The Cloud shinobi stared at the scene unfolding before them, feeling as if they might cough up blood from sheer frustration.
The flames they had worked so hard to extinguish roared back to life in mere seconds. The sea of fire spread with terrifying speed, reclaiming the ground they had fought to clear. Orange tongues of flame danced mockingly across the mountainside.
Some lower-ranked ninja couldn't react quickly enough. The flames caught them in an instant, transforming them into living torches. The terrible power of fire showed no mercy—those caught in its embrace quickly perished, their bodies reduced to charred remains within moments.
"Water Style: Giant Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
Two veteran Cloud shinobi leaped forward without hesitation, their hands blurring through the necessary hand seals. Water erupted from their jutsu like a cascading waterfall, hissing violently as it met the advancing flames.
Steam billowed upward in massive clouds, temporarily obscuring the battlefield. The torrent of water beat back the spreading inferno just long enough for the trapped Cloud ninja to scramble to safety.
When the steam finally dissipated, the flames surged forward once more, reclaiming their territory with renewed hunger. The heat forced the Cloud forces to retreat further, abandoning their hard-won ground.
The Fourth Raikage watched this devastating setback with a deepening scowl etched across his face.
This was worse than he'd anticipated.
If the extinguished flames could be reignited so easily, then all their efforts would amount to nothing. They couldn't possibly intercept every projectile the Konoha forces might launch from their elevated position.
They needed a different approach entirely.
Atop the mountain, Nara Shikaku observed the Cloud shinobi's retreat with satisfaction. He raised his hand, signaling the Konoha forces to cease their bombardment for now.
"Shikaku, why reveal the fire's properties so early?" Yamanaka Inoichi questioned his long-time friend. "If we had waited until Cloud shinobi climbed halfway up the mountain before reigniting the flames, they wouldn't have had time to escape. Their casualties would have been far greater!"
The Nara clan head shook his head, his expression thoughtful. "Casualties are inevitable in any conflict, but we need to keep this war contained. Even though the current situation already resembles a full-scale Ninja World War, we can't allow it to escalate further."
"Think about it carefully," he continued. "If we inflict too many casualties on Cloud shinobi, even if the Fourth Raikage personally wants to end this conflict, public pressure and demands for vengeance will force him to continue. The cycle of retaliation would spiral out of control."
"So yes, the battle must continue, but we need to manage its intensity carefully."
Shikaku gazed down at the enemy forces regrouping below. "Originally, this entire conflict was supposed to remain contained within the Land of Hot Water. None of us anticipated that Naraku would prove so overwhelmingly powerful that he'd drive Cloud shinobi all the way back to their own territory."
"Now everything depends on when the Raikage's temper cools enough to see reason. Once that happens, this war can finally end."
A thunderous impact shook the mountaintop as Shihouin Naraku descended from above, landing on a massive boulder. His eyes tracked the Cloud shinobi movements far below as he spoke.
"If the Raikage can't calm himself down, then I'll help him find that peace of mind."
"How did the supply raids go, Naraku?" Shikaku inquired, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
"Completely successful, as expected."
Shikaku nodded, unsurprised. With Naraku's overwhelming power supporting their operations, failure had never been a real possibility.
"Tell me, Shikaku," Naraku's voice carried a note of genuine curiosity. "When do you think the Raikage will finally admit defeat? Both of their jinchuriki are dead, after all."
"It shouldn't take much longer." Shikaku's analytical mind had already considered every angle. "Despite his rough exterior and explosive temper, the Fourth Raikage is actually quite calculating. That rage is partly genuine, partly performance."
The strategic genius had encountered the Fourth Raikage multiple times over the years, developing a deep understanding of the man's character. "Once he fully grasps that continuing this war will only bring greater losses to Cloud Shinobi Village, he'll swallow his pride and seek terms. It's simple mathematics."
Naraku remained somewhat skeptical of this assessment.
While he hadn't used lethal force against Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails' jinchuriki was certainly suffering in captivity. The bond between the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee transcended mere duty—they were brothers in all but blood. Such personal loss wouldn't be easily set aside.
Still, it didn't matter in the end. If Cloud shinobi wanted to continue this dance of death, Naraku would gladly oblige. The only question was whether Cloud Shinobi Village could withstand the mounting losses.
His recent power lottery had granted him several abilities he hadn't yet tested in actual combat. Part of him was genuinely curious to see their effects unleashed across the Land of Lightning.
The rekindled inferno had shaken Cloud shinobi morale, but the Fourth Raikage's presence steadied them. A true leader didn't need to fight personally to inspire—his mere presence on the battlefield gave his subordinates the courage to face seemingly impossible odds.
Similarly, Konoha's forces drew their confidence from Shihouin Naraku. His appearance alone was enough to maintain their fighting spirit at peak levels. Victory after victory had forged an unshakeable trust between the commander and his troops.
Cloud shinobi quickly reorganized their assault. This time, they abandoned any attempt to extinguish the flames. Instead, they formed into smaller tactical units and began advancing up the winding path in waves.
Each squad now included specialists in both Water Style and Earth Style techniques. The strategy was clear—if the flames surged again, these specialists would buy precious seconds for their comrades to retreat.
"Forward!"
"Drive them back!"
"For Cloud shinobi! For the Raikage!"
Battle cries echoed across the burning mountain as Cloud forces charged up the treacherous path. The flames on either side churned like ocean waves, superheating the air until it shimmered with distortion. Sweat beaded on the advancing ninja's faces, only to evaporate before it could fall.
The temperature was becoming unbearable, and they had barely begun their ascent.
Konoha forces waited patiently at the summit, their elevated position granting every tactical advantage. There was no anxiety in their ranks—only calm preparation for the coming storm.
"Begin the assault!" Naraku commanded.
The Konoha shinobi responded instantly. A rain of projectiles descended upon the climbing Cloud forces, each weapon trailing explosive tags that fluttered like deadly butterflies.
Cloud shinobi reacted with trained precision, their defenders stepping forward to shield their comrades.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
Solid barriers of stone and earth erupted from the mountainside, creating instant fortifications. The projectiles slammed into these walls with dull impacts before detonating in a series of thunderous explosions.
Debris and pulverized earth flew in all directions. The walls bore the brunt of the assault, pockmarked with craters and holes. Some barriers crumbled entirely under the barrage, crushing unfortunate Cloud ninja beneath tons of rubble.
Yet most of the defensive jutsu held firm. This initial assault inflicted only moderate casualties on the advancing forces.
Without pause, Konoha launched their second wave.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Technique!"
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Technique!"
The Konoha forces unleashed a coordinated barrage of fire techniques. The surrounding inferno amplified their jutsu dramatically—what would normally require significant chakra now flowed effortlessly. The sea of flames responded to their call like an eager ally.
The environment that should have been Cloud shinobi's enemy now served as Konoha's greatest weapon. Just as Water Style users gained power near bodies of water, the flame-wreathed mountain had become the perfect battlefield for Fire Style specialists.
Diverse forms of flame converged into a singular, terrifying assault. The attacks merged with the surrounding inferno, creating tidal waves of fire that shattered the remaining earth walls like paper. The molten assault rolled toward Cloud shinobi with unstoppable force.
"Wind Style: Air Current Dance!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Style: Gale Palm!"
"Wind Style: Typhoon Devastation!"
Both forces simultaneously unleashed massive Wind Style techniques. Gale-force winds collided in the space between the two armies. Hurricanes clashed against each other while the flames reached skyward, painting the heavens crimson.
The strategy was identical on both sides—use wind techniques to direct the enormously powerful flames into enemy ranks.
Neither force held anything back. The competing winds and feeding flames gave birth to something terrible—a fire tornado that connected earth to sky.
Wind fed flame, and flame rode upon wind.
The tornado unleashed its fury indiscriminately. Winds sharp enough to flay skin from bone mixed with heat intense enough to melt steel. The once-stable ground cracked and split from the temperature extremes. Both armies struggled to maintain formation in the face of such primal force.
The cutting winds sliced through armor and flesh alike while the scorching flames sought any exposed skin. Every ninja on that mountain path endured a preview of hell itself.
Yet neither side dared retreat. Not one step backward.
To retreat now meant certain death. The flames would consume any force that showed weakness.
"Magnificent," someone whispered, though the words were lost in the roaring conflagration.
The battle for Thunder Gorge had transformed into something beyond a mere military engagement. It had become a contest of wills played out through jutsu and flame, where victory would go to whichever side could endure the inferno longest.
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