"Quick! I got knocked down! That guy's at sliver HP, hurry and take the arena back!"
"I can't! The points gap won't widen!"
"So you're still biting at me even as you die… You really are a bastard!"
"Ahhh, just a bit more!"
"Stop talking and switch ninjas!"
"There's a point orb! Point orb!"
"Damn, the only ones left are ninjas I barely use, what do I do?!"
"Don't give up!!"
Nine minutes remained before the Heaven Battlefield would end.
[Heaven Battlefield]
[Hokage—5——4（4458/5000）]
[Konoha's Root—5——3（4250/5000）]
[Uzumaki Naruto—5——3（4360/5000）]
Right now, the point gap between the three organizations in the Heaven Battlefield was incredibly small. The ranking changed with almost every single match that ended.
Each organization held three arenas and was fighting tooth and nail for the fourth, constantly swapping control back and forth.
It was precisely because of this deadlocked situation that everyone was so fired up and on edge.
Phew—
Sakura let out a long breath and flexed her slightly sore fingers.
"So tiring… half an hour feels longer than I thought."
No one responded—not because they hadn't heard her, but because no one had the time.
She was the only one who could even talk; everyone else was busy to death.
"Skill… Summon…" Udon seemed dazed, his mind barely functioning.
Konohamaru was still energetic, Moegi was hanging in there, but Teuchi and Ayame were clearly struggling—father and daughter both near their limit.
Who would've thought an organization event could get this intense… and they still had to sell ramen tomorrow!
Sakura turned her head.
Naruto and Sasuke were sitting back-to-back, both gripping their phones, still locked in battle. Mikoto sat not far away, watching.
Then Sakura looked toward Kakashi. Even this usually lazy, laid-back jōnin had found his rhythm here, his concentration razor-sharp.
Alright, she couldn't stay idle either—she had to throw herself into the PK again.
...
At the same time, the atmosphere in the Hokage's Office was nearly identical.
"Excellent! Keep it up! Use every advantage—don't get careless for a second!"
"Yes, sir!" ×9
The Third Hokage was commanding the operation in person, while the other nine obeyed his orders strictly, fully displaying their shinobi discipline.
Among them, Sarutobi Asuma and Yūhi Kurenai had the best technique, always maintaining control over the special arenas.
Meanwhile, Yamato, Ebisu, and Mitarashi Anko took on the role of stalling—each match lasting forty to fifty seconds.
This ensured their lead stayed intact, giving the other organizations no chance to turn the tables.
Gekkō Hayate, Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidou, and Tatami Iwashi were much simpler in strategy—they went all-out on offense, racking up points like madmen!
The Third coordinated everything, reallocating personnel efficiently and switching strategies on the fly.
If a Time-Limited Bonus Arena appeared under someone else's control, he'd order them to give it up temporarily so he could guard it himself, handing it back to Asuma or Kurenai when the timing was right.
Once he freed up his own hands, he'd go challenge difficult opponents like Kakashi or Danzo personally.
"Our lead keeps growing, and time's running out. We've basically won," Ebisu said with a smile.
"Hokage-sama just said— cough, cough— don't forget that," Hayate reminded sternly.
"My apologies!" Ebisu immediately bowed his head.
"So this is team combat… it feels different from working in the ANBU," Yamato murmured slowly.
"Of course. Maybe one day this will replace those dangerous missions altogether," Anko said, elbowing Genma beside her. "What do you think, Genma?"
"Can I complain?" Genma asked, senbon still dangling from his mouth, raising an eyebrow.
"No!" everyone replied in unison.
"Then I've got nothing to say," Genma sighed.
Everyone burst out laughing. The Third Hokage was all smiles too—the mood was lively and harmonious.
...
But compared to Naruto's cabin and the Hokage's Office, the atmosphere inside Konoha's Root was completely different.
Danzo's face was dark as he stared at the words "Defeat" on his phone screen. He was on the verge of smashing it.
This loss cemented [Konoha's Root]'s position as third in the Heaven Battlefield.
Being crushed by [Hokage] was one thing—but to have fewer points than even [Uzumaki Naruto], that makeshift organization?
"Danzo-sama, we secured second place in the Earth Battlefield," one Root member reported.
"So what? Have you locked in your rank yet? What are you celebrating second place for?!" Danzo barked.
The ninja fell silent. No one else dared make a sound.
Danzo opened the organization standings for the Heaven and Earth Battlefields combined.
[1st: Hokage] [Points: 9246 | Participants: 10 | Arenas Held: 8]
[2nd: Konoha's Root] [Points: 8920 | Participants: 10 | Arenas Held: 7]
[3rd: Uzumaki Naruto] [Points: 8454 | Participants: 10 | Arenas Held: 5]
This was the overall ranking, combining both Heaven and Earth Battlefields.
From this, it was clear—even though the three organizations were fighting fiercely in the Heaven Battlefield, in the Earth Battlefield, [Uzumaki Naruto]'s points were falling far behind.
It couldn't be helped—the members had been hastily gathered, and only a few were actually combat-effective.
Take the Konohamaru team for example. Could they really fight? No way. Teuchi and Ayame were ramen sellers. Unless Teuchi somehow opened his eyes all the way, they had no chance.
How could those five possibly stand up to elite Root operatives and Hokage's personal jōnin squad?
They simply couldn't hold the Earth Battlefield!
But Naruto and the others still fighting in the Heaven Battlefield didn't know any of this—they only felt they still had a chance.
"Nice! The points just went up again! Konoha's Root shouldn't be able to catch up now!" Naruto cheered, pumping his fist.
"It didn't just go up—we're in first place," said Sasuke, who had just finished a match and was gulping down water.
"For real? That's awesome!" Naruto shouted excitedly.
"Impressive, Sasuke. You too, Naruto," Sakura said with a smile—though there was a hint of hesitation behind it.
After fighting for nearly half an hour, the two had actually managed to push their points past the other two organizations.
Even Kakashi couldn't help but think—no wonder they were the chosen ones. Truly gifted.
"Eh? Even though we take the arena sometimes, they snatch it back right away," Mikoto said regretfully, glancing at Naruto and Sasuke.
"It's fine! Even if it keeps repeating, the points keep going up! The higher the total, the better—we've already won the Heaven Battlefield!" Naruto laughed loudly.
At those words, several people's faces faltered.
Sasuke noticed it. His brow furrowed; something felt off, but before he could think it through, his opponent pulled him into another match.
"Naruto..." Sakura opened her mouth, but seeing him and Sasuke already diving back into battle, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Beside her, Kakashi sighed softly.
Still haven't realized it, huh? Should I praise your focus or scold your thick skulls?
Sakura and Mikoto already knew the situation in the Earth Battlefield, but were hesitating whether to bring it up.
As for the members originally in the Earth Battlefield—they didn't even have the face to speak up about it.
Seeing this, Kakashi stood up. He didn't say anything unnecessary. He simply looked at everyone and smiled faintly.
"Everyone—let's fight until the very last second!"
"Yeah!!!" ×9
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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