Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

Chapter 423 - 423: Request for Reinforcements

"Han!!!"

Ōnoki was once again blocked by the Third Raikage, and as he watched the headless corpse fall to the ground, his anguished roar echoed across the battlefield. He wasn't sure what pained him more—Han's death or the loss of Iwagakure's Five-Tails.

"What a pity, it was so close."

The Third Raikage's gravity effect was weakening, and a smug smile crept onto his face. He was already confident that victory in this battle would ultimately belong to Kumogakure.

"I want you all to pay the price."

Ōnoki tore his gaze away, forcing his emotions into check. There was no time for regret.

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique."

Bringing his hands together and then parting them, a translucent cylindrical barrier appeared between his palms. Taking a brief moment to aim, he unleashed it at the Third Raikage.

From his hands, the translucent barrier stretched outward, transforming into a pillar of light. Though seemingly unremarkable, it radiated an overwhelming aura that made the Third Raikage uneasy.

As Ōnoki's old rival, he knew the power of Dust Release all too well. And now, fueled by hatred, Ōnoki's attack was even more fearsome.

Without hesitation, the Third Raikage pushed his Lightning Release Armor to its limits, narrowly evading the attack.

But Ōnoki didn't even look to see if he had hit or missed—his focus had already shifted elsewhere.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Cut."

Ōnoki descended from midair at high speed. Forming hand seals, he slammed his hands against the ground.

As a surge of chakra flowed into the earth, the battlefield's terrain shifted dramatically.

"What's going on?"

"Why is the ground rising?"

"What kind of jutsu is this?!"

Both Iwa and Kumo shinobi were stunned, but the changes weren't over yet.

The ground had risen tens of meters when, without warning, a perfectly clean fissure split through it. The cut was so precise it looked like it had been sliced by a blade, severing the raised land in half and separating most of the Iwa and Kumo forces.

A handful of Iwa shinobi were unfortunate enough to fall into the enemy's encirclement. They barely lasted three breaths before they were overwhelmed and slain.

"Retreat."

Ōnoki's eyes twitched repeatedly, a clear sign of the pain this decision caused him. The battlefield's distribution of forces was far from even, and sacrificing a few to save the majority was an unavoidable reality.

"Yes."

Hearing Ōnoki's command, the Iwa ninja finally reacted, realizing they had lost.

"Pursue."

The Fourth A had no intention of letting the Iwa ninja escape and immediately prepared to leap across the artificial chasm.

"Forget it, let's clean up the battlefield."

Watching the Iwa forces retreat, while Ōnoki himself had yet to leave, the Third Raikage stopped his son. If he clashed with Ōnoki's Dust Release in mid-air, even he might not be able to save him. Besides, the sheer width of the ravine meant only a few Kumo ninja were capable of crossing it.

"I'll let you off today, but we'll fight again soon."

The Third Raikage pushed his son behind him and took a step forward, his voice carrying across the battlefield.

"I will avenge today's humiliation another day."

With all the Iwa ninja safely evacuated, Ōnoki left his parting words and turned away without looking back.

"Father, are you really going to just let them go?"

The Fourth A was still fired up, unable to fully suppress his frustration.

"Fool!!"

The Third Raikage's fist slammed into his son's head. "Do you think you can pursue them under Ōnoki's watchful eye?"

"I..."

The Fourth A wanted to argue, but as he thought it over, his defiance deflated like a punctured balloon. Looking at the devastation caused by Ōnoki's first Dust Release, a chill ran through him.

"You were right to stop me. I was too reckless."

Taking a deep breath, he admitted his mistake. Though many Iwa ninja had perished, there was no doubt that the victory belonged to Kumogakure. If he had recklessly pursued them, that victory could have crumbled in an instant.

"Hmph, it's good that you understand. There better not be a next time."

The Fourth A clicked his tongue and turned away, only to be met with the sight of blood and severed limbs scattered across the battlefield.

War was always the cruelest grinder of flesh.

"Compile a list of casualties and get the wounded treated."

At his command, the surviving Kumo ninja immediately got to work. The fallen were gathered and laid in an open space, while the wounded received simple medical attention before being carried away.

Meanwhile, the Iwa ninja could not even retrieve the remains of their dead.

"Lord Tsuchikage, what do we do next?"

The Iwa ninja had run a long distance before finally stopping to catch their breath. A high-ranking officer clenched his teeth and approached Ōnoki, his voice uncertain.

"What do you think?"

Fatigue seeped into Ōnoki's voice, and his eyes were clouded with exhaustion. Scanning the group, he could see the entire unit had lost morale.

Sadness. Confusion. Fear.

Negative emotions filled the air, spreading like an infection. If a solution wasn't found soon, the Land of Earth wouldn't be far from ruin.

"Should we recall Rōshi and Kitsuchi and come up with a new strategy?"

The officer's voice lacked conviction, as if he already knew it wasn't the right move.

"And if we do, will that be enough to defeat Kumo?" Ōnoki asked. "And what about Akatsuki?"

The officer's face darkened, unable to answer for a long moment.

"You always have something to say, yet now you're speechless?"

Ōnoki's voice was unusually calm, but the weight of it was suffocating.

"We are incompetent."

The high-ranking officers lowered their heads in shame, unable to meet his gaze. If not for Ōnoki, they weren't even sure how many of them would have made it back alive. Han was dead, and yet they did not feel any stronger than him.

"Forget it. Gather the others for a meeting."

Ōnoki sighed, choosing not to berate them further. In the end, much of the responsibility still rested on his shoulders.

"Yes."

Relieved to escape his presence, the officer hurried away. The pressure of facing Ōnoki alone was simply unbearable.

A few minutes later, the surviving Iwa officers had gathered.

"I want to send someone to Konoha for help."

Ōnoki's words sent shockwaves through the group, and despite his phrasing, it was clear there was no room for debate.

"This..."

"Would Konoha even help?"

"Our relationship with them has never been good."

"They have no reason to side with us."

"We were the ones who started the conflict in the first place."

The officers broke into hushed arguments, all agreeing that Ōnoki's idea was unrealistic.

"Shut up."

Ōnoki's patience snapped, his roar silencing the room.

"I don't care what you think. Just tell me—who is going?"

"Lord Tsuchikage, if this must be done, I will go."

While the others exchanged uneasy glances, an intelligence officer who had barely escaped death stepped forward. Whether he was trying to redeem himself or not, Ōnoki's expression softened slightly.

"It's on you, Daisuke."

"You're all dismissed."

As the others quickly left, relieved to escape the tension, Ōnoki spoke privately with Daisuke Nakano.

"Konoha despises me, and I know it." His voice was low and bitter. "But asking them for help is our last option."

"I don't know how much of a chance we have, but we must try. If it works, the Land of Earth might survive."

"If it fails... you're on your own."

Ōnoki wasn't sure what the outcome would be, but he had no other choice. If Daisuke chose not to return after failing, he wouldn't blame him. Daisuke had been his right-hand man for years—trusted enough to be head of intelligence. If the failure was too great to bear, Ōnoki wouldn't fault him for disappearing.

"Don't worry, I will live or die with Iwagakure."

Daisuke's voice was firm, his words filled with conviction. But only he knew how much was truth and how much was empty rhetoric.

"I'll write a letter for you to take to Tsunade."

Ōnoki didn't comment on Daisuke's oath—it no longer mattered.

"Yes."

Daisuke nodded, but there was a hint of disappointment in his expression.

Without avoiding him, Ōnoki took out a scroll and began to write. Though Daisuke was tempted to glance at the contents, he quickly looked away, not daring to peek.

It took a long time to finish. Each stroke felt heavy, as if carrying the weight of years of stubborn pride.

How long had it been since he had humbled himself like this?

Sealing the letter, Ōnoki handed it over solemnly.

"It's up to you now."

His voice held a wry smile, and his back seemed to sag just a little more.

"I'll do my best."

Daisuke accepted the letter with a bitter smile. He knew the road ahead would not be easy.

"I just hope we can hold out until Konoha's reinforcements arrive."

Ōnoki muttered as he watched Daisuke's figure disappear into the distance.

He knew all too well—if no reinforcements came, there would be only one path left for him.

Death.