"What is this?!"
Staring at the pollen swirling around him, the Four-Tails was stunned for a moment before the realization hit. His expression shifted drastically as he attempted to retreat, but Tenzo, having already unleashed the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees, had no intention of letting him escape.
The massive Wood Human charged toward him, its heavy feet treading through the molten lava.
The earth trembled; magma splashed in every direction.
In an instant, the Wood Human swung a fist as large as the Four-Tails' own head, crashing it forward with immense force.
The Four-Tails prepared to intercept the blow, but his body suddenly went limp. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, leaving his attempt to counter the Wood Human's strike weak and powerless.
With a single, thunderous punch, the Wood Human's fist slammed squarely into his face.
The Four-Tails' features distorted from the impact as his massive frame was sent flying backward. Amidst a massive spray of lava, the beast crashed heavily into the crimson lake of molten rock.
He struggled to rise, but the omnipresent pollen had already invaded his system through his breath, permeating his limbs and internal organs. No matter how much he thrashed, his efforts were in vain.
The Wood Human strode forward. Tenzo controlled the construct, pressing its palm firmly onto the Four-Tails' head.
Sage Art: Wood Release: Enclosing Palm.
This was an absolute, high-level sealing technique; even the Nine-Tails would struggle to cause any trouble when faced with this jutsu.
As the palm landed on his head, the Four-Tails tried to resist one last time, but his efforts were insignificant before the power of the seal. His chakra was suppressed, and his massive body began to shrink at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Within moments, the towering Four-Tails had reverted from his Tailed Beast state, leaving only Rōshi behind.
Tenzo glanced at Rōshi, now held firmly in the Wood Human's grip, and then turned his gaze toward the rest of the battlefield.
The scale of the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees was massive, and the entire battlefield was saturated with the inescapable pollen.
Even someone as powerful as Ohnoki could not withstand the pollen's effects for long. Tangled by the Wood Dragon and having inhaled the toxic dust, Onoki—who lacked the massive physique of the Four-Tails—was quickly bound tight by the dragon's coils.
The Wood Dragon wound itself back around the Wood Human's body, with Ohnoki now secured in the construct's palm.
Scanning the edge of the battlefield, Tenzo spotted Kitsuchi lying unconscious. Without hesitation, he commanded the Wood Human to pick him up, binding the three of them together.
Meanwhile, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, and Kisame Hoshigaki—who had been locked in combat with Jiraiya and Tsunade—found themselves equally helpless against the pervasive pollen. Under the intentional pressure and harassment from Jiraiya and Tsunade, they eventually collapsed to the ground.
Even Jiraiya, however, could not fully withstand the interference of the pollen. Once he saw the Five-Tails Jinchuriki go down, he too crashed to the earth.
Only Tsunade remained standing, barely resisting the effects through her superb medical ninjutsu and the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
Seeing the situation settled, Tenzo released the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees. Above, Kakashi noticed the pollen receding and signaled Deidara to descend.
Deidara naturally didn't dare cross Kakashi and controlled his clay bird to land on the ground.
"Lord Hokage."
Tenzo spoke respectfully as he looked at Kakashi dismounting from the bird. He had noticed Kakashi's arrival on the battlefield some time ago.
"It's fine. You did well," Kakashi said, nodding slightly to Tenzo.
"How should we handle these people?" Tenzo gestured toward the captive Tsuchikage and his party.
"We'll deal with them later." Kakashi turned his attention to Tsunade as she approached. "For now, Tsunade, you need to return to the village with me to treat Hayama. Shizune has already headed back; we're just waiting on you."
Tsunade knit her brows upon hearing this. Although she wasn't entirely sure what had happened to Hayama Shirakumo, she nodded in agreement without hesitation.
The command of the battlefield was swiftly transferred to Tenzo, and Kakashi immediately departed for Konoha with Tsunade in tow.
Now, with the Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone defeated one after the other, only one theater of war remained: the Land of Frost, where the Hidden Cloud forces were stationed.
As for the Cloud battlefield, Kakashi had never been worried.
Because the man standing there was...
The Strongest!
Even the current Kakashi, if he did not maintain ten thousand percent caution when facing Guy, could very likely be defeated by him.
The frost was bitter, and the cold wind cut like a knife.
He wore the standard green flak jacket of a Konoha Jonin over a green jumpsuit.
While almost every ninja in Konoha had switched to dark-colored Jonin uniforms because Kakashi preferred them, he alone maintained his signature green attire.
When people asked him why, he would usually laugh heartily and reply that it was the symbol of his hot-blooded youth.
But today, this man with the resolute face, standing tall like a pillar holding up the heavens, seemed a far cry from the man who used to loudly sing the praises of youth and passion.
Might Guy.
It wasn't that he had stopped celebrating youth or shouting about passion. Rather, he had thoroughly integrated that youth and passion into his every action.
He was the man second only to the Hokage; he was the Commander of the entire Konoha Jonin Brigade.
His brilliance was dazzling.
Countless eyes were fixed upon him.
He needed to be a role model for his subordinates and for everyone who looked up to him. He had to become the goal they aspired to reach and the person they revered. He had to be the finish line his subordinates chased and the landmark that guided others toward the right path.
This, too, was a manifestation of youth and passion.
In Guy's current view, this was the "passion" that belonged to his comrades and to everyone. Having shouldered their expectations, goals, and respect, he had become the "Youth" of all those around him.
Therefore, he would not fall, no matter who he faced.
No matter who.
Furthermore, he remembered the words he had spoken to his best friend years ago. Back in the Hokage's office, he had confidently told his friend that they should form their long-awaited two-man team again. Yet, during that mission, his friend had still been forced to travel thousands of miles to save the day.
So, he had pushed himself to the limit to acquire the strength to stand beside Kakashi—to gain the power to protect his best friend, his comrades, and Konoha.
That was why he stood here now.
Behind him were the comrades who revered him; before him were the grim-faced enemies.
The cold wind whipped through Guy's black hair, but it did not stir even a flicker of emotion in his dark eyes.
He had been stalling here for quite some time.
Given his strength, he could have ended this battle in a single day. However, in order to settle all the enemies at once, he had suppressed his power, waiting for the enemy's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki to arrive.
And now...
Guy slowly closed his eyes. The chilly air filled his lungs before being exhaled slowly through his mouth and nose.
His aura shifted.
It was the aura of a true master.
Having tempered his body to perfection, Guy was capable of controlling every ounce of his physical strength without wasting a single drop. Through a nearly biological, primal instinct, he sensed a familiar yet strange presence hidden among the tens of thousands of enemies ahead.
It was strange because the person had not appeared once during these past few days.
It was familiar because he had felt this aura on the battlefield nine years ago, at the end of the Third Shinobi World War.
This was... the Eight-Tails.
Is he finally here...?
Might Guy slowly opened his eyes. There wasn't a hint of hesitation in his dark pupils. Even though his opponent was an Eight-Tails Jinchuriki who could perfectly control his Tailed Beast, he remained unmoved.
Beside him, Asuma stepped forward, his face grave.
The Hidden Cloud had launched several attacks previously. Although they had been repelled, the mercenaries from the Akatsuki—Hidan and Kakuzu—were both high-level masters.
Going into battle again, they naturally had to be cautious. For a commander like Guy to appear so boldly in front of everyone was, in many ways, extremely dangerous.
"It's fine. The enemies are all gathered now," Guy said, his voice low and steady. "Naturally, it is time to wipe them all out in one fell swoop."
His calm tone caused the nervous comrades behind him to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, at the front of the enemy lines, a man with slicked-back silver hair and a black cloak with red clouds stood with a three-bladed scythe over his shoulder. He was already losing his patience.
"Honestly, why is this taking so long? I'm still waiting to offer these sacrifices to Lord Jashin!"
Hidan muttered his complaints, earning a sharp look from Kakuzu.
As a veteran powerhouse who had been active in the ninja world for nearly a century, Kakuzu's sense of danger was incredibly sharp. From the moment he first laid eyes on that green-clad Konoha commander, his five hearts had been pounding wildly.
It felt as if looking at the man for too long would result in death.
However, when they had actually clashed, the man's strength seemed ordinary. Though he was certainly a capable fighter, he didn't seem exceptional. This massive discrepancy gave Kakuzu a lingering sense of cognitive dissonance.
He had considered simply making a run for it, but the thought of the high commission from the Hidden Cloud made him suppress his unease.
It wasn't until the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki arrived that his heart finally felt a bit more at ease.
But why hasn't that sense of dread faded away?
"People of the Hidden Cloud!"
The green-clad Konoha ninja at the front stepped out. His voice, amplified by chakra, echoed across the entire battlefield.
"If you surrender now, I can give you a chance. A chance to submit to Konoha."
Dead silence.
The Cloud shinobi stared at the man in green. His tone of absolute conviction and his nonchalant attitude infuriated them.
This guy... what does he think we are?
"I can take responsibility for this decision. If you surrender," Guy continued calmly, "Konoha can act as if the Raikage's betrayal of our alliance never happened."
"Killing my brother wasn't enough? Now you're trying to use him as a bargaining chip?!" a voice boomed. "He is dead!"
A man stepped out from the Cloud ranks. He carried seven swords, possessed a burly build and dark skin, and wore black sunglasses that obscured his eyes.
The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of the Hidden Cloud, Killer B.
Despite his usual demeanor, the fury in his suppressed voice was unmistakable.
"He shared a nest with Rasa; his death was not to be pitied," Guy replied, unmoved by Killer B's words. "Death was his deserved end."
He was simply stating a fact. But Killer B was clearly unwilling to accept it.
"So, in your eyes, my brother's death was his own fault?" B's voice dropped dangerously low.
"That is correct," Guy said.
The Raikage had brought this upon himself. Not just him, but Rasa and Orochimaru as well. Once this business was concluded, Guy intended to hunt down Orochimaru personally. Orochimaru's survival techniques were arguably the best in the ninja world.
Not only did Kakashi believe Orochimaru wasn't dead, but Guy felt the same way.
"You bastard...!"
Killer B gritted his teeth, about to move, but someone else was faster.
"Why waste your breath on this guy?!" Hidan shouted, unable to wait any longer. "Lord Jashin is getting impatient!"
Hidan didn't care about the Raikage or the war; he just wanted to sacrifice the green-clad man to his god!
With Hidan making the first move, the powder-keg situation instantly exploded!
Under the command of their leader, Dodai, over ten thousand Cloud ninja charged like hungry wolves toward the Konoha forces, who were clearly outnumbered several times over!
BOOM!
A familiar, deafening sound erupted from the rear of the Konoha lines!
Dozens of shells were fired from the barrels of tanks in the back, raining down upon the Hidden Cloud positions!
Not only that, but massive shapes emerged from the clouds above. Bombs were released from these aerial behemoths, exploding alongside the tank shells within the Cloud ranks!
In an instant, fire erupted throughout the Hidden Cloud's formations, and explosions reached for the sky!
In the very first moment of the engagement, the Hidden Cloud had already lost over a thousand men!
"Charge!"
"Get in close!"
"Engage them in melee!"
Someone in the Cloud ranks roared. They had already learned about these weapons through intelligence from the Sand. Even though the Konoha unit they faced hadn't used them until now, they had planned countermeasures.
Even so, facing the actual power of these weapons made their hearts skip a beat. In just a few moments, countless lives had been snuffed out!
"Die for me! Praise Lord Jashin!"
Hidan, the first to move, had already reached Guy with his scythe in hand. His frantic, crazed expression met Guy's icy, indifferent gaze.
"A cultist," Guy said coldly.
If there was anyone in the Cloud's forces he detested the most, it was the man before him. Crazed by nature, bloodthirsty, and utterly dismissive of life—Guy felt that tearing such a person into ten thousand pieces wouldn't be enough.
Previously, for the sake of the bigger picture, he had allowed Hidan to play around. But now, Guy would no longer hold back.
Inside his body, the Fourth Gate opened silently.
Thick chakra surged through his veins, but under his superhuman control, that violent energy flowed with perfect precision.
"Leaf..." Guy spoke softly.
"Huh? What was 그?" Hidan wore a maniacal grin as he swung his scythe.
Just as the sharp tip of the blade was about to touch Guy's face, Guy moved. He moved so fast that Hidan couldn't even register how he had done it!
Hidan had arrived quickly, but he was sent back even faster!
A black blur accompanied by a sonic boom smashed into the charging Cloud ninjas behind him, sending them sprawling in every direction!
The scene fell into a brief, stunned silence.
Everyone stared in shock at the tall man in green, who stood with one leg still raised. A faint wisp of heat rose from his foot, dissolving into the freezing wind.
"...Strong Whirlwind."
The last two words hit everyone's hearts like a sledgehammer.
The enemies facing Guy couldn't help but swallow hard. Watching this, the sense of crisis in Kakuzu's heart expanded infinitely.
He knew Hidan's strength better than anyone. While Hidan wasn't the brightest, his taijutsu was formidable enough to command respect.
And yet, against this man...
He couldn't even last a single round!
He was hiding his strength! He's been hiding his true power this entire time!