The Three Sannin!

The Iwagakure Ninja at the front raised his arm and launched an Earth Release attack at close range!

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

A thick layer of hard rock instantly covered his arm. His jagged stone fist came crashing toward the Konoha Ninja's face with crushing force!

"Die, Konoha Ninja."

The Konoha Ninja twisted aside. His kunai flashed as he slashed back and formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

A small earthen wall shot up and caught the rock fist. Stone struck stone with a sharp crack.

"You Iwagakure trash think you can kill me?" he sneered.

"Watch out!"

Thrust! A ninja blade pierced his chest from behind.

"Damn you, Iwagakure!"

On the other side, several Iwagakure Ninja stamped their feet and formed hand seals together!

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spear!"

Sharp stone spikes burst from the muddy ground beneath the Konoha Ninja, stabbing at their legs from treacherous angles.

"Shit!" Several Konoha Ninja leaped frantically, barely dodging the spikes erupting from the earth.

Then they sprang into the air, flipped clear, and formed hand seals. Their ninjutsu roared forth to pin the enemy down!

"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"

Chaos erupted before the gorge.

Ninjutsu thundered, kunai clashed, fists and feet collided, stone shattered, and water sprayed!

The three hundred Iwagakure veterans fought with brutal discipline. Using their Earth Release advantage, they hardened their bodies, reshaped the terrain, cut off escape routes, and drove forward step by step.

Konoha's vanguard was no less formidable.

They held their ground. Fire Release burned, Water Release swept through the enemy, Earth Release blocked attacks, and their ninjutsu worked together to stop Iwagakure's frontal charge.

The front line blazed as the fighting reached a fever pitch!

Sakumo stood with the main force, calmly surveying the battlefield.

"Hey, Sakumo! Let us go!" Jiraiya stepped forward beside him and shouted.

Hatake Sakumo turned toward the three of them and saw the fury burning in their eyes.

Of course. After watching their comrades fall before them, how could any of them hold back?

"All right. But you must keep yourselves safe!"

"Yes!" the three answered together.

The fighting at the front grew fiercer. Muddy water flew, while the clash of kunai and the roar of ninjutsu never ceased.

Then three figures burst through the melee: Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.

Hatake Sakumo stood behind them, his gaze fixed on the three youths as he silently prayed.

Please come back alive...

Orochimaru moved like a ghost through gaps in the fighting, his fingers weaving hand seals.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" A violent gale poured from his mouth and swept toward the Iwagakure Ninja before him.

"Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling!" An Iwagakure Ninja bent down, wrenched a massive boulder from the ground, and hurled it! It tore through the air and struck with a thunderous crash, sending fragments flying.

"Orochimaru!" Jiraiya shouted from nearby, his heart tightening.

Just as the boulder was about to land, several venomous snakes shot from beneath the ground and coiled tightly around the Iwagakure Ninja's calves.

Caught off guard, the ninja froze for an instant.

Orochimaru, who should have been buried beneath the boulder, had already slipped behind him. A cold smile touched his lips as he slammed his palm into the muddy earth.

"Earth Release: Fish Projection in the Earth!"

Rumble! The ground collapsed!

The earth gave way beneath several Iwagakure Ninja, dragging them underground. Only their heads remained above the mud, and they could not move.

"Now's our chance! Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" Jiraiya's hands flew through the seals, and blazing fire dragons roared toward the trapped Iwagakure Ninja.

"Devious little brat!" an Iwagakure jonin roared. Rock covered his fists as he charged Orochimaru with a heavy punch.

Orochimaru refused to meet it head-on. He retreated rapidly and called out:

"Lightning Release: Earth Flow!"

Crackle—snap!

Blinding blue-violet currents raced across the ground like slithering serpents of light, spreading through the rubble and muddy water toward the oncoming enemy.

"Hmph, you little brat!"

"Earth Release: Earth Spear!" Earth-nature chakra surged around the Iwagakure jonin. Dark gray-black stone patterns spread across his skin as his arms and torso hardened inch by inch into a thick, black, rocklike body.

He charged straight through the surging lightning, heedless of the danger!

Orochimaru had yet to develop his technique for escaping death. If that rock fist struck him cleanly, even he would be badly injured.

At the last possible moment, Tsunade burst into the fight!

Chakra surged around her, and dazzling blue-green light flared over her fists. She poured all her monstrous strength into her arms and met the punch head-on!

BANG!!

The impact sent muddy water spraying in every direction.

The Iwagakure jonin's stone arm shattered. The force blasted him backward into an earthen barricade, knocking him out of the fight.

"So this is Lady Tsunade's strength..." The Konoha Ninja nearby stared in awe.

Elsewhere, Jiraiya's kunai flashed as he held off a large group of Iwagakure Ninja.

When he saw several of them using the trenches for cover to circle around and attack the flank, he immediately formed hand seals and shouted:

"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"

A huge fireball rose into the air, and rolling flames swept out to cut off the Iwagakure Ninja's route.

With that done, Jiraiya leaped up and called out:

"Hey! Orochimaru! Tsunade! Let's work together!"

At his words, snake shadows coiled around Orochimaru as he scanned the battlefield. Tsunade lowered her fists and turned, and the three quickly regrouped.

"Our vanguard's job is to draw in and hold down Iwagakure, right? I have an idea!" Jiraiya said.

"Heh. I think I know what you're planning. Very well. There are plenty of Iwagakure Ninja here. They should make enough sacrifices." Orochimaru smiled faintly, a dark glint passing through his eyes.

"Exactly. And I can heal everyone while we're at it!" Tsunade said brightly.

The three bit their fingertips at the same time. Crimson blood welled up, and they slammed their palms against the muddy ground.

"Summoning Technique!"

Their three cries rang out together!

RUMBLE—!!

Three enormous clouds of white smoke surged skyward. Billowing mist engulfed the front of the gorge, and the weight of the chakra made the surrounding ninja catch their breath.

As the smoke slowly cleared, three colossal creatures appeared.

Manda lay coiled beneath Orochimaru.

Thick scales of purple and black covered his body, which was as broad as a massive pillar and wound across the muddy ground. His great head rose high, a pair of curved horns jutting from its crown. His slit pupils were cold and vicious, and his forked tongue flicked constantly, his piercing hiss chilling everyone who heard it.

One sweep of his thick tail brought down a broad stretch of earth and stone. A savage presence spread around him as his deep, rasping voice echoed through the gorge.

"Orochimaru! You summoned me without asking. After this battle, you owe me living sacrifices!"

"Heh. Every Iwagakure Ninja here is yours," Orochimaru replied with a cold laugh.

Gamabunta stood firm beneath Jiraiya.

Dark red mottling covered his thick, deep-green skin. He wore a rough-cloth vest around his waist and held a pipe in the corner of his huge mouth, thin wisps of smoke rising from it. A sharp short sword hung at his side, and he carried himself with bold, unruly confidence.

His enormous eyes swept over the smoke-filled battlefield. He stamped one foot into the mud, making the earth tremble, and his thunderous voice rolled out:

"Hey, Jiraiya! You again, kid!"

"You really got me into trouble last time!"

"What battlefield have you dragged me to in such a hurry?"

"Hahaha, Gamabunta! We're not fighting Lord Hokage this time. It's just a bunch of Iwagakure Ninja with a death wish, so don't let me down!" Jiraiya laughed.

Katsuyu rested quietly before Tsunade.

Her body was soft and luminous white, marked with fine pale blue-green patterns. Two slender feelers swayed gently atop her head. She had no hard shell; soothing chakra flowed through her slowly moving body. Her peaceful presence was utterly unlike Manda's and Gamabunta's ferocity.

Though she was not as towering as the other two summoning beasts, she was still as large as a hill. Drops of clear slime slid down her body, and she spoke in a gentle female voice:

"Lady Tsunade, I'm here."

Tsunade looked at Katsuyu and spoke warmly. "Thanks for coming, Katsuyu. You don't need to fight on the front line. Please split up at once and heal the wounded Konoha Ninja."

The toad, the giant snake, and the slug.

The legendary Three Sannin's summons stood together before everyone amid the smoke filling Broken Cloud Gorge.

Behind the lines, Hatake Sakumo stared at the three giant creatures, shaken to his core.

No wonder our teacher placed such high hopes in them.

These three, my own age, already have the power to shake a battlefield.

"Well then, Iwagakure! Are you ready to face the Three Sannin?"

"Here we go!" At Jiraiya's shout, Gamabunta stamped the earth and blasted out a Water Gun. A towering wave swept across the battlefield!

Manda's tail swept sideways, sending earth and stone flying as it slammed toward the Iwagakure Ninja ahead.

Katsuyu's body rippled. Countless tiny slugs split off from her and scattered toward the wounded Konoha Ninja, releasing healing chakra.

The young Three Sannin had made their entrance!