Chapter 77: Chapter 77
Kirigakure front
Uchiha Fugaku led the entire mobilized army to face the Kiri battlelines. The Uchiha and the rest of the Leaf Shinobi had been on full mobilization for the past two days, and only today Fugaku passed down the order to act. Every Leaf Shinobi could feel that something significant was going to happen soon. Although the Uchiha had been holding strong, as the days progressed, their losses had been adding on. When Tsunade proposed such an end game, Fugaku couldn't help but take it with open arms. If what the Senju princess stated was true, then their plan had a high rate of success.
As the Konoha army rushed forward, they could see the Kiri vanguard already ready to confront the incoming enemy. Leading from the front was Mizukage himself, Yagura Karatachi. The moment the two armies came within range, jutsus started flying at each other. Even though the Kiri force had an elemental advantage, the Leaf Shinobi, especially the Uchiha members, were able to overpower the Kiri Shinobi with sheer brute force. The Kiri vanguard was being quickly overwhelmed, so the Mizukage himself chose to join the fray. They only needed to stall for time until the main Kiri army was fully mobilized.
Fugaku, who noticed Yagura move quickly, chose to intercept him. "[Katon: Gōka Messhitsu]" (Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction) A huge torrent of fire rushed directly towards the Mizukage. Fugaku chose to resort to large-scale ninjutsu because they had a mission to perform. If they failed, then this entire mobilization would be a waste. They had to somehow direct the Jinchuriki within the area where the formation had been laid, so he chose not to hold back and go all out from the start. Yagura was aware that the enemy commander had locked onto him, so he decided to confront him. "[Suiton: Suijinchū]" (Water Release: Water Formation Pillar) A huge barricade was created around the Mizukage, and none of the fire was able to breach it, no matter how much more chakra Fugaku released into his ninjutsu.
Yagura defended against Fugaku's massive fire release. Recently freed from Obito's Mangekyou, he didn't know who exactly put him under the genjutsu, but he suspected the Uchiha. This thought fueled his anger. Abandoning caution, he fully transformed into the three tails and aggressively attacked the Uchiha patriarch.
"[Suiton: Kōka Suijin]" (Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade) The three tails created a large whirlpool around its arm and targeted the enemy ranks. However, Fugaku wasn't going to let the bijuu run wild. He immediately activated his Mangekyou and unleashed the Golden Susanoo to intercept the incoming attack head-on.
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Meanwhile, on the Iwagakure front, following Onoki's orders, the Iwa army maintained caution. Tsunade, moving the Konoha army boldly into Iwagakure territory, aimed to encroach on their lands. The Iwa Shinobi couldn't allow this, as it would mean losing control of their territory. Tsunade, in turn, sought to provoke a confrontation with the five tails and decided to launch a full-scale assault on Iwagakure's borders.
"Tsunade-sama, there's movement on the enemy side. It seems they're ready to make a stand," a sensor ninja accompanying the Senju relayed the latest update.
"Pass down my orders. Attack as aggressively as possible, but I don't want anyone to become reckless. Our target is to lure the bijuu. Ask them to retreat immediately once we have the bijuu under control."
The Konoha army operated like a well-oiled machine, initiating their assault on the Iwagakure battle lines. The new Iwa front commander found himself in a dilemma, unable to retreat further without ceding more ground to Konoha. He had no choice but to engage the Konoha army head-on, with Han assigned to the vanguard to confront the Senju princess.
The battlefield buzzed with tension as the showdown between Han, the five tails Jinchuriki, and Tsunade, the renowned Senju princess, drew near. Both warriors stood ready at opposite ends, their eyes locked in a silent exchange of determination.
Han, empowered by the five tails' chakra, exuded a formidable presence. His eyes glowed with fierce determination as he braced himself to confront Tsunade, fully aware that the outcome of this battle could sway the course of the war.
Tsunade, towering with strength and confidence, exuded an aura of authority. With her renowned combat skills and legendary strength, she stood firm, prepared to face Han head-on and prove her prowess on the battlefield one more time.
As the two armies collided, a chaotic melee erupted on the battlefield. Shuriken and Kunai flew through the air, accompanied by bursts of elemental jutsu that illuminated the sky with their brilliance. Earth shook as earth release techniques clashed with the ground, while torrents of water surged forth in waves of relentless assault.
Han knew that half-assing this fight would lead to his demise, so he had to go full throttle from the start. Unlike their previous encounters, he quickly transformed into the five tails and launched the first strike. He aimed to keep the fight with the Senju at medium or long range, fully aware of how devastating Tsunade could be in close combat.
"[Futton: Jōki Bakuhatsu]" (Boil Release: Steam Explosion) Han, in the form of the five tails, released a large explosion of steam to deter Tsunade from approaching too closely. However, he underestimated Tsunade's resolve. Despite the boiling steam, Tsunade charged towards him with determination, seemingly unfazed by the intense heat. If it were any other Shinobi, their skin and bones would have melted by now.
Han swiftly dodged a large splash of acid that burned through the ground where he stood. Turning quickly, he saw a massive slug, even larger than the five tails, emerge amidst the boiling steam. It was Tsunade's summoned beast, but its size was several times larger than before.
"[Doton: Tekkenrō]" (Earth Release: Iron Fist Prison) Tsunade kneaded a massive amount of chakra and summoned a huge walled prison to create an arena where she could fight the Jinchuriki to her heart's content.
Katsuyu held her own against the five tails, the boil release techniques having no effect on the massive creature. Its body was covered with slime, which acted as a natural barrier against Han's attacks. Han attempted to pierce through the summon's body with his massive horns, but he was intercepted by a sudden blow to the face. Staggering back, he turned to check on Tsunade, who was now wielding a massive tree like a makeshift weapon to damage the Jinchuriki.
Tsunade knew she had to weaken the Jinchuriki considerably to have a chance at capturing it, considering the massive reserves of chakra the bijuu possessed. With determination, she channeled her chakra again and rushed to clash with the five tails head-on.
Han realized he was at a disadvantage, so he quickly used a technique that would give him an instant power-up: "[Futton: Kairiki Musō]" (Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength). This berserk technique, inherent to the five tails, caused his chakra to flare again. Tsunade threw the uprooted tree towards the five tails' face, but it instantly melted as it passed through the new layer of boiling steam. Sensing the threat, Tsunade immediately retreated to a safe distance within the arena. Meanwhile, Katsuyu harassed the massive beast with acid attacks, splitting into multiple pieces whenever the tailed beast tried to inflict significant damage, only to regroup later once the threat passed.
"[Doton: Yomi Numa]" (Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld) Tsunade created a massive swamp to restrict the Jinchuriki's movements. The ground under Han's feet gave way, and the massive body of the five tails started sinking into the swamp. If it were a swamp created by multiple Shinobi using a combination technique, the five tails would have easily escaped. However, Tsunade's swamp was so massive that it enclosed the entire arena she had created earlier. Tsunade quickly jumped up, threw a scroll, and performed a series of hand signs. "[Kuchiyose]" (Summoning). A massive boulder, comparable in size to a bijuu, manifested on top of the now-trapped Jinchuriki, with Tsunade standing atop it.
"[Doton: Chōkajūgan no Jutsu]" (Earth Release: Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique). The moment Tsunade completed the technique, Han felt the threat. Although he could handle a boulder of such size easily, the technique increased its weight to an unimaginable scale. Han wanted to blast the free-falling boulder with a bijudama, but the persistent summon continued to harass him.
However, what shocked Han even more was that this technique was something reserved only for the elites within Iwagakure. He was stunned that the enemy was able to use one of their village's most prized jutsu.
"You! How dare you steal our village's secret jutsu!" Han, a man of few words, was now fuming in anger. But before he could question further, the massive boulder landed on top of the five tails, leaving him no time to think about other unnecessary things. The Jinchuriki used his five massive tails to hold back the massive boulder that was trying to crush him beneath its weight. Han quickly started charging a bijudama to blast the boulder at close range.
However, Tsunade was not going to give him the time to make a comeback. "[Suiton: Suizetsusan]" (Water Release: Water Severing Slash) A massive blade of high-pressure water neatly severed one of the tails that supported the boulder, and the massive beast cried in agony as one of its tails was severed.
As Han struggled against the massive boulder with his five tails, Tsunade took advantage of the situation. With one of Han's tails severed, he fought to hold onto the boulder, his muscles straining.
Tsunade, determined and swift, leaped off the boulder and launched a series of Water Release: Water-Severing Slashes. Each strike aimed to cut off another of Han's tails, forcing him to defend himself while holding onto the boulder.
The battlefield was alive with their clash, the ground shaking beneath them. Han's roars echoed through the air amid the sounds of water and crumbling earth.
But Han wouldn't give up. He summoned the power of the five tails, enveloping himself in boiling steam. The intense heat distorted the air around him as he prepared to strike back.
Undeterred, Tsunade charged forward with unwavering resolve. As Han unleashed his bijudama, a powerful vortex of elemental energy, Tsunade stood her ground.
Their attacks collided with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The ground trembled as their powers clashed, threatening to tear everything apart.
In a desperate but calculated move, Tsunade summoned her legendary strength to the extreme and wanted to challenge the bijudama head on "[Ninpō Sōzō Saisei — Byakugō no Jutsu]" (Ninja Art Creation Rebirth — Strength of a Hundred Technique), her fists ablaze with power. With a primal scream, she shattered Han's bijudama, unleashing a blinding wave of energy that engulfed the battlefield.
The battlefield fell silent, engulfed in the aftermath of the colossal clash. Dust obscured the arena, leaving every Shinobi breathless, awaiting the outcome. Even Han stood in disbelief, never expecting Tsunade to confront the bijudama head-on. It was a reckless move, facing the power of a tailed beast head-on.
As the dust settled, some Iwa Shinobi dared to hope they had taken down the enemy commander, a potential turning point in the battle. But their hopes were dashed when Han's panicked warning echoed through the chaos. Before he could react, Tsunade appeared atop the five tails' face, delivering a devastating punch.
The force of Tsunade's blow was staggering, causing the five tails to kneel under its weight. In the moment of imbalance, the massive boulder crashed down upon the beast, sealing its fate. Under the massive weight of the boulder, the entire body of the five tails was ensnared in the swamp Tsunade had created earlier. Tsunade consumed a few pellets to quickly recover her chakra to its peak, as she had sustained considerable damage from clashing with the bijudama head-on. The Strength of a Hundred Technique had drained a significant portion of her chakra reserves.
As the five tails succumbed to its own weight, Tsunade rushed forward once again to finish what she had started. Her target was to reclaim the bijuu that her grandfather had generously provided to the other villages.
As Tsunade braced herself to resume the attack, a sudden, searing pain erupted in her chest. A sharp intake of breath escaped her lips as her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Time seemed to stand still as she glanced down to see a hand, cruel and unforgiving, piercing through her heart from behind.
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