The two armies collided without any warning or theatrics.
There was no verbal sparring, no commanders sending out elite shinobi for dramatic pre-battle duels. Konoha and Iwagakure simply advanced and struck the moment contact was made.
The battlefield was flat and open, ideal terrain for large scale shinobi warfare. It was also the kind of place where death came quickly, and in overwhelming numbers.
At the very front of Konoha's formation was its sharpest blade, Sakumo Hatake.
He drew his white chakra blade in a single motion. The light reflected off its edge like a flash of silver, and in the same instant, hundreds of Konoha shinobi raised their kunai.
A deafening roar spread across the battlefield.
The distance between both armies was roughly fifty meters. Konoha's front line moved like a surging tide, releasing a dense rain of kunai that darkened the sky.
Normally, this would be followed by large scale ninjutsu exchanges as both sides closed in.
But something unusual happened on the Iwagakure side.
Hidden within the overwhelming rain of kunai were dozens of smaller, faster projectiles. Their speed and precision were far beyond standard throws, making them nearly impossible to distinguish in the chaos.
Hayashi's hands snapped into the final seal, the Tiger seal.
Multiple Shadow Shuriken Technique.
Thousands of kunai suddenly multiplied in midair, scattering into the Iwagakure formation like a breaking storm.
Hayashi's intent was not direct lethality. His objective was disruption.
The next moment, his body vanished.
He reappeared instantly in the center of the Iwagakure army.
In his hand was a kunai engraved with a strange inscription that read, The Great Sage Equaling Heaven was here.
Without hesitation, he formed another set of hand seals.
Summoning Technique.
A massive figure crashed onto the battlefield in an instant.
Shukaku.
Its enormous body landed with a violent impact, instantly crushing multiple enemy formations beneath its weight. The battlefield, already chaotic, tilted further into destruction.
Lives disappeared in waves beneath the overwhelming presence of the One Tail.
Hayashi did not pause.
He shifted again using the Flying Thunder God Technique, reappearing at another marked kunai point.
At that exact moment, a deep voice echoed from the sky.
Dust Release, Atomic Dismantling Jutsu.
A white conical barrier formed where Hayashi had stood moments earlier, erasing everything within its range.
Hayashi had already moved.
Shukaku, however, was not fully spared. One of its massive arms was caught in the edge of the technique and was partially disintegrated.
The beast roared in pain as sand reformed to restore its limb.
This was exactly why Hayashi had changed his approach.
He had learned from earlier engagements. Against opponents like Iwagakure, repeating the same tactic was dangerous.
They adapted quickly.
Ōnoki was already waiting.
Hayashi's gaze sharpened as he continued moving between marked positions. Shukaku's presence alone was tearing through enemy ranks, but the real danger was the Tsuchikage himself.
Ōnoki floated above the battlefield, his expression tightening.
"Forward. Engage Konoha's forces directly," he ordered.
Iwagakure shinobi surged ahead in response.
The moment both armies fully collided, Shukaku's wide area attacks would become more restricted. Even its allies could be caught in the devastation.
The battlefield compressed rapidly as both forces locked into close combat.
In a short span of time, more than three hundred Iwagakure shinobi had already fallen under Shukaku's rampage before even reaching Konoha's main line.
Ōnoki clicked his tongue.
His Dust Release was lethal, but it required precision. Hayashi's constant teleportation and Shukaku's unpredictable movement made it difficult to land a clean hit.
A full scale Atomic Dismantling Technique would be required to suppress Shukaku completely, but that option was too costly.
That technique had been reserved for higher priority threats like Susanoo level defenses. Using it now would drain far too much chakra.
And worse, there were strategic consequences. If the One Tail was eliminated here, it would shift the balance of power in ways even Iwagakure could not afford.
Ōnoki's expression darkened slightly.
"Stone Golem Formation," he ordered.
The ground trembled.
A massive stone construct rose from the earth, forming a towering giant of rock and reinforced earth.
Ōnoki stepped onto its shoulder and moved forward, each step shaking the battlefield.
Hayashi stood atop Shukaku, observing the shift in enemy strategy.
Shukaku raised massive quantities of sand, compressing it into a gigantic spear and hurling it forward.
The Stone Golem responded immediately.
It brought both arms together and struck downward with immense force.
Weighted Rock Fist.
The impact collided with Shukaku's attack midair.
A deafening explosion of force erupted across the battlefield. The surrounding ground fractured instantly, collapsing into a dense web of cracks.
Shukaku's spear was stopped completely, while the Stone Golem's fists slammed into its head with overwhelming force.
The One Tail was driven deep into the ground.
Even so, it continued resisting, sand shifting and reforming as it attempted to recover.
From a distance, Nawaki, who was cutting through enemy shinobi while carrying Samehada, glanced over briefly and twitched his mouth.
That looked painful.
Shukaku roared in frustration as repeated strikes hammered its head, each blow driving it further into the earth.
Hayashi had already disengaged from direct control of Shukaku.
He clicked his tongue lightly.
"Even within tailed beasts, there's still a difference in durability."
He formed another set of seals.
Sage Art, Inorganic Reincarnation, Sand Binding Eternal Funeral.
Countless sand arms erupted from Shukaku's body, wrapping around the Stone Golem and binding it tightly.
Hayashi vanished again.
Sage Art, Strength of a Hundred Seal.
He reappeared behind the Stone Golem and struck.
The punch landed with terrifying force.
Even a structure comparable to Madara's Susanoo would crack under such impact. The Stone Golem shattered instantly.
Ōnoki leapt away into the air before the destruction fully reached him.
Hayashi seized the broken remains of the golem, gripping one massive limb with both hands. With a full rotation of his body, he hurled it upward.
Ōnoki dodged sideways, but the sheer mass still forced destruction across the battlefield as it crashed down, crushing both terrain and scattered shinobi beneath it.
In the distance, Nawaki paused for a split second before continuing his advance.
Even he had to admit, that was brutal.
The battle escalated further.
Hayashi continued using the shattered remains of the Stone Golem as projectiles, launching them repeatedly toward Ōnoki in midair.
Ōnoki raised his hands, preparing another Dust Release technique.
But before he could release it, a sudden flash of light pierced through the battlefield and erased the incoming debris midair.
A new presence descended from above like a streak of black lightning.
A voice followed shortly after.
"Am I late?"
Ōnoki gave a faint smile.
"Perfect timing."
The figure surrounded by crackling black lightning turned his gaze toward Hayashi.
===
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