Chapter 152: The Battle Between Iwa and Kumo

"Don't be too arrogant."

Ōnoki knew better than to engage in Taijutsu with Raikage. Forming a hand seal, he spat out a large amount of earth from his mouth, which coalesced into a massive rock golem in mid-air.

"Earth Release: Golem Technique!"

Boom!

The rock golem landed with a thunderous noise, leaving two massive craters in its wake. Rising to its full height, it swung its enormous fist directly at Raikage.

"Hell Stab: Piercing Four Fingered,"

The Raikage concentrated an immense amount of lightning into four of his fingers, charging straight at the rock golem without hesitation. The immense penetrating force of his technique shattered the golem's arm completely.

"Ah~"

Rōshi, true to his straightforward combat style, activated his Lava Release Chakra Mode, enveloping his body in molten lava. Leaping high into the air, he swung his massive, lava-coated fist directly at Raikage's head.

"How dare you show off in front of me with this kind of technique?"

Raikage sneered, lightning crackling fiercely from his right hand.

Bang!

The two fists collided with a deafening explosion. Lava sprayed in all directions, lightning surged wildly, and the resulting shockwaves struck nearby ninja who couldn't retreat in time.

Rōshi was sent flying from the impact, while the Raikage remained unscathed. His skin didn't even break, showcasing the terrifying power of the "Strongest Shield," far surpassing Kawakaze's defense.

"I'll take over. You're no match for him," Ōnoki said, appearing behind Rōshi and steadying him. Rōshi's combat style put him at a clear disadvantage against Raikage.

There were very few who could rival Raikage in Taijutsu, and Rōshi wasn't one of them.

"Okay."

Rōshi accepted without hesitation. He knew when he was outmatched—this wasn't the first time he'd been defeated. If Ōnoki hadn't been there, he wouldn't have dared to engage the Raikage so recklessly.

Meanwhile, Han and Blue B were locked in combat. Despite having recovered some strength, Han was still being completely overpowered.

No ninja dared to linger near the ferocious battle between the Jinchūriki.

Rōshi, now relatively free, turned his attention to the ordinary Kumo ninja. However, he was quickly surrounded by a large number of them. These Kumo ninja fought fearlessly, using their lives to delay him—a strategy that was both effective and deeply frustrating.

"So many years have passed, and you still haven't grown in height. I wonder if your skills have improved?"

The Raikage looked at Ōnoki, who stood not far away, a mocking expression tugging at the corners of his mouth. The two were old acquaintances, having both lived through the First Great Ninja War.

"You'll see if you try," Ōnoki replied, suppressing his anger. This big idiot was as infuriating as ever.

"Don't die so easily."

Thr Raikage sneered as a single finger on his right hand began to glow with dazzling light. The Strongest Spear, One Fingered Assault.

Despite his taunting words, the Raikage did not truly underestimate Ōnoki.

In the blink of an eye, blue lightning streaked toward Ōnoki with astonishing speed.

"Earth Release: Super Earth-Style Wall!"

Ōnoki's eyes narrowed as he swiftly formed a hand seal and pressed his hands to the ground.

Rumble!!

A massive wall of earth surged upward, blocking Raikage's path.

Raikage collided with the wall almost instantly.

Bang!!

The wall shattered, pierced straight through as Raikage continued his charge, heading directly for Ōnoki.

"What terrifying destructive power," Ōnoki muttered as he leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding Raikage's deadly strike.

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

A translucent barrier formed in Ōnoki's hands and shot toward Raikage. A jolt of alarm surged through Raikage as a huge sense of danger washed over him.

Even his Lightning Release Armor wasn't enough to take that attack head-on.

In a flash, Raikage moved from his original spot just as the Dust Release struck.

Boom!

A massive explosion echoed through the battlefield, leaving a crater tens of meters deep where Raikage had just been.

Ōnoki showed no disappointment at the Raikage's successful dodge. If the Raikage had actually been destroyed by his Dust Release, it would have been a surprising outcome.

The two—one tall and one short—faced each other once more amidst the chaos of the battlefield, where ninjas were falling by the minute.

"Not bad," The Raikage remarked, glancing at the crater before tossing out a casual, mocking comment.

"You're pretty fast too," Ōnoki replied sarcastically.

The two clashed again.

....

The battle raged until dusk, with no victor emerging.

Around Rōshi lay the bodies of countless Kumo Ninja, marking him as the undisputed MVP of the battle. Despite their losses, both armies called a truce, and Ōnoki and Raikage each led their weary ninjas back to their camps.

"Lord Third, we've captured a few spies from Konoha," an intelligence officer reported.

Konoha's spies had risked everything to observe the battle, but only a few had managed to escape the Land of Earth; the rest had been captured.

"Is there any valuable intelligence?"

Ōnoki sighed, rubbing his temples. The thought of Konoha interfering again filled him with dread. If they entered the conflict, the Land of Earth would be in serious danger.

As his frustration grew, he couldn't help but curse Kawakaze and Tsunade. Since when had Konoha's younger generation been on par with veterans like him?

"They came to confirm the situation of our country's war," the intelligence officer explained. "There is no valuable information."

These Konoha spies had already been interrogated; they had died in service to their village.

"We have to stay vigilant," Ōnoki muttered, rubbing his large nose. After a pause, he issued his next order. "Call Rōshi."

"Yes, Lord Third."

Moments later, Rōshi appeared before Ōnoki.

"You will lead a group to the border to guard against a potential Konoha invasion," Ōnoki instructed. "We're in a precarious position, so you'll need to give it your all."

"Understood. I'll set off immediately," Rōshi replied without hesitation.

Seeing no further instructions forthcoming, Rōshi turned and left.

The battle between the Iwa Ninjas and Kumo Ninjas raged on. After reinforcements arrived from the village, Rōshi led a portion of the forces to the border.

Ōnoki's decision to send Rōshi weakened his battlefield presence, but it was a necessary gamble. Even so, he worried that Rōshi alone wouldn't be enough—especially if Kawakaze or other Konoha elites intervened.

The Kumo Ninjas' relentless pressure made it impossible for Ōnoki to spare additional forces. He could only hope that Konoha would choose to attack the Land of Wind instead of targeting the Land of Earth.

Meanwhile, the Konoha intelligence officer who had escaped the Land of Earth wasted no time reporting what he had seen.

Upon receiving the news, Tsunade convened a meeting.

"It has been confirmed that Kumogakure has raided the Land of Earth," Tsunade announced. "This means Ōnoki will no longer have the energy to harass us. Next, we can focus on attacking the Land of Wind with full force. Any objections to setting a date for departure?"

Her decision brought a glimmer of hope to Konoha's efforts.

Ōnoki wouldn't be easy to defeat, even on his own turf, but the opportunity to shift the tide of the war was within reach.

"No objections, but I think we can teach Ōnoki a lesson," said a member of the Uchiha Clan.

The Uchiha had suffered significant losses in their battle against the Iwa Ninjas, and now there was an opportunity for revenge. Who wouldn't take advantage of it?