A had originally intended to negotiate peace with Tobirama.
Konoha's previous surprise attack had dealt a heavy blow to Kumogakure, causing tremendous casualties and the capture of many Kumogakure shinobi.
Moreover, Arima's overwhelming power was far beyond anything A could handle alone.
But now, the sudden appearance of the Gold and Silver Brothers had disrupted his plans.
The two of them seemed to be under someone's control, and the figure lurking in the shadows had made shockingly audacious claims.
Ginkaku sneered darkly.
"Heh.. heh... You don't need to worry about the details. Just know that I can help you eliminate your troublesome enemies.
With so many of your Kumo shinobi taken prisoner, when you go to negotiate with Konoha, that sly fox Tobirama will squeeze every ounce of value out of them."
Those words struck right at A's sore spot. He had always poured his heart and soul into the development of Kumogakure.
Under his leadership, the village had made significant progress in both economy and military strength, leading to the rise of the militant faction.
By the time he realized it, the warmongering momentum had become impossible to stop.
A paced back and forth, weighing the risks and benefits.
Up to now, his greatest threats had been two people. Tobirama Senju and his grandson, Arima Senju.
Now this shadowy figure claimed to have already dealt with Arima and could even suppress the Flying Thunder God Technique.
If A led an elite force to launch a surprise assault on Konoha's front lines right now, there was a good chance he could eliminate Tobirama amidst the chaos and completely shatter Konoha's defenses.
But A's greatest fear was.
'What if this is all a trap laid by Konoha, and the two brothers are bait? If I launch a surprise attack now, wouldn't I be falling right into their hands?'
The figure in the shadows seemed to sense A's hesitation and said casually.
"I can assist Ginkaku and Kinkaku in unleashing power close to that of a Tailed Beast. They'll be the vanguard."
A, knew the two brothers possessed the Nine-Tails' chakra. However, syncing their bodies with that chakra usually took significant time and effort.
He asked, "Doing that, won't it damage their bodies?"
The hidden figure let out a sinister laugh.
"Isn't that exactly what you want? Aren't those two the leading voices of the militant faction in your village? If they fall here, wouldn't that conveniently unify the village's political will?"
After hearing that, A slowly nodded. But he still asked, "And what do you gain from this?"
The figure simply sneered and said nothing more.
It was never one to entertain others unless absolutely necessary. If it didn't need A's power right now, it wouldn't have bothered speaking to such a lowly descendant at all.
In its mind, the current history of the shinobi world had been shaped by its own manipulations from the shadows. It carried a pride that set it apart.
A, noted the figure's veiled manner and its haughty demeanor. It clearly had no intention of siding with Konoha, and that reassured him.
At last, A, cast aside all hesitation. He made his decision swiftly and began organizing his elite forces, ready to launch a counterattack under the cover of night.
Kumogakure army moved with strict discipline.
In no time, a formidable force of 150 Jonin, 2,000 Chunin, and 5,000 Genin was assembled and began marching en masse toward the Konoha frontlines.
Meanwhile, Tobirama was in his command tent, pondering the next phase of the campaign.
After the last battle, he was confident the war was nearly over. Kumogakure had been thoroughly weakened.
But tonight, the forest was unnaturally silent. Not even the usual howls of wild beasts could be heard.
That alone raised Tobirama's suspicion. He quickly gave orders to send scouts out for reconnaissance.
Just then, a ball of fire shot into the sky from somewhere deep in the woods.
Tobirama immediately understood, the enemy was breaching the outer perimeter. He summoned his troops and initiated the emergency counterattack protocol.
The enemy's advance was blisteringly fast. In mere moments, they had already overrun the final defensive line outside the camp.
Tobirama used the Flying Thunder God to teleport instantly to the front lines.
Standing atop a ridge, he looked down and saw the Kumogakure's elite strike force overwhelming the last line of defense in a lightning-quick assault.
Konoha had lost its terrain advantage. Only a narrow river less than a hundred meters wide now separated the two armies, which once again stood face to face.
Tobirama couldn't understand it. 'Why would Kumogakure dare launch such a reckless attack?'
They were holding so many Kumogakure prisoners, practically the entire village's manpower.
Didn't they realize that Konoha would retaliate mercilessly if provoked?
The pale moonlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating both banks of the river.
Under that silver glow, three figures suddenly appeared at the forefront of the Kumogakure army.
The Gold and Silver Brothers, and the Second Raikage A.
Tobirama felt a knot form in his chest. The last people he wanted to see now were Ginkaku and Kinkaku.
His heart sank.
'If those two are here… then who is Arima pursuing? Could everything they did up until now have just been a distraction to lure Arima away? But if so, when he returns, won't the Senju Clan retaliate directly against Kumogakure?'
Across the river, A shouted, "Tobirama. You are a worthy opponent, and you've raised a fine successor.
But that young man, Arima, will not be returning. Tonight, we settle this once and for all."
Tobirama didn't believe a word. He assumed A was simply trying to shake his composure.
He had full confidence in Arima's abilities. That child had no apparent weaknesses.
And with sage mode enhancement, Arima's no hand seal healing ability was incredibly resilient, he wouldn't die that easily.
Just then, a cold, mocking voice rang out.
"That arrogant brat is just a slightly stronger bug. You really think no one can handle him?
Don't forget, the shinobi world is full of hidden sealing techniques. Exterminating a worm like that is child's play."
Tobirama's expression turned icy. Killing intent radiated from him. He'd have to confirm Arima's situation personally later, but as for this arrogant voice, it would be silenced now.
The hidden figure was immensely pleased with itself.
It relished humiliating and deceiving those so-called great men who thought they ruled the shinobi world. Uchiha Madara was its proudest creation.
With a wave of Tobirama's hand, the Konoha forces surged across the river to engage the enemy.
Kumogakure troops weren't about to back down either. Though outnumbered, their overall fighting strength was on par with Konoha's.
The two sides clashed in a frenzy, turning the battlefield into a meat grinder.
Blood soaked the earth, and death came by the second.
"A river of blood…" wasn't an exaggeration, it was an understatement.
Tobirama was locked in combat with A. Both were high-speed fighters of comparable strength. Their duel quickly entered a stalemate.
Ginkaku and Kinkaku, meanwhile, were holding off multiple Jonin. Even Hiruzen and five others had to join forces to keep them at bay.
No one had expected the brothers to have held back so much strength. Even a full Jonin squad couldn't subdue them.
As the battle dragged on, the shinobi on both sides began to tire, and the pace of attacks slowed.
That's when the brothers' terrifying stamina showed. They fought like tireless machines, their attacks relentless. Hiruzen and his squad were exhausted.
Tobirama saw this and thought, 'This is bad. Ginkaku and Kinkaku are far too abnormal today. I have to get them off the field or Konoha's momentum will collapse.'
But A, a seasoned warrior, would not let Tobirama slip away so easily. He clung to him tightly, preventing any retreat.
Tobirama lived up to his legend. He unleashed one of his deadliest Water Release techniques.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Biting Explosion!"
Drawing power from the river, he created a massive vortex that erupted and swept outward. The riverbed was exposed, and multiple water dragons surged toward A.
A had no choice but to dodge. Even he couldn't withstand such force. The blast separated him from Tobirama.
Seizing the moment, Tobirama teleported directly to the Gold and Silver Brothers' location.
His goal was to move them into the Four Red Yang Formation barrier nearby. Four regular Jonin could seal them in once they were inside.
But he didn't have much time. He could already sense A approaching again.
Tobirama made his move, targeting Ginkaku's younger brother, Kinkaku, as the weak point.
Just as Tobirama touched Kinkaku's arm to mark it with the Flying Thunder God seal, a jolt of primal fear ran through him, his combat instinct screaming danger.
He tried to withdraw, but Kinkaku grabbed his armor with a malicious grin.
"Been waiting for you, Second Hokage."
In the next instant, Kinkaku detonated all the chakra in his body, becoming a living Tailed Beast Bomb. The explosion was cataclysmic.
The blast lit up the battlefield like the sun falling from the sky. Fire scorched everything within range, and a deep crater formed at the epicenter.
All combat stopped. The explosion stunned every shinobi present.
Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield. Neither side could see clearly, so both pulled back to either riverbank and waited for the dust to settle.
Some sensory ninjas could already detect what lay within the crater.
At the bottom lay both the Second Raikage and Second Hokage, unconscious and possibly dead.
Tobirama was encased in a massive humanoid armor formed from chakra.
With him were Hiruzen and the rest of his team, also shielded inside. The chakra construct had somehow withstood the blast.
A, on the other hand, had been knocked unconscious by the shockwave.
The incomplete Susanoo slowly dissipated. Its caster, Uchiha Kagami, coughed up blood and blood shot through his eyes.
He had taken the brunt of the explosion. His bones shattered, his life force on the verge of extinction.
The others rushed to catch him, gently lowering him to the ground. Koharu immediately began using medical ninjutsu to try and stabilize him.
But as misfortune piled upon misfortune, Ginkaku suddenly reappeared nearby.
The voice within him laughed triumphantly, "Clever as you are, you're still weak."
But before he could gloat any further, a young voice rang out from above.
"Who exactly are you calling weak?"
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