The Battle Begins

"Kitsuchi-sama, this is the consolidated intelligence on this week's losses."

An Iwagakure intelligence ninja, his face miserable, handed the scroll in his hand to Kitsuchi. Kitsuchi opened it and took one look, feeling his blood pressure rise. The hand gripping the scroll even made creaking sounds.

"Take a look, Senior!"

Gritting his teeth, Kitsuchi threw the scroll to Roshi. Though he called him Senior, there was not a trace of respect in Kitsuchi's tone.

"One week! It's only been one week! We've already lost over three hundred ninja!! That's one-fifth of this front's total strength!"

"In other words, if this keeps up for another month, our entire Iwagakure camp will probably be wiped out!"

Faced with Kitsuchi's furious roar, Roshi lowered his head, unable to say a single word.

Roshi had personally led the pursuit of Uchiha Feiyu back then. It was also he who had exposed Uchiha Feiyu's identity as a Jinchuriki, only to fail to keep him there and instead lose a great number of elite ninja.

It could be said that this Four-Tails Jinchuriki bore more than half the blame for Iwagakure's current struggles on the battlefield.

"We can't go on like this. Prepare for the decisive battle! Once it's over, withdraw from the Land of Rivers!"

Kitsuchi acted decisively and quickly made his decision. The Iwagakure forces in the Land of Rivers were now far weaker than either Konoha or the Sand Shinobi in conventional strength. They would certainly lose if they fought, but starting the battle early would let more Iwagakure Ninja survive the retreat.

This had only ever been a secondary battlefield. They had never expected to win in the first place. Being able to wear down some of the other two villages' strength would already be the best outcome.

As for fleeing without fighting, that would only make it easier for the other two villages to pursue them, resulting in even heavier losses.

The other ninja in the camp exchanged glances before one of them asked,

"Then which side are we preparing to fight the decisive battle against?"

Iwagakure lacked the strength to fight both villages and could only choose one. The moment that senior officer asked, Kitsuchi gave his answer without hesitation.

"Konoha, of course! They're our true enemy. To relieve the pressure on the main battlefield, Konoha has always been our primary target!"

"Those burrowing rats from Iwagakure are getting desperate."

Looking at the Intelligence Scroll that had been delivered, Orochimaru sneered and spoke with contempt.

As he spoke, Orochimaru passed the scroll around for the other ninja in the command camp to read. It was Iwagakure's declaration of war, more or less saying that everyone would gather at a certain place on a certain date and have a brawl.

"I thought those bastards would attack without warning and strike our camp directly!"

Uchiha Feiyu, who was also seated in the command camp, said with a smile. Torifu Akimichi, who was eating beside him, snorted.

"You think those stoneheads don't want to ambush our base? They just can't find an opportunity!"

A ninja camp was no ordinary military camp. Its defenses were practically on par with those ancient castles. After all, ninja techniques were not only useful for killing; they were equally useful for construction.

Walls raised by Earth Release, Sealing Jutsu hidden in secluded corners, barriers monitoring the entire camp, crossbow launchers loaded with kunai carrying large numbers of Exploding Tags, chained Exploding Tag traps laid beneath the surrounding ground...

To take such a camp by frontal assault required at least twice the strength of its defenders. If it were Iwagakure, they probably would not even be able to break through the walls before their ordinary ninja were all killed.

After the previous Iwagakure raid, Mu Yan had long since strengthened their vigilance around the camp. Even if Iwagakure wanted to launch a surprise attack, they had no opportunity.

"So what do we do? Accept or refuse?"

Uchiha Feiyu glanced around at the Jonin and asked. Orochimaru took back the Intelligence Scroll after it had made the rounds and spoke coldly.

"Since those burrowing rats are looking to die, then naturally we'll oblige them!"

"A large-scale battle... Looks like I'll be able to gather quite a few souls this time. Unfortunately, the sacrifices offered to the altar must be intelligent creatures I killed with my own hands. Otherwise, I reckon I could collect several hundred wisps of black Ki from a large-scale battle like this."

Standing on a hillside and watching the scattered Iwagakure squad across from him, Uchiha Feiyu could not help sighing inwardly.

"What's wrong, Feiyu-kun? Is this your first time experiencing such a large battle? Are you nervous?"

Orochimaru's voice drifted into his ear. Without turning his head, Uchiha Feiyu replied,

"There's nothing to be nervous about. It's just that this kind of battle is different from what I imagined. I thought everyone would gather together and fight it out."

"How could that be? Forget Kage-level Ninja—even any random Jonin has large-scale destructive ninjutsu. If lower-ranked ninja gathered together, wouldn't they just become targets for the powerful ones?"

Orochimaru said with an amused smile, shaking his head.

"Even so-called large-scale battles are still soldiers against soldiers and generals against generals, fought in squad formations. Of course, because there are so many ninja, even with the battlefield deliberately expanded, it remains incredibly chaotic. Even a Jonin could be killed by a kunai flying in from who knows where."

Uchiha Feiyu nodded. It was much like how veteran soldiers feared stray bullets most on the battlefield. Obvious lines of fire were easy to avoid, but no one could dodge a stray bullet that came from nowhere.

"So, Feiyu-kun, even though you're strong, you must still be careful. Especially at your age—you'll definitely be one of Iwagakure's priority targets!"

Hearing that, Uchiha Feiyu chuckled softly and said blandly,

"Then I'm really looking forward to it."

Nearly a month had passed since his last mission to scout Iwagakure's camp. Having absorbed the experience of so many Iwagakure souls, Uchiha Feiyu had undergone another earth-shattering transformation compared to a month ago.

If Iwagakure still judged him by their old impression from a month ago, they were going to suffer badly.

Just as Orochimaru and Uchiha Feiyu were chatting, a terrifying Chakra presence rose behind the Iwagakure lines. A fearsome giant ape beast appeared at the edge of the battlefield.

For this decisive battle, Iwagakure had naturally brought out their own Jinchuriki as well. Since he had already been exposed anyway, there was no need to worry about maintaining any balance.

After the enormous Jinchuriki appeared, he began gathering Chakra, slowly forming a gigantic black sphere and firing it directly at the hillside.

Faced with the terrifying Tailed Beast Ball hurtling toward them, Orochimaru's expression turned grim. After rapidly forming hand seals, he slammed his hands onto the ground.

"Summoning Technique—Triple Rashomon!"

Three enormous Rashomon gates rose from the earth. Amid rumbling booms, the Rashomon altered the Tailed Beast Ball's trajectory, sending it soaring into the sky just past the hillside.