To the southeast of Konoha—
Over a hundred shinobi from the Ino–Shika–Chō clans fought under Nara Shikakaku's command, trading lives to hold back the Susanoo created by a Wood Clone.
Akimichi Yamashiro.
Akimichi Rotō.
Both had expanded into towering giants dozens of meters tall, standing like guardian statues against the advancing Susanoo.
Yamashiro had lost one arm—
Yet his strength had not diminished.
With a single arm, he swung a massive iron staff, smashing it against the Susanoo's shoulder.
Rotō, another elite of the Akimichi, wielded his own staff, striking at the Susanoo's leg, trying to bring it down.
The blue Susanoo raised its twin serpent-like blades—
Blocking the strike.
The collision of massive weapons unleashed violent shockwaves, flattening everything around them.
Shikakaku stared, exhausted, at the Madara inside.
Was this truly just a Wood Clone?
He glanced toward the other fronts.
To the east, the Susanoo had already been dealt with—Fox had moved on to reinforce the main battlefield.
From the breach in the eastern wall, White Zetsu poured into the village, where reinforcements were fighting desperately.
Elsewhere—
Orochimaru had summoned a massive serpent from Ryūchi Cave, entangling one Susanoo.
Danzo had summoned a colossal creature as well, holding another at bay.
Only the Ino–Shika–Chō—
Relied on the Akimichi as their "giant summons."
Nara Meika clenched her fists.
When would Fox come?
"Ino'en! Continue targeting the Wood Clone! That's the key!"
Yamanaka Ino'en's face was pale.
How could a Wood Clone possess such overwhelming mental strength?
The Yamanaka had entered the Susanoo, attacking the clone directly within the mind—
And were utterly defeated.
An aged Madara—
Just a clone—
Had crushed ten of their best.
Shikakaku's urgency grew.
He needed to end this quickly.
He was the jōnin commander—
The Hokage's strategist.
He needed to return to central command.
Behind him, twenty Nara shinobi extended their shadows—
Binding the Susanoo's legs.
Black tendrils crept upward—
But the Susanoo proved once more—
A lion did not fear hyenas.
It endured Yamashiro's strike—
Then cleaved Rotō's iron staff in half.
With a slight motion—
It tore free of the shadow binding.
Then—
It raised its hand.
Three tomoe spun—
Yasaka Magatama.
If that attack landed—
The Nara and Yamanaka would be annihilated.
"Evade!" Shikakaku shouted.
Too late.
The attack came faster than expected.
Damn it!
He watched in horror—
As the Yasaka Magatama appeared right before him.
Then—
A massive iron staff descended from the sky.
The ground flipped—
A towering slab of stone rose up—
Shielding the clans.
The explosion roared.
When the dust cleared—
Most of them were still alive.
Shikakaku turned—
"Uncle Torifu!"
Akimichi Torifu—
Who had once intended to live out his days in peace—
Could no longer remain idle.
Not tonight.
Not when the clans stood on the brink.
He stood—
Twice the size of Yamashiro and Rotō.
Even taller than the Susanoo.
Madara's Wood Clone spoke for the first time:
"So… the Akimichi boy still lives."
"I opposed your clan joining Konoha."
"You eat too much—and your strength is lacking."
"What use are you?"
Torifu gripped his iron staff, eyes steady.
"To face even a clone of Madara-sama… is an honor."
His words were respectful—
His actions were not.
He swung.
The staff—
Over a hundred meters long—
Crashing down with a gale that tore apart nearby buildings.
Yamashiro stared in shock.
He thought he understood his uncle's strength.
He was wrong.
The Susanoo raised an arm to block—
Crack.
Fractures spread across the skeletal limb.
Torifu's heart tightened.
He had grown rusty.
Even now—
He couldn't shatter it completely.
This Susanoo didn't even have armor.
Madara hadn't used much chakra.
He understood.
A price had to be paid.
His eyes hardened.
He raised the staff again.
Strike after strike—
Faster—
Heavier—
Relentless.
The earth trembled.
Cracks spread across the Susanoo—
Until—
Its arm shattered.
Its hip collapsed.
Then—
The final blow.
The chest broke open—
Revealing the Wood Clone.
Madara's clone showed no panic.
Instead—
He nodded.
"Akimichi Torifu…"
"You've reached half your father's level."
"But didn't he teach you?"
"Always leave some strength."
Torifu's final strike—
Had used everything.
In that instant—
The Susanoo's arm regenerated.
The blade thrust forward—
Piercing his chest.
Blood erupted—
Like a waterfall.
But Torifu did not retreat.
With his last strength—
He punched.
Blasting the Wood Clone out of the Susanoo.
"Now!" Shikakaku shouted.
Yamashiro and Rotō struck—
Launching the clone into the ground.
Shikakaku's shadow bound it—
The Yamanaka rushed in—
Finishing it.
Torifu stood—
A giant.
Blood pouring from the gaping hole in his torso—
Like a crimson flood.
Ino'en and his team dodged the torrent—
Positioning themselves to strike—
Then—
Guruguru appeared.
Facing right—
He cast Island of Miasmic Collapse.
With his left—
He hurled wooden spikes.
Shikakaku's heart froze.
After everything—
After Torifu's sacrifice—
Would it all be undone?
Island of Miasmic Collapse.
Wood Spear Technique.
Two of the most dangerous techniques in their intel.
Either one—
Was enough to kill them.
The black domain spread—
Five Nara shinobi vanished instantly.
Reduced to thin layers of flesh.
Meika watched it expand.
She couldn't move.
Her shadow still bound the clone.
If she fled—
Everything would be lost.
She closed her eyes.
'If only Fox were here…'
Then—
Calm.
If she must die—
Then so be it.
But the binding—
Would hold.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Her eyes snapped open.
That voice—
She knew it.
Though she had never seen his face—
She knew that voice.
Scarlet maple trees burst from the ground—
Launching her into the air.
The trees collapsed into thin sheets—
Consumed by the black domain.
Her technique broke—
But she didn't worry.
If Fox was here—
Then it was over.
Spinning through the air—
She saw him.
Behind the clone.
Ironwood vines shot forward—
Piercing it.
Chakra drained—
The Wood Clone collapsed—
Becoming a lifeless wooden husk.
The wooden spikes—
Were blocked.
The black domain—
Had claimed only a few.
With Fox's arrival—
Everything changed.
This—
Was the control of a Kage-level shinobi.
Yako glanced at Torifu, surprised.
To push back a Susanoo—
Truly worthy of being chosen by the Second Hokage.
Guruguru was already gone.
Yako nodded to Shikakaku—
And vanished.
High above—
Torifu saw it.
The Vice Commander—
Resolving everything in an instant.
He relaxed.
The strength holding him together—
Faded.
His body shrank rapidly—
Falling.
Shikakaku leapt—
Catching him.
Akimichi, when reverting—
Gather chakra in their legs to remain stable.
But Torifu—
Had nothing left.
Shikakaku's heart sank.
The wound—
A hole through his body.
Organs gone.
Spine shattered.
As he set him down—
The damage worsened.
He clenched his teeth.
He had failed—
Even this.
Torifu turned his head—
Refusing the medicine offered by Yamashiro.
"It's no use…"
"I'll be joining Homura soon…"
"I thought I'd live out my days in peace…"
"Take care of the next generation… Shikaku, Chōza, Inoichi…"
His eyes dimmed.
His expression—
Peaceful.
Nara Meika stood among the crowd—
Watching.
A pillar of the Ino–Shika–Chō—
A disciple of the Second Hokage—
Akimichi Torifu—
Had fallen.
Shikakaku closed his eyes.
Two seconds.
Three.
When they opened again—
There was no grief.
"Move."
"Our battle is over."
"But the village still fights."
"Yamashiro—lead the Akimichi to Hokage Rock. Defend the shelters."
"Ino'en—take over the barrier team."
"Meika—come with me."
"We're heading to the Hokage Tower."
"Command must be reestablished."