Half an hour later.
On the eastern side of the Blackstone stronghold.
Not far from the coastline.
Hundreds of Konoha shinobi were divided into three groups, forming a semicircle, hidden behind cover, quietly awaiting the enemy's arrival.
The entire defensive line was eerily silent, with only the occasional sound of waves crashing against the beach and the faint breathing of the shinobi.
In stark contrast, there was a slightly chaotic scene in the rear.
These were mostly lower- and mid-rank shinobi.
At this moment, they were busy moving supplies from the stronghold—kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and more—everything they might need for the battle.
It was clear that Konoha had been preparing for this fight for a long time.
Time ticked by, second by second.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "They're here!"
At the sound, everyone snapped to attention, their eyes instantly focusing on the sea ahead.
They saw a Kirigakure warship emerging from the bay, followed by a second and then a third.
In the end, more than a dozen Kirigakure warships appeared on the horizon.
Immediately, a Hyuga clan ninja activated their Byakugan, scanning the ships for enemy numbers and strength, reporting back to Sano Nobuhisa and the others for strategic planning.
In the world of shinobi, while battles between ninjas don't rely as heavily on strategy as those of regular armies, the importance of intelligence is paramount.
That said, in this world where individual power can turn the tide, intelligence only goes so far. Sometimes, when you're outmatched, you're simply outmatched.
This is why, at times, shinobi battles resemble chaotic brawls.
Small groups of shinobi engage their individual opponents, and when enough of one side's forces are eliminated, the battle is over.
It's a primitive way to fight.
But precisely because of this primitiveness, each shinobi village can fully utilize its strength. Even in defeat, there's little room for complaint.
Such thoughts flashed through his mind as Seimei watched the battlefield from above.
As the Kirigakure warships drew closer, several Konoha jonin suddenly leaped from their defensive positions and landed on the water.
They swiftly performed hand signs and unleashed their jutsu—**Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!**
While their version wasn't as overwhelming as Kisame Hoshigaki's, due to chakra limitations, the combined effort of so many shinobi was still formidable.
With their jutsu complete, a massive wave, over ten meters high, surged toward the Kirigakure warships at tremendous speed.
If the ships were struck, no matter how sturdy, they would be reduced to debris.
But would the Kirigakure shinobi allow this to happen?
Of course not.
Before the wave could get close, three shinobi leaped from the ships.
They quickly performed hand signs, crouched down, and pressed their hands to the water, shouting, **Ice Release: Ice Formation Technique!**
These three were no ordinary shinobi but members of the Yuki clan, inheritors of the Ice Release kekkei genkai.
As their jutsu took effect, a layer of ice rapidly formed beneath their hands and spread outward, freezing the towering wave mid-air into a massive ice sculpture.
But it didn't stop there!
The ice continued to spread, extending all the way to the beach.
Taking advantage of the frozen path, a large number of Kirigakure shinobi leaped from the ships, rushing across the ice towards the shore.
The Konoha shinobi tried to intercept them, but the massive frozen wave blocked their line of attack.
As a result, the Kirigakure shinobi reached the shore unharmed.
From his vantage point in the sky, Seimei shook his head at the sight.
In the end, Konoha hadn't had enough time. Although they had gathered their forces, their preparations were inadequate.
In contrast, the Kirigakure forces were working together seamlessly, clearly following a well-planned strategy.
Thus, in this first clash, Konoha had already lost the advantage.
However, this was only the beginning. What happens next depends on how both sides respond.
After their initial attack failed, the Konoha jonin quickly retreated behind their defensive line.
Once the Kirigakure shinobi crossed the frozen wave, someone shouted, "Attack!"
In an instant, a barrage of kunai shot out from behind the cover, raining down on the Kirigakure forces like a deadly storm.
The Kirigakure shinobi were not to be outdone. They immediately threw their own kunai in response.
Some even performed hand signs and unleashed jutsu—**Water Release: Wild Water Wave**, aiming at the Konoha shinobi behind their defenses.
The **Water Release: Wild Water Wave** holds a place in Kirigakure similar to that of **Earth Release: Rock Gun Technique** in Iwagakure. Any Kirigakure shinobi with water affinity knows it.
However, its power is minimal, mainly serving as a distraction.
And indeed, none of the Konoha shinobi were harmed by it.
The battle continued!
After the second round of attacks, the distance between the two forces closed even more, and some shinobi began attaching explosive tags to their weapons before throwing them.
The intensity of the battle instantly escalated.
Many shinobi, unable to dodge in time, were either injured or killed.
The sounds of agony filled the battlefield.
This only fueled the rage of the remaining shinobi, making them fight even more viciously.
The sound of flying kunai filled the air, explosive tags detonated with deafening blasts, and fireballs erupted, heating the surrounding air.
Under the intense heat and the shockwaves from the explosions, the ice layer created by the Yuki clan began to crack.
This added some difficulty to the Kirigakure advance.
But only a little.
The Kirigakure shinobi charging in the first wave were at least chunin level, and they all had the ability to walk on water. The breaking ice didn't stop them.
Thus, the Kirigakure forces reached the shore.
At this point, they were less than ten meters from the Konoha shinobi.
For a ninja, this distance could be closed in the blink of an eye.
The next moment, the brutal melee began.
Kirigakure shinobi charged into Konoha's defenses, and hand-to-hand combat ensued.
At such close range, explosive tags became useless.
Not only were they a danger to oneself, but even a slight misstep could harm an ally.
At this point, it was a contest of raw strength between the two sides.
"Kill!"
A Konoha jonin shouted, and one by one, the Konoha shinobi leaped from their cover, charging into the Kirigakure ranks, engaging in fierce combat.
The sound of clashing weapons echoed across the battlefield, as the shinobi on both sides fought with reckless abandon, as if they had lost all reason.
(End of this chapter)