At the same time.
Land of Fire Capital, Daimyo Manor.
Arashi sat in his study, sipping tea calmly.
Aono Saku entered, bowed, and reported, "Daimyo-sama, the Rōnin have confirmed they will act tonight."
"Hmm." Arashi set his teacup down. "They chose the perfect time."
"Ōnoki just departed. It's the weakest moment for Iwagakure."
Aono Saku hesitated. "Daimyo-sama, what if the Rōnin fail?"
"Fail?" Arashi smiled faintly. "It doesn't matter."
"Their mission was never to seize Iwagakure."
"As long as they cause chaos and drain Iwagakure's strength, that's enough."
He stood and walked to the strategy sandbox.
"Ōnoki thinks sending all his forces to rescue the Western Corps will reverse the tide."
"But he doesn't realize his departure exposed their greatest weakness."
Arashi picked up a black chess piece representing the Rōnin and placed it on Iwagakure's location.
"Iwagakure."
"Granary."
"If either of these is lost, even if Ōnoki wins on the front lines, it won't matter."
Aono Saku's breath caught.
So Daimyo's true goal had never been the battlefield.
He wanted to pull the foundation out from under them.
"Then… will the granary mission succeed?" Aono Saku couldn't help but ask.
"Kakuzu and Biwa Jūzō," Arashi smiled. "One is an immortal bounty hunter, the other was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure."
"With those two and the Rōnin as cover, taking down a lightly guarded granary shouldn't be a problem."
"Besides…"
Arashi turned back around.
"The intelligence I gave them wasn't just the location."
"I marked the number of guards, their shift schedules, even the weaknesses of the barrier seal."
Aono Saku swallowed hard.
Iwagakure's secrets were completely exposed before Daimyo-sama.
"That's enough." Arashi waved his hand. "Have the allied forces on the Western Front prepare."
"As soon as Ōnoki and Ishikawa link up, launch a full assault."
"Don't give them a moment to breathe."
"Yes!"
Aono Saku bowed and exited.
Arashi sat back down, raised his teacup, and took another sip.
"Ōnoki, oh Ōnoki."
He muttered softly, "You think you're saving lives, but in truth… you're leading them to their deaths."
Western Front, Central Fortress.
The third day.
Ishikawa sat atop the wall, eyes bloodshot from staying awake for over a day.
He had lost significant weight.
The food would run out today.
The Iwagakure shinobi were surviving on their last Military Ration Pills.
But even those wouldn't last long.
Without a fight, they would die of hunger.
"Tsuchikage-sama…"
Ishikawa muttered, "You… won't be coming, will you?"
He had lost hope.
Three days had passed.
If Tsuchikage-sama were coming, he would have arrived already.
Since he hadn't come, it could only mean… Iwagakure had given up on them.
"Lord Ishikawa."
The adjutant approached again. "If… if Tsuchikage-sama truly isn't coming…"
"Should we… should we…"
He didn't finish, but Ishikawa understood.
Surrender.
"No."
Ishikawa opened his eyes. "We are Iwagakure shinobi."
"Iwagakure shinobi never surrender."
"Even if we die, we die on the battlefield."
The adjutant opened his mouth but said nothing.
He simply nodded.
Just then.
A commotion erupted below the wall.
"What's happening?" Ishikawa frowned.
"I'm not sure!"
The adjutant quickly rushed down to investigate.
Moments later, he came running back, nearly stumbling in his haste.
"Lord Ishikawa! It's… reinforcements!"
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
"What?!"
Ishikawa shot to his feet.
He ran to the wall and looked into the distance.
On the horizon, black dots appeared.
They grew larger and clearer.
People.
Iwagakure shinobi!
And at the very front—
A familiar figure soared through the sky.
That was… "Tsuchikage-sama!"
Ishikawa shouted.
It was Ōnoki!
It really was him!
"Tsuchikage-sama is here!"
"We're saved!"
"Long live Tsuchikage-sama!"
The entire fortress erupted in cheers.
Exhausted, starving shinobi found strength they didn't know they had, rising to their feet and shouting toward the distant reinforcements.
Some hugged their comrades, tears streaming.
Others opened their mouths, unable to make a sound.
…Outside the Central Fortress.
Allied Forces Camp.
"Report! Iwagakure's reinforcements have arrived!"
A scout burst into the command tent.
Rasa and Orochimaru exchanged glances.
"How many?" Rasa asked.
"Estimated… about eight hundred."
"The leader is Ōnoki!"
Rasa clenched his fist.
Eight hundred.
With the remaining thousand inside the fortress, Iwagakure's forces were close to two thousand.
Still fewer than the allied forces, but with Ōnoki present, the situation was different.
"Issue the order," Orochimaru said. "Open the encirclement. Let them regroup. Prepare the entire army for battle."
"Battle?" Rasa frowned. "Weren't we laying siege?"
"The situation has changed." Orochimaru licked his lips. "Now that Ōnoki is here, he won't just stand there."
"He'll take the initiative."
"Rather than waiting passively, it's better to strike first."
Rasa paused, then nodded.
"Very well."
"Then… let's fight."
…Outside the Central Fortress.
Ōnoki slowly descended.
Eight hundred Iwagakure shinobi stood behind him in formation.
The fortress gates opened.
Ishikawa led the remaining thousand out to meet them.
"Tsuchikage-sama!"
Ishikawa dropped to one knee before him, voice trembling. "You… you really came!"
Ōnoki looked at Ishikawa.
This once-proud Jōnin was now skin and bones, his face etched with fatigue.
"Get up."
Ōnoki reached out and pulled him to his feet.
"You've done well."
Ishikawa's tears fell.
"This subordinate… was incompetent. The Western Corps suffered heavy losses because of me."
"Enough." Ōnoki cut him off. "You've done more than enough."
"To hold out this long, you and your men are heroes."
He turned to the thousand Iwagakure shinobi.
Their faces were filled with both the joy of survival and deep exhaustion.
"Everyone!"
Ōnoki's voice swept across the field.
"You've endured greatly!"
"You used your lives and blood to defend the western border of the Land of Earth!"
"You are Iwagakure's pride!"
The thousand stood tall.
Most of them were too weak to stand steadily, but hearing Tsuchikage-sama's words, they straightened their backs.
"Now, reinforcements have arrived."
Ōnoki continued, "You can rest."
"The next battle… leave it to us."
"Yes!"
Their response was hoarse, but firm.
Ōnoki turned and raised his hand, pointing toward the allied camp in the distance.
His killing intent was clear.
(To be continued.)