Fierce battles erupted across Konoha. Mist ninja who used the Hidden in Mist Technique initially gained an advantage, but once the Hyuga Clan entered the battlefield, the technique became useless. Worse still, Ao, who had the white eyes, was discovered by members of the Hyuga Clan. They launched fierce attacks against the mist ninja as if they had gone mad.
The battle reached a climax from the very beginning. Though outnumbered at first, the Mist forces controlled the situation until the Third Hokage summoned his beast and began wielding the Ruyi Staff with sweeping strikes—no enemy could survive even one blow. The mist ninja were pushed back relentlessly. The fighting would have been even fiercer if not for fears that they might unleash large-scale ninjutsu and destroy the newly rebuilt village.
Ao, who was commanding the operation, clearly saw the worsening situation. He shouted angrily at a nearby ninja, "Have you sent the signal? Why haven't the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist arrived yet? Even Hozuki Kisaragi, who was just here moments ago, has disappeared."
"The signal was sent immediately, but there's been no response. I don't know what's going on either!" This mist ninja looked confused, his voice carrying a tone of grievance.
Seeing the Hyuga closing in fast and the battle turning decisively against them, Ao promptly issued the order: "All Mist ninja, retreat immediately!"
Quantity can indeed lead to qualitative change—but only when it reaches a sufficient level. For example, ten thousand ninja attempting to assault the Raikage. At this moment, Mist had deployed about a thousand ninja—an impressive number—but without a Kage-level expert anchoring their forces, the situation had become completely one-sided.
Ao inwardly cursed the Seven Swords furiously as he ordered the retreat, silently vowing to lodge a formal complaint once he returned.
[Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave!]
Many mist ninja simultaneously performed water techniques toward Konoha, blocking the pursuing Konoha ninja's path.
[Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!]
To prevent the massive amount of water from flooding the village, Konoha ninja used Earth Release techniques to create barriers. In the brief time this bought them, the mist ninja swiftly chose to flee—so fast it left people stunned, showing absolutely no desire to linger or continue fighting.
The Hyuga Clan was reluctant to stop, still eager to give chase, but the Third's shout held them back: "Don't pursue! Be careful not to walk into a trap!"
The battle came and went quickly. Within less than a day, the ninja from Kirigakure had already been driven away. Once again, the newly rebuilt Konoha had been struck by war, causing major destruction and forcing another round of rebuilding.
Though victorious, the Third showed not the slightest hint of joy on his face. This battle marked the worst-case scenario—the long-hidden Hidden Mist Village had finally lost patience and chosen to join the Third Great Ninja War, targeting none other than Konoha, which was already fighting on three fronts. The situation had become far more difficult now.
Shisui watched the Third deep in thought and couldn't help calling out, "Hokage-sama."
The Third looked kindly at Shisui, his eyes full of admiration, speaking gently, "What is it?"
Shisui asked in confusion, "During my attempt to stop the Mist army, I crossed blades with one of the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist. His sword art was extremely formidable. Yet strangely enough, he hasn't appeared at all in today's battle."
The Third Hokage was slightly startled and suddenly interested. "Oh? Specifically, tell me about the weapons and ninjutsu he used."
"He uses dual blades and hardly used any ninjutsu at all. His swordsmanship is particularly formidable. I wouldn't stand a chance against him. In fact, he might not even have been using his full strength," Shisui confidently stated.
"This man must be Hozuki Kisaragi from Kiri, who has the ability to liquefy his body into water. Never thought his swordsmanship would be this formidable. But why didn't they attack together?"
"Because they already lost four men. The remaining three lost their fighting spirit and fled in disarray," Anya, wearing an Anbu mask, calmly stepped forward.
"Captain?" Shisui hurriedly called out.
"You're back. So it must have been your doing," the Third Hokage chuckled. Previously, he had doubted Anya's decision to return to the village instead of continuing to assist Jiraiya in decisively ending the war at the Iwagakure battlefield. But now, this defensive battle had more than proven Anya's unparalleled wartime intuition.
"It wasn't me, believe me."
Though he really wanted to take action personally, unfortunately, those seven individuals angered someone they shouldn't have. Anya sighed bitterly, "It was Might Duy. He activated the Eight Gates…"
The Hokage's smile quickly faded as he sighed deeply. He knew all too well the price of activating the Eight Gates—complete destruction of one's body.
"He is truly the one who inherited the Will of Fire." The Third Hokage soon turned his gaze toward the two young men beside him, speaking with excitement in his voice, "The ninjas of Konoha all possess the Will of Fire. We gather together to form a blazing collective will like flames. As long as we have this kind of will, then everyone in this village becomes its keeper—whether it's you, me, or even those who have passed on."
Shisui was deeply moved by these words and enthusiastically replied, "Yes, Hokage-sama! I will surely light my own flame to protect the peace of our village."
Meanwhile, Anya stood there, shocked by Shisui's overly dramatic declaration, inwardly sighing endlessly. This kid was beyond saving.
Since both of them had spoken already, pressure shifted toward Anya. What could he do but respond equally passionately, "I also believe that my life's fire can illuminate the path forward, protecting those dear to me."
The Third Hokage nodded approvingly before turning to Anya and asking, "Night, what do you think Kirigakure's next move will be?"
"What comes to mind is forming alliances with other ninja villages to fight together. Kirigakure's internal leadership has always been rather chaotic. The Mizukage rarely appears publicly, and Master Gen, the only one widely respected, hardly ever leaves the village. Therefore, few people step up to command operations. Otherwise, this battle wouldn't have been so easy for us.
Having visited Kirigakure once before, I hold them in low regard. They completely lack the presence one would expect from a major shinobi power. The atmosphere within the village is extremely oppressive. There is little trust among the ninja. Small-scale battles are manageable, but when large-scale conflicts arise, this becomes fatal—probably worse than the currently weakest Sunagakure."
"Alliance?" the Hokage continued, "Who do you think they'll choose as their ally?"
"Kumogakure."
"Anya presented her analysis: 'Kumogakure has just lost the Raikage. Once the new Raikage takes office, they'll definitely make moves. Kumo would make a great ally. Besides, the previous alliance between Mist and Iwagakure broke down, so these two villages now share a common enemy.'"
After hearing Anya's analysis, The Third nodded thoughtfully, a worried look in his eyes. "It seems the Kumo battlefield will be our top priority next," he said.
Though The Third didn't say it outright, his meaning was clear—he hoped Anya would go.
However, before anyone else could speak, Shisui stepped forward. "Hokage-sama, I can head to the Kumo battlefield."
After a moment's thought, The Third finally agreed. "Alright."
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