Chapter 183: Iwagakure's Retreat, Fishing in Troubled Waters
Inside Sunagakure's frontline command tent, Rasa and Ebizō both wore grave expressions.
"It seems my suspicion wasn't unfounded," Rasa said, rubbing his temples lightly. "There really is something wrong with those reports."
When he reviewed them the day before, several squads had mentioned that their assigned supply targets had already been destroyed. They assumed other teams had completed the task first.
But as the one who designed the operation, Rasa knew that each squad's objective had been strictly assigned. No one had the time or freedom to assist others.
Which meant—
There was likely a third force operating within the Land of Birds.
"Elder, who do you think they are?" Rasa asked.
"Either Konoha or Kumogakure," Ebizō replied without hesitation. "No other village has both the capability and the motive."
Then he turned the question back on Rasa, a hint of testing in his tone.
"And what do you think their purpose is?"
Rasa didn't hesitate.
"They saw us at a disadvantage and intervened to suppress Iwagakure," he said calmly. "The goal is simple—to prolong the war."
Ebizō gave a small nod, approving.
"Then how do you think this war should end?"
Rasa didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked over to a large map of the shinobi world and stood in silence, studying it. Ebizō followed, standing just behind him.
After a long pause, Rasa finally spoke.
"No matter who wins this war, Sunagakure gains little."
"Iwagakure is already barren—mountains and stone everywhere. Their land isn't much better than ours."
"At best, we might gain some mission commissions from nearby smaller nations."
Ebizō nodded but remained silent, waiting.
Then—
Rasa slowly raised his hand and pointed toward the center of the map.
His voice carried undisguised ambition.
"Sunagakure's future… lies here."
The place he pointed to—
Was the most fertile region on the continent.
The Land of Fire.
---
The next morning, Sunagakure's army finished their preparations early. After a full meal, the entire force assembled and marched straight toward the Iwagakure camp.
A full-scale advance like this was unstoppable.
Anyone in their path—
Was cut down without exception.
---
The attack came without warning.
No signs. No buildup.
Only when Sunagakure's army was within five kilometers did Iwagakure finally receive word.
Alarms rang throughout the camp.
Orders flew rapidly from one unit to another.
Iwagakure's forces were known for their discipline—their mobilization speed among the Five Great Nations was second to none.
But—
Five kilometers was simply too short a distance.
---
By the time Sunagakure's vanguard came into view—
Iwagakure hadn't even gathered half their forces.
---
In desperation, the jōnin stationed in the camp stepped forward, forming the first line of defense. Behind them, partially assembled units scrambled to organize.
They could only hope—
To slow down the first wave.
---
On the other side—
Rasa led from the very front.
As the Iwagakure camp came into sight—and he saw their incomplete formation—
He knew immediately.
The ambush had already succeeded.
Golden sand surged around him.
It gathered beneath his feet, forming a platform that lifted him into the air—
Raising him above the battlefield.
At the very front.
At the most visible position.
The Kazekage—
Leading the charge.
With the Kazekage himself charging at the very front, every Sunagakure shinobi saw it with their own eyes. It was precisely this fearless, leading-from-the-front stance that ignited explosive morale across the entire army.
That was their Kazekage. Their example.
With such a leader at the helm—how could they not win?
"Ninjas! The Iwa are right ahead! The time for revenge has come! Follow me—drive these stone-heads out of the Land of Wind! Kill—!"
"Kill—!"
"Kill—!!"
The thunderous roar shook the battlefield. With the Kazekage leading and countless comrades at their side, hatred burned hot, and Sunagakure's morale soared to unprecedented heights.
As they entered attack range, Rasa rapidly formed hand seals. With a lift of both hands, vast amounts of gold dust surged into existence around him. It gathered, swelled, and finally transformed into a raging tide that crashed toward Iwagakure.
Behind him, Sunagakure's forces unleashed a barrage of Wind and Fire Release techniques, flooding forward like a storm.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart!"
Hundreds of Iwagakure shinobi cast in unison, raising a kilometer-long wall that towered like an impassable barrier. Countless Iwa ninja leapt atop it, raining down stone projectiles, while stronger ones unleashed continuous long-range earth techniques.
"Childish," Rasa sneered, clapping his hands together.
With a sharp crack, the golden tide instantly compressed, condensing into several enormous spikes that shot forward like lances.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Gold dust was already heavy—once condensed, its destructive force became terrifying. The seemingly solid wall couldn't withstand even a single exchange before multiple breaches were torn open.
Through those openings, a torrent of ninjutsu poured inward, engulfing the Iwagakure forces.
After a brutal exchange of techniques, the two sides finally clashed head-on. With the advantage of surprise and the Kazekage leading personally, Sunagakure crushed forward, beating Iwagakure back relentlessly.
Rasa's Magnet Release proved worthy of its reputation—on a battlefield like this, it was practically unstoppable. Wherever enemies gathered, gold dust followed, sweeping in like a death tide.
For a time, the Kazekage resembled a killing machine. Wherever he passed, Iwagakure shinobi fell in droves.
Far from the battlefield, atop a distant hill, Taichi stood watching.
He had originally been heading for Sunagakure's supply lines, but upon seeing their army mobilizing, curiosity led him here—and now he was witnessing their first counteroffensive.
As expected, anyone who could become a Kage was no simple figure. Though Rasa was the youngest among the Five Kage, his strength was beyond doubt.
Taichi had seen the Third Kazekage's iron sand before. While it surpassed gold dust in range, it fell slightly short in explosive power and raw destructive force.
And on this battlefield—
This was entirely Rasa's stage.
He was single-handedly suppressing Iwagakure's counterattack.
Just as Taichi was engrossed in the spectacle, he suddenly sensed the Flying Thunder God kunai he had given to Minato Namikaze. So Minato had arrived as well.
With a flicker, Taichi vanished. When he reappeared, he stood on another hill—with Minato just to his right.
"Haha, Taichi, I knew you'd come," Minato said with his usual warm smile, unchanged despite days of bloodshed.
This world had long since turned killing into routine.
"I didn't expect Sunagakure to counterattack so quickly," Taichi said, eyes fixed on the battlefield. From here, the view was even clearer. "Iwagakure's taking a serious hit."
"They were caught completely unprepared," Minato analyzed calmly. "Their forces aren't fully assembled—many are probably still out on missions."
"And the Kazekage's abilities are simply too suited for large-scale warfare," Taichi added, glancing at him. "Without someone strong enough to restrain him, letting him run free like this… is a nightmare for ordinary shinobi."
Minato nodded slightly, continuing to observe as the battlefield expanded and grew more chaotic with the arrival of reinforcements on both sides.
At that moment, an Iwagakure jōnin finally broke through the layers of combat and rushed toward Rasa.
But he had overestimated himself—and underestimated the Kazekage.
Within just a few exchanges, he was slammed into the ground by the crushing weight of gold dust. As Rasa clenched his fist in the air, the mass contracted violently—
Blood burst outward.
A jōnin was killed instantly.
Shortly after his death, three crimson signal flares shot up from the Iwagakure camp.
As if prearranged, numerous jōnin who had been entangled in combat suddenly erupted with force, taking hits just to disengage. They unleashed large-scale techniques toward Sunagakure's lines.
At the same time, the final reserve units in the camp joined the battlefield—not to attack, but to unleash wide-area jutsu to force back the advancing Sunagakure forces.
With this coordinated effort, the exhausted lower-ranked Iwagakure shinobi finally gained breathing room. Under the organization of their jōnin, they began a rapid retreat.
The moment Iwagakure began withdrawing, Rasa reacted instantly. He surged forward, intensifying his assault, targeting those who stayed behind to cover the retreat.
"Iwagakure is defeated!" his voice thundered across the battlefield. "Follow me—wipe out these stray dogs!"
"Kill them—!"
"Kill them—!!"
The roar echoed endlessly as Sunagakure surged forward in pursuit, overwhelming the rear guard in moments.
From afar, Taichi watched the retreating Iwagakure forces. "Minato-senpai, how many do you think will make it back?"
"Haha, who knows?" Minato replied. "But judging by Sunagakure's determination, they won't stop even at the border."
Taichi suddenly turned, rubbing his hands with a sly grin. "Senpai… should we join in?"
Minato's eyes lit up. "Good idea. So—are we beating the drowning dogs… or playing heroes?"
Taichi smirked. "What do you think?"
They exchanged a glance, instantly understanding each other.
"Both."
With a light clap of their hands, the two vanished simultaneously using Flying Thunder God. They had already placed marked kunai around the battlefield earlier—now those markers brought them straight into the chaos.
The moment Taichi reappeared, he was startled.
A Sunagakure ninja was chasing an Iwagakure shinobi right past his position—and his sudden appearance stunned both of them into stillness.
For a split second—
All three froze.
But while the other two were still reacting, a flash of steel cut through the air.
Draw.
Slash.
Sheathe.
By the time Taichi turned and walked away, both men clutched their throats, collapsing to the ground. His strike had severed their tracheas, arteries, and even their cervical spines—death was instantaneous.
His chakra perception spread fully across the battlefield. At this point, he no longer cared about being detected—in fact, he welcomed it.
It saved him the trouble of searching.
Moving along the edges of the battlefield, Taichi hunted relentlessly. Any lone shinobi he encountered—whether Sunagakure or Iwagakure—fell to his blade without exception.
As Iwagakure retreated, the battlefield gradually shifted toward the Land of Birds. Sunagakure's momentum only grew stronger, venting all the frustration from the earlier invasion.
But once Iwagakure fully retreated into the Land of Birds and realized the pursuit wouldn't stop, their orderly withdrawal finally broke under pressure.
It turned into a rout.
And in that moment—
Their casualties skyrocketed.
Meanwhile, on the fringes of the battlefield, Taichi became a ghost of war. His blade moved silently, claiming lives from both sides. Most of his victims never even realized who had killed them before their throats were slit or their hearts pierced.
The pursuit lasted until the next day, spanning more than half the Land of Birds before finally slowing. Sunagakure, too, grew cautious—pushing further risked colliding with Iwagakure reinforcements.
Exhausted, they chose to consolidate their gains.
Soon after, Sunagakure established a new forward base within the Land of Birds, with supplies quickly flowing in from the Land of Wind.
By the time Iwagakure reorganized and returned, the new defenses—camps, outposts, fortifications—were already complete.
Faced with such preparation, they could only withdraw again and seek a new position.
And throughout all of this—
No one ever asked the Land of Birds for permission.
As if its people didn't exist at all.
Such was the law of the shinobi world—
The strong decide everything.