"Sir, the enemy is attacking. Should we have that team pull back?"
"No need. Gari, head in and provide support. Your priority is capturing Tsunade."
Onoki paused for a moment, weighing his options. Instead of calling for a retreat, he decided to commit even more forces to the fight.
Gari was one of Iwagakure's top Explosion Release users, a ninja with few flaws beyond struggling against pure speed specialists. He could more than handle Tsunade, especially with her fear of blood holding her back.
If Konoha's defenses weren't so formidable, Onoki figured he wouldn't have needed half this many people in the first place.
Better safe than sorry, though.
He kept that thought to himself as he turned his full attention to the black cat and the distant figure of Minato, who was directing the battle from afar.
That was the real threat on the front lines.
'If Minato steps in, that Uchiha will just take over command. Neither of them will be straightforward to deal with.'
The realization gave Onoki a nagging headache.
Konoha's three primary jonin on this flank were all speed types, which felt like a deliberate strategy. As it stood, the only viable breakthrough point was Tsunade in the rear.
But something about it felt wrong.
Years of battle had honed his intuition, and right now, it was screaming that he was missing something. Before he could pinpoint the source of his unease, the distant black cat suddenly surged forward.
"Meeowr!"
With a roar, the cat swelled to an enormous size. He began to gather chakra in his mouth, molding both wind and fire natures at once. A terrifying storm of power erupted in an instant.
*Boom!*
Aided by the wind, the explosive flames raged like a sea of fire, sweeping through nearly a third of the Iwa defensive line. The Iwa shinobi threw up earthen walls to defend themselves, but the moment the flames made contact, the rock was scorched brittle. The wind bullets that followed shattered their defenses completely.
Then, the cat's massive tail swung like a club, turning a wide patch of forest into splinters and dust.
"Thanks, Takeshi!"
"We owe you one!"
Figures darted past the cat's massive body, understanding that he wouldn't have needed such a large-scale ninjutsu unless it was to cover their advance. That single attack had bought them precious time and cleared the path of any potential traps.
"I'll deal with him," Onoki said, his voice firm. "Kitsuchi, you take command here."
"Yes, Father." Kitsuchi nodded, his expression serious. Onoki took a deep breath and shot into the sky, flying directly toward the black cat.
"Everyone, coordinate with me! Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!" Kitsuchi ordered.
"Understood!"
The surrounding Iwa ninja began forming hand seals. Some maintained their guard against Konoha's long-range attacks while others prepared the jutsu. Kitsuchi himself was already forming the seals for an even more powerful technique.
'Earth Release: Sandwich Jutsu!'
As the ground began to shake violently, caving in around Takeshi, he knew that maintaining his expanded form would be foolish. The black cat rapidly shrank back to his normal size and sprinted away, shouting a warning as he ran. "Watch out, meow! They're using a large-scale ninjutsu!"
"It's the Moving Earth Core and the Sandwich Jutsu! Everyone, scatter!" Hiashi yelled, his Byakugan having already identified the techniques.
The ninja leading the charge were all elite chunin at a minimum. They heard the warning and immediately broke formation, but Kitsuchi was a veteran of the battlefield. His timing was perfect.
Even as they scattered, two massive walls of earth erupted from the ground and slammed together, swallowing a number of Konoha shinobi.
Takeshi couldn't afford to worry about them. He had already done enough by providing cover with his combination jutsu. With Onoki targeting him now, trying to help anyone else would be suicide. Dust Release was no joke, a single hit could cost him a limb, and that was the last thing he wanted.
The black cat looked up at Onoki, who was hovering in the sky.
Flying wasn't Onoki's exclusive trick. Takeshi had the Earth Release: Lightened Boulder under his belt too, but saving aces like that for the right moment was key. Revealing it early would only put the enemy on guard.
He locked eyes with Onoki for a beat, then broke into a sprint toward the Iwagakure front lines, feigning a bold charge.
Onoki descended smoothly to intercept.
"I figured this generation of Konoha had run dry of talent," he said as he closed in, "but here you are, along with Minato Namikaze. Even the Uchiha have woven themselves into the village's fabric. Impressive."
"Meow. If you stop gathering chakra, I might actually listen to you finish that speech," Takeshi replied, glancing up as he secretly slid a small object under his paw. It was an auto-returning iron ball he had won in a lottery, now marked with his jutsu mark. It functioned much like one of Minato's kunai.
"Haha. The same to you," Onoki chuckled, ascending higher. His gaze swept over the rest of the battlefield. The Konoha ninja had already closed the distance.
Far in the distance, the fight with Tsunade should be wrapping up soon.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he saw a violent explosion, a jutsu from his explosives corps.
Onoki's gaze sharpened. 'Did they succeed?'
He watched intently. 'No, she got away.'
But Tsunade was being carried on another ninja's back, apparently unable to move on her own. Even from this distance, he knew the only thing that could leave her in such a state was her hemophobia.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief. If her phobia had been triggered, his subordinates could handle the rest.
Onoki was about to turn his full attention back to the cat when he heard a faint sound from below. He instantly shifted his position in the air and threw a kunai, an explosive tag attached to its handle, at the iron ball that had just been tossed into the air.
'The timing should be about right,' Takeshi thought, hearing the faint explosions from the rear. He made his move.
The ball was just bait.
The instant it arced away, Takeshi swapped spots...
'So fast!' Onoki thought, immediately flying higher. He brought his hands together, gathering chakra as he searched for an opening. Against a ninja this fast, he would likely only get one chance.
Just then, a massive tremor shook the battlefield from afar.
Startled, Onoki looked toward the source and saw a small hill get shattered to pieces by a single kick. One by one, the Iwa ninja he had sent were launched into the sky like ragdolls. As the dust settled, a perfectly healthy Tsunade stood atop the ruins, showing no signs of fear or weakness.
In that instant, Onoki understood.
He'd been baited. The hemophobia, her supposed weakness to blood, it was all an act. That bastard Rasa hadn't just swindled him out of his money, he'd fed him false intelligence, too. The man had no shame.
He cursed inwardly, but that wouldn't solve the immediate problem. He had to take down the enemy in front of him.
At that moment, the black cat leaped, pouncing straight toward him.
Onoki's eyes lit up. This was his chance. He threw a volley of explosive tags at the iron ball to prevent an escape, then immediately unleashed his Dust Release. The easiest target to hit was one that was airborne. A normal person couldn't dodge in mid-air, making it the perfect opportunity to strike.
Watching from a distance, Minato held his breath. 'What is he thinking? That's a suicide run.' He considered the possibility that the cat was just trying to unnerve him and disgust Onoki, but he couldn't take the chance. He broke into a sprint, racing toward Takeshi's position.
But in the next second, Minato saw Takeshi twist in mid-air, dodging Onoki's attack with a peculiar grace and speed. He didn't slow down at all as he continued his charge.
Onoki was just as stunned. 'What kind of maneuver was that? It almost looks like my village's Lightened Boulder Jutsu.'
Though shocked, the old Tsuchikage's reactions were razor-sharp. As Takeshi closed in, Onoki formed a hand seal and extended his palm, instantly encasing it in a layer of solid rock. He threw a powerful punch. Age hadn't yet slowed him down, and the blow was incredibly fast.
Takeshi wasn't entirely used to aerial combat, but he tilted his body just enough to evade the punch, placing a paw on the stone fist as it flew past. 'Earth Release: Lightened Boulder Jutsu.'
Onoki suddenly shot upward, his own weight negated. In the next second, Takeshi's tail hooked around Onoki's leg, using the leverage to swing himself into position directly behind the Tsuchikage.
Onoki's experience was vast. Though caught off guard, he instantly adjusted his own weight, canceling the effect. He plummeted downward to break contact and prevent a Flying Thunder God marking, twisting in mid-air to throw a kunai at Takeshi.
Takeshi had to admit, fighting Onoki was more difficult than facing the Third Raikage. The Raikage was straightforward, a blunt instrument of power. Onoki was cunning, with a terrifyingly versatile jutsu.
Fortunately, his tail was already wrapped around Onoki's leg.
'Needle Jizo! Neko Hair Needles!' Onoki's scream tore through the air.
The fur on Takeshi's tail had suddenly hardened into sharp needles, piercing Onoki's bound leg and drawing blood. At the same time, Onoki felt his descent slow once more as Takeshi reapplied the Lightened Boulder Jutsu.
'Partial Expansion Jutsu.'
Takeshi's paw elongated, slapping onto Onoki's back. In that same instant, Minato appeared beside them with the Flying Thunder God.
Before Minato could apply a sealing jutsu, the full weight of a grown man, no longer supported by any jutsu, fell onto Onoki's back. Unprepared for the impact, the Tsuchikage dropped from the sky like a meteor.
"Father!"
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
Panic rippled through the Iwa ranks. Kitsuchi used his Rock Fist Jutsu to force back the Konoha jonin he was fighting, intending to rush to his father's aid. But a figure flashed before his eyes, and Kura Uchiha stood in his path.
"I won't let you pass," Kura said, his eyes shifting into their unique Mangekyo form. A dozen clones flickered into existence around him.
Kitsuchi took a sharp breath. He had clashed with Kura many times and knew how dangerous he was. The Uchiha's clones could switch between solid and intangible, and the real body could swap places with any of them at will. A single man capable of holding off several squads. Kitsuchi knew he had to focus completely or risk being taken out before he could even help his father.
While Kitsuchi was occupied, Han made his move from across the field. Powerful steam erupted from his armor, and his speed skyrocketed. He reached the spot where Onoki had been knocked down just as Takeshi's paw slapped Minato's shoulder, then slapped Onoki's injured back again.
"What was that for?" Minato asked.
"Meow! Watch out for his Dust Release."
"I've got it. You watch yourself, and keep an eye on that Four-Tails jinchuriki."
Takeshi recognized the steam ninja as Han, the Five-Tails jinchuriki. The explosive power he wielded was comparable to Tsunade's, and he would be a serious problem if left unchecked. But Takeshi trusted Minato to handle Onoki. The Tsuchikage's leg was badly injured, and from the sound of that scream, his back was in serious trouble.
He felt solid about their odds.
The black cat swung down from the sky, his tail still hooked around Onoki's leg.
"Ahhh! You mangy beast, I'll kill you!?" Onoki roared in a mix of fury and pain. Minato was already holding him down, yet the cat was still yanking on his leg. He had just heard a sickening *crack* from his own spine.
"Meow. Use your Dust Release if you've got the guts," Takeshi taunted. He released his tail and glided downward, his new target the jinchuriki leaping up from below.
Onoki actually tried. He brought his hands together to form the jutsu, but Minato was faster. A seal shot from his hand and into Onoki's body, disrupting his chakra flow.
"No, no, run!" Onoki yelled, his voice strained with panic. His chakra was out of control. The Dust Release was about to detonate right on top of him.
Minato didn't hesitate, using the Flying Thunder God to teleport to a kunai he'd placed earlier. The Dust Release exploded, but Onoki still managed to exert some control, shaping the destructive cube into a cylinder and sweeping it horizontally toward Takeshi.
In the next second, the black cat vanished, teleporting away as well. He reappeared at Minato's side, only to realize Onoki's attack had been a bluff to create distance.
He and Minato immediately teleported back.
Onoki felt two impacts on his back, followed by a powerful blow directly to his waist.
*CRACK!*
This time, the sound was even louder. He felt as if his upper and lower body had been violently separated, held together only by flesh and sinew. The pain was excruciating.
"Now you won't be able to move, meow," Takeshi said. He looked down at Han, who was jumping up to attack, and wrapped his tail around Onoki again, using the Tsuchikage as a shield.
"Damn it!" Han cursed, forced to pull his punch. He was channeling the Tailed Beast's chakra, a direct hit would have crippled Onoki for good.
But he didn't give up. A chakra tail of his own shot out, wrapping around Onoki just as Takeshi's had.
'A tug-of-war?' Takeshi thought. 'Interesting.'
The black cat pulled upward with all his might while Han yanked down from below. Caught in the middle, Onoki could only let out a series of miserable, agonized screams.
===============
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