Just as Uchiha Kiyo's body was stabilizing and he was honing his skills on a remote island, the entire ninja world grew increasingly tense.
Ma Jia's injuries healed within a seven-day recuperation period, and by the last two days, he had resumed his normal training. He was aware of the research findings passed down from the main body, knowing that re-cultivation was the most efficient approach.
"Besides, the main body's Wind Release training isn't at an advanced level—just two entry-level properties."
Ma Jia had no objections to recultivating from scratch. His identity specialized in Wind Release, yet the main body's proficiency in it wasn't exceptional. There wasn't much assistance he could gain from it.
Even now, the main body had just completed developing its wind attribute, and its refinement was not yet superior to Ma Jia's own.
In the final two days of his recovery, Ma Jia did not focus on elemental transformation but instead trained in Wind Release ninjutsu.
This time, the village wouldn't let his efforts go unrecognized; they rewarded him with a few powerful jutsu.
Wind Blade Technique, Wind Snare, Vacuum Blade...
These were the Wind Release techniques specifically prepared for Ma Jia by the village.
Among them, Wind Blade Technique and Wind Snare were techniques he had not previously trained in, so he couldn't instantly grasp them and needed further practice.
Fortunately, with the experience of learning ninjutsu through the main body—especially the perfected small chakra cycle theory—his training was far more efficient.
Within just two days, Ma Jia had mastered the basics of both jutsu.
Additionally, he received a Body Flicker Technique scroll, privately gifted by a shinobi named Sha.
Ma Jia was deeply grateful.
With this scroll, he could now properly utilize the Body Flicker Technique in combat, significantly boosting his speed and survivability.
After completing his preparations, Ma Jia, Gui, and Kong—now officially recognized as a squad—returned to the battlefield.
Half a Month Later
"Maga, the atmosphere has been extremely tense lately. What did Lord Sha say?"
The tension in the frontline camp had been suffocating. Today, it felt like an impending storm. Gui finally couldn't hold back his curiosity.
"Lord Sha mentioned two days ago that the village might be planning a major operation soon."
Gui and Kong didn't need further explanation. They both understood what that meant.
"A full-scale battle..."
Gui's voice trembled, a mix of fear and faint anticipation.
The war had dragged on for too long. Was peace finally within reach?
For these low-ranking ninjas, the outcome of the war wasn't their main concern. What they longed for was peace.
Being stationed on the frontlines for so long had worn them down.
Win or lose, they simply wanted the war to end.
Their superiors understood this. Even high-ranking officials knew the war couldn't be prolonged indefinitely.
The Second Shinobi World War had already stretched too far. The constant tension of life-and-death battles eroded the mental and physical endurance of every ninja, even those below the rank of Jonin.
Even Uchiha Kiyo himself had returned to the village for a month and a half during the war to recuperate.
Although rumors of a decisive battle had circulated for some time, it was still unexpected when the official order arrived.
Suddenly, Ma Jia received a command from the village:
"In four hours, launch the final battle!"
Sometimes, war announcements came without warning.
Ma Jia immediately began restoring his chakra and stamina.
Even though his shadow clone was in control, he dared not be careless.
After all, this was the body that would enter battle. Ensuring peak condition was crucial.
---
The Final Battlefield
The decisive battle was set to take place on the vast plains between the opposing frontline camps.
This time, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure personally led his troops into battle.
Under his command, the Sand Village ninja army marched forward in full force.
On Konoha's side, although the Third Hokage had not arrived, the front line was spearheaded by Orochimaru, Tsunade, White Fang (Sakumo Hatake), and the three clan heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio—a force just as formidable as Sunagakure's.
Led by Senju Shigeru, the Konoha ninja forces also set out.
The battle was imminent.
There was no lengthy build-up. As soon as both sides clashed, chaos erupted.
White Fang immediately engaged Chiyo, locking her down in a duel. His swift, precise blade movements countered her puppet techniques perfectly, demonstrating just how devastating he was against puppet users.
Even though he had only recently advanced to the Kage level, he still managed to suppress Chiyo.
Chiyo's Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu were not to be underestimated. Each puppet, when controlled individually, rivaled the strength of an elite Jonin. When used together, they could unleash Shadow-level combat power.
Yet, despite this, she was still being overwhelmed by Sakumo Hatake, a man who had been a Kage-level fighter for less than two months.
Aside from Chiyo, Sunagakure had two additional Kage-level combatants—the Third Kazekage and Ebizō.
Unlike his sister Chiyo, Ebizō wasn't a particularly powerful combatant. His true strength lay in his intelligence and strategic mind.
Ebizō faced off against the three heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans.
These three had trained together since childhood, forming an unbreakable bond. Their teamwork was impeccable, and together, their combined combat ability rivaled that of a Shadow-level ninja.
Additionally, Nara Shikaku, the tactical genius of Konoha, constantly countered Ebizō's strategies, keeping the battle in check.
If battles elsewhere relied on raw power, this clash was a contest of pure intellect.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru and Tsunade took on the Third Kazekage.
Known as the strongest Kazekage in history, the Third possessed incredible strength.
His Magnet Release: Iron Sand allowed him to manipulate iron particles at will, shaping them into deadly weapons or forming impenetrable defenses.
Fortunately, neither Orochimaru nor Tsunade relied on metallic weapons, making them less susceptible to his magnetic techniques.
Even so, the two of them—along with their summoned beasts—were merely holding their ground against him.
Tsunade, in particular, had to divide her attention.
While White Fang suppressed Chiyo, he couldn't completely neutralize her poison techniques.
Tsunade deployed Katsuyu, which divided into numerous smaller slugs to administer healing jutsu across the battlefield.
Her medical prowess even allowed her to temporarily suppress the effects of poison, ensuring Konoha's forces remained combat-ready.
Despite the intense battle between these top fighters, they instinctively kept their fights away from the main battlefield.
This prevented Chiyo's poison from spreading uncontrollably, reducing casualties among Konoha's forces.
---
Ma Jia on the Battlefield
For most Jonin and lower-ranking shinobi, battles were scattered across the battlefield.
Ma Jia exhaled in relief.
"As long as no Kage-level fighters intervene on our side, we have a chance."
Without the interference of top-tier warriors, Ma Jia knew he would be relatively safe.
While he was strong, he understood the nature of large-scale battles—personal strength meant little when overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Even Jonin could be taken down by waves of well-coordinated attacks.
Avoiding unnecessary risks, Ma Jia fought conservatively, targeting only clear vulnerabilities.
His strategy was simple—drag the battle out.
Let exhaustion set in. Let the chaos stabilize.
And when the battlefield reached its tipping point…
That's when Ma Jia would make his move.
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