When Kitsuchi broke away from the main battle to intercept Ye Zi, the Iwa-nin fighting beside him had wanted to follow. But unlike Kitsuchi, they lacked the power to dispatch the clones so decisively; before they could even think about assisting him, they had to clear out the swarm of enemies around them.
Ye Zi had left behind a wood clone with only one-tenth of his chakra. In his judgment, that was more than enough. Even if others came to aid Kitsuchi, it wouldn't matter. The clone wasn't meant to defeat Kitsuchi, only to delay him.
Whether the clone killed Kitsuchi or not, Ye Zi didn't care. All that mattered was not wasting time.
Dispelling the lightning cloak, Ye Zi turned and walked away openly in front of Kitsuchi. No matter how unwilling Kitsuchi was, he couldn't pursue, the wood clone blocked his path.
A Wood Clone could be called the ultimate form of the Shadow Clone technique.
Even though Ye Zi had given it only a tenth of his chakra, the clone possessed the same combat ability as the original, it simply couldn't sustain high-level techniques for long.
To underestimate a Wood Clone because of its chakra reserve was a dangerous mistake.
Leaving Kitsuchi behind, Ye Zi soon distanced himself from the second battlefield and moved toward the third.
With Kitsuchi occupied, Orochimaru no longer paid him any attention. Controlling the Edo Tensei Ye Zi had left behind, Orochimaru summoned ten coffins through a new summoning circle, releasing ten more Edo warriors onto the second battlefield.
Since the war began, nearly thirty Edo Tensei had entered the fight. Over twenty remained in reserve, waiting to be deployed where they were most needed.
Among those yet to appear were Konoha's Tobirama Senju, Fugaku Uchiha, Jiraiya, Kato Dan, several former jinchūriki, the Cloud's Gold and Silver Brothers, and a number of bloodline-limit shinobi.
The Edo Tensei jinchūriki no longer possessed their tailed-beast chakra which weakened them considerably, but even without it, their personal power remained formidable.
The remaining Edo Tensei would be deployed according to battlefield conditions. Judging from the current situation even though the clone armies had yet to use their enhancement serum, it was clear at a glance, they were on the losing side.
At that same moment, in another sector, the Allied Shinobi Forces' Ambush Unit, led by Konan, encountered the Hebi Squad.
Both sides sought the same thing in war: victory. The process was simple, inflict maximum losses on the enemy to secure that victory.
Upon discovering the Hebi Squad, whose numbers barely reached a hundred, Konan immediately relayed the information to the Allied headquarters.
"So they've finally appeared…" muttered Nara Shikaku, then turned to face the gathered Kage.
From Konan's report, it was clear that this was the Sharingan unit under Ye Zi's command. With the vanguard already under heavy pressure, if that unit joined the fray, Kakashi's First Division might not hold out long enough for reinforcements, and could be annihilated.
For now, the Allied situation remained favorable. Only the First Division was in dire straits, crushed beneath the overwhelming power of Hashirama and the other Edo Kage. The other fronts were holding strong. If those could be resolved quickly, reinforcements could move to aid Kakashi.
It had become a race, of time and efficiency.
Time: which side could act faster. Efficiency: which side could kill faster.
The Five Kage had already debated whether to recall the Ambush Unit, but until now the Sharingan army had never revealed itself. With its sudden appearance, the decision was clear.
To prevent further strain on Kakashi's forces, the Ambush Unit had to destroy Ye Zi's Sharingan corps, then rush to support the First Division.
The order went out almost immediately: the Ambush Unit was to attack the Hebi Squad without delay.
If all went smoothly, they would eliminate the Hebi Squad, then head to reinforce the First Division. Even if they couldn't defeat Hashirama's Edo group outright, they could at least divide the pressure.
Once the Special Combat Unit, the Allied Forces' most powerful division, joined them victory would finally tilt their way.
That special unit was currently dominating its own front, suppressing twenty thousand clones with overwhelming strength and achieving the highest kill rate among all four battlefields.
When the Ambush Unit and Special Combat Unit both arrived to reinforce the First Division, the scales of war would surely tip toward the Alliance.
The only remaining concern, was Ye Zi himself.
After giving the order to attack the Hebi Squad, the Five Kage turned their attention to Ye Zi's movements.
Intel was being updated in real time. After leaving the First Division's battlefield, Ye Zi had reached the Second Division's front, left behind a wood clone to occupy Kitsuchi, and then continued onward toward the Third Division.
"He's obviously after the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki," said the Raikage, expression grim.
"That's the only explanation for his actions," Ōnoki agreed, pounding his small fist lightly against the table.
The Alliance's troop movements were being tracked as though through glass, while their own sensory units might as well have been blind.
It wasn't that the Allied sensors were weak, it was that Ye Zi's sensory network was terrifyingly strong. That he could deduce the Nine-Tails' host wasn't among them was only natural.
"Ye Zi's placed himself in a dangerous position," said Shitun of the Mist, his voice low. "This might be our chance."
At present, Ye Zi's location was wedged between the Allied divisions. If they drew forces from the Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions to encircle him simultaneously…
"We want to win this war, not just kill Ye Zi," Ōnoki said sharply.
This war had begun because of Ye Zi, but with an army of tens of thousands of clones now threatening the world, the Alliance's true objective had risen far beyond revenge.
Of course, Ye Zi still had to die, but priorities came first.
A reckless redeployment aimed solely at him might squander the advantage they had worked so hard to gain.
At this stage, the Alliance held the upper hand. As long as the First Division could endure, once the other fronts were settled, they could launch an all-out offensive. By then, no matter how strong Ye Zi was, there would be no storm he could raise.
"Let us handle Ye Zi," Minato said suddenly, his eyes turning cold.
Shikaku frowned. Instinct told him the idea was dangerous, but he couldn't deny it: Ye Zi's movements were a constant, looming threat. If Minato and his team acted, perhaps they could at least contain him.
Contain, not eliminate.
That distinction might sound disrespectful toward the assembled Kage, but Shikaku couldn't help feeling it was true.
He doubted even Minato could truly defeat Ye Zi.
For now, the Allied position was strong. As long as Ye Zi made no sudden move, and as long as Kushina remained safe, victory was still within their grasp.
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Currently on Chapter 630 - A Light Extinguished