In the dense forest, at a secluded spot, Seimei observed the colossal Four-Tails in the distance, noting its overwhelming chakra. He made a mental note to one day acquire a similar "chakra battery" for himself.
With a thunderous roar, the Four-Tails pounded its chest, venting its fury after being imprisoned for so long.
A water bullet then surged towards its head, but the Four-Tails simply swatted it away. Turning to face the slightly smaller Gamabunta, it snarled, "Foolish toad, do you seek death?" Its voice rumbled like thunder as it swung a massive fist toward Gamabunta.
Gamabunta, not daring to block it, leaped aside. The Four-Tails' punch struck the ground, causing an explosive sound as the earth trembled.
As if that wasn't enough, the punch triggered the earth's core, pulling magma to the surface. This mixture of lava and chakra erupted outward in all directions. Watching the volcanic display from afar, Seimei finally understood why the tailed beasts were deemed symbols of calamity. With a sight like this, it was hard to believe otherwise.
The Four-Tails roared again, cloaking itself in magma as it transformed into a magma-coated gorilla and charged at Gamabunta. Seeing this, Seimei couldn't help but worry for Gamabunta's safety. Regaining his focus, he quickly moved toward where Yamanaka Kiku was positioned.
Two minutes later, amidst the ongoing chaos, Seimei reached Yamanaka Kiku and some of the Leaf Shinobi. They were locked in combat with Iwa-nin, but it was clear that both sides lacked the spirit to fight; everyone frequently cast nervous glances toward the distant clash between the Four-Tails, Gamabunta, and Minato Namikaze.
After all, who could stay focused on fighting with such a commotion happening nearby? The fact they hadn't outright stopped was testament to their deep-seated enmity.
With a flash, Seimei appeared beside Yamanaka Kiku, piercing his sword into the arm of an Iwa Jonin, who recoiled in shock, retreating several steps.
"Who?!"
The Iwa Jonin shouted in surprise as he leaped back. Yamanaka Kiku was also startled by Seimei's sudden appearance. Neither the Iwa-nin nor Yamanaka Kiku were fully invested in the battle.
Ignoring the startled Iwa Jonin, Seimei turned to Yamanaka Kiku and ordered, "Immediately gather everyone and prepare to retreat."
"Retreat?"
Yamanaka Kiku was initially taken aback, but he quickly nodded, "Understood, I'll inform everyone now."
He began to activate his technique, then paused, recalling something. "Captain, we have injured comrades stationed at the second defensive line."
Hearing this, Seimei remembered that he had instructed those wounded to stay behind. They couldn't simply abandon them.
After a moment's thought, he replied, "Forget gathering; just instruct everyone to fall back. Gather a few people, and we'll go assist the injured."
"Yes, Captain!"
Yamanaka Kiku quickly organized his thoughts, recalling the number of injured and the names of those who had survived. Activating his "Communication Technique," he relayed Seimei's orders.
The nearby Iwa Jonin couldn't overhear the conversation amid the surrounding noise. He only saw Seimei talking to Yamanaka Kiku before the two departed. Meanwhile, other Leaf Shinobi began an orderly retreat, to which the Iwa-nin did not object.
Again, their focus wasn't on the battle. With the chance to disengage, they felt no need to press on, especially with the Four-Tails' host seemingly out of control nearby.
Naturally, the commotion hadn't gone unnoticed by the Iwa Shinobi on the mountain's lower slopes, and soon, orders arrived for them to retreat as well. However, some of the Iwa Jonin were commanded to stay and assist the approaching support team.
Iwagakure had deployed a formidable team to handle any contingencies involving the Four-Tails.
If the host of the Four-Tails had gone berserk in Wind Willow Town, they might have considered passing the issue off to Konoha. But as things stood, the Four-Tails was in the nearby mountains.
If they abandoned it now and let the Leaf Shinobi seize control, it would spell disaster.
Yes, the Four-Tails was powerful, but to the Five Great Shinobi Villages, it was manageable. Given proper preparation, capturing it wouldn't be an impossible task.
Thus, Iwagakure couldn't risk letting the Four-Tails' host roam unchecked and dispatched their team to reclaim it.
At the same time, Konoha noticed Iwagakure's mobilization.
The Leaf commander, Daimura Yuto, didn't hesitate. He also sent in elite forces, not to capture the Four-Tails but to sabotage Iwagakure's efforts, hoping to maximize Iwa's losses in the recovery effort.
And so, a grueling standoff over the Four-Tails began.
From dawn till dusk, then from dusk until the next dawn, both sides fought tirelessly for nearly twenty-four hours without rest. The main battlefield was the contest over the Four-Tails, but the most brutal skirmishes occurred within a five-kilometer perimeter surrounding it.
The two sides set ambushes, clashing repeatedly, gambling their lives to maintain an evenly matched environment for the main fight.
The casualties were devastating.
By the following evening, the battle finally reached its conclusion. The Four-Tails was ultimately reclaimed by Iwagakure, but Konoha didn't leave empty-handed. Thanks to their interference, Iwagakure's upper echelons suffered considerable losses.
In particular, Iwa specialists in sealing and barrier techniques were killed, representing an irreplaceable loss for the village.
Without these experts, Iwagakure would have to tread carefully in deploying the Four-Tails and Five-Tails in future conflicts to avoid the risk of losing control again.
It was likely that, after this great clash, both sides would become more conservative.
After all, this battle had exacted a significant toll on both Iwagakure and Konoha. They both needed time to recuperate.
For Seimei, this lull in hostilities was welcome news.
He needed a peaceful period to strengthen his body. In no more than two weeks, his body would undergo a significant transformation.
And then, everything would be different.
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