Reinforcements Have Arrived

Crow Forest.

This forest, once lush and verdant, had now been reduced to a fiery purgatory.

Raging flames licked at every inch of the earth, and the stench of charred wood and nauseating blood hung heavy in the air.

Thick smoke coiled upward to entwine the sky, shrouding the setting sun in a dark, bruised red.

"Bang!"

The Adamantine Staff in the hands of Sarutobi Hiruzen swept outward, whipping up a gale as it slammed viciously into the ribs of an Iwagakure jonin.

The crisp crack of breaking bones was instantly swallowed by the surrounding chain of explosions.

The jonin's body flew out like a ragdoll for dozens of meters, snapping two charred trees before finally coming to a halt.

"Huff... huff..."

He breathed heavily, bracing the Adamantine Staff against the ground as he looked up at the sky.

High above, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki hovered with his arms crossed, his face brimming with unconcealed triumph.

"Intelligence completely leaked... forced to retreat again and again..."

"Who on earth leaked the information..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen gritted his teeth and whispered, but he had no time now to root out the mole lurking in the shadows.

Because...

High in the sky, Ōnoki began to condense white light between his hands once more.

"Don't even think about it!"

He lunged upward, his Adamantine Staff extending instantly as he thrust it fiercely toward Ōnoki in the sky.

Ōnoki was forced to dodge, and the Particle Style that had been on the verge of forming dissipated in his haste.

But this was merely a drop in the bucket.

Ever since Minato had exhausted himself to the limit, using the Flying Thunder God to relocate the entire Konoha position, he had collapsed from chakra depletion and been sent back to the village.

Without the containment of the "Yellow Flash," Konoha's defensive line had begun to collapse rapidly thereafter.

The front line had been forced to retreat again and again, and even with him personally presiding over the situation, it was to no avail.

Every deployment, every transport of logistical supplies, would always be leaked out without anyone noticing.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't been personally directing the overall situation on the battlefield, he would never have believed that frontline intelligence could be leaked to such an extent.

What chilled him even more were the undercurrents surging within the clans of the village...

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen suppressed the gloom in his heart, his hands weaving seals at lightning speed. A roaring dragon of fire erupted from his mouth, forcibly driving back several Iwagakure ninja who were attempting to surround and kill Hatake Kakashi.

"Squelch!"

Taking advantage of this opening, Hatake Kakashi swung his short blade in a streak of chilling light, slicing through an enemy's throat.

He was drenched in blood, and his left Sharingan was already so bloodshot from overexertion that it looked like a piece of dark red agate.

Yet, he dared not pause for even a second, using the cover of the Hokage's fire jutsu to precisely finish off the enemies before him.

"Kakashi, fall back! Don't get caught in their pincer trap!"

Shikaku's anxious voice exploded in his mind via communication ninjutsu.

Hatake Kakashi wiped the blood obscuring his vision, kicked the corpse in front of him aside, and used the momentum to dash backward.

At the same time, the four shadow clones of Sarutobi Hiruzen scattered simultaneously, occupying the four corners of the battlefield.

The Sarutobi Hiruzen in the front then split into four more shadow clones, all of them unleashing a grand technique at once.

Five Style: Great Barrage.

Chakra torrents of five different natures converged into a destructive tide, surging toward the Iwagakure position.

However, Ōnoki merely let out a cold snort, charging up a strike from high above, and the white cube neutralized the majority of the incoming techniques.

"Jiraiya, how much longer can you hold on?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked toward the distance.

At this moment, Jiraiya no longer possessed his usual bravado; his face had begun to show severe signs of toad-like transformation, and due to his depleted chakra, even standing seemed to be a struggle.

Jiraiya wiped away a cold sweat, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Iwagakure Explosion Corps before locking back onto the Four-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure.

"Sage Mode... is reaching its limit."

Jiraiya gave a bitter smile, and the two sages on his shoulders, Fukasaku and Shima, were panting heavily.

"I've only just touched the threshold of this mode, so I can't maintain it for long... Master... the current situation..."

The master hadn't closed his eyes for days and nights; if they kept fighting like this...

I'm afraid...

"Master, let's yield a path to Iwagakure and retreat to the village first..."

"We cannot retreat any further!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's weary frame suddenly straightened, cutting off Jiraiya's words.

"This battle is the decisive one."

Sarutobi Hiruzen hoisted his Adamantine Staff, which felt as heavy as a mountain, once again.

He knew clearly that if they retreated now, they would lose more than just land; they would lose the hearts and minds of the people held since the First Hokage founded the village, as well as the backbone that kept the ninja world in awe.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, his fighting spirit surging once more.

In that moment, his short figure appeared incredibly tall.

He raised his voice, infusing it with chakra, and shouted to all the Konoha ninja.

"The Will of Fire is the legacy passed down by the First Hokage!"

"Wherever the leaves dance, the fire will burn. The light of the fire will illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout!"

"Believe in your comrades, believe in the land beneath your feet! Konoha will never stop here!"

As his voice fell, that short figure let out a roar and charged toward the heart of Ōnoki's position without a shred of hesitation.

He intended to settle the fate of the world in a single battle.

Even if it meant death, he would drag Ōnoki into the abyss with him.

The Konoha ninja across the field watched the Third Hokage's resolute back, falling into a momentary silence.

A moment later, their fighting spirit erupted like a volcano.

"Kill! For Konoha!"

"When the village is in crisis, it is our time to sacrifice!"

"Come on, you Iwagakure scum!"

"Konoha was founded by the First Hokage and Madara together!"

"The Will of Fire was also proposed by Madara! Kill them all—"

"Stubborn fools!"

High in the sky, Ōnoki spat, watching the surging emotions of the Konoha forces below, and he too raised his voice to shout.

"The Will of Stone of Iwagakure is no less than that of Konoha!"

"Children of Iwagakure, this battle is the moment for our village to stand tall in the ninja world and reclaim our status as the number one village among the Five Great Nations."

"Go!"

Following Ōnoki's wild roar, the Four-Tails Roshi and the Five-Tails Han activated their partial Tailed Beast transformations almost simultaneously. Red Tailed Beast cloaks churned like boiling magma, and the hideous monsters trampled the scorched earth, roaring as they charged into the fray.

Under the blazing sun, the entire battlefield appeared incredibly tragic and heroic.

Countless ninja fought and died in this meat grinder.

You strike me with a blade, I hack you with a sword.

When ninja blades broke, they used ninjutsu.

When chakra ran dry, they resorted to hand-to-hand combat.

As time passed, the scales of the battlefield inevitably tipped toward Iwagakure.

Uchiha Fugaku and his clansmen, lacking the Mangekyo, appeared so powerless before the Tailed Beasts.

Jiraiya, having exhausted his Sage chakra, could only struggle to maneuver through the lava with his summoned toads.

The rest of the Konoha forces fought with everything they had, tangling with the Iwagakure troops.

Soldier against soldier, general against general, king against king.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's vision began to blur; the excessive overdraft of his chakra made his senses grow dull.

In his field of vision, the countless green flak jackets belonging to Konoha fell one by one, while the earth-yellow Iwagakure ninja swarmed like endless locusts.

Is Konoha truly finished...

...or not?

Boom, boom, boom.

A low, steady, and oppressive sound of footsteps suddenly echoed from the flank of the battlefield.

The earth trembled, and even the heat waves seemed suppressed by a certain cold, chilling aura in that moment.

Everyone stopped their slaughter in unison, turning their heads toward the source of the sound.

At the end of the blood-red twilight, a massive purple snake, like a mountain ridge, held its head high, piercing through the smoke and fire.

And the man standing atop the giant snake's head.

His long hair fluttered, he looked as gentle as jade, and his pale face wore an expression of utter indifference.

"That is..."

"It's Lord Orochimaru!"

"Orochimaru has finally arrived!!"

The Konoha ninja, who had already fallen into a desperate situation, erupted into cheers that bordered on madness.

And the withered corners of Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth curled into a complex smile at this moment.

Reinforcements had arrived.

Swish!

A sky full of Gold Dust surged toward the Iwagakure ranks, riding the glow of the twilight.

Ōnoki, who had been wearing a look of triumph in the sky, saw his expression freeze.

It was not Orochimaru who surprised him, but rather the person Orochimaru had brought along...

The Fourth Kazekage.

Rasa.

"How could Sunagakure be here?!"

"Where did this Sunagakure army come from?!"

Ōnoki flew into the Iwagakure formation, barely managing to use Particle Style to neutralize the attack, his gaze locked firmly onto Rasa, who stood atop the Gold Dust with his arms crossed and a look of high spirits on his face.

In that instant, countless possibilities flashed through Ōnoki's mind.

Had Sunagakure and Konoha formed a secret alliance?

How could that be possible?!

Could it be that Orochimaru had offered terms he could not refuse?

"Father, what should we do?"

Kitsuchi wiped the soot and dust from his face, looking at his father with a sense of urgency.

The Third Hokage was gradually being pushed into a disadvantage under his father's suppression.

Even his father was extremely exhausted.

But he believed that if they were given just a little more time, Iwagakure would be enough to completely take down all of Konoha.

"Damn it..."

Ōnoki looked toward the Sunagakure forces in the distance that had already joined with Konoha, as well as Orochimaru at their head. His gaze lingered on the Sunagakure position for a moment, carefully observing every corner.

Chiyo was not there.

Ebizo was not there either.

Only Rasa had come, along with his troops and a small number of elite ninja.

Ōnoki's brow relaxed slightly, and he let out a cold sneer.

"It doesn't matter. Only Rasa came from Sunagakure; those two old fogies, Chiyo and Ebizo, haven't appeared. We still have a chance!"

"Yes!"

"Pass the order: the entire army is to charge the Konoha camp and head straight for the head of Sarutobi Hiruzen!"

Kitsuchi responded with a heavy nod and turned to rush toward the battlefield to relay the command.

Although he said that, Ōnoki's heart was pounding wildly.

Chiyo not coming meant that Sunagakure had not mobilized its full strength.

But the fact that Rasa had come spoke volumes in itself.

How long had he been in power...

To dare to make such a decision...

Ōnoki's gaze landed on Rasa once more, and an indescribable sense of unease welled up in his heart.

"Orochimaru..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned on his Adamantine Staff, his chest heaving violently. He was covered from head to toe in dust and blood—some from his enemies, some his own.

He looked toward that familiar yet strange figure in the distance with a mix of complex emotions and relief.

Having reached this point, he had originally held no hope that Orochimaru would be able to bring back reinforcements.

To persuade Sunagakure to send troops... that was an almost impossible task.

Yet, unexpectedly...

The mission had been completed perfectly.

He had even managed to bring the rising star of Sunagakure, the Kazekage, along with him.

"Lord Rasa, Konoha will remember this favor of yours..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen pulled back his thoughts, just about to return to the battlefield.

A small snake wound its way around his wrist; the pressure was light, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness.

"Teacher..."

Orochimaru stood atop Manda with his arms crossed, his pale face devoid of joy or sorrow, though his voice held a rare trace of warmth.

"This is the era of the young now, so please, just rest..."

"As for the rest, leave it to your dear students."

"I also want to let Ōnoki know that as a student of the Third Hokage, one is quite capable of standing against him..."

"That's right!"

Jiraiya took a few long leaps, landing with a boom beside Orochimaru.

His signature haori was riddled with holes, and blood was still trickling from a wound on his left arm, but his sharp-featured face was filled with a pride and excitement that bordered on arrogance.

"As the legendary Sannin, I can't let you steal all the spotlight!"

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Poof!

A massive cloud of smoke exploded across the battlefield simultaneously, and a deafening croak announced to the entire field—

The legendary Sannin had returned.

Students... plural?

Could it be?

"Katsuyu, please heal everyone!"

As if realizing something, Sarutobi Hiruzen whipped his head around to look toward the far rear of the Sunagakure lines.

In the distance, poof!

A massive cloud of smoke erupted.

A giant slug appeared, its soft body spanning the edge of the battlefield like a small mountain.

At the very top, Tsunade stood with her eyes tightly shut, her body trembling slightly.

So Tsunade has come as well...

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes turned slightly red.

He remembered the scene from many years ago, when these three children first formed a team.

Back then, Jiraiya was still a reckless hothead, Orochimaru was silent but gifted, and Tsunade was the little princess who loved to throw tantrums.

Since the Second Great Ninja War, the Sannin...

Had miraculously reunited at the moment of Konoha's survival.

"Konoha Sannin, assembled once again!"

Jiraiya flashed a grin, standing atop Gamabunta.

Gamabunta's massive frame crushed the surrounding rock walls; he puffed out smoke, his toad eyes scanning the entire field.

"Hey, Jiraiya, how did we end up fighting all the way here? Is that old man Ōnoki really that tough?"

"Manda, you're here too..."

Gamabunta glanced sideways at the giant snake, his tone disdainful, yet he had already drawn the giant tanto at his waist.

"Enough talk."

Manda's greedy, slit-pupiled eyes were fixed on the Iwagakure lines, his tongue flicking out.

"Orochimaru, I want five hundred fresh sacrifices this time, or I'm pulling out immediately..."

"Hehehe... Manda, go."

Orochimaru elegantly crossed his arms, his black hair dancing wildly in the gale.

"As for the sacrifices... those thousands of Iwagakure ninja ahead, if you can swallow them, they are all yours."

"Hmph, that's more like it."

Manda snorted, his massive body lunging forward. Wherever he passed, the earth cracked, trees toppled, and the Iwagakure ninja scattered in terror.

"There is still a chance..."

In the air, Ōnoki shifted frantically amidst the pursuit and interception of the Gold Dust, his seasoned gaze fixed firmly on the situation below.

He was certain that Sunagakure was merely putting on a show; there was too much old resentment between Sunagakure and Konoha for them to truly unite.

This intervention was surely driven by profit.

As long as Iwagakure showed sufficient strength, Sunagakure would surely retreat.

"Explosion Corps, focus your fire on the new generation of Konoha!"

Dozens of Iwagakure elites rode atop Light-Weight Rock Birds empowered by Ōnoki, sweeping across the sky like a swarm of black locusts, each bird carrying bundles of Explosive Tags and specialized bombs on its back.

During this time, the Sunagakure forces also intentionally or unintentionally ignored the Iwagakure unit.

This made the captain of the Explosion Corps feel a moment of joy.

Just as expected!

Sunagakure was merely putting on a show!

"Go to hell!!"

He frantically hurled all the bombs he had been hoarding toward the center where the young generation of Konoha had gathered.

Whoosh—

BOOM!!

Flames soared into the sky, and the dense, chain-reaction explosions turned a hundred-meter radius into scorched earth as billowing smoke rose up.

"Got them!"

Before the explosion captain could even begin to laugh wildly, the expression on his face instantly froze.

In the very center of the thick smoke, a brilliant, dazzling sphere of chakra swirling with purple lightning was rotating at high speed.

"This is..."

Before he could say anything more, several black Senbon precisely pierced his throat, heart, and limbs.

He didn't even have time to let out a scream before he plummeted along with his bird.

On the ground, the purple chakra barrier dissipated like a receding tide.

The figure in white slowly retracted his long hair, his expression exceptionally calm.

"Hyuga... Qinglan?"

Hatake Kakashi knelt on one knee, watching in shock at the purple Rotation that had protected the entire young formation almost single-handedly.

He clearly remembered that Hyuga Qinglan was not much older than him.

He had even become a jonin earlier than this guy.

But this level of Rotation... it was simply comparable to the elders of the Hyuga Clan Main Branch.

"I don't think I'm late, am I?"

Hyuga Qinglan slowly turned around, revealing a gentle, jade-like smile to the young and shaken faces behind him.