With a single order, the shinobi of Kirigakure surged forward, the battlefield erupting as they launched a full assault against them.
At the same time, Uchiha Fugaku no longer spared any attention for the clash between Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura.
Drawing his blade, he led the Uchiha clan alongside Konoha's other forces, charging straight toward the Mist shinobi ranks.
"For the glory of the Uchiha clan—advance!"
On the battlefield, there was no mercy to be found. It was kill or be killed. No one held back.
"Damn it…"
Watching the scene unfold, Sarutobi Hiruzen grimaced. The numerical gap between Konoha and Kirigakure was simply too large.
The Mist Village had dispatched an overwhelming number of elite shinobi—Konoha could not gain any advantage in a prolonged engagement.
"When you're fighting me, you still have the nerve to lose focus?"
Yagura's cold voice suddenly reached Hiruzen's ears.
"No I have to—!"
Hiruzen's eyes widened. He realized the danger too late.
Bang!
Yagura's weapon struck him head-on, and Hiruzen was sent flying dozens of meters across the battlefield.
"So this is the student of the First Hokage?" Yagura said flatly, frowning as he looked at Hiruzen's battered figure. "Is this all?"
There had been some expectation at first but now it seemed misplaced. The fight was becoming dull.
"You—!"
The words struck Hiruzen harder than the blow itself. Even if he could never compare to the First or Second Hokage… to be dismissed so casually was unacceptable.
Straightening himself, resolve sharpened in his eyes.
"Earth Release—Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Fire Release—Fire Dragon Bullet!"
The two techniques merged instantly into a powerful combination. As the Professor of Ninjutsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen was fully proficient in all five nature transformations.
Boom!
Yagura merely smiled in disdain.
Holding his weapon with one hand, he formed a seal with the other.
"Water Release—Great Exploding Water Surge!"
A massive wave erupted like a tsunami, instantly swallowing Hiruzen's combined ninjutsu.
Because of the genjutsu controlling him, Madara Uchiha's own abilities could not be fully used—but Yagura was different. As the Fourth Mizukage, his mastery over Water Release had reached perfection.
As the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, chakra exhaustion was never a concern.
Combined with Madara's inhuman battle instincts, overwhelming Sarutobi Hiruzen was effortless.
The raging water obliterated the attack completely.
"This level of Water Release…"
Hiruzen felt a chill run through him.
It was nearly on par with his teacher—the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
Am I really… this old now?
Why can't I defeat even someone of the next generation…?
"What are you thinking about?"
Yagura's voice suddenly came from beside him.
Using the cover of Water Release, Yagura had already closed the distance.
"This is bad!"
Hiruzen reacted instantly, swinging the Adamantine Staff to block.
Boom!
An indescribable force slammed into him, sending him flying once again.
"Hiruzen!"
The Monkey King Enma was shocked. Even his hardened body trembled from the impact.
"What kind of monster are you fighting this time?!"
"If I knew, I wouldn't be here either!" Hiruzen snapped back bitterly as he stabilized himself.
"Ninjutsu—Coral Palm!"
Yagura appeared again in an instant.
This time, relying on experience alone, Hiruzen barely managed to block.
"Focus," Yagura said calmly. "Didn't Senju teach you not to lose concentration in battle?"
"I—!"
Hiruzen wanted to retort, but Yagura was already pressing the attack again. He could only abandon the thought and devote everything to defending himself.
What frustrated him most wasn't just Yagura's strength—it was that Yagura kept using Tobirama's tone to lecture him.
Your generation isn't even higher than mine!
Why does everyone act like they're my senior?!
If the situation allowed it, Hiruzen truly wanted to curse out loud.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, fighting raged just as fiercely.
Mangetsu Hōzuki, locked in combat with Uchiha Fugaku, glanced toward Hiruzen and Yagura's clash and laughed mockingly.
"So your Third Hokage can't handle it either. Not even close to our Mizukage-sama."
"Hmph. The outcome hasn't been decided yet," Fugaku replied coldly.
Still… seeing Hiruzen steadily pushed back made Fugaku's mood sink.
When you suppressed the Uchiha in Konoha, you were so powerful.
So why are you like this on a real battlefield?
After the deaths of the First and Second Hokage, Hiruzen had once claimed to be the strongest Hokage in history.
In Fugaku's eyes?
Utter nonsense.
The weakest, if anything.
Mangetsu smiled faintly, reforming his Steam Imp before slashing toward Fugaku again.
This battle continued until the sun neared the horizon.
Only then did both sides withdraw—almost as if by unspoken agreement.
Though Hiruzen was not defeated, he looked utterly battered, his chakra nearly depleted.
Yagura, on the other hand, remained composed and steady.
Hiruzen understood clearly—if the fight had continued, defeat would have been inevitable.
The Uchiha clan had suffered the heaviest losses. Nearly every member bore injuries.
Yet those Konoha shinobi who had fought beside them quietly set aside their prejudice—some even felt admiration for the Uchiha's ferocity and resolve.
Hiruzen noticed these changes.
At this stage, Konoha needed the Uchiha's strength. There was no room to interfere.
The clan's reputation within the village remained poor—but fewer shinobi were willing to openly antagonize them now.
Of course, the Uchiha themselves didn't care.
"Fugaku… thank you," Hiruzen said sincerely back at camp. "This time, truly."
"Hokage-sama," Fugaku replied formally, "we did it for Konoha."
And for a brief moment, both men hoped the rift between the village leadership and the Uchiha clan could finally begin to heal.
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