The besieged cloud ninja

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**In the territory of the Land of Earth, Namikaze Minato had yet to receive any word since his departure. Before he left, Orochimaru had warned him that the enemy would likely follow the Raikage and advised against getting too close.**

With no imminent threat blocking their way, their mission was to outflank the Kumo-nin in the central region.

For the sake of the mission's success, Minato kept a safe distance, relying on reports from his scouts to make his judgments rather than following too closely.

"Minato-sama, they've stopped and split into the mountains," one of his scouts reported.

Minato thought for a moment. The mountainous area would likely be the battlefield.

"You all stay here. I'll go disrupt them myself."

In a blur of movement, Minato raced ahead. Based on the information from his scout, he spotted a group of black-clad figures in the distance. The Kumo-nin were now deep in the mountains.

Minato chose a detour, climbing higher until he could see the Kumo ninja moving in waves, weary and wounded. Their combat abilities had clearly diminished.

At that moment, the Raikage appeared on the outskirts, gathering the second wave of reinforcements.

Perched on a high ledge, Muzan caught a glimpse of golden hair amidst the rugged terrain. At the same time, Kitsuchi noticed Minato's sudden appearance and gasped. It was unmistakably the Yellow Flash of Konoha.

Minato's presence meant that the Konoha reinforcements weren't far behind. His speed was legendary—like a ghost in the battlefield. No one could predict where he might strike next.

"When they reach the valley, that's when we'll attack," Minato muttered to himself.

As the Raikage and his men entered the mountainous area, the ground shook violently beneath them.

**"Boom! Boom! Boom!"**

Explosions triggered a landslide, trapping the Kumo-nin. Fire and smoke filled the area, cutting off their escape.

"No! That damned Onoki betrayed me!" the Raikage roared.

"Everyone, stay alert!" he bellowed.

Before they could react, a fierce wind tore through the air. The Kumo-nin, having the high ground, watched as the gust cleared the smoke, revealing Konoha and Iwa forces approaching. Even the Raikage couldn't hide his shock.

"Raikage!" Muzan called out, "As the instigator of this war, you're not getting away!"

For the Kumo ninja trapped in the valley, a massacre was about to begin.

**"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"**

Jagged spikes erupted from the ground, but Raikage was unfazed. His chakra-enhanced body cut through the spears like they were nothing, his skin as tough as steel.

However, the ninjas behind him weren't so lucky and had to use various jutsu to block the attacks. The entire valley was bombarded by ninjutsu from both sides.

Konoha's shinobi, following Muzan's orders, avoided direct confrontation with the Kumo-nin. Instead, they unleashed a torrent of water-style techniques, creating a river that filled the valley below. The rear exit was blocked by fallen rocks and earth, and as the water level rose, the ground turned into thick mud.

The Kumo-nin were in disarray. Kumo's shinobi, known for their ninjutsu and taijutsu combinations, found themselves bogged down, their strength diminished by the terrain.

"Damn it! I'm sinking!" one of them shouted.

"We need to use Earth Release! Raise the ground!" another suggested.

It was a sound strategy, but they had forgotten that the Iwa-nin were masters of Earth Release. And in this terrain, Kumo's strength was severely limited.

"This isn't working," the Raikage growled, glancing at the forces above. His immense power could easily break through alone, but his focus was on his team.

"Hold on!" he ordered.

**"Lightning Release: Chakra Mode!"**

A surge of black lightning enveloped the Raikage, his body crackling with raw power. He charged forward, blasting through the rocks with ease. His strength was akin to that of a tailed beast.

"Muzan was right… this man's a monster," Kitsuchi muttered, watching the Raikage wreak havoc.

Despite the Raikage's terrifying power, Muzan wasn't eager to meet him head-on. Earth-style walls rose to block the Raikage's path, but they shattered as quickly as they formed under his might.

"This guy…" Kitsuchi murmured as he saw the Raikage rapidly closing the distance. When he turned to check on Muzan, he realized Muzan had vanished.

"Damn it!" Kitsuchi cursed.

The plan to have Muzan hold off the Raikage had failed. The Raikage was simply too fast.

Moments later, a black flash of lightning split a massive boulder below, creating a shockwave through the battlefield. Kitsuchi realized that a direct confrontation with the Raikage would be suicidal.

At least the Raikage wasn't using large-scale attacks; otherwise, their situation would be far worse.

"Fighting him head-on is suicide," Muzan muttered, retreating to reassess the situation. "Even Orochimaru-sensei said he couldn't handle him…"

Muzan knew that only the Rasengan had a chance to break through the Raikage's defense. But using it meant getting close enough to strike—a gamble with potentially fatal consequences.

"I'll have to be careful," Muzan whispered to himself.

For Muzan, killing the Raikage wasn't worth the risk. This was Iwagakure's battlefield, not Konoha's. For now, the best strategy was to delay the Raikage, even if it meant giving the Kumo-nin time to recover.

As the explosions continued, the Kumo reinforcements were struggling to break through the changing terrain. Each new landslide altered the landscape, preventing them from reaching their comrades in the valley.

From the higher ground, Konoha's forces, led by Namikaze Minato, closed in on the Kumo-nin who had crossed into the Land of Earth.

When Minato heard the explosions below, he knew it was time to join the fray.

The Raikage was wreaking havoc, and no technique seemed able to stop him. Minato knew there was only one way to take him down—but it would require impeccable timing and precision.

"I'm coming," Minato said, readying himself for the battle ahead.

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