Chapter 28: The Sand Village Falls!
While Orochimaru was confronting the Third Hokage, and Uchiha Sasuke was leading a crowd to attack Danzo, the main battlefield of Konoha Village was beset by serpents from Ryuchi Cave and the ninja from the Hidden Sand Village.
Within the chaos, Gaara had already been hastily escorted out of Konoha by Temari and Kankuro, desperate to return to the Hidden Sand.
“Stop running, this way is blocked!”
Just as the siblings were about to escape Konoha entirely, a faintly familiar voice echoed overhead, forcing them to halt in their tracks.
Looking up, they saw—one of the strongest among the Twelve Leaf Genin—Naruto Uzumaki!
“We’ve all been deceived by Orochimaru!”
Temari anxiously tried to distance herself from Orochimaru: “Our Kazekage was assassinated by him, we only want to return home. We don’t wish to be involved in the battle between Konoha and Orochimaru!”
“Sorry, my master ordered that you must stay.”
Naruto gave them an apologetic look. Though he knew these three siblings would one day become Hao Yun’s disciples, today he still had to stop them.
After all, as his master explained, the strongest in the Hidden Sand and the Land of Wind at present was Gaara, carried on Temari’s back. In the future, he was destined to be Kazekage.
To take a Kazekage as a disciple would greatly accelerate their mission to change the world!
Temari glanced at Gaara, his face pale, blood still oozing from his mouth—clearly, he had not yet recovered from his battle with Sasuke.
“My brother must return to the Hidden Sand! Kankuro, take Gaara and go ahead, I’ll hold them off—”
“Don’t even think about running, your opponents aren’t limited to just Naruto!”
Before Temari finished her sentence, another familiar voice spoke up.
She looked in surprise toward the source—Shikamaru? Shino Aburame?!
“Ninjutsu: Shadow Possession Jutsu!”
Shikamaru formed seals with his hands, and a shadowy darkness engulfed the trio. Temari only heard the name of the jutsu before she felt her body lose control, pain at the back of her head, and then she and Kankuro collapsed unconscious!
“Ninjutsu: Shadow Imitation Jutsu!”
“Tsk tsk, Shino, you’re really ruthless.”
From the treetop, Naruto shook his head, watching as Shino struck with a brick. Did he even want to find a wife?
Shino glared at Naruto, who was spectating from above, then pointed at the nearly unconscious Gaara...
“Enough with the jokes, what about him? Master said he mustn’t be knocked out—if he loses consciousness, Shukaku will emerge! Konoha needs to get through this invasion peacefully, or the other hidden villages will be tempted!”
“Hmph, keeping someone awake is easy! Watch me!”
“Ninjutsu: Water Ball Technique!”
A water orb appeared in Naruto’s hand. He called the others to help carry the trio back toward the village, running at full speed. As he stayed beside Gaara, he repeatedly used the water ball to stimulate him, ensuring he would not lose consciousness.
As for Gaara’s sand shield’s automatic defense—Naruto wasn’t attacking him, so what was there to fear?
.................
Inside the village, the giant serpent led by Manda battered the Konoha wall, commanding its summoned snakes to attack relentlessly. Manda alone possessed Kage-level strength, not to mention its many Jonin-level subordinates.
The Jonin were either evacuating spectators or defending the villagers, battling the ninja from the Grass Village brought by Orochimaru. Konoha’s defenses seemed on the verge of collapse...
Manda raised its massive body to crush the wall, rampaging wildly—when suddenly, a voice thundered across the battlefield.
“Ninjutsu: Almighty Push!”
A colossal force erupted, hurling Manda into the air, its scales shattered and blood streaming; the other snakes were crushed into the earth by the overwhelming repulsion, leaving only a mess of flesh behind!
With one move, all the serpents from Ryuchi Cave were annihilated!
The airborne Manda didn’t even dare to utter a threat; as soon as it hit the ground, it immediately canceled the summoning jutsu and fled back to Ryuchi Cave... Terrifying!
The surviving ninja gazed up in awe... Uzumaki Nagato, clad in a cloak bearing the Uzumaki clan crest, stood aloof and godlike.
So Konoha had such a powerful Uzumaki ninja hidden within! Truly worthy of being kin to the First Hokage’s wife!
Likewise, the rampaging ninja from the Grass Village met their doom!
“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!”
A water dragon soared from above; a ninja poised to kill Konoha’s citizens with a kunai was bitten in half by the dragon, blood and corpses strewn everywhere!
“Ice Style: Crystal Ice Mirrors!”
Countless mirrors formed of ice appeared throughout Konoha; a beautiful, androgynous ninja wielded icy kunai, sealing the throats of the rampaging Grass ninja one by one!
Not only unfamiliar ninja, but those raised in Konoha fought back, their resistance met with waves of cheers!
“Monster Strength Punch!”
“Ah! Lady Tsunade! Lady Tsunade has come to save us!”
“Rasengan!”
“Lord Jiraiya is here too! Long live Lord Jiraiya!”
“Mind Transfer Jutsu!”
“It’s the Yamanaka girl, she’s so beautiful and strong!”
“Heavenly Foot of Pain!”
“It’s Sakura Haruno! Did Sakura become Tsunade’s apprentice?”
Countless ninja familiar to Konoha’s residents displayed their formidable prowess! Especially the Twelve Leaf Genin, who in this battle demonstrated strength rivaling the legendary Sannin, filling the villagers with a sense of absolute security!
The future of Konoha was destined to be the strongest among the Five Great Ninja Villages!
When all the Grass ninja were killed or driven out, Orochimaru retreated into hiding, Sasuke led the Hyuga clan’s return, and the “Collapse of Konoha” plan was completed in full!
Uzumaki Nagato, Konan, Kisame Hoshigaki and other unfamiliar ninja were vindicated, accepted as members by the villagers!
The alliance of the Hyuga, Nara, Inuzuka and other major clans persuaded those not yet allied to suppress their ambitions and patiently await the aftermath.
Especially the Shimura clan, who, upon learning of Danzo’s death and the destruction of Root, were left anxious and bewildered, fearful of being implicated and exterminated like the Uchiha.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane dared not make a move, forced to watch as Tsunade Senju ascended to the rooftop of the Hokage building!
“Tsunade!”
“Lady Tsunade!”
The cheers of survivors reached their peak as Tsunade stood atop the building!
She looked out at the multitude of cheering villagers, at Hao Yun’s many disciples and followers of the Red Ideology, took a deep breath, and declared her ambition to rule!
“Citizens of Konoha, the battle is over! From this day forward, I declare myself the Fifth Hokage! I shall lead Konoha to a greater future!”
Hao Yun watched silently from a distant building as Tsunade announced her appointment amid the cheers. The reform of the ninja world formally began at this moment!