Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 293 Feng Ying Captured [Second Update, 10K words]

The Land of Wind, west of the Sea of ​​Death, late at night.

A cold moon hangs high in the dark blue sky, casting its cool light upon the boundless sea of ​​sand.

The sand dunes cast long, twisted shadows under the moonlight, like lurking giants.

A ninja force of about two hundred men from Sunagakure was moving swiftly and silently through the shadows of the sand dunes under the cover of night.

Their movements were swift, yet carried an indescribable sense of repression and tension.

At the very front of the group were two Jonin leaders, Yekura and Ryosuke.

Yekura, an elite Jonin renowned for her Scorching Release Kekkei Genkai, had a calm expression, but her eyes were more unfathomable than the desert night. For some reason, the closer she got to the Land of Stars, the more uneasy she felt.

Ryosuke, on the other hand, appeared even more vigilant, his gaze constantly scanning the deathly darkness around him, his kunai remaining half-clenched in his hand.

In the group, ninjas would occasionally look up unconsciously, gazing towards the chilling direction deep within the Sea of ​​Death.

Under the moonlight, the outlines of two enormous, unimaginably colossal beasts were faintly visible, like ancient mountain ranges supporting the heavens and the earth, exuding a suffocating pressure that instilled fear in people.

Each of their deep breaths seemed to cause the entire desert to tremble slightly.

"Then... what kind of monster is it?" A young Sand Ninja finally couldn't hold back any longer, his voice trembling uncontrollably as he asked his companion in a low voice.

Ryosuke whirled around, his stern gaze sweeping over the group. He lowered his voice and snapped, "Shut up! No discussion! Remain silent, full speed ahead!"

He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart. The existence of those two tailed beasts was a nightmare that no one in the Sunagakure village wanted to mention.

Yecang didn't speak, but silently quickened his pace.

Her silence was interpreted by her subordinates as fear of the unknown monster.

The Sand Ninja could only suppress their fear and keep moving forward, hoping to get away from this unsettling area as soon as possible.

They were unaware that their every move had already been exposed.

Meanwhile, far beyond the ninja world, inside the moon.

Inside a building that resembled a temple, countless sophisticated instruments emitted a low hum.

At the center, an enormous sphere, radiating a soft and sacred golden light, was slowly suspending and rotating.

Giant Tenseigan!
Its light, transmitted through a complex chakra system, clearly projected the scene of the ninja world onto dozens of huge screens around it.

Dozens of technicians dressed in white research uniforms and wearing special sensing devices are operating the control panel in a tense but orderly manner.

They are a special force proficient in sealing techniques, barrier techniques, and cutting-edge science and technology. Ever since the Otsutsuki branch family on the moon was incorporated into Menma's army, they have been here deciphering the legacy left by the Otsutsuki branch family.

"Report! A large-scale chakra reaction cluster has been detected on the western side of the Death Sand Sea, at XX degrees North latitude and XX degrees East longitude! There are about two hundred of them, and they are moving due west. They will enter the territory of the Star Country in about three hours!" An operator quickly locked onto the target and zoomed in on the image.

The movement of Yekura's troops was clearly displayed on the screen, and even at night, each figure was faintly discernible.

"Chakra pattern analysis... confirmed as Sunagakure ninja. Determined to be an enemy surprise attack force. Immediately encrypt and transmit this intelligence to the Star Capital Command!" The person in charge calmly issued the order.

The information traveled across vast distances instantly through a special chakra network, reaching the Star Capital.

………………

The western edge of the Death Sand Sea.

A twelve-member Star Ninja squad is moving swiftly across the sand dunes under the moonlight; it is a flank squad led by Jonin Hotaru.

The team members include Chino Miyajo, as well as Toshito Morishita, Hazuki Murahashi, Toneri Otsutsuki, Ai Suzuhara, and Sagumo Sato, among other young but already promising Chunin.

In addition, there are several team members, including a Hyuga clan ninja and an Uchiha clan ninja, all of whom are elites who have experienced the baptism of battle.

During the march, the two Byakugan users in the group, Toneri Otsutsuki and the Hyuga clan member, undertook the main reconnaissance tasks.

Their division of labor was clear: the Hyuga clan members maintained a 360-degree all-around perception, keeping watch for any movement within a kilometer radius of the group; while Otsutsuki Toneri concentrated the power of his Byakugan, locking onto a specific direction far ahead of the group like a searchlight, with a reconnaissance range reaching an astonishing eight kilometers!

The team spread out in a warning formation, moving silently and efficiently.

Despite the late-night forced march, the team members did not show much fatigue on their faces; instead, they displayed a tension and excitement akin to being on the battlefield for the first time.

"Hey, Toneri, have you found anything?" Morishita Toshito, dressed in the standard dark blue kinetic armor of a Star Ninja, looked energetic as he maintained his speed and couldn't help but shout to the somewhat short, white-haired figure at the front of the group.

Otsutsuki Toneri, now a Chunin, had veins bulging around his pure white eyes as he fully activated his Byakugan, his gaze piercing through the night and sweeping across the distant sea of ​​sand.

Without turning his head, his voice, though youthful, was calm: "No abnormalities within eight kilometers."

On the other side of the group, the Chunin from the Hyuga clan nodded slightly, confirming the results of Toneri's investigation. He couldn't help but glance at Toneri a few more times, his heart filled with astonishment.

This child's Byakugan purity and detection range far exceed those of ordinary Hyuga clan members, and are even comparable to those of the main clan!

The words of the clan chief before the battle echoed in his ears: "Toneri-kun comes from an ancient family that shares the same origin as us but is different from us. You must respect them and avoid conflict."

"Hey! This time I'm going to make a big contribution! Let's see how smug Kimimaro is! I'm going to surpass him in military merit this time!" Morishita Toshito waved his fist, full of fighting spirit.

"Honjin, you're here again." Hearing this, Hazuki Murahashi, who had short, light brown hair, chuckled and shook her head.

She knew that Morishita Toshito had regarded Kaguya Kimimaro, the top student of his ninja academy class, as his goal and rival since his time at the ninja academy, and had been trying his best to catch up.

"Hmph! So what! I will definitely surpass Kimimaro!" Morishita Toshito curled his lip.

The petite Miyagi Chino immediately launched into her usual banter mode. She pouted and said in a slightly childish but uncompromising tone, "Hmph, you idiot Junto, stop dreaming! Kimimaro has already been promoted to Special Jonin! If he weren't so young, he would have been a Jonin long ago with his strength! I heard he led a squad on a mission all by himself this time!"

"You...!" Morishita Toshito, stung by the attack, blushed with anger and retorted, "Just you wait! After this war, I, Morishita Toshito, will definitely become a Jonin!"

Firefly listened to the banter between the boys and girls, a faint smile appearing on her face.

His gaze swept over the young team, and he felt a surge of emotion.

Besides Chino, Toshito, and Hazuki, who are his long-term team members, Toneri, Suzuhara Ai, and Sato Sagumo are all outstanding freshmen who just graduated last year and are his wife Natsumi's students.

Although these children are young, they all possess the strength of Chunin or above, and have seen blood and experienced battles in previous missions. They are by no means delicate flowers in a greenhouse.

Suddenly, the pure white eyes of the silent, focused man suddenly narrowed!
"A large amount of chakra reaction detected! Directly ahead, eight kilometers away! The number... exceeds two hundred! It's Sand Ninja! They're heading this way!" Toneri's voice suddenly became urgent and solemn.

All the laughter vanished instantly, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense!

Firefly's eyes sharpened, and without hesitation, she ordered, "All personnel! High alert! Immediately move at full speed to that sand valley at three o'clock! Seize advantageous terrain and set up an ambush! Hurry!"

"Yes!" the crowd shouted in unison, their figures instantly accelerating as they shot towards the designated sand valley like arrows released from a bow.

During the journey, Firefly whispered through the communication device, "Remember! Intelligence indicates there might be our spies within this Sand Ninja unit. During combat, if you encounter any Sand Ninjas with distinctive markings or behaviors, be cautious and focus on capturing them! Repeat, there might be some of our own!"

"Understood, Captain!" The team members were startled, but immediately obeyed.

Spies in war can reduce casualties for the troops, but they also often mean sacrifice and unpredictable variables.

Soon, the Star Ninjas silently slipped into the shadows on both sides of the sand valley, quickly setting up simple traps and ambush points, holding their breath and waiting like a pack of leopards for their prey.

Not long after, the Sand Ninja forces appeared at the entrance to the Sand Valley.

Yekura and Ryosuke took the lead. Although the team remained vigilant, the long journey and the fear of the giant beasts from behind inevitably caused their senses to relax slightly.

The sensory ninja in the group seemed to detect a faint anomaly and was about to issue a warning—

"Something's not right! Something's wrong!"

On both sides of the sand valley, the Star Ninjas' attacks suddenly erupted!
"Art fire escape ho fireball!"

"Wind Escape·Big Breakthrough!"

"Turong Tulong Spear!"

Several Star Ninja simultaneously formed hand seals, unleashing blazing fireballs, violent whirlwinds, and sharp stone spears that slammed into the Sand Ninja's marching ranks from both sides!
At the same time, several kunai guns fired simultaneously, and specially made kunai with explosive tags attached shot like raindrops towards the most densely populated area of ​​Sand Ninja!
boom! boom! boom!
Boom——! ! !
The deafening explosion instantly shattered the silence of the desert!
Flames shot into the sky, and sand and stones flew everywhere!
Screams, cries of alarm, and explosions mingled together! The Sand Ninja team was thrown into utter chaos in an instant, and the first wave of attacks caused heavy casualties!
"Enemy attack!! Ambush!!!" Ryosuke roared hoarsely, desperately parrying an explosive kunai aimed at him. The blast wave sent him flying, leaving him in a sorry state.

"Don't panic! Find cover!" Ye Cang's voice rang out, and a high-temperature fireball of scorching energy appeared around her, knocking down several kunai.

"Kill!" Firefly's figure rushed out from behind the sand dune, her ninja sword aimed straight at a Sand Village Chunin!
Morishita Toshito roared and followed closely behind, his Earth Release: Hardening Technique covering his entire body. He charged into the enemy ranks like a raging bull, blasting a panicked Sand Ninja away with a single punch!

Hazuki Murahashi skillfully moved along the edge of the battlefield, her kunai spear accurately striking the sand ninjas who were trying to form hand seals, disrupting their spellcasting.

Chino Miyagi's petite figure stood out conspicuously. Her purple eyes instantly turned blood red, and her pupils became a strange "one" shape!
Blood Dragon Eye, open!

"Blood Release: Blood Dragon Technique!" She formed hand seals, and blood from the wounds of several Sand Ninjas who had just fallen around her gushed out as if summoned, condensing into three ferocious, roaring blood dragons in front of her, which rushed towards the Sand Ninjas with a strong smell of blood!

"A monster...a monster!" This bizarre and terrifying ninjutsu instantly brought a huge psychological shock to the Sand Village ninja!

Otsutsuki Toneri activated his Byakugan and used taijutsu with a touch of Gentle Fist to precisely target pressure points. Each strike disrupted the chakra of a Sand Ninja, causing them to collapse to the ground.

Suzuhara Ai followed closely behind, providing cover and medical support. Her palm magic would occasionally flash, healing her injured teammates.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Sato Sakun roared as he unleashed a scorching fire release, suppressing the Sand Ninja squad that was trying to regroup.

The Hyuga Chunin did not venture deep into the enemy lines, but instead occupied a high vantage point, focusing his Byakugan vision in one direction and firing his kunai like a sniper rifle.

Every time a gunshot rang out, a Sand Ninja's ninja tool was knocked off, or their prepared ninjutsu was forcibly interrupted, creating an excellent opportunity for their teammates ahead.

Uchiha ninjas are aggressive and frenzied in battle. With their taijutsu, fire-style ninjutsu, Sharingan, and genjutsu, they are already invincible. The enhancement provided by their chakra-powered armor makes them even more formidable, like berserkers who are unstoppable.

The other Star Ninjas also cooperated well, were well-equipped, and had strong individual strength. In an instant, they defeated the Sand Ninja forces, who had a superior number of troops, and made them retreat in disarray!

"Damn it! The intelligence has been leaked! They were prepared!" Ryosuke dodged a heavy punch from Morishita Toshito in a sorry state, and looking at his subordinates who were dead and wounded around him, his heart turned cold.

He desperately moved closer to Yekura: "Yakura! Come closer to me! We must break through together!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Cang's eyes flickered.

She was surrounded by three scorching fireballs as she slowly approached Ryosuke.

Ryosuke was overjoyed to see her approaching, and was about to say something—

A sudden change occurred!

Suddenly, the light in Yekura's eyes disappeared. The three fireballs that were originally used for defense suddenly blasted towards Ryosuke, who was right next to her and completely unprepared, with astonishing speed!

"Burning Escape·Steam Kill!"

"What?! Yekura, you—!" Ryosuke's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints, his face filled with disbelief and horror!
He understood everything in an instant.

Why was their team ambushed so precisely? Why was Ye Cang so silent the whole way?
She wasn't scared by the monster at all; she had already... betrayed Sunagakure!
But Ryosuke, who knew everything, had no time to make any effective defense!
Pfft——!
The scorching fireball instantly engulfed Ryosuke!

The terrifyingly high temperature didn't burn him; instead, it instantly evaporated all the water in his body!
Before Ryosuke could even scream, his entire body instantly turned into a withered, charred corpse. With a look of astonishment on his face, he fell straight down, crashed onto the sand, and shattered!
This sudden betrayal from the commander was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, completely destroying the already crumbling fighting spirit of the remaining Sand Ninja!

"Lady Yekura, she...!"

"Why?!!"

"Ryosuke Jounin!!"

"Traitor! She's a traitor!!"

The remaining Sand Ninja let out desperate and furious roars, their morale completely collapsed!
Several Sand Village special Jonin who tried to organize a resistance were also stunned by this turn of events, and were then swiftly killed by Hotaru and Morishita Toshito, who seized the opportunity!

The battle quickly turned into a one-sided crushing and capture.

Half an hour later, the valley returned to silence, leaving only the lingering smell of blood and gunpowder.

Of the two hundred-strong Sand Village raiding force, more than one hundred were killed or seriously wounded. The remaining nearly one hundred surrendered and became prisoners of war after their captain betrayed them and they lost all fighting spirit.

Yecang stood still, the scorching fireballs around her had long since dissipated.

She looked at the mess on the ground and the Sand Village prisoners staring at her with hatred and incomprehension. Her eyes were dull and her face was expressionless. A faint red mark on the back of her hand flickered slightly before disappearing.

She silently removed her headband and walked towards the fireflies.

"Thank you for your hard work. Leave the rest to us." Firefly nodded slightly to her, asking no further questions, and simply directed her team to begin cleaning up the battlefield and gathering the prisoners.

Ye Cang nodded and silently walked to the side, like a puppet.

Although the Star Ninjas experienced a fierce battle, thanks to their advantages in equipment, tactics, and individual strength, their casualties were minimal.

Panting heavily, Morishita Toshito watched the prisoners being escorted away, wiped the sweat and dust from his face, and excitedly said to Murahashi Hazuki beside him, "Haha, I killed eight Sand Ninjas this time, my military merit is definitely not small!"

Chino Miyagi, who had only killed seven Sand Ninja, raised her head and snorted, "Hmph, you're pretty good."

"Alright, I know you two are both very capable." Hazuki Murahashi smiled at her two companions, then helped count the number of people and casualties, confirming that only a few of their side had minor injuries and no one had died.

Not far away, Toneri was helping Suzuhara Ai bandage Sato Sao's injured arm.

At the same time, Suzuhara Ai complained that Sato Sakumo was a bit reckless, otherwise the wound wouldn't be so deep, which made Sato Sakumo scratch his head embarrassedly.

…………

The Land of Wind, Star Ninja Camp in the Sand Ginseng Oasis.

The morning sun dispelled the desert chill, but the camp was bustling with activity.

The two Star Ninja squads that had been carrying out the outer interception mission returned almost simultaneously, escorting a large number of dejected Sand Ninja prisoners.

Just as Morishita Toshito finished helping his teammates hand over the nearly one hundred prisoners they had brought back, he wiped his sweat and saw that Kaguya Kimimaro's detachment was also leading prisoners over from the other side.

He counted the prisoners behind Kimimaro; there were only about fifty. His eyes lit up, and he stepped forward, asking with a mischievous and comparative air:
"Hey, Kimimaro! Didn't you encounter many Sand Ninja over there? How come you only have so few prisoners? How's the haul this time?"

Kimimaro stopped in his tracks, his white eyes sweeping over Morishita Toshito indifferently. His tone was calm and unwavering, as if he were stating a trivial matter: "Two hundred men, that's all that's left."

"Two hundred people?!" Morishita Toshito's smile froze instantly, his eyes widened, and his voice involuntarily rose: "You...you all...killed the remaining one hundred and fifty-odd people?!"

Kimimaro frowned slightly, seemingly impatient with Morishita Toshito's overreaction, and said coldly, "Otherwise what? Should we invite them for tea?"

A chill instantly ran from Morishita Toshito's feet up his spine. He looked at Kimimaro's indifferent expression of nonchalance and subconsciously swallowed.

He recalled the rumors about the Kaguya clan's battle maniacs, and any thoughts of comparison vanished instantly, leaving only awe at their fierce and ruthless aura. 'This guy... he's a true battle maniac...'

Soon, Kimimaro and Hotaru handed over the prisoners and wounded to the logistics personnel and went straight to the main tent in the center of the camp to report the results of the battle.

Inside the tent, the atmosphere was serious and filled with fighting spirit.

The commander-in-chief of the western front, Uchiha Hikaru, sat in the main seat, scanning the map on the table.

Deputy Commander Hyuga Hizashi stood beside her, telling Uchiha Hikaru that the intelligence network had reported that Sunagakure had apparently sent reinforcements.

Seated on either side were core Jonin such as Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Inahisa, Hyuga Tokuma, and Gota.

After listening to Kimimaro and Hotaru's detailed report on the complete annihilation of the two Sand Village raiding units, Hyuga Hizashi calmly analyzed, "According to the intelligence relayed by our spies, combined with the battle statistics of the past few days, the Sand Village has suffered approximately seven to eight hundred ninja casualties on the main battlefield. Now, with the addition of these two raiding units that were completely wiped out, their total losses have exceeded twelve hundred men!"

His finger touched the mark representing the main force of the Sand Village on the sand table: "Currently, Rasa only has a little over a thousand main force troops available. Even if they mobilize all the lightly wounded, they can only muster about 1,200 combat troops at most. Even if they urgently dispatch troops from the Sand Village in the rear, they can only reinforce the front line with no more than 500 people in a short period of time."

Hizashi raised his head, his Byakugan flashing as he looked at Uchiha Hikaru: "More importantly, the repeated setbacks in the attacks over the past few days, as well as the complete annihilation of the surprise attack force, have caused the morale of the Sand Village ninja to plummet, with complaints pouring in. On the other hand, our army has won consecutive victories, and its morale is high! With the tides turning, now is the best time for us to switch from defense to offense and annihilate their main force in one fell swoop!"

This is precisely the core tactic that Menma instructed him to employ before the battle: "Strike while the iron is hot, but the momentum will wane on the second attempt and be exhausted on the third."

With a solid defense and local counterattacks, we will gradually wear down the Sand Village's manpower and fighting spirit at minimal cost. When they are exhausted and their morale has collapsed, we will launch a thunderous all-out attack to completely crush them!
Uchiha Hikaru nodded slightly, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.

Mianma is currently in the core area of ​​the Death Sand Sea, accompanying and protecting the Dark Nine-Tails as it absorbs the Ten-Tails. This process cannot be disturbed, especially since the original owner of the Ten-Tails, who is hiding in the shadows and could appear at any time, is a huge potential threat.

We must resolve the war with Sunagakure as soon as possible and completely defeat them in order to concentrate our efforts on dealing with a potentially larger crisis.

"Order!" Uchiha Hikaru stood up, his voice clear and authoritative, instantly echoing throughout the entire camp: "The entire army shall immediately begin pre-battle preparations and replenish supplies. One hour from now, we will launch a general offensive against the main Sand Village camp!"

She turned her gaze to Hotaru and Kimimaro, who had just made a great contribution: "Hotaru, Kimimaro, you two will each lead your own squad as the left and right flank flanking forces, responsible for encircling the Sunagakure headquarters from the rear and cutting off their retreat. You must not let important targets such as Rasa and Chiyo escape!"

"Yes!" the two answered in unison, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Once the order was given, the entire Star Ninja Camp sprang into action like a sophisticated machine.

The ninjas quickly checked and replenished their rations, ninja tools, especially the small ninjutsu scrolls issued by the Scientific Ninja Tools Department, as well as a large number of specially made kunai and explosive tags.

These tools played a huge role in previous defensive battles, and now they are an indispensable weapon in offensive operations.

Apart from the wounded and a few remaining personnel, nearly four hundred Star Ninjas assembled, their solemn yet indomitable spirit soaring into the sky.

……

Meanwhile, inside the main camp of the Sand Ninja.

The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was discussing battle plans with his advisor, Granny Chiyo.

They had just received a reinforcement force of about 500 men urgently transferred from Sunagakure. Although most of them were genin and retired ninjas who had been mobilized, it temporarily relieved the pressure of continuous troop depletion.

"Let the new troops rest for half a day and get used to the environment. We'll launch a new offensive this afternoon." Luo Sha rubbed his throbbing temples, his voice weary.

"After several days of relentless attacks, the Star Ninja must be exhausted. If we feign inaction in the morning, or send out scattered units to harass them, keeping them on edge all morning, and then launch a surprise attack in the afternoon, it might be surprisingly effective. Moreover, it will buy us time to bring in more reinforcements from the country later..."

His plan was well-conceived; he attempted to reverse the decline by using psychological warfare and delaying tactics.

However, before he could finish speaking, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and Maki rushed in anxiously. Without even having time to salute, he hurriedly reported, "Lord Kazekage! Elder Chiyo! The Star Ninja... the entire Star Ninja army has launched an attack! The front lines are already engaged, and the enemy's offensive is extremely fierce. Our defenses... are in grave danger!"

"What?!" Rasa and Chiyo both paled at the same time.

They never expected that the Star Ninja, who had been on the defensive for several days, would launch such a fierce all-out attack just as their reinforcements arrived and they were not yet firmly established!
This completely disrupted their plans.

Luo Sha had no time to think, and could only roar hoarsely, "Quick! Elder Chiyo, Maki, immediately organize all those who can fight to launch a counterattack! Send all the lightly wounded up there too! We must hold on!"

……

On the vast desert battlefield, more than two thousand ninjas clashed violently.

After receiving 500 reinforcements and mobilizing some lightly wounded soldiers, the Sand Village deployed all the ninjas who were still able to move, about 1,700 people.

As for the Star Ninja, the number of troops dispatched was still less than four hundred.

However, the fighting power unleashed by these four hundred Star Ninja once again filled all the Sand Ninja with despair.

The Star Ninja's chakra-powered armor gleamed with a cold, hard luster in the sunlight, providing them with powerful protection and mobility.

Their kunai guns spewed out a continuous barrage of explosive tags, raining down kunai on the Sand Ninja formation, causing a series of explosions and chaos.

What makes it even harder for the Sand Ninja to cope is that many Star Ninja can use the scientific ninja tools built into their armor to instantly unleash various small-scale fireballs, wind blades, and earth walls without hand seals or with only minimal gestures. Although the individual power is not too strong, in high-speed movement and close-range melee, this rapid release of techniques brings an overwhelming tactical advantage.

Granny Chiyo stood at the back, her withered fingers flying, precisely controlling the remaining five Chikamatsu Ten Puppet Master puppets with chakra threads, while also managing to control dozens of other ordinary puppets to join the battle.

Her puppetry skills were unparalleled, causing considerable trouble for the Star Ninja's advance, but that was all; she couldn't reverse the overall decline of the battle.

Suddenly, a green blade of light flashed like lightning, precisely slicing through three of the pounced puppets!
Uchiha Shisui appeared in the center of the battlefield, wearing a Star Ninja uniform, with the Star Ninja headband on his forehead above his Sharingan standing out prominently in the sunlight.

Accompanying him were powerful Jonin from the Star Ninja faction, including Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Inahisa, Hyuga Tokuma, and Hyuga Hizashi.

Their participation in the war was like throwing a heavy weight onto an already tilted scale.

“The Uchiha clan…the Hyuga clan…” Granny Chiyo looked at the group of ninjas who should have been allies, a complex emotion flashing in her cloudy old eyes.

She looked at Uchiha Shisui, whose gentle demeanor yet carried a resolute killing intent, and spoke in a hoarse voice: "The 'Shisui of the Body Flicker' of Konoha... no, I should now call you the Shisui of the Star Ninja. I am very curious, what could possibly make such a great ninja clan as yours abandon the Konoha you founded and defect to this Star Country?"

Uchiha Shisui shook his head, his gaze clear and calm: "Elder Chiyo, you may have misunderstood. It was not that the Uchiha betrayed Konoha, but rather that Konoha... abandoned the Uchiha first."

His words carried a hint of heaviness, and the Sharingan that Menma had returned slowly rotated, revealing a kaleidoscope pattern.

Grandma Chiyo paused slightly upon hearing this, then glanced at Hyuga Hizashi, who stood silently to the side with a determined look in his eyes.

Since there are no ninja clans in Sunagakure with a long history and great power like the Uchiha or Hyuga, she really can't fully understand this complex grudge.

In the end, she just sighed: "Family disputes... I don't quite understand. But now it seems you are indeed quite troublesome."

Without another word, she manipulated the five remaining strongest Chikamatsu Ten Puppet Master puppets, which charged toward Uchiha Shisui like five ghostly shadows.

These five puppets worked in perfect harmony, their attacks were fierce, and they were enough to easily wipe out a Jonin squad.

However, Shisui merely flickered his body, instantly creating multiple illusory clones that were difficult to distinguish from the real ones.

Phantom instantaneous technique!
These clones nimbly weaved through the gaps in the puppets' attacks, not only easily restraining the five puppets but also managing to launch counterattacks, either killing or forcing back the Sand Ninja elites who tried to approach.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Inahisa, like two sharp knives, fought in coordination on both sides of Shisui's clones. Their Sharingan accurately predicted the enemy's movements, and their fire-style ninjutsu combined with exquisite swordsmanship, causing the Sand Shinobi who were trying to support Chiyo to retreat in defeat.

Maki, leading the remaining forces of the Sunagakure Anbu, faced off against Hyuga Hizashi and Hyuga Tokuma.

The Byakugan's keen insight and Gentle Fist's precise pressure point strikes made the Sand Village's Anbu, who were skilled in Wind Release and assassination techniques, extremely troublesome. Often, their ninjutsu was interrupted before it could be fully executed, as the flaws were seen through.

As Shisui's true form was about to break free from the puppet's entanglement and approach Granny Chiyo, Rasa, who had been closely watching the battle, finally couldn't sit still any longer.

"Magnetic Style: Golden Sand Waves!"

The dazzling gold dust shot up like real ocean waves, crashing down on Uchiha Shisui with a heavy roar, attempting to stop his advance.

Shisui stopped abruptly, his Sharingan instantly locking onto the weak point in the gold dust wave. He drew a path with his ninja sword, forcefully sweeping away a portion of the gold dust.

However, Rasa's deadly move followed immediately!
"Magnetic Escape·Golden Burial!"

More gold dust, like living tentacles, coiled around Zhishui from all directions, instantly engulfing him and rapidly condensing and compacting to form a huge, shimmering golden pyramid-shaped sand tomb!
"It worked?!" A glimmer of hope flashed in Granny Chiyo's eyes.

She knew the power of Rasa's move; once it was completely sealed and detonated, even the One-Tailed Beast would be suppressed!

Rasa's face also revealed a ruthless look. He formed hand seals and frantically released chakra, preparing to detonate the Sand Burial and completely bury this powerful Uchiha ninja.

However, just as the energy inside the gold-plated pyramid was about to reach a critical point—

Om-!
A massive burst of green chakra suddenly erupted from inside the pyramid!

This chakra instantly broke free from the constraints of the gold dust, first forming a huge green skull skeleton, then rapidly covering it with flesh and blood, and finally transforming into a complete green giant clad in armor, with wings on its back and wielding a giant spiral sword.

Susanoo!

"What?!" Rasa's pupils shrank drastically as he stared in disbelief at how his strongest sealing technique had been forcibly broken through in such a brute force!

Granny Chiyo also gasped, her aged face filled with shock: "The Uchiha clan's... Susanoo!"

"I never imagined that after Madara Uchiha, there would still be someone in the Uchiha clan who could use this ultimate eye technique!" Granny Chiyo, who was over sixty years old, was an old woman who had lived through the era of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, so she naturally knew Madara Uchiha's terrifying strength.

“Susanoo?” Rasa’s voice was hoarse as he looked up at the towering green giant, a terrifying power he had never seen before.

The green Susanoo, like a god descended to earth, looked down over the entire battlefield from its high position.

Its enormous size created a sense of oppression that made all the Sand Ninja who saw it tremble with fear and despair.

Shisui stood within the diamond-shaped crystal on Susanoo's forehead, his Sharingan gazing indifferently at the battlefield below.

He manipulated Susanoo and raised the huge green spiral sword.

"Susanohu·ninety-nine!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh——!!!
Countless green chakra arrows shot out from the spiral sword like a storm, covering a large area of ​​the Sand Ninja's territory in front!
These chakra arrows were incredibly powerful. Each one landed like a small ninjutsu explosion, instantly blasting the Sand Ninja in that area into chaos, causing heavy casualties!

The terrifying scene, like a rocket bombardment, completely destroyed the last shred of courage the Sand Ninja had to resist.

"Weird...monster!"

"Run! We can't win!"

"Lord Kazekage, save me!"

Collapse spread like a plague among the Sand Ninja Army.

On a distant sand dune, Uchiha Hikaru stood with his arms crossed, his three-tomoe Sharingan silently watching Shisui's Susanoo wreak havoc on the battlefield.

She knew the battle was over.

Rasa and Chiyo were clearly not capable of suppressing Shisui, who had activated Susanoo, and they didn't even have the power to force her to take action herself.

As expected, with the all-out participation of Star Ninja Jonin such as Shisui, Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Inahisa, Gota, and Hyuga Hizashi, the already crumbling Sand Ninja defense line completely collapsed.

While Rasa was trying to dodge Susanoo's attack, Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Inahisa seized an opening and attacked from both sides. One of Rasa's arms was severed off at the shoulder by Uchiha Izumi's ninja sword!

This girl, who once loved sweets and admired Itachi Uchiha, is now the second-best fighter in the Uchiha clan after the massacre of her clan, second only to Hikaru and Shisui.

"Ugh!" Blood gushed from the severed arm, and Rasa let out a shrill scream.

"Lord Kazekage!" Jonin Sandstorm risked his life to shield him, taking the fatal blow from Uchiha Inahime.

"Lord Kazekage!" Maki's eyes widened in horror as he rushed forward to support the heavily injured Rasa.

Granny Chiyo looked at the battlefield where the army had collapsed like a house of cards, and at the critically wounded and dying Rasa, a trace of sorrow flashed in her eyes.

She screamed at Maki and the few remaining Jonin, "Take the Kazekage and go! Go now! I'll cover your retreat!"

Before she finished speaking, Granny Chiyo suddenly formed hand seals, releasing countless puppets from the storage scroll.

"Secret Technique: Manipulation of a Hundred Machines! And... the final deadly poison!"

She summoned all of her treasured, still-usable puppets, totaling over a hundred, all at once!
These puppets charged towards the pursuing Star Ninjas with suicidal ferocity, while dense purple poisonous mist began to emanate from their joints, rapidly spreading outwards in an attempt to use this poisonous gas field to hinder the Star Ninjas' pursuit.

Seeing this, the Star Ninjas had no choice but to suspend their offensive, donning gas masks and carefully dealing with the suicidal attacks from the poisonous fog and puppets.

With tears in their eyes, Maki and several Sand Ninja Jonin seized the opportunity to lift the heavily injured and unconscious Rasa and fled hastily into the depths of the desert, trying to gather the remaining Sand Ninja soldiers as they fled.

However, their escape did not last long.

Having escaped the main battlefield less than a few kilometers away, two Star Ninja squads suddenly appeared on a tall sand dune, blocking their path.

Although there were fewer than thirty people, the leaders were none other than Kaguya Kimimaro, who was covered in bone spurs, and Hotaru.

Behind them, the cold gazes of numerous bloodline limit users—including Toshito Morishita, Chino Miyajo, Toneri Otsutsuki, Hyuga ninjas, and Uchiha ninjas—were fixed on them.

Looking at this Star Ninja team that brought together bloodline limits such as Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan, Sharingan, and Kekuryugan, the last trace of color drained from Maki's face. He closed his eyes in despair, and the kunai in his hand fell to the sand with a clatter.

Resistance is pointless.

……

Shortly after, a Star Ninja ANBU knelt on one knee behind Uchiha Hikaru and respectfully reported: "Lord Hikaru, Chiyo has been confirmed dead in battle, and the poisonous fog she released is being dealt with by the medical and sealing teams. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and his personal guards have been captured by Kimimaro and the Firefly Squad. The main force of the Sand Ninja has been completely defeated, and we are currently mopping up the remaining enemies and collecting prisoners."

Uchiha Hikaru gave a soft hum, not surprised by the result.

She gazed at the faint outlines of the two tailed beasts in the depths of the Death Sand Sea, and her heart calmed down a little.

With Rasa captured and the main force of Sunagakure wiped out, the war on the western front can be said to have come to an end.

If she so desires, the Star Ninja Army can march straight in at any time, reaching the Hidden Sand Village or even the capital of the Land of Wind.

It's only been a few days since Sunagakure declared war?

five days?

She was preparing to head to the core area of ​​the Death Sand Sea to meet up with Menma and deal with the possible appearance of the Ten-Tailed Original Master.

A communications ninja rushed over, his face unusually grave:
"Lord Guang! Urgent telegram from headquarters! Urgent military situation on the eastern front! The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, has personally led a massive mobilization of Iwagakure ninja from the Land of Earth! Tens of thousands of Iwagakure ninja are rapidly advancing towards our eastern border! The vanguard is expected to reach the border by tomorrow evening at the latest!"

A cold glint flashed in Uchiha Hikaru's crimson Sharingan eyes.

"Iwagakure... Has that old fox, Onoki, finally given up?"

[PS: I'm taking a break now. I still have 10,000 words to write tomorrow during the day. You can probably guess what Onoki will be facing.]

[PS: Today's picture is of Mizukage, the older sister.]

(End of this chapter)