Pursuit and Captives

Large Summoning Animal pose a significant threat to the enemy on the battlefield.

However, if Jiraiya had summoned the Summoning Animal much earlier, the Sunagakure Village would have been united and might have been able to focus fire on Sunagakure Ninja Great Toad as soon as it appeared, sending it back to Mount Myoboku to recover immediately.

The timing was perfect, especially since the Sunagakure commander and his team signaled a retreat, completely dispelling any thoughts of Sunagakure Ninja counterattack.

When the Toad Oil Flame Bullet appeared, covering almost half the battlefield, the morale of the Sunagakure Ninja around the Summoning Animal plummeted, and their retreat began to spread in all directions.

Before this, Taiichi had already dealt with the two Sunagakure Puppet Master and was now running around putting out fires everywhere.

His Chakra Enhanced Body Flicker puts less strain on his body, so he almost always uses Body Flicker to travel during firefighting operations.

Unfortunately, the number of Konoha Ninja was far too small compared to Sunagakure. On average, one Konoha Ninja had to deal with two Sunagakure. So even Taiichi Taichi tried his best, the effect was only to change the situation in a localized area.

Fortunately, at the pre-battle meeting, all the Jonin knew that reinforcements would arrive, so even though they were all assigned to the front lines, they fought hard to hold on, and Konoha's front line did not truly collapse.

Feeling his dwindling Chakra, Taiichi glanced at the entire battlefield, a sense of anxiety rising within him. Why hadn't the reinforcements arrived yet?

Just then, Signal Flare rose from both sides of the battlefield. Immediately afterwards, Great Toad descended. Then, a vast sea of fire covered the direction of Sunagakure.

The counterattack has officially begun!

After swallowing a specially made Military Ration Pill, Taiichi's lips curled into an excited smile. He drew the Short Sword from his back with a backhand. Fists were effective against Puppet, but against people, the Short Sword was much more efficient.

He Body Flicker dashed into the still-resisting battle, and with his superb swordsmanship, Taiichi quickly coordinated with the Konoha Ninja to defeat the enemy.

As more and more Konoha Ninja were freed to participate in the counterattack against Sunagakure, the scales of victory had completely tipped in Konoha's favor.

In the center of the battlefield, Gamabunta rampaged through the area. He didn't even need to launch any attacks; as long as there was a tendency for the Sunagakure to gather, he would leap over, and the gusts of wind generated by his massive body could blow away anyone nearby.

With these repeated maneuvers, the last remaining resistance from Sunagakure was easily crushed.

"Now's the time! Follow me and fight back!"

Jiraiya's roar, amplified by his Ninjutsu, drowned out all the noise on the battlefield, and all the Konoha Ninja heard his command to counterattack.

"Konoha! Kill them!" Everyone responded to Jiraiya's declaration of counterattack.

He himself leaped directly from Gamabunta's head, landing precisely in the middle of several Sunagakure Ninja. With a flick of his hair, his white hair transformed into steel needles, turning them all into hedgehogs.

He then took the lead, charging towards the Command Post of the Sunagakure Konoha Ninja.

Along the way, whenever he encountered a gathering place of Sunagakure, he would unleash a large-scale Earth Style: Swamp of the Swamp of the Underworld to trap the Sunagakure Ninja who were trying to escape. The Konoha Ninja who followed would then use Kunai and Shuriken to quickly sweep away these ninjas who could not dodge.

Taiichi had just helped a besieged Konoha squad kick away the last Sunagakure Ninja who was blocking their way when he sensed that Jiraiya was charging in the direction behind the fleeing Sunagakure soldiers, towards the Sunagakure commander-in-chief, Shamon, who was retreating in a panic.

Taiichi's lips curled up, like a cat spotting its prey, revealing an expression of great interest. He then unleashed his Body Flicker, his figure transforming into a black line tearing through the air, closely following behind Jiraiya.

On the way, he spotted Yohei men chasing after fleeing soldiers, and shouted, "Let's go! There are big fish over there. We'll leave these small fry to the ones behind!"

Yohei was relieved to see that it was Taiichi, who was still full of energy. Hearing Taiyi's greeting, he ignored the scattered Sunagakure Ninja were retreating and led Kakashi and the others who had gathered around him to follow in Taiichi's footsteps.

Over there, beside Shamon, the commander-in-chief, knowing the situation was hopeless, was already retreating to the rear under the protection of his guards. He knew he was doomed this time, and even if he returned to the village, he estimated that he would not be greeted with a good outcome.

But he couldn't give up now. He still had to bring back as many of the remaining Sand Village Ninja as possible. Otherwise, even if he died, he would have no way to face the martyrs of the Underworld.

At this moment, the loyal guards noticed the pursuing ninjas closing in. Several Chunin with considerable strength, led by a Jonin, stayed behind to cover the retreat and block the Konoha Ninja's pursuit.

Wind Style: Great Kamaitachi.

The combined Wind Style technique transformed into a Wind Wall Wind Blade, sweeping towards the Konoha Ninja.

"Get out of my way!" Jiraiya roared, his massive Chakra coalescing, and a violent Wind Style also spewed from his mouth, smashing the Wind Wall that was blowing directly at him to pieces. As expected of a future Kage Level ninja, even though his strength is still somewhat lacking now, he is not someone that an ordinary Jonin could stop.

The swirling wind blew away the Sand Village Ninja tried to stop him, and almost simultaneously, Taiichi, who was a step behind, locked his gaze on his target.

Without needing to Hand Seals, three Bright Gold Phoenix Sage Fire condensed around him at his will, instantly striking the two ninjas who were still in the air.

"Ah--" Two shrill screams rang out. The experienced Sunagakure Jonin flicked his blade, sending a flying rock flying out of the ground and shattering the Fireball that was heading towards him.

However, fragments of the exploding flames still clung to his arm, the intense burning pain causing him to falter. He was then knocked unconscious by a punch from Jiraiya, who was close behind.

A group of more than ten people followed in Jiraiya's footsteps, chasing after the Sunagakure Commander, but just like that, Sunagakure Ninja kept coming from all directions to block their way.

Things change. In the morning, the Sunagakure Ninja were chasing the Konoha Ninja, but in the afternoon, it was Konoha chasing after the Sunagakure Ninja. But clearly, the Sunagakure Ninja hadn't prepared for their defeat.

Despite the obstruction, the Konoha Ninja who followed were not to be trifled with, constantly stepping forward to intercept these Sunagakure Ninja who tried to stop them.

Those who are too strong or too numerous will naturally be dealt with by even stronger individuals, such as Minato who just caught up, or Taiichi.

And so, ten minutes into Shamon retreat, Shamen was left without a single guard.

Shamon knew he was doomed and didn't want to run anymore. Rather than exhausting himself in the process, he decided to stop and fight the Konoha ninja to the death.

That way, even in death, one can die with more dignity.

Thinking of this, Shamon suddenly stopped and turned to look at Jiraiya, who was quickly catching up.

"As expected of the legendary Sannin, renowned throughout the Ninja World, you've been planning this for a long time!"

"Elder Shamon of Sunagakure, don't try to make it sound like we plotted against you," Jiraiya said sternly. "If you hadn't wanted to destroy us, things wouldn't have ended up like this today!"

Indeed, this was a scheme to lure the Sunagakure Village into a trap. Without the Sunagakure Ninja's active cooperation, Konoha would not have achieved today's victory. In the end, it was all due to their own greed.

He sighed helplessly. It was a pity that so many Sunagakure ninjas had sacrificed their lives; he could only atone with his own death.

Without further ado, Shamon launched the first attack. Although he was an elder of Sunagakure and a once-powerful elite ninja, he was now getting old.

Jiraiya, successfully disrupting Shamon's Hand Seals with a Great Flame Bomb.

At this moment, Jiraiya had already closed in, every punch and kick aimed at the Shamon's vital points.

The sounds of impact continued, but Shamon was old after all. After only a dozen or so moves Jiraiya and landed a hook punch squarely in the abdomen.

Bend over and spit out a mouthful of blood. Shamon knew he was finished. He had overestimated himself and underestimated Jiraiya. He hadn't expected the difference between them to be so great. Now, he probably wouldn't even be able to die.

Just as he expected, Jiraiya threw a hook punch that sent Shamon flying off the ground, followed by a spinning kick that sent Shamon flying right in front of Taiichi who had rushed over.

Taiichi was also taken aback. He looked at the Sunagakure Commander lying in front of him, still vomiting blood. After confirming that the commander was not dead, he immediately understood Jiraiya's intention.

He stepped forward, grabbed Shamon's arms, and pulled hard. With a muffled groan, Shamen's arms were dislocated by Taiichi's pull.

Then Taiichi Hand Seals, and five Chakra balls representing wind, fire, lightning, earth, and water condensed at the fingertips of Taiichi's right hand. He lifted the clothes on Shamon's abdomen with his left hand and pressed his right hand on Shamon's abdomen, and a sealing ball quickly formed on his abdomen.

This is the Five Elements Seal, which can not only seal the Tailed Beast Chakra, but also easily seal ninjas.

Shamon was captured in full view of everyone, and his last symbolic resistance was completely crushed. The news spread like wildfire among the struggling Sunagakure Ninja, without even the help of the Konoha Ninja.

The remaining Sand Village Ninja were still resisting completely lost their will to fight. They abandoned their stronghold in the Land of Rivers and fled frantically and recklessly towards the Land of Wind.

"Jiraiya- sensei, what should we do next!" Taiichi looked at the Sunagakure Ninja fleeing in panic, being chased around him, and decided not to join the pursuit. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but rather that his Chakra was running low.

Jiraiya naturally noticed Taiichi's condition; the Sealing Jutsu he had just used was probably Taiichi's limit. "Take Shamon back and reorganize the troops, treat the wounded. I'll lead the men to pursue them for a while longer."

"We've expended so much effort and lost so many comrades; we must maximize our gains!" Jiraiya said resolutely. After this First Shinobi World War, the Southern Front would at least be stable for a while.

"Yes!"

Taiichi turned around, grabbed the fallen Shamon, and headed towards the original battlefield. On the way, he encountered Yohei others, all of whom were panting heavily and had suffered various injuries.

However, everyone's eyes were bright, and they were clearly in high spirits.

Taiichi waved the prisoner in his hand and smiled brightly at everyone, "Come on, come back with me. This is a great achievement, we have to protect him well, don't let the remnants of Sunagakure intercept him!"

This was obviously just an excuse to get everyone to come back with him. Everyone had been fighting since early morning, and they had only managed to hold on because of sheer willpower.

The battle is basically over now. If someone loses their strength on the way and collapses from exhaustion, that would be truly dangerous.

Obito was the most excited. Hearing that there was a great achievement to be made, he disregarded his own injuries, pushed aside Kakashi was blocking his way, and took two steps forward to see clearly.

"So this is the Commander of Sunagakure? He's not some kind of superhuman, so why did he have to come and attack us?" Obito said with his hands on his hips, pointing seriously at the Shamon in Taiichi's hand, and said with a hint of disdain.

Feeling the tremor in his hand, Taiichi smiled but didn't say anything. "You're getting angry so easily? You'll have a lot of trouble to deal with later."

"Alright, let's go!" Seeing that the group looked tired again, Taiichi urged them on.

"Yes!" everyone answered with a smile.

Meanwhile, under Jiraiya's unified command, Konoha's pursuers relentlessly chased after Sunagakure, completely driving them out of the Land of Land of Rivers. In the end, if it weren't for the arrival of the Sunagakure Border Troops stationed in the Land of Land of Wind, Jiraiya and his men would have stormed into the Land of Wind.

Thus, a meticulously planned tactical counterattack finally achieved victory after paying a certain price.

When Taiichi returned to the designated assembly point with the captured Sunagakure Commander, a temporary Camp had already taken shape.

The air was filled with the smells of earth, blood, and herbs.

The ninjas moved about in a hurry; some were transporting the wounded, some were setting up tents and fortifications, and some were collecting the remains of their comrades. Everything seemed busy yet orderly.

In the center of the Camp, the figure of strategist Nara Shikaku was particularly conspicuous. He was standing in front of an open map, issuing clear instructions to several ninjas around him, his voice steady and powerful, coordinating the various cleanup tasks of the Camp.

When Taiichi noticed him, Shikaku obviously saw Taiichi as well, especially noticing the listless Shamon that Taiichi was holding in his hand. Shikaku stopped talking and walked quickly toward Taiichi.

"Taiichi, and everyone else, thank you for your hard work!" Shikaku's gaze lingered on Taiichi's visibly tired yet still determined face, then immediately shifted to the important trophy in his hand. "What's this?"

"Sunagakure frontline Commander — Shamon!" Taiichi's voice carried a hint of weariness, but he still raised his voice to ensure the surrounding ninjas could hear him, "Now it's up to you!"

The cheers first rang out around Taiichi, and then, centered on him, the cheers spread outwards in layers, until all the sounds merged into one sentence.

"Konoha - All Victories!"

Seeing the sudden surge of morale in the Camp, Shikaku's eyes flashed, and for the first time, an undisguised smile of approval appeared on his face, "Excellent! Very good! This is truly an unexpected and great achievement!"

He patted Taiichi's shoulder heavily, feeling the body beneath his palm sway slightly, a reaction to the excessive depletion of Chakra and stamina.

"You've done a tremendous service! With Lord Jiraiya at large, your victory will greatly boost morale and is crucial for the subsequent negotiations!"

"I didn't catch him," Taiichi smiled and shook his head. "This is Lord Jiraiya's achievement; I was just responsible for bringing him back."

Taiichi handed the Shamon to the ninja who came forward to take over, saying, "He has the Five Elements Seal I placed on him, so he can no longer use his Chakra, but we still need to be careful."

Upon hearing this, Shikaku went forward to examine it and found that it was even better than the seals that their current Sealing Team was using. He couldn't help but think more highly of Taiichi.

"Go and rest!" Seeing Taiichi hanging on, and glancing at Yangping Yohei the others behind him who were equally exhausted, Shikaku commanded, "Especially you, your Chakra is so depleted, you must recover immediately."

You don't need to worry about the wounded for now; the Medical Team can handle it. Your own condition is the most important thing right now.

Taiichi had indeed reached his limit. The continuous fierce battle and pursuit, coupled with almost draining his last bit of Chakra when sealing Shamon, left him feeling as if his body had been hollowed out, making it difficult even to stand.

He nodded, not trying to be brave. "Yes, then I'll go down and rest first."

He offered a few words of encouragement to Yohei and the others, praising their outstanding performance in the blocking action and subsequent battles, Shikaku turning back to command.

Taiichi turned to look at his Companions. Yohei leaned against Saori, his Sharingan already closed, but his eyelids trembled slightly, clearly indicating that the side effects of overusing his eye power were still lingering.

Obito collapsed to the ground, while Rin anxiously examined the thickly bandaged knife wound on his back. Obito occasionally grimaced in pain.

Kakashi leaned against the tree trunk, his breathing slightly rapid beneath his mask.

Saori's face was pale, and Fu Yohei's arm was trembling slightly.

"You heard that, right?" Taiichi forced a smile, his voice very soft. "Find somewhere you can lean against, rest immediately, and recover your stamina Chakra."

Without another word, they silently helped each other to a relatively quiet and dry corner that had just been cleared at the edge of the Camp. Almost the instant they sat down against the tree trunks, a heavy sense of fatigue overwhelmed them like a tide.

A profound sense of emptiness after Chakra depletion and the accumulated pain in their bodies overwhelmed them, and everyone closed their eyes, instantly falling asleep.

Taiichi also sat down against the rough tree trunk behind him, took out a Special Military Ration Pill and swallowed it. He needed to quickly recover his Chakra. Although the external battle was over, a severe battle awaited his participation.

Therefore, even if it means overworking your body, it's worth it, because you can recover later.