"I never thought I'd actually get the chance to fight alongside you two."
Standing in the desert, Hanzō spoke with a rare hint of emotion in his voice.
Just a few months ago, they had been enemies. A month ago, he was still Konoha's prisoner. And now, he was standing side by side with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Konoha's Lightning Flash, preparing to face the Sunagakure army.
If someone told this story elsewhere, no one would believe it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood to Hanzō's right with a faint smile. Further to the right, Hayashi also showed a slight smile.
The three of them represented the very peak of the shinobi world.
Across all nations, it was almost unheard of for three Kage-level fighters to join forces in a single battle.
In Hashirama's era, Konoha had possessed that kind of overwhelming strength, but it was unnecessary. The First Hokage alone was enough to dominate any battlefield.
At their strongest, the Three Sannin might have matched such a lineup. But circumstances had long since changed. Tsunade could not fight, Orochimaru had left the village, and unity among them was no longer possible.
Even the future Akatsuki, despite their strength, operated in pairs. They never assembled fully, and paid the price for it.
That made this moment even more extraordinary.
"Lord Hokage, when the battle begins, please stay behind me," Hayashi said quietly after a brief pause.
When the plan was first made, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not been included.
But he insisted on coming.
Not out of pride, but because the stakes were too high.
If Hayashi's attack on Kirigakure had shifted the war in Konoha's favor, then stopping Sunagakure here would push that advantage even further.
Some might argue that since Hayashi had infiltrated the Hidden Mist Village alone, adding Hanzō should be more than enough to handle two thousand enemy shinobi.
But reality was not so simple.
Kirigakure had been shrouded in dense mist, making concealment easy. The presence of civilians and the involvement of the tailed beast prevented large-scale engagement.
This battlefield was completely different.
An open desert. No cover. No obstacles.
Two thousand Sunagakure shinobi stood exposed, but so did they.
Hiruzen believed this would limit Hayashi's usual aggressive tactics, and he had no intention of letting anything happen to him.
At the same time, Konoha's elite forces were spread thin across multiple fronts. Sending reinforcements was not an option.
After careful thought, he chose to fight personally.
That decision, however, placed pressure on Hayashi.
He had no doubt about Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength. But the Hokage was the pillar of the village. No matter the outcome, he could not be allowed to fall.
On a chaotic battlefield, even the strongest could be caught off guard.
If the enemy discovered the Hokage's presence, they would swarm him without hesitation.
Noticing Hayashi's concern, Hiruzen smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Don't worry about me once the battle begins. If you divide your attention, it will only weaken you."
Hanzō glanced at him and spoke flatly, "If I die here in the Land of Wind, at Sunagakure's hands, there may not even be anyone left to recover my body."
He paused, then added, "Let's be clear. If I die, everything ends. But if you die, Konoha must remove the curse seal placed on me."
He had his own reasons for being here. Avoiding war for the Land of Rain was one. The curse seal forcing his cooperation was another.
Hiruzen replied calmly, "Even if I fall, Konoha will honor the agreement."
Then his expression hardened slightly.
"Besides, this is far from a losing battle."
With him, Hayashi, and Hanzō present, defeat seemed almost impossible.
There was no Third Kazekage leading the enemy forces. Ebizō alone was not worth concern.
As for Rasa, Hiruzen did not even consider him a threat.
Silence settled between them.
The desert stretched endlessly ahead, waves of golden sand rolling beneath the wind.
After a while, Hiruzen spoke again.
"The last time I came to the Land of Wind was before the Second Great Ninja War."
He glanced at Hanzō.
"You remember, don't you?"
Hanzō nodded. "Of course. Back then, you, me, and the Third Kazekage fought each other one-on-one. We crossed the borders of the Land of Fire, into the Land of Wind, and even reached the Land of Rain. None of us could overpower the others."
A trace of pride surfaced in his voice.
Those were battles worth remembering.
Hiruzen laughed, his tone filled with nostalgia.
"That was the most satisfying fight I've had since becoming Hokage."
He continued, "Before that, only the First Great Ninja War compares. But after becoming Hokage, I rarely stepped onto the battlefield. I always wanted one more chance to fight freely like that."
He exhaled slowly.
"I didn't expect that chance to come now."
Then his gaze shifted to Hayashi.
"When I was born, the Senju and Uchiha were still at war."
"By the time I grew older, that era was ending."
"I didn't experience as many large-scale wars as your generation. In that sense, I was fortunate. More fortunate than Orochimaru and Tsunade."
He paused briefly.
"That peace existed because of the First Hokage."
His voice grew quieter.
"But I failed to maintain it. You've all had to endure two wars already, and now you're here, facing this at such a young age."
Hayashi listened without interrupting.
Under normal circumstances, these words might never have been spoken.
Hiruzen's tone shifted.
"The Second Hokage gave his life to protect us."
"Today, I'm prepared to do the same."
He looked directly at Hayashi.
"If anything goes wrong, you leave. Do not hesitate."
"The position of Fourth Hokage… must go to your teacher, Orochimaru. Do you understand?"
Hayashi nodded firmly.
"I understand."
In the next moment, Hiruzen's chakra surged outward, powerful and unrestrained.
He bent down, scooped up a handful of sand, and let it slip through his fingers. The wind carried it into the sky, scattering it across the horizon.
Then he stepped forward.
Without hesitation, the Third Hokage charged toward the approaching Sunagakure forces.