Jiraiya sat alone on the rooftop, gazing over the vast expanse of Konoha.
The girl he loved had fallen for someone else.
His student in the Land of Rain had died.
He had been scolded by his teacher on the battlefield.
And now, because of him, another student might be put in an awkward position…
…What a failure he was.
—
The night was dark, the wind fierce.
With autumn approaching, even the air seemed to carry a biting chill.
At the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire.
Orochimaru stared into the deep western night.
For some reason, he felt uneasy.
"Yo, what are you thinking about?"
Tsunade, dressed in her Konoha jōnin uniform, her forehead protector neatly in place, looked heroic and sharp.
"Tsunade, add three more patrol squads."
"I have a bad feeling about tonight."
A cold wind swept past.
A fallen leaf drifted into Orochimaru's palm.
He stared at it, his voice calm and cold.
"I think you're just worrying too much."
"It's the middle of the night—"
Though she complained, Tsunade still went to make the arrangements.
During the two days when Hiruzen had fallen, she had truly felt as if the sky had collapsed.
The old man was practically her only elder now.
If he were gone too, she didn't know how she would go on.
So despite her grumbling, she followed orders.
She even changed out of her casual clothes from the Land of Rivers and put on her proper ninja uniform.
No special reason.
Just because Hiruzen had told her to obey military orders before leaving for the Land of Wind.
…Was it raining?
Orochimaru ignored Tsunade's departure and looked up at the gloomy sky.
A cool droplet landed on his palm.
Hm?
He narrowed his eyes.
Something was approaching.
Not only that—
He heard a faint sound.
It grew louder, mixed with the wind.
Like something tearing through the air.
He had heard this sound before.
It felt familiar.
Where…?
Suddenly, Kyōsai came to mind.
Back in Sunagakure, when Kyōsai had fired a Tailed Beast Bomb to save him, it had sounded just like this…
Wait—
A Tailed Beast Bomb?!
Orochimaru's pupils shrank.
He didn't have time to warn anyone.
He bit his finger and rapidly formed seals.
"Summoning Technique: Triple Rashōmon!"
Three enormous steel gates with demonic faces burst from the ground!
They stood directly in the path of the incoming attack!
Having witnessed Kyōsai's Tailed Beast Bomb before, Orochimaru didn't try to block it head-on.
Instead, he angled the gates slightly, aiming to deflect the trajectory.
Boom!!!
Almost instantly, all three gates collapsed!
The Tailed Beast Bomb detonated several hundred meters to the left of the Konoha camp!
Blinding white light flooded the sky!
The endless night turned into daylight!
The shockwave ripped the earth apart.
Countless towering trees were uprooted and hurled into the air with soil and rock!
"Orochimaru!"
Tsunade rushed back, her face grim.
"Order a full retreat."
"Regular ninja can't do anything now."
There had been no probing.
The enemy had opened with a Tailed Beast Bomb.
That meant they had abandoned conventional warfare.
Using the light from the explosion, Orochimaru saw their enemy clearly.
A white tailed beast, horse-like, with horns and five tails.
"Huh?"
"Missed?"
Han, the Five-Tails' jinchūriki, looked confused.
"They altered the trajectory. That Orochimaru isn't simple."
Standing atop the Five-Tails, Ōnoki crossed his arms and spoke calmly.
His battle experience let him see through it at once.
"I can't wait anymore. I'm going first!"
A rough voice rang out.
The Fourth Raikage.
But more eye-catching than him was the massive beast beneath his feet.
Ox head, human torso, octopus-like tentacles.
The Eight-Tails' jinchūriki.
Since Hiruzen had already used a jinchūriki, they had no reason to hold back.
Better early than late.
"B, throw me!"
A called out.
"Oh yeah! Night battle, big bro charges in, none can stop him!"
The Eight-Tails rapped excitedly, then hurled A like a baseball pitcher.
At the same time, A activated his Lightning Armor and shot forward like a thunderbolt!
Seeing the streak of lightning, Ōnoki glanced at two women behind him.
One with blue hair, one with black.
The blue-haired girl was said to be the new leader of Amegakure.
The black-haired woman was mysterious.
And dangerous.
She radiated strength on par with his own.
When did Amegakure produce someone like this?
But he had no time to think.
The battle had begun.
They had to defeat Orochimaru and Tsunade before Hiruzen arrived via Flying Thunder God.
They needed to cut off one of Konoha's arms first.
"Han, how long until Rōshi arrives?"
"About twenty minutes."
"Too long. We move now."
Ōnoki sighed and ordered Han forward.
Rōshi, the Four-Tails' jinchūriki, had left the village after clashing with him.
Only after learning of Kurotsuchi's father's death had he begun returning.
"I'm going in too."
Ōnoki turned to the blue-haired girl.
"I hope your reinforcements arrive soon."
"We won't break our word."
Konan replied calmly, unafraid.
"Good."
"Han, let's go!"
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