Holding Them Back

Nara Shikashu said, "Elder Shinsuke, those explosions mean Lord Orochimaru and Fugaku Uchiha succeeded."

Elder Shinsuke nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. "I wonder how many of the Allied Forces they lured into the trap. As long as we hold them here,

the Konoha shinobi scattered across the Land of Rain will soon gather here. Once the Hokage has dealt with matters in Konoha, he'll personally lead the second wave of reinforcements to the border."

From a higher vantage point, Nakagawa could see farther. Earlier, with the Konoha shinobi concealed and the rain in his way, he had seen none of them.

Now that they had dropped their disguises, Nakagawa's expression darkened. Large numbers of Konoha shinobi were gathering and advancing toward him.

"Lord Nakagawa, Konoha's reinforcements have appeared. What do we do?"

"I don't need you to tell me," Nakagawa snapped. "Release the technique. Everyone, fall back and regroup with Chiyo."

The Earth Moving Core was released, and the ground returned to its normal height. Rain gradually washed away the smoke rising all around them.

Dead shinobi from the Land of Wind and Land of Earth littered the Trap Zone. From above, smoke and dust had obscured the full extent of it.

Back on the ground, Nakagawa surveyed the entire area again. Seeing with his own eyes how many shinobi he had led to their deaths, he felt more fear than anger.

Had they advanced normally, the Scout Ninja might have found the traps and prevented the casualties. These shinobi should not have died here. They had lost their lives because he had rushed ahead.

Behind Fugaku and Orochimaru, the Konoha shinobi began to assemble. Their nerves eased as they saw what had happened to Nakagawa's forces.

They had thought coming to the Land of Rain meant