In an instant, Tatsuya's Sword blade was engulfed in an enigmatic black flame, a distinct difference from merely overlaying the Amaterasu flame on the sword.

Upon closer examination, one could discern that the flame originated from within the blade.

Tatsuya redirected his gaze, lifting Zanpakuto to demarcate the boundary between the Cloud Shinobi pursuing them and Konoha's group.

"That flame feels somewhat different from before," Rin reflected inwardly.

The black flame rose high alongside a pitch-black sword aura, cascaded with relentless force. Everything in its path turned into a purgatorial battlefield, as fragile as tofu, crumbling to pieces.

"Shikaku, quickly release the shadow imitation technique!" Akamichi yelled in panic upon seeing the roaring flames hurtling toward them.

Nara Shikaku mirrored the same urgency and promptly severed the connection between A's feet and the shadow. Simultaneously, they both lunged forward, evading in opposite directions.

Just as the shadow imitation technique was lifted, they retreated, narrowly dodging the surging sword slash. The roiling flames and sword slash raced by like a chariot, between the two parties. Any delay of a second would have resulted in dire consequences.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh!"

However, not everyone possessed the strength and fortune of A and Nara Shikaku. Many Cloud Shinobi, engrossed in pursuing and capturing Konoha fugitives, failed to detect the impending attack in time. They either met their demise directly by the sword slash's tearing or found themselves engulfed in a sea of flames, desperately rolling their bodies on the ground to extinguish the flames.

The black conflagration continued to intensify, spreading to others and growing more ferocious.

A crevice over a kilometre long emerged, simultaneously giving rise to a nearly ten-meter-high flame barrier that completely separated Konoha from the Cloud Shinobi.

"Cross this line, and you die," Tatsuya's voice resounded, devoid of any intentional menace, yet resonating clearly in the ears of the Cloud Shinobi army, bearing a palpable air of inviolable deterrence that dissuaded them from venturing a step closer to the wall of fire.

"Bastard!" A clenched his teeth, fully aware that, with his physical prowess, breaching the barrier was feasible. However, the Cloud Shinobi were rendered powerless. The pursuit was evidently at an impasse.

"This time, we've emerged victorious!" A pivoted, seizing the opportunity to invigorate the troops. He raised his right arm and shouted to the many Cloud Shinobi behind him.

Despite not penetrating the Land of Fire's territory, Konoha's commander had been nearly killed in their first battle. Furthermore, Cloud Shinobi had sustained only about one-fifth of the casualties incurred by Konoha in this battle—a resounding victory.

"Oh oh oh!!!"

The numerous Cloud Shinobi, initially stunned by Tatsuya's swordsmanship, now heard A's rallying cry. Fear, previously lodged in their hearts, transformed into the elation of victory. They all brandished their blades, fervently shouting in unison.

...

...

The first battle had concluded. This initial clash on the battlefield between Konoha and the Cloud Shinobi had ended in a devastating defeat for Konoha.

Of the 1000 Ninjas dispatched, nearly 700 had perished. When Hyuga Hizashi who had remained in the stronghold town witnessed Danzo's missing arm and the bloodstained comrades returning, they were met with the grim reality that only 30% of their compatriots had survived. A stunned silence enveloped them briefly before they gradually snapped out of it and hurriedly tended to the wounded, ushering them into the medical room.

Surprisingly, the number of injured wasn't exceptionally high. Those who had been injured had essentially not managed to escape the pursuing Cloud Shinobi. Their survival could be solely attributed to Tatsuya's final strike, which had scared both Cloud Shinobi and Konoha to the extent that they temporarily suspended hostilities.

Notable among the survivors was Hyuga Hiashi, who had suffered a severe beating at the hands of A. Hyuga Hizashi stood outside the medical department's camp, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the surgery.

Next to him, Akamichi Choza bared his chest, seeking assistance from a nurse to bandage a flesh wound inflicted by A's lightning-style jutsu. Perhaps his ample girth had formed a natural protective barrier, preventing harm to his internal organs. In contrast, a leaner individual might have lost half his lungs.

Shikaku, luckier in comparison, had only sustained a few knife wounds. After a few stitches, he was in relatively stable condition.

"Deputy Commander Shikaku, the casualty count for this battle is as follows..."

As Danzo remained in surgery, the logistics ninja tasked with tallying the casualties reported to Shikaku, who gestured for the report to continue.

"A total of 657 deaths on the battlefield, comprising 482 civilians: 48 from the Hyuga clan, 31 from the Nara clan, and 31 from the Yamanaka clan... Some are in the Surgery room and will recover in a week, and 19 severely injured shinobi cannot fight."

Upon hearing this grim set of statistics from the logistics department, Shikaku couldn't contain his frustration any longer and slammed his palms forcefully onto the nearby desk. Choza and Inoichi taken aback, watched in surprise.

As the strategic mind behind the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and Konoha as a whole, Shikaku's uncharacteristic outburst left them both startled.

Rin, who was assisting with IV infusions, quickly steadied the IV bottle and cautioned, "Master Shikaku, please be careful."

"Fetch me a pen and ink!" Shikaku ground his teeth, glaring at the logistics team. He had been holding this sentiment in for far too long.

Not far from the base, another operating room was guarded by a group of Shimura clan ninjas who knew precisely what was transpiring inside.

"Master Tatsuya," they greeted with lowered heads as Tatsuya passed by. In contrast to the typical cliche where security guards view the protagonist disdainfully, these Shimura ninjas held great respect for Tatsuya. They had no intention of provoking someone who meant no harm.

"It's a shame Tsunade isn't here," Tatsuya mused, not just to himself but also to the Shimura ninjas. However, they appeared oblivious to the meaning behind Tatsuya's words, assuming he lamented Tsunade's absence due to her not being able to replace Danzo.

Tatsuya's real regret stemmed from Tsunade's unavailability, as it meant he couldn't swiftly kill this old manipulator in the operating room.

Doctors are the best assassins after all. The antidote is made from poison.

Nevertheless, circumstances had taken an unexpected turn. Who would have anticipated that Danzo would suffer such a swift defeat, losing his arm to the A after only two attacks? Despite his scheming nature, Danzo displayed a thorough understanding of battlefield dynamics. But in front of A, he lost his arm like a rookie.

READ 40 CHAPTERS AHEAD ON P*TREON.C*M/MARIONI