Chapter 44 - The Great Battle Begins

Chapter 44 - The Great Battle Begins

As the first light of dawn stretched across the sky, the silence of the battlefield was shattered.

A chain of violent explosions erupted in the distance, the shockwaves rolling across the landscape like the drumbeats of war. The earth trembled beneath their force, sending plumes of fire and debris into the air.

The war had officially begun.

"Damn it! Did they prepare in advance?"

Kitsuchi narrowed his eyes at the advancing Konoha forces, his voice thick with frustration.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

They had planned to launch a surprise attack at dawn—striking when the enemy was still sluggish, unprepared. A decisive opening strike meant to cripple Konoha's defenses before they could react.

But instead, they had walked straight into a battlefield already primed for war.

Traps, scouts, and defensive positions had all been meticulously placed along the route. What was meant to be an ambush had been flipped against them, turning the tide before the first clash of blades.

"Then let's have a direct confrontation,"Tō Dōnin muttered, his brow furrowing.

There was no other option now. They had lost the element of surprise.

A sharp, mocking voice cut through the battlefield.

"Kitsuchi, are you really that impatient? Was my last 'gift' not enough for you?"

Orochimaru's tone was playful, yet laced with venom. He stood calmly among his forces, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. Behind his back, his hands moved with practiced precision, forming a rapid sequence of intricate seals.

Kitsuchi clenched his fists, his teeth grinding.

"Hmph! Orochimaru, I told you I'd make you pay for that! Today is the day—"

His declaration was cut short.

A wave of searing heat blasted across the battlefield as the Konoha shinobi launched their first attack.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" x1000

"Fire Release: Grand Fireball Technique!" x500

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" x1000

The combined jutsu of over a thousand shinobi turned the air into an inferno. Flames roared to life, devouring the dry grass and filling the sky with black smoke. The sheer force of the wind techniques fueled the fire, whipping it into a raging storm of heat and destruction.

The ground glowed red-hot, the flames sweeping toward Iwa's ranks like the breath of a dragon.

Caught off guard, Kitsuchi's face twisted with rage and alarm.

"Damn you, Orochimaru! You have no honor! Defensive formations, now!"

But even as he shouted, the firestorm was already upon them.

Many Iwa shinobi barely had time to react before the flames surged forward. The battlefield was instantly thrown into chaos, screams and panicked shouts mixing with the roar of fire.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" x3000

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart!" x50

Massive earthen barriers erupted from the ground, forming towering walls to shield the Iwa forces. The blazing fire crashed against the defenses, sending waves of searing heat over the top. Some walls cracked under the intense heat, while others held firm.

This was one of Iwagakure's weaknesses. Unlike Konoha, whose ninjas typically trained in all five elemental releases, Iwa's forces specialized in Earth Release due to their terrain. If they had mastered Wind Release as well, they could have redirected the firestorm back at Konoha.

Despite their quick response, the damage was unavoidable. Several Iwa shinobi were caught in the initial blast, their screams echoing as flames consumed them. Others managed to retreat behind the walls, some clutching at scorched armor and burnt skin.

Kitsuchi scowled.

It was exactly the same as last time.

Orochimaru had set them up again.

The phantom pain of his previously injured shoulder pulsed as if mocking him.

This wasn't just an ambush. It was a calculated slaughter.

And he wasn't the only one who realized it.

"Since that's how you want to play, I have a little gift for you too!"

Tō Dōnin stepped forward, his expression cold. His hands blurred through a rapid sequence of seals—far more complex than a typical jutsu. Chakra surged around him, the very air trembling with its intensity.

This was no ordinary technique.

"Earth Release: Open Earth Rising Excavation!"

With a deafening crack, he slammed his hands against the ground.

The battlefield trembled.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then the earth itself split open.

The ground convulsed violently, entire sections of land buckling and rising. Shinobi on both sides stumbled as the tremors intensified. And then, with a thunderous roar, molten rock burst forth.

Streams of lava spewed from the depths like a volcanic eruption, rolling across the battlefield in rivers of searing heat. The glowing red flow consumed everything in its path—grass, trees, and most horrifyingly, Konoha shinobi caught too close to the blast zone.

The screams were immediate.

Several Konoha shinobi vanished beneath the molten surge, their bodies incinerated within moments. Others tried to leap away, only to be caught by splashes of lava, their agonized cries piercing the air.

"Damn it!"

Orochimaru's normally composed expression darkened.

His forces—the very shinobi he had led from Konoha—were dying in droves. The relentless surge of molten rock had already consumed too many. Their agonized cries still echoed across the battlefield, their bodies reduced to charred remains.

It was a rare sight to see Orochimaru so visibly angered.

"Kazane!" he roared.

Despite his wealth of knowledge and jutsu, Orochimaru had a glaring weakness—he lacked large-scale, long-range ninjutsu. Against an enemy that could reshape the battlefield itself, his options were limited.

For now, all he could do was unleash his frustration and call upon his most capable subordinate to strike back.

Kazane had never seen Orochimaru this enraged before. But as he took in the sight of his fallen comrades—the very shinobi he had trained and fought alongside just the day before—a seething rage ignited within him.

There was no hesitation.

With a swift step, he propelled himself forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet.

The moment Kazane's blade tore through the defensive earth walls of the Iwa forces, the battlefield plunged into utter chaos.

Ninjutsu erupted in the air like a storm of fire and lightning. The sharp whizzing of kunai and shuriken filled the space between clashing shinobi. The acrid scent of blood and scorched earth thickened the air.

The real battle had begun.

Amidst the mayhem, two figures stood out—Kazane and Namikaze Minato.

Kazane moved like a phantom, his blade cutting down any Iwa jonin who crossed his path. His targets were clear—those adorned with flak jackets, the commanders, the veterans. In mere moments, two had already fallen to his ruthless efficiency.

On the other side of the battlefield, Minato was a streak of golden light.

His Flying Thunder God Technique turned the battlefield into his domain. Within the range of his marked kunai, rank was meaningless. Jonin, chunin, even the strongest of Iwa's forces—none could react in time. The moment Minato set his eyes on a target, their fate was sealed.

He flashed between his kunai with terrifying speed, his blade ending lives in an instant.

"Damn it!"

Kitsuchi watched in horror as his troops were butchered. Every time he turned, another soldier fell.

And the worst part—he couldn't stop it.

Minato's speed was beyond comprehension. Even if he tried to counter him, he would never be fast enough. Chasing after an opponent like that was suicide.

So he made a decision.

He wouldn't go after Minato.

Instead, his gaze locked onto Kazane.

At the same time, Tō Dōnin set his sights on Minato, stepping forward with a grim expression.

"Hatake Kazane!"

Kitsuchi roared, launching himself toward his target.

Hearing his name, Kazane immediately abandoned his current opponent. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he dashed forward, meeting Kitsuchi head-on.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist!"

"Three-Sword Style: Oni Slash!"

Steel met stone in an explosive clash. Kazane's blade sliced through the air, colliding against Kitsuchi's massive, rock-hardened fist. The impact sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, knocking nearby shinobi off their feet.

Some never got back up.

Stray kunai and bursts of wild ninjutsu tore through the air, striking down those unfortunate enough to be caught in the aftershocks of the battle.

This was the nature of combat between the truly powerful—ordinary soldiers couldn't even stand near them.

Within seconds, Kazane and Kitsuchi had already exchanged multiple blows, neither willing to yield. Their movements were precise, brutal, and unrelenting.

Recognizing the danger, surrounding shinobi instinctively retreated, putting dozens of meters between themselves and the dueling warriors.

Another clash—blade against fist.

Neither relented.

Each attack was a direct contest of raw strength. For every punch, Kazane responded with a sword strike. Their battle was like an unbreakable rhythm, a relentless storm of violence.

But even as Kitsuchi held his ground, the strain was beginning to show.

His muscles bulged, veins pulsed, and sweat poured down his forehead. He gritted his teeth, refusing to acknowledge the truth that his body was screaming at him.

He was being pushed back.

Clang!

With a final exertion of strength, Kitsuchi forced some distance between them.

He had no choice.

Brute force alone wouldn't be enough to overpower Kazane.

But he still had his jutsu.

"Earth Release: Yellow Spring Swamp!"

The ground beneath Kazane instantly shifted. The solid battlefield transformed into a deep, muddy swamp, pulling him downward with every movement.

At the same time, Kitsuchi activated Lightened Boulder Jutsu. He leaped onto a floating rock above, raining down heavy, calculated strikes from his elevated position.

With his mobility severely restricted, Kazane was at a disadvantage.

Each movement required more effort. Each step threatened to pull him deeper into the sinking earth.

Kitsuchi smirked.

It was over.

But then—

"Eight Gates Release: Gate of View, Open!"

There was terror in the face of death.

Kazane had not expected to be cornered so completely. Kitsuchi was a powerhouse, but he had seemed straightforward—a brute relying on strength.

Yet now, Kazane was the one struggling to escape.

But rather than panic, his senses sharpened. The thrill of battle pushed him beyond his limits.

With no other choice, he forcefully activated the Sixth Gate—Gate of View.

A surge of vibrant blue energy erupted from his body, crackling like a storm. The sheer force of it blasted the swampy ground apart, freeing him instantly.

Empowered by the Sixth Gate, Kazane's speed and strength surged to monstrous levels.

In the blink of an eye, he slashed out, forcing Kitsuchi to retreat.

Then, with a single leap, he broke free from the swamp entirely.

And glare at his enemy with murder in his eyes, a sword gritted between his teeth.

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