186-190

Chapter 186: Kirigakure’s Battlefield  

"Thanks for the help, Third Hokage! Saved me a lot of trouble!"  

Yoru’s mocking voice echoed from the edge of the hole as he dashed out—having tricked the Hokage into attacking.  

He’d lured the old man in, conserving his own energy while leaving the Hokage powerless to stop him.  

"This guy… he’s too damn cunning!" Nara Shikaku’s voice cut through the tension.  

It wasn’t that Konoha’s strategists were weak—the enemy was just that slippery.  

The evening fog had rendered Shikaku’s shadow techniques useless. Yamanaka Inoichi’s Mind Body Switch was blind without a target. And Akimichi Chōza, despite his raw power, had nothing to hit.  

Frustrating? Absolutely.  

"As expected of the White Light… a nightmare to deal with."  

The Third Hokage dispelled his Earth Corridor and Swamp of the Underworld, his expression grim.  

"Check on Tenzō and Kakashi—now!"  

The four of them moved cautiously, backs pressed together, only to find no trace of the two missing shinobi.  

"Captured? What a troublesome opponent."  

The Hokage’s face darkened. In all his years, he’d never faced someone this relentless.  

"Who knows how the rest of the battlefield is faring… if there even is a ‘rest’."  

His low mutter carried a grim possibility—what if the entire Konoha camp was already swallowed by the mist?  

And he was right.  

The entire base was shrouded.  

Otherwise, how could 2,000 Kirigakure ninja hold their own against Konoha’s 12,000? Even with Yugito’s help, it’d be impossible.  

Meanwhile, in the Mist… 

"Damn cowards! Fight me head-on!" 

"Where the hell are they?!" 

"Agh! This is unbearable!"  

Konoha’s forces were breaking.  

They couldn’t see the enemy—only their own falling comrades.  

Occasional glimpses of movement, fragmented sounds—useless.  

The enemy struck like ghosts, vanishing before retaliation.  

Their morale was crumbling.  

Never had they fought a battle this humiliating.  

The Wild Card: Might Guy 

"Sixth Gate: Gate of Joy—OPEN!"  

From the depths of the mist, Might Guy’s roar erupted.  

He moved like a demon, clashing with Yugito—completely unfazed by the mist.  

No matter how she used the fog to her advantage, Guy matched her.  

Even ambushers who tried to interfere were wiped out.  

"This guy… his speed’s almost on par with Yoru!"  

Yugito grinned. This was fun.  

She’d have to capture him—he was too dangerous to leave unchecked.  

BOOM! CRASH! THUD!  

Their battle was pure brute force, shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.  

"Hey, Yugito! You’re wrecking the vibe here!" Hōzuki Suigetsu’s voice whined from somewhere in the chaos.  

She ignored him. This was too exhilarating to stop.  

The Lightning Reaper: Ameyuri Ringo 

"What’s wrong, Konoha? Is this all you’ve got?"  

Ameyuri Ringo, wielding Kiba, the Lightning Swords, danced through the mist like a storm god.  

Her lightning slaughtered everything in its path.  

"The power of Kiba… incredible!"  

She laughed wildly.  

"If I’ve only got six years left… I’ll burn them all here!"  

A terminal illness?  

Meaningless.  

She’d live—no, dominate—until her last breath.  

The Silent Storm: Chōjūrō 

Nearby, Chōjūrō tightened his grip on Hiramekarei.  

"Everyone’s giving their all… I can’t fall behind."  

Despite his timid demeanor, his strength was real.  

When Hiramekarei unleashed, its massive blade cleaved through entire squads.  

"Dammit! How is a kid this strong?!"  

A Konoha chūnin seethed, helpless as Chōjūrō advanced.  

Only a jōnin could stop him now.  

The Explosive Menace: Hōzuki Suigetsu 

"Hey! Running already? Pathetic!"  

Suigetsu cackled, swinging Bakuton: Exploding Blade like a madman.  

Water-style immunity made him reckless—lobbing explosive tags like candy.  

Over a hundred Konoha ninja had already fallen to his traps.  

"That’s enough, brat."  

Shiranui Genma, a special jōnin, finally stepped in.  

"Oho~ You look strong!"  

Suigetsu’s grin widened.  

"Perfect. I needed a warm-up."  

Even without his sword, he was no pushover.  

This fight?  

Just getting started.  

Chapter 187: Full-Scale Assault 

BOOM!  

The battle between the two erupted!  

Not far from them—  

"The head of the Hyūga clan, huh? Not bad."  

Kisame Hoshigaki smirked, his shark-like face twisting in amusement as he hefted Samehada. Notably, the sword had grown significantly larger—likely from absorbing chakra.  

Opposite him, Hyūga Hiashi panted heavily, his expression grim.  

"Kisame Hoshigaki…"  

Hiashi’s body tensed under the immense pressure. What unsettled him most was Kisame’s relaxed demeanor—as if this fight was nothing more than a warm-up.  

Elsewhere—  

CLANG!  

Two blades collided, sparks flying.  

"Heard you once cornered Kisame with your squad. Doesn’t seem like you live up to the hype."  

Zabuza Momochi overpowered Ibiki Morino, forcing the man’s arms to buckle under the pressure. With a brutal kick, Zabuza sent Ibiki flying, then formed hand seals.  

"Suiton: Suiryūdan!" (Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet)  

A spiraling water drill shot from the ground behind Ibiki, aimed straight for his spine.  

"Shit—!"  

Ibiki braced for impact—until a blur intercepted the attack, slicing it apart.  

A rugged man with a cigarette dangling from his lips landed beside him, grinning.  

"Mind if I step in?"  

"Asuma Sarutobi… The Third Hokage’s son, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja." Zabuza’s eyebrow twitched. "Rumor was you’d sworn off Konoha—that you’d stay by the Daimyo’s side forever."  

"Heh. Youthful rebellion." Asuma scratched his head. "Besides, the Daimyo sent me this time."  

"Then don’t disappoint me."  

Zabuza lunged, blades flashing.  

CLASH! CLANG! SPARK!  

The two swordsmen traded blows at blinding speed, steel ringing through the chaos.  

Another battlefield—  

"You’re Yūhi Kurenai’s daughter? Konoha’s ‘Genjutsu Mistress,’ huh?"  

Zabuza’s fellow Seven Swordsman, Jūzō Biwa, rested the Executioner’s Blade on his shoulder, eyeing Kurenai with disdain.  

"Didn’t expect to face one of the Seven. An honor."  

Kurenai’s voice was icy. Though her physical strength and chakra reserves were modest, her illusions were legendary.  

"Let’s see how much of your father’s skill you inherited."  

Jūzō remembered Yūhi Shinku’s prowess—the way his genjutsu blurred reality itself.  

"Genjutsu: Jubaku Satsu!" (Tree Binding Death)  

Kurenai’s hands flew through seals before she vanished. Instantly, a tree erupted beneath Jūzō, its branches coiling around him.  

"Not bad."  

Kurenai materialized behind him, kunai aimed at his throat—  

SPLASH.  

A water clone dissolved. The real Jūzō smirked from a distance, hefting his blade.  

"Impressive… for a warm-up."  

He charged, forcing Kurenai on the defensive. Every time she tried to weave seals, Jūzō’s strikes interrupted her.  

DODGE! PARRY! RETREAT!  

Kurenai gritted her teeth. Damn it—can’t get distance!  

Back in the Mist—  

Konoha’s forces fared no better than Iwa’s had. Blind and disoriented, they fell to Kirigakure’s assassins. The death toll climbed.  

Worse? The mist hid 100 of Yoru’s water clones.  

Unless hit by lightning or fire, they were nearly invincible—and their kill count was staggering. Many Konoha nin died without ever seeing their attackers.  

The Third Hokage’s Stand—  

"You walked right into my hands. Why would I let you go?"  

Yoru hadn’t planned to confront the Hokage so soon. Yet fate seemed to favor him.  

But the Third wasn’t helpless.  

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (Summoning Technique)  

With a puff of smoke, the Monkey King Enma appeared.  

"Enma, extend!"  

The staff lengthened like a living bolt, piercing the mist. In seconds, the Hokage—carrying Inoichi, Shikaku, and Chōza—shot beyond Yoru’s reach.  

"Tch. The old man’s full of tricks."  

Yoru clicked his tongue. With the Hokage rallying Konoha’s forces, the tide would turn.  

"Retreat. Now."  

The mist dissolved. A flare lit the sky—Kirigakure’s withdrawal signal.  

Chapter 188: The Furious Leaf Ninja  

The moment the Kirigakure shinobi saw—or heard—the signal flare, they retreated without hesitation.  

"Don’t let them escape!"  

The Leaf ninja weren’t about to let that happen.  

After inflicting so many casualties, did these bastards really think they could just waltz in and leave whenever they pleased?  

Like hell they would!  

"Lightning Release: Gratitude Wave!"  

Yoru immediately struck, halting the Leaf shinobi and drawing their focus onto himself.  

At his current level, the power of his Gratitude Wave was anything but ordinary. The battlefield instantly transformed into an electrified hellscape—bolts of lightning spiderwebbed across hundreds of meters, illuminating the night sky.  

"Aaaagh!"  

Countless Leaf shinobi screamed in agony. A few Kirigakure fighters might’ve even been caught in the crossfire. But Yoru’s move succeeded in diverting attention, buying precious time for the retreating mist-nin.  

"Get him!" 

"Don’t let him escape!" 

"You’re not getting away!"  

The Leaf ninja charged at Yoru with relentless fury, their eyes burning with hatred.  

Unfazed, Yoru calmly pressed a hand to the ground.  

"Barrier Technique: Six Pillars Flame Wall!"  

A massive barrier erupted, cutting off their pursuit. Then, with infuriating ease, he walked away. No matter how hard they attacked, the Leaf shinobi couldn’t break through.  

"Enough! Stop chasing and regroup!" 

"This ambush exposed critical flaws in our defenses!"  

The Third Hokage’s order put an end to the futile pursuit.  

Yoru’s surprise attack had caught them completely off guard, revealing glaring weaknesses in their sensory units. Letting the enemy get this close undetected was unacceptable.  

But was it really negligence? The Third trusted Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi’s competence—they weren’t the type to slack off. The perimeter security had been under his direct supervision, after all.  

No—this was simply a testament to Yoru’s terrifying skill.  

"Our priority is retrieving Kakashi and Tenzō!" 

"Their value to the Leaf is immeasurable. We cannot afford to lose them!"  

Kakashi’s Sharingan was a priceless asset, never to fall into enemy hands. And Tenzō? A Wood Style user was irreplaceable to the Leaf.  

This wasn’t just about strategy—it was about pride. The bloodline inherited from Senju Hashirama could not be allowed to slip away.  

Just the words "Wood Release" alone were enough to send the shinobi world into a frenzy.  

No matter what, Tenzō and Kakashi had to be recovered. They were the Leaf’s most vital "assets."  

Meanwhile, with Yoru… 

Once certain the Leaf wasn’t pursuing, Yoru swiftly extracted blood, hair, and a small tissue sample from Tenzō.  

As the last known Wood Style user, Tenzō’s genetic material was invaluable. Yoru had no intention of wasting it—research opportunities like this didn’t come twice.  

As for Kakashi? Yoru happily claimed his Sharingan.  

He didn’t need the eye for himself, but that didn’t mean his subordinates wouldn’t. Not everyone could handle the Sharingan’s strain… but Kimimaro just might.  

"Not a bad haul. Then again, nothing less from the Leaf."  

With his spoils secured, Yoru regrouped with Kisame and the others to plan their next move.  

Their goal was simple: harass the Leaf into exhaustion. No rest, no respite—just relentless attrition.  

"We’re running out of time." 

"If we don’t launch a full assault and crush the Leaf before dawn, we retreat immediately." 

"Regroup with the Mizukage, then focus on dismantling their main forces." 

"Otherwise, we won’t stand a chance against the Cloud ninja reinforcements."  

His tone was grave as he addressed the team. While explaining tactics, his senses remained hyper-alert, tracking every move the Leaf made.  

After their earlier blunder, the Leaf’s defenses were tighter. A conventional ambush wouldn’t work twice.  

But Yoru wasn’t worried. His team had plenty of unconventional options:  

• Kisame could flood the battlefield with tidal waves.  

• Ameyuri could call down lightning storms with her Raikiri blades.  

• Yoru himself could summon lightning tigers or sky-splitting thunder.  

• Yugito? A Tailed Beast Bomb or Bijūdama would do nicely. 

"This next phase is pure harassment. Do not get drawn into prolonged fights." 

"If we overcommit, we lose."  

His gaze lingered on Suigetsu and Ameyuri—the two he trusted least to exercise restraint.  

"Yeah, yeah. We got it."  

They grumbled at being singled out but knew better than to challenge him.  

"Good. We’re sticking together this time—no more split forces." 

"They’ll be ready for that now."  

Suddenly, Yoru paused. His senses flared.  

"Seal Kakashi and Tenzō. Now." 

"The Leaf’s sensory team and vanguard are closing in."  

Within minutes, the group vanished—just as the Leaf’s tracking unit arrived.  

"Are these mist-nin clairvoyant or something?!"  

Frustration gnawed at them. The traces were fresh—their prey had slipped away minutes before.  

Then—  

"Crack!"  

The ground beneath them ignited. Explosive tags.  

"SHIT—MOVE!"  

Most reacted too late. The blast swallowed them whole, flames painting the night crimson.  

Shrapnel and kunai shredded the survivors. Even the vanguard squad, lagging behind, took heavy losses.  

"YOU BASTARDS!!!"  

All they could do was roar in helpless rage… and retreat.  

Chapter 189: The Thunder Tiger Annihilates the World  

Far away at the Konoha camp, Nara Shikaku was the first to sense the disturbance and immediately issued an alert.  

He knew it—Yoru was coming!  

At the frontlines, a group of Hyūga clan shinobi activated their Byakugan, scanning the distance.  

The strongest reconnaissance unit had been deployed!  

"Enemy spotted—five miles out!"  

A signal went up, and like a relay, voices rang out one after another:  

"Numbers: two thousand!" 

"They’re clustered together!" 

"Someone’s forming hand seals!" 

"The jinchūriki’s chakra is surging—be on guard!"  

Without Yoru’s mist obstructing their vision, the Hyūga clan’s scouting abilities were in full display.  

"Here it comes!"  

As the Hyūga shouted in alarm, a blinding beam of energy tore through the night sky—fast as a comet, its overwhelming aura sending chills down their spines.  

The Tailed Beast Bomb was upon them!  

"Formation—NOW!"  

A sharp command rang out. Several elite ANBU operatives dashed into position, weaving hand seals in unison:  

"Four Violet Flames Barrier!"  

"And my addition—!"  

"Adamantine Sealing Walls!"  

The Third Hokage, still uneasy about whether the barrier alone could withstand the Tailed Beast Bomb, reinforced it with his Adamantine Staff, adding another layer of defense.  

BOOM!  

The next instant, the Tailed Beast Bomb slammed into the barrier with earth-shaking force. The shockwave rattled the entire structure, threatening to shatter it.  

A thunderous explosion lit up the night, the blinding flash nearly searing their eyes. The violent tremors sent soldiers tumbling to the ground.  

Before them, the world had turned into a hellscape of light and destruction, the sheer force of the blast obliterating everything in its wake.  

Many swallowed hard, their bodies trembling.  

Only when facing a Tailed Beast Bomb head-on did they truly understand its terrifying power. If this was the Tailed Beast Bomb, how much worse would a Bijūdama be?  

"W-we… blocked it!" 

"Th-thank goodness!" 

"All hail the Hokage!"  

The soldiers looked at the Third with reverence and gratitude. Without him, they’d be dead.  

But the Third ignored their admiration, turning instead to Hyūga Hiashi.  

"Report on the enemy!"  

Before Hiashi could answer, a deafening crack of thunder roared above them.  

Everyone looked up—  

A storm cloud had gathered overhead, thick bolts of lightning writhing within, their menacing glow piercing the darkness.  

"Since when was there a storm?!" 

"Wait… don’t tell me—"  

A dreadful realization dawned on the Konoha shinobi. Their faces paled.  

The Third Hokage reacted instantly. "SCATTER!"  

But before his order could fully take effect, a voice cut through the chaos:  

"Water Release: Great Water Collision!"  

ROAR—!  

A monstrous surge of water, like a raging beast, crashed toward them. The chilling mist and thunderous tremors left no doubt—this was a tsunami-level attack.  

Then, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, revealing the horror before them.  

A mountainous flood, unstoppable and devastating, was moments away from swallowing them whole.  

This was a natural disaster—no time to counter, no way to escape.  

Many trembled uncontrollably, their bodies frozen in terror. Some couldn’t even muster chakra, let alone defend themselves. They could only await death.  

"Earth Release: Earth-Splitting Palm!"  

The Third Hokage reacted swiftly, slamming his hands onto the ground. The earth split open, forming a massive chasm that swallowed part of the flood—but it wasn’t enough. The remaining torrent would still devastate their forces.  

"Earth Release: Earth Core!"  

Behind him, Kakashi and a team of ANBU followed up, raising the ground beneath the Konoha army.  

Using the earth itself as a shield should have been enough to counter the water—  

But then—  

"Lightning Release: Raging Thunder Tiger!"  

A cold voice echoed in their ears.  

ROOOAR—!  

A deafening, soul-shaking roar split the night.  

The sky blazed with light as an overwhelming pressure bore down on them.  

"Guh… what is that?!"  

The Konoha shinobi looked up—and their blood ran cold.  

A gigantic thunder tiger’s head, as large as a mountain, loomed above them. Its eyes gleamed with indifference, lightning crackling around it like a storm of annihilation.  

And then—it struck.  

"MOVE!"  

Even the Third Hokage felt a chill down his spine. The sheer lethality of this attack was unfathomable.  

But—  

BOOOOOOM—!  

Like a meteor crashing into the earth, the impact shook the ground for miles. The shockwave alone was catastrophic, no different from a natural disaster.  

"AAAAHHH—!"  

At the epicenter, unimaginable lightning ran wild. Countless were swallowed by the storm, the earth itself ripped apart, water exploding into the air like a wrathful sea.  

CRACK! BOOM!  

The destruction lasted only ten seconds—but when the dust settled, the Konoha camp was gone.  

In its place—a massive crater, now a filthy lake filled with muddy water and the floating, battered forms of survivors.  

"Cough… cough…!"  

From the wreckage at the crater’s edge, a large figure staggered out, coughing violently. Beneath him were two middle-aged men, their faces still etched with shock.  

The large man’s body shrank back to normal, his right arm bloodied, his breathing ragged.  

"You okay, Shikaku? Inoichi?" he asked.  

"Thanks to you, we’re fine. But what about you? No critical injuries?"  

The man with the topknot—none other than Nara Shikaku—replied. The other two were, of course, Akimichi Chōza and Yamanaka Inoichi.  

"Find the Hokage—now. That’s our top priority."  

Shikaku stood, issuing orders to the approaching ANBU. Then, surveying the devastation, his fists clenched, his expression dark.  

Under the cold moonlight, the full extent of the carnage was all too clear.  

Chapter 190: The Third Hokage is Stunned  

In the massive crater, the bodies of numerous Konoha shinobi floated—only a few were still moving, while the rest showed no signs of life. Up close, it was clear their bodies had been charred to a crisp.  

To put it bluntly (and with all due disrespect), a sprinkle of seasoning would’ve made them ready to serve as grilled meat!  

"Stay alert!" 

"Find the Hokage, now!" 

"The enemy will strike again!"  

Not far ahead of Nara Shikaku, recovered ANBU captains barked orders, reorganizing the troops.  

"Lord Hokage, are you alright?!"  

In the distance, an ANBU squad had located the Third Hokage, drawing Shikaku’s attention. He immediately rushed over.  

The Third Hokage was unharmed—in fact, he’d managed to shield many Konoha shinobi. But as he surveyed the devastating casualties, his fists clenched in grief. Just from a glance, hundreds lay dead.  

Worse yet, morale had taken a crushing blow.  

"Shiro…gane…hikari…" the Third Hokage muttered darkly, his voice dripping with killing intent. Few could evoke such fury from him.  

The Konoha forces regrouped, tightening their defenses. But when the Hyūga clan reported back, confusion spread—even the Third Hokage frowned.  

According to the Hyūga, the Kirigakure army had vanished without a trace. Not a single enemy could be detected for miles.  

"Don’t let your guard down. Expand the search radius to ten miles—we can’t afford another ambush," the Third ordered, then turned to Shikaku. "What’s your assessment?"  

Never in all his years of warfare had the Third Hokage suffered such a humiliating defeat. Despite having elite shinobi and strategists at his disposal, they’d been completely outmaneuvered—gaining no advantage since the battle began.  

"We underestimated him," Shikaku admitted. "Shirogane Hikari isn’t just powerful—his tactical brilliance is among the best I’ve ever seen."  

"In the first engagement, he knew when to retreat, refusing to overextend despite his initial success."  

"And in this battle, he exploited Kirigakure’s unique shinobi abilities to devastating effect, catching us completely off guard."  

"Once again, he withdrew before we could retaliate, preserving his forces instead of facing our fury head-on."  

"He’s clearly aiming to whittle us down gradually. A terrifying opponent, indeed."  

The Third’s brow furrowed deeper. "Then how do we counter him? We can’t let this continue!"  

"With such precision strikes, we’re being crushed despite our numerical advantage. At this rate, even our superior numbers won’t matter."  

The Third’s greatest worry was the enemy’s jinchūriki—a single Tailed Beast Bomb could devastate their forces. Only he stood a chance of countering it, which was precisely why jinchūriki were feared as living weapons of war.  

"We must reinforce our defenses," Shikaku said. "If we hold out until dawn, our situation will improve."  

"The darkness has worked against us. But more importantly, we can’t stay in these woods—the terrain favors them, not us."  

"We need to relocate to open ground, where we can leverage our strengths."  

As the strategist, Shikaku forced himself to stay calm despite the staggering losses. Yet, an uneasy feeling gnawed at him—like he’d overlooked something critical.  

The Third approved Shikaku’s plan without objection and ordered the army to move. After two brutal defeats, their security detail had been tripled to prevent another surprise attack.  

But what they didn’t know was that none of this mattered to Yoru.  

That said, Yoru wasn’t having an easy time either. Their supplies would last only another day and a half. If they couldn’t gain the upper hand by then, retreat would be impossible—annihilation was the only outcome.  

"They’re leaving the forest? Impressive reflexes, Shikaku," Yoru mused, sensing their movement.  

"But marching at night? A fatal mistake." A smirk played on his lips.  

Yet luck was on Konoha’s side—within a few kilometers, they reached open plains. Under the Third’s orders, they set up camp again, stretching their警戒线 (alert perimeter) a full five miles out.  

That was the maximum range of the Hyūga’s Byakugan in open terrain. With such an advance warning system, any sneak attack would be impossible.  

"This time, you won’t succeed, Shirogane Hikari," the Third vowed.  

Out of 12,000 troops, Yoru’s two assaults had already cost them over 3,000—1,700 dead and 1,300 wounded. A staggering 25% casualty rate.  

Never in the First, Second, or Third Great Shinobi Wars had Konoha suffered such losses—not even in the bloodiest battles. Yoru had shattered all precedents, forcing the Third to acknowledge his terrifying prowess.  

"No wonder the Iwagakure and Sunagakure forces lost…"  

Now he understood why Ōnoki and Rasa had failed despite leading their armies personally. It wasn’t incompetence—Yoru was simply that monstrous.  

"But from now on, you won’t gain another inch!"  

That sentiment wasn’t just the Third’s—it echoed in every Konoha shinobi’s heart. They refused to believe Yoru could outwit them again.  

"Heh. They still don’t realize your true objective," Yugito chuckled from thirty miles away as Yoru relayed the latest intel.  

"The harder they try to defend, the faster they exhaust themselves—playing right into your hands."