"Orochimaru?"
Both Jiraiya and Tsunade stared in genuine shock at the sudden appearance of their former teammate, his distinctive pale form now mounted atop the massive purple-scaled serpent known as Manda. The sight of the legendary Snake Sannin appearing on what should have been a two-person battlefield sent ripples of surprise and concern through both legendary ninja.
At the same time, many of the ninja engaged in combat across the broader battlefield turned their attention toward this dramatic development. Even in the midst of life-and-death struggles against White Zetsu opponents, the appearance of such a significant figure commanded immediate notice and speculation.
The fighters understood instinctively that the core of this entire coastal engagement was undoubtedly the confrontation between their captain Jiraiya and the legendary opponents arrayed against him. The tactical balance of the entire Third Division's assault depended on the outcome of this high-level battle between masters.
If Jiraiya and Tsunade could not successfully suppress both Hanzo and the Second Mizukage, then all the sacrifices being made by the rank-and-file ninja throughout the battlefield would ultimately prove meaningless. Victory or defeat would be determined by the clash of legends.
Therefore, when they heard both Sannin simultaneously cry out Orochimaru's name in recognition, many of the Allied ninja fighting in the immediate vicinity felt their hearts skip a beat with shock and growing apprehension.
The reputation of the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha had been legendary throughout the ninja world for decades, their names spoken with reverence and fear in equal measure. However, everyone present also knew that Orochimaru had betrayed his home village years ago, abandoning his loyalty to become a missing-nin of the highest danger classification.
More troubling still, intelligence reports had confirmed that he had actually assisted the criminal organization known as Akatsuki in launching attacks against Konoha itself, making him a traitor of the worst possible kind.
Therefore, the expressions on the faces of the assembled coalition forces grew noticeably more grim and worried as they processed the implications of his unexpected arrival. The psychological impact was immediate and severe.
The situation was already desperately challenging with just Hanzo and the Second Mizukage as opponents. If their enemies had somehow recruited another fighter of Sannin caliber – someone whose power was equivalent to that of Jiraiya and Tsunade themselves – then this critical battle would transform from difficult to virtually impossible.
However, neither Tsunade nor Jiraiya displayed the same level of emotional turmoil as their subordinates, because both possessed crucial information that the rank-and-file coalition members lacked. They knew that Orochimaru had been captured and imprisoned for an extended period following his defeat.
His sudden appearance on the battlefield could only mean one thing – Minato had made the decision to release him from captivity, almost certainly in exchange for his assistance in the current crisis.
The Fourth Hokage clearly intended to leverage Orochimaru's considerable power for the coalition's benefit, but both of his former teammates understood that their old friend was not someone who could be easily controlled or manipulated. His motivations and loyalties were complex and potentially dangerous.
Jiraiya found himself momentarily distracted by the implications of Orochimaru's presence, his tactical mind trying to process this unexpected variable. Unfortunately, the Hanzo who had been resurrected through Edo Tensei showed no inclination to pause their combat to allow for lengthy reunions or strategic discussions.
"Clang!"
Hanzo's legendary samurai sword flashed through the air with deadly precision, the polished blade reflecting cold light as it slashed toward Jiraiya's exposed neck with the speed and skill that had made the Salamander legendary throughout the ninja world.
Jiraiya reacted with the trained reflexes of someone who had survived countless deadly encounters, but at such close range, completely avoiding Hanzo's lightning-fast attack would prove extremely challenging even for a ninja of his considerable abilities.
"Clang!"
At the critical moment when death seemed inevitable, a long sword suddenly materialized in front of Jiraiya's retreating form, intercepting Hanzo's strike with perfect timing and precision. The two legendary weapons collided with a crisp sound of metal meeting metal, accompanied by the subtle cracking noise of stressed steel.
Remarkably, visible damage had appeared on Hanzo's supposedly indestructible samurai sword, testament to the superior quality of the weapon that had intercepted it.
"Being careless on the battlefield can cost you your life, my old friend," Orochimaru observed with characteristic dry humor, his voice carrying just a hint of the provocative edge that had always characterized their interactions.
Although Orochimaru remained positioned atop Manda's massive head, his arms had extended with supernatural flexibility to reach Jiraiya's position and deploy the defensive technique. The long sword that had blocked Hanzo's potentially fatal attack was none other than the legendary Kusanagi blade, a weapon of mythical sharpness and durability.
Rather than responding to Orochimaru's somewhat provocative commentary with anger or irritation, Jiraiya simply smiled with genuine appreciation and immediately took advantage of the moment when Hanzo's attack had been blocked to begin forming the hand seals for a counterattack.
"Ninja Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
Jiraiya's distinctive white hair began growing at an accelerated rate, transforming from its normal length into what appeared to be dozens of rope-like appendages that moved with deliberate purpose toward Hanzo's position. The technique demonstrated perfect chakra control combined with creative tactical application.
Hanzo immediately attempted to retreat and create distance, his legendary combat instincts recognizing the danger posed by the binding technique. However, despite his impressive speed and agility, several strands of Jiraiya's weaponized hair still managed to catch and wrap around his wrist.
On the other side of the triangular engagement, Orochimaru made his own tactical contribution to their impromptu cooperation. Manda's enormous serpentine body moved with surprising speed and agility, positioning itself to block the potential retreat routes available to both Hanzo and his Giant Salamander mount.
The two former teammates had grown up together as friends in the same squad, training under the same master and learning to coordinate their techniques through years of shared missions and combat experience. Now, despite the complex history between them, they were both operating as top-tier fighters whose combined abilities could challenge any opponent.
When Jiraiya and Orochimaru coordinated their attacks and tactical positioning, even the legendary Hanzo found himself unable to maintain the overwhelming advantage he had enjoyed during the early phases of their confrontation. Instead, he was being gradually forced into an increasingly disadvantageous position.
"It looks like we have reinforcements!" one of the allied ninja called out in amazement as he watched Hanzo being forced to retreat step by step under the combined pressure of the two Sannin's coordinated assault.
The psychological impact on the coalition forces was immediate and dramatic. In this type of large-scale warfare, morale and confidence could be just as important as individual combat skill in determining the ultimate outcome.
Not many of the assembled fighters would concern themselves overly much with Orochimaru's technical status as a traitor to Konoha, not when his presence was clearly benefiting their cause and potentially saving their lives.
"Kill them all!" The battle cry rose from multiple throats as the coalition forces' morale soared to new heights, and they pressed their attacks against the White Zetsu Army with renewed vigor despite being outnumbered several times over.
Although the White Zetsu creatures possessed significant numerical superiority, their individual combat capabilities were not particularly impressive when compared to trained ninja. Each White Zetsu was roughly equivalent to a chunin-level opponent – dangerous in groups but manageable for experienced fighters.
The ninja coalition represented a carefully selected force that included only those fighters with genuine combat capability from each of the participating villages. This selective recruitment was why the five major ninja nations had contributed a combined total of only tens of thousands of fighters rather than the much larger numbers they could have fielded by including civilian militia and academy students.
Tsunade, who was engaged in her ongoing tactical duel with the Second Mizukage, allowed a genuine smile to cross her beautiful features as she observed the renewed coordination between her former teammates.
Although neither she nor Jiraiya could ever completely forgive the crimes that Orochimaru had committed against innocent people and their shared village, there was something deeply nostalgic and emotionally satisfying about the three of them fighting side by side after such a long separation.
The Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha were reunited on the battlefield once again!
At that crucial moment, Tsunade's enhanced perception through her slug network suddenly detected the concealed location of the Second Mizukage, who had been successfully hiding his true position for an extended period using advanced illusion techniques.
Her amber eyes quickly focused on the area where her enhanced senses indicated his presence, preparing to launch a decisive strike that would eliminate the tactical advantage provided by his concealment.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Before she could act on this intelligence, the sandy ground along the coastline suddenly began cracking and splitting open with tremendous force. Multiple wooden coffins rose from the newly created fissures in the earth, each one bearing the distinctive markings of the Edo Tensei resurrection technique.
The coffins continued emerging from the ground and falling heavily onto the battlefield with ominous crashes that echoed across the combat zone like funeral bells announcing the arrival of death itself.
Swish!
Numerous figures emerged from the opened coffins with the fluid motion of experienced combatants, their reanimated forms showing the telltale signs of the forbidden resurrection technique. Each possessed the gray-tinted skin and cracked features that marked them as products of Edo Tensei.
"Tsuchikage?"
When Tsunade managed to clearly identify one of the newly arrived figures, her expression shifted to one of genuine alarm and concern. The individual in question was someone she recognized from intelligence reports and historical records.
He had served as the commanding general of Iwagakure's military forces during the brutal Second Great Ninja War, a conflict that had claimed thousands of lives and reshaped the political landscape of the ninja world. His tactical genius and earth-style techniques had made him one of the most feared opponents of that era.
As for the other ninja who had been resurrected through the Edo Tensei technique, although Tsunade could not identify all of them by sight, every single one possessed the distinctive chakra signatures that indicated significant combat capability and experience.
Obviously, these were all former elite ninja who had died in previous conflicts, now returned to serve as weapons in Madara's growing army of the dead. The implications for the tactical balance of the engagement were severe.
Just as Tsunade was preparing to intercept these new arrivals and prevent them from joining the active combat, the Second Mizukage suddenly abandoned his concealment and rushed directly toward her position with aggressive intent.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"
The Second Mizukage's hand moved like a precision weapon, and multiple projectiles formed from concentrated water chakra were continuously fired from his fingertips with machine-like regularity. Each water bullet possessed enough kinetic energy to punch through steel armor.
Tsunade found herself forced to focus on defense against this barrage, which prevented her from interfering with the newly resurrected ninja as they spread out to join the larger battle. The Second Mizukage's timing had been perfect, demonstrating the tactical coordination that existed among the enemy forces.
With the addition of these legendary figures from past conflicts, the situation that had previously favored the coalition forces despite their numerical disadvantage began to shift toward a more balanced and dangerous stalemate.
Among the newly arrived opponents, Tsuchikage began forming hand seals with practiced precision, and the ground beneath his feet responded by cracking and splitting. A massive rock giant slowly rose from the earth, its enormous form towering over the assembled coalition fighters with intimidating presence.
"Expansion Jutsu!"
In response to this overwhelming threat, a figure from within the coalition ranks rapidly increased in size, his body growing to match the scale of the earthen construct. The enlarged ninja collided with the rock giant in a contest of pure physical force that sent debris flying in all directions.
The coalition fighter who had chosen to meet this challenge directly was Akimichi Choza, the current head of the Konoha Akimichi clan and master of their signature size-manipulation techniques. His willingness to engage such a powerful opponent demonstrated the kind of courage that defined the allied forces.
Throughout the expanded battlefield, other masters from the coalition gradually moved to engage and contain the various ninja who had been resurrected through Edo Tensei, preventing them from overwhelming the rank-and-file fighters who lacked the skill to face such legendary opponents.
The overall battle situation had become significantly more complex and challenging, with multiple high-level engagements occurring simultaneously across the coastal terrain.
However, despite these new complications, the combined efforts of Jiraiya and Orochimaru continued to force Hanzo into increasingly desperate defensive positions. Their coordination and tactical synchronization were proving effective against even such a legendary opponent.
"Summoning Technique: Edo Tensei!"
Recognizing that his current resources were insufficient to handle both Sannin simultaneously, Hanzo formed hand seals and summoned additional support. Another coffin rose from the ground beneath his Giant Salamander mount, its wooden surface bearing the distinctive markings of the resurrection technique.
"Bang!"
The coffin was immediately torn apart by brutal lightning-enhanced strength, and a powerful figure emerged from within to launch an immediate attack. The newcomer appeared behind Hanzo's position and delivered a devastating punch toward Orochimaru with speed that seemed to defy physics.
This sudden lightning-fast strike caught Orochimaru completely off guard, sending him flying backward across the battlefield to leave a long furrow in the sandy ground where his body impacted and slid.
Despite the apparent severity of the attack, Orochimaru's serpentine eyes showed more curiosity than concern as he studied the figure whose speed had been sufficient to bypass his normally excellent reflexes and defensive capabilities.
"The Third Raikage?" Orochimaru observed with characteristic analytical detachment, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
The ninja whose physical speed had proven sufficient to completely overwhelm his reaction time could only be the legendary Third Raikage of Kumogakure, a man whose lightning-enhanced physicality had made him one of the most feared close-combat specialists in history.
However, despite the successful attack, there was little genuine concern visible on Orochimaru's pale features. His unique physiology and biological modifications meant that conventional physical attacks, no matter how powerful, were largely ineffective against his true form.
"Jiraiya, you should be properly prepared by now, shouldn't you?" Orochimaru called out as he observed his former teammate's tactical positioning.
He could see that Jiraiya had used the confusion of the recent exchanges to retreat to a position above Gamabunta's head, where he had assumed the meditative posture necessary for his most powerful transformation.
At this moment, Jiraiya's hands were pressed together in concentration, and his facial expression was gradually changing as he gathered and focused the natural energy required for his ultimate technique.
"Yes!" Jiraiya confirmed with a nod, his eyes beginning to glow with the distinctive golden radiance that indicated successful synchronization with natural energy.
Two streams of spiritual smoke suddenly rose from his shoulders, and small figures materialized on either side of his head with the characteristic displacement of reverse summoning techniques.
"Well done, boy! You can enter Sage Mode independently now? That's quite impressive progress," Sage Shima observed with obvious approval and just a hint of maternal pride in her ancient voice.
At the same time, Sage Fukasaku's experienced gaze swept methodically across the chaotic battlefield, taking in the various engagements and tactical developments that were unfolding simultaneously across the coastal terrain.
After completing his assessment of their strategic situation, the elderly toad sage could only shake his head and laugh with bitter resignation.
"This war is going to be extraordinarily difficult, even by our standards."