A desolate wind swept across the sparse woodland, carrying dry dust and a heavy pressure in the air that hinted at an approaching storm.
At a concealed observation post on slightly elevated ground, Namikaze Minato stood beside the commander of the Northwestern Army, Mimura Yejuan. Both men stared solemnly into the distance.
On the horizon, a massive earth-colored tide slowly advanced.
It resembled a creeping landslide—silent, oppressive, and suffocating.
"Iwagakure…"
Yejuan's expression darkened.
The Iwa forces had moved incredibly fast. They had already crossed the Land of Grass, which normally served as a buffer zone, and were now openly encamped just outside the border of the Land of Fire, deploying their formations.
A vast army of shinobi stood in disciplined ranks.
Silent.
Resolute like stone.
At their head stood a towering commander. Beneath his forehead protector, his eyes were sharp as an eagle's.
Iwagakure jōnin — Higashi Shinin.
"So they came after all…" Yejuan muttered hoarsely. The pressure of the past few days had carved deep fatigue into his face.
"Faster than we expected. And with greater numbers. Judging by the formation, there are at least three thousand of them. Reinforcements might still arrive."
Minato narrowed his eyes slightly.
Sunlight glimmered across his golden hair, but it did nothing to lighten the gravity in his gaze.
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he carefully studied Iwagakure's formation.
They had seized advantageous terrain and were constructing simple fortifications, advancing steadily step by step.
Like a gigantic grinding stone slowly rolling toward Konoha's defenses.
"They're waiting," Minato finally said.
"Ōnoki is cautious and calculating. He's probably waiting for Kumogakure to make their move so that we'll be stretched too thin to respond everywhere."
"They'll slowly drain our manpower, supplies, and morale."
Yejuan's expression worsened.
His troops had already suffered losses from continuous skirmishes and harassment operations.
Morale was low.
Against an enemy of this scale, even holding the line would be difficult.
Launching a counterattack was nearly impossible.
"Minato, your arrival is like snow in a blizzard," Yejuan said, turning toward the young shinobi known as the Yellow Flash.
Hope flickered in his eyes.
"With our current strength, defeating them head-on is impossible."
"If our main force leaves these fortifications and fights them in open terrain, we'll be walking straight into their trap."
Minato nodded calmly.
There was not the slightest hint of discouragement on his face. Instead, he gave a reassuring smile.
Yet beneath that gentle smile was razor-sharp determination.
"I understand, Yejuan-senpai."
"Direct confrontation isn't wise."
"But war has never had only one way to fight."
His gaze returned to Higashi Shinin in the distance.
"They want to move slowly and steadily…"
"Then we'll make sure they can't stay steady."
He began issuing clear tactical orders.
"Pass down the command: contract the defense line."
"Select all ninja skilled in speed and stealth to form mobile strike squads."
"First — focus on harassment and delay tactics. Use explosive tags and traps to disrupt their advance."
"Second — prioritize eliminating their scouts and infiltration units. Protect our supply routes."
"Third — I will personally lead a team to strike their command system and logistics nodes."
Minato turned to Yejuan.
"Higashi Shinin wants to crush us with an avalanche of falling rocks."
"Then we will become the wind that erodes those rocks from every direction."
"Every step Iwagakure takes… will cost them blood."
Yejuan inhaled deeply.
Then nodded firmly.
"We'll do it your way!"
"I'll hold the camp. The rest is in your hands, Minato!"
Minato looked once more at the earth-colored tide in the distance.
"Don't worry, senpai."
"I'll make them understand."
"The Land of Fire isn't a place they can enter whenever they please."
Flying Thunder God — activated.
Northeastern Front — Konoha Camp
The air smelled of soil and rust.
Shimura Danzō had only just arrived on the frontlines when a shrill alarm erupted outside the camp.
"Enemy attack—!"
"Kumogakure vanguard approaching!"
The messenger ninja shouted urgently.
Danzō's murky single eye showed no surprise.
Leaning on his cane, he spoke in a voice rough as grinding gravel.
"Why panic?"
"All units deploy according to the defensive formation!"
"Ino–Shika–Chō, with me!"
"Hyūga clan, activate the Byakugan and report enemy chakra anomalies!"
"All other clans — hold the fortifications and repel them in waves!"
Orders spread rapidly.
Konoha's ninja quickly formed defensive lines.
Kumogakure's attack was brutal and direct.
Dark-skinned warriors charged forward, their bodies wrapped in blazing lightning. Under the stimulation of Lightning Release chakra, their muscles bulged as they slammed toward Konoha's defenses with terrifying speed.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Fang!"
"Lightning Release: Earth Walk!"
Blinding lightning filled the sky like a woven net.
Thunder roared.
Grass burned black and the earth exploded.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Konoha's ninja rapidly formed hand seals.
Walls of earth rose from the ground, reinforced with rushing water barriers.
Lightning clashed with water, producing violent sizzling sounds and clouds of steam.
Electric serpents striking the earth walls dispersed harmlessly through the soil.
Explosions.
Clashing weapons.
Screams.
The battlefield erupted instantly.
Danzō stood high upon the command platform, watching coldly while issuing orders.
"Yamanaka clan — link the squad leaders' minds. Centralize command."
"Aburame clan — release the insects and disrupt their perception."
"All other ninja — combine your jutsu and teach those Kumogakure barbarians a lesson!"
"Earth Release: Earth Flowing River!"
More than a dozen ninja formed seals simultaneously.
The solid ground beneath Kumogakure's forces transformed into a raging torrent of mud and stone.
Any Kumogakure ninja who reacted too slowly was instantly torn apart.
At the same moment, blazing flames rose behind Konoha's lines.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Fire Release: Fire Hardship!"
A massive sea of flames surged forward like a tidal wave.
The heat warped the air.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
Ferocious winds joined the attack.
The flames expanded instantly, forming a massive firestorm that covered almost the entire Kumogakure charge zone.
Facing this catastrophic combined ninjutsu—
Kumogakure ninja pushed their Lightning Release Chakra Mode to its limits, turning into streaks of blue lightning as they leapt frantically through gaps in the fire and mud.
But the techniques covered too wide an area.
Sky.
Ground.
Everywhere.
"AAARGH—!"
Screams rang out.
Some were swallowed by mudslides.
Others burned alive in flames.
Still others were hurled skyward by the storm before crashing down.
The once-ferocious Kumogakure vanguard suffered heavy casualties.
Their formation collapsed.
"Well done!"
Some Konoha ninja cheered.
But in the very next second—
A lightning aura brighter and more violent than any Kumogakure ninja exploded from behind their lines.
Like a thunderbolt splitting the heavens, it smashed into the battlefield with unreasonable speed.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
The voice boomed like thunder.
The lightning figure ignored the raging firestorm and mudslides ahead.
Like a massive blue hammer, it crashed forward.
BOOM—!!!
The flames were blasted apart.
Water barriers shattered into mist.
The lightning figure slammed directly into Konoha's frontline Earth-Style Wall.
The thick defensive wall shattered like paper.
Stone fragments exploded outward like artillery shells.
When the lightning dissipated—
A towering man stood at the breach.
Lightning armor wrapped his body like solid energy.
His mere presence dominated the battlefield.
The Third Raikage — A.
Without sparing a glance for the surrounding soldiers, his burning eyes locked onto Danzō.
"Shimura Danzō?"
"The Third Hokage didn't come himself?"
"Fine."
"Let's see what the disciple of the man who forced Kumogakure to surrender—the Second Hokage—can do!"
His roar thundered across the battlefield.
The Raikage's body blurred.
A blue flash tore through the air.
Weapons and ninjutsu launched by Konoha ninja shattered instantly against his Lightning Armor.
They couldn't slow him even for a moment.
"Protect Danzō-sama!"
Several loyal Root ninja rushed forward.
"Your loyalty is admirable."
"But your strength isn't!"
The Raikage didn't even look at them.
His lightning-wrapped body slammed into them.
BANG—CRACK—
Bodies shattered like dolls struck by a falling meteor.
Blood and broken limbs scattered through the air, charred by lightning.
The Raikage never slowed.
Charging straight toward Danzō.
"Insolence!"
Danzō roared, forming hand seals.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
The compressed wind projectile screamed through the air.
It struck the Raikage's Lightning Armor—
And merely sparked.
No damage.
"Is that all?!"
"No wonder you're not Hokage, Danzō!"
"You're weak!"
The Raikage laughed thunderously.
Lightning gathered in his hand.
Four fingers extended.
Lightning condensed into a blinding point.
Hell Stab — One-Finger Thrust!
His body transformed into a lightning spear aimed directly at Danzō's head.
Danzō's pupil shrank.
Now!
"Leave him to us!"
"Expansion Jutsu!"
A gigantic hand intercepted the Raikage from the side.
Akimichi clan leader!
The impact shook the battlefield.
For the first time, the Raikage's unstoppable charge halted.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
The Nara clan leader seized the moment, locking the Raikage's movement.
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"
Several Hyūga attacks struck from multiple directions.
BOOM—!
The Raikage's deadly thrust missed Danzō by inches.
Instead, it blasted through the command platform behind him.
A massive crater exploded outward.
Stone fragments rained down.
Smoke filled the air.
Danzō lunged forward with a kunai.
With a Sharingan hidden beneath his bandages, he showed no fear.
The Raikage broke free from the shadow restraint.
Surprised that the weaker Danzō dared attack him, he chose not to continue pressing forward.
This was Konoha's battlefield.
Too many clan forces surrounded him.
Even he could not recklessly fight alone in enemy territory.
This attack had been a test.
And a show of overwhelming confidence.
"Shimura Danzō."
"I'll leave your head on your neck for now."
The Raikage laughed loudly.
"I'll come back soon to take it!"
"Kumogakure — withdraw!"
Like a tide, Kumogakure forces retreated just as quickly as they had arrived.
Leaving only chaos behind.
Danzō did not foolishly order pursuit.
He knew they could not stop the Raikage.
Instead, he straightened his robes and looked at the ruined battlefield.
His face showed no sorrow.
Only cold calculation.
What a brutal show of force.
Hiruzen… look at the garbage troops you gave me.
If I had the Nine-Tails, would I be forced into this embarrassment?
Danzō's single eye swept across the clans present.
Even with Ino–Shika–Chō leaders present, he was the only Kage-level fighter on the field.
If Kumogakure had sent a jinchūriki, the defense line would have collapsed instantly.
Still… they held.
Now I must redirect this disaster elsewhere.
Leaning on his cane, Danzō turned back toward the camp.
His shadowy figure disappeared into the smoke.