"Report—!"
An urgent shout tore through the calm of the early morning.
A patrol ninja dropped to one knee, speaking between ragged breaths. "A Sand Village puppet force has been spotted fifty li beyond the defensive line. There are over a thousand puppets, and the Sand Ninja Alliance troops behind them are advancing in formation!"
Tsunade, who had been practicing Wood Release, abruptly withdrew her technique. The wooden bird floating above her palm instantly crumbled to dust.
She exchanged a glance with Neji, and both turned to Tobirama, who was studying a scroll.
"They arrived a day earlier than expected."
A sharp gleam flashed through Tobirama's red eyes beneath his silver hair. "What about Madara's side..."
Before he could finish, a suffocating surge of chakra suddenly erupted from the western side of the camp.
Neji instantly activated his Byakugan and saw through the barrier. Madara Uchiha's tent was shrouded in a purplish-black energy field, while the embryonic form of Truth-Seeking Orbs slowly rotated behind him.
"He's still one step away."
Neji's Byakugan pierced the energy field, and he saw the ripples in Madara's Rinnegan accelerating. "He needs at least another six hours to stabilize completely."
Tsunade smashed a fist into a training post, blowing the bowl-thick hardwood apart into a shower of splinters.
"There's no time!"
The Golden Lotus Mark on her forehead glimmered faintly. "Either we stop Reto head-on, or we pull back the defensive line and trade space for time!"
"We can't retreat!"
Tobirama shouted, "If we fall back, with Big Brother and Madara absent as well, morale will collapse!"
"Then we fight!"
Tsunade and Neji met each other's eyes, blazing battle intent rising within them.
"Pass down the order. Assemble the army and prepare for battle. The Senju Clan and Uchiha Clan will serve as the vanguard.