That single ninjutsu consumed more than half of Kitsuchi's chakra.
His combat strength plummeted.
Still, destroying Konoha's defensive position was worth it.
They had brought only one squad of three sensory Shinobi on this mission.
Tsunade had already prioritized them and taken them out with concentrated attacks in the earlier fighting!
That meant the Iwagakure Ninja could not let the battle drag on into the night.
Without sensory Shinobi to support them, they would have no chance of winning after dark!
Two massive mountains closed in on them.
Every Konoha Ninja panicked.
If they were caught between them, they would be crushed into pulp!
"Everyone, abandon the position!"
Tsunade's brow furrowed. She could shatter the Earth Mountain with Monster Strength.
But that would still be too slow.
She could not completely shatter both Earth Mountains before they closed together.
That left retreat as their only option.
Just as the Konoha Ninja scrambled to retreat, something appeared on the horizon.
It was an enormous blade dozens of meters long.
The blade swept straight across the two Earth Mountains.
Boom!
After a deafening crash, the upper halves of both Earth Mountains were sliced away.
Another slash followed.
The two Earth Mountains crumbled into rubble.
They were no longer a threat!
Every Iwagakure Ninja froze on the spot.
A blade dozens of meters long!
Was this some kind of joke?!
How was that fair?!
Then they saw an enormous toad descend from the sky.
Boom!
The ground shook relentlessly as he landed!
Sand and stones flew everywhere!
Once the Konoha Ninja recognized the toad, they all cheered.
It was Gamabunta!
Lord Jiraiya's Summoning beast!
They looked toward the top of Gamabunta's head.
They hoped to see that imposing, white-haired figure.
Instead, they saw a black-haired boy!
"It's not Jiraiya! It's Zhou Cheng!"
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