Konoha — Hokage's Office
Inside the Hokage's office, a shinobi from Konoha's Intelligence Division was reporting the latest developments from the front lines to the Third Hokage.
"At present, hostilities between Konoha and Amegakure have effectively come to an end. Both sides have entered a ceasefire and silent standoff. Amegakure's leader, Hanzō of the Salamander, is preparing to surrender. We expect envoys to arrive in Konoha soon."
That was good news.
After a moment of thought, the Third Hokage said,
"We will tacitly accept the ceasefire with Amegakure. Inform the frontline command not to attempt further incursions. Maintain strict defensive posture only. If Hanzō truly sends peace envoys, allow them to pass."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"As for the conflict with Sunagakure," the intelligence shinobi continued,
"Konoha's western front is currently under the command of Lady Tsunade. Although we are still at a numerical disadvantage, we have shifted from defense to offense. The battlefield has moved from the Land of Fire into the Land of Rivers, and our forces are steadily approaching the border of the Land of Wind."
"Very good…" the Third Hokage nodded.
The situation against Sunagakure was indeed improving. After all, Suna wasn't fighting only Konoha—Iwagakure was applying tremendous pressure from the north. By this stage of the war, Suna's military potential was nearly exhausted.
Konoha's overall strategy was clear:
West first, then north, then east.
Sunagakure was the primary target, and three major defensive lines had been established accordingly.
At present, only the western front against Suna had transitioned to an offensive posture. The other two fronts remained defensive.
Of course, the northern front, facing both Kumogakure and Iwagakure, held the heaviest concentration of troops. Even there, Konoha occasionally launched counterattacks. As for the eastern front against Kirigakure, it remained in a purely defensive state.
The Third Hokage was just beginning to consider whether to redeploy additional forces toward the Land of Wind—
When suddenly—
Boom.
It wasn't a loud explosion.
More like a giant letting out a muffled grunt.
In peacetime, such a sound would have been insignificant. But in wartime, nothing was trivial.
This could mean only one thing:
Konoha had been attacked.
The Third Hokage shot to his feet.
"What was that?!"
Four ANBU guards instantly appeared in front of him.
"Hokage-sama!"
The intelligence ninja who had been reporting pointed toward a bookshelf filled with scrolls.
One vertically stored scroll had inexplicably ignited, turning to ash in seconds. Then, two other scrolls—not even touching it—also burst into flames.
The Hokage glanced at the numeric codes beneath the scrolls.
His expression changed instantly.
"Konoha Barrier—Sector Fifty-Nine!"
A Few Minutes Earlier…
"First, we retreat a bit more. Then a bit more after that," Kushina instructed calmly.
"The effective range of this jutsu hasn't been fully confirmed. Safety comes first."
"Understood, Kushina-sensei."
Even without her warning, Hagoromo had no intention of standing anywhere near an experimental forbidden jutsu. This was the second life he'd been given—he wasn't planning to waste it.
The two of them retreated again and again, eventually stepping onto the surface of a lake behind them. At this point, they were roughly three hundred meters from the scroll.
This was the limit.
If they went any farther, the scroll would leave Kushina's chakra-control and sensing range.
"Ready?" Kushina asked, glancing down at Hagoromo.
Her hands were already raised, prepared to form seals at any moment.
Hagoromo nodded.
Months of work—this was the moment of truth.
A jōnin's hand-seal speed was a given. Kushina's hands moved the instant Hagoromo nodded—and then stopped just as quickly.
Hagoromo stared unblinking at the scroll.
Then he saw it.
Centered on the massive scroll, a spherical black curtain suddenly expanded outward—
Rapidly forming a dark sphere that continued to grow.
"Not good—run!"
Judging from the expansion speed, it looked like the sphere might reach them!
But after only two steps, Kushina grabbed him firmly.
"Calm down. It's already over."
From Kushina's perspective, the black sphere expanded to a radius of roughly two hundred meters, persisted for two or three seconds—
—and then, everything within it was violently pulled back toward the center.
The black sphere collapsed inward.
And vanished.
Like a soap bubble popping.
Gone without a trace.
…Or so it seemed.
That was impossible.
When the sphere formed, it created a four-hundred-meter-diameter black globe—half above ground, half below. The aboveground portion aside, the underground half had carved out a perfect hemispherical crater.
A thunderous rush followed as lake water began pouring violently into the massive pit.
"The test was a success," Hagoromo said calmly.
As if he hadn't been the one who tried to bolt moments ago.
"Yes," Kushina replied softly.
"The sealing jutsu worked. But we're in serious trouble now."
She wasn't wrong.
To avoid unforeseen consequences, they had deliberately chosen a test site at the very edge of Konoha, right next to the village barrier.
But the effectiveness of the Reverse Four Symbols Seal far exceeded expectations.
This jutsu didn't merely seal targets—it erased the entire space within its range.
It was irreversible. Impossible to解除.
Not only was everything within the affected area gone, but even the scroll itself, which served as the medium, had vanished completely.
Which meant—
A significant portion of Konoha's barrier had also been destroyed.
In midair, a section of the invisible dome shimmered into view—like transparent glass with a massive hole smashed through it.
There was no doubt about it.
Konoha's great barrier had been breached.
Hopefully—only partially breached.
Kushina and Hagoromo stood atop the water in silence.
From a purely chemical standpoint, shinobi were organic matter and insoluble in both water and gasoline—
which explained why they could stand on the lake's surface.
Then—
The Third Hokage, accompanied by four ANBU, arrived on the water as well.
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