"My feet hurt from the sky."
Tsunade kicked away the Sand ninja in front of her and sprinted toward the distant mountains without even looking back. She quickly found a perfect vantage point.
Chuanfeng was surrounded by more than a dozen Sand ninja.
Calm and composed, he performed a graceful sword dance.
Spotting one Sand ninja who looked slightly timid, he immediately lunged forward.
With the blessing of the Sage Chakra, both his speed and swordsmanship rose to terrifying heights.
A flash of lightning appeared before the Sand ninja's eyes—and then Chuanfeng vanished.
"Scorch Release: Steam Execution."
A kunoichi from the Sand Village appeared before him. She had green hair tied into a bun, with two strands of yellow bangs falling across her forehead. Her expression was cold and serious.
She was the only one who could almost read through Chuanfeng's attack patterns.
Several fireballs the size of human heads materialized around her as her fist shot toward him.
Chuanfeng felt his blood boil.
What an overwhelming Bloodline Limit!
He instantly changed targets, flinging thousands of senbon in all directions, narrowly dodging her attack.
In the next moment, he appeared behind a Sand ninja who had just evaded the needles and severed his head with a single strike.
Seeing her attack fail, the kunoichi's expression hardened, the fireballs circling her body more violently.
"Pakura?"
Chuanfeng recognized her immediately. She was the Scorch Release ninja of Sunagakure, a highly popular female character in the original story.
"That's right."
Pakura wasn't surprised to be recognized. She was infamous across all nations as a highly dangerous individual.
"Superior."
There was no time for conversation.
At her command, the Sand ninja began to surround Chuanfeng.
"Wind Style: Wind Blade!"
"Wind Evasion: Vacuum Barrage!"
…
All kinds of Wind Release techniques rained down upon him, while Pakura charged forward with her blazing fireballs.
Scorch Release could instantly evaporate all moisture in a person's body at close range, turning them into mummies—so Chuanfeng had no intention of engaging her head-on.
He vanished.
Dodging the barrage of ninjutsu, he caused Pakura's attack to miss once again.
Then, Flying Thunder God activated continuously. He flashed through the battlefield, his sword a blur. Anyone touched by its edge was either killed or gravely wounded.
The Sand ninja's formation collapsed. Panic spread, and they began retreating in all directions.
Groups of three formed defensive circles, back-to-back, desperately trying to hold their ground.
"He's too fast—we can't keep up!"
One Sand ninja's hand trembled as he clutched his kunai, terror in his voice.
He had never faced such an elusive opponent.
"You useless trash! If you can't keep up, then die!"
Pakura shouted, standing back-to-back with her teammates, eyes locked on Chuanfeng as another Sand ninja fell to his blade.
"You think I'm powerless against this?"
"Sword Art: Sixfold Slash!"
A faint smile curved Chuanfeng's lips as monstrous chakra erupted from his body, transforming into a streak of lightning that tore through Pakura's widened pupils.
When he reappeared, three Sand ninja squads along his path had been cleaved in half.
Only one ninja reacted quickly enough, escaping with an Earth Release clone. But he had no courage left to fight.
"Ah—!"
Terrified, he fled like a madman.
"Useless."
Pakura watched her comrades scatter, fury blazing in her eyes.
For her, this humiliation was worse than defeat.
"Leaving you alive would only cause trouble."
Chuanfeng gazed at Pakura, knowing she would rather die as a martyr than fall victim to the village's political schemes.
"Then come and try!"
The fireballs beside Pakura spun rapidly. She showed no fear.
"Sword Art: Lightning Shadow Sword Dance!"
Chuanfeng poured his chakra into his blade. With a flick of his wrist, the sword danced faster and faster, unleashing countless arcs of lightning-infused sword energy that surged toward Pakura.
If close combat was impossible, then he would strike from afar.
The lightning sword waves reached her in an instant.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!" ×2
The two Jonin barely formed their defenses before the walls shattered, the sword energy continuing forward.
"Scorch Release: Scorch Explosion!"
With no time left, Pakura condensed all her fireballs into a single massive orb, half a person tall, and hurled it forward.
A deafening explosion erupted, scalding steam flooding the battlefield.
Chuanfeng raised an arm to shield his face.
When the dust settled, Pakura was half-kneeling on the ground, blood spilling from her mouth, gravely wounded.
The two Sand ninja behind her had been completely mummified, burned to death by her own Scorch Release.
"Time to end this."
Chuanfeng showed no mercy, even before such a peerless beauty.
Suddenly, a terrifying chakra wave surged from outside the battlefield.
Without hesitation, he turned and retreated.
"Retreat!"
He transformed into lightning, carving out an escape route for the Konoha ninja, allowing them to withdraw as quickly as possible.
The Sand ninja had no idea what was happening.
Half-kneeling, Pakura looked toward the distant mountains.
A colossal crimson figure stood there, seven tails swaying wildly behind it, a dense sphere of chakra forming in its mouth.
Its target—this battlefield.
Fear flooded her heart.
"Tailed Beast Bomb—run!"
The already-collapsing Sand forces were now in total disarray, incapable of organizing any defense.
Forcing herself upright, Pakura fled.
As Konoha withdrew, the Sand ninja finally realized what was coming.
"Ah—run!"
"Konoha is insane!"
"It's a Tailed Beast Bomb!"
…
Panic spread. The Sand ninja fled in chaos.
Tsunade remained fully conscious. As soon as she saw Konoha and Sand forces completely separate, the Seven-Tails unleashed its attack.
It swallowed the Tailed Beast Bomb—then spat it out.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
Most of the Sand Village's defensive line and encampment were annihilated.
When the smoke cleared, the battlefield was littered with corpses and wounded.
The terrifying might of the Tailed Beast Bomb was unmistakable.
"Excellent."
Chuanfeng led the Konoha forces in a renewed assault, with Tsunade soaring after them.
"Well done."
"It's all thanks to your brilliant command."
They exchanged praise amid the chaos of battle.
The Sand Village's right flank completely collapsed.
After the Tailed Beast Bomb, the Konoha ninja charged like wolves into a flock of sheep.
The Sand ninja lost all will to resist, retreating toward the central line, clinging to the hope of survival.
"We'll push through the center too, help big brother break through, then reunite with Dai."
"The Wind Country's defenses have been completely shattered."
Chuanfeng rapidly outlined the next phase of the plan.
"Mm. Nawaki and Minato are safe."
Tsunade agreed instantly, her thoughts drifting to her beloved younger brother.
"Don't worry. Everything is going perfectly."
Chuanfeng replied confidently.
Together, they led a massive force in pursuit of the retreating Sand ninja.
Two children moved silently among the ranks, drenched in blood. No one knew how many lives they had taken.
"Minato, my sister is incredible."
Shengshu looked smug, as if the Tailed Beast Bomb were his own achievement.
"She's also my master's wife."
Minato replied, though his thoughts were in turmoil—uncertain he could ever untangle the relationships of this generation.