Unlike a duel between two shinobi, a large-scale clash is a brutal affair. Without pre-laid traps or elaborate schemes, there is no room for vanity.
It is a simple collision of raw power.
In this chaos, there is no such thing as "fair play." Jonin against Jonin? Chunin against Chunin? Such order does not exist on a battlefield of this scale.
Yet, the Third Hokage was the first to charge.
His unstoppable momentum sent a surge of morale through the Leaf's main force. Traditionally, a Hokage should remain in the rear, commanding the grand design of the war. They are not meant to risk their lives unless absolutely necessary.
But the feeling of a commander hiding in the back is worlds apart from a leader fighting at the vanguard.
The Hokage had not only arrived; he stood at the very edge of the blade. Perhaps he understood a fundamental truth: for humans to truly love one another, they must first hurt one another.
They must hurt each other deeply.
Konoha possessed a perfect system for field command, and the Hokage knew he was but one man in that machine. Yet, as a part of the Leaf, his presence amplified their combat power a hundredfold.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was a Leaf shinobi first, and the Third Hokage second.
He sprinted toward the enemy lines with reckless abandon. By his side, he had one guard, and one guard only: Minato Namikaze.
Today, the "Yellow Flash" was content to play the supporting role. It was a matter of necessity—when the Third Hokage shifted into high gear, Minato was the only one among the Konoha ranks who could keep pace without breaking a sweat.
While Minato's primary mission was protection rather than slaughter, it did not hinder their efficiency.
The Hokage himself was a high-speed engine of war.
As the faces of the enemy became clear, Hiruzen's fingers blurred into a sequence of hand signs.
Earth Style: Earth Flow River!
The ground instantly softened, turning into a churning, swampy mire. The earth itself seemed to go mad, swallowing the unsuspecting Sand Shinobi whole in a single breath. Their formation was shattered before the first blade even clashed.
But Hiruzen was far from finished.
He took a deep breath and exhaled with mountain-crushing force. Earth-natured chakra coalesced into a towering wall.
Earth Style: Mud Wall!
This served a dual purpose: it acted as a dam to prevent his own jutsu from sweeping back toward his allies, and it created a high vantage point—a stage for his next act.
Snap. A single seal.
Forbidden Jutsu: Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.
Four clones materialized instantly. They leaped onto the mud wall ahead of the original, looking down upon the panicked Sand Shinobi like gods of calamity.
The symphony began:
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet!"
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
The trademark of the Third Hokage was his mastery of elemental synergy. Two clones synchronized their movements, weaving their chakra into a devastating harmony.
Combined Art: Earth-Fire Flowing Bullet!
This was the pinnacle of elemental coordination—one plus one resulting in a power far greater than two. The range and destructive force eclipsed the individual dragon bullets, turning the front lines of the Sand into a charred, unrecognizable wasteland.
As the first wave of devastation cleared, the original Hiruzen leaped onto the wall. With five bodies—himself and four clones—he possessed perfect mastery over all five elements.
The Sand Shinobi in the immediate vicinity were already broken. His gaze shifted further back, seeking a target for a strike of absolute annihilation.
Five Elements: Great Combo Jutsu!
At the peak of his power, Hiruzen's chakra quality and quantity were peerless. The balance of the five elements was effortless for him. In terms of raw scale and lethality, this composite ultimate surpassed even Jiraiya's forbidden Sage Art: "Bath of Boiling Oil."
The Hokage's opening gambit was a steamroller. The Sand was left reeling, their lines buckling under the sheer weight of his "combo meal."
"Now!"
A flood of Konoha shinobi surged past the Hokage, pouring into the cracks he had ripped open in the Sand's defense.
The battlefield became a chaotic melee. Large-scale ninjutsu were no longer viable with allies and enemies intermingled. Hiruzen dispelled his clones and bit his thumb.
Summoning Jutsu!
In a puff of smoke appeared the legendary Monkey King: Enma. It was said this creature had once fought the Second Hokage to a standstill, possessing an "Adamantine Body" that earned him the title of the strongest summoned beast.
From Uchiha Ui's perspective high above, the Hokage had summoned a white-haired monkey that instantly transformed into a staff—the Adamantine Nyoi.
Hiruzen gripped the staff. It was thick and heavy, but he swung it with the grace of a dancer. With a flourish, he leaped from the mud wall and plunged into the heart of the enemy.
Science might suggest that any primate with a tail and a stick is a force to be reckoned with. Hiruzen didn't have a tail, but his name was Sarutobi—"Monkey Jump."
His taijutsu was a masterclass in brutality. Combined with a staff that could extend and thicken at will, he became a whirlwind of death. Wherever he charged, a crimson flower of blood bloomed in his wake.
He was the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
Occasionally, a stray enemy would attempt a desperate ambush on the Hokage's blind spot.
They forgot one thing: The Yellow Flash was still there.
Minato Namikaze acted as the perfect "green leaf" to Hiruzen's blossom. But if anyone took that to mean he was harmless, they paid for that delusion with their lives.
With Minato handling the defense, the Hokage poured every ounce of his will into the slaughter. Together, these two Kage-level powerhouses were nothing short of a meat grinder.
Unless the Sand could find a way to halt this duo, the battle would shift from a contest to a massacre.
High above, Ui's surveillance caught a new movement. He banked his bird sharply, racing back toward the Konoha command center to deliver his report.
"New movement from the Sand! Enemy HQ identified—five kilometers dead ahead!"
His voice crackled with urgency.
"The Sand Command is moving forward. It's the Kazekage! The Kazekage is taking the field! Alert the Third Hokage immediately!"