Outside Uzushiogakure, a Sacred Tortoise, as large as a small mountain, was slowly crawling towards the village.
Its shell was double-layered. The plates on its abdomen could open, forming a ramp. The villagers of Uzushiogakure, having entered the space beneath the tortoise's shell, climbed the ramp and disappeared.
The Sacred Tortoise of Uzushiogakure was actually the village's mobile shelter.
The tortoise continuously spat fierce winds from its mouth, blowing away the Kumo-nin attacking its head.
As for its hard shell, the Kumo-nin's methods were ineffective.
Yōkō watched the Sacred Tortoise, thinking: What if someone impersonated a Uzushiogakure villager and entered the shelter? If the defensive forces inside were insufficient, wouldn't that be disastrous?
The Sacred Tortoise moved extremely slowly and couldn't distinguish whether the people under its abdomen were Kumo-nin spies or villagers.
After a few minutes, the path the Sacred Tortoise had taken was left with large swathes of bloodstains.
Tremors coming from inside caused the tortoise to let out mournful cries.
It opened the plates on its abdomen, and piles of corpses tumbled out.
Kumo-nin had infiltrated the shelter inside the double-layered shell and were slaughtering indiscriminately.
Behind the Sacred Tortoise, layers upon layers of corpses were left. The bodies had their throats slit, the areas around their necks covered in blood.
Kumo-nin preferred the simple method of slitting throats when dealing with civilians, a technique they were highly proficient in.
In the sky, the Yatagarasu flew past repeatedly, dropping Explosive Eggs on areas densely packed with Kiri-nin.
The bird eggs glowed with a red light, the Fire Release chakra inside them exploding violently. The power of each Explosive Egg was equivalent to two or three explosive tags.
The energy of the Four Violet Flames Formation was being depleted by the Kiri-nin's Water Release attacks. The Yatagarasu primarily targeted those Kiri-nin jointly performing Water Release.
After an initial group of Kiri-nin were blown up, they found a countermeasure.
Some Kiri-nin performed Water Release, causing powerful geysers to erupt from the ground. The geysers washed away the Yatagarasu's Explosive Eggs, causing them to explode mid-air.
There were simply too many Kiri-nin; the Yatagarasu's harassment had limited effect.
Yōkō shook his head inwardly. The area outside the Four Violet Flames Formation was a horrific scene.
The negotiations near the Four Violet Flames Formation were making no progress.
The Uzumaki clan couldn't protect the villagers, and the Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin continued killing them.
Within three hours, the Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin, operating with extreme efficiency, had killed almost all the villagers.
The great river washed away wave after wave of corpses. Downstream, unaware of what was happening, the river became clogged, bodies piling up on the surface, stretching for hundreds of meters.
There were even more corpses around the Sacred Tortoise, hindering the slow-moving creature.
Its massive size brought with it a mountain-like weight. Its feet accidentally stepped on the unavoidable corpses of civilians, crushing them into pulp.
To destroy the Uzumaki clan's will to resist, after exhausting the Sacred Tortoise, the Kumo-nin used bundled steel wires to flip the tortoise onto its back.
Explosive tags and ninja tools continuously attacked the Sacred Tortoise.
The tortoise retracted its head and four limbs into its shell. The seams of the shell weren't perfectly tight, and the Kumo-nin still found a way; the tortoise's blood continuously seeped from the cracks.
Coupled with the electrocution from Lightning Release attacks, the Sacred Tortoise was rendered immobile.
The mournful cries from within the shell sounded exceptionally muffled and miserable.
After holding on for a full five hours, the Four Violet Flames Formation exploded violently.
The barrier shattered, transforming into a wave of heat and shock that rushed outwards in all directions.
Surrounding houses collapsed with a roar. The Kumo-nin and Kiri-nin were startled, and many died in the shockwave.
More Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin, now excited, charged inside.
Yōkō put down his telescope and couldn't help but look towards Shimura Danzo once more.
Shimura Danzo remained unmoved.
The will of the Anbu was as cold as hardened steel. The casualties of these allied villages meant nothing.
A second Four Violet Flames Formation appeared!
This one covered a smaller area, encircling the Uzumaki clan's ancestral shrine.
Yōkō looked through his telescope. Surrounding the Uzumaki shrine were many women and children.
Undoubtedly, Uzumaki Kushina was among them.
Apart from the women and children, everyone, including the clan head, remained outside the Four Violet Flames Formation.
The clan head stood at the very front, formed hand seals, and slammed his palms onto the ground.
Four large puffs of white smoke appeared around him.
The Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin all halted, observing the situation, unsure what other trump cards the Uzumaki clan possessed.
From within the white smoke, four large Summoning beasts charged out.
A Hell Split Dog, a Charging Rhino, a Giant Centipede, and a Fighting Bull.
Yōkō was somewhat surprised. Weren't these giant Summoning beasts the ones later used by Nagato's Animal Path?
No wonder Nagato had so many powerful Summoning beasts; they were originally accumulated by the Uzumaki clan.
But why weren't these assets passed down to Uzumaki Kushina, instead ending up with an Uzumaki orphan in the Land of Rain?
Ordinary ninja were no match for giant Summoning beasts.
The Split Dog easily bit ninja to death one by one. Hoshigaki Kisame personally intervened and managed to repel the Split Dog, but the dog didn't engage in a protracted fight. It split into two and charged towards other Kiri-nin.
Any attack the Split Dog couldn't withstand would cause it to multiply.
The smaller Split Dogs were more agile. Kiri-nin were caught around the waist one after another, the dog heads shaking wildly, tearing the Kiri-nin in half.
Intestines hung from the Split Dogs' teeth, creating an exceptionally bloody scene.
The Charging Rhino had thick, leathery skin; kunai and ninja tools were useless.
It lowered its head and charged around, trampling and sending Kumo-nin flying.
The Kiri-nin's Water Formation Walls were like small waterfalls before such a Summoning beast, easily broken through with a single charge.
The Giant Centipede used its massive body to divide the battlefield, trapping a small group of Kiri-nin behind it, allowing the Uzumaki ninja to outnumber them locally.
Adamantine Sealing Chains flashed, and many Kiri-nin died under this secret sealing technique.
Aided by the giant Summoning beasts, the Uzumaki ninja launched a beautiful counterattack.
Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin casualties mounted.
Yōkō pondered; was the Uzumaki clan about to turn the tables?
Given Danzo's nature, wouldn't Konoha have to step in soon to help the Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin?
An advisor unsealed a scroll, which was filled with Kumo-nin flak jackets and forehead protectors.
Just as Yōkō had guessed, the Anbu began preparations to enter the fray.
Disguising themselves as ninja from other villages was a common Anbu tactic.
Once suspicion was averted, they could act without restraint.
However, Battalion Commander Yellow Dog spotted a new development and halted the advisor's action.
A ship appeared upstream on the great river.
The ship was moving fast, swiftly entering Uzushiogakure.
A man stood at the bow of the ship. He had long hair and his eyes were closed.
More crucially, he was wearing the Mizukage's Ceremonial Robe!
The Third Mizukage!
No one expected the Mizukage himself to come for the battle at Uzushiogakure.
For any Kage to leave their village signified an event of utmost importance.
Danzo shifted, taking two steps forward.
It was clear that even Danzo was now taking things seriously.
The Uzumaki clan's attempt to seal the wild Three-Tails had truly stirred up a hornet's nest. Kirigakure was seeking revenge on Uzushiogakure at any cost.
They promised the Kumo-nin high rewards, demonstrated the resolve to destroy the village, and engaged in this great battle with Uzushiogakure.
Not only that, this action had also angered the Konoha leadership. Failed negotiations led them to decide on a hardline approach, with Danzo bringing people to seize Uzumaki Kushina.
Yōkō wondered if the Uzumaki clan members complained about the First Hokage, questioning why he gave the Tailed Beasts to the great villages but didn't leave one for the Uzumaki clan.
Yōkō couldn't help but tug at his collar. As an Anbu member who had deduced the truth, would Danzo silence him?
Danger came not only from the Kiri-nin and Kumo-nin but also from within the Anbu itself.
Yōkō carefully observed through his telescope, curious about what abilities the Third Mizukage possessed.
...
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(Chapter End)