In Tsunade's eyes, the so-called Martial Saint was nothing more than a frog in a well who ruled over this tiny place.
They had no idea what kind of being was standing before them.
With the power of the Shinobi Alliance, they could easily raze this so-called formidable pass to the ground in an instant. If it weren't for the sake of those innocent civilians, this war would never have dragged on until now.
Faced with an absolute disparity in power, any tricks are meaningless.
Ultimately, it was too lenient.
If Orochimaru was left to guard the Shinobi World, were here, he wouldn't waste any words and would have directly ordered the intelligent puppets and the Impure World Reincarnation army to advance.
but...
War should never affect civilians; this is the bottom line for medical-nin.
"Since those people can't understand human language, let's teach them a lesson!"
With Tsunade's command, the intelligent puppet army behind them surged toward the Dragon-Locking Pass like a silver tide.
"Sir, the enemy has begun to move!" The adjutant's voice trembled.
Iron Wall narrowed his eyes, and suddenly a wave of silver-gray appeared on the plain.
It was not a human army, but thousands of intelligent puppets, their metal shells gleaming coldly in the sunlight, advancing in perfect unison.
Behind them, a huge flag stood out of thin air, swaying without wind.
"This is the Iron Man they were talking about?" The Martial Saint Wind Chaser crossed his twin swords in front of his chest. "He looks like nothing more than a pile of scrap metal."
The Martial Saint Heaven Burner snorted, "Let me burn them."
Just then, Chakra's voice, amplified by Tsunade, suddenly came from the sky.
"Residents of Dragon-Locking Pass! The Shinobi Alliance has no intention of harming civilians. Please immediately proceed to the East Gate to evacuate and stay away from the battlefield!"
"Repeated message: Please proceed to the East Gate immediately!"
The sound waves swept across the city walls as if they were tangible, and the defending soldiers immediately became agitated.
Iron Wall's expression changed drastically. "This is bad! They're trying to demoralize the troops!"
Before the words were even finished, the city's civilian district was already in an uproar.
The crowd on the street surged toward the east gate like a herd of startled beasts.
Women carrying children, elderly people leaning on canes, vendors abandoning their goods—everyone was running in the same direction.
"Close the East Gate!" the Iron Wall roared. "Anyone who deserts will be treated as a deserter!"
But the order came too late.
The guards at the east gate were garrison troops who had retreated from the border and had witnessed the terror of the intelligent puppets firsthand.
Upon hearing Tsunade's call, they surprisingly opened the city gates and prepared to escape.
"You bastard!"
The Martial Saint Heaven Burner was engulfed in flames as he prepared to charge down the city wall.
"Forget about the civilians!" Wind Chaser grabbed him, "The enemy's main force is coming!"
On the plain, the intelligent puppet army suddenly accelerated, rushing towards the city walls like a silver-gray tsunami.
"Prepare the artillery!"
The roar of the Martial Saint Iron Wall resounded across the city wall, as loud as Thunder.
The brass-cast cannon barrel slowly adjusted its angle under the drive of high-pressure steam, emitting a piercing metallic friction sound.
The boiler pressure gauge readings were fluctuating violently, pointing towards the red warning zone.
"Put!"
Dozens of steam cannons roared simultaneously, solid iron bullets tearing through the air and hurtling towards the Silver Legion with sharp whistling sounds.
Boom boom boom--
Deafening cannon fire erupted in succession, and solid iron bullets whistled through the sky.
The Chakra core on the intelligent puppet's chest suddenly lit up with a blinding blue light, and a semi-transparent energy shield unfolded one after another.
The iron bullet struck the shield, creating ripples that spread outwards before finally falling helplessly to the ground.
"How is this possible?" The Martial Saint Iron Wall's pupils shrank sharply.
Such a dense barrage of attacks would be troublesome even for Martial Saint, yet these steel monsters managed to block them all without a single casualty.
The Martial Saint Wind Chaser frowned. "No, it seems to still be absorbing the impact!"
Indeed, those shields were not hard defenses, but rather employed the Chakra absorption technology of the Dark Release, converting the kinetic energy of the projectiles into energy to provide additional power for the intelligent puppets.
"Continue loading!"
The artillery commander shouted at the top of his lungs.
The soldiers busily cleaned the gun barrels and loaded new iron bullets and steam propellant.
"Loading complete!"
"Put!"
The second round of artillery fire roared out, and iron projectiles drew dozens of black lines in the air.
But this time, the intelligent puppet army displayed an even more chilling level of tactical skill.
Thousands of puppets simultaneously raised their right arms, their mechanical hands deforming and reforming to reveal dark, gaping cannon muzzles. Chakra energy rapidly condensed inside the cannon barrels, emitting a piercing buzzing sound.
"Target locked: city wall artillery position... Calculate ballistic trajectory... Long-range strike module activated."
Dozens of blue beams streaked across the sky, accurately hitting each steam cannon.
Boom boom boom--
The brass cannon barrels softened and deformed rapidly under the bombardment of the high-temperature Chakra beams, and the boilers exploded one after another.
The artillery positions on the city wall were instantly engulfed in flames, the shrill whistling of leaking steam mingling with the screams of soldiers.
"Damn it!" The Martial Saint Heaven Burner slammed his fist on the battlement.
The Martial Saint Iron Wall's face was ashen, and he shouted, " The Third Knight Order, prepare to attack!"
The steel gates of Dragon-Locking Pass slowly rose.
Thirty thousand heavily armored knights marched out in formation.
These elite warriors of the empire were clad in armor, and their warhorses were also covered in armor, making them look like killing machines.
The knight commander raised his blood-stained longsword high, "For the glory of the empire! Charge!"
The sound of hooves shook the earth; the knights' charge was like a torrent of steel.
The intelligent puppet army immediately changed tactics; the puppets in the back row collectively raised their arms, and their mechanical hands transformed again.
"Target locked: Cavalry charge route... Calculate lead... Area attack mode activated."
Thousands of miniature Chakra missiles were launched from the puppet arm, tracing graceful arcs through the air before landing precisely in the Knights' charge.
Boom boom boom--
The shockwave from the explosion shattered the knights' charging formation, but the subsequent cavalrymen still fearlessly charged into the puppet horde.
The spear pierced the metal shell, and the warhorse trampled the silver body, tearing a gap in the intelligent puppet's line of defense.
"Kill them!"
"For the Empire!"
Seventy thousand garrison troops followed closely behind, surging out of the city gates like a tide.
Although these soldiers were poorly equipped, their large numbers gave them the advantage, and they quickly created a situation where they outnumbered the enemy in the region.
However, the true terror of the intelligent puppets was only just beginning to unfold.
" Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Camellia!"
Suddenly, the intelligent puppets at the very front of the row sprang out stark white bone blades from their joints and charged into the crowd, spinning as they went.
These bone blades were incredibly sharp, easily slicing through armor and flesh, drawing blood-red arcs in the sunlight.
Another group of puppets transformed into silver lightning bolts, weaving through the crowd.
The speed of Swift Release far surpasses that of Body Flicker Technique; ordinary soldiers simply cannot track its movement and can only watch helplessly as their comrades fall one by one.
Even more terrifying is that these puppets don't fight individually; they operate in groups of three to five, cooperating seamlessly.
One group of puppets is responsible for restraining the enemy and using bone blades to block their movement, while another group waits for the opportunity to launch a fatal blow. There are also puppets specifically responsible for finishing off the enemy, ensuring that no fallen enemy can get back up.
"Get out of my way!"
Seeing the staggering casualties on his side, the Martial Saint Heaven Burner could no longer restrain himself, and his body erupted in flames as he charged into the battlefield.
The Flaming Fist was incredibly powerful, capable of melting several puppets with each strike, but he soon discovered that these puppets were actively avoiding his attack range.
"Trying to run away?"
Just as Heaven Burner was about to give chase, he suddenly saw dozens of puppets not far away simultaneously raise their arms, their cannons locking onto him.
"Danger perception... Target threat level: Extremely high... Focused fire attack mode activated."
Dozens of Chakra beams shot in from different angles, Heaven Burner could only cross his arms to withstand them in his haste.
boom--
The shockwave from the explosion sent him flying dozens of meters before he crashed heavily into the city wall.
Upon seeing this, the Martial Saint Wind Chaser crossed his twin swords in front of his chest.
"Secret Technique: Winds from All Directions!"
In an instant, his figure transformed into eight afterimages, attacking the puppet horde from different angles. His twin blades were so fast that they were invisible to the naked eye, and in the blink of an eye, he shattered more than ten puppets.
But the intelligent puppet immediately adjusted its tactics.
"High-speed moving target detected... Trajectory calculation in progress... Crossfire network deployment complete."
The remaining puppets suddenly scattered, forming an encirclement.
Their arm cannons glowed blue, but they hesitated to fire, instead adjusting their angles as the Martial Saint Wind Chaser moved.
Cold sweat beaded on the forehead of the Martial Saint Wind Chaser.
His extraordinary perception made him realize that no matter which direction he broke out from, he would be caught in a crossfire.
The Martial Saint Iron Wall stood atop the city wall, watching the fierce battle below.
In just over ten minutes, the Third Knight Order, and the garrison was littered with corpses.
While the intelligent puppets also suffered damage, their numbers did not seem to have decreased at all.
"Is this the true power of that Shinobi Alliance?"
"Since that's the case..."
The Martial Saint Iron Wall took a deep breath and leaped down from the thirty-meter-high city wall. He raised the Fallen Star Sword high above his head, and its dark blade suddenly emitted a blinding white light.
"Secret Technique: Fallen Star Fall!"
boom--
A white light engulfed most of the battlefield, and hundreds of intelligent puppets were reduced to ashes by this attack.
On the hills outside Dragon-Locking Pass.
Tsunade crossed her arms, her golden hair swaying gently in the wind.
Beside her, Jiraiya's white hair fluttered in the wind, Minato Namikaze frowned slightly.
Hatake Sakumo, who had just been resurrected, stared intently at the figure wielding a black sword in the center of the battlefield.
"The strength of those two Martial Saint is about the same as the intelligence estimates," Jiraiya said, stroking his chin.
The speed of the Martial Saint Wind Chaser was indeed astonishing, and the flames of the Martial Saint Heaven Burner were also fierce enough. Even among the Kage Level, they were considered strong, but they were still no match for the numerical advantage.
During the Ninja Wars, even a powerful figure like the Third Raikage was surrounded and killed by tens of thousands of people.
but...
"That Martial Saint Iron Wall is acting strangely; the power of that attack just now Super Kage Level." Minato stared at the battlefield, his voice tinged with seriousness.
"Indeed, their abilities are mismatched!"
Hatake Sakumo frowned and focused his gaze on the sharp sword in the Martial Saint Iron Wall.
To be among the first ninjas to be resurrected, his strength and insight must be exceptional.
The weapon the opponent used was different from the single-edged swords of the Shinobi World; it was double-edged, with many tiny runes on its blade.
Whenever the Martial Saint Iron Wall launches an attack, the runes will flicker with a faint yet eerie light, and his aura will weaken accordingly.
Hatake Sakumo said in a low voice, "That's not an ordinary weapon; it absorbs the life force of the user and surrounding creatures and converts it into power."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes upon hearing this. "No wonder. I was wondering how an ordinary Martial Saint could unleash that level of power. It turns out it's some kind of forbidden technique that comes at the cost of life!"
Should we intervene?
Minato's fingers were already touching the specially made Kunai; the Flying Thunder God Technique was ready to be activated at any moment.
"No need," Tsunade to stop her. "It's a good opportunity to test the puppet's ability to deal with enemies of extraordinary strength."
He then turned to Kakashi, who was standing to the side, and said, "Record the data, paying particular attention to the energy fluctuations of that black sword."
Kakashi Hatake nodded, pulled up his Forehead Protector that was covering his eyes, and what was revealed was no longer the scarlet Sharingan, but an eye that looked no different from an ordinary person's.
This is the latest version of the prosthetic eye released by the Reform Society. Under normal circumstances, it is no different from an ordinary person, but it possesses the dual abilities of the Sharingan and Byakugan.
The former is passive, the latter is active.
As for the original eyes, they were returned to Obito.
The reason was that the Shinobi Alliance believed that the Sharingan would be a burden for Kakashi, and it would be better to replace it with a prosthetic eye that also possessed the Sharingan's abilities.
Of course, another point is that Kamui, with Obito dual Kamui and Hashirama Cells, is strong enough to give the Shinobi Alliance an additional Super Kage Level powerhouse.
It's far more worthwhile than putting the Kamui Mangekyō Sharingan on Kakashi.
In the center of the battlefield, the Martial Saint Iron Wall's breathing had become heavy.
Every time he swung the Fallen Star Sword, it felt like a dull knife was scraping against his soul.
Sweat rolled down his forehead, leaving streaks on his dusty face.
Gradually, his vision began to blur, but the black sword in his hand grew increasingly hot, as if it were alive and craving more power.
"Again!"
The Martial Saint Iron Wall roared, his voice hoarse beyond recognition.
The black sword once again emitted a dazzling light, and an even more powerful sword aura swept out.
But this time, the intelligent puppet reacted very differently.
Instead of taking the hit head-on, they quickly dispersed, simultaneously launching a binding net of Chakra from different angles.
These silver-gray killing machines seemed to have suddenly gained some kind of tactical intelligence, and began to consciously avoid direct confrontation.
Mechanized thinking is rapidly transmitted within the puppet network.
Although no sound was uttered, their movements displayed astonishing coordination.
Swish--
The sword energy swept across, but only shattered a few puppets. More puppets had already circled behind him, the white bone blades that sprang out from their joints gleaming with a cold light.
"Asshole!"
Iron Wall turned to block, but felt a sudden dizziness.
The backlash from the Fallen Star Sword began to manifest.
Black mist appeared at the edges of his vision, and his ears were ringing, as if countless tiny insects were gnawing at his brain.
It seems I won't be able to hold on for much longer.
Not far away, cracks had appeared in the twin blades of the Martial Saint Wind Chaser, and the flames of the Martial Saint Heaven Burner had dimmed considerably.
They stood back to back, surrounded by layers of silver figures.
Both of them were breathing rapidly, and blood was seeping from their wounds, staining their tattered martial robes dark red.
"Brother... this time it seems..."
The Martial Saint Heaven Burner was panting heavily. Most of the color of the flame tattoos on his body had faded, leaving only a few flickering flames.
His right arm hung limply, clearly indicating a serious injury.
The Martial Saint Wind Chaser looked around and saw a battlefield ravaged by war.
The banner of the Third Knight Order lay fallen in a pool of blood, the corpses of the garrison piled high, while the enemy's numbers seemed to show no signs of decreasing.
An unprecedented sense of despair welled up in his heart, but it was quickly replaced by the pride inherent in a martial artist.
"Then let these lumps of iron see what the true spirit of a martial artist is!"