Chapter 31 - The Retreat of the Iwa Ninja
The battlefield was drenched in blood and chaos, but the battle itself had already begun to shift.
Watching Kazane tear through Iwa's ranks like a demon, Kitsuchi felt a rare pang of regret. Had he known about this monster earlier, he would have brought at least two elite Jonin with him.
But the intel had come too late.
The moment he heard that Konoha had dispatched only two thousand shinobi, he had seized the opportunity to lead Iwa's vanguard in a full-scale assault. Their main army had only just set out, and he had hoped to crush Konoha's forces before they could establish a foothold.
If they succeeded, Iwa would claim a decisive advantage. If they failed…
Kitsuchi's expression darkened. If Konoha managed to hold their ground, the battle could drag into a prolonged stalemate. At that point, Iwa might need double, or even triple, their current forces to break through.
That was not an option.
"Earth Release: Open Earth Excavation!"
Kitsuchi slammed his hands into the ground. The earth beneath Orochimaru cracked violently, the terrain itself shifting in an attempt to swallow the Sannin whole. Orochimaru leapt back, landing gracefully as he avoided being buried alive.
Kitsuchi wasted no time. The moment Orochimaru was forced to retreat, he launched himself toward the battlefield's most dangerous variable—Kazane.
He couldn't allow this wild beast to keep slaughtering Iwa's shinobi. Jonin were more than just warriors; they were the backbone of the village, the core combat strength that ensured Iwa's dominance. Losing even one was costly. Losing them by the dozens was unacceptable.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist!"
Stone rapidly encased Kitsuchi's arms, hardening into jagged, steel-like gauntlets. The ground trembled under his sheer physicality as he charged forward, his massive fists prepared to crush Kazane in a single blow.
Kazane, even while cutting through Iwa shinobi like a hurricane, had been keeping an eye on Kitsuchi.
He had seen how the man dominated the battlefield's center, effortlessly repelling any who stood in his way except Orochimaru .
And now, that very force was charging straight for him.
Kazane's blood boiled. He had been suppressing his battle thirst for long enough.
He grinned.
"Three-Sword Style: Ox Demon Claw!"
All three of his swords flashed through the air as he lunged forward, meeting Kitsuchi's charge head-on.
The moment their attacks collided, a powerful shockwave erupted. Kazane's blades, imbued with Haki, clashed against the hardened rock of Kitsuchi's fists, creating an earsplitting screech of steel against stone.
But to Kazane's surprise, his swords—renowned for their ability to cut through nearly anything—did not slice through the stone.
Kitsuchi barely budged.
Kazane's eyes flickered with surprise. His three swords, reinforced by his strongest techniques, had been stopped.
What he didn't know was that Kitsuchi's Rock Fist technique wasn't just ordinary earth manipulation. The compressed stone carried the density and hardness of reinforced steel. Without mastering the Iron-Cutting Sword Technique, even the sharpest blades couldn't slice through it.
Even so, Kazane wasn't the type to back down from a contest of raw strength.
With a guttural roar, he pushed forward, forcing Kitsuchi to slide backward. The earth beneath the Iwa commander's feet cracked as his legs carved deep trenches into the ground.
But before Kazane could overwhelm him—
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Orochimaru's voice slithered through the battlefield as dozens of venomous serpents burst from his sleeves, striking at Kitsuchi from behind. Their fangs glistened with deadly poison, their movements swift and precise.
Kitsuchi reacted instantly.
"Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique!"
With a grunt of effort, he shoved against Kazane, momentarily breaking free. Then, using the Light-Weight Rock Technique, he altered the weight of the ground beneath him, propelling himself into the air and narrowly avoiding the horde of attacking snakes.
Still mid-air, he moved to counterattack.
"Earth Release: Mountain Soil Technique!"
With a single hand sign, two massive rock formations surged from the ground, closing in from both sides like the jaws of a giant beast. If they collided, they would crush both Kazane and Orochimaru instantly.
But the Sannin was already prepared.
"Rashomon Technique!"
A massive, demonic gate erupted from the earth, blocking the crushing rock walls with a thunderous impact. At the same time, Orochimaru summoned a giant serpent, which coiled its powerful body and launched Kazane toward Kitsuchi.
Kazane spun in mid-air, his swords flashing.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Art: Three Thousand Worlds!"
Both swords in his hands and one gritted between his teeth whirled at high speed, generating a powerful vortex of cutting force. As he closed in, he unleashed eight rapid slashes in succession.
Kitsuchi barely had time to raise his stone-coated arms to defend.
The moment the strikes connected, he was sent hurtling downward like a meteor, crashing into the ground with explosive force.
Before he could recover, another voice rang out.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Hundreds of shuriken rained down from above, all aimed directly at Kitsuchi.
Recognizing the danger, the Iwa commander roared—
"Earth Release: Earth Barrier Wall!"
A thick, defensive rock wall surged up, intercepting the wave of projectiles.
But it wasn't enough.
A silver gleam flashed through the air.
Orochimaru's mouth opened unnaturally wide, extending the legendary Kusanagi Blade with terrifying speed.
The sword slipped past Kitsuchi's defenses.
The next thing he knew, searing pain erupted from his shoulder.
Shlick.
The Kusanagi Blade impaled him cleanly before retracting back into Orochimaru's mouth. The Sannin licked the fresh blood off the blade with a satisfied smirk.
Kitsuchi gritted his teeth. His wounds weren't fatal, but he was losing blood fast.
Kazane wasn't about to give him a chance to breathe.
"Three-Sword Style: Ox Needle!"
Kazane lunged forward, aiming for the finishing blow.
But Kitsuchi wasn't about to die here.
"Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique!"
At the last second, he lightened his own weight and shot into the sky once more, evading Kazane's deadly strike by a hair's breadth.
From his elevated position, Kitsuchi looked down at the battlefield.
Despite their best efforts, Iwa's forces had taken far more losses than expected. Their momentum had been shattered. If they continued to fight, it would only get worse.
He exhaled sharply.
The battle was lost.
"Hmph! It seems this battle is yours."
Landing a safe distance away, his gaze fell upon Kazane.
"Kid, what's your name?"
Hearing Kitsuchi's question, Kazane narrowed his eyes before responding in a cold, measured tone.
"Hatake Kazane."
At the name, Kitsuchi's eyes flickered with recognition. He scoffed, though a grudging respect edged his voice.
"Hatake? So you're the White Fang's son, huh? No wonder you're so strong." He exhaled through his nose, weighing the battlefield before him. "Kid, I'll remember you. I am Kitsuchi, Jonin of Iwagakure. Next time we meet, I won't let you off so easily."
Kitsuchi sighed inwardly. Despite the loss, he acknowledged the rise of Konoha's new generation. Out of respect for strong warriors, he offered his name—a rare gesture, especially toward an enemy.
Kazane, however, was unimpressed.
"You dare talk big after losing?" He tightened his grip on his swords, his eyes gleaming with killing intent. "Next time, I will cut you down."
His voice was sharp, leaving no room for doubt. If Kitsuchi turned back now, Kazane would welcome the chance to strike him down and claim whatever rewards his system might grant.
Kitsuchi's face darkened, but he held his tongue. He was no fool—continuing the fight in his current state would be reckless.
"Hmph! All talk!" He suppressed his anger and turned away. "We're leaving!"
He gave the signal. In unison, Iwa's remaining forces withdrew, moving with practiced efficiency despite their wounds and exhaustion.
With this, Konoha had secured a minor victory at the start of the war. But the mood among the Leaf ninjas remained somber.
Their losses were staggering.
Out of two thousand troops, four hundred lay dead on the battlefield, never to return home. Over a thousand more bore wounds ranging from minor cuts to life-threatening injuries. Though no Jonin had fallen, the reality of war had sunk in.
There was no time to celebrate.
Before nightfall, they needed to establish a proper camp, tend to the wounded, and bury their dead.
Kazane stood in the aftermath, his swords still dripping with blood. The adrenaline of battle slowly faded, replaced by a cold, sinking feeling.
This was war.
Moments ago, these men had laughed with their friends, sharing meals, telling stories. Now, many of them lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies rapidly cooling in the evening air.
Hatred for Iwagakure had truly begun to fester.
At first, this had been just another mission. A duty to be fulfilled.
But now, it was a war of vengeance.
---
A sudden chime rang in Kazane's mind.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, Host, on achieving the milestone: Slaying a Jonin!"
"Congratulations, Host, on achieving the milestone: Slaying 100 enemy ninjas!"
"Congratulations, Host, on achieving the milestone: First War Victory!"
"Rewards granted: Zoro's Sword Aura Experience ×1, Zoro's Sword Aura Experience ×1, Zoro's Sword Aura Experience ×1."
Kazane blinked, his mind briefly distracted by the system's notifications.
Had he already reached a point where, until he advanced to the next rank, his rewards would remain the same?
This was the exact same prize he had received for his last milestone. Now, three consecutive rewards are identical.
Was this all he would get from now on?
He exhaled slowly. Unfortunately, the system had no intelligence of its own—it simply issued missions and rewards without explanation. There was no point in questioning it.
He sheathed his swords and cast one final glance at the retreating Iwa forces.
The battle was over.
But the war had just begun.