Takuno could guess Minato's original tactical intention.
The three elites he brought back should have remained hidden in the shadows, waiting for the most perfect fatal opportunity to appear, in hopes of capturing or annihilating this group of Akatsuki rogue ninjas in one fell swoop.
However, the reality was that the battle situation before them had taken a sudden turn for the worse.
Mei Terumī, Ay, and the other Five Kage had already shown signs of decline under the fierce attack of the Akatsuki members; defeat seemed to be only a breath away.
It was likely that before those three lurking companions could find the expected opportunity to strike, the Five Kage Alliance's defensive line would completely collapse.
If Minato harbored the intention of 'killing with a borrowed knife' at this moment, taking the opportunity to weaken the other four great ninja villages, then staying put and watching the changes would naturally be the best policy.
But... as the thought flashed by, Takuno immediately dismissed the possibility.
Based on his understanding of Minato's character, it was absolutely impossible for him to commit such a devious act!
Sacrificing allies in exchange for profit was also definitely not Minato's style.
As expected!
Seeing Raikage Ay suppressed by violent jutsu, Mizukage Mei Terumī in a perilous situation, and Darui falling into a fatal disadvantage...
The three figures lurking in the distance could no longer hold back. They suddenly appeared, forcibly intervening in this unbalanced battle!
Not only that, but even the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, who was watching from the side with injuries far from healed, grit his teeth at this moment, a resolute light erupting from his cloudy old eyes.
He was already prepared to stake his old life to make a move!
Ōnoki saw it with absolute clarity: once the Mizukage and Raikage both fell here, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Needless to say, the so-called 'Five Kage Alliance' would collapse instantly. Not only would the great ninja villages be unable to cooperate sincerely, but it was highly probable they would ignite the flames of war again due to suspicion and hatred.
At that time, Iwagakure, as the convener of the Five Kage Summit, would surely become the target of public criticism, enduring the wrath and retaliation of multiple forces!
At this moment, in the center of the battlefield, Mizukage Mei Terumī's situation was already critical.
She was trapped deep within a monstrous wave controlled by Kisame that seemed capable of swallowing everything; the surging water was like invisible shackles, tightly binding her limbs.
Even more fatal was that in order to maintain the acidic mist permeating the surroundings, her defense and stamina were being constantly eroded.
Mizukage Mei Terumī was now drenched in sweat, her breathing rapid.
Hoshigaki Kisame's massive, almost terrifying amount of chakra brought a suffocating sense of pressure, making Mei Terumī gradually feel unable to hold on, her movements becoming increasingly sluggish.
Right at this critical juncture!
The greedy 'Samehada' in Kisame's hand erupted with a strong suction again, frantically seizing the dense chakra from the surroundings.
The blade vibrated like a shark scenting blood, and it was about to tear through the already thinning defensive barrier of Mei Terumī's Boil Release acid mist; the cold tip of the blade was about to touch her...
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
In an instant, several huge chains formed purely from golden chakra shot out from the edge of the battlefield like several giant pythons!
That dazzling golden light pierced through the murky water vapor and acid mist, ignored the obstruction of the surging water, and arrived at the core of the battlefield in an instant with a sealing aura!
"What?!"
Hoshigaki Kisame's pupils suddenly contracted like needles, and a flash of astonishment crossed his shark-like face.
The Samehada in his hand hummed loudly, its greedy instinct driving it to try and devour these massive incoming chakra chains that radiated tempting energy.
However, he had miscalculated!
This was no ordinary Ninjutsu!
Contained within the chains was the unique chakra of the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline inheritance, carrying extreme sealing attributes!
It possessed a natural restraint against 'monsters' like Samehada that fed on chakra!
Puff! Puff! Puff!
The golden chains were incredibly agile, precisely grazing past the exhausted Mei Terumī without causing any accidental injury.
With lightning speed, they wrapped around Samehada's massive serrated blade like venomous snakes and surged upward, instantly locking down Kisame's thick right arm along with part of his torso!
Boom!
Powerful sealing force erupted instantly! It was as if invisible shackles had tightened around his energy pathways.
This power not only interrupted Samehada's consumption process but also sent a shock through Kisame's heart.
He felt the chakra flow in his right arm and even his entire body suddenly become sluggish, as if he had fallen into an invisible quagmire, its circulation extremely hindered!
At the edge of the battlefield, Kushina stood proudly.
Her signature fiery red hair flew and danced like burning flames under the agitation of her own surging chakra.
Her hands maintained an exquisite hand-seal posture, and her eyes were as sharp as blades, firmly locked onto the restrained powerful enemy.
That tide-turning 'Adamantine Sealing Chains' was exactly the strongest ultimate technique she, the princess of the Uzumaki Clan, could perform in her non-Jinchuriki state!
Mei Terumī, whose pressure had suddenly decreased, looked at the life-saving dazzling golden chains before her, a flash of surprise from surviving a disaster and deep gratitude appearing in her weary eyes.
Having been through a hundred battles, she did not hesitate at all. She immediately seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, enduring the weakness of nearly depleted chakra to refine it with all her strength again!
The deadly acid mist of Boil Release quickly condensed around her, skillfully coordinating with the restraint of the golden chains to precisely seal off all of Hoshigaki Kisame's possible evasion spaces.
"You are... the Hokage's wife, Lady Uzumaki Kushina?" Mei Terumī quickly confirmed while maintaining her Ninjutsu.
Although the Hidden Mist Village had been isolated for years, she was still clear on basic intelligence regarding Kage-level figures from the neighboring Konoha.
Especially the spouse of the Hokage, Minato.
Even though they didn't know the core secret that Kushina had once been the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Yes! Lady Mizukage."
Kushina's expression was grave, her gaze fixed intently on Hoshigaki Kisame.
While watching the battle earlier, Kushina had already perceived the terrifying nature of this enemy.
The opponent's bottomless chakra capacity was actually not inferior even when compared to herself, a member of the Uzumaki Clan!
Coupled with the fact that she herself had been away from high-intensity actual combat for a considerable time, even if she teamed up with Mizukage Mei Terumī now and the situation reversed, their safety was only temporarily assured.
But wanting to completely defeat or even kill this 'Tailed Beast without a Tail,' Hoshigaki Kisame, was still a difficult task to accomplish.
Mei Terumī also clearly felt the grave aura emanating from Kushina.
Without redundant words, she took a deep breath, forcibly squeezing the last remaining chakra in her body, and tacitly began to cooperate with Kushina, preparing to face the next round of even more arduous combat.
Because Hoshigaki Kisame had already broken out from the Adamantine Sealing Chains, and his Samehada was constantly vomiting there like a child who had eaten something spoiled.
"Heh, looks like Samehada doesn't like your chakra."
Hoshigaki Kisame said with a smile. Even with Kushina's arrival, it didn't have much impact on him.
The situation just now was only a small accident; he had only fallen slightly into a disadvantage due to the opponent's sneak attack.
...
On the other side of the battlefield, Darui's situation was a hundred times more tragic than Mei Terumī's.
This Elite Jonin of Kumogakure was now almost covered in blood.
On his dark skin were fine, intersecting wounds; every inch of skin was gurgling blood outward, soaking his clothes and gathering into a viscous dark red at his feet.
Fortunately, although there were many wounds, they all avoided vital points, resembling more of a cruel 'death by a thousand cuts.'
However, the dizziness and intense pain brought by blood loss were frantically devouring his stamina and will.
Every time he swung the heavy broadsword in his hand to block the puppet blades and heavy Iron Sand weapons surging from all directions like a tide, it appeared exceptionally difficult.
That signature complaint, "What a drag," had long lost its former lazy banter, turning into low gasps of near-despair.
A fatal crisis descended at this very moment!
The Iron Sand spear controlled by the Third Kazekage puppet suddenly thrust out silently from a visual blind spot, pointing directly at a gap in Darui's defensive network.
At the same time, Hiruko's hideous tail stinger, flickering with a faint green poisonous glow, also attacked insidiously from below, sealing off all his possible evasion paths!
Two destructive forces were about to completely swallow this warrior...
At the critical moment!
"Afterimage Body Flicker!"
In an instant, space seemed to be disturbed by an invisible force. One, three, five, ten...
Dozens of vigorous figures wearing signature dark green Konoha vests and carrying short swords appeared without warning in the core of Sasori's massive puppet army like phantom shadows tearing through the void!
These afterimages were not illusory glows; every single one was as solid as a real person, their movements swift and varied.
Some swung their swords to block in an instant, precisely parrying the Iron Sand spear that was about to pierce Darui;
Some spun and slashed, intercepting the fatal poisonous stinger;
More of them were like arrows leaving a bowstring, carrying chilling killing intent, lunging straight for Sasori of the Red Sand's main body controlling the puppets and the core of the Third Kazekage!
"Sharingan Windmill Triple Blade!"
One of the afterimages rushing forward suddenly solidified!
Standing at the core position, in Shisui's crimson eyes, the originally rapidly spinning three-tomoe instantly transformed into a windmill-shaped Mangekyo pattern, and cold Ocular Power erupted!
The chakra short sword in his hand traced a profound and unpredictable trajectory, and three giant Wind Release Shuriken wrapped in a fierce whistling sound condensed out of thin air, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek!
The target was not Sasori's main body, but the chakra threads connecting the Third Kazekage puppet, which were shot through the air like lightning and were almost impossible to catch with the naked eye!
Squelch!
The sharp Wind Release energy slashed through with precision!
Several incredibly tough chakra threads snapped at the sound!
Losing its instantaneous control commands, the Third Kazekage puppet's smooth and lethal movements suddenly jerked, and a fatal pause appeared!
At the same time, the rest of the "Shisui of the Body Flicker" phantoms spread across the battlefield were like giant stones thrown into a swarm of bees, completely disrupting the puppet formation Sasori had meticulously controlled.
The fierce attack rhythm was interrupted, and the fatal encirclement collapsed into nothingness.
This sudden powerful reinforcement bought incredibly precious breathing time for the blood-soaked Darui!
"Uchiha... Shisui!"
From inside Sasori of the Red Sand's puppet body, which had always been rippleless, a cold voice filled with vigilance and unexpected emotional fluctuations came out for the first time.
Clearly, even he was wary of the illustrious reputation of this "Shisui of the Body Flicker," who was also famous in the Shinobi World.
Sasori's reaction was as fast as lightning, immediately mobilizing a large number of puppets from the periphery to frantically defend his main body, while his ten fingers flew, attempting to re-weave the severed chakra threads!
Darui, whose pressure had suddenly decreased, violently spat out a mouthful of turbid air carrying a bloody scent, and used the back of his blood-stained hand to fiercely wipe his face, which was a mixture of sweat and blood.
The intense pain remained, but in those eyes almost blurred by blood and filth, the fiery flames of fighting spirit were reignited!
"The support came just in time!"
Without a single redundant word, Darui endured the pain, and his hands instantly finished the seals!
Dazzling blue-white laser beams burst forth from his palms again, carrying the destructive aura of lightning and water blending together, precisely shooting towards the Third Kazekage puppet that was stiff due to the severed threads, as well as the enemy crowd disrupted by Shisui's phantoms!
A new storm of counterattack, under the powerful cover of "Shisui of the Body Flicker," unfolded boldly!
...
On the other side, piercing lightning still enveloped Fourth Raikage Ay's body, like an enraged Thunder God.
However, that signature violent charging speed was no longer at its initial peak; every heavy step he took on the ground was accompanied by increasingly heavy breathing, signaling the severe consumption of physical energy and chakra.
This subtle change did not escape Kakuzu's eyes, which were steeped in cruelty.
The corners of his mouth pulled back into a silent, sinister grin, as if he had scented the bloody smell of prey losing its strength.
With a slight thought, a mask monster emitting heavy Earth-attribute chakra silently separated from the Earth Grudge Fear tentacles entangled behind him.
It wriggled and burrowed into the ground, waiting for its moment, prepared to form a fatal finishing coordination with the main body.
Just at the moment when Kakuzu concentrated all his mind on the Raikage's another bull-like charge, intending to perform a fusion Ninjutsu to completely wound him...
Squelch!
A blue-white electric light tearing through the air, carrying the Chidori's cry that pierced the eardrums, cut in boldly from the flank of the battlefield at a speed exceeding the limits of visual capture!
That light was so dazzling, as if lightning itself had been compressed into a sharp spearhead.
Kakashi's figure pulled out a blurred afterimage at extreme speed. His target was precise and lethal, stabbing straight at that mask monster behind Kakuzu that had just poked out of the ground and whose Earth Nature chakra had not yet fully condensed!
"What?!"
The Earth Grudge Fear tentacles spread across Kakuzu's entire body were like the most sensitive nerve endings, and the ability to share vision allowed him to instantly lock onto this fatal sneak attack from a blind spot.
A huge alarm exploded in his heart!
He was forced to forcibly interrupt his lock on the Raikage, and the chakra flow trajectory inside his body suddenly changed.
The mask monsters behind him responsible for Wind Release and Fire Release reacted almost instinctively, their heads turning sharply.
The violent fusion Ninjutsu of wind aiding fire took shape hastily, turning into a scorching torrent of destruction, roaring to meet that tearing lightning light!
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion erupted between Kakashi and his original target!
The violent airwaves and splattered fire and mud instantly swallowed that area.
Although this hasty defense failed to directly destroy that Earth Release mask monster, the Ninjutsu it was brewing was interrupted, and Kakuzu's meticulously planned attack rhythm was completely disrupted by this surprise attack!