Come Here!

On the front lines of Amegakure in the Land of Grass, the fires of war had been burning for some time, and the air was thick with the pungent, choking scent of gunpowder.

Across the battlefield, the sounds of war cries and the explosions of ninjutsu wove together into a tragic symphony.

The Konoha ninja were resolute, their coordination seamless as they launched wave after wave of attacks. Throughout the previous skirmishes, they had continuously probed the enemy's weaknesses, searching for an opening to break through.

At this moment, Salamander Hanzo was locked in a fierce duel with Chiyo of Sunagakure, unable to pull himself away to attend to the situation here.

For the Konoha side, this was undoubtedly the perfect opportunity. The ninja of the Uchiha clan brandished their sharp blades, and as the steel flashed, their enemies fell one after another.

Chen Baojun relied on his fierce taijutsu, charging through the ranks as if no one were there to stop him. When he occasionally unleashed his signature technique, the Konoha Dragon God, the Amegakure ninja were left with no way to parry.

The other Konoha ninja also displayed their respective strengths, unleashing Wind and Fire Style ninjutsu in rapid succession, forcing the enemy camp into a steady retreat.

Konoha's logistics and medical ninja were also working busily and methodically in the rear, racing against time to treat the wounded so that they could return to the battlefield as soon as possible.

As time passed, Konoha's advantage became increasingly apparent. The Amegakure defensive line began to crumble, and the faces of the Rain ninja were filled with terror and despair.

The Konoha ninja pressed their advantage, their war cries growing louder. They knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; only by seizing this moment and pushing forward with one final effort could they secure a massive advantage on the Amegakure front, perhaps even pushing the lines back into the Land of Rain itself, eventually reuniting with the forces led by Hatake Sakumo to lay the foundation for a total victory in this war.

Gale winds howled atop the cliff, whipping the hem of Salamander Hanzo's robes until they snapped loudly.

Having just repelled the Sunagakure forces led by Chiyo, he gripped the battle report sent by his lieutenant, Salamander Shinda. His knuckles turned white from the sheer force of his grip, and the news of the crushing defeat on the Land of Grass front felt like blades piercing straight into his heart.

Hanzo's eyes widened instantly, bloodshot and bulging with rage as if they might burst into flames. His face flushed deep red, and the veins on his forehead bulged like twisted earthworms. He gritted his teeth so hard they rattled, as if he wanted to chew the report to pieces.

"Bastards! Damn you, Konoha!"

Hanzo roared, his voice echoing through the valley, laden with endless fury and resentment.

He slammed the report onto the ground and stomped on it viciously, as if he could crush the shame of his defeat into dust.

Beside him, Salamander Shinda remained silent, head bowed, hating his own weakness for failing to be of any help to Salamander Hanzo.

Hanzo paced back and forth, each step carrying the weight of a thousand pounds, causing the ground to tremble slightly. Scenes of the defeat played over and over in his mind, along with the bullying and oppression of small nations by the great powers...

"I will never allow myself to be defeated like this!"

Hanzo suddenly stopped, his fists clenched, his eyes filled with resolve and determination.

"Regroup the troops! I will make those self-righteous great powers pay a heavy price!"

His voice was low and filled with authority. Salamander Shinda nodded quickly and hurried off to relay the orders.

Salamander Hanzo gazed into the distance, the flames of vengeance burning in his heart.

With Salamander Hanzo no longer drawing the fire of Sunagakure away from Konoha, the situation on the battlefield shifted instantly.

Upon receiving the news of Salamander Hanzo's departure, the siblings Chiyo and Ebizo turned their cold, sharp gazes toward the map, focusing on the location of the temporary Konoha camp in the Land of Rain that was facing Sunagakure.

The atmosphere turned tense in an instant, as if the very air had been frozen by this murderous intent.

At noon the following day, amidst the persistent drizzle of the Land of Rain, the sound of metal clashing rang out.

Chiyo let out a cold laugh and performed a series of hand seals. In an instant, several puppets appeared beside her. They were diverse in form—some held sharp blades, others concealed hidden mechanisms—as they stood in a standoff against Hatake Sakumo.

Ebizo was not to be outdone; his puppets wove through the edges of the battlefield like ghosts, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Hatake Sakumo's expression was grave. He knew the lethality of this pair of siblings and gripped his katana tightly, the blade shimmering with a cold light. He quickly organized the Konoha ninja into formation, preparing to meet the fierce assault that was about to unfold.

The battle was on the verge of breaking out. The puppets launched the first attack, and a barrage of senbon, shimmering with a dark purple, eerie light, tore through the air with a shrill whistle.

The Konoha ninja showed no fear, unleashing ninjutsu in retaliation. For a time, the light of ninjutsu and the clashing of metal against puppets intertwined, and the entire battlefield descended into chaos.

Hatake Sakumo led the charge, moving through the puppet ranks like a flash of brilliant blue lightning. With every swing of his blade, he severed multiple chakra threads, rendering one puppet after another temporarily useless.

However, the assault from Chiyo and Ebizo grew increasingly fierce. The barrage of poisoned ninja tools caused many Konoha ninja, who had suffered only minor grazes, to rapidly lose their ability to fight. Gradually, the Konoha forces began to struggle.

On the battlefield, smoke billowed, and the sounds of slaughter remained deafening.

Hatake Sakumo observed the situation with a keen eye. Although the enemy did not have a numerical advantage, many of the Konoha ninja had been poisoned. If he continued to let Sunagakure drag this out, it would put his side at a disadvantage.

He made a swift decision, his gaze cold and firm, and issued a low order for the Konoha forces to retreat.

Though the others were worried about him staying behind to cover their withdrawal, their years of unspoken coordination meant they didn't waste time, quickly moving the wounded and retreating as planned.

Hatake Sakumo stood alone, his blade shimmering with cold light. His posture was as straight as a pine, and he faced the encircling Sunagakure ninja with composure.

"I am Hatake Sakumo, a Jonin of Konoha. Any Sunagakure ninja who dares to take another step forward shall die!"

Faced with Hatake Sakumo's threat, Chiyo and the others merely sneered before continuing their attack.

The Sunagakure ninja swarmed in from all sides like starving wolves, but Hatake Sakumo showed no fear. With a flash, he was enveloped in lightning, moving through the enemy ranks like a phantom. His blade danced, and blood splattered wherever he went.

The Sunagakure ninja launched attack after attack, blades clashing amidst a cloud of dust. Relying on the speed of his Lightning Style body flicker technique, the sharpness of his Wind Style chakra, and his exquisite swordsmanship, Hatake Sakumo neutralized the danger time and again, cutting down the enemies who drew near.

Every strike he landed carried immense power, and the corpses of Sunagakure ninja began to pile up at his feet.

In the distance, his Konoha teammates looked back as they retreated, filled with concern for the man holding the line.

As time passed, the number of fallen Sunagakure ninja grew, and the Konoha unit had already reached a safe distance.

Seeing that there was no further advantage to be gained, Chiyo had no choice but to call it off, ordering the Sunagakure forces to turn back with their wounded and the remains of their fallen.

By now, Hatake Sakumo's tactical vest was somewhat tattered, but he himself remained unharmed. After quickly using a sealing scroll to collect a few corpses, he turned and left the battlefield.

Finally, after both sides had left dozens of bodies behind, the day's skirmish came to an end. This brutal battle concluded with the successive retreats of Konoha and Sunagakure, and the image of Hatake Sakumo standing alone against the tide was forever etched into the memories of the Sunagakure ninja.