Ebizo and Dan Katō

Chiyo could only watch helplessly as Hi's head spun through the air and fell to the ground.

Hi's eyes were filled with confusion, as if he could not understand how he had fallen just like that.

Staring at the pool of dark red blood in the distance, Chiyo glared venomously at Hatake Sakumo. The fury and hatred in her heart nearly burst from her eyes.

At that moment, even as an elder of the Shinobi World renowned for her composure and wisdom, she could not calm her emotions.

Her grandson was still waiting for his father to come home!

With an enraged roar, Chiyo's fingers danced, and the power of the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets was fully displayed before everyone.

"Puppet Technique: Sōshūjin!"

"Puppet Technique: Sanbō Kyūkai!"

"Puppet Technique: Shishi Hishō!"

At that moment, Chiyo went all out and chased after Sakumo. She had to personally kill the man who had murdered her son!

The Chikamatsu Ten Puppets thoroughly demonstrated their might to everyone present.

Terrifying close-quarters combat, powerful ninjutsu, and intricate Fuinjutsu came together perfectly in Chiyo's hands, like an army of Jonin.

The Konoha ninja along the way could not stop the furious Chiyo in the slightest.

Chiyo's ten fingers flickered without pause, and the puppets worked together flawlessly, displaying the ultimate combat strength of a top Puppet Master who could attack and defend as one.

However, it was nothing more than impotent rage.

Hatake Sakumo's incredible speed allowed him to ignore Chiyo's pursuit entirely.

No matter how varied the ninjutsu, he would break it all with a single blade.

Sakumo did not look back at Chiyo even once, yet the gleam of the White Fang continued to flash across the battlefield. Every strike was accompanied by the helpless cries of a Sunagakure Ninja.

He had no idea that the red-haired ninja he had just killed was Chiyo's son. All Hatake Sakumo had to do was kill!

This was Hatake Sakumo's plan: use his personal strength to destroy the foundation of Sunagakure's Puppet Technique.

As long as these Puppet Masters disappeared, Sunagakure's only advantage over Konoha would vanish as well, and the scales of war would naturally tip back toward Konoha.

Hatake Sakumo moved across the battlefield like a ghost. With a light sweep of his blade, several Sunagakure Ninja would be left behind clutching their throats.

Or the blade light would flare, and a savage slash would shatter everything in its path.

For a time, Sunagakure's formation was smashed into disarray by Sakumo's assault, and every Puppet Master feared for their life.

The lifeblood of puppets lay in the Chakra threads used to guide them into attacking.

And the White Fang in Sakumo's hand was precisely a weapon capable of severing everything.

Hatake Sakumo's mind grew ever calmer, his thoughts empty and clear.

As he charged into the enemy ranks with the determination to die, he instead became free of distractions.

He no longer needed to think about the complicated situation on the battlefield, the low morale of the troops, or the strange circumstances within the village.

He only needed to raise the blade in his hand, kill enough enemies, and repay the kindness Konoha had shown him over the years.

Hatake Sakumo charged forward without hesitation, pushing his speed to the limit. He swung his sword, then swung it again!

Ebizo frowned. The White Fang's ferocity had exceeded his expectations.

Sunagakure's forces were gradually falling apart, on the verge of total collapse. Looking at the out-of-control Chiyo, Ebizo roared:

"Don't split up! Chiyo, cover our ninja!!"

Faced with Hatake Sakumo's frenzied charge, Puppet Masters fighting alone were like fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Those "fat sheep" had to gather together before they had even the slightest chance of countering Sakumo, the lone wolf.

Ebizo's shout snapped Chiyo awake. She halted, sending the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets far away under her control to protect one isolated Sunagakure Ninja after another.

Under Chiyo's protection, the Sunagakure Ninja gathered one by one, forming an orderly defensive formation.

In truth, this was Ebizo's helpless response to Hatake Sakumo's desperate charge.

For Puppet Masters, broad terrain and independent fighting space were what they wanted most.

Nara Shikayama watched Ebizo's command from afar, swiftly used Shadow Possession Jutsu to eliminate the enemy before him, and hurried toward Dan Katō.

The situation on the battlefield had already shifted in Konoha's favor. As long as they delayed Sunagakure's regrouping, Hatake Sakumo alone could win this war!

"Dan, can you still use the Spirit Transformation Jutsu? Control Ebizo!"

The Spirit Transformation Jutsu was an S-rank Forbidden Jutsu that allowed one to project their soul outward, invade another person's mental world, and even control them.

Dan Katō nodded heavily. The Spirit Transformation Jutsu was also extremely dangerous for its user; against a ninja with an unyielding spirit, one's own soul could easily suffer backlash instead.

But at that moment, he had no room to refuse. He, too, chose to step forward.

A streak of white light shot out at incredible speed. Dan Katō, in soul form, entered Ebizo's mental world, and the two began battling within their minds.

Ebizo's hands unconsciously clutched at his own throat. His eyes grew redder and redder, while his Chakra gradually became chaotic, showing faint signs of collapse.

The surrounding Sunagakure Ninja panicked once more. On this battlefield, Ebizo was their pillar.

Chiyo, who had only just calmed down, fell into a rage again. Her son was already dead, and now her younger brother stood at the brink of life and death.

She would never allow herself to lose her son today, only to lose her younger brother as well!

Chiyo looked toward Dan Katō from afar. The unique trajectory of the Spirit Transformation Jutsu was far too conspicuous on this battlefield.

Chiyo commanded the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets to wield their enormous puppet cleavers and charge madly toward Dan Katō.

The Konoha ninja blocking the way rushed forward with fierce courage, risking their lives to hold Chiyo back.

Gritting her teeth, Chiyo triggered the final mechanism of the White Secret Technique. The Chikamatsu Ten Puppets self-destructed one after another, and in the blink of an eye, only six remained!

As long as she killed Dan Katō, her younger brother would be able to break free from this strange state.

Ebizo's face had grown darker and darker, black blood was eerily flowing from his ears, and Chiyo was getting ever closer to Dan Katō. It was now a contest of life and death.

Dan Katō, battling Ebizo in the mental world, smiled faintly. As someone who aspired to become Hokage, there was no way he would retreat in a situation like this.

After a year of war, Kato Dan had come to understand that Ebizo was Sunagakure's strategist, a figure much like Shimura Danzō.

Letting such a man live would cause far too much harm to Konoha.

By self-destructing her puppets without regard for the cost, Chiyo forced back the Konoha ninja who had desperately tried to stop her.

She finally broke through to Dan Katō, controlled the enormous puppet cleaver, and viciously brought it down upon him!

Dan Katō was successfully cut in half at the waist. Chiyo let out a long breath, then turned back joyfully to look at her younger brother.

Unfortunately, Ebizo was already bleeding from all seven orifices and lay helplessly on the ground, clearly at death's door.

Against the young and vigorous Dan Katō, who was determined to die, Ebizo could not hold out even after exhausting all his strength.

Hatake Sakumo stopped and silently watched the scene. The remaining Sunagakure Ninja had successfully gathered and formed a defensive formation.

Ebizo had used his life to preserve the spark of Sunagakure's secret Puppet Techniques.

Chiyo rushed back to Ebizo's side, calling for the Sunagakure Ninja to do their best to treat him. Then she turned and glared venomously at every Konoha ninja.

Hatake Sakumo slowly returned to Konoha's ranks. At that moment, even if he did nothing, the Sunagakure Ninja would automatically keep far away from him.

He waved his hand, giving the signal to retreat. After charging relentlessly for so long, he was now only barely maintaining his stance.

Born into the Hatake Clan, his Chakra reserves had never been abundant. After that desperate battle, his entire body was already on the verge of collapse.

Naisu Shikayama silently gathered Dan Katō's remains, and Konoha's forces withdrew from the battlefield like a flowing stream.

Sunagakure also began to retreat, moving away from the border and gradually withdrawing toward the Land of Wind.

It appeared that Sunagakure had been defeated.