The next day,
Sakumo Hatake carefully packed his short blade and meticulously checked his ninja equipment.
Especially the ten thousand Explosive Tags, thirty bottles of poison specially prepared by Aburame Shibi, twenty bottles of poison made by Orochimaru, one bottle of salamander poison branded by Hanzō, one bottle of poison from Sand Village's Chiyo, and various other scattered but vicious items.
"Ah… young people really are young. Otherwise, I would never have imagined that war could be fought like this."
"Sakumo Hatake, what are you hesitating for? Your students have already staked their lives on this."
Sakumo Hatake suddenly slapped himself hard across the face and steeled his resolve.
Although he didn't want to do this, what choice did he have? In direct combat, he truly couldn't match the Third Raikage.
Looks like he'll have to train harder when he gets back.
...
In the operations room, Nara Shikaku saw his clan uncle, his father, along with Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza and their elders.
He had a lot he wanted to say, but the words simply wouldn't come out.
The Nara clan head looked at the hesitant Shikaku.
"Shikaku, since you've made your decision, don't back down. None of us will blame you."
Inoichi and Chōza stepped beside Shikaku and placed their hands on his shoulders.
"Inoichi… Chōza…"
"Shikaku, I've always believed in you."
"Yeah, Shikaku. Me too."
Behind them stood the clan heads of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi families, all wearing warm smiles.
If they could return alive this time, then it meant they had successfully cultivated the finest heirs possible.
The other members of the three clans watched this scene with happiness as well. If they survived this battle, they would have a leader with a truly promising future.
Since the Warring States era, an unspoken rule had always been passed down:
The head of the Nara clan would be the most outstanding member of that generation. Only the best could shoulder the burden of the Ino–Shika–Chō alliance.
The heads of the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans would then be the Pig–Deer–Butterfly teammates of the Nara clan head.
On the surface, it sounded extremely unfair to the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans.
Yet this seemingly unfair rule had always been quietly followed by the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi families.
Some clan members had opposed the system and left the clan territory to forge their own paths. But anyone who wished to develop within the clan had to accept this rule.
Unfair and unequal—yet understood without words and silently upheld.
Perhaps that was why, in the entire ninja world, there was only one true Ino–Shika–Chō alliance.
...
Senju Hideki lay on the grass outside, staring at the sky that was slowly beginning to brighten.
Shiken… was this your plan too?
No… probably not. You may be crazy, but you've always treated the four of us especially well.
A plan like this—if I were involved—you wouldn't have made it.
So this must be Shikaku's doing.
Ruthless. A ninety-nine percent success rate… but that remaining one percent meant total annihilation.
Still… how did those martyrs in my previous life charge into situations where survival was nearly impossible? No—where survival was absolutely impossible?
Ah, whatever.
At worst, I'll just die.
Though I do wonder… if I die, would I qualify to be summoned with Edo Tensei?
"Hideki! The assembly's about to start—hurry up!"
"Yeah! We're still waiting for the Senju-sama to lead us!"
Shinku Yuhi, Mitarashi Shishō, Gan Kurama, Tōru Gekko, and other leaders of smaller ninja clans had all come looking for Senju Hideki.
"Yeah… thinking about complicated things really doesn't suit me. Hiyasu was right. When there's someone as smart as Shikaku around, why should I bother using my brain?"
"Alright, alright. Time to head to the battlefield."
Hideki returned and put on the Senju clan's battle armor.
For small missions and everyday operations, the tactical vest Kamito gave him was far more convenient.
But in large-scale battles like this, the traditional clan armor sent by the elders was much better. It covered more of the body, was sturdier, and could withstand several extra hits.
Most importantly—it looked impressive.
And it carried the pride of the clan.
Hideki reached back and touched the Senju clan crest on his armor.
The Senju clan… still exists.
If I die, then I die.
Chatting in the Pure Land afterward might not be so bad either.
...
On the bleak battlefield, the Cloud Village shinobi stood tightly lined up at the front.
For some reason, they all felt that the Konoha forces today were different.
There was a kind of unusual resolve about them.
The chief commander Dodai noticed the stark difference in the Konoha army and immediately went to see the Third Raikage.
"Raikage-sama, Konoha probably can't hold on much longer. Today looks like it will decide the war in a single battle. Raikage-sama, all of us commanders ask one thing of you—this time, do not protect our lives."
"Sakumo Hatake's ability in frontal combat absolutely cannot compare to yours. We've already prepared ourselves for total sacrifice in this battle."
"The village will not fall into ruin just because certain people are gone. As long as its leaders are wise, the village will only grow stronger with time."
Dodai bowed deeply as he made the request.
They could not allow their existence to restrain the village's greatest weapon.
"Dodai…"
The Third Raikage looked at the resolute man before him. He knew that the best thing he could do now… was respect their decision.
"You will become heroes of the Cloud Village. The descendants of the Cloud Village will remember you for generations."
"It doesn't matter. Most of us were children the Cloud Village seized from elsewhere when we were young. We've faced plenty of discrimination in the village."
"But Raikage-sama, you always treated us equally, without prejudice."
"To die for the Cloud Village… we wouldn't want that."
"But to die for you, Raikage-sama—that would be a death without regret."
Dodai spoke with deep sincerity, and the other commanders behind him all nodded in agreement.
"I… hmph. I will remember each of you…"
The Third Raikage suppressed his emotions and began reciting their names one by one.
Every ninja whose name was called proudly straightened their chest.
As if this were the most glorious moment of their lives.
That was the power of a hero.
A flawless and courageous hero often gained influence that surpassed even the collective itself.
Many people feel little connection to the historical glory of a group.
But the hero standing before them—his deeds, his character, the time spent together…
Even if those moments meant little to the hero himself, to others they were treasures more precious than life itself.
Those with faith devote themselves to their beliefs.
Those without faith imitate their heroes.
I don't know whether that's right or wrong.
But it brings me a little closer to my hero.
When someone is willing to abandon their life for the collective, who can truly say whether they're doing it for the group… or for a particular person within it?
...
After a year of war and reinforcements, the Cloud Village now had nearly six thousand shinobi on the battlefield.
Konoha originally deployed three thousand. After a year of casualties and reinforcements—along with the arrival of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans and the smaller clans led by Senju Hideki—their forces had grown to about five thousand five hundred.
The difference in numbers between the two sides was not large.
Both armies still had the strength to fight one decisive battle.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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