Massive summoned beasts carried terrifying weight on any battlefield. Their sheer size and presence alone could break an enemy's will.
But if Jiraiya had called Gamabunta out too soon, the Sand forces—still fired up and fighting as one—would have focused every jutsu they had on the giant toad the second it landed. The beast would have been blasted straight back to Mount Myoboku before it could do a thing.
The timing now was perfect.
Right as the Sand commander gave the order to retreat, the signal flares went up and the massive toad dropped into the middle of the fight. The sight alone killed whatever fight the Sand shinobi had left. When the enormous toad-oil flame bullet roared across half the battlefield, their morale hit rock bottom. The rout began right there and spread like wildfire.
Taiichi had already finished off the two Sand puppeteers and was flickering across the field, putting out fires wherever the Leaf line looked ready to break. His monstrous-strength Body Flicker put less strain on his body, so he used it constantly, flashing from one hot spot to the next.
Even so, the Leaf were badly outnumbered. One Leaf shinobi was facing two or three Sand fighters on average. No matter how hard Taiichi worked, he could only stabilize small sections of the line.
Thankfully, every jonin at the pre-battle briefing had known reinforcements were coming. They fought like demons on the front line, refusing to let the formation collapse.
Taiichi felt his chakra running dangerously low. He stole a glance across the whole battlefield, tension tightening in his chest. Where the hell are those reinforcements?
That was when the signal flares rose on both flanks.
A second later, the sky darkened as Gamabunta crashed down in the center of the fight. The giant toad didn't even need to attack. Wherever Sand shinobi tried to regroup, the beast simply hopped over. The wind from its landing alone sent dozens flying. After a few of those leaps, any last resistance from the Sand side crumbled.
"Now!" Jiraiya roared, his voice amplified by ninjutsu and booming over the entire battlefield. "Counterattack!"
"Leaf forever! Kill them all!"
The shout spread like lightning. Every Leaf shinobi still standing answered with a roar and charged.
Jiraiya himself leaped straight off Gamabunta's head, landing in the middle of a Sand cluster. A casual flick of his long white hair turned the strands into steel needles that punched through every enemy around him like a pincushion. Then he was off again, leading the charge straight toward the Sand command post in the rear.
Anytime he saw a group of Sand shinobi trying to regroup, he slammed a massive Earth Style: Yellow Swamp right under their feet, trapping them in thick mud. The Leaf forces behind him finished the job with kunai and shuriken, cutting down the helpless targets in seconds.
Taiichi had just helped a surrounded Leaf squad finish their last opponent. The second he sensed Jiraiya's direction—straight toward the fleeing Sand commander Shamon—his lips curled into a hungry grin.
He exploded forward in a Body Flicker, black afterimage tearing through the air as he raced after Jiraiya.
On the way he spotted Minato and the others still chasing scattered Sand stragglers.
"Leave the small fry!" Taiichi shouted. "Big fish that way! The rest can wait for the follow-up teams!"
Minato saw it was Taiichi—still looking fresh and deadly—and immediately relaxed. He waved Kakashi, Obito, and the rest to follow and they peeled off, chasing Taiichi's trail.
Meanwhile, Shamon knew the battle was lost. The Sand commander had already started pulling back under heavy guard. He understood he was finished. Even if he made it home, the village would not be kind.
But he refused to give up. He still had to bring back as many Sand shinobi as possible. If he died here without trying, he could never face the ancestors waiting in the Pure Land.
His loyal guards spotted the pursuit closing in. A squad of veteran chunin led by an older jonin immediately dropped back to form a rearguard.
Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel!
A wall of razor-sharp wind blades screamed toward the Leaf forces.
"Out of my way!" Jiraiya bellowed. Massive chakra surged and a violent wind blast of his own slammed into the incoming wall, shattering it completely. The counter-wind flung the Sand rearguard backward.
Taiichi, one step behind, locked onto the airborne targets. No hand seals—he simply willed three bright-golden Phoenix Flower fireballs into existence. Two of them slammed into Sand shinobi mid-air, their screams echoing as golden flames ate through flesh.
The veteran Sand jonin was more experienced. He flicked his blade, launching a chunk of rock that smashed one fireball apart. But the exploding fragments still splashed across his arm. The searing pain made him flinch for a split second.
That was all Jiraiya needed. A single punch dropped the man cold.
Jiraiya's group kept charging after the commander. More Sand shinobi poured in from every side to slow them down. The Leaf forces behind them handled most of the blockers, while Minato and Taiichi took care of the stronger ones.
Ten minutes later, Shamon finally ran out of guards.
He knew there was no escape. Instead of running himself ragged, he stopped, turned, and faced Jiraiya. At least he would die with some dignity.
"You planned this for a long time, didn't you?" Shamon said, voice heavy. "The legendary Sannin… I should have expected nothing less."
"Don't make it sound like we tricked you," Jiraiya answered, face grim. "You're the one who tried to wipe us out. This is the result of your own greed."
Shamon let out a bitter sigh. He had walked right into the trap.
No more words. The Sand elder attacked first. But age had slowed him. Jiraiya closed the distance in a flash, a Great Fireball interrupting Shamon's seals. Then it was close-quarters combat. Every punch and kick from the Sannin targeted vital points.
Ten exchanges later, Jiraiya found the opening. A hook to the gut doubled Shamon over. Blood sprayed from his mouth. A spinning kick sent the commander flying—straight toward Taiichi.
Taiichi blinked, then grinned. He understood Jiraiya's plan instantly.
He stepped forward, grabbed Shamon's arms, and yanked hard. A dull pop sounded as both shoulders dislocated.
Taiichi's hands flew through seals. Five different chakra natures—Wind, Fire, Lightning, Earth, Water—gathered at his fingertips. He ripped open the front of Shamon's vest and slammed his palm against the man's stomach.
Five Elements Seal.
The complex seal pattern burned into Shamon's abdomen, completely locking down his chakra.
The moment the Sand commander was taken alive in front of everyone, the last flicker of resistance died. Word spread like wildfire among the remaining Sand shinobi. They abandoned every position in the Land of Rivers and fled wildly toward the Land of Wind.
"Sensei, what now?" Taiichi asked, watching the rout. He didn't join the chase—his chakra was almost gone.
Jiraiya saw how drained he was. "You take Shamon back to the rally point and reorganize the troops. Treat the wounded. I'll lead the pursuit a little longer. We paid too high a price today—we're going to squeeze every last drop of victory out of this."
"Understood!"
Taiichi hoisted the unconscious commander and headed back toward the original battlefield. Along the way he ran into Minato and the others. They were all breathing hard, covered in cuts and bruises, but their eyes were bright with adrenaline.
Taiichi lifted Shamon so everyone could see. "Big prize, guys. We're escorting him back. Don't let any stragglers steal him!"
It was mostly an excuse to get them all moving together. They had been fighting since dawn. Once the battle high faded, exhaustion would hit like a hammer.
Obito was the most excited. He shoved past Kakashi and leaned in for a closer look. "So this is the Sand commander? Doesn't look like much. Why'd he think attacking us was a good idea?"
Taiichi felt Shamon twitch in his grip but said nothing. He just smiled. Keep talking, Obito. You'll give the old man plenty to be angry about later.
"Alright, let's move!" Taiichi called, seeing the group starting to sway on their feet.
"Yes!" they answered, grinning despite the pain.
Far behind them, Jiraiya kept the pursuit going under his command. The Leaf forces chased the Sand army all the way to the border of the Land of Wind. Only the arrival of Sand's border garrison stopped them from pushing farther.
The carefully planned counterattack had succeeded. The Leaf had paid a price, but the victory was complete.
When Taiichi dragged the captured Sand commander into the rally point, a makeshift camp was already taking shape. The air smelled of earth, blood, and medicinal herbs. Shinobi hurried in every direction—carrying wounded, pitching tents, building defenses, collecting the dead.
At the center of it all stood Nara Shikaku, issuing calm, precise orders over a spread-out map.
The moment Shikaku spotted Taiichi—and the slumped, defeated figure of Shamon in his grip—he cut off mid-sentence and strode over.
"Taiichi, everyone—well done." Shikaku's eyes lingered on Taiichi's exhausted but steady face, then dropped to the prisoner. "Is that…?"
"Sand's forward commander—Shamon," Taiichi announced, loud enough for the nearest shinobi to hear. "He's yours now."
The cheer started around them and rolled outward like a wave until the entire camp was roaring.
"LEAF FOREVER!"
Shikaku's eyes flashed with satisfaction. He clapped Taiichi hard on the shoulder, feeling the slight sway that told him how close the boy was to collapse.
"Outstanding work. This is an incredible prize. It'll boost morale sky-high and give us huge leverage in any future negotiations."
Taiichi shook his head with a tired smile. "Wasn't me. Jiraiya-sensei took him down. I just carried him back."
He handed Shamon over to the waiting guards. "I put a Five Elements Seal on him. He can't use chakra, but stay alert anyway."
Shikaku checked the seal himself and raised an eyebrow—cleaner and stronger than anything their own sealing team could manage right now. He gave Taiichi another appraising look.
"Go rest. Now. The medical teams can handle the wounded. Your condition is what matters most."
Taiichi was at his limit. The long fight, the pursuit, and that final sealing had drained every last drop of chakra. He nodded without arguing.
"Understood. I'll rest."
He turned to Minato and the others. They were all leaning on each other, eyes bright but bodies clearly spent.
"You heard him," Taiichi said, forcing a smile. "Find somewhere to sit. Recover your strength and chakra."
No one argued. They helped one another to a quiet, cleared corner at the edge of camp and dropped down the second they reached the tree line.
Exhaustion crashed over them like a wave. Eyes closed almost instantly.
Taiichi leaned against a rough trunk, popped another special soldier pill, and closed his eyes. The external battle was over, but another hard fight waited for him—recovering fast enough to keep helping.
For now, though, even he needed sleep.