be realized. Konoha has paid an even heavier price today."
"If not for the gap I left in the barrier, this battle would already be over."
"Fewer than two thousand Konoha shinobi escaped," he added. "They no longer pose a threat. However, our camp has been destroyed by half. New supplies won't arrive for two days. Until then, we'll rely on your Ame forces."
"Of course," Hanzō said. "The Suna acted as bait to draw in the enemy. As your allies, we'll provide full support."
"We have materials stored — I'll send them over shortly. For now, I'll escort the wounded back to Amegakure and coordinate reinforcements and pursuit."
He bowed slightly. "You both have your own aftermath to manage. I'll take my leave."
"Understood. We're grateful for your cooperation."
With that, Hanzō vaulted onto Ibuse's back.
The wounded were loaded behind him, and the great salamander lumbered off through the rain, leaving behind a handful of Ame shinobi to collect the dead.
---
As soon as Hanzō disappeared into the mist, Chiyo turned sharply to the Kazekage.
"You didn't attack him? Don't tell me you were swayed by that sentimental speech!
Our main camp is in ruins — this is the perfect time to seize the Ame Village as a forward base!"
"His chakra's nearly depleted. You could kill him right now!"
The Kazekage merely waved his hand.
The ground at their feet trembled as fine Iron Sand seeped upward, sweeping across the earth like a brush. A thin layer of soil was peeled away—revealing a lattice of explosive tags buried below.
"If I had attacked," he said calmly, "I might have been injured… but you would certainly be dead."
Cold sweat ran down Chiyo's back.
"Don't forget," the Kazekage continued, "the jutsu he used against Iwagakure.
That's his trump card—and even I'm not sure I could withstand it. Corner him, and we'll both die for nothing."
He turned, his voice cool and steady.
"For now, rest and prepare our pursuit. I've already sent word back to the Suna. I must return within two days."
"You're still not fully recovered, Chiyo—be cautious when we reenter the field."
With that, the Kazekage strode back toward camp to reorganize the garrison.
---
Meanwhile — Somewhere in the Land of Rain
A group of battered Konoha shinobi raced through the rain-slick forest.
Among them, Tsunade carried the heavily wounded Jiraiya on her back.
Suddenly, Jiraiya stiffened. "Wait—Tsunade, stop!"
"You shouldn't move!" she snapped. "You're barely conscious. Let's get you back to camp!"
"It's not that," Jiraiya groaned, sliding off her shoulder. "Hold on."
He reached into his vest and pulled out a sealed scroll. He didn't open it—just stared at the markings on its surface.
"…I knew it. The serpent's mark is gone."
"What do you mean?" Tsunade frowned.
"What happened?"
"The marking Orochimaru left with me—it's vanished. That means something went wrong."
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
"Don't tell me… Orochimaru—?" Tsunade's voice faltered.
Jiraiya shook his head. "No. There's another possibility."
He unfurled a second scroll etched with a summoning formula.
"This one contains Orochimaru's blood."
He uncorked a vial, letting a single drop fall onto the seal, then pressed his hand to it, channeling chakra.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The air trembled—white smoke billowed—and a massive white serpent appeared before them.
Before anyone could react, the serpent opened its jaws, and a figure leapt out from within.
"Orochimaru!"
Jiraiya exhaled in relief. "So you used space transfer after all… What happened? Did Hanzō turn on us?"
The white serpent vanished in another puff of smoke.
Orochimaru brushed off his robes, his voice low and cold.
"Something worse. We need to move—now. The Ame front is lost. If we stay here, we'll all die."
Tsunade froze. "What do you mean… lost?"
"There's no time to explain," Orochimaru said sharply. "Jiraiya, summon Gamabunta.
We'll cover the retreat. Head for the border of the Land of Fire and fortify the defenses.
The Suna and Ame must not breach our territory—or Konoha itself will be in danger."
"I'll hold them off with Tsunade. Don't argue—just go. We'll survive."
For a moment, the team stood silent, unable to process the flood of information.
Then Jiraiya whispered the words that chilled everyone to the bone:
"The Ame front… we lost?"