Chapter 85: The Vulnerable Kumogakure

The mountains of the Land of Lightning are steep because the gale winds here are bitter, and the weathering phenomenon is overly violent.

The steep mountain peaks are like daggers, thrusting straight into the sky, with almost no large patches of flat land.

Even a small number of Cloud Ninja could block the path of the Konoha army.

Four thousand Konoha Ninja are arrayed; even if the ninja could reach the high ground, or even climb the mountains, they could not squeeze eight hundred people into the first row.

But this Konoha army that appeared before the gates of Kumogakure has an exceptionally formidable momentum; just by having a few hundred people standing there, even without the support of a neat formation, they press the remaining Cloud Ninja until they cannot catch their breath.

These four thousand Konoha Ninja have experienced the siege of twice their number by Kumogakure, have witnessed the Tailed Beast Bomb of eight jinchuriki, and have seen blood with the Fourth Raikage.

Led by Yamanaka Chujiu, they not only withstood such arduous battles but also achieved astonishing combat results many times over.

Now, in just four days, they have pushed three thousand kilometers from Sakurahara in the Land of Fire, fighting their way straight to Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning; their momentum has truly soared to the heavens.

Orochimaru stands at the very front of the Konoha Ninja, his Jonin uniform outlining his tall and lithe figure; his golden slit pupils sweep over the Cloud Ninja, and the corners of his mouth lift slightly, bringing out a cold and playful smile.

Beside him, Yamanaka Chujiu has a tall figure, his handsome face calm as water, his eyes slightly closed, his spirit having already swept across the Cloud Ninja.

Even Kumogakure, behind the Cloud Ninja, is within his range of perception.

From the position of every Cloud Ninja in front of him to the location of the terrified villagers in the village, everything is clearly presented on the battlefield map in his mind.

Yamanaka Chujiu smiles and says, "Teacher Orochimaru, there are fewer than eight hundred Cloud Ninja in total; the remaining three thousand are the old, weak, sick, and disabled, posing no threat to us at all."

"The only one to watch out for is the jinchuriki; the Two-Tails jinchuriki Yugito is hiding among the Cloud Ninja. It is a pity that while she can restrain her own chakra fluctuations, she cannot conceal her nervous and worried emotions."

"Nervous? Worried?"

Orochimaru chuckles, his laughter low and hoarse: "It should be fear and despair."

"But then again, the Two-Tails jinchuriki is a fine prey."

"The Eight-Tails jinchuriki's strength is too great and is watched by the entire Ninja World; I truly cannot find an opportunity to strike, so I could only cut off a tentacle and be done with it."

"I should be able to take down the Two-Tails jinchuriki, right?"

Yamanaka Chujiu smiles and says, "Teacher, you have already done so many excessive things; a mere Two-Tails jinchuriki, if we catch her, we catch her. Can the Fourth Raikage bite us?"

"Back then, the First Hokage was strong; he caught the Tailed Beasts and gave them to the four great ninja villages, and no one dared to let out a peep."

"Today, I, Orochimaru, have fought my way to Kumogakure, so I have the qualifications to reclaim a Two-Tails!"

Orochimaru laughs: "Oh hehehe, well said."

Laughing loudly, he suddenly raises his hand, a mass of chakra condensing in his palm, and fires it toward the sky, where it explodes into a signal for the attack.

"Konoha Ninja, attack!"

"Capture Kumogakure and end the war with the Cloud!"

Following Orochimaru's command, the four thousand Konoha Ninja instantly erupt with massive chakra, their shouts of attack shaking the valley.

Intense chakra fluctuations erupt one after another within the ranks.

【Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique】

【Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique】

【Wind Style: Breakthrough】

All kinds of Ninjutsu pour down toward the Cloud Ninja like a rainstorm.

Nii Yugito closes her eyes in despair.

She hid among the ninja, suppressing her breath and concealing her figure, wanting to use the enemy's pride and carelessness to ambush the Konoha commander.

But the Konoha army does not give her any chance to take advantage; they start with the most stable and unsolvable direct Ninjutsu assault.

Yugito's face is full of despair.

Damn Konoha Ninja, you used every trick in the book on your way here, so why are you fighting head-on now that you are at the gates of Kumogakure?

She watches the surging tide of Ninjutsu, her hands clenching into fists unconsciously, until her knuckles turn white without her realizing it.

A sense of resolution gradually emerges between Yugito's brows; as the last top combat power of the Cloud, as the Two-Tails jinchuriki, she has no room to retreat.

She has already gathered all the strength she could; there is no way back behind her. One step back is Kumogakure, the old, the weak, the women, and the children—the home guarded for generations.

Even facing an enemy several times her size, even with only the old, weak, sick, and disabled by her side, she must hold the line, willing to give everything to do so.

"For our families, for Kumogakure, fight the Konoha Ninja to the death!"

Nii Yugito's voice is clear and bright, audible amidst the roar of the Ninjutsu explosions:

"Chunin and above, take charge of defensive Ninjutsu; young ninja, fall back and prepare to counterattack. We must not let the Konoha Ninja have it easy!"

Among the last Chunin and Jonin of Kumogakure, most are already retired elders; at this moment, they brace their aged bodies, their hands forming seals with precision, releasing the Doton: Doryuheki they are not accustomed to.

Thick walls of earth rise from the ground, taking the brunt of the Konoha Ninja's Ninjutsu bombardment on behalf of the Cloud Ninja.

At this moment, the fierce, lethal Lightning Release Ninjutsu is truly not as effective as the defensive Doton Ninjutsu.

The young Cloud Ninja first retreat, then quietly sneak between the earth walls shaped by Doton, holding Kunai and Shuriken, waiting for the Konoha Ninja to approach to deliver a fatal blow.

Honestly, the gap in strength is hard to make up with willpower, especially since the strongest point of the Konoha army is not their numbers, but their commander.

Yamanaka Chujiu's Mind Severing Realm controls the battlefield; every move of the Cloud Ninja is under his control.

Seeing the young Cloud Ninja sneaking between the earth walls, he sneers and orders: "There are a large number of Cloud Ninja hiding between the earth walls on the left; concentrate your power and flatten that place!"

After a group of Cloud Ninja are buried, he orders again: "9th, 11th, 17th, and 33rd, 34th Squads, there are Cloud Ninja sneaking in front of you!"

"Attention, the Cloud Ninja are mobilizing the center to support the flanks; the remaining ninja are exhausting themselves to provide cover and are already showing signs of insufficient chakra. Concentrate your forces and break through!"

Chujiu's command is as detailed and precise as ever, without any vague or redundant instructions, always accurately locking onto the weaknesses of the Cloud defenders.

The Konoha Ninja's trust in him is also at its peak, willing to be used as pawns in their obedience.

The Konoha army is united, each performing their duties with tacit cooperation; their surging attack is orderly and even more lethal.

The earth walls on the left are the first to be leveled by dense Ninjutsu, and the Cloud Ninja on the right are buried by Wind Style Ninjutsu before they can even wait for the Konoha Ninja.

But the first to be broken through is the center, which was unknowingly hollowed out.

Under the cover of Ninjutsu, the Konoha Ninja take advantage of the gap in the center of the Cloud Ninja, passing directly through the area of mutual bombardment, breaking into the Cloud Ninja's defensive line, and unfolding close-quarters combat.

The crisp sound of swords clashing, the screams of ninja, and the roar of Ninjutsu explosions interweave, playing a tragic war song before the gates of Kumogakure.