As dawn gradually broke over the battlefield, the outcome of the surprise assault on Konohagakure slowly became clear.
At the beginning of the attack, Konoha had been caught completely off guard. The enemy forces had even managed to flank several defensive lines, creating chaos across the front.
However, as the battle dragged on, the situation began to stabilize.
What should have been a decisive strike slowly turned into a stalemate.
The main reason was simple. The forces from Kirigakure under the command of Suikazan Fuguki never appeared at the designated position according to their original battle plan.
The disappearance of several hundred Mist ninja created a massive gap in the strategy.
Without that crucial unit, the carefully prepared plan collapsed, and the troops attempting the frontal landing on the beach were left without proper support.
Even with this failure, the Hidden Mist had not completely lost the battle. At worst, it could be considered a minor setback.
But everything changed the moment Hayashi entered the battlefield carrying Samehada.
The balance of the war began to tilt.
Hayashi alone was enough to hold back several elite Mist fighters, including Terumi Sora. At the same time, he still had the freedom to eliminate other enemy ninja during the clash.
The Konoha forces were stunned.
Only then did they truly understand why this eighteen year old Uchiha had been appointed as a frontline commander and granted special privileges by Konoha's council of elders.
While they were still ordinary shinobi struggling to survive each battle, Hayashi was already commanding the battlefield itself.
"Retreat."
As the sun finally rose over the sea, Terumi Sora forced the word out through blood stained lips.
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
The remaining members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen who were present immediately disengaged. Biwa Jūzō, Kuriarare Kushimaru, Munashi Jinpachi, and Hōzuki Oboro instantly withdrew from their battles and dashed toward the coastline.
At the same moment, Nawaki drove his weapon through the heart of Akebino Jinin.
After confirming the kill, Nawaki immediately turned his head, searching for another enemy to pursue.
However, the long battle had already taken a heavy toll on him. Earlier he had summoned Katsuyu and fought Jinin for an extended period before finally managing to defeat him.
His chakra was not completely depleted, but his physical strength was reaching its limit.
Even so, Nawaki forced himself forward.
The enemy was retreating. This was the perfect chance to chase them down.
Not far away, Hiashi Hyuga was in a similar situation.
In fact, his condition was even worse. Unlike Nawaki, he did not possess the powerful vitality of the Senju bloodline.
Still, Hiashi rushed toward the sea without hesitation.
The two men clearly had the same thought.
They could not allow the enemy to escape so easily.
Hayashi noticed the retreating commander and quickly formed hand seals.
"Water Release, Water Dragon Bullet Technique."
Several massive water dragons surged forward from the ocean, roaring through the air as they cut off Terumi Sora's escape routes from multiple directions.
Seeing the attack closing in, Terumi Sora finally stopped holding back.
"Lava Release, Melting Apparition Technique."
A large amount of corrosive liquid erupted from his mouth, spreading outward to form a defensive barrier.
Boom. Boom.
The Water Dragon Bullets crashed into the molten barrier one after another, but each attack was blocked by the lava based defense.
Using that brief opening, Terumi Sora turned and fled without even looking back.
"Kill them!"
The remaining Kirigakure forces were already withdrawing after receiving the command.
But the Konoha shinobi had reached their limit. The sight of fallen comrades filled them with fury.
Stepping over bodies scattered across the battlefield, they roared and rushed forward in pursuit.
The chase continued until the fighting reached the ocean surface, more than one hundred meters away from the coastline of the Land of Fire.
Standing at the very front, Hayashi raised his hand.
Beside him, Himeji immediately prepared a signal flare.
Hayashi gave a small nod.
The flare shot into the sky.
It signaled the end of the pursuit.
Chasing the enemy had been necessary, but going too far would only lead them into hidden traps. The Hidden Mist had placed countless ambushes throughout the surrounding sea.
Furthermore, the Konoha ninja were completely exhausted. Most of them were only moving forward through anger and adrenaline.
Continuing the pursuit would achieve little.
Watching the flare ignite in the distance, Shikaku Nara finally let out a quiet breath of relief.
Hayashi was the commander, but he was still young. Shikaku had worried that the Uchiha might push forward recklessly.
Fortunately, that fear proved unnecessary.
In fact, Hayashi had only been appointed to command this battlefield because of Shikaku's recommendation.
For many years, Shikaku had quietly observed the young Uchiha.
Hayashi's calm personality was very different from the typical reputation of the Uchiha clan.
The Nara Clan had never sought the position of Hokage, nor did they intend to compete for it.
However, they would always remain the Hokage's most reliable advisors.
Maintaining that position required far more than strength. It required political awareness, patience, and the ability to judge people accurately.
In that regard, the Nara clan had always been exceptional.
From the early days when Hashirama Senju founded Konoha, the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi families had joined together and remained loyal allies.
Even after Hiruzen Sarutobi rose to power, the balance remained the same.
Through careful observation, Shikaku had already realized something many ninja did not know.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was preparing to step down.
Once the current war ended, the entire political structure of Konoha might change.
Many people believed the legendary Sannin or the famous Sakumo Hatake would become the next Hokage.
But Shikaku had a different opinion.
He was increasingly optimistic about Hayashi.
It was not simply because of Hayashi's strength or his achievements on the battlefield.
The truly remarkable thing was the network of connections Hayashi had built over time.
Some of those connections were intentional, while others seemed to have formed naturally.
His influence extended from senior officials such as Koharu Utatane to multiple key departments including the medical division, the Anbu, the sealing teams, and even the Konoha Military Police Force.
Within each of these departments, there were people who trusted him and held real authority.
Even among the younger generation, many influential shinobi such as Choza Akimichi had strong relationships with him.
It was truly astonishing.
From the moment Hayashi stepped onto the battlefield until the battle ended, he had performed flawlessly.
In the shortest time possible, he had established the authority expected of a commander.
For someone so young, that level of composure was rare.
Shikaku could not help but admire him more with every passing day.
Far away from the battlefield, several hundred meters into the forest, a strange pitcher plant like creature silently observed everything.
"It failed."
White Zetsu grinned as it watched the aftermath of the battle.
The deaths of the Kirigakure ninja meant nothing to it. If anything, the creature seemed amused.
"I didn't expect that little girl from the Hyuga clan to summon Konoha's Lightning Flash."
"That title really is troublesome," Black Zetsu replied in a low voice.
Even from its perspective, Hayashi's talent was extraordinary.
Within the history of the Uchiha Clan, his potential could easily rank among the very best.
Awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan was only a matter of time.
"It seems we must eliminate him sooner or later," Black Zetsu continued quietly. "Otherwise he will interfere with our future plans."
White Zetsu glanced toward the distant figure of Hayashi.
"Killing him won't be easy."
Black Zetsu's eyes flickered slightly.
"Every shinobi has a weakness. He has several."
It paused briefly.
"The girl from the Hyuga clan is one of them."
White Zetsu tilted its head.
"Didn't Fugaku Uchiha say he would deal with Konoha's Lightning Flash?"
Black Zetsu let out a quiet snort.
"Fugaku is no longer a match for him. And once Hayashi awakens the Mangekyo Sharingan, the gap will only grow wider."
In Black Zetsu's eyes, Fugaku could never compare to someone like Madara Uchiha.
If the plan relied on Fugaku alone, who knew how long it would take to succeed.
It seemed another solution would be necessary.
Perhaps it was finally time to prepare for Madara's return.
"Let's go," Black Zetsu said.
"Fugaku is still waiting for our report."
As the words faded, the massive pitcher plant slowly sank back into the ground and disappeared.