Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 524 Encirclement

The Jinchūriki clashed with the masked man's team, causing an uproar at the Allied Forces headquarters.

Those who withdrew from the fourth front quickly poured into the first front. They immediately started a cleanup campaign, clearing out a portion of the forest, relying on the principle that more people mean more power.

Without the cover of the forest, the few exceptionally fast Edo Tensei resurrected individuals finally had nowhere to hide. They were quickly cornered by the well-organized team, overwhelmed by a massive amount of ninjutsu, and ultimately became the new bundles of cloth.

The toughest front, the First Front, was finally over, but bad news came from the Third Front. As night fell, many White Zetsu began to use their camouflage abilities. Although headquarters had issued warnings, some people were still caught off guard and fell victim. Even worse, White Zetsu had infiltrated the area where the medical unit was stationed. Fortunately, that was where the "East Wind" sensory team had the most members, and a quick search was conducted, so no doctors were harmed.

As for how many earth-shattering ninjutsu clashes the observers on the fourth front actually observed, headquarters had become too lazy to care. As long as those two didn't suddenly turn their attention to other battlefields, that was enough.

The investigation into the true identity of the Sixth Hokage has temporarily ceased, since those two are truly indispensable on the battlefield.

With the real Naruto's return, the mobility of the entire Allied Forces greatly improved. The personnel on the fourth front were able to quickly transfer to the first front thanks to that person's assistance. Even more outrageous is that although Naruto was an Edo Tensei, the one left on the fourth front was clearly a clone. After such a large-scale troop transfer, he still existed and even engaged in joint battles with some ninjas on the first front before disappearing.

The importance of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki goes without saying. Sasuke is not only a crucial fighting force against the masked man, but also an important tool for using his senses to identify White Zetsu. With his presence, the third front has a chance to end the battle as soon as possible.

In large-scale wars, the end of the battle doesn't mean they can simply leave. The battlefield needs to be cleaned up; no one wants their comrades lying dead in the wilderness, nor can they allow enemies to rot in the ground, as that could easily lead to outbreaks of disease.

Therefore, after confirming that no reanimated creatures had been missed on the first front, a small team was left behind to clean up the battlefield, while the rest, along with the samurai squads, headed towards the battlefield where the Jinchuriki were located. They would pass through the third front along the way, and if the battle on the third front was still ongoing by then, they would also pour into the battlefield as support.

Once everything was arranged, they had time to check on the Mizukage team responsible for protecting the five daimyo. After discovering that they hadn't encountered any enemy attacks, they decided to have the five kage gather and go into battle.

However, there were no Jinchuriki team members nearby connected to the communication network, and Naruto's clone on the first front had also disappeared. If they wanted to contact the other side, they would have to rely on Sasuke's clone, who was busy to death on the third front. It seemed a bit unfair to do that... Just as they were struggling with this, a ninja suddenly appeared in the center of the headquarters. The ninja removed his disguise, and his golden spiky hair was particularly eye-catching.

"I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but we can't wait any longer." Minato Namikaze's appearance, clearly in his reanimated form, shocked almost everyone present.

A few smart people were prepared when they saw the First Hokage, and sure enough, the second former Hokage appeared.

"Minato, you've finally arrived." Tsunade knew some of the inside story and wasn't surprised at all when she saw Minato. If she didn't know his identity, how could she have been so confident in assigning tasks to the Allied Forces?

The Raikage glanced at Tsunade again. Being surrounded by the Hokage was a bittersweet feeling. Each Hokage was a ninja capable of standing at the pinnacle of the ninja world; with their involvement, the balance of power in the war might tilt directly in their favor. But the thought that Konoha had silently orchestrated such a massive undertaking without prior notice to their allies sent a chill down his spine.

The Hokage are certainly reliable if they are allies, but if they are enemies, that would be a terrifying thing.

“The first battlefield caused some delays, so I’m a little late.” Minato nodded to the two Kage who remained at headquarters, then immediately knelt down in front of Inoichi, asking him to connect the communication network to him.

The moment Haiyi reached out, an indescribable energy surged into the communication network. Haiyi was surprised to find that the burden on him had lessened considerably, the range of communication had expanded, and even the signal had been strengthened.

Is this the coalition's communication?

Before Haiyi could speak up, a familiar voice rang out.

"Lord Naruto?"

"Uncle Hai, why are you calling me that too? Never mind, this isn't the time for that. The fact that you were able to contact me means Dad has arrived at headquarters."

Yes, we're ready to provide support. Naruto, how's the situation on your end?

"We've already started fighting, and it's a stalemate, but the advantage is on our side. We've separated the enemy; they'll soon fall one by one. The only one who should be troublesome is the one wearing the mask."

Okay, we'll bring the Five Kage soon, let's try to finish the fight tonight.

〖Okay, just send it according to my coordinates. Looking forward to your feedback~〗

Although communication had ceased, Inoichi could sense an extremely bright dot appearing on the network, right in the middle of the Jinchuriki's battlefield. Naruto had joined the network so readily, almost taking over the central position! When did this kid learn the Mind Transfer Technique?! Did Ino teach him? This technique isn't that easy to learn!

Inoichi was internally frantic, but he still had to relay the information from the communication network. Knowing the situation on the Jinchuriki battlefield, the Five Kage immediately approved the support plan. The Allied Forces' mobility couldn't keep up with the support, and besides, they had already fought a day of intense combat and needed rest before continuing. Meanwhile, three of the Five Kage, who hadn't yet deployed, were full of energy and it was the perfect opportunity for them to step in and perform.

What are we waiting for if we don't take down the masked man now? If the one on the fourth front escapes, things will be even more complicated!