Chapter 361: Facing the Battle
After some time, the Three Kage led the Allied Shinobi Forces to the battlefield where the vanguard had once fought.
What greeted them was a horrifying sight.
The corpses of the vanguard members lay scattered across the ground, their bodies twisted and broken. Blood had soaked into the earth, and the air was thick with the nauseating stench of death. A suffocating sense of doom hung over the battlefield.
Huge meteor fragments littered the area, with dust and debris still swirling in the air, partially obscuring their view. Yet, the remnants of shattered weapons and broken ninja tools were clearly visible, a testament to the ferocity of the battle.
Some meteor fragments had left deep craters, their edges charred black as if scorched by intense flames. Occasionally, faint groans could be heard from the distance, but silence was far more dominant—a chilling, deathly silence.
The Three Kage and the Allied Shinobi Forces stood before the ruins, momentarily speechless.
"Who… who did this? Was it Hyuga Fuji himself?"
"A jutsu that summons meteors… it's exactly like Uchiha Madara's…"
The uninformed ninjas exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with an indescribable light.
Was this the kind of monster they were up against?
Farther away, Hyuga Miyuki and her puppet army stood in formation, watching them intently.
"Hyuga Miyuki…"
The Raikage quickly regained his composure. He eyed Hyuga Miyuki's group coldly. "Just you people standing in our way? You really don't think much of us, do you?"
"So, you've finally arrived." Hyuga Miyuki stood atop a rock, gazing at the massive army before her with an indifferent expression. "I thought staying here myself would be enough. But orders from above demand an overwhelming victory, so… come out."
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A row of coffins rose from the desert, their lids falling open one by one. From within, renowned figures of the shinobi world emerged. Their silhouettes, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, looked eerily like messengers from the underworld.
"Edo Tensei…"
Kitsuchi's expression turned grim, but then, recalling the trump card they had prepared back in the Land of Fire, his tension eased.
They had long anticipated the use of Edo Tensei and had countermeasures in place. There was no need to panic.
But just as they assumed Hyuga Miyuki's trump card was limited to these reanimated shinobi, a spiraling vortex of space appeared in the sky.
"Obito? No… did someone transplant his Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Kakashi, who had arrived with Tsunade, instinctively thought of Obito. He clenched his fists, but upon seeing the white creature emerging from the vortex, he suddenly recalled Obito's fate—captured by the Land of Snow and left in Hyuga Fuji's hands.
And stepping out from Kamui's dimension were not just White Zetsu, but also many familiar faces from different nations.
White Fang, former Five Kage, clan leaders from the great shinobi families…
Their skin bore no cracks. Their eyes were not black.
There was no doubt about it—they were not Edo Tensei zombies.
"They've been fully resurrected?"
Seeing this, everyone's hearts sank.
As these fully revived powerhouses emerged from Kamui's space, an oppressive weight settled over the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Every ninja who knew their names felt shock and unease written all over their faces. At this moment, they fully understood—the enemy they were facing was far more terrifying than they had imagined.
"This is bad…" Kitsuchi muttered. He had anticipated a difficult battle, but the sight before him still sent chills down his spine.
Resurrection… combined with Edo Tensei's ability to fight endlessly by reanimating fallen warriors… they had no chance in a war of attrition.
Just as the Raikage had said—this was their last and only chance. Their only hope lay in giving everything they had for one final stand.
Kakashi stood beside Tsunade, his gaze equally complicated. He looked at the familiar faces before him, emotions churning within him.
White Fang, the former Five Kage, the great clan leaders… these were once the pinnacle of the shinobi world, and now, they stood on the opposite side.
And if they had been truly resurrected, it meant they had chosen this willingly.
When Kakashi's gaze met White Fang's, his eyes regained their resolve.
At that moment, Tsunade stepped forward, her voice firm and unwavering. "All forces, prepare for battle! Don't be intimidated by their names—they are nothing but relics of the past!"
With her command, the Allied Shinobi Forces quickly set aside their emotions, straightened their stances, and readied themselves for battle.
The Three Kage took the front lines, with Kakashi and other elites following closely behind.
From the distance, Hyuga Miyuki watched with an icy gaze, a faint smirk forming at the corner of her lips.
"Go. Show them despair."
At her command, White Fang was the first to strike. His blade still carried its deadly precision, moving at lightning speed straight toward the Raikage.
Seeing this, Kakashi immediately activated his Lightning Release to intercept.
"Raikiri!"
With a shout, lightning crackled from Kakashi's hand as he charged forward to meet White Fang's blade.
At the same time, the battle erupted. The former Five Kage and the great clan leaders unleashed their most powerful jutsu.
Chaos consumed the battlefield. Blood splattered. Bodies fell.
Some resurrected warriors hesitated as they cut down the younger generation, a flicker of reluctance in their eyes.
But remembering the promise Hyuga Fuji had made, they silenced their doubts and continued suppressing the Allied Shinobi Forces with full force.
A short, decisive war was better than prolonged bloodshed.
If the battle dragged on after unification, the casualties would only multiply. It was better to end it all in one fell swoop.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A massive slug appeared, summoned by Tsunade. It split into countless smaller versions, rushing to heal the wounded.
Meanwhile, the Raikage and Kitsuchi exchanged glances before charging forward, each engaging a powerful opponent to hold them at bay.
Even with their efforts, however, they were still at a disadvantage.
Against the combined might of the greatest warriors in history, the balance of power was rapidly tilting in favor of the Land of Snow.
This lopsided battle… it was just like…
Just like that war they had witnessed in the virtual space.
A ninja shuddered as he recalled what Hozuki Gengetsu had said.
"This is a rehearsal for the final battle."
Were they really going to lose?
As the battle raged on, more and more ninjas fell. More and more were reminded of the war they had previously simulated, their morale faltering.
Sensing this shift, the Raikage pulled back and turned to a communications ninja. "Notify headquarters—activate the Chakra Diffusion Cannon for support!"
"Yes!"
Blades clashed fiercely between Kakashi and White Fang, the air thick with killing intent.
But experience prevailed—Kakashi was still losing ground in the sword fight. White Fang seized an opening and struck, sending Kakashi's blade flying.
As he prepared to regroup, a deep rumbling filled the air. The ground trembled. Both the Allied Shinobi Forces and the Land of Snow's warriors turned their eyes to the sky.
A blinding light streaked across the distant horizon.
"That's…"
Kakashi's eyes widened as he realized what it was.
"It's the Land of Lightning's Chakra Diffusion Cannon!"
(End of Chapter)