A bright white signal flare hung in the night sky, marking the rally point for every Leaf ninja still fighting in the burning camp.
Scattered across the battlefield, Leaf forces pushed back their immediate opponents and began moving toward the flare. Most still believed they could turn things around if they regrouped around Danzo.
Han smashed a Leaf ninja aside with a steam-enhanced strike and sneered at Danzo, who was hiding behind his men.
"Danzo, you used to be famous. Now you're just hiding like a coward. Do you even have the guts to fight me yourself?"
Danzo's face twisted. He formed seals and spat out a barrage of Vacuum Serial Waves. Two Iwa ninja tried to tank the attack with stone armor. Their defenses shattered instantly as the high-pressure wind blades tore through them.
The sight of Danzo casually killing two enemies lifted the spirits of the Leaf ninja rushing to join him.
What Danzo didn't realize was that not everyone could reach him. The medical camp was in chaos. While the main force tried to rally, the medical ninja and wounded were left behind.
The medical director refused to abandon the camp. Root members tried to force everyone to follow the signal, but he shut them down. There were over a hundred seriously wounded shinobi who couldn't move, and the barrier around the medical area was already failing.
Nonou gripped the special Flying Thunder God kunai Taiichi had given her. She was torn. The camp was still fighting back. If she called him now, it could cause serious problems later, especially with Danzo involved.
Then a massive explosion erupted from the direction of the command tent.
The ground shook. Everyone in the medical camp turned toward the blast. The sheer scale of it, combined with the fact that most of the camp's fighting strength had gathered there, made one thing clear.
The western camp was finished.
Nonou didn't hesitate anymore. She poured chakra into the kunai.
Taiichi appeared instantly.
His chakra sensing exploded outward the moment he arrived. He took in the burning camp, the collapsing barriers, and the scattered fighting in a single sweep. His expression darkened.
He looked at the medical director. "Open a path. I'm going out."
The director didn't argue. He formed the seal and created a narrow exit in the barrier.
Iwa ninja waiting outside charged the moment it opened.
A golden flame slash met them head-on.
Taiichi followed the slash through the gap, then immediately released the Yin Seal. Six shadow clones appeared around him, each carrying his full power. Four of them charged into the surrounding Iwa forces like reapers, while the other two stayed near the medical camp to protect it.
Taiichi himself spread his chakra wings and shot into the sky, heading straight for the command area.
In the center of the camp, Han had just fired a Tailed Beast Bomb at close range. The explosion devastated both sides, but Iwa had protected themselves better. When the smoke cleared, Han looked around and noticed something.
Danzo was gone.
Even the jonin who had been standing right next to him had vanished.
"Abandoned your own people and ran?" Han muttered.
Inside his mind, the Five-Tails confirmed it. Danzo's chakra was rapidly moving away from the camp.
Han's voice boomed across the battlefield. "Your commander has fled! Surrender now!"
The words hit the remaining Leaf forces like a hammer. They looked around desperately, but Danzo was nowhere to be seen. A wave of despair and betrayal spread through them.
Then the sky lit up.
A massive golden slash came screaming down from above, aimed directly at Han. The two jonin standing beside him barely had time to raise their arms before the blade cut them in half.
Han reacted fast. He tried to block with three of his tails, but the Five-Tails inside him was screaming in warning. He jumped back at the last second.
Two of his tails were severed cleanly. The golden flames grazed his face, burning his clothes and skin. Steam erupted from his body as he tried to put out the fire.
Taiichi landed in front of the stunned Leaf forces.
"Han," he said coldly. "You came to attack a Leaf camp in the middle of the night. You're not leaving."
The surviving Leaf ninja stared at him in shock and relief. The "White Death" had arrived.
Han's expression turned ugly. He had come here expecting an easy victory after Danzo's arrogance left the camp vulnerable. Instead, the situation had flipped.
He glanced around. More and more Leaf ninja were regrouping. If he stayed any longer, he might not make it out.
"Retreat!" Han ordered.
A red signal flare shot into the sky. Iwa forces across the camp began pulling back wherever they could.
Han didn't try to fight Taiichi. Instead, he fully transformed into the Five-Tails. The massive beast turned and ran at full speed, abandoning the battlefield without looking back.