Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
The supplies finally arrived, and the horn of war was about to sound.
That night, Tsunade summoned all the relevant commanders for a meeting.
Everything was arranged according to Kawakaze's plan.
Sakumo would lead his unit to attack the Sand shinobi's central line.
The right flank would be spearheaded by Dai.
The ultimate objective was the left wing, personally led by Tsunade, with Kawakaze assisting her.
Once the orders were issued, the Konoha camp was divided into three divisions.
Strictly speaking, it was four—Yūhi Kurenai and a small detachment remained behind.
Early the next morning, everyone assembled.
"Move according to the signal flares."
Following Tsunade's command, the Konoha forces left the camp, splitting into three groups and advancing toward the Land of Wind.
There was no chance of surprise. The Sand spies could not possibly have been eliminated, and their movements would certainly reach Chiyo's ears.
A large-scale offensive could not be concealed.
Inside the Sand defensive line.
"Lady Chiyo, the Konoha forces are here."
A Sand ninja rushed into the tent, still panting heavily.
"Engage the enemy."
Chiyo took the lead. The Sand forces mobilized instantly, and all three divisions prepared to meet the enemy head-on.
While marching, Kawakaze walked beside Tsunade, with the two youngsters sneaking into the main force and trailing behind.
"I saw my brother's signal flare, so I fired one as well. I didn't know who was guarding this sector."
Kawakaze's gaze locked tightly onto the rapidly approaching Sand defensive line. Behind him, members of the Hyūga clan had already activated their Byakugan, clearly seeing the enemy positions.
At that moment, Sakumo led his troops to within a hundred meters of the Sand defenses.
"Ninjutsu will open the path! Follow me—charge!"
Sakumo drew his short blade and rushed forward, launching the first assault.
Behind him, Konoha shinobi unleashed combined ninjutsu.
Earth Dragon Flame Flow. Lightning-Water Dragon Bullet.
Dozens—perhaps hundreds—of massive dragon-shaped torrents surged toward the Sand defenses.
Standing at the forefront, Chiyo remained calm, already well acquainted with Konoha's tactics.
"Earth Release: Defensive Wall. Throw explosive tags!"
The Sand shinobi skilled in Earth Release worked together, erecting a massive, thick barrier that blocked Konoha's incoming techniques.
From behind the earthen wall, another group hurled countless kunai embedded with explosive tags.
From afar, the sky seemed to rain black.
Explosions erupted everywhere across the battlefield. But the Konoha forces had not come merely to endure. This initial exchange was only meant to ignite the battle's momentum.
To the defending Sand shinobi, this was nothing major—those who were injured were simply unlucky.
In the blink of an eye, the distance between the two sides vanished, and the Sand line was breached.
The chaotic melee officially began.
"Sword Art: Thunder Dragon!"
Without opening the Eight Gates, Sakumo's destructive power was reduced, but he was still an unstoppable force to ordinary troops.
A massive group of Sand shinobi were blasted into the air. Those struck directly died on the spot, while the rest were paralyzed by the shock.
They were swiftly finished off by the Konoha forces behind him.
"Hatake Sakumo."
Chiyo spotted him instantly. Gritting her teeth, she unfurled a scroll and released the four remaining members of the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets.
Combined with six hastily crafted standard puppets, the total reached ten.
Her fingers danced rapidly, locking onto Sakumo.
"Chiyo?"
Sakumo's attack was blocked by her puppets, and only then did he notice those burning eyes in the distance.
"Today, you will pay for my child's life!"
Chiyo roared, sending all ten puppets into a full assault without leaving any for defense.
She had clearly been blinded by rage.
"I think I should send you back to your reunion."
Sakumo sneered. Even Chikamatsu's ten puppets had failed to work together properly—yet she thought she could kill him?
Thus began the fierce duel between Sakumo and Chiyo, as Konoha and Sand forces clashed across the battlefield.
Soon, the ground was riddled with craters and stained with blood.
Dai and Kawakaze struck simultaneously from the left and right flanks, their attacks coinciding with explosive flashes in the sky.
Dai directly opened the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates.
Green chakra engulfed his body, his face darkened, veins bulging, pupils whitening.
"Morning Peacock!"
With a roar, Dai charged into the Sand formation, fists flying like a storm, descending like a god of war.
Blazing impacts tore through enemy lines. Every Sand shinobi struck was incinerated, the moisture in their bodies evaporated instantly.
Their corpses crashed to the ground like dried husks, shattering into fragments.
In moments, the area around Dai became a dead zone—no Sand shinobi dared approach the man in green.
But his dazzling presence also drew Ebizō's attention.
"Let's move."
Clenching his teeth, Ebizō led nine elite jōnin to surround Dai.
He controlled nine puppets—one fewer than his sister.
Each puppet bore a large seal mark on its forehead. They scattered around Dai, some releasing scrolls from their mouths, others holding them between their teeth.
"Ninjutsu: Nine-Puppet Sealing Formation!"
Ebizō formed seals with both hands. The chakra emitted by the nine puppets converged, forming a massive transparent barrier.
Dai frowned and unleashed a green shockwave. The impact rippled outward, yet the barrier remained intact.
"Now die inside the barrier."
Ebizō maintained the seal posture. Clearly, the technique required continuous chakra output.
Inside the barrier, nine Sand shinobi closed in.
Each team consisted of three members: one for defense, one for offense, and one to disrupt Dai's rhythm.
Though Dai's speed kept him unscathed, breaking free proved difficult.
A faint smile curved Ebizō's lips.
At last, he had restrained Konoha's monstrous strength.
With no overwhelming powerhouse on the right flank, the battle there fell into a stalemate.
War became a merciless meat grinder, devouring lives every second.
Now, the outcome of the left-wing assault became crucial for Konoha.
Kawakaze and Tsunade both summoned portions of the Slug Sage's power, attaching them to Konoha forces to sustain their combat effectiveness.
They charged to the front lines.
Kawakaze wielded his blade, lightning crackling around his body. Wherever the lightning struck, Sand foot soldiers fell helplessly.
Tsunade's fists glowed with chakra as she leaped high and smashed into the heart of the Sand formation.
The ground collapsed into a massive crater around her impact point, sending enemies flying through the air.
Together, they radiated an invincible aura—courage and will pushed to their limit—like twin dragons plunging into the sea.
Sand shinobi immediately treated them as prime targets, unleashing countless jutsu and explosive-tagged kunai.
Kawakaze and Tsunade exchanged a glance and, without a word, neutralized every incoming attack.
With a simultaneous roar, they plunged into the already chaotic Sand ranks.
Blades flashed. Fists thundered.
The Sand unit collapsed completely, and more elite jōnin rushed in, surrounding them.
"Find an opening and hit me hard!"
Kawakaze shouted, crimson curse markings blooming around his eyes.
He intended to hold back all the Sand elites alone.
"Perfect."
Tsunade understood instantly.
Their objective had been achieved.
She turned and moved toward open ground, preparing for slaughter.
Now, she needed high terrain—somewhere with a wide, commanding view.
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