Inside Iwagakure's command tent, Kitsuchi sat at the head of the table, his expression grave as he asked, "How many Konoha forces have arrived?"
"Roughly a hundred," his adjutant replied without hesitation.
Kitsuchi's gaze shifted to Nishitani Kenichirō. "Nishitani-senpai, your thoughts?"
"Wipe them out. What's there to hesitate about?"
"Shouldn't we try to expand our gains further?"
"Compared to Shunshin Shimizu, the rest are nothing but small fry," Nishitani said impatiently.
"But the Uchiha—"
"The Uchiha are everywhere, but there's only one Shunshin Shimizu!" Nishitani cut him off sharply. "Don't forget, we still need to return to Iwagakure as quickly as possible. Are we really going to waste time here? Or do you all plan to spend the night?"
Kitsuchi hesitated inwardly.
What he truly wanted was to confirm whether any Uchiha were among those hundred shinobi.
After all, his father—the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki—had repeatedly instructed him to bring back at least one pair of Sharingan.
But the crisis facing Iwagakure was urgent. They didn't have the luxury of dragging things out.
"…Very well. We move."
With that single command from the supreme commander, nearly two thousand Iwagakure shinobi began to converge toward the center.
Meanwhile, the three Konoha units already inside had no idea that a massive net was tightening around them.
By the time they realized that such a devastating technique had been nothing more than bait…
…it was already too late.
What awaited them was an encirclement of nearly three thousand enemy shinobi.
Worse still, the three Konoha units had been separated into different zones, completely unaware of one another's presence.
The only thing settling over them now—
…was a suffocating sense of despair.
—
At the center of the crater, one Konoha unit found itself surrounded by over three hundred Iwagakure ninja.
It was obvious to everyone.
This had been a trap from the very beginning.
"Sensei… do we move?" Shisui whispered.
A bead of sweat slid down Shimizu's temple as he replied in a low voice, "Wait a little longer."
If this was a trap, then it meant there could be even more Iwagakure forces lying in ambush nearby, waiting for rescuers to walk straight into it.
"Shisui, can you confirm if there are more enemies in the surrounding area?"
Shisui shook his head, frustration flickering in his eyes. "Too far… I can't see clearly."
In that case…
They couldn't wait any longer.
If they delayed, this unit would be wiped out completely.
Shimizu couldn't stand by and watch his comrades struggle like trapped beasts.
And more importantly—
He could save them.
"I'll go in from the front with my original body," he said decisively. "You flank from the side with my shadow clones. Do everything you can to lead the others away—get them as far from here as possible."
"If you can't get far… then at least get them out of this crater."
"Understood?"
"I understand, Sensei!"
"Then move!"
Shimizu formed hand seals without hesitation.
Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!
Two identical copies of him appeared instantly at his side. The three exchanged a brief glance and nod—then shot forward like arrows loosed from a bow.
His plan was clear.
If they wanted to save the trapped Konoha shinobi, the first step was to carve out an escape route. That task would fall to the shadow clone—carrying a third of his chakra—and Shisui.
But even if they managed to break through, someone would have to hold back the pursuing Iwagakure forces.
That responsibility would fall to the second clone.
In a terrain like this—within a deep crater—if he could successfully unleash Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade, the sheer scale and velocity of the torrent would be enough to shatter the enemy's formation and inflict heavy damage.
The only uncertainty…
…was how many Konoha shinobi would actually escape.
If they couldn't get out—especially the wounded—
Then it would end just like before.
Friendly casualties.
The destructive range of that technique was simply too vast. As long as allies remained on the battlefield, losses were inevitable.
But right now…
This was the best plan he had.
Shimizu stood atop the slope, where the battlefield below lay fully exposed to his sight, and gently patted the shoulder of his shadow clone. Forcing a lighter tone than he truly felt, he said, "Don't dwell on it. This is a choice we had no choice but to make."
In truth, he was trying to convince himself as much as anyone else.
Even if it wasn't his original body taking action, once the clone dispersed, every sensation—every memory—would return to him. And with it, the unbearable weight of having played the executioner.
The shadow clone gave a strained smile. "I know… there was no other way."
Side by side, they watched the distant battlefield nearly a kilometer away, where another clone and Shisui were locked in fierce combat.
The sudden arrival of reinforcements had clearly lifted the spirits of the Konoha ninja. Flames and lightning flared in rapid succession, illuminating the chaos as those who had been cornered into desperation launched a counteroffensive. Against all odds, they managed to carve open a gap in the enemy's encirclement with the help of the clone and Shisui.
One after another, Konoha shinobi surged through the opening.
But Iwagakure reacted swiftly. Their formation shifted almost instantly as they attempted to give chase—only to be met by a massive, surging wall of water.
The Water Release technique itself wasn't particularly lethal, but its sheer volume and overwhelming coverage forced over a hundred Iwa ninja to a halt, unable to advance even a single step.
And within that rushing torrent, streaks of blue lightning crackled violently.
"He's really going all out," the clone beside Shimizu muttered, watching intently. "Spamming high-level techniques like that… his chakra must be running dry."
Shimizu didn't take his eyes off the battlefield. "Without that, there's no way to break through."
Even with Shisui assisting, the burden of the assault rested almost entirely on the clone. Without recklessly unleashing powerful Lightning and Water Release techniques in rapid succession, Shisui alone wouldn't have been able to force the enemy back.
Just as expected, only a few breaths later—
Pop.
The clone vanished.
So quickly… a full third of his chakra, gone in an instant.
"Still… not enough chakra," the remaining clone sighed.
Shimizu gave a faint smile as he began forming hand seals. "It's already far beyond most elite jōnin… but compared to the Sannin, there's still a gap."
With that, he activated an Earth Release technique and sank silently into the ground.
"That's enough. Now… we wait."
The Hard Whirlpool Water Blade required time to prepare—and more importantly, it couldn't be interrupted.
In the past, his chakra reserves had forced him to rely on his main body to perform it. But now, his chakra had grown to such a level that even split into thirds, it was still sufficient.
So the clone would take the risk… and the real body would remain hidden, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Go on," Shimizu murmured.
The shadow clone steadied himself, quickly estimating how long it would take for the Iwa forces to break free from the crater.
Some Konoha ninja were still trapped behind…
But that didn't matter anymore.
Every single Iwa ninja had to be kept within that pit.
He began forming seals.
Gradually, a deep azure chakra surged from within him, swelling outward until it enveloped his entire body. As the final seal was completed, the scattered energy converged into his left hand, condensing into a violently spinning vortex of water.
Faster and faster it rotated—until it compressed into a spear-like form, no more than half a meter long.
A familiar sensation washed over him.
Shimizu stared at the small, unassuming projectile in his hand, fully aware of the apocalyptic power contained within it.
Then, with all his strength, he hurled it toward the distant crater.
The water spear traced a perfect arc through the air before plunging straight into the center of the Iwa formation.
And in the very next instant—
A colossal water vortex erupted skyward.
It roared into existence like a force of nature, spiraling upward toward the heavens, its sheer scale leaving everyone on the battlefield frozen in shock.
"Run!!" Shisui's voice tore through the chaos, raw and desperate. He saw them—six people still trapped inside the crater, unable to escape in time.
But it was too late.
In the span of a single breath, the vortex expanded violently outward—from a narrow column just a few meters wide, to dozens of meters… then hundreds…
Until it became a catastrophic maelstrom spanning kilometers.
At some point, the sun had vanished behind thick clouds. The sky darkened, heavy and oppressive, as if even the heavens recoiled from what had been unleashed.
Wherever the vortex passed, it devoured everything in its path like a monstrous beast swallowing the world whole.
In an instant, it consumed all the Iwa ninja—
…and the six Konoha shinobi who had failed to escape.