Maruboshi Kōsuke opened the door as though nothing were amiss.
What met him was not the corridor beyond—but a surge of blinding light and searing heat.
A colossal fireball roared toward him.
It was unlike any ordinary Fire Release. Rather than the deep crimson of common flames, this sphere burned in a strange, almost mesmerizing orange-red, its very core blazing with an incandescent white-gold brilliance.
This was heat beyond the realm of normal fire.
After all, the hotter a flame burned, the closer it drew to pure white—
"Scorch Release!!" Kosuke recognized it instantly, his decades of experience serving him well. "Move!!"
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion tore through the air, jolting the drowsy Konoha forces awake and officially signaling the start of the Sand's final offensive. The shockwave swept through the conference room, shattering every pane of glass into a spray of lethal shards.
As the smoke cleared, a young kunoichi with her hair tied in a bun appeared amidst the ruins of the room. Finding no bodies, she clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. "A Water Clone... no wonder there wasn't a sound."
The forehead protector she wore marked her clearly as a shinobi of Sunagakure.
"I told you there was no need to wait for them to open the door—we should've blasted our way in from the start," a middle-aged Suna shinobi grumbled beside her.
"It's not her fault," came a calm, measured voice.
An older woman, nearing fifty, stepped into the ruined chamber, her presence commanding quiet respect.
"That man was likely Maruboshi Kōsuke," she said. "To cast Water Release instantly in a place devoid of water… as expected of a disciple of the Second Hokage."
"Lady Chiyo!" the two responded in unison.
Chiyo's gaze swept the area once, sharp and decisive. "Proceed according to plan. We've already secured this entire sector—they have nowhere to run."
She began issuing orders without hesitation.
"Ishikawa—take Squads Six and Seven and eliminate the Ino–Shika–Chō."
"Pakura—lead Squads Eight and Nine. Target Ueno Takumi."
"As for Tsunade…" A faint, knowing look crossed her face. "Leave her to me."
Her eyes shifted, following a distant figure racing through the chaos—familiar, formidable.
"And Maruboshi Kōsuke…" she murmured.
Far off, a man cut through the battlefield like a streak of wind—the one hailed as Sunagakure's strongest.
"The Kazekage will deal with him personally."
"Move out."
"Yes!"
In an instant, they scattered—each leading their forces into the night, their targets already chosen.
…
At the very moment of the explosion, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio—Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi—had reacted as one, retreating in perfect coordination and leaping out through the shattered windows.
But what awaited them outside was not escape.
Dozens of elite Sunagakure shinobi stood ready, as though they had been waiting all along.
The three did not hesitate. This was clearly a prepared ambush—engaging here would only lead to encirclement. They broke through a narrow opening and sprinted toward Konoha's main encampment.
They needed reinforcements.
Yet before they had gone far, their path was cut off again—two full squads of Suna shinobi forming a blockade ahead.
And beyond them, more figures were rushing in from all directions, tightening the net.
"Shikaku—should we fall back?" Yamanaka Inoichi suggested.
If they allowed themselves to be fully surrounded, there would be no escape. A tactical retreat might buy them another chance.
"…Damn it," Shikaku muttered, his expression darkening. "They've already infiltrated and taken control of the entire surrounding area."
Even if Konoha's forces mobilized immediately, breaking through Sunagakure's blockade and reaching them would take minutes—precious minutes the enemy would never allow.
Turning back would only lead them into another trap, another tightening circle of enemies.
"We push forward," Shikaku decided at last. "Get as close to our main forces as possible—that way, our comrades can find us sooner."
"But for now…" His gaze lifted toward the distant, faintly chaotic movements of Konoha's army.
"…we're on our own."
A heavy silence followed.
This decapitation strike—
It was only the beginning.
Sunagakure's main army had yet to move.
They were still waiting.
Waiting for the perfect moment.
That… would be the true decisive battle.
But would they even survive long enough to see it?
Suddenly, Akimichi Choza let out a low chuckle.
"Come to think of it… the last time the three of us were pushed this far…"
His eyes gleamed with a strange, steady light.
"…was when we faced the so-called 'Demigod,' Hanzo."
"And even then—"
"We survived."
"Compared to that, this is nothing but a pack of Suna brats…" Akimichi Choza declared with a bold, booming laugh. "Come on—let's break through!"
"He's right," Yamanaka Inoichi said quietly, raising his kunai as resolve settled into his eyes. "Let's go."
"I must say, I admire your courage." The voice came from behind them—calm, almost amused.
The three turned at once.
A middle-aged Suna shinobi stood there, his presence steady, his gaze cold. "As expected of the famed Ino–Shika–Chō formation of Konoha," he continued. "But unfortunately… tonight will mark the end of that legend."
"You—?!" Nara Shikaku's eyes widened as recognition struck.
"I'm merely the executioner," the man replied indifferently, lifting a hand. "There's no need for you to know my name."
With a sharp motion, he gave the order.
"Attack!"
Behind him, eight Suna shinobi surged forward in unison.
"Be careful—he's Ishikawa!" Shikaku warned immediately. "Captain of Suna's jōnin corps—he specializes in Wind and Earth Release!"
"Oh?" Ishikawa's brow lifted slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "I didn't expect Konoha's strategist to recognize me."
"Want to know how I knew?" Shikaku asked, his tone suddenly turning sharp.
"How?"
Secret Technique: Shadow Sewing—Black Spider Lily.
From Shikaku's feet, his shadow exploded outward like ink spilled across the ground, branching and twisting with unnatural speed. In an instant, it latched onto Ishikawa—and the eight shinobi behind him—binding all nine shadows at once.
From above, the writhing darkness would resemble a blooming black spider lily, its petals stretching wide across the battlefield.
"Go ask in hell."
…
Elsewhere—
"…Hm? Why did you stop running?" Pakura asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice as the Konoha shinobi ahead of her suddenly halted.
"Oh?" The man turned slowly, his expression calm. "What makes you think I was running?"
For a fleeting moment, something clicked in Pakura's mind.
Throughout the pursuit, he had been retreating—yet at every turn, members of the two squads under her command had fallen, one by one, eliminated with precise, unseen strikes. And now, without her realizing it, she had been led deep into a remote corner within Kikyo Castle.
Was it coincidence?
Or design?
"I simply wanted a quiet place," he said evenly, "to kill you."
Pakura let out a soft laugh. "I know who you are—Ueno Takumi, Konoha's elite jōnin. Promoted to head of the jōnin corps in Year 36 because of your distinguished service."
She spoke his identity as though reciting a lesson long memorized.
"Not bad," Ueno Takumi replied, his tone dry. "You've done your homework, girl."
"Heh… the 'girl' standing before you," Pakura said, her voice dripping with mockery, "is the one who just killed your old partner with ease."
In an instant, Takumi's pupils contracted violently.
In the chaos following the explosion, he had caught a glimpse—just for a moment—of Kimura's shriveled corpse.
There was no doubt. After leaving the room, Kimura had been ambushed… and finished by Scorch Release.
Anyone struck by that technique would have every drop of moisture ripped from their body, reduced to a desiccated husk—an utterly horrific end.
And Scorch Release… he had seen it before.
Back in Year 37, on the battlefield between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind—when Pakura had been nothing more than an inexperienced girl.
"…Not killing you back then was the greatest mistake of my life," Takumi said, his voice low and heavy.
"Fortunately," Pakura replied lightly, "there won't be a next time. There's no one here to help you."
Her gaze sharpened.
"You're not leaving this place."
At his declaration of death, she suddenly burst into unrestrained laughter.
"Do you know why I don't care about your little tricks?" she asked, her tone laced with disdain. "Your generation always makes the same mistake—you think that gaining a tactical advantage means you've already secured victory."
Her smile faded, replaced by something colder.
"But in the face of absolute power… your schemes are nothing but a joke."
She raised her hands slowly.
"Let me show you the true meaning of a Kekkei Genkai!"
"Let me show you despair!"
Around her, dozens of identical orange-red fire orbs began to form, hovering in the air like miniature suns. Each one pulsed with terrifying chakra, their heat distorting the very space around them.
Even Takumi's expression shifted, just slightly.
Yet his voice remained firm.
"The moment you stepped into Kikyo Castle… you stepped onto a dead end."
Pakura tilted her head faintly. "And?"
"Killing you is my mission," she said simply. "And a mission… is worth any cost."
"Go join your comrade."
With a sharp motion of her hands—
The blazing orbs surged forward all at once.
And in the next instant, a relentless chain of explosions erupted, one after another, their thunderous roar echoing through the night like the chant of death itself.