And who was this person who had appeared!?
Without a doubt, it was Gengetsu.
Upon learning that the Kumogakure Ninja had surrounded the fortress, Gengetsu had immediately rushed over alone.
Seeing the Kumogakure Ninja launch an attack on the fortress, Gengetsu immediately attacked.
When they saw Gengetsu appear, the Konoha Ninja hiding in the fortress, who had already given up hope and were waiting to die, froze for a moment before erupting in deafening cheers.
"It's the Fifth Hokage! Thank goodness, the Fifth Hokage has come to save us!"
"The Fifth Hokage is here! We're safe!"
"Thank goodness, the Fifth Hokage has brought reinforcements! We don't have to die!"
At the sight of Gengetsu's arrival, the Konoha Ninja were so overcome with excitement that tears filled their eyes. Some even collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
To them, since Uchiha Gengetsu, the Fifth Hokage, had appeared here, it meant that Konoha's main reinforcements had arrived. They were safe and would not have to die.
Every one of them felt as though they had escaped death.
But this joy lasted less than half a minute before they realized something was wrong.
"Wait! Something's wrong! Why is the Fifth Hokage alone? Where are the other Konoha Ninja?"
One of the Konoha Ninja skilled in sensory abilities could not help asking.
Hearing this, the other Konoha Ninja in the fortress all poked their heads out and looked into the distance.
Behind Gengetsu, apart from the dirt and trees overturned by the earlier explosion, there was no sign whatsoever of Konoha's main force!
"Could it be... that the Fifth Hokage wants to fight all these Kumogakure Ninja alone?"
"This has to be a joke! There are five thousand elite troops over there!"
"We're doomed! How could the Fifth Hokage come alone? Isn't he just throwing his life away?"
The hope that had only just risen in these Konoha Ninja's hearts instantly plummeted back into despair.
Granted, these Konoha Ninja all knew that Gengetsu was extremely powerful.
But what they faced now were five thousand fully armed Kumogakure Ninja, with the Fourth Raikage and two Tailed Beasts backing them up!
No matter how powerful their Fifth Hokage Gengetsu was, he could not possibly be a match for so many opponents.
Gengetsu had come alone to support them. Was this some kind of joke?
Meanwhile, the instant he saw Gengetsu appear, Fourth Raikage A grew alert and immediately shouted to the sensory ninja beside him.
"Scan the surroundings immediately! Determine the numbers and locations of Konoha's reinforcements!"
"Yes, Lord Raikage!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the sensory ninja immediately closed his eyes and activated his sensory ability.
At the same time, the entire Kumogakure Ninja army stopped, each ninja gripping their weapon tightly and watching their surroundings warily.
But a moment later, the sensory ninja opened his eyes in confusion.
"L-Lord Raikage, I haven't detected anyone else. Within a radius of ten li, he's the only one!"
"Alone!? ...Are you sure? Search carefully again!"
Clearly, the Fourth Raikage did not believe him and shouted.
For Konoha's Hokage to appear alone on the battlefield was abnormal no matter how he looked at it.
The Fourth Raikage even suspected that this might be some plot by Konoha.
The Konoha Ninja might have hidden themselves, planning to launch a surprise attack during the fighting.
Hearing this, the sensory ninja closed his eyes again without the slightest hesitation, expanding his sensory range further and carefully searching every corner.
But no matter how he searched, he could not detect any other Konoha Ninja.
"Lord Raikage! I'm absolutely certain! There are no other Konoha Ninja anywhere nearby, and no ambush. The Fifth Hokage really is alone!"
Upon hearing this confirmation, the Fourth Raikage froze for a moment, then threw back his head and burst into excited laughter.
"Alone!? Hahahaha!"
"I thought he'd brought a huge army to ambush us. Turns out he's just a fool with a death wish!"
"This bastard is asking to die! Since he's delivered himself right to me, I won't hold back!"
"Everyone, attack! Capture the Fifth Hokage!..."
The importance of a Kage to a village was beyond question.
That was why every village's Kage had a Shadow Guard at their side.
Yet now Gengetsu, the Hokage, had appeared on the battlefield alone. How could the Fourth Raikage pass up such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
It could be said that as long as they captured Gengetsu, the Hokage, Kumogakure would have half-won this ninja war.
"Kill!"
"Capture the Hokage!"
"Slaughter that arrogant brat!"
Hearing the Raikage's command, the five thousand Kumogakure Ninja roared and charged at the lone Gengetsu as though whipped into a frenzy.
Seeing this, the Konoha Ninja hiding in the fortress could no longer sit still.
"We can't let the Fifth Hokage face them alone!"
"Even if we die, we'll die alongside Lord Hokage!"
"Charge out! Support the Fifth Hokage!"
Their eyes red, these hundreds of Konoha Ninja drew their weapons and rushed out of the fortress, quickly gathering behind Gengetsu and taking fighting stances to show that they would fight alongside him.
But faced with these Konoha Ninja prepared to die, Gengetsu waved a hand and stopped them outright.
"No need."
"Just stay there and get ready to clean up."
Gengetsu's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.
All the Konoha Ninja froze upon hearing his words.
What!?
Clean up!?
Facing a charge by five thousand troops, the Fifth Hokage was actually telling them to get ready to clean up?
Before these Konoha Ninja could react, Gengetsu was already moving.
Facing the countless Kumogakure Ninja charging toward him, Gengetsu did not retreat a single step. Instead, he drew the Ninja Blade at his waist and charged alone into the five-thousand-strong army!
"Bang! Rumble!"
Soon, the two sides collided violently, unleashing thunderous explosions and clouds of dust.
"Kill him!"
The Kumogakure Ninja at the very front roared, slashing their Ninja Blades at Gengetsu.
Facing the incoming blades, Gengetsu's eyes snapped wide open.
Sharingan, activate!
With the Sharingan's extraordinarily powerful perception, the seemingly lightning-fast attacks of the surrounding Kumogakure Ninja instantly became as clear as slow motion.
Gengetsu darted swiftly through the encirclement of Kumogakure Ninja, easily dodging every attack.
At the same time, the Ninja Blade in Gengetsu's hand began its swift, merciless counterattack.
"Slash! Slash! Slash!"
The sounds of a sharp blade slicing through throats rang out in rapid succession. Before these Kumogakure Ninja even had a chance to react, they fell to the ground.
Without the slightest hesitation, Gengetsu immediately charged toward the other Kumogakure Ninja.
Soon, an utterly shocking scene unfolded on the battlefield.
Countless Kumogakure Ninja surrounded Gengetsu tightly at their very center, yet these hundreds upon thousands of ninja could not harm even a single hair on his head!
Instead, every seemingly casual slash, turn, and thrust from Gengetsu invariably sent a jet of blood spraying into the air, while a Kumogakure Ninja screamed and fell, dying on the spot!
Gengetsu was like a hungry wolf that had charged into a flock of sheep, slaughtering continuously as he strolled leisurely through the Kumogakure Ninja army.
Blood stained the earth red, and the bodies of Kumogakure Ninja piled up at his feet.
Of course, these elites of Kumogakure did not simply wait to die.
A Kumogakure Ninja proficient in Earth Release silently slipped underground, intending to launch a lethal strike from a blind spot.
"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"
But he had only just poked his head out of the dirt beneath Gengetsu's feet, before he even had time to reach out, when Gengetsu's scarlet Sharingan glanced coldly downward.
"Trying to ambush me? How naive!"
Without any hesitation, Gengetsu drove the Ninja Blade in his hand viciously downward!
"Squelch!"
The Ninja Blade pierced the Kumogakure Ninja's head with precision, sending red and white matter splattering out. Without even a scream, the ninja died underground.
"Die!"
Immediately afterward, a tall Kumogakure Ninja gripped a massive Ninja Blade tightly in both hands and slashed at Gengetsu from behind.
Gengetsu did not even turn his head to face the blow. His body flashed aside, and the massive Ninja Blade narrowly brushed past his Hokage robes, striking empty air.
At the same time, Gengetsu flicked his wrist and slammed the back of his blade into the Kumogakure Ninja's wrist, easily knocking the Ninja Blade from his hands.
The next second, Gengetsu seized the Kumogakure Ninja firmly by the throat with his right hand and hoisted him bodily into the air.
The Kumogakure Ninja kicked his legs desperately in midair, his face turning purplish red and his eyes filling with extreme terror.
Gengetsu raised his head slightly, his scarlet Sharingan watching the struggling Kumogakure Ninja in his grasp with indifference as a cold smile curled his lips.
"Do you want to dance too?"
"Crack!"
With a crisp sound of breaking bone, Gengetsu forcibly snapped the Kumogakure Ninja's neck.
Then, as though discarding trash, Gengetsu tossed the corpse aside and continued killing his way toward the other Kumogakure Ninja.
It could be said that only one word could describe Gengetsu now.
Strong!
Too strong!
So strong it defied all reason!
In just these ten-odd minutes, more than a hundred of Kumogakure's elite ninja had already died at Gengetsu's hands.
And as time passed, more and more Kumogakure Ninja died at his hands.
As for Gengetsu!
Never mind being injured-there was not even a single drop of blood on his clothes.
Not far away, the Konoha Ninja watched Gengetsu display his might amid the vast army, effortlessly cutting down Kumogakure Ninja. Every one of them was stunned and excited beyond measure.
"My god! Is this Lord Hokage's strength!? He's so strong!"
"Terrifying! Those Kumogakure Ninja can't even touch the Fifth Hokage!"
"Yes! Lord Hokage is incredible!!"
"..."
The Konoha Ninja trembled with excitement, the despair in their eyes swept away and replaced by boundless fervor and admiration.
But in stark contrast to these excited Konoha Ninja, the Fourth Raikage, standing at the rear of the Kumogakure Ninja army, wore an extremely grim expression.
Originally, when he confirmed that Gengetsu was alone, the Fourth Raikage had been tremendously excited, believing an incredible opportunity had arrived.
As long as the army swarmed him and captured Konoha's Hokage, they could practically declare victory in this war.
That was why the Fourth Raikage had immediately ordered the Kumogakure Ninja to launch an all-out attack without hesitation.
But what the Raikage had never expected was that Uchiha Gengetsu would be this powerful!
So many of Kumogakure's elite ninja had attacked at once, yet not only were they unable to take Gengetsu down, they were being slaughtered one-sidedly like chickens!
Watching Gengetsu continuously slaughter the Kumogakure Ninja, the Raikage knew perfectly well that he could not keep waiting like this. No matter how many ordinary ninja went in, they would only be throwing their lives away.
He had to act himself.
"Brat! Stop right there!"
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
Lightning instantly erupted all over Fourth Raikage A's body. Then he turned into a dazzling bolt of blue lightning and charged swiftly toward Gengetsu.
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