Chapter 51: The Flames of War

As the two armies faced off, the shinobi were no longer just shinobi; they were no longer engaging in assassinations and ambushes. This was a battle of true power.

A swift wind swept across the battlefield, where desolation had once lingered on this barren land. Now, the scent of life filled the air. Years from now, perhaps this lifeless soil would be covered with green grass, nourished by the blood spilled here.

There were no unnecessary words exchanged; the war began abruptly and decisively. A loud puff of white smoke rose from the ranks of Konoha's forces as they summoned several giant animals, including the signature slug and Manda. The Iwa ninjas were not to be outdone and summoned several giant creatures resembling lizards.

Whoosh!

A fierce wind blew in from a distance, bringing with it a sandstorm that swept across the battlefield, obscuring the sky and earth. It was like a yellow dragon penetrating the boundary between the two armies. In the midst of this haze, shouts and cries of "kill" and "charge" reverberated through the sandstorm. Thus, the war began with the first direct clash of blades.

Countless figures leaped into the air, diving into the swirling sandstorm. Various elemental jutsu unleashed their terrifying power, and within seconds, the battlefield was filled with the dying screams of the fallen—one after another, like the relentless waves of the ocean, seemingly never-ending.

In the face of large-scale warfare, life seemed terrifyingly small.

In the chaos of battle, at any moment, a kunai could be stabbed into your back, or you could be engulfed by a jutsu.

Standing atop Manda's head, Orochimaru coldly observed the fight through the swirling sands.

Watching the continuous fall of both Konoha and Iwa ninjas, Manda's cold snake eyes were filled with disdain. It spoke with a chilling tone: "If I have to crush through the battlefield, I won't be choosing my targets."

In other words, Manda would not distinguish between friend and foe once it entered the fray.

The slug beside Manda glanced at it with displeasure. As an old acquaintance, the slug had always disliked the coldness of Manda and Orochimaru.

Orochimaru, well aware of Manda's personality, gazed at the battlefield and calmly said, "Your task is to keep their summoned creatures occupied."

As soon as he finished speaking, Orochimaru leaped down from Manda's head.

Manda gave him a glance and sneered coldly, "No problem. Watch me swallow them whole!"

With a slither, Manda began to move, its massive body snaking through the battlefield like an earthquake, leaving a deep trench in its wake.

Standing on the slug's back, Tsunade shouted to Orochimaru, "I'll focus on healing from the rear. The front lines are in your hands!"

Orochimaru looked up at Tsunade with a blank expression and gave a slight nod before heading into the fray.

As Orochimaru entered the battlefield, Tsunade formed a hand seal and said, "I'm counting on you, slug."

"Of course, Lady Tsunade!" the slug responded gently.

In the first minute after the battle began, over a hundred bodies had already fallen on the barren soil. The initial assault was always fierce, meant to establish momentum, and then to gradually overwhelm the enemy.

Orochimaru, now deep in the battle, fought alongside many elite jonin, forming a spearhead that pierced deep into the enemy's densely packed ranks. The Iwa ninjas mirrored this tactic.

"Summoning Technique: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

From Orochimaru's wrist, colorful venomous snakes shot out, killing two Iwa ninjas. His eyes swept across the battlefield, noting that Konoha wasn't under as much pressure as expected. It seemed that the enemy forces were not as strong as the intelligence had suggested.

Orochimaru wasn't the only one who noticed this. Several other strategic jonin also realized something was amiss.

Shikaku knelt on one knee, forming the ram seal with his hands. Ten shadows slithered out from beneath him like snakes, intertwining with the enemy, aided by the Yamanaka clan's genjutsu. In an instant, they successfully restrained over a dozen Iwa ninjas.

"Good job, Shikaku, Inoichi." As the shadows bound the Iwa ninjas, Akimichi Chōza swung his giant, chakra-augmented fist, crushing those bound in a single blow.

Though this coordinated attack eliminated over a dozen Iwa ninjas, Shikaku's brow furrowed slightly. He found little joy in the success, as a troubling thought had entered his mind.

"With this kind of enemy strength... could it be that they have another plan? No, wait, a hidden force would make no sense. Then what could it be? Unless... Damn." Shikaku's thoughts raced, leading him to suspect that the real danger might lie in the rear lines. If the enemy's front-line forces were weaker, it could mean they had concentrated their strength in a different area.

"Inoichi, connect me to Orochimaru." Shikaku said with growing urgency.

"Understood." Inoichi responded, though puzzled, immediately establishing a telepathic link with Orochimaru.

Once connected, Shikaku quickly relayed his suspicions to Orochimaru, whose expression darkened. After a few moments of contemplation, Orochimaru decisively rejected Shikaku's suggestion.

The enemy had made a critical mistake. With their forces evenly matched, Konoha's superior combat skills gave them an edge. In this situation, the best strategy was to inflict as much damage as possible now, ensuring Konoha's dominance in subsequent battles. Even if the rear guard suffered heavy losses, it was a sacrifice worth making.

Orochimaru was solely focused on winning this war. He had no sentimentality, even if it meant sacrificing the rear guard, including Ye Zi. Even if he knew the enemy's target was Ye Zi, Orochimaru would still make the same decision, possibly even using Ye Zi as bait to weaken the enemy.

That was Orochimaru, always able to weigh priorities with cold precision.

Upon hearing Orochimaru's firm rejection, Shikaku's frown deepened. He knew Orochimaru's strategy was the correct one, but he couldn't ignore the fact that his son was among the rear guard. Clenching his teeth, all he could do was hope that the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho wouldn't encounter an overwhelming opponent.

Elsewhere, the rear guard comprised only a dozen jonin, with the majority being chunin and about twenty genin.

Each jonin led a team of ten, tasked with patrolling specific areas and eliminating any threats immediately upon detection.

Kushina and Minato were assigned to the same team, while Ye Zi was placed with a group of unfamiliar faces. Their leader was a jonin with long, light blue hair named Kato Dan.

Among Ye Zi's group, two individuals caught his attention—a pair of twin siblings from the Uchiha clan. They had black hair and eyes, much like Ye Zi. Before the mission began, each team member gave a brief overview of their skills, revealing that the Uchiha siblings were both chunin. The brother specialized in genjutsu, while the sister excelled in taijutsu. Their synergy was so strong that they could hold their own against a jonin.

Ye Zi quietly contemplated how he would fare in a fight against the Uchiha siblings. He realized that defeating them would be challenging, especially since he had a strong resistance to genjutsu. If he could quickly neutralize the brother, who provided support, he might stand a chance. However, if someone lacked sensitivity to genjutsu, they could be defeated by the siblings in a single round.

Among the other team members, the remaining chunin weren't particularly noteworthy, but the three genin were a force to be reckoned with. They were, after all, the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, a trio known for their precise teamwork.

"It seems I'll have to fight solo." Ye Zi thought to himself as he observed his teammates. He wouldn't be able to fit into the well-coordinated Uchiha siblings or Ino-Shika-Cho group, and he didn't think much of the other chunin. As for the team leader, Kato Dan, well... maybe.

If Kato Dan's ability to control others' bodies was as effective as he claimed, then Ye Zi felt confident that he could swiftly take down any target.

"We're on the defensive, and we've got the advantage of terrain. Once we split up, it might be a good idea to set some traps to increase our odds of survival." Kato Dan suggested as he stood on a tree branch, addressing the team.

Shikaku, with his braided hair, scratched his cheek lazily and asked his teammates, "Do we really need to set traps?"

Choza shrugged and said, "I'm fine with it either way."

Inoichi Yamanaka responded calmly, "It's probably wise to set some traps, considering we're tasked with holding our ground. We're not exactly the strongest team."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Shikaku agreed. "Let's set up a few annoying traps, at least to increase our chances of survival."

After giving some final instructions, Kato Dan glanced at the Uchiha siblings and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, offered a few words of caution, and then everyone dispersed to their assigned positions.

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