With Jiraiya's arrival, the situation on the battlefield changed completely.
Until that moment, Konoha's forces had been steadily pushed back by the shinobi of Kumogakure. The Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Darui, the Fourth Raikage, and Killer B had caused an enormous number of casualties, forcing the Leaf shinobi to fight merely to stay alive.
However, the appearance of one of the Legendary Sannin restored a measure of hope to the exhausted fighters.
Jiraiya's three giant summons immediately charged toward the Two-Tails Jinchūriki. Their enormous bodies shook the ground with every movement as they surrounded the beast and attacked from different directions, preventing it from advancing freely toward Konoha's ranks.
One of the summons lunged at its front legs, another attempted to strike from the side, while the third remained ready to intercept any attack directed at the nearby shinobi.
The beast released a powerful roar and unleashed a wave of burning chakra, but the summons endured the impact and continued pressing forward.
Seeing that the Two-Tails Jinchūriki was finally being contained, Kakashi realized that they had been given a chance to reorganize the battlefield.
"Guy, deal with Darui. Don't let him keep advancing" he ordered while watching the Kumogakure shinobi continue cutting down Konoha's forces with his powerful attacks.
"Leave him to me!" Guy replied without hesitation.
Chakra began surging violently throughout his body.
"Fifth Gate, the Gate of Limit, open!"
An intense green aura erupted around him as his muscles tightened and an enormous amount of energy was released. The ground beneath his feet cracked, and an instant later, Guy vanished from sight.
He reappeared directly in front of Darui and launched a powerful kick.
Darui barely managed to raise his sword in time to block the attack. The force of the impact sent him sliding several meters backward, his feet carving deep marks into the ruined ground.
Guy gave him no time to recover.
He charged again and unleashed a rapid barrage of punches and kicks. Darui responded with his sword and Lightning Release techniques, turning the confrontation into an extremely even battle.
Every collision produced powerful bursts of chakra.
Thanks to the speed and strength granted by the Fifth Gate, Guy managed to completely stop the momentum Darui had built while cutting down Konoha's shinobi.
For the first time since the battle began, Darui was forced to focus all his attention on a single opponent.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya quickly made his way toward the area where Danzō and the three leaders of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans were fighting the Fourth Raikage and Killer B.
The Sannin's arrival allowed them to divide the dangerous confrontation.
The Fourth Raikage turned his head when he sensed Jiraiya's powerful presence and narrowed his eyes.
"So Konoha finally decided to send one of its monsters" he remarked as the Lightning Release Chakra Mode around his body intensified.
"I don't particularly enjoy being called a monster, but coming from you, I suppose I can take it as a compliment" Jiraiya replied as he assumed a fighting stance.
Danzō moved until he was standing near the Sannin.
"We need to separate them. If the Raikage and his brother continue fighting together, stopping them will be far more difficult."
Jiraiya nodded.
The two attacked simultaneously, forcing the Fourth Raikage away from Killer B.
In that way, the battlefield was divided into two main confrontations.
Jiraiya began fighting the Fourth Raikage, while Shikaku, Inoichi, Chōza, and Danzō prepared to contain Killer B through the Ino–Shika–Chō formation.
Killer B observed Jiraiya's arrival and immediately understood that the situation had become more dangerous.
He had no intention of allowing Konoha's reinforcements to seize control of the battle.
"Hachibi, let's finish this quickly."
Red chakra began covering his body.
The pressure in the air increased at an alarming rate. Nearby shinobi felt it becoming more difficult to breathe as Killer B's silhouette began to expand.
One tail appeared.
Then another.
Within seconds, his human body disappeared and was replaced by the enormous form of the Eight-Tails.
Gyūki roared with such force that the sound shook the entire battlefield. His eight gigantic tentacles spread around him, destroying trees, rocks, and everything else in their path.
Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza looked up at the beast.
The difference in size was overwhelming.
The moment Danzō saw Killer B fully transform, he immediately began considering a way to restrain him.
They could not allow the Eight-Tails to move freely. A single Tailed Beast Bomb could destroy a large portion of Konoha's forces.
Danzō stepped back and bit his thumb until it bled.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
He slammed his palm against the ground.
A massive cloud of smoke covered the area, and from within it emerged Baku, Danzō's signature summon.
The enormous creature opened its eyes and stared at the Eight-Tails standing before it. Even for a beast of Baku's size, Gyūki was an intimidating opponent.
"Baku, restrain him for as long as you can" Danzō ordered quickly.
The creature responded with a roar and charged at the Eight-Tails with all its strength.
Baku opened its enormous mouth and began generating a powerful suction force. Air, soil, and debris scattered across the battlefield were dragged toward it.
The Eight-Tails' tentacles moved violently as the beast struggled to maintain its balance.
One of them slammed into the ground and raised a massive cloud of dust, while another struck directly at Baku.
Danzō's summon took the blow head-on, but it remained standing and continued using its power to keep the Eight-Tails from advancing.
Danzō immediately turned toward Chōza.
"Chōza, help Baku restrain Killer B!"
"I'm on it, Lord Danzō!"
Chōza brought his hands together and concentrated a large amount of chakra.
"Super Expansion Jutsu!"
His body began growing rapidly.
His arms, legs, and torso expanded until his enormous figure rivaled the Eight-Tails in size.
The ground sank beneath his weight.
Without stopping, Chōza took out two special pills belonging to the Akimichi Clan.
First, he swallowed the Spinach Pill.
Then he placed the Curry Pill into his mouth.
Energy exploded throughout his body. His muscles strengthened, and his chakra became far more intense.
He had decided to use nearly all his power from the beginning, though he still kept the Chili Pill in reserve for an extreme emergency.
The final pill could grant him tremendous strength, but the price it demanded was far too dangerous. Chōza would not use it unless his life or the lives of his companions depended on it.
With a powerful shout, he charged at the Eight-Tails.
Chōza grabbed two of its tentacles and used all his weight to prevent the beast from moving freely.
Baku continued attacking from the front, while Chōza fought the Eight-Tails in close combat.
Every movement from the two giants caused the ground to tremble.
"Shikaku! Inoichi!" Danzō shouted. "Help Chōza restrain the Eight-Tails. I need some time. If my technique works, we can win this."
Shikaku and Inoichi hesitated when they heard the order.
Neither of them fully trusted Danzō.
They knew how he operated, the methods he used, and how easily he could sacrifice others if he believed it would benefit Konoha.
For a moment, both feared that the old man might be preparing something that could kill them as well.
However, when they saw Chōza fighting the Eight-Tails with everything he had, they understood that they had no other choice.
Their companion was risking his life to protect them.
They could not abandon him.
"We'll do it" Shikaku said as he brought his hands together.
His shadow rapidly extended across the ground.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
The shadow reached Chōza and connected with his enormous body.
Shikaku began guiding his movements with far greater precision, allowing him to evade the Eight-Tails' tentacles and place himself in the best possible positions to strike.
Inoichi knelt and formed the hand seal required for his technique.
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"
His consciousness connected with Chōza's.
Through the combined techniques of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans, the three began moving as though they were a single person.
Chōza's enormous body curled inward and began spinning.
"Human Bullet Yo-Yo!"
His body transformed into a gigantic rotating sphere and began moving across the battlefield.
Shikaku used his shadow to control every movement, while Inoichi transmitted information and helped them make decisions within fractions of a second.
Chōza slammed violently into the Eight-Tails' side.
The impact caused Gyūki to lose his balance and stagger backward.
Before the beast could recover, Baku increased the strength of its suction.
The combination of both techniques managed to immobilize Killer B for a brief moment.
Danzō watched the confrontation carefully.