For a master swordsman like Sakumo Hatake, who relied not oal ninjutsu but on the sheer strength of his taijutsu and unparalleled swordsmanship, there were few natural ters. However, Mag Release was undoubtedly one of the exceptions, a deadly nemesis that left no room fotiation. After all, no matter how extraordinary a bde might be, it was still made of iron.

  "This truly is a magnifit sword! Worthy of the legend of the 'White Fang of Konoha,'" Jinghang remarked, admiring the famed on as he toyed with it. At this moment, the on's owner y slumped in a er, coughing up blood. In the colpsed fortress, only a handful of Konoha shinobi were still breathing. Hundreds of their elite rades y scattered in pools of blood, their bodies littering the floor and walls. The pu stench of blood filled the air, suffog the space.

  The tral fortress of Lishi spanned roughly 600 square meters. Jinghang's tre for his Mag Release: Iron Sand extended up to 800 meters. With so many people crammed into this semi-enclosed space, it ractically a battlefield designed for Jinghang. In su enviro, there was o run or hide. Jinghang released all twelve tons of iron sand he had sealed in scrolls. Just as Sakumo Hatake prepared to deliver his final strike, Jinghang filled the fortress with his iron sand.

  "To the Konoha shinobi across from me, you are now surrounded by just one man," Jinghang thought with dark amusement.

  What followed was a se of horror. tless bck iron sands surged like a torrential flood from all dires. In an instant, the massive fortress transformed into a sughterhouse, akin to a washing mae spinning its tents mercilessly. The bck "flood" carried broken kunai and shuriken, rolling and r through the crowd. Amidst the chaos, the air was filled with the agonized screams and desperate cries of Konoha shinobi.

  Some reacted quickly, attempting to retreat, only to find their escape routes already cut off. After a few futile leaps, they were pierced by the swirling iron sands. Others tried to ter with Water Release or Earth Release teiques, hoping to halt the bck tide. But the flood came from all dires, rendering their defenses futile. Water Release teiques like Water Dragon Bullet barely slowed the iron sands, while Earth Release walls crumbled like paper before the overwhelming force. These attempts were no more thaing bubbles in a raging torrent, vanishing without a tra moments.

  This battle became the defining moment for Jinghang, the Third Kazekage. Among Konoha shinobi, a chilling saying began to circute:"If you smell the st of iron while fighting a shinobi from Sunagakure, retreat immediately—you might still survive. But if you see bck iron sand on the ground, your name is already on the Reaper's list."

  It wasirely fair to bel Jinghang as cruel. After all, in wartime, the battlefield ce of life ah. Moreover, as a neointed Kazekage, bloodshed was necessary to establish his authority, both internally aernally.

  "Keep him alive; he might still be of use," Jinghang said, iing Sakumo Hatake, whose eyelids he flipped open to check.

  "Uood, Kazekage-sama," replied Kumogi Akasuna, kneeling respectfully. At this point, he was utterly vinced of the might of the Third Kazekage.

  "I'll go clear out the remaining stragglers outside. You all take a rest," Jinghang said as he turo leave.

  "Be careful, Kazekage-sama. We've set some traps around the perimeter," Shuki Akasuna reminded him.

  "Oh, really?" Jinghang responded nontly, f hand seals to create several shadow es.

  Land of Wind, Nightcry Sand Sea FrontlineIent, Chiyo was adjusting the prosthetic limb she had just crafted. She flexed her fingers, her face showing mild dissatisfa. Pig up a screwdriver with her left hand, she began making modifications.

  As the wife of the First Kazekage, Reto (yes, this is acc to my research), Chiyo had witnessed her husband's rise to power, uniting the s and founding the vilge with his unmatched strength. She had watched every brid stone of Sunagakure being built, and she loved the vilge as if it were her own child. Uhe elderly woman who feigned death in Shippuden, this Chiyo, though over fifty, was still fiery and strategic, much like her te husband.

  In the vilge's leadership, Chiyo was the head of the militant fa. She had strongly supported the Sed Kazekage Shamon's pn to ihe Land of Rain. The Land of Wind, with 80% of its territory bei, was resource-scard pgued by internal strife. Although Reto had uhe region, poverty and scarcity remained. Even during the First Kage Summit, Reto had chosen to acquire only oailed beast rather than spend money on another. Why? Because they were poor!

  The Land of Rain, however, was ri resources and strategically positioned between Iwagakure and Konohagakure. trolling it would not only alleviate Sunagakure's eic struggles but also provide a strategic advantage.

  But now...

  "Let’s hope little Jing turide," urmured to herself, staring at the flickering dlelight.

  "a, the supplies have arrived!"

  "To the left a bit... Yes, that's it. A little more," Jinghang directed Pakura, who was using her Scorch Release fireballs to melt the iron sand into molteal. They were repairing the colpsed fortress by filling its gaps with molten iron.

  "Pour!" Jinghang anded.

  Sizzle! Rasa spshed a bucket of cold water onto the molteal, which immediately solidified.

  "Good. That should do it," Jinghang said, satisfied with the results.

  Rasa had worked effitly, arriving at the fortress with 3anized jonin in just a day and a half. Though the battle was over, intelligence from interrogated prisoners suggested that Konoha might unch a sed wave of attacks. Jinghang decided it was better to front the enemy here at the border than risk colteral damage to Sunagakure. Using several tons of iron sand and Pakura's Scorch Release, Jinghang had essentially welded a half-iron shell over the partially colpsed fortress, signifitly enhang its defenses.

  "This is only a temporary fix. The wind and sand here will corrode the iron quickly. We'll o reinforce it with bricks and mortar ter," Jinghang remarked.

  "Uood, Kazekage-sama," Rasa and Kumogi nodded in agreement.

  "Alright, everything here is more or less settled. Rasa, you'll oversee the fortress's defenses. Kumogi, you're still rec, so you'll assist him," Jinghang said, donning his goggles and ing his fa a scarf.

  "You're leaving already?" Kumogi asked, surprised.

  "After the loss Konoha suffered here, their leadership will think twice before attag Lishi Fortress again. They know our reinforts have arrived, and without the element of surprise, their westward advan loses its meaning. The real battle now lies in the Nightcry Sand Sea," Jinghang replied, pointing southward.

  "By the way, Kumogi, you have a son, don't you?" Jinghang asked as he gathered chakra to prepare for departure.

  "Yes, Kazekage-sama. My son, Sasori of the Red Sand, just turned five this year," Kumogi answered early.

  "Sasori of the Red Sand, huh? How about this—ohe war is over, I'll take him as my godson. What do you think?" Jinghang said with a fident smile.

  AnnouAdvanced chapters have been updated to Chapter 56. Thank you for supp my work! Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

  patreon./DarkGolds