As time passed, the climate in the Land of Earth grew increasingly harsh and dry, shifting almost abruptly from winter's cold bite into a scorching heat that clung to everything.
Yet the mood of the Iwagakure commander, Fūga, did not warm with the weather.
He stood on a rocky hillside, tall and broad-shouldered, one hand resting on the hilt of his tachi as he surveyed the terrain below.
Several months had passed since the battle on the southern front, and the commander Roshi had remained in enemy hands since then.
Roshi was not just any commander. He was the Jinchuriki of the Four-Tails.
The capture of Roshi had already spread across the shinobi world, and more disturbing than that was the name behind it, Konoha's Lightning Flash.
What unsettled the nations was not simply the ability to fight Jinchuriki, but the implication behind it.
There was a clear difference between a Jinchuriki unleashing a Tailed Beast's power and someone controlling a Tailed Beast itself.
One was raw force. The other was domination.
Even worse, no one knew the limit of Konoha's Lightning Flash. How many Tailed Beasts could be controlled at once?
If he were to deploy even one Tailed Beast alongside another in battle, the devastation would be unimaginable. Entire regions could be erased in moments.
Only the Third Tsuchikage could possibly stand against such a threat, but even he could not leave the village lightly.
If he stayed in Iwagakure, he could defend against infiltration. If he left, the village itself might be exposed to a disaster similar to what had befallen Kirigakure.
A convoy of two hundred Iwagakure ninja passed safely through the Rivas Mountains.
Fūga stood at the edge of the high ground, glancing back briefly. There was a hint of relief in his expression that no ambush had occurred.
This group was escorting a vital supply shipment, and for safety, Fūga had personally joined the operation.
Just as he prepared to issue the order to move out, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
His expression changed instantly.
Without hesitation, he performed the Body Flicker Technique and moved toward the source of the sound.
A scout summoned beast had broken through their perimeter. Moments later, a badly injured Iwagakure scout ninja was found collapsed, a deep Lightning Release wound tearing across his back.
Fūga arrived beside him. He recognized the man immediately, but the scout's life had already faded.
One of the nearby subordinates tried to report, supporting the still-warm body, but Fūga raised a hand to stop him.
The subordinate understood at once and ordered the body to be taken away. Then he followed closely as Fūga moved to a quieter location.
Once they were out of earshot, the subordinate spoke in a low voice.
"Sir, it is Konoha's forces. Led by the Yellow Flash of Konoha, Minato Namikaze. They suddenly attacked Nakai's unit."
Fūga's brows tightened.
Even if Nakai's force was only around a hundred men, they were still reinforced with sensory units. A sudden defeat like that should not have been possible.
After a moment, the subordinate hesitated before continuing.
"Sir, should we recall Kitsuchi from the Land of Grass? If we merge our forces, even if Konoha intensifies their attacks, our supply lines will be safer."
"And in our own territory, we still hold the advantage. They cannot fully exploit mobility here."
His tone carried clear unease. The earlier defeat against Hayashi had already shaken many Iwagakure ninja.
Fūga did not respond immediately.
At that moment, another scout arrived with urgent intelligence.
The report was even more alarming.
Two kilometers ahead, several hundred Konoha ninja had suddenly appeared and were advancing rapidly toward their position. A direct collision was imminent.
Leading them was once again Minato Namikaze.
At such close range, and with the convoy already exposed, retreat was no longer realistic.
Before Fūga could issue a command, another report arrived.
Minato Namikaze had suddenly vanished from the formation.
Now, the one leading the Konoha force was Senju Nawaki.
Fūga let out a short breath.
If it had been Minato, engaging would be extremely risky. But if it was only Nawaki, the situation changed completely.
Even with a numerical disadvantage, victory was not impossible.
He gave a cold laugh.
"If Minato is not here, there is nothing to fear. All units, prepare for battle. We will crush them here."
Two kilometers was nothing to ninja.
Both sides closed the distance rapidly.
Soon, hundreds of Konoha ninja appeared at the base of the hillside, while Iwagakure forces descended from above.
At the same time, jutsu erupted across the battlefield.
Fireballs streaked through the air like meteors, colliding with Earth Release barriers that shook the ground with explosive force.
Within moments, both armies clashed fully on the slope.
At the front of the Konoha formation stood Nawaki alongside the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
Fūga narrowed his eyes.
The enemy numbers were higher than expected.
Konoha had nearly six hundred ninja. Iwagakure had only two hundred.
A three to one disadvantage.
Worse, their scouting units had been placed far ahead to prevent surprises, yet this large force had still appeared two kilometers away without warning.
It was as if they had emerged out of nowhere.
There was no time to dwell on it.
In a battlefield, hesitation meant death.
Fūga drew his tachi with both hands and roared.
"Kill them."
He charged directly toward Nawaki.
Nawaki's expression lit up with fighting intent. This was exactly the kind of opponent he needed to establish his name.
He met Fūga head-on, choosing not to rely on numbers.
Kunai and tachi collided, sending cracks spidering through the ground beneath them.
Fūga smirked mid-fight.
"So you are the grandson of the First Hokage. The gap between you and the God of Shinobi is larger than I expected."
Nawaki ignored him completely and answered with a sharp spinning kick.
Fūga dodged sideways and continued.
"You think defeating Shū makes you strong enough to face me? You should have brought your teacher, Orochimaru."
He drove forward, striking Nawaki and forcing him back a few steps.
Nawaki exhaled and grinned.
"What kind of person are you to even think you're worth Orochimaru Sensei's time? Instead of worrying about me, you should be thinking about Roshi."
Fūga's expression darkened slightly.
Nawaki continued, voice casual but sharp.
"Roshi is in Konoha right now. I heard they are preparing to deploy the Four-Tails into Iwagakure territory. Maybe it is already in motion. Shouldn't you be worried about your Tsuchikage?"
Of course, it was a deliberate provocation.
Nawaki formed hand seals quickly.
A massive water dragon surged into existence and roared forward toward Fūga.
At the same time, Nawaki followed behind it, charging into the fight again.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Konoha's numerical advantage was overwhelming.
With the Ino-Shika-Cho formation supporting the frontline and the sheer difference in numbers, Iwagakure was already being pushed back.
Nawaki's grin widened.
===
Get access to the entire catalog on Patreon, where all chapters are conveniently organized into collections.
If you prefer not to pay for a monthly membership, this is a more affordable option that gives you access to the content you want.
(Buying the collection gives you access to all chapters in it.)
Search for "_Zeph" on P@treon to get started.