NARUTO: SECOND GOD OF SHINOBI

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Orochimaru stood atop a high ridge overlooking the dense forests of Kusagakure. The twilight bathed the landscape in a dim orange glow, casting long shadows across the trees.

Behind him, four clan commanders waited silently, their faces tense but resolute.

The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, the silence broken only by the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional chirping of birds.

Orochimaru turned slightly, his golden eyes gleaming with an ominous light.

"It's time for the prepared attack," he said in a low, commanding voice.

"We will move in four formations. The ANBU have already dealt with the rear forces of Iwa.

Only the Kusagakure forces remain. Our objective is simple—deliver a decisive blow to halt their movements.

Remember, the Kusagakure forces are positioned at the rear. Secure the area and prepare for the signal."

Aokiji Sarutobi, a seasoned jonin of the Sarutobi clan, nodded firmly.

Without further delay, Orochimaru led his team of twenty jonin towards the Iwa camp.

Moving swiftly through the shadows, they approached the enemy's perimeter.

Orochimaru halted suddenly, his senses alert. He detected a group of Iwa sensors stationed nearby.

Signaling his team to stay hidden, he activated his mayfly technique, merging with the ground and moving stealthily toward the unsuspecting sensors.

In a swift, deadly motion, Orochimaru emerged from the earth behind the leading sensor and dispatched him with a silent strike.

Before the remaining sensors could react, Orochimaru's team moved in, eliminating them with precision.

With the sensors neutralized, Orochimaru signaled his forces to advance. They moved quickly and quietly, positioning themselves around the camp.

At Orochimaru's signal, the coordinated attack began.

The Sarutobi clan ninjas, utilizing their newly awakened bloodline limit—an unprecedented mastery over five chakra nature changes—formed complex hand seals in unison.

Moments later, they unleashed their newly developed S-rank jutsu: Great Flame Exploding Flower Jutsu.

A barrage of blue fireballs, each radiating intense heat, shot into the air.

As they ascended, the fireballs transformed mid-flight into flaming meteors, hurtling down towards the Iwa camp with alarming speed.

The patrolling Iwa ninjas barely had time to react before the fireballs struck, triggering massive explosions of compressed fire that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground.

"Enemy attack!" one of the Iwa shinobi shouted, his voice echoing through the camp. Chaos erupted as the Iwa forces scrambled to mount a defense.

Earth-style walls and domes were hastily erected to shield against the onslaught, but Orochimaru was already prepared for this.

"Release!" he commanded, and the remaining Konoha forces unleashed a massive wind-style Great Breakthrough Jutsu.

The powerful gusts of wind fed the blazing fireballs, intensifying the flames and expanding their reach.

The resulting heatwave, estimated to be over 3000 degrees, was so intense that even the Konoha ninjas positioned at the perimeter felt its searing heat.

Sweat dripped down their faces, and many found their backs drenched.

"This is too much," Orochimaru thought, momentarily taken aback by the sheer destructive power of the jutsu. "Sensei truly is a grandmaster. His comprehension of ninjutsu is unparalleled."

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Meanwhile, within the Iwa camp, the situation was dire. Despite their best efforts, the hastily erected earth defenses could not withstand the ferocity of the attack.

The fireballs exploded upon contact, creating a chain reaction that devastated the camp.

Genin and slower-reacting chunin were vaporized instantly. Even the jonin who managed to form earth domes found their defenses melting within seconds under the relentless heat.

"This isn't natural!" one Iwa ninja cried out in desperation. "What kind of fire is this? Someone help!" His pleas were echoed by many others, creating a cacophony of fear and despair.

Inside one of the few remaining earth domes, the Iwa commander issued urgent orders. "It's a Konoha-planned sneak attack. Everyone, use the Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu and retreat underground!"

As the Iwa ninjas attempted to flee, Orochimaru noticed the movement. "Use Earth Style: Rising Excavation Jutsu," he ordered.

Sarutobi clan chunin and jonin immediately formed the necessary seals, causing massive pillars of earth to rise from the ground, forcibly ejecting the hiding Iwa ninjas.

"Follow up with another fire release jutsu!" Orochimaru commanded.

The Sarutobi clan unleashed another S-rank jutsu, releasing streams of intense blue fire that combined with the ordinary fire jutsu of the civilian forces, magnifying its power.

It was another S-rank jutsu of Sarutobi clan developed by Hiruzen, Great Flame Incinerating Stream.

Simultaneously, the Shimura clan ninjas launched a coordinated vacuum sphere attack, targeting the exposed Iwa ninjas on excavation pillars.

The result was catastrophic. Blood flowed freely from the excavated earth pillars, only to be vaporized by the searing flames.

Those who survived the initial assault found themselves surrounded by relentless attacks from all sides.

The Iwa commander, realizing the futility of their situation, shouted, "Retreat! Iwa nin, retreat at all costs!"

As the battered remnants of the Iwa forces retreated through underground tunnels, Orochimaru issued one final order.

"Release another wave of fire. Allow a small number to escape. We need them alive to clash with the Kusagakure forces."

The Konoha forces complied, sending another stream of fire down the tunnels that Iwa ninja retreated from.

Screams echoed as more Iwa ninjas fell, but a handful managed to escape. "Should we chase them?" one of the Konoha commanders asked.

"Not yet," Orochimaru replied. "Tail them discreetly. They will lead us to the Kusagakure forces."

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Meanwhile, on the ANBU side, the Earth Division commander issued orders to his team. "Cut off the Iwa ninjas' retreat. Only the Kusagakure forces remain. You know what to do."

The ANBU moved swiftly, positioning themselves near the Kusagakure settlement.

Without warning, they launched a volley of earth-style rock-throwing jutsu, forcing the Kusagakure forces to retreat.

Another volley of earth-style rock-throwing jutsu was launched on the Kusa forces, forcing them to retreat underground.

One of the Kusa shinobi exclaimed, "Commander, Iwa ninja attacked our settlement while retreating from the Konoha assault!"

The leader of Kusagakure stood up, deep in thought.

"Do they know we were planning to attack Iwa?" After a brief pause, he gathered his composure and ordered,

"Form a defensive line! The Iwa reinforcements will not arrive—they're busy defending against Suna and Ame forces. We have to cut down this weakened Iwa force before they regroup."

Every Kusa jonin nodded in agreement. The leader strode out of the camp while contemplating their odds.

"We have 10 elite jonin, 50 jonin, 400 chunin, and 1,200 genin. Even if Iwa had 4,000 ninja initially, after the sneak attack from Konoha, they shouldn't have more than 1,000 remaining.

This is our chance to eliminate Iwa and rise to power! Truly, Iwa has the largest number of shinobi among the great villages."

Meanwhile, the Iwa forces retreated toward the Kusa camp, ready to defend, but were soon met by a booming voice echoing across the battlefield:

"Kusa ninja, release Fireball Jutsu, followed by Great Breakthrough!"

The shouted command caught Orochimaru and the Earth Division ANBU off guard.

Earth ANBU commander spoke, "Who the heck yells out jutsu names for the enemy to hear? Don't they know ninjas are supposed to be stealthy?"

Another ANBU snickered, "Commander, relax. They're just a small village dreaming big without knowing the true heights of the sky."

A third chimed in, "Yeah, how can they be called ninja? They act more like sword fighters defending a castle."

Despite the awkwardness of Kusa's tactics, the Iwa front, already battered by Konoha's earlier assault, soon found themselves fending off another wave of attacks. Their commander barked orders, "Defend with Earth Ball Jutsu!"

As the attacks clashed with earth walls, the disguised Konoha ANBU infiltrated the Kusa line of defense.

They quietly began using supportive jutsu to weaken the Iwa defense further.

One of the Iwa jonin turned to his commander, "Commander, they have the high ground. We should charge. These are just small fries, and we're now only elites—we can take them down swiftly if we reach them."

The commander nodded decisively. "Advance! Use Earth Wall to deceive them and Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu to reach their position." The jonin complied, swiftly weaving hand seals and initiating the jutsu.

Seeing this tactic, the Konoha ANBU quietly retreated from Kusa's defense line, maintaining a safe distance.

As the Iwa ninja breached the Kusa camp, close-combat fighting broke out.

Though the Iwa shinobi were superior in skill, they were exhausted from the earlier battle with Konoha, and casualties began to mount on both sides.

Meanwhile, the Earth Division ANBU received a snake scroll. The commander opened it and read the instructions carefully.

He turned to his team and spoke in a calm yet firm tone, "We have new orders. Konoha will attack both Kusa and Iwa. Our mission is to cover three sides and cut off their retreat routes. Prepare to move."

With that, the ANBU vanished, forming a V-shaped formation aimed at encircling the Iwa and Kusa forces from behind.

Orochimaru, receiving confirmation of the plan, turned to the jonins beside him. "I've got the signal. Be ready." The jonins flickered to their positions throughout the forest, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

As the battle dragged on, Kusa began to gain the upper hand despite their initial disadvantage.

Their leader, filled with confidence, thought to himself,

"We're on the verge of victory. This fight will be remembered as Kusagakure's triumph—not Konoha's or Iwa's. Soon, we will rise to become one of the great villages."

Time ticked by, and the Konoha forces lay in wait.

As the saying goes, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

An hour passed.

Iwa was on its last legs, while Kusa, despite being the apparent victor, had suffered significant losses—850 genin, over 250 chunin, 30 jonin, and 6 elite jonin.

Meanwhile, Iwa's elite jonin commander engaged in a fierce battle with the Kusa leader. Through gritted teeth, he spat, "You Kusa scum will not be spared!"

The Kusa leader only laughed. "Don't worry. Your village will soon join you in the Pure Land—just like your Tsuchikage, Onoki."

The commander froze mid-attack, shock written on his face. "What do you mean? Our negotiations with Konoha are ongoing…"

The Kusa leader didn't give him a chance to finish. Driving a sword through his heart, he sneered,

"You've been kept in the dark. Your Tsuchikage was killed along with Kitsuchi, another elder, your ANBU commander, and even the Five-Tails was captured. Didn't you ever wonder why Konoha launched a surprise attack?"

The battlefield fell silent as despair washed over the remaining Iwa shinobi.

As Kusa prepared to deliver the final blow, the earth behind them trembled violently.

Massive earth walls erupted from the ground in a V-shaped formation, cutting off their retreat.

Before they could react, a large wave of fire mixed with wind release surged from the front, colliding with the earth walls and rebounding toward the Kusa forces.

The Kusa leader shouted in rage, "Konoha, you bastards! How dare you launch a sneak attack!"

But before he could finish, six figures darted forward from konoha forces, weaving hand seals. Simultaneously, three more figures appeared atop the earth wall from ANBU, also forming seals.

"Fire Style: Nine Pillar Prison Sealing Jutsu!"

Nine blue fire pillars erupted from the ground, encircling the Kusa forces and sealing off their retreat.

Chains of blue fire shot out from the pillars and the ground, impaling the Kusa shinobi and their leader.

The sealed space formed a nine-pillar barrier just like four red yang formation —strong enough to contain even the Nine-Tails at full strength with just elite jonin rank ninjas.

This was another S-rank jutsu developed by the Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Within moments, a devastating fire erupted inside the barrier, incinerating everything to ash.

Orochimaru, observing from a distance, raised an eyebrow in astonishment. Once again, he was impressed by his teacher's unparalleled mastery of ninjutsu.

As the flames died down and the battle came to an end, the remaining Konoha forces regrouped, victorious yet weary.

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