Life Comes to an End

"Enemy attack!"

"Enemy attack!"

Under the combined assault of the Fire Temple warrior monks and the Senju Clan ninja, the supply convoy carrying standard-issue weapons and equipment immediately fell into chaos.

After all, most of the troops were ordinary soldiers from the Land of Fire, so it was only natural that they would panic under the enemy ninja's Earth Release attacks.

Even the ninja from the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka Clans at the head of the convoy were at a loss in the confusion.

After all, no one wanted to die...

And the ambush had taken place in this canyon, a place that was practically a death trap.

Boulders kept tumbling down from the sheer cliffs on both sides of the canyon.

The enemy was also attacking from above with Shuriken, Kunai, Explosive Tags, and ninjutsu.

Watching as boulders smashed into his clansmen, leaving their fates unknown, while the others scattered in every direction, desperately trying to evade the enemy's attacks...

"What do we do?"

The Akimichi Clan Head swung his staff and knocked a boulder aside, saving one of his clansmen in the process. Then, his face tense with worry, he shouted to the Nara Clan Head.

"Rally the clansmen and retreat toward the back of the convoy..."

"There are Uchiha Clan ninja behind us. We need to join up with them!"

The Nara Clan Head had already grasped the situation. He hurriedly shouted to the ninja of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans around him.

Judging by the enemy's attacks, the Nara Clan Head knew that the force lying in ambush here was more than the Ino-Shika-Cho ninja could handle.

They had to retreat at once. Otherwise, the ninja of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans might all be left here.

A loss like that was more than their ninja clans could bear.

The Nara Clan Head seized the opportunity to use Shadow Possession Jutsu to control the falling boulders, arranging them into a barrier overhead to shield the group from the enemies attacking from the cliffs.

"Yamanaka Clan Head, take your clansmen and retreat first. The Nara Clan Head and I will cover you..."

"Haha!"

"Multi-Size Technique!"

The Akimichi Clan Head waved to the Yamanaka Clan Head, then immediately used the Akimichi Clan's secret ninjutsu. His body rapidly swelled to a gigantic size.

"Exactly. Yamanaka Clan Head, take your clansmen and retreat first."

"Your abilities won't be of any use here."

The Nara Clan Head leaped onto the Akimichi Clan Head's shoulder, ready to join forces with him in a counterattack and cover the clansmen's retreat.

"Ichiro, Koichi, you..."

"Ah..."

The Yamanaka Clan Head knew this was no time to hesitate. Besides, his abilities really couldn't be put to use here.

"Ichiro, Koichi, don't worry. I'll make sure your clansmen get back safely."

"Retreat!"

"Don't let down the Akimichi Clan Head and the Nara Clan Head."

Yamanaka Makoto, the Yamanaka Clan Head, looked at his two old friends, ready to lay down their lives today. A flicker of sorrow crossed his eyes, but as the head of his clan, he steeled himself and led the three clans' ninja in an orderly retreat.

"Ichiro, let's make a scene!"

"Let's show the enemy what it means to be a ninja!"

Nara Koichi, the Nara Clan Head, looked down at his old friend Akimichi Ichiro, now gigantic, his eyes already set on death.

"Heh heh, of course!"

Akimichi Ichiro, the Akimichi Clan Head, chuckled and swung his enormous fist, batting a falling boulder straight back.

As the strategist of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, Nara Koichi understood the situation. He had thought they would simply complete the mission and collect their reward in peace.

But their enemies had dared to ambush even a convoy guarded by the Uchiha and Hagoromo Clans. And on top of that, the convoy was transporting weapons and equipment coveted by many.

The ambushers must have received information in advance. And the night before, the Uchiha Clan Head had proposed setting up camp at the canyon entrance.

Nara Koichi would never believe there was no scheme behind all this.

It seemed the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka Clans had fallen straight into the heart of this conspiracy...

"The enemy really thinks highly of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans!"

Nara Koichi thought of this, and a bitter smile crossed his face.

But what was done was done. All they could do was fight with everything they had.

He wanted to see who the enemy was. Otherwise, he would die without knowing why.

"Ichiro, let's go up!"

With that, Nara Koichi directed the giant Akimichi Ichiro upward, following the trajectory of the Shuriken and Kunai against the flow of the attacks.

For the gigantic Akimichi Ichiro, climbing the sheer cliffs on either side of the canyon was only a matter of time.

"Master Yamashita, an Akimichi Clan ninja is about to climb up!"

A warrior monk watching the battlefield hurriedly reported to Master Yamashita, who was directing the fighting beside him.

"An Akimichi Clan ninja?"

"If they climb up here, the Akimichi Clan's Multi-Size Technique will cause us serious damage in these narrow caves."

"Use Fire Release against them and knock them back down."

"Yes!"

Master Yamashita frowned and immediately gave the order as he directed the Fire Temple warrior monks.

"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"

At Master Yamashita's command, the Fire Temple warrior monks hurriedly formed Hand Seals and unleashed a Fire Release attack at Akimichi Ichiro and Nara Koichi.

"Here it comes."

"I know!"

Nara Koichi spotted a huge burst of flame suddenly erupting halfway down the cliff, and quickly warned Akimichi Ichiro beneath him.

"Super Partial Multi-Size Technique!"

Akimichi Ichiro used the secret technique passed down through his clan once again. His already enlarged right arm swelled even bigger under the technique's added effect.

"Boom!"

The combined Fire Release attack from the Fire Temple warrior monks was blocked entirely by Akimichi Ichiro's supersized right arm.

However, Akimichi Ichiro's right arm was also badly burned by the flames of the Fire Release jutsu.

"This is a common, run-of-the-mill Fire Release jutsu!"

"Looks like the enemy wants to hide their identity!"

Nara Koichi frowned as he looked at Akimichi Ichiro's badly burned right arm. He understood at once.

"Koichi, I'm running low on Chakra."

"And my right arm is useless now."

Akimichi Ichiro grimaced in pain, the veins on his face taut as he spoke to Nara Koichi in a deep voice.

"Then we'll have to push a little harder!"

"If we don't find out who the enemy is..."

"I won't rest in peace even in death!"

Nara Koichi brought his hands together, ready to unleash his secret technique at any moment!

"Mm!"

"Then let's go!"

Akimichi Ichiro roared. His gigantic left hand and both feet dug into the mountainside.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

A series of loud cracks rang out as the rock face was torn apart beneath his grip.

At the same time, the gigantic Akimichi Ichiro climbed rapidly upward with Nara Koichi. They were almost at the cave where the Fire Temple warrior monks had concealed their forces.

"Quick, attack them!"

"Knock them back down!"

Another volley of Shuriken, Kunai, and ninjutsu came at them.

Akimichi Ichiro clenched his teeth, burning up the last of the Chakra in his body. With one swing of his arm, he hurled Nara Koichi upward.

Akimichi Ichiro himself was struck by the Kunai, Shuriken, and ninjutsu. He was dead beyond any doubt.

"Ichiro!"

Hurtling through the air, Nara Koichi looked back and saw Akimichi Ichiro's enormous body falling backward.

"Damn it!"

"Shadow Sewing Technique!"

"Hmph!"

"Talent of the Immortal Clan: Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder!"

At the highest point of his flight, Nara Koichi finally saw the enemy hidden in the cave on the sheer cliff.

Before he could release the Shadow Sewing Technique in his hands, countless golden Chakra fists came straight at his face.

"Master Yamashita of the Fire Temple?"

"How could this be?"

"This..."

As Nara Koichi was struck away, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

"Looks like I really have been caught up in a great conspiracy."

"I only hope Makoto can lead the clansmen to safety!"

Hurtling through the air, Nara Koichi struggled to turn his head. With the last glance of his life, he looked toward the route through the canyon where Yamanaka Makoto was leading the clansmen in retreat.

"Heh..."

Once he was sure the clansmen had escaped the range of the Fire Temple warrior monks' attacks, a faint smile appeared on Nara Koichi's face. Then he breathed his last.