Chapter 110: The Heavenly Punishment Returns

Half an hour later, the Third Kazekage led thousands of Suna shinobi toward Amegakure.

At the forward operating camp of Konoha, early in the morning, Uchiha Gin and Tsunade led a force of more than 4,000 ninjas heading for Ame. According to plan, around a thousand shinobi from the Ino-Shika-Chō trio clans remained behind to secure the rear and guard against any counterattacks.

Perhaps because Hanzo had previously diverted too many resources, they encountered only a few small enemy squads along the route—none of which could stop the Konoha army. Within half a day, Gin's unit arrived near the outskirts of Ame.

As Gin prepared to issue the order to begin the assault, his Observation Haki sensed movement—two massive chakra signatures approaching rapidly. He frowned.

"What is it?" Tsunade asked, noticing the shift in his expression. The rest followed suit.

"The enemy is on the move," Gin said sharply. "Looks like both Iwagakure and Sunagakure forces are converging."

Everyone's faces hardened in shock.

"What's their distance? Their numbers?" asked Nara Shikayama, voice urgent.

"Iwa shinobi are 32 kilometers away. Suna shinobi—about 31 kilometers. Rough estimate: 5,000 from Iwa, 4,000 from Suna," Gin answered calmly, his Sharingan gleaming faintly beneath his bangs.

A stunned silence followed. These weren't just any forces—Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, and the Third Kazekage themselves were leading the advance. Nearly 10,000 shinobi were heading directly toward them.

"Tsunade-sama, Gin-sama, we need a strategy—fast!" Shikayama urged. "Gin-sama, is there any way you can use that technique again—the one you used on Amegakure's forces?"

All eyes turned toward Gin—Hatake Sakumo, Jiraiya, even Tsunade waited for his response.

He tilted his head back, gauging the clouds using his Haki, then nodded.

"It's possible. The clouds over this region are highly charged. Within a 20–30 kilometer radius, I can summon enough lightning to kill two to three thousand at once. But that won't be enough," he admitted. "However, if I teleport above one of the armies, I can draw additional thunderstorm clouds from surrounding regions and invoke my Thunderstorm Fang technique again. That might allow me to eliminate six to seven thousand enemies."

The Rain Country's climate was ideal for such a feat—it rained year-round. Monsoons saturated the skies with latent energy, and while this climate made life difficult, it also created fertile ground for Gin's lightning-style ninjutsu.

In the back of his mind, Gin thought of the future—of uniting the ninja world under peace. He envisioned an artificial canal carved into the mountain range between Wind Country and Rain Country, redirecting moisture-laden winds into the deserts of Suna. It would allow life to flourish in previously barren lands.

In this world of chakra, where mountains could be cleaved by Susano'o or reshaped by Earth Release techniques, this wasn't a dream. With his mother's full-body Susano'o, such a task could be done in mere days.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Gin noticed the skeptical glances from some of the commanders. Many hadn't seen the full extent of his power firsthand—the obliteration of thousands with a single strike. It was understandable—they had reason to be cautious. After all, their lives hung in the balance.

Breaking the silence, Gin offered a bold proposal:

"The forces of Suna and Iwa haven't merged yet. There's a 20-kilometer gap between them. We can delay the attack on Ame—there are only around a thousand shinobi left there. We can return anytime. But if we move quickly, we can strike first—ambush one army before they unite. We hit one hard, and if possible, we circle back for the second. Even without relying entirely on my power, our 4,000 strong can crush either force."

It was a confident plan, and his logic was sound. But even so, trust had to be earned. Gin's performance at the Konoha camp was impressive, but nothing compared to the scale of what he claimed now.

Still, something in his voice lit a fire in their hearts.

"With our current strength, we're not at a disadvantage against either side!" Jiraiya said.

Sakumo stepped forward. "We even have the advantage in top-tier fighters. I say we go after Suna first."

"Why Suna?" Tsunade asked.

Sakumo explained, "Suna's forces are generally weaker than Iwa's. Also, Iwa shinobi are Earth-style users—their defenses are harder to crack. And we can't forget Ōnoki. He's a Kage, and he possesses the Dust Release—it'll be hard to counter him. He's best saved for last."

There was a murmur of agreement. Even seeing only a partial transformation of Ōnoki's technique had left Sakumo wary—it was dangerous.

"Wait," said Nara Shikayama, tapping his chin. "Wind beats lightning. Lightning beats earth. Shouldn't we hit Iwa first?"

Sakumo shook his head. "Elemental theory is useful—but it's not everything. My kenjutsu uses lightning too, and I've begun to integrate wind-style. But against absolute speed and power, elemental advantage means little. Gin's techniques are so fast, most won't even see them coming."

That was true. Gin's lightning-style attacks were nearly instantaneous. Theoretical advantages couldn't help if you were already dead before you could respond.

After thorough discussion, the commanders agreed. They would strike Suna first.

Once the plan was confirmed, Gin immediately ordered the army to redirect its movement, heading toward the Suna advance column.

Back in Amegakure, the enemy was thrown into confusion. Konoha's army, poised to strike, had suddenly turned away. The defending Ame shinobi were left guessing.

"Did they retreat?"

"Was it a trap?"

"Maybe Hanzo's returning with reinforcements…"

Speculations flew wildly among the nervous defenders. Eventually, it was decided that Ame forces would stay back and hold the village—fearful that a counterattack might lead them into a trap. They believed Hanzo the Salamander, with his elite 2,000 troops, would handle the situation.

Their indecision saved them—for now. If they had joined the battle, they would have been Gin's next targets.

An hour later, in the southwest of the Rain Country, the Suna forces advanced steadily.

A few among them noticed something strange—the clouds overhead churned unnaturally. Flashes of light flickered in the mist. Even the Third Kazekage, riding near the front, frowned in unease.

"Those clouds…" one shinobi whispered. "They're not normal."

Looking up, the Kazekage's heart skipped a beat.

He remembered vividly how Gin had wiped out Hanzo and 2,000 Ame-nin. The memory resurfaced with terrifying clarity.

"Brace for impact!!" he roared. "It's Uchiha Gin! Defensive formations—NOW! Lightning-style attack incoming! Protect yourselves with Wind Release and Iron Sand!"

"What?!" the Suna shinobi froze, stunned by the warning.

A few, recalling yesterday's briefing, rushed to form hand seals, summoning protective barriers.

But it was already too late.

TrrrrrrrrrrrBOOOOOM!!

Three colossal bolts of lightning, as thick as tree trunks, slammed down from the heavens.

"HEAVENLY PUNISHMENT: THUNDERCLAP BURIAL!"

The sky itself seemed to tear open.

In an instant, over 800 Suna shinobi were reduced to smoldering corpses—some didn't even have time to scream.

"No—!" the Third Kazekage howled, horror on his face.

Despite his swift activation of Magnet Release: Iron Sand Armor, Gin's attack had come too quickly, too violently. The Kazekage had managed to shield part of his forces—but not nearly enough.

The battlefield was plunged into chaos.

And in the stormclouds above, a lone figure hovered in the sky, silent, glowing with lightning.