Sand Ninja Elite, Yomi Higan Shows Its Might

The desert wind swept up fine grains of sand and howled across the battlefield.

Tsunade stood at the very front, her golden hair streaming in the wind as her light brown eyes coldly watched the dense ranks of Sunagakure forces ahead.

Three to four hundred ninja closed in in a fan-shaped formation, led by a middle-aged ninja.

He was Ebizo, the Commander behind Sunagakure's surprise attack on the Medical Ninja this time.

The importance of Medical Ninja to every major village went without saying.

Prioritizing surprise attacks on Medical Ninja was also a key strategy for many villages.

Ebizo folded his hands into his sleeves, looking calm as though victory was already assured.

"Princess Tsunade, surrender."

Ebizo spoke slowly, his voice hoarse yet carrying an unquestionable pressure.

"You have already been surrounded. If you continue resisting, you will only increase the casualties."

Tsunade did not answer. She merely tilted her head slightly and spoke softly to the Medical Ninja and combat forces behind her.

"Everyone, gather around me."

Her voice was not loud, yet it carried an authority that could not be defied.

The somewhat panicked Konoha Ninja quickly adjusted their formation. The Medical Ninja were protected in the center, while the combat forces formed a defensive ring around them.

Ebizo narrowed his eyes, seemingly a little surprised by Tsunade's composure.

A Jonin wearing a Sunagakure forehead protector beside him could not help but whisper.

"Lord Ebizo, if we drag this out any longer, Konoha's reinforcements might arrive..."

Ebizo raised a hand, signaling him to be quiet, his gaze still fixed on Tsunade.

"One last chance, Princess Tsunade."

He spoke slowly.

He still did not want to give up on the Medical Ninja before him.

Tsunade looked at him, a cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

"You sure talk a lot."

As soon as the words fell, she stomped the ground.

Boom!!!

The ground instantly shattered. Her terrifying Superhuman Strength kicked up a storm of sand, catching the front-line Sunagakure ninja off guard and knocking them several steps back.

Seeing Tsunade's resolute expression, Ebizo said no more, his eyes turning sharp.

"Attack!"

Ebizo gave the order sharply.

"Kill!!!"

Three to four hundred Sand Ninja erupted into motion at once.

"Wind Release: Wind Sand Formation!"

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

"..."

Amid the Wind Release techniques came the overwhelming creaking of puppets.

"Earth Release ninja, move up! Defensive formation!"

After repeated expenditures, healing and fighting alike, Tsunade's chakra was nearly drained dry, and her body had reached its limit.

But at this moment...

Tsunade still stood at the front, directing everyone effectively.

Several ninja stepped forward and rapidly formed hand seals.

Earth Release: Earth Flow Walls rose from the ground, barely blocking the first wave of attacks.

But Sunagakure had far too many people, and their attacks were too dense. The second wave followed immediately.

"Medical Ninja, prioritize protecting the severely wounded!"

While issuing orders, Tsunade charged into the enemy ranks and smashed a puppet apart with one punch.

She spun around, seized a Sand Ninja by the neck, and viciously slammed him into the ground.

"Don't let them get close to the wounded!"

The Konoha Ninja gritted their teeth and held the line, but the disparity was too great. As their numbers dwindled, their defensive line was gradually compressed.

Ebizo stood on high ground, watching the battlefield coldly.

"It is over."

However, just as Sunagakure was about to break through the final line of defense.

Rumble.

A blazing Fire Style attack descended from the sky, instantly tearing a gap through Sunagakure's assault.

"That is...?!"

Ebizo frowned slightly.

Amid the smoke and dust, a figure charged into the battlefield like lightning, crimson Sharingan especially striking within the sandstorm.

"Sorry I'm late."

Chiyo Uchiha had finally arrived.

The wind and sand howled, and the killing intent on the battlefield was as cold as a blade.

Tsunade stared at the figure that had suddenly appeared, her pupils abruptly contracting.

Her golden hair was tossed into disarray by the gale, and her breathing grew rapid.

Chiyo Uchiha, the one who had gone missing on the Land of Rain battlefield...

Her man.

He now stood before her, his crimson Sharingan especially piercing amid the endless yellow sand.

Her heart suddenly trembled, and her fingers clenched unconsciously.

He...

He really was alive!!

In that instant, all her exhaustion, anger, and despair were swept away by an almost suffocating ecstasy.

She opened her mouth as though wanting to call out to him, but bit down hard on her lower lip and forced herself to calm down.

No, this isn't the time...

She suppressed her surging emotions, and her gaze became firm once more.

Yet the faint tremble at her fingertips exposed the violent turmoil in her heart.

Chiyo Uchiha used Fire Style to clear a path, breaking through Sunagakure's blockade and arriving before Tsunade.

Tsunade's face was smeared with dust, and the exhaustion in her eyes made it clear that she had already reached her limit.

"Leave the rest to me!"

Chiyo Uchiha rubbed her head with some heartache.

She had come to the battlefield for his sake, and now she had been worn down to this state by the surprise attack.

Now that he had arrived, how could he possibly let Tsunade stand in front of him and shield him again?

Tsunade no longer had her previous prideful bearing.

Looking at Chiyo, a moving smile appeared on her face.

"Mm."

Ebizo watched this scene coldly, a trace of mockery appearing on his aged face.

"Heh, someone from the Uchiha Clan?"

He sneered, his gaze sweeping between Tsunade and Chiyo, his tone contemptuous.

"Since when has the Princess of the Senju Clan become so intimate with an Uchiha?"

The Sunagakure Jonin beside him also revealed a disdainful expression and echoed in a low voice.

"The Senju and Uchiha were supposed to be mortal enemies."

"Looks like they have even disregarded their clans' blood feud and shamelessly gotten together. How disgraceful!"

"The Princess of the Senju Clan, whom we regarded as such a troublesome opponent, turned out to be nothing more than some love-struck fool!"

"..."

Listening to the chatter of the surrounding Sand Ninja.

Ebizo slightly raised his hand, signaling the Sand Ninja forces behind him to prepare for an attack.

"Since you insist on sinking so low, then die here together."

"Attack!"

Sunagakure's ninja burst into action. Three Jonin lunged straight at Tsunade, while another ten elites sealed off every route of retreat for Chiyo.

Tsunade gritted her teeth. Her stamina and chakra had been exhausted by repeated healing and battle, making her movements half a beat slower than before.

One Sunagakure Jonin seized the opening and rapidly formed hand seals.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"

Tsunade barely twisted aside to evade it.

Chiyo rushed forward, driving a kunai into the man's neck.

Taking advantage of that opening, Tsunade's wrist was caught by Puppet Strings from someone behind her, and she was violently dragged to the ground!

"Tsunade!"

Chiyo's pupils shrank. He wanted to rush back, but Sunagakure's ninja blocked him tightly.

No...

She can't hold on anymore!

Chiyo's gaze abruptly turned icy. The Three Tomoe Sharingan within his eyes spun madly before finally warping and merging.

The originally black Three Tomoe transformed into the pattern of a Six-Petaled Blood-Colored Manjushage.

"Yomi Higan!"

In an instant, as blood dripped from his bloodshot eyes, the world seemed to fall still.

Centered on Chiyo, an invisible domain suddenly spread out, and the movements of the surrounding Sunagakure ninja all froze.

Their skin withered and cracked at a visible rate, their vitality siphoned away like a receding tide. Before they could even scream, they turned into dried corpses and collapsed to the ground.

Ebizo's expression finally changed.

"What... kind of ocular technique is this?!"

Tsunade was also stunned. Looking at the dried corpses covering the ground, then at the pair of demonic Mangekyō Sharingan on Chiyo's somewhat cold face, her heart shook.

But she quickly regained her senses and seized the moment of chaos within the Sunagakure forces.

With one punch, she shattered the Puppet Strings binding her and flipped to her feet.

Before she could excitedly reach Chiyo's side, she saw the bloodshot veins in his eyes and the blood rolling down from them.

"Chiyo!"

She shouted loudly.

"Are you all right? Don't push yourself!"

Chiyo did not answer. He merely turned his head slightly, a familiar smile rising at the corner of his mouth.

"Don't worry. I won't go down that easily."

The Sunagakure forces began to waver, but Ebizo quickly steadied them and shouted sternly.

"Don't panic! His ocular technique must have limitations!

Everyone, spread out and wear him down from range!"

Chiyo gave a cold laugh, the pattern in his Mangekyō Sharingan slowly turning.

"Wear me down from range? Then I'll be waiting to see it!"

His gaze locked onto Ebizo as another invisible ripple spread forth.