Moryo Reaches the Front Lines

Shrine Maiden are not ninjas; they do not possess the same formidable physical abilities as ninjas. They cannot withstand the immense pressure brought about by spatial teleportation.

Therefore, Taiichi could only watch Miroku go out and make arrangements for his trip.

With some free time, he finally turned his gaze to the Nine-Tails at his feet.

You wouldn't believe it until you see it; it's quite a surprise.

It's only been a few days, and the Nine-Tails has already gained weight.

It was already an adorable, fluffy creature, and now it's evolving into a ball.

Thinking about the days he had spent on the front lines, and comparing them to the size of the Nine-Tails, Taiichi felt a sense of imbalance.

"You've had plenty of food lately!"

"Ha, I didn't eat at your house, and you're already interfering? I earned this through my own abilities."

This time, Nine-Tails wasn't intimidated by Taiichi big tail and spoke with a straight face.

Taiichi was speechless for a moment after Nine-Tails's words. He could only say that the joys and sorrows of humans and Tailed Beast are different, and the existence of Moryo was irrelevant to Nine-Tails.

While Taiichi was waiting for the Shrine Maiden, the battlefield did not stop despite his departure.

The Moryo had suffered such a great loss, being beaten to a pulp twice. How could it possibly swallow this pent-up anger?

At the same time, it also understood that if things continued to develop in this way, it would be only a matter of time before it was sealed again. So, the Moryo stopped allowing the Ghost Legion to attack at will, and all its forces began to gather in the canyon. Its main body was also moving towards the canyon.

The commotion was naturally Scout by the Allied Forces' intelligence ninjas immediately.

"The Third Hokage, it seems Moryo can't wait any longer."

On the High Platform in front of the Camp, representatives from various villages gathered, their feelings a mix of joy and worry in the face of this unusually intense battle.

The representatives of the Five Great Ninja Villages were naturally delighted. The unusual actions of the Ghost Legion indicated that the Allied Forces had truly threatened their survival, and victory was just around the corner.

What's worrying is the representatives of those smaller ninja villages. They don't have that much resources to spare, and with this even more intense attack, how many more of their own ninjas will be killed or wounded?

"The decisive battle is imminent. If Shrine Maiden Moryo hasn't arrived before the demons join the fight, we'll have to find a way to hinder their Moryo. Everyone should be prepared."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was low and deep, but what he said revealed the worst possible situation.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Taiichi was able to defeat the Moryo twice without suffering any harm himself; that's Taiichi, not everyone else could do that.

Faced with a behemoth like the Moryo, if there is no opponent of equal strength to restrain it, then human lives will be the only option.

This is a situation that no one wants to see.

When will the Shrine Maiden Miroku arrive at the front lines?

The representative from Kusagakure looked deeply worried. Twenty percent of the ninjas who had come from Grass Village had been killed in action, a loss that was making the representative's heart bleed.

"The latest intelligence indicates it will take another two days."

"Smack!"

Grass Village slammed his hand on the railing of the High Platform.

"Can't it be any faster? That monster should arrive by the morning after tomorrow."

"That's already the fastest speed; Shrine Maiden isn't a ninja after all—"

This wasn't the whole story, but everyone present understood.

Time passed, the battle continued, and on the other side of the canyon, a hundred kilometers away from the front line, the Moryo was slowly moving its heavy limbs toward the battlefield, each step leaving a huge crater in the ground.

However, if an intelligence ninja from the Allied Forces were to get closer and observe, they would be surprised to find that there was actually another person beside the Moryo.

"Moryo, what's your decision? Do you want to join us?"

In the realm of the mind, Black Zetsu's voice is incredibly alluring.

"You wouldn't want to be locked back in that dark, sunless cage right after being released, would you?"

"Despicable humans, you will never be able to seal me away again. I'm on my way to wipe out their army."

The roar of the Moryo resounded throughout the entire spiritual world, but to Black Zetsu's ears, it sounded somewhat fierce but actually weak.

He didn't expose the Moryo's slight cowardice, but instead went straight to the heart of the matter.

"You've already been killed twice. The first time was only because the Shrine Maiden wasn't there, but now the Allied Shinobi Forces have gone to fetch Shrine Maiden. Do you think you still have a chance?"

The Moryo remained silent for a long time, the unbearable memory replaying in its mind. How could humans be so strong? In the past, weren't humans just stronger ants? They only defeated it by sheer numbers.

Although that person cannot kill it, with its cooperation, the Shrine Maiden will surely be able to seal it away.

"Do you really have a way to break me free from the seal?"

After a long while, the voice of the Moryo finally rang out again, but it was no longer as violent as before.

"Of course, we don't want all our efforts to be in vain; your sealing away does us no good."

Another long silence followed.

"Fine, if you really have a way, what's wrong with me joining you!"

In reality, Black Zetsu finally smiled, took out a scroll from behind his back, and quickly approached the Moryo.

"Please sign it, leave your mark; this is a crucial step in the plan."

Having made the initial decision, the Moryo no longer hesitated and decisively left its mark.

In the spiritual realm, Black Zetsu also revealed their plan to the Moryo.

At this time, the Moryo were only a day's journey from the front lines.

The fighting continued and intensified, with Allied Forces casualties becoming increasingly severe.

What's infuriating is that the root cause of these casualties wasn't the increasingly ferocious Ghost Legion, but rather the traitors mixed in among them.

They understood the ninjas' fighting style and could often break through their formations at crucial moments with minimal losses.

"Third Hokage, this can't go on any longer. Those traitors to humanity must be eliminated, or our losses will be too great."

Chiyo looked at the battlefield and saw yet another formation collapse, especially since it was a gathering area of Sunagakure. She was heartbroken, for those were the backbone of Sunagakure.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the battlefield and frowned. That was the eighth formation to collapse that day. Every time it collapsed, the rebuilding was done with lives lost. Not only Sunagakure had died there, but also quite a few Konoha Ninja.

However, priorities must be met. The Moryo is already close at hand, but the Shrine Maiden still needs time. The elite troops have already left the front lines to repair their formations. They need to recover their Chakra in order to slow down the Moryo's advance later.

Chiyo Hiruzen Sarutobi silent, Chiyo gritted her teeth and made up her mind, "Sarutobi, I'll lead the men myself. There aren't many of those traitors."

Chiyo was desperate. Although there weren't many traitors, they were very cunning. After their attack, they would decisively retreat into the depths of the Ghost Legion, giving the Allied Forces no chance to snipe them.

Chiyo's move was to penetrate deep into enemy territory and brutally kill these traitors; the danger was self-evident.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked conflicted. He had to be careful about Chiyo's request, as Konoha ninjas had also died on the battlefield.

Seeing this, the Dodai nearby added fuel to the fire, saying, "Add me to the mix. I can't help standing here anyway, but it's good to get rid of those bastards as soon as possible."

Seeing that both Chiyo and Dodai were willing to personally take part in the fight, Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer hesitated and immediately transferred some of his guards to join in.

"You two, be careful. The Moryo could arrive on the battlefield at any moment. Fight as quickly as possible and don't delay."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave his final advice, watching as the two led their group away.

The tense battlefield did indeed change with the strong addition of the two, at least the Allied Forces lines were no longer in danger of collapsing.

After a chase, the two men's twenty-man squad had reached the central area of the canyon.

The terrain here is relatively open, naturally attracting more Ghost Legion.

Further away, several figures could be vaguely seen fleeing in disarray; these were the traitors who had infiltrated the Ghost Legion to ambush the Ninja Formation.

Damn it!

Chiyo manipulated two Puppet from the Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets," their sharp blades slicing through a phantom that lunged at her.

The spirit emitted a silent shriek and turned into blue smoke amidst the remaining energy of the Lightning Style.

She stared intently at the traitor's back as he disappeared behind the Rock Golem, her eyes practically spitting fire.

In just forty minutes since they set out, their team has already rescued three Ninja Formation that were attacked by traitors and killed more than thirty traitors mixed in with the Ghost Legion.

The initial pursuit went exceptionally smoothly. But those traitors weren't fools; the remaining guys, seeing the situation was turning against them, turned and fled, plunging headlong into the depths of the Ghost Legion.

"Chiyo, we can't chase them anymore!" Dodai's voice was filled with obvious urgency.

This strategist from Cloud Village was also in a bloodthirsty frenzy, but he realized the danger even earlier than Chiyo.

Their pursuit had gone beyond a safe distance, and the density of the surrounding Ghost Legion was increasing at a visible rate.

"If we go any further, we might not be able to get out!"

Chiyo knew this perfectly well. She glared hatefully at the retreating figures of the traitors. "Damn it—they run so fast!" Chiyo gritted her teeth, the Puppet strings taut between her fingers. The nearest traitor was only ten meters away; if she pushed forward just a little more, she could—

Rear.

"Report! Traces of the Moryo have been detected. They are expected to arrive on the battlefield in one hour!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi as he looked at the latest reconnaissance report presented by the intelligence ninja. The report marked the movement trajectory of the Moryo.

The speed was 30% faster than expected.

He looked up at the sky; even with the most optimistic estimate, it would be at least three more hours before Taiichi returned.

But the Moryo only need one hour.

This means the Allied Forces must face the fully-formed Moryo alone for at least two hours.

"Send the signal." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was calm and unwavering. "Tell Chiyo and Dodai to retreat immediately."

"Reserves, prepare! We must advance to delay the Moryo's advance."

The order was relayed swiftly.

In the Camp, a reserve force of 500 people, composed of the most elite ninjas from each village, began to assemble.

Hiruzen Sarutobi flicked off his Mizukage Haori with one hand, revealing his tight-fitting black combat suit underneath.

The Third Hokage, who hadn't fought in a long time, stretched his shoulders and leaped off the edge of the High Platform.

"Hokage-sama!" Several Konoha Jonin to dissuade him.

"I'm not so old that I can't go to the battlefield," Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled. "Besides—isn't it only right that the Commander-in-Chief personally goes into battle?"

He glanced back at the assembled reserve force and declared loudly, "Gentlemen, our mission is not to defeat the Moryo; that awaits the arrival of the Shrine Maiden. Our mission is to hold it off, to buy time for the Shrine Maiden, to buy time for Taiichi, and to fight for the entire Ninja World."

Get the time! Understand?

"Clear!"

The unison of five hundred people's voices shook the canyon walls slightly.

"Set off!"

Just then, three scarlet Signal Flare rose into the sky in succession, illuminating the sky with a vibrant red glow.

In the middle of the canyon, Chiyo and Dodai made their decision the instant they saw the Signal Flare.

"Retreat!"

The two spoke almost simultaneously. All their desire to pursue was forcibly suppressed at that moment.

However, coming here is easy, but going back is difficult.

The group of twenty-two turned around and rushed back along the path they had come from. But after advancing less than fifty meters, they realized the seriousness of the problem.

"These damned things—when did they surround us?" A Cloud Village panted Jonin, his lightning blade slicing through the arm of a Rock Golem. He had already used up more than half of his Chakra, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

The team had already broken through at least three waves of interception during their previous pursuit.

Although no one died, the depletion of Chakra and stamina was real.

Even more fatally, they had advanced too far, and were now at least a kilometer away from the Allied Forces lines, a kilometer that had been completely filled by the Ghost Legion.

The traitors who were originally on the run also realized their predicament.

"They want to retreat!" a hoarse voice echoed from deep within the Ghost Legion.

"Stop them! Moryo is almost here. If we can hold these people off, the entire Allied Forces defense line will collapse once he arrives!"

"Kill!" Another traitor leaped out of the shadows, his Kunai aimed straight Chunin a Sunagakure Chunin on the flank of the group.

"Careful!"

Dodai reacted extremely quickly, wielding his sword to block the sneak attack.

But more attacks came from all directions: Kunai, Shuriken, and even Explosive Tag.

Instead of fleeing, the traitors, under the cover of the Ghost Legion, began to systematically block the elite squad.

"Form a circular formation! Cover each other!" Chiyo shouted sternly.

The Puppet threads wove into a net in the air, and three Puppet of the "Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets" guarded the three directions of the group, their sharp blades spinning into a storm of death.

Dodai then directed the Cloud Ninja to use Lightning Style techniques in an attempt to break through the encirclement.

But the resistance was too great.

Within just two minutes, the first seriously injured person appeared in the group.

"We must break through!" Chiyo's eyes were bloodshot. She saw two more ninjas wounded in the traitor's sneak attack, one of whom was the Captain of the Sand Village Puppet Corps, her old subordinate of twenty years.

"Everyone, listen up! Abandon defense and retreat at full speed!"

She decided to stay behind herself to buy time for everyone.

"Elder Chiyo, we'll cover the rear, you all retreat immediately!" The heavily injured Sunagakure Jonin struggled to his feet, One-Handed Seal, preparing to unleash his final Wind Style.

"Yes, Dodai, someone has to cover our retreat, otherwise none of us can escape!" another Cloud Village Chunin. "We're all injured, we can't go back, you guys go!"

"Quiet down!" Chiyo shouted angrily, her voice echoing through the canyon. "Trust your teammates! The Allied Forces will send reinforcements to meet us!"

She herself didn't believe that. At this moment, the main force of the Allied Forces was definitely focused on preparing to deal with the attack of the Moryo; how could they possibly have the spare capacity to send reinforcements a kilometer in to support a small team?

But as the Commander, she had to say it: once morale completely collapsed, none of them would ever make it out.

After a brief silence, the team regrouped.

The wounded were protected in the middle, while the ninjas who could still fight formed Arrowhead Formation on the outer perimeter, making a difficult advance towards the defensive line.

Every meter comes at a price.

In the fifth minute, the team's numbers dwindled to eighteen.

In the eighth minute, the number of personnel was reduced to fifteen.

Chiyo's hands were trembling. Not from fear, but from muscle spasms caused by excessive Chakra depletion.

"How much further... how much further?" a young Sunagakure Chunin asked, panting heavily.

No one answered.

A sense of despair began to spread.

Chiyo gritted her teeth, the Puppet strings tightened again, and she prepared to unleash a forbidden technique.

Just as she was about to Hand Seals—

A massive, jet-black club hurtled through the air from afar.

The giant club pierced through the heads of the crowd, whistling through the air, and slammed into the ground behind them.

"Boom!"

The deafening roar shook the entire canyon. The shockwave spread outwards from the point of impact, sending plumes of smoke and dust billowing into the sky, and scattering sand and gravel in all directions.

The stick didn't stop.

It rose from the ground, tracing an arc in the air before swinging left and right. This simple movement contained terrifying power; any Rock Golem struck by it, regardless of size, were sent flying like pieces of paper.

One strike, just one strike.

The large stick retracted, leaving a vacuum zone more than ten meters long in its original position.

Immediately afterwards, shouts of battle came from ahead.

That wasn't just sporadic sounds of battle, but the roar of hundreds or even thousands of people shouting in unison.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived!" someone in the ranks shouted first.

Chiyo was stunned. She really hadn't expected that the Allied Forces would actually send reinforcements at this time, and judging from the scale of the operation, it was definitely not a small support force.

"Charge! Charge toward the sound!" Dodai was the first to react, his Lightning Style Chakra erupting around him as he transformed into a streak of blue light and charged forward.

The remaining members of the group were greatly encouraged, as if they had been injected with new energy.

Three minutes, just three minutes.

The two sides finally met.

At this moment, Chiyo and Dodai realized that what had arrived was not a simple rescue team, but an elite reserve team, the team that was there to stop the Moryo's advance.

At the very front of the group, a familiar figure was wielding a large black club, sweeping away all obstacles like a god of war.

"Chiyo, Dodai, how are you? Do you still have the strength to First Shinobi World War?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi three Rock Golem away with a single blow, clearing the last obstacle. He looked at the two of them with a hearty smile.

Although the Third Hokage was old, his aura was more imposing than any of the younger ninjas present.