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The wilderness outside Kikyō Mountain Castle had already turned into a living hell. After paying a massive price, Sunagakure's retreat order finally began to take effect. Under the desperate shouts of their commanders, the main force barely managed to disengage from the entanglement with the front Wall Defenders and Orochimaru's flanking troops. Like a wounded behemoth, they dragged their battered bodies and began to crawl toward the Land of Rivers.
The fierce battle high in the sky continued. Fourth Kazekage Rasa pushed the Magnet Release: Gold Dust Technique to its limit. The golden tide no longer sought offense but transformed into countless flowing shields, intercepting walls, and massive grasping hands, desperately restricting the elusive Golden Flash. Every flicker and strike by Minato Namikaze was forcibly repelled or disrupted by Rasa's large-scale Gold Dust defense. Although he couldn't inflict the slightest injury, he genuinely managed to contain this existence, which was virtually insurmountable for Ordinary Sunagakure Ninja, creating the most crucial window for retreat.
On the flank, Elder Chiyo and Ebizō were at the end of their rope. Ebizō was pale due to excessive Chakra consumption, and one more puppet controlled by Elder Chiyo's Kuroari, Hitokiri, Sasoris Puppets was torn apart by Manda. But the siblings, relying on decades of tacit understanding in battle and a determination to burn their lives away, remained stubbornly pinned in place, using puppets, Poison Mist, Genjutsu, and traps to construct a precarious yet unbroken defensive line, barely holding back the devastating vanguard of Orochimaru and Manda, preventing them from completely crushing Sunagakure's rear formation.
At the very end of the retreating army, Sayo took command in a crisis, displaying calmness and leadership ability beyond his years. He efficiently integrated the remaining Puppet Squad, forming a defensive perimeter that constantly moved, was constantly eroded, yet stubbornly persisted.
"Left flank Shield Puppets, advance three steps! Hold back that wave of shuriken!"
"Right flank Attack Puppets, fire a volley! Suppress that Fire Release Ninja!"
"spider puppets Team Three, one o'clock direction, Self-Destruct Obstruction!"
His orders were clearly transmitted via Chakra Amplification. Magnet Release: Iron Sand rushed to extinguish fires wherever needed, sometimes reinforcing the defense, sometimes launching counterattacks. The "mirage" platform carried him through the battlefield; he was both the commander and the strongest troubleshooter. Under his command, the Puppet Squad used steel and lives to painstakingly offset the pursuit pressure from the Konoha Defenders and some flanking troops.
It seemed that Sunagakure's chaotic yet massive main force was about to rush out of the most dangerous area, on the verge of breaking direct contact with Kikyō Mountain Castle's walls and entering a relatively open area. Once there, the speed of the retreat would accelerate, and the hope of survival would greatly increase.
A faint spark of hope ignited in the hearts of all Sunagakure Ninja, from Rasa down to the lowest soldiers.
However, would Konoha's Killing Formation leave such an obvious path to survival?
Just as the flank of Sunagakure's main force was about to completely break away from a Dense Forest on the left wing of the battlefield, another change occurred!
From that previously silent forest, earth-shattering battle cries suddenly erupted! Another team of Konoha Shinobi descended like Divine Soldiers, charging out fiercely. Their target was not the troops covering the retreat, but they precisely wedged themselves into the waist of Sunagakure's main force, abruptly severing their retreating column!
The leader was large and stout, yet his movements were unusually steady and swift. He wore a Konoha Jonin vest and had a clear Paint Mark on his forehead—it was Akimichi Torifu, the Current Clan Head of the Akimichi Clan! He was leading no ordinary troops, but the Elite Guard Unit directly under the Konoha Command Post, along with the Combined Fighting Forces of the Yamanaka, Nara, and other clans!
"Partial Expansion Jutsu: Pushing Hand!" Akimichi Torifu roared. His arm instantly swelled to a massive size, sweeping forward like a battering ram! The terrifying force instantly blasted over ten Sunagakure Ninja who were trying to organize a defense, sending them flying along with their shields, tearing a huge gap in Sunagakure's retreat formation!
"Shadow Imitation Jutsu: Strangulation!"
"Mind Body Disturbance Technique!"
The Ninja of the Nara Clan and Yamanaka Clan immediately followed up, launching coordinated attacks. Invisible shadows and Mental Shocks pierced the chaotic Sunagakure ranks, creating more disorder and Infighting.
The emergence of this Fresh Force was timed, positioned, and executed with extreme cunning and ruthlessness! It was as if they had long calculated Sunagakure's retreat route and timing, waiting here for a long time to deliver the most fatal blow to Sunagakure!
Sunagakure's main force, which had just seen a glimmer of hope, had its retreat completely cut off by this sudden flanking assault! The entire column was sliced open at the waist, unable to support its front or rear, plunging into unprecedented chaos. The path of retreat was blocked by the rear-guard Puppet Squad and the Pursuing Soldiers, the path forward was firmly held by the elite troops led by Akimichi Torifu, and the flank still faced the threat of Orochimaru!
The complete Encirclement was finally achieved!
The Sunagakure Army, like a fly caught in a spiderweb, found all its struggles turning into futility. The fire of hope was utterly extinguished, replaced by profound despair.
Sayo, watching this scene from the rear, felt his heart nearly stop. The thing he feared most had still come to pass. Konoha's counterattack was not a simple repulsion, but a complete and utter Annihilation Battle!
Rasa, high in the sky, let out a roar of extreme unwillingness, but he was unable to break free due to Minato's entanglement.
Chiyo and Ebizō's expressions also changed drastically, but faced with the fierce assault of Orochimaru and Manda, they couldn't even afford to be distracted.
Sunagakure had fallen into a death trap of Ten-Sided Ambush, unable to escape even with wings. Kikyō Mountain Castle was steadily becoming a massive graveyard for the Hidden Sand Village's remaining strength.
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