Desperate Straits, Striking from the Shadows

The situation on the battlefield was developing exceptionally rapidly.

The ferocity of the Third Raikage, combined with the elite forces of Cloud Village, created an extremely formidable fighting force.

The four Tailed Beasts were still locked in combat, but the defenses that Iwagakure had painstakingly built only lasted a single day against the Raikage's invincible blade!

"Boom!"

As another massive Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall was pierced through by the Raikage's Hell Stab, the Iwa Rock Ninja forces responsible for maintaining the Ninjutsu were also affected by the lightning, suffering heavy casualties.

The collapse of this critical juncture was like toppling the first domino.

The already under immense pressure Iwagakure defenses suddenly developed a huge breach!

"We can't hold on any longer! Retreat!"

"Retreat! The Raikage is coming!"

Panic spread like wildfire.

The Iwagakure's will to resist crumbled rapidly in the face of the Raikage's ferocious attacks.

The Rock Ninja forces at the front lines began a massive rout, abandoning their armor and weapons, fleeing like a flood breaking through a dam.

The bounty hunters who had been planted in the Iwagakure squad were now completely panicked.

They were swept along by the overwhelming tide, forced to retreat involuntarily.

They watched helplessly as the Rock Ninja had just been fighting side by side, were easily killed by the lightning and Kunai chasing from behind.

The shadow of death has never loomed so vividly over everyone.

Damn it! I shouldn't have been greedy for that little bit of money!

"We're doomed—this kind of battlefield is no match for us!"

"Damn Iwagakure, they're using us as cannon fodder!"

Amidst the crowd, angry curses of regret and desperate wails erupted.

Some tried to break away from the rout and escape to the flank, but the Rock Ninja in their squad had clearly received prior orders.

Immediately, elite Iwagakure soldiers struck and killed the Bounty Ninja who were trying to escape.

Those who desert their posts will be executed without mercy!

The cold, commanding tone echoed among the routed troops.

The threat of death forced the group of desperados to grit their teeth and flee with the main force of Iwagakure.

Only now did they truly understand that once they were on that pirate ship, getting off meant simply feeding the sharks.

Such a generous bounty isn't easy to obtain; only Iwagakure prepared to die would be willing to pay such a large sum.

The Third Raikage was in high spirits at that moment.

Standing atop the ruins of the newly breached defensive line, watching the Iwagakure army flee like stray dogs, he let out a triumphant laugh that echoed across the battlefield, "Hahaha! Ōnoki! Your turtle shell is nothing but a shell! Warriors of Cloud Village, follow me! Let's crush these stone rats on the land of the Land of Earth. Leave not a single one alive!"

His eyes gleamed with the light of victory, determined to finish the job in one fell swoop and bury the main force of Iwagakure here!

Hidden in the shadows, Taiichi witnessed firsthand how Cloud Village (Cloud Village) broke through Iwagakure's defenses.

As a third party, he could clearly sense that Iwagakure's defense was not as solid as he had imagined.

However, with Cloud Village in the midst of the battle, and especially with Raikage, the leader, always leading the charge, it was even more difficult for him to notice anything unusual.

Taiichi is now certain that Iwagakure has prepared a grand spectacle for the Raikage.

The routed Iwagakure army retreated all the way, with the Raikage leading the most elite troops of Cloud Village in hot pursuit, like a leech clinging to a bone.

Driven by the fleeing troops, they panicked and fled into a rugged canyon area.

On both sides are steep cliffs that rise into the clouds, and in the middle is a narrow passage.

As the Raikage's elite troops followed closely behind, charging into the depths of the canyon...

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A deafening roar suddenly erupted! The two ends of the canyon were instantly sealed off by the pre-prepared Earth Style Ninjutsu and Explosive Tag!

At the same time, countless Rock Ninja figures emerged from the cliffs on both sides like bamboo shoots after a spring rain!

Kunai, Explosive Tag, Wind Style, and Fire Release Ninjutsu rained down like a storm! Huge rocks were pushed off the cliff by the combined efforts of Earth Style ninjas, crashing with a deafening roar to the bottom of the canyon!

Encirclement! A decisive victory!

The canyon instantly transformed into a living hell!

There's no way forward, and no way back!

The attack above is a deadly saturation strike!

Caught off guard, the elite Cloud Village forces suffered heavy losses; screams, explosions, and the roar of falling rocks mingled together.

"Damn it! We've fallen for their trap!"

The Third Raikage's pupils constricted, and he instantly understood.

He swung his lightning-wrapped arm, easily shattering several falling boulders and protecting his personal guards.

But seeing the many Cloud Ninja fall instantly in the canyon, his heart bled.

Ōnoki! To lure him into a trap, he actually used so many Rock Ninja as bait!

This coldness and scheming sent a chill down Raikage.

It turns out that Iwagakure recruited Bounty Ninja simply to increase the value of the bait.

They wanted to minimize the deaths of Iwa Rock Ninja while also getting Cloud Village to act as bait, so they came up with this idea.

In any case, most of these Bounty Ninja were killed or wounded in this First Shinobi World War, so the bounties for those who died would not be paid anymore, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.

"You shameless old Ōnoki! You used your own people as bait just to get me to take the bait! You despicable old scoundrel!"

Raikage's face was ashen as he roared at the positions in front of Iwagakure, his voice booming so loudly that even the noise of the battlefield couldn't drown it out.

Hehehe----

A small figure slowly floated onto the cliff at one end of the canyon; it was none other than Ōnoki, the Onoki of the Two Scales!

His distinctive hoarse voice carried a hint of smugness and ruthlessness. "Hey! Surrender! I did pay a price to lure you into this."

But look at your current predicament! Can you bear to see your elite Cloud Village troops perish here?

To reduce unnecessary casualties, lay down your weapons. In the name of the Tsuchikage, I promise you a way to live!

Ōnoki's words were not only an attempt to persuade them to surrender, but also a psychological offensive to Cloud Village.

"Fart!"

The Raikage's roar, like rolling thunder, drowned out the chaotic sounds within the canyon. He raised his head and glared at Ōnoki, his eyes burning with fury and the pride of the Raikage.

"What kind of skill is it to use scheming and trickery? Ōnoki! You are unworthy to be the Kage of a village, sacrificing the lives of your own people to achieve victory."

In the Cloud Village's dictionary, there is no such word as surrender. Our glory is forged with blood and fists! You want me to surrender? Dream on!

He looked around at the Cloud Village elites around him who were still fighting tenaciously in their desperate situation, their eyes filled with trust.

These are the future of the village, the backbone of Cloud Village!

A strong sense of regret welled up inside him. He had been blinded by victory and underestimated Ōnoki's ruthlessness, which led them into this doomed place.

But at the same time, a resolute will also rose within him.

"Warriors of Cloud Village!"

The Raikage's voice rang in the ears of the Cloud Ninja, his words filled with a resolute will to die.

"You are the backbone of Cloud Village, and your lives are a thousand times more precious than this old bone of mine!"

I now command you to break through to the east with all your might!

That's the weakest point in the cliff. Concentrate all your strength and break through it! I'll hold off these rock rats for you!

"Lord Raikage!"

"Can't!"

His personal guards and elite soldiers stared in horror, their eyes wide with shock, and cried out in alarm.

"That's an order!"

The Raikage roared, interrupting them. The light from his Lightning Release Chakra Armor was more intense than ever before, making him appear like a god descending to earth.

He turned abruptly, ignoring everyone else, and faced alone the surging tide of Rock Ninja from the canyon and the countless Kunai and Ninjutsu aimed at him from the cliff face.

"Go! Survive! Bring my will back to Cloud Village!"

As the last word fell, he transformed into a bolt of blue lightning that tore through the heavens and earth, charging headlong towards the densest part of the Iwagakure army!

The deafening roar echoed repeatedly in the narrow canyon, each explosion accompanied by the collapse of rocks and the loss of life.

Smoke and blood mist mingled, forming a thick curtain that shrouded this hell on earth.

Ōnoki hovered above the cliff, looking down at the blinding lightning that was relentlessly battling through the torrent of Iwagakure danger. A hint of solemnity flashed across his aged face, but there was not a trace of pity.

The Third Raikage, the man who stood at the pinnacle of the Ninja World, now became the last bulwark of Cloud Village.

The dazzling Lightning Release Chakra Armor flickered under the bombardment of countless Ninjutsu, yet it never went out.

He abandoned all dodging and poured all his Chakra and willpower into the attack.

Hell Stab - One-Finger Nukite!

Blue lightning tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound that could pierce eardrums.

Each thrust was like the fangs of Death God, precisely piercing the hastily formed Earth Style defenses of the Rock Ninja, taking away several or even a dozen lives.

The solid rock wall was as fragile as Utakata in his eyes, and he chiseled it through and smashed it apart.

Broken earth and rocks, mixed with blood, flesh, and limbs, flew everywhere, piling up at his feet into a chilling mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

"Come on, you rats from Iwagakure!"

Raikage's roar drowned out the clamor of the battlefield, his voice carrying a resolute determination to perish together with the enemy.

"The bones of Cloud Village will never break before you schemers! You want to kill me? Pay with your life!"

He used the most primitive and violent methods to hold back the main force of Iwagakure's pursuit, buying every second for the elite Cloud Village who wanted to break through.

On the cliff, Ōnoki's face grew increasingly grim.

The Third Raikage's strength far exceeded expectations.

Every second of delay increases the chances of the Cloud Village Hidden Forces escaping alive.

"We can't delay any longer! Combined Ninjutsu Force, listen up!"

His hoarse voice carried an unprecedented seriousness as he raised his hand and gave the order.

"Combined Ninjutsu: Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"

Hundreds of Rock Ninja rapidly Hand Seals in perfect unison, their massive Chakra converging, causing the canyon floor to tremble violently, as if a sleeping behemoth had been awakened.

The rocky ground at the bottom of the canyon turned into a liquefied mudflow, carrying immense force, swirling up countless boulders and rocks, and crashing back down.

The mudslide transformed into a terrifying wave of earth and rocks tens of meters high, crashing down on the center of the canyon and onto that tenacious figure!

This is a calamity-level Ninjutsu capable of burying an entire army!

Taiichi, hidden in the shadows of the canyon, had a cold smile playing on his lips.

The time has come!

He lay in wait here, wasn't this precisely the moment that would cause both Iwagakure and Cloud Village to suffer heavy losses?

On the other side of the battlefield.

"Hurry! Keep up! We can't waste the time the Lord Raikage has bought for us!"

A Cloud Village Jonin, leading the terrified remnants of his troops toward the east side of the canyon.

Among the group, a burly figure covered in blood (Taiichi's Shadow Clone) stood out conspicuously.

His eyes darted around in a "panicked" manner, then suddenly pointed to a crevice in the cliff face that seemed climbable.

"Over there! There seems to be a gap over there! Quick, rush over there!"

His voice was rough, carrying an urgent desire to survive.

Exhausted and desperate to escape, the Cloud Ninja had no suspicions and followed his directions, rushing headlong into the narrow crevice in the rock.

"Now!"

A cold glint flashed in Taiichi's Shadow Clone's eyes, and in the moment when the crowd was at its densest, he stomped his foot heavily without realizing it.

Earth Style Chakra silently seeped into the cracks in the rock strata.

Earth Style: Earth Style: Rock Lodging Collapse.

Boom!

That small, seemingly stable section of the cliff face collapsed like a brittle biscuit!

The massive rock crashed down, instantly turning the first few Cloud Village Chunin pieces and completely blocking the narrow passage!

"Ah!"

"Damn it! The road is blocked!"

"Damn it! Who led the way?"

The Cloud Ninja were forced to stop, frantically trying to clear the fallen rocks, rescue their companions, and others hurriedly searching for alternative routes.

The Iwagakure troops had already surrounded them; after all, no matter how strong the Raikage was, he was only one person.

The Cloud Ninja had to divert some of their forces to deal with the Iwagakure, making their already difficult escape even more challenging.

Meanwhile, Taiichi was causing trouble, frequently using Earth Style used in Chinese fantasy novels) to trigger landslides and prematurely revealing their own position to attract the attention of the Iwagakure pursuers.

After repeated attempts, the number of fleeing Cloud Village members finally dwindled.

While the elite forces of Cloud Village were facing difficulties, the main forces of Iwagakure were also not faring well.

Right in the center of the canyon, facing the earth-shattering "Earth Style: Earth Flow River," the Third Raikage glared angrily, unleashing his lightning armor to its fullest potential, preparing to withstand the deadly impact head-on.

However, just as the giant combined Earth Style was about to hit the Raikage, an unexpected event occurred.

Hidden in the cliff face, Taiichi's true form pressed his hands against the cold, rough rock, his senses like invisible tentacles, capturing the key moments of the Combined Ninjutsu of the Rock Ninja below.

This node is the central hub of the entire Combined Ninjutsu, ensuring the smooth fusion and amplification of the Chakra of hundreds of people.

It's not simply a matter of a group of people using the same Ninjutsu to create Combined Ninjutsu; there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Otherwise, why would the Ninja World only see Iwagakure using Combined Ninjutsu to bully others, while other ninja villages don't do that? They simply don't have the ability.

Taiichi, of course, didn't have that level of skill either. He simply relied on his superior mastery of Earth Style to find the opponent's weakness when they used a combined technique.

After all, it's definitely easier to nitpick.

At this moment, Taiichi remotely controlled his Chakra, skillfully merging it into the great tide, and at the crucial moment, a sudden burst of energy...

At this point, the hundreds of strands of Chakra that were originally stable instantly became unbalanced, generating strong "repulsion" and "erosion" between them.

"Loosen it for me!"

The massive wave of earth rushing towards them suddenly stopped!

The earth ripples, which originally possessed boundless power, seemed to have had their bones removed. Although they still appeared fierce, they had lost their inner strength.

The Iwagakure Commander was in charge of the Combined Ninjutsu changed his expression drastically. He could feel an indescribable sense of stagnation throughout the entire Ninjutsu!

The flow of Chakra was suddenly blocked, as if thick sludge had been mixed into the pipes. The energy structure of the entire Ninjutsu instantly became unstable.

"Hold on! Increase Chakra output!" the Commander roared hoarsely.

Hundreds of Rock Ninja gritted their teeth and desperately channeled their Chakra, attempting to forcibly stabilize this behemoth.

However----