The next morning, at Konoha's gates.
"Tsunade, I'm counting on you to keep the village safe."
Toshiro looked at Tsunade and the others who had come to see him off, speaking with a rare note of seriousness.
Since he was heading to the battlefield, someone had to stay behind to oversee Konoha's affairs. And there was no one more suited for the task than Tsunade. Hiruzen and the other key figures are being taken to the battlefield with him, leaving little room for political maneuvering in the village.
This was simply a necessary measure.
As for Fugaku, Asuka and other Elders within the Uchiha clan—none of them possessed the qualities needed to serve as Hokage.
While they were capable of managing clan affairs, handling the complex political landscape of Konoha was an entirely different matter.
"I'm here in Konoha, so you don't have to worry. Just make sure the Kiri Ninja don't chase you all the way into the sea," Tsunade scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Tsunade was quite reassured knowing Toshiro is going to the battlefield.
This way, she could at least give her grandfather a proper explanation.
However, when she recalled her second grandfather's warnings, she couldn't help but shoot a glare at the man standing across from her.
"I hope you return safely, bringing victory and honor with you!"
Pushing aside the unsettling thoughts in her mind, Tsunade offered her well-wishes to Toshiro and the army of shinobi behind him.
"…"
Toshiro, caught off guard by Tsunade's glare, was momentarily puzzled. Then, hearing her words of encouragement, his heart skipped a beat.
This woman… she's got the worst luck. Is she trying to jinx me to death?
**The Front Lines of the Konoha-Kiri War**
A man with his black hair tied back, clad in a green jonin vest, stood unfazed amidst a sea of enemies. His expression remained indifferent, betraying not even a hint of fear.
"Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu."
In a blur of motion, he closed the distance in an instant, his ninja blade flashing as he unleashed a whirlwind of deadly strikes.
Agonized screams tore through the battlefield, catching the attention of a Kiri ninja nearby—his forehead protector slanted across his brow, his face devoid of eyebrows.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu."
A thick, white mist swallowed the battlefield.
Within the shrouded haze, the Kiri ninja moved like a phantom, creeping silently behind his target. His grip tightened around his sword.
"Die!"
Seizing the perfect moment, he swung his blade in a ruthless arc, aiming straight for his enemy's back.
But as his weapon sliced through, his eyes widened in shock.
"A... Substitution?"
Unfortunately, the lethal strike failed to land. The enemy had vanished, leaving behind only scattered leaves swirling in the gust stirred by the attack.
"Demon of the Mist... Momochi Zabuza."
Facing the formidable foe before him, Raizou's expression turned grim. This was no ordinary opponent—Zabuza was a force to be reckoned with.
"You actually dodged my blade? Not bad. What's your name, kid?"
Zabuza's interest was piqued. It wasn't often that someone evaded his strike. He raised his sword, a three-foot-long blade—not yet the infamous Executioner's Blade, but still razor-sharp and deadly in its own right—pointing it directly at his opponent.
"Remember this well..." Raizou's voice was cold as steel. "The one who will kill you is Konoha's jonin—Raizou!"
With that, he shifted his stance, drawing his sword behind him in a reverse grip, eyes darting warily around the battlefield. The fight was far from over.
Meanwhile, Raizou quietly gathered his strength, preparing a surprise counterattack.
"Are all Konoha shinobi as arrogant as you?"
Zabuza's voice echoed from all directions, his figure vanishing into the Kiri.
"Heart, throat, kidneys… where should I start?"
Shrouded in the dense fog of his own creation, he played his usual game—spreading fear, applying psychological pressure, and striking when his prey was at its most vulnerable. It was his favorite technique. The stronger the opponent, the greater the thrill.
Elsewhere, at the battlefield command center…
"Lord Hamagaki, the Kiri ninjas have an overwhelming numerical advantage. We can't hold out much longer!"
Mimura Hamagaki, who had been closely monitoring the battlefield through his telescope, lowered it upon hearing the report from his subordinates.
"Communications squad, has our message reached the village? Did they confirm when reinforcements will arrive?"
A rugged face, etched with the hardships of war, and an unkempt beard that hadn't seen a blade in weeks made the new Hokage advisor look especially weary.
"We established communication 20 minutes ago. The reinforcements are still 200 kilometers away. The Fifth Hokage is leading the charge."
"200 kilometers?" Hamagaki's brow furrowed. Without hesitation, he issued his next command.
"Send word to the front lines—no matter what, we must hold our position until reinforcements arrive. Even if only one of us remains standing, we do not take a single step back!"
The battle was turning against them, but retreat was not an option. If they faltered now, the Kiri ninjas would seize the opportunity to invade the Land of Fire. That was something he would never allow.
"But… won't the casualties be too great?"
The enemies not only outnumbered them, but their ranks also included a significant number of bloodline users. Their presence had already made Konoha's dire situation even more precarious.
"This is just the beginning. Compared to the carnage of the Iwagakure front back then, the casualties here are nothing more than a drop in the ocean."
Mimura had seen too many sacrifices on the battlefield. As someone who had endured the brutal Iwa front, holding the line until the Fourth Hokage's reinforcements arrived, he knew the true cost of war.
His rise as a civilian ninja was partly due to luck, aligning with the major restructuring after the Fifth Hokage took office. But more than luck, it was his resilience, his unwavering belief in perseverance, and his wealth of battlefield experience that had brought him this far. No matter the adversity, he faced it head-on.
"Something's coming!"
Just as Hamagaki turned to personally head to the battlefield, a startled voice interrupted him.
"Direction 160, distance six kilometers, altitude 500—there's a massive chakra rapidly approaching the battlefield!"
Seated within a protective barrier, a sensory ninja wearing a specialized headpiece reported the development, his voice laced with unease.
"It's moving fast—it'll reach us soon!"
"Direction our 4 o'clock... that's behind us." Hamagaki muttered, repeating the coordinates as he processed the new information.
"Have the observers keep a close watch on that area. Also, deploy a team to guard against any possible sneak attacks from the Kiri Ninjas."
The approach was coming from behind them, at an altitude of 500 meters. It was likely an ally, perhaps reinforcements, but there was always the possibility of deception. The Kiri Ninjas were not above using elaborate tactics.
On the battlefield, circumstances changed in an instant. Being prepared for multiple scenarios was the key to survival.
Suddenly—
Cry!
A sharp, piercing eagle's screech echoed across the war-torn field.
Then, from the edge of the battlefield, a colossal eagle with a wingspan nearly 100 meters wide burst onto the scene, flying just above the treetops at an incredible speed—far beyond anything a normal creature could achieve.
Whoosh!
As the giant sea eagle descended, a powerful gale swept across the battlefield, sending loose debris and fallen leaves swirling violently.
"This is—!"
With a gruesome wound etched across his body, Raizou crouched behind a massive tree, struggling to withstand the sudden, violent storm. The sheer force of the wind nearly knocked him off balance, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
As the winds finally began to subside, he scanned his surroundings. Not far from him, Zabuza Momochi emerged from the chaos, sporting a fresh blade wound of his own.
The Kiri Ninja's signature Mist had been completely dispersed by the powerful gusts.
"You came at the perfect time!"
Spotting his opponent once more, Raizou wasted no time. With the winds still howling, he unsheathed the ninja sword from his back, capitalizing on the lingering momentum.
"Vacuum Blade!"
Harnessing the powerful airflow, the slash he unleashed carried nearly three times the usual force, an arcing wave of deadly energy tearing through the air toward Zabuza.
"Damn it!"
Zabuza, caught off guard by the residual storm, gritted his teeth. His expression darkened like a thundercloud as he instinctively raised his blade in defense.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sharp clang of metal echoed through the battlefield as his sword moved in a blur, desperately deflecting the oncoming attack.
And then—
Puchi!
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