The Village Hidden in the Sand's first wave of attack came quickly and went quickly.
The embers from the clash of Ninjutsu still drifted in the air, and the firelight illuminated the camp inside and out, leaving a scene of complete devastation.
Konoha's defensive formation rapidly adjusted after taking the impact.
The frontline ninjas specifically responsible for battle pressed outward to hold the line, while those who, although belonging to logistics and medical units, still possessed decent combat ability, contracted inward to take charge of the central area.
Finally, the personnel who were weaker in strength, not skilled in direct combat, but responsible for important supplies and documents, were quickly gathered into the core area under strict protection. At the same time, the wounded were dragged to relatively safe corners for emergency treatment.
The Village Hidden in the Sand's assault unit also withdrew from direct engagement after a brief clash, but did not retreat far.
Both sides formed a dangerous standoff in the darkness inside and outside the camp.
Killing intent filled the air, ready to erupt at any moment.
The night wind swept across the devastated battlefield, carrying the smell of blood and burning.
Within the Village Hidden in the Sand's formation, Ebizo, draped in a long robe, slowly stepped forward.
Nozomi Hinokawa followed slightly behind him. The iconic crimson eyes he possessed were now much paler, no longer carrying that eerie, dazzling luster from before.
Maintaining his Red Eyes for extended periods requires him to continuously release chakra to interfere with the Byakugan's perception, while also accurately locating the Konoha camp for the assault unit, which takes a heavy toll on him.
Now that the target had been found and both sides had entered the phase of direct confrontation, he temporarily deactivated his Visual Jutsu to seize time to recover.
Moonlight pierced through thin clouds, illuminating Ebizo's lean yet slightly aged face. His gaze crossed over the devastation and the crisscrossing figures, locking directly onto the blonde figure at the center of Konoha's group.
"So it turns out that the renowned Princess Tsunade is personally leading the team. No wonder the response was so swift."
Ebizo said calmly.
Tsunade stepped forward through the crowd, standing at the very front of the defensive line.
With her arms crossed, her long golden hair swayed slightly in the night wind, and she wore a mocking sneer as she said, "I was wondering who could put on such a grand show and make it all the way here. So it's Elder Ebizo of the Village Hidden in the Sand. I haven't heard anything about you for so many years. I thought you were already in a coffin, or maybe turned into a human puppet by that old woman, Chiyo, like the third Kazekage and displayed at home as decoration."
Her words were merciless, but inwardly, she was cursing nonstop.
What the hell was Jiraiya doing on the front lines?
And what about Root and Anbu, who were responsible for intelligence and counter-infiltration?
That old schemer, Danzo Shimura, who is always lurking in the shadows, how could he let an elite force of several hundred from the Village Hidden in the Sand cross the border, infiltrate the Land of Fire without a sound, and even accurately intercept this crucial logistics unit on its route?
Despite cursing inwardly, Tsunade's eyes quickly scanned the Village Hidden in the Sand's formation in front of her.
The numbers on both sides appeared roughly equal, both exceeding five hundred.
However, the enemy consisted entirely of fierce, well-equipped frontline combat ninjas. At the same time, on their side, there were only 100 actual frontline combat personnel, with the remaining 400 or so being medical and logistical staff. Although they also had combat capabilities, direct combat was by no means their forte.
If it came down to a hard fight, their side would definitely suffer heavy losses.
As soon as Tsunade mentioned that the third Kazekage was turned into a human puppet by Chiyo, the Village Hidden in the Sand's ranks immediately erupted in chaos. Anger flared in their eyes, and they glared angrily at Tsunade with eyes as sharp as knives.
"Heh, still as sharp-tongued as ever, Tsunade."
Ebizo said, seemingly not angered, merely narrowing his eyes slightly.
"It seems I have caught a big fish this time. If we take down this logistic unit, especially you, Tsunade, Konoha's casualty rate on the front lines will probably multiply several times over."
"Keep dreaming, Ebizo. If you're getting old and your brain isn't working properly, then don't bother using it. Next time you go back, you can ask your sister to turn you into a human puppet so you can keep the third Kazekage company."
"Heh."
Ebizo chuckled lightly, saying nothing more, but his eyes grew colder. He drew his katana with a clang, the blade flashing coldly in the moonlight. Then he raised the katana high and shouted: "Ninjas of the Village Hidden in the Sand! Follow me into battle! Fight until the very last moment—"
"Elder Ebizo, be careful! There's danger!"
Before Ebizo could finish, Nozomi Hinokawa, who was at the side, suddenly interrupted him.
At some unknown moment, his Red Eyes had activated again, and those ruby-like pupils were fixed tightly on a certain spot within the Konoha camp.
Hmm!?
Ebizo's heart trembled.
Just as he was about to ask, a very real sense of crisis surged from the depths of his heart.
"Haah!!!"
A thunderous shout suddenly exploded, overpowering all the noise on the battlefield!
A figure, not particularly tall yet exceptionally upright, suddenly leaped from a position within the Konoha camp, shooting straight into the night sky!
Both his hands tightly gripped a long staff that was now vibrating wildly while emitting a terrifying red-gold radiance!
It was Shinichi Higashino!
And in his hands was the Adamantine Nyoi that seemed ready to explode at any moment!
When members of the Adamantine Monkey Clan transform into the Adamantine Nyoi, they lose most of their autonomous combat ability. They can no longer move, perform jutsu, or fight independently. But behind such a great cost lies the transformation into a true divine weapon.
In this form, the Adamantine Nyoi possesses an almost supernatural characteristic; it can change size at will and extend and retract freely!
It undergoes qualitative changes based on the user's chakra infusion and intent.
The more chakra infused, the heavier the staff becomes, the longer it extends, and the thicker it grows.
In theory, as long as the user has a sufficiently strong physique, immense chakra, unyielding willpower, and exquisite control, this staff can grow without limit, ten meters, a hundred meters, a thousand meters, even enough to pierce mountains and sweep across the sky.
For example, in the original timeline, the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, once extended the Adamantine Nyoi to several thousand meters, striking the rampaging nine-tails out of Konoha in a single blow.
But the cost was equally astonishing.
Every extension, every thickening, every increase in mass frantically devours the user's chakra.
The chakra that surges into the staff like ocean tides is converted into pure physical power, weight, length, and width.
Whatever the user outputs, the Adamantine Nyoi returns in equal measure.
And at this moment, Shinichi was pushing this property to its absolute limit.