Chapter 54: 54. The Battle Begins
Orochimaru and Jiraiya had taken action.
The two moved swiftly toward Tanigakure Village, their destination clear.
As members of the Sannin—legendary ninja renowned throughout the shinobi world for their combat prowess—they effortlessly evaded the guards of the Kumogakure shinobi, infiltrating Yugakure Village with ease.
According to the information provided by Konoha's sensory ninja, Orochimaru and Jiraiya arrived at the location with the densest concentration of Kumogakure shinobi.
Now, the two stood on the roof of a building, assessing the situation below.
With his usual enthusiasm, Jiraiya grinned and called to Orochimaru, "Let's get started, Orochimaru!"
Biting his thumb to draw blood, Jiraiya smeared it across his palm and began forming hand seals for the Summoning Technique.
Orochimaru followed suit, moving with calm precision as he prepared the same jutsu.
In unison, the two pressed their bloodied palms to the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
With a pair of loud bangs, two massive clouds of smoke enveloped the rooftop where the Sannin had stood.
As the smoke dissipated, the building beneath them crumbled under the weight of two colossal Summoning Beasts: Manda, the giant serpent of Ryūchi Cave, and Gamabunta, the toad boss of Mount Myōboku.
Gamabunta took a drag from his pipe, exhaling a thick puff of smoke as he cast a displeased glance at the massive snake beside him. "Jiraiya, how many times have I told you? Don't summon me when that disgusting snake is around!"
Jiraiya chuckled, offering a sheepish smile. "C'mon, Gamabunta. This fight's too important to get caught up in petty stuff like that. Let's focus."
Manda's slit-pupiled eyes narrowed as he hissed in disdain, addressing Orochimaru. "Orochimaru, why did you summon me? Don't tell me you expect me to waste my time dealing with that filthy toad! If that's the case, don't even bother with the sacrifice this time."
Orochimaru's expression remained cold as he replied, "Manda, everyone here is your sacrifice."
"Hmph!" Manda flicked his tongue in irritation but understood there was no chance of eating Gamabunta. Instead, he eyed the battlefield hungrily, eager to satisfy his appetite in other ways.
The commotion caused by their summoning had already drawn the attention of both Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi. A growing number of enemy ninjas began to converge on their location.
"It's Orochimaru of the Sannin! Why is he here in Yu no Kuni?!"
"They're targeting Tangyin Village!"
"All units, prepare for battle!"
The combined forces of Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi charged toward Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Gamabunta unsheathed the enormous short blade from his waist and swung it in a wide arc. The blade's massive slash cut through numerous shinobi with a single stroke.
Not to be outdone, Manda whipped his tail with ferocious force, sending waves of enemy ninjas flying like ragdolls.
On the battlefield, the two colossal Summoning Beasts were unstoppable. Gamabunta's agility belied his size, allowing him to leap high into the air, dodging most ninjutsu effortlessly. Meanwhile, Manda's thick, armoured scales rendered ordinary attacks useless, shrugging off most offensive techniques.
As the beasts wreaked havoc, Orochimaru and Jiraiya leapt to the ground, giving their Summons the space to fight freely.
Orochimaru swiftly formed hand seals, crouching low to the ground before opening his mouth wide.
"Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!"
A torrent of snakes erupted from Orochimaru's mouth, surging forward in waves to attack the Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi. The serpents found their targets with precision, sinking their fangs into enemy ninjas and leaving chaos in their wake.
At the same time, Jiraiya finished forming his own seals...
"Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo!"
Jiraiya hardened his long silver hair, wrapping it tightly around his body like an impenetrable cocoon.
"Needle Hell!"
With a shout, Jiraiya's hardened hair shot out in all directions like thousands of needles, piercing through the surrounding enemy shinobi and instantly incapacitating a large number of Kumogakure and Yugakure ninjas.
The surprise attack led by Orochimaru and Jiraiya had begun with great success, claiming the lives of many Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi in an instant.
However, as the enemies began to regroup and recover from the initial shock, they devised countermeasures.
Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi sought cover, using the terrain to evade the wide-range attacks unleashed by Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and their colossal Summoning Beasts. The commanders on the field quickly organized the scattered forces, directing them to fight more strategically.
With the enemy adapting to their tactics, Orochimaru and Jiraiya found it increasingly difficult to inflict heavy casualties as they had at the start of the battle.
Outside Tangyin Village.
A group of Konoha shinobi observed from the outskirts of the battlefield. After noticing that the Kumogakure forces stationed on the edge of Yugakure had moved into the village for reinforcements, they seized the opportunity to act.
At the forefront of the group, Namikaze Minato and Sora took the lead, charging into the village with remarkable speed. The rest of the Konoha shinobi followed closely behind.
Upon entering Tanigakure Village, the Konoha shinobi began to execute their battle plan.
Those adept in Earth Release took their positions and formed hand seals.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
In unison, the Earth Release users pressed their hands to the ground, causing walls of stone to erupt across the battlefield. These barriers divided the enemy forces, preventing Kumogakure and Yugakure shinobi from regrouping effectively.
Next, the Water Release users stepped forward, forming their own hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Wave!"
A torrent of water erupted from their mouths, surging toward the divided enemy forces.
The Earth Release and Water Release users combined their jutsu into a devastating assault.
"Earth Release: Rock Crash!"
The Earth Release users infused the ground with chakra, breaking apart rocks and merging them with the water to create a massive mudslide. The surge of mud swept through the battlefield, trapping countless Kumogakure and Yugakure ninjas in its wake.
As the mudslide immobilized the enemy, the Fire Release and Wind Release users prepared their next attack.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The combined power of wind and fire created a blazing inferno that swept across the battlefield. The scorching winds consumed any shinobi trapped in the mudslide, leaving nothing but devastation in their path.
In the front lines, Fire Release users continued to unleash a barrage of Great Fireballs, pushing the enemy forces back step by step. Meanwhile, Earth and Water Release users, having completed their initial tasks, joined the main battle.
The Lightning Release shinobi, leveraging their superior speed, darted across the battlefield, coordinating with their allies while picking off isolated enemy ninjas.
Under Orochimaru's command, the coordinated assault was a resounding success. In mere moments, chaos engulfed Tanigakure Village.
However, despite their initial progress, the Konoha shinobi faced a daunting challenge. The sheer number of enemy ninjas in Yugakure was overwhelming. Under the direction of their commanders, Kumogakure and Yugakure forces began to fight back in an organized and methodical manner.
Inside Tanigakure Village.
Amid the chaos, Sora and Namikaze Minato initiated their mission. Their target: the enemy commanders.
Sora's method of identifying commanders was brutally efficient.
Using his Sharingan's exceptional dynamic vision, Sora scanned the battlefield, observing the facial expressions and movements of distant ninjas. He focused on those who appeared to be giving orders, identifying anyone who spoke the most as a likely commander.
"Breath of Thunder: First Form—Thunderbolt Flash, Sixth Strike!"
Sora became a blur of roaring thunder, his body surrounded by crackling lightning as he darted across the battlefield. Using the terrain to his advantage, he shifted directions multiple times, striking unpredictably.
Wherever Sora passed, enemy ninjas fell. Those caught in his path were either paralyzed by the searing lightning or knocked away with bone-crushing force.
Upon reaching his target, Sora's blade flashed. His ninja sword was unsheathed in an instant, and the commander fell before he even had a chance to react.
With his target eliminated, Sora immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to retreat.
Unbeknownst to the enemy, Sora had placed several explosive tags on the body of the fallen commander. Moments after he disappeared, the tags detonated, unleashing a powerful explosion that killed or severely injured the nearby shinobi.
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