Arc 21The Four Toyotomi Heroes
Orochimaru held off Kinkaku’s forces while the great nations expanded the war, and the four Toyotomi children fought Hanzō before confronting the costs of their powers. As Rōran strengthened its position, Ryukōshi brought displaced Uzumaki clanspeople toward their new home.
- Kinkaku marched twenty thousand Kumogakure troops to the Valley of the End, where Orochimaru’s three thousand Konoha soldiers fought them and survived behind a sealing barrier at heavy cost.
- Hiruzen Sarutobi secured Iwagakure’s supplies and personnel while keeping its troops out of direct combat, and Orochimaru used the pause to care for the wounded and bury the dead.
- Kinkaku formed an alliance with Kirigakure and Amegakure, and the three villages attacked smaller countries as Hiruzen Sarutobi refused to open a three-front war.
- Kumogakure invaded the Land of Fire, prompting Hiruzen Sarutobi to send Hatake Sakumo and Jiraiya north with sixty thousand soldiers.
- Ryukōshi, Jin Zhiyin, Yōsa, and Chengkong fought Hanzō in the Golden Forest, and Hanzō ended the battle without declaring a victor and named them the Four Toyotomi Heroes.
- Toyotomi Yinglang examined the children and explained that their fused powers caused Ryukōshi’s rage and Jin Zhiyin’s bodily changes and memory loss, while Chengkong remained unable to explain himself to Jin Zhiyin.
- Yōsa showed Pakura Rōran’s growing army of puppets, and Rōran’s leaders later decided to shelter the scattered Uzumaki and sent their Relief Stations to locate them.
- Ryukōshi persuaded six Uzumaki clanspeople to leave their camp for Rōran, promising they had family there and explaining that Toyotomi Jinsyokuin’s powers came at a price.