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Ōnoki, with his seasoned political instincts and battlefield acumen, immediately sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough the moment he read Hiruzen Sarutobi's "Peace Declaration." Without hesitation, he issued a swift order: leave only 200 ninja behind to monitor the movements of the Kumogakure camp, while he personally led a force of 5,000 ninja back to defend Iwagakure at full speed.
Just as Ōnoki had anticipated, the Third Raikage's retreat was even swifter than his own. By the time they checked the massive camp, it was already completely abandoned.
Simultaneously, he sent an urgent message to Akatsuchi, who was stationed in the village, ordering him to lead 2,000 reserve troops to rendezvous with the main force. The goal was to intercept the Sunagakure army at Jiming Plain.
Ōnoki knew that this battle could not be fought within the village. The conflict had already drained the villagers of Iwagakure to their limits. If the fighting reached the village itself, any potential uprising among the populace could spell the end of Iwagakure as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Meanwhile, on the Sunagakure side, their efficiency in preparing for this war was remarkable. Especially after the successful attack on the Tsuchikage's office, the entire village was filled with a sense of determination and confidence in victory. The preparations for troop mobilization and supplies, originally estimated to take three months, were completed in just two.
Jinghang wasted no time. Leading the army himself, he marched through the Land of Stone and directly into the Land of Earth. The advance was relentless, with the main force heading straight for Iwagakure.
Their progress was smooth. The outposts and fortresses set up by Iwagakure along the way had already been abandoned, just as Jinghang had expected. He left small contingents behind to convert these positions into temporary supply stations, while the main force pressed forward without delay.
Finally, at Jiming Plain, they collided head-on with Iwagakure's main forces, which had just completed their rendezvous. Thus, the great battle officially began!
The flat terrain of the plain turned the encounter into an immediate clash. With no time to set up camps, the two armies engaged in a brutal melee. Soldier against soldier, general against general, blade against blade, and spear against spear. There was no room for tactical deception—this was a raw contest of strength, like two wrestlers locked in a death grip, neither willing to yield even an inch. Whoever faltered first would collapse entirely.
The Sunagakure ninja, dressed in white combat uniforms to shield themselves from the desert's harsh sunlight, contrasted sharply with the Iwagakure ninja, whose attire matched the earthy tones of the local rocks in orange-red hues. On the vast Jiming Plain, the white "tide" clashed violently with the orange "tide," forming a massive vortex of chaos.
However, battles between ninja differ significantly from ordinary wars fought with cold weapons. The key distinction lies in the presence of exceptionally powerful individuals who can single-handedly turn the tide of battle. Both Sunagakure and Iwagakure had such individuals on their side.
Jinghang had anticipated this scenario and had devised strategies based on intelligence about Iwagakure.
On the Iwagakure side, the most formidable figures were Ōnoki and his disciples. However, his eldest disciple Shirakuchi had fallen in a previous battle, and another elite, Kazama Kyoku, was currently sealed in the abyss. This left only Ōnoki, Akatsuchi, Kitsuchi, and Kari as their primary combatants. The wildcard was the Five-Tails Jinchūriki, Han.
On the Sunagakure side, Jinghang had several capable allies as well: himself, Rasa, Pakura, and Sasori of the Red Sand. Jinghang had even managed to persuade Monk Bunpuku to join the fight. However, Bunpuku made it clear that he and Shukaku would only confront Iwagakure's Mūō (a powerful entity) and would not participate in any other battles. Jinghang accepted this limitation, as it was still a significant advantage.
Sunagakure's overall strength was undeniably weaker. Their lack of high-level combatants, both Kage-level and near-Kage-level, was a glaring disadvantage. Promising talents like Hidan and Sasori of the Red Sand were not yet fully matured, and the newly integrated immigrant forces had few individuals capable of reaching this level. Meanwhile, Kakuzu was likely still wandering the world in search of hearts to claim. If this were Konoha, they could probably assemble two full squads of elites.
Still, Jinghang believed that his current team was stronger than the one led by Gaara in the future. Following the pre-battle plan, each combatant was assigned an appropriate opponent, ensuring a balanced matchup. Jinghang also had his trump card—Hidan—ready to tip the scales.
Veteran warriors on the battlefield always find their place quickly. As the two evenly matched armies clashed, several groups broke away from the main battle. They knew their true battlefield lay elsewhere; staying in the fray would only increase the risk of friendly fire.
Just as Sunagakure's battle plan had anticipated, Jinghang faced off against Ōnoki, Rasa squared off with Akatsuchi, Pakura engaged Kari, and Sasori confronted Kitsuchi. Neither side's Jinchūriki had yet made an appearance.
Ōnoki was easy to spot—his short stature and prominent red nose were unmistakable. As soon as the battle began, he activated the Super Lightweight Rock Technique, soaring into the air to survey the battlefield in silence. His presence drew cheers from the Iwagakure forces.
This was a clear challenge! And who wouldn't rise to it? Jinghang unsealed his scroll, releasing his Iron Sand. Standing atop a floating Iron Seeking Orb, he ascended to meet Ōnoki. The sight of Jinghang in the air sparked a wave of cheers from the Sunagakure forces.
"You must be Jinghang!"
Ōnoki pointed at him, his diminutive stature doing little to diminish his commanding aura.
"And you must be Ōnoki!"
Jinghang crossed his arms over his chest, his expression one of casual disdain.
"Hmph! Truly impressive for someone so young to become the Kazekage."
What was this? A jab at his youth and inexperience?
"Looks like Iwagakure has poor taste in leadership, choosing a short red-nosed man as their Tsuchikage!"
Personal attacks? Two could play at that game.
Ōnoki's face turned a kaleidoscope of colors. In Iwagakure, no one dared speak to him like this.
"Impudent brat! How dare you invade my land!"
"Brat?! Your sneak attack on our Sunagakure construction team was the real act of cowardice! You should have expected this day when you provoked us!"
"Enough talk! Let's settle this with our fists!"
Ōnoki wasted no more words, flying straight toward Jinghang.
Jinghang propelled himself forward on his Iron Seeking Orb to meet him head-on.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"
"Iron Sand: Iron Fist Technique!"
Stone and iron collided mid-air with a thunderous crash!
The Iron Fist seemed to have the upper hand, as cracks began to form on the Rock Fist.
But Jinghang was not one to play fair. He directed the remaining Iron Sand to attack Ōnoki.
"Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
With a low grunt, Ōnoki increased the weight of the Rock Fist, adding more force to the clash.
Jinghang suddenly felt his Iron Fist grow unbearably heavy, almost beyond his control. So, the old man had applied his technique to the Iron Sand! Not bad—this red-nosed elder had some skills when it came to manipulating gravity.
But Jinghang's remaining Iron Sand was already closing in on Ōnoki.
"Earth Release: Earth Dome Wall!"
A spherical rock barrier formed around Ōnoki, blocking the Iron Sand. The Rock Fist crumbled into rubble.
However, the Iron Sand that touched the barrier fell to the ground, completely out of Jinghang's control. Clearly, Ōnoki had used some trick inside the dome.
Not bad. A one-trick pony, but an effective one.
Jinghang smirked coldly. Did the old man think hiding in his shell would make him untouchable?
"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"
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