Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!!
The merciless collisions between Aka and Hiruzen unleashed savage shockwaves, ruthlessly demolishing everything within a radius of dozens of meters.
"Attack!!!"
The others, snapping out of their stunned reverie, charged at each other.
Karura swept a sea of sand, attempting to engulf all the Konoha's Shinobi.
Elephant and Clear stepped forward. Using Earth Release in tandem, they created a trench over a hundred meters long, channeling all the sand into it.
Karura gestured, trying to lift the sand and control it again.
At that moment, Spring and Vermilion attacked in unison.
One used Wind Release, the other Fire Release. Their combined efforts created a spectacular sea of flames, forcing Karura to recall her sand for defense.
Seizing the opportunity, Elephant used a sealing technique to bind all the sand trapped in the trench, then joined Clear in pressing the attack.
As the Hokage's personal Anbu guards, they were top-tier even among Jonin, slightly stronger than the Sunagakure's delegation's guard captains individually.
Alone, one might not be a match for Karura. But they had executed missions together for years, their coordination seamless. Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth… the five basic Chakra Natures flowed from the four of them in a continuous stream. Their techniques, with varied functions and synergistic effects, forced Karura into a purely defensive posture.
The four Sunagakure's guard captains tried to lead the others to her aid, but were entangled by enemies several times their number.
There was no narrow terrain to annihilate them in one go, no cover to block attacks.
Even with the weapons Ryuji had created to boost their firepower, the Sunagakure's Shinobi's personal defense remained a weakness.
Facing the onslaught of hundreds, even thousands of Shinobi, if only a barrage of kunai, shuriken, and explosive tags, was difficult to withstand.
Especially the low-ranking Genin.
Their offense, combat awareness, reaction speed, defense… all were lacking.
Although equipped with Ryuji's weapons, which compensated for their offensive shortcomings, their other deficiencies remained glaring.
In battles with favorable conditions, this wasn't apparent. But in a fair, head-on confrontation, even one disadvantageous to them, these flaws were exposed immediately.
Initially, they used the massive repeating ballistae to kill many Konoha's Shinobi. But Konoha, forewarned about such weapons, had charged in a highly dispersed formation, greatly reducing the ballistae's effectiveness.
And in the subsequent Konoha's counterattack, the Genin were completely wiped out.
Attacks the others could dodge or block, they could neither block nor evade. They died before they could even use their other equipped weapons, a sight that made Ryuji, receiving treatment at the rear, shake his head in disappointment.
This was precisely why, during the meeting, he had said he could guarantee the return of eighty percent, not everyone.
No matter how powerful his weapons, they needed people to wield them.
If the people were too weak, giving them god-tier gear was useless… the enemy wasn't a level-zero character with no equipment.
"Ryuji-sama, perhaps I should get you out of here first!"
Yashamaru, using Medical Ninjutsu to treat Ryuji, hesitated before making the suggestion.
Falling into a disadvantage the moment the battle began indicated a significant disparity in strength. Without reinforcements, continuing the fight seemed hopeless.
"It's useless. Retreating after engagement is likely to turn into a rout, then a full-scale collapse and flight. The Konoha's Shinobi would pursue without pressure, slaughtering as they went. Even if we somehow escaped Konoha, we wouldn't escape the Land of Fire. Konoha knows this terrain far better than we do."
"..."
Yashamaru opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He wanted to ask: 'If you knew this would happen, why did you choose this unwise path of fighting Konoha to the death? And why did you confidently claim you could bring eighty percent of the people back to Sunagakure?'
But seeing Ryuji's utterly unconcerned expression despite the grim situation, he swallowed his words.
'Ryuji-sama was extraordinary. If he made this choice, he must have his reasons.'
"Don't worry. I said I'd bring over eighty percent back, and I will."
As if reading Yashamaru's doubts, Ryuji offered a light smile.
His unflappable composure made the two Sunagakure's Shinobi guarding him feel a sense of reassurance.
Because this was 'Senki Ryuji's' promise.
The prestige accumulated through his deeds inspired fear in enemies and trust in allies.
This was the power of authority.
That said, Ryuji couldn't guarantee bringing back over eighty percent.
He was confident he could bring back about fifty percent.
He'd said eighty to bolster the morale of those under his command.
However,
The actual outcome depended on when Gin and Kana would return.
...
Danger. Danger. Danger...
The sound of crackling electricity filled Gin's ears, her internal warning systems screaming alarms.
In truth, she didn't need the warnings. Simple logic told her how perilous her situation was.
Her ability to fight solo against so many elite clan's Shinobi primarily relied on Earth Spear and the mental network.
Earth Spear was a B-Rank Earth Release technique that hardened the body, yet it could defend against A-Rank Ninjutsu.
Among ordinary Shinobi who mostly relied on kunai, shuriken, and explosive tags, even elite clan members usually only mastered up to C or B-Rank Ninjutsu, most attacks were ineffective against her.
Coupled with the mental network that made her immune to Genjutsu, Gin was an invincible bug against the general masses.
But only against the masses. Against truly formidable masters, it meant little.
Ultimately, Earth Spear, however powerful, was just a B-Rank Earth Release Ninjutsu. A well-aimed Lightning Release Ninjutsu could bypass it.
Having observed from the shadows and deduced the nature of Gin's hardening technique, the Anbu Commander had imbued his weapon with Lightning Attribute Chakra. He struck from behind the moment she finished an attack.
Gin was in that vulnerable moment between spent force and new force not yet generated. With someone having slipped behind her, it was too late to react fully.
She twisted her body with all her might, but with a sound like tearing paper, her entire arm was severed.
Yet Gin did not panic.
Using the momentum of her evasive twist, she spun around. Blood sprayed from her stump, momentarily blinding her attacker. Then, she drove her remaining fist into his face, sending him flying.
Gin intended to pursue, but Kana's panicked cry from an alleyway reached her ears. She immediately changed direction, rushing into the alley.
A female Anbu was relentlessly pursuing Kana with a blade.
This woman's swordsmanship was sharp. The wind stirred by her swings easily dispersed the poison mist Kana spewed.
Her movements were agile.
Even in the narrow alley, she effortlessly dodged the corrosive liquid Kana spat in a feigned surrender.
A single glance made Gin frown deeply.
This agile, sharp-bladed fighter perfectly countered her combat style.
Against an ordinary opponent, it wouldn't matter.
But the skill level this one displayed was exceedingly high. With one arm missing, victory would be difficult.
'Can't afford to get bogged down!'
A strategy formed rapidly in her mind. Gin strode into the alley, her crisp footsteps immediately drawing the attention of both.
"Gin-senpai!"
Kana's initial joy turned to a gasp of horror upon seeing Gin's missing arm.
Before the gasp fully escaped, Gin accelerated, launching herself into a leap that carried her over Kana's head.
Bang! Bang!
While airborne, Gin punched the walls on either side, causing them to collapse.
Debris and rubble fell, blocking the narrow passage.
"Let's go!"
Gin landed, grabbed Kana, and turned to fight her way back out.
The giant poisonous salamanders, having heard their master's earlier call, had already fought their way to the street outside the alley. The moment the two emerged, one salamander opened its maw, swallowed them, and promptly burrowed underground to escape.
...
Ding! Ding! Ding!!!
Thud! Thud! Thud!!!
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
On the main battlefield, smoke filled the air. Explosions, clashes of steel, and cries of pain interwove into a symphony of carnage.
Facing enemies several times their number, Iron Fortress unleashed its full arsenal. Giant sickles, ballista bolts, shuriken catapults, kunai launchers... From its house-sized steel frame, firepower poured out in all directions.
The remaining Sunagakure's Shinobi followed behind, eliminating any who slipped through.
But even with this killing machine, they couldn't overcome the numerical disadvantage.
Initially, Konoha suffered heavy losses.
But they quickly adapted.
Several Aburame Clan's members sent swarms of insects through joints, seams, and openings, damaging the internal mechanisms.
Iron Fortress belched black smoke before self-destructing.
The explosion took out many Konoha's Shinobi, but also claimed many Sunagakure's lives.
Crucially, with the loss of this firepower suppression, the battlefield situation grew even more dire.
Sunagakure was being pushed back, step by step.
"You damned old fool, die!"
The deteriorating situation made Aka anxious. She punched the Adamantine Staff, forcing Hiruzen back. With her left hand, she formed a seal and spat a bolt of lightning from her mouth.
Hiruzen nimbly somersaulted aside, countering with a Fire Release Ninjutsu.
Aka activated Dark Release: Inhaling Maw, absorbing the flames completely, then returned them with even greater force.
'Another Chakra Absorption Technique!'
Hiruzen inwardly sighed, leaping away and continuously running to evade the ensuing barrage of Ninjutsu.
During his evasion, he created four shadow clones.
All five, the original and four clones, charged from different directions, staffs in hand.
Aka raised a tidal wave of sand, attacking overwhelmingly, but the Third Hokage pierced through it with a single, earth-shattering thrust of his staff and continued his assault.
The two clashed again, their battle growing even more intense, more violent. Ninjutsu interspersed the gaps in their Taijutsu exchange, expanding the destructive radius of their fight.
...
"That should be enough."
Feeling he could stand and move with some effort, Ryuji signaled Yashamaru to stop.
Medical Ninjutsu could only do so much. Further recovery would require medicine and gradual rest.
"Yashamaru, give the signal. Retreat."
Yashamaru, who had been about to protest, froze at the words.
'Didn't you just say retreat was impossible?'
'Why change your mind now?'
He asked instinctively, "Retreat where?"
"Back to our encampment in the Konoha's suburbs!"
"Begin Phase Two!"
(Author's Note: Many stories debate the Third Hokage's strength. I can only say what I'm depicting here is based on his canonical feats. At 59, he knocked the Nine-Tails from near the Hokage Rock out of the village with his staff and was prepared to take a Bijudama head-on, though it was stopped by the Fourth's Flying Thunder God.
During the Fourth Shinobi World War, he analyzed the nature of Truth-Seeking Balls in one exchange. He fought evenly with Guruguru that the Five Kage plus Sakura, with Nine-Tails Chakra, couldn't defeat.
He displayed far greater explosive power than the Second or Fourth when saving Naruto.
During the Chunin Exams, at 69, he fought three peak-Kage level opponents, took out two, and sealed Orochimaru's arms. Orochimaru himself said a Hiruzen ten years younger would kill him.
With these solid achievements, can you really say his prime wasn't above Kage-level? Many think he's weak because early fights had smaller scale, and the Chunin Exams fight was on a roof.
Later, the 'God of Shinobi' title went to the First. But battle scale in the manga kept increasing; Kishimoto made it clear this was to show the protagonist's growth. Some use the small-scale fight to claim the Impure First and Second were only Jonin-level.
Seriously? They were the main fighters in that battle, with Orochimaru assisting. Their performance was far above Orochimaru's at the time. If they were only Jonin-level, then Orochimaru at his peak wasn't even Jonin-level? And the four Anbu watching outside, like Elephant, their later Ninjutsu against Nagato's split dog completely outscaled that fight. Were they stronger than the Third and Orochimaru?)