"Report!"
"Lord Orochimaru! The Sunagakure forces are advancing straight toward Kikyo Castle!"
Inside the gate headquarters, tension hung thick in the air. Just as the commanders were weighing their options, a sensory-type ninja burst in, breathless and pale.
"They're already moving in force!"
"Well… that settles it," Yagami said with a casual shrug. "No need to debate anymore. They've come to us."
His relaxed tone stood in sharp contrast to the atmosphere in the room. Aside from Orochimaru, no one else looked at ease. Facing an enemy force nearly twice their size was enough to rattle even seasoned shinobi.
"It seems Sunagakure is more impatient than we expected," someone muttered. "They're trying to rescue Ebizō."
"Since they've made the first move, we defend," another commander said firmly. "There's no other option right now."
A brief silence followed the report. Then the command center erupted into focused discussion.
"If that's the case, we meet them head-on at the walls!"
"Let's see what gives Sunagakure the confidence to launch an assault like this!"
Orochimaru let out a low, hoarse chuckle. Having survived the Second Shinobi World War, he was no stranger to large-scale battles. An attack from Sunagakure was hardly enough to shake him.
The group moved out of the headquarters and onto the city walls.
In the distance, a vast mass of Sand shinobi surged forward like a living tide. Their sheer numbers sent a ripple of unease through the defenders atop Kikyo Castle. For a moment, the air grew heavy with doubt.
Then Shinku stepped forward and raised his voice, issuing sharp, steady commands. His composure spread through the ranks, and the wavering morale quickly stabilized. Orochimaru, uninterested in rallying speeches, left that duty to him.
The rhythmic thud of footsteps and the sharp hiss of bodies cutting through the air drew closer and closer. Soon, the Sunagakure army came to a halt roughly a hundred meters from the castle walls.
Thanks to chakra-enhanced movement, their advance had been swift and light, lacking the thunder of a conventional army. Even so, the constant rush of displaced air carried an unmistakable sense of pressure.
"Lady Chiyo," Orochimaru called out, his voice carrying easily across the battlefield. "It's been years. You're still making quite a racket in your old age. Aren't you worried about throwing out your back?"
Standing at the forefront of the Sand forces, Chiyo's eyes narrowed.
"So it's you, you slippery snake," she shot back. "After all these years, you've learned nothing but how to run your mouth?"
The two were old adversaries. Though Tsunade had been the one to clash most directly with Chiyo during the war, Orochimaru had crossed blades with her more than once. Neither underestimated the other.
After their brief exchange, Chiyo's gaze swept across the Konoha ranks.
When her eyes landed on Yagami, they stopped.
He stood calmly on the wall, clad in a dark samurai-style outfit, a black sword resting at his waist. He looked young, but his presence was anything but ordinary. As a veteran Kage-level shinobi, Chiyo's instincts were razor sharp. Among everyone on the wall, only two people radiated true danger to her senses: Orochimaru… and this young man.
"You're Yagami, aren't you?" Chiyo said coldly. "You'll pay for slaughtering my people!"
Her voice trembled with restrained fury. This was the man who had massacred Sunagakure shinobi and captured her brother. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to tear him apart.
"If you're going to attack, then attack," Yagami replied evenly, looking down at the Sand army. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the field, filled with quiet confidence and unmistakable disdain. "There's no need for the theatrics."
"Yagami-kun… you're as blunt as ever," Orochimaru said with an amused laugh.
Pre-battle taunts were practically tradition, but Yagami had no interest in wasting time. A fight now or a fight later made no difference to him. If anything, he was eager to end it quickly.
"Since you're in such a hurry to die," Chiyo snapped, her patience shattering, "I'll grant your wish!"
Her arm slashed forward.
"Attack!"
"Kill them!"
"Take Kikyo Castle! Crush Konoha!"
The Sand army exploded into motion. Elite Sunagakure jōnin led the charge, their battle cries tearing through the air. With unstoppable momentum, they surged toward the castle like a roaring wave.
From above, it would have looked like a swarm of dark specks racing toward a single stronghold—an army of ants storming a fortress.
"Defensive positions!" Shinku roared.
His command rang out across the walls. Instantly, Konoha's defenders sprang into action. Hands flashed through hand seals. Weapons were drawn and readied. The air thickened with killing intent as the tension of imminent battle settled over the battlefield.
This was the moment of clash.
The moment to earn glory.
"Yagami-kun," Orochimaru said, glancing sideways with keen interest, "won't you let us witness that S-rank Wind Style of yours?"
Several nearby jōnin turned their attention to Yagami, curiosity burning in their eyes. They had all heard the rumors—how he had wiped out a hundred Sand shinobi in a single strike the day before. Supposedly, it was a self-created S-rank technique.
Yagami felt their gazes converge on him and gave a faint nod. He had been planning to use it anyway.
A sphere of violently spinning chakra formed in his palm, shrieking as it compressed and sharpened.
"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"
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