Danzō's Severed Arm

A golden sphere flew out the instant the Four Red Yang Formation shattered. After traveling some distance, it split apart, revealing several figures.

Rasa had used gold dust to bring out Chiyo and her brother, along with Pakura. Only the four of them remained.

"Karura!"

Rasa looked back at the Uzushio Hidden Village engulfed in flames, his heart filled with grief.

Karura had been on the Frontline, bringing down the wounded for treatment at the first opportunity. She had been too far away just now for him to bring her out, so he could only preserve himself and break out first.

Now, she was likely already beyond saving.

Ebizo said weakly, "Go, return to the village as quickly as possible. Pakura, keep maintaining the Scorch Release fireball. You weren't poisoned because those poisonous insects are probably afraid of fire."

Although they had temporarily suppressed the poisonous insects inside their bodies with antidotes, none of those medicines were gentle. Even though they had used opposing medicinal properties to minimize the damage to their bodies, it was still far from easy.

He and his sister had now lost their combat strength and had to return to the village as soon as possible to prepare medicine and save themselves. Otherwise, they would certainly die.

The Iwa Ninja on the other side were not doing much better. Gari had only endured that wave of Explosive Tag explosions by relying on Earth Release.

"Rōshi, don't come near me, and don't dispel your Lava Release or the Four-Tails' Chakra. The high temperature of your Lava Release should be able to drive away these poisonous insects, which is why you weren't poisoned.

"Now, in my capacity as commander of this shinobi army, I order you to return to the village immediately and tell the Tsuchikage everything that happened here. Tell him that I, Gari, have failed his trust!"

Stopping Rōshi, who was about to rush over, Gari knew he might not make it. Those poisonous insects were strange; even with his Chakra, he could only barely suppress them. He would not be able to hold on.

They still did not know what other contingencies Konoha had prepared. It would be even harder for Rōshi to escape if he took him, a burden, along.

Besides, with the entire shinobi army wiped out, he had no face to return.

"Gari!"

Rōshi clenched his fists tightly, unable to understand why everything had suddenly turned out this way.

"Go! Konoha's killing move may not be limited to this one. Leave quickly while they're being tied down by the Cloud Ninja. This is an order."

Spitting out another mouthful of black blood, Gari did not want Rōshi to fall here as well—not only because of Rōshi's potential and strength, but more importantly because he was the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.

Although the imperfect Sealing Technique caused him to lose control frequently, he was still an important asset to the village.

"I will tell Ōnoki everything. I will avenge everyone."

Suppressing the grief and fury in his heart, Rōshi leaped away from the now-ruined Uzushio Hidden Village.

He had to return and tell Ōnoki everything that had happened here. More than that, he had to avenge his compatriots and make that despicable Konoha pay the price!

"My first time leading an army, and this is the result. How unwilling I am!"

Watching Rōshi's rapidly retreating figure, Gari felt deep unwillingness in his heart.

He had thought he could make a name for himself through this battle, yet this was how it ended.

"Child, the future depends on you."

Thinking of his son, Dong Shiren, hope still remained in Gari's heart.

His son also possessed leadership talent and had even greater potential than him. In the future, he would surely surpass him.

Thinking of his son, Gari staggered toward the outskirts of Uzushio Hidden Village, trying to mobilize Chakra to perform ninjutsu while suppressing the poisonous insects within his body.

Though his chances of making it back were slim, he would not sit still and await death.

"Advance at full speed! Our target is Uzushio Hidden Village!"

Seeing the intense flames rising from Uzushio Hidden Village, Dodai decisively gave the order to head there.

Tamura Hiroshi followed along with Samehada strapped to his back, communicating with it and telling it that a feast would soon be served.

Though he had not yet persuaded Samehada to acknowledge him as its master, he had already made it stop resisting and struggling.

Next, they would devour the Chakra from the corpses of the Uzumaki Ninja.

On the other battlefield, Shimura Danzō noticed the flames over Uzushio Hidden Village and secretly rejoiced, knowing the plan had succeeded.

First came the assassination by nano poisonous insects, followed by the explosion of a hundred thousand Explosive Tags. Uzushio Hidden Village could not possibly have much left, and the Iwa Ninja and Sunagakure must have been completely wiped out.

But his joy had not lasted long before it froze on his face. A blood-colored barrier rapidly rose around them. Looking closely, he saw five red-haired ninjas erupting with Chakra to create the barrier.

"Shimura Danzō, die!"

At the same time, the Third Raikage took out a pill and swallowed it. Black lightning immediately erupted from his body, gathering in his palm as he launched himself forward with Hell Stab.

Danzō could only swing his blade. The blade was coated in sharp wind blades formed by Vacuum Bullets, which he had previously used several times to cut through the Third Raikage's Lightning Release Armor.

Yet this time, the Third Raikage, empowered by Black Lightning, had risen to an entirely new level. In an instant, he ignored the elemental restraint and shattered both the Vacuum Bullets and Ninja Sword, even severing Shimura Danzō's right arm that held the blade.

"Retreat!"

Pain shot through his right arm. Shimura Danzō was shocked and enraged, but he did not dare delay. With a furious roar, he rushed first toward the section of the barrier that had yet to close.

The ninjas under his command immediately followed the order to retreat, but while they wanted to leave, the Third Raikage did not agree.

Black lightning flashed as he blocked the still-open gap, holding back the Konoha Ninja by himself.

At the same time, the Cloud Ninja jonin who had been holding back all this time erupted with their full strength, unleashing all kinds of ninjutsu and Nintaijutsu at once.

"Attack with everything you have and break out! The Third Raikage has taken medicine to forcefully erupt with power—he won't be able to last long."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke shouted, preventing confusion from breaking out among their own ninja.

Hearing Sarutobi Shinnosuke's shout, the ninja of the two clans quickly recovered their fighting spirit. They resisted the Kumogakure Ninja's assault from behind while launching a Strong Attack against the Third Raikage.

However, the Third Raikage was far from spent. The pill he had swallowed earlier had merely been a Ration Pill, not something to restore his strength, but a means of deceiving Shimura Danzō and the Konoha Ninja.

Before long, the barrier sealed shut, and these people completely lost any chance of escape.

Although this Five Elements Barrier was nowhere near as powerful as the Four Red Yang Formation, it was not so easily breached. Not to mention that the Third Raikage and over a hundred Kumogakure jonin within it were keeping the Konoha Ninja occupied.

With all his reservations gone, the Third Raikage erupted at full strength, rampaging through the Konoha Ninja and throwing the formations of the two clans into disarray. The Kumo ninja launched a Strong Attack from outside, their coordination seamless.

The slaughter that had previously befallen the Kirigakure Ninja played out once more. They no longer had any chance to flee.

Even Earth Release was useless, because the ground was likewise covered by the barrier, leaving them no way to tunnel underground.

"Kumo ninja!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke roared in fury, his heart filled with grief, indignation, and despair.

He knew it was over. Everything was over.

"Shinnosuke!"

Izumi Shimura, several wounds marking her body, leaped over with a combined Naginata in hand. Her face was resolute. Even if they had to die, they would die together.

"Izumi, we can't die here!"

His girlfriend's arrival calmed Sarutobi Shinnosuke somewhat. Then he spoke with determination.

He took out a Secret Medicine and swallowed it. A massive surge of Chakra soon erupted within him. He bit his finger, rapidly formed hand seals, and finally slammed a palm onto the ground.

"Summoning Technique: Monkey King Enma!"

With his current Chakra, he normally could not have summoned Enma. But with the explosive boost from the Secret Medicine, he had barely met the requirement.

"Shinnosuke?"

Enma, who had been summoned, was surprised to see that it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's son who had called him. Then he sensed that something was wrong with the situation around them.

"Uncle Enma, quickly turn into the Adamantine Staff and break this barrier!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke endured the agony caused by the Secret Medicine's eruption and spoke rapidly. They had to break this barrier as quickly as possible and lead their clansmen out.