Chapter 218 : Offensive and defensive warfare!

After clearing the battlefield, the ninja forces, with the Uchiha at their core, swiftly regrouped. Following a brief period of mourning and a memorial service, the army advanced towards Sarutobi's location.

.....

"Hold your ground, everyone! Stand up with all you've got!"

"If you can still draw breath, rise up! Cloud shinobi charges ahead!"

At this moment, Sarutobi's Konoha forces clashed fiercely with the troops led by the second-generation Raikage, Ai. The battle was intense.

In a trench, the Cloud Ninja launched their third assault on the position held by the Konoha Ninja. Their adversaries were the elite Cloud troops under the command of the second-generation Raikage Ai, and their combat prowess was formidable.

"Boom-boom-boom!"

Kunai after kunai rained down on Konoha's trench, with a long string of explosive tags attached to the back of each kunai, causing continuous explosions!

"Watch out! Water Release, Water Formation Wall!"

A Sarutobi clan ninja hastily employed Water Release, pulling another ninja down to the ground urgently.

"Boom!"

The water burst forth, splashing onto the two of them along with mud, leaving them soaked.

"Cough cough...!"

The Sarutobi clan ninja quickly got up, while dozens of Cloud Ninjas on the opposing side, covered in lightning, charged forward with various menacing weapons!

"Counterattack! Use Wind Release to fend them off!"

Sarutobi Ninja exerted the last remnants of their chakra, stirring their Wind Release power. After forming the necessary seals, they shouted, "Wind Release: Air Bomb!"

"Wind Release: Respite!"

"Wind Release: Vacuum Slash!"

In the Konoha trench, ninja heads popped out, each using their Wind Release specialties to repel the advancing Cloud Ninja.

A powerful gust swept across the battlefield, hitting many Cloud Ninjas. Due to the nature of the jutsu, several Cloud Ninjas were lifted into the air and spat blood.

However, many Cloud Ninjas were physically resilient practitioners, using their robust bodies to endure the attack, getting up and charging once more!

"Young ones from Konoha, do you think you can defeat us with Wind Release? Come at me!"

Cloud Ninja, the leader, was robust, tearing off his wind-riddled jacket to reveal his muscular body, roaring loudly.

"Ninjas of Cloud, slaughter these Sarutobi monkeys for me!"

Electric lights flickered around Cloud shinobi as he led a group of brawny Cloud shinobi warriors forward.

"Damn!"

The face of Sarutobi's ninja turned grim. Although Cloud shinobi was merely mocking them for being thin, there was a lingering feeling that this guy was specifically targeting their clan leader, Sarutobi Hibiki...

"Go to hell, you filthy fools!"

A Konoha ninja pulled the trigger, activating the buried trap. The detonating tags' light instantly enveloped the charging Cloud Ninja!

"Kill!"

The leading Cloud shinobi was engulfed in darkness, yet he continued leading the charge unfazed. Some Cloud shinobi also pressed forward, and a few unfortunate ones were propelled high into the air by the explosive force, unsure if they would survive, with no one rushing to their aid.

"Break it down!"

Cloud shinobi, the leader, raised a massive hammer crackling with lightning, leaped high into the air. His muscles tense, an explosive force propelled the hammer down upon the earth, shattering the defense constructed by the Konoha Ninja with thunderous might.

"Not good!"

Sarutobi's lead ninja shouted a warning.

"Boom!"

In the next moment, earth and rocks scattered as the thick earth wall, seemingly impenetrable, cracked wide open under the clash of thunder attribute attacks.

"Watch out, I'll hammer you!"

Several Cloud Ninjas, leading the charge, brandished heavy weapons like large knives and axes, ruthlessly tearing through the earth escape defenses crafted by the Konoha Ninja. The destruction wreaked havoc, causing significant damage, while the remaining Cloud Ninjas defended against sporadic counterattacks.

"These beasts!"

Angry gnashing of teeth echoed among the Sarutobi ninja. They had taken significant risks, exploiting gaps left by previous Cloudin attacks to fortify defenses against the impending frontal assault.

Drawing two sharp, oddly shaped daggers infused with razor-sharp wind chakra, a Sarutobi ninja spat out a mouthful of saliva, stepping out of the trench. Coldly, they eyed Cloud shinobi, steadily advancing.

"All able-bodied brothers, charge with me against Cloud shinobi's barbarians! We must not let them break through our defenses!"

The Sarutobi ninja, normally slender, exuded a fierce aura. Narrow eyes radiated a determined light, giving off an intense, explosive vibe.

However, after repeated Cloud shinobi attacks, only a handful of Konoha ninjas remained in this position. Sparsely standing, a somewhat ragtag lineup faced the brawny Cloud shinobi.

The Sarutobi clan, a formidable family during the Warring States Period, was known for their versatility. Each clan head mastered chakra ninjutsu with five attribute changes, and many clan members excelled in multiple attributes and compound ninjutsu. Despite their achievements in taijutsu, they faced formidable opponents this time.

Lightning, the most violent of the five basic chakra attributes, not only increased attack power but also speed. In the Land of Thunder, many cloud ninjas relied on Lightning chakra to train their bodies, resulting in exceptional physical fitness, compensating for defensive shortcomings.

The Cloud troop surpassed the golden horn and silver horn troops, boasting formidable combat effectiveness.

"Damn it, if only the Shimura clan ninjas were here!"

The Sarutobi ninja, watching sporadic Cloud ninjas ninjutsu break through earth escape defenses, grimaced. Although proficient in a variety of ninjutsu, their breadth of expertise carried the risk of being spread thin.

Cloud Ninja, on the other hand, specialized in Lightning Release, even more so than the Fire Release-loving Uchiha. Overcoming them with their own wind techniques proved difficult.

Shimura, the most accomplished Konoha clan with Wind Release, had joined Tobirama-sama in dealing with the golden horn and silver horn. The battle situation there should be more favorable.

"Cloud shinobi's barbarians, don't get cocky!"

The Sarutobi ninja roared angrily, organizing the remaining ninjas to prepare for a desperate hand-to-hand battle. Their chakra reserves were running low.

"Yukimura-kun, we're here to support!"

Just as they prepared to charge, a shout came from behind, and a group of Konoha reinforcements arrived just in time.

"Fantastic! Hit them hard, drive these muscle-headed fools back to their hometown!"

Seeing the reinforcements, the Sarutobi ninja's morale surged, triumphantly shouting, while the approaching Cloud Ninja turned grim.

"Damn it, not now!"

Cloud shinobi, leading the charge, gritted his teeth. "The defense line finally has a hole. Continue the charge!"

Refusing to let the charge falter, Cloud shinobi roared, pushing forward.

"Hehe, you savages are nothing but brutes! Brutes, what a disgrace!"

The supporting Konoha ninjas unleashed their ninjutsu, combining earth and water to create a magma-like attack that engulfed the charging Cloudin.

"What—!"

The Thunder armor many Cloud Ninjas used for protection proved insufficient. Their flesh and blood couldn't withstand the powerful ninjutsu, and they finally retreated, leaving behind fallen comrades.

"Pursue them and teach them a lesson!"

Sarutobi Ninja burst into laughter, and the supporting ninjas launched a countercharge.

The battle raged on. Cloud Ninja and Konoha Ninja clashed fiercely at each line of defense, while Sarutobi Hiruzen and Second Raikage Ai faced off with neither side gaining the upper hand.

********

Support me on my patreon and read upto 30 early chapters.

https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer