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The light of ninjutsu flickered intermittently, illuminating the night as roars echoed more frequently, and a strong wind swept through. In just a few minutes, the dust covering the battlefield was blown away.
At this moment, the environment on the battlefield was fully revealed.
White Zetsu could be seen emerging from the ground one by one. Some charged fearlessly toward the Konoha shinobi, while others altered their appearance upon emerging, transforming into the likeness of Konoha shinobi to attempt a sneak attack.
"Mind Body Transmission Technique!"
The Yamanaka clan shinobi had prepared in advance. These Yamanaka shinobi used the Mind Body Transmission Technique, refined by Ishigami Hara, to link the minds of several teams on their side, particularly targeting the Hyūga shinobi.
Then, through the Yamanaka shinobi as secondary nodes, the minds of the Hyūga shinobi connected to other shinobi, creating a unique local area network.
Numerous similar LANs spread across the battlefield, each initiated by Yamanaka shinobi. They served as the center and relay station, synchronizing everyone's thoughts and ideas so that what the Hyūga shinobi saw could be relayed to all.
"Thirteen meters to the left, that person is an enemy—eliminate him quickly!"
"Six meters ahead, there's a White Zetsu one meter underground!"
"Seven meters to the rear right, three White Zetsu are changing their appearance—proceed with caution!"
"XX, retreat! A Fire Release jutsu is incoming from twenty-six meters away, and you're in its path."
"XX, you can use Wind Release to attack."
"XX-kun is injured, please provide cover immediately!"
Using the Mind Body Transmission Technique, the minds of several teams of 20 to 30 shinobi were often interconnected.
The Yamanaka clan shinobi used this connection to analyze the situation across the field and make the most accurate responses.
Just like commanders with an overview of the situation, each suggestion received immediate action.
The collaboration among the teams was seamless, and the battle gradually leaned toward a one-sided outcome.
Similar scenarios unfolded throughout the battlefield. Yamanaka clan shinobi accompanied the Hyūga shinobi, protecting them and coordinating small units, highlighting their strategic importance.
The same applied to Hatake Sakumo.
Although he advanced at the front and had separated from the main force, the Yamanaka clan shinobi connected to his mind as well.
In that instant, his vision shifted, and an additional image appeared in his mind, displaying the perspective of a Hyūga shinobi who had arrived shortly thereafter.
This time, Hatake Sakumo was even more formidable. His body paused briefly, then he swiftly rushed in another direction, as he saw in his mind's vision that over a hundred White Zetsu were hidden underground there.
While advancing, Hatake Sakumo formed a one-handed seal, a nearly standard action for Konoha shinobi in battle.
"Lightning Release: Ground Walk!"
Thrusting his short blade into the ground, lightning surged from Hatake Sakumo's body. With a crackling sound, the lightning coursed from the blade directly into the earth.
If the ground were cut in cross-section, the flow of these currents would be visible. They spread like tree roots, reaching over ten meters deep, with each electric tendril finding one or more targets.
With one technique, all the White Zetsu hiding underground were obliterated.
Unsteady only for a moment, Hatake Sakumo's figure flashed, transforming into lightning as he moved to the next location.
Behind him, the battle continued, its intensity reaching unknown levels. To boost morale, the Yanamaka ninja connected to Hatake Sakumo's mind loudly reported his kills.
"Sakumo-sama has slain 117 White Zetsu in a single strike!"
"Sakumo-sama has killed another 13 White Zetsu!"
"Sakumo-sama defeated 22 White Zetsu with Lightning Release Ninjutsu!"
"Sakumo-sama..."
Each announcement filled the Konoha shinobi with excitement. With such a commander, everyone's morale surged.
Hatake Sakumo's charge remained unbroken.
It was as though he wanted to unleash all the pent-up killing intent he had held back over the years in this single battle.
Without pause, he moved like a flash of lightning across the battlefield.
From front to back, from left to right, he rushed to every corner, taking down any enemy in his path while aiding his comrades whenever needed.
As time passed, he had rescued over thirty companions. The Yamanaka ninja eventually cut the connection to others, taking the Hyūga ninja along to follow Hatake Sakumo, essentially becoming his dedicated support.
The Hyūga ninja provided Hatake Sakumo with Byakugan vision, while the Yamanaka ninja maintained the connection among the three. This coordination yielded remarkable results.
As about half an hour passed, the situation on the battlefield became clearer.
Initially, a massive combined ninjutsu wiped out many White Zetsu—over a thousand, at least.
Hatake Sakumo alone had taken down at least six or seven hundred.
Adding the efforts of the other Konoha shinobi, the White Zetsu's numbers had dropped to under five thousand in just over half an hour.
On the other hand, although Konoha had suffered casualties, the number did not exceed five hundred.
These losses were not insignificant at any time, yet for this battlefield, they were tolerable.
Among the less than five hundred casualties, fewer than two hundred were fatalities, while the remainder were injured and subsequently retired from battle.
Upon retreat, they received treatment from medical ninjas.
As time went on, Konoha's advantage became increasingly apparent, and the balance of victory tilted toward Konoha.
The battle continued from late at night until dawn, with the battlefield expanding multiple times.
Although the White Zetsu showed no fear, after suffering heavy losses from Konoha, they began pulling the battle line apart, attempting to disrupt Konoha's coordination.
But it was to no avail. With Yamanaka shinobi connecting the teams and Byakugan vision seeing through White Zetsu's intentions, their plans were futile.
At dawn, the battlefield gradually quieted down.
Standing atop a mound, Hatake Sakumo looked down over the field, scanning it. Then, he raised his short blade and shouted, "Everyone, we won!"
"Oh, we won, we won!"
"Hahaha, this is incredible!"
"Amazing work, everyone! This war was won so decisively!"
Cheers erupted among the shinobi.