Konoha: The King of Souls

The Konoha forces were divided into four fronts, with the overall battle strategy and coordination overseen by the Konoha leadership led by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The battle between Kumogakure and Konoha was commanded on the frontline by Orochimaru. The Kumo forces had already broken through the Land of Hot Water and were stationed at the borders of the Land of Fire.

The battles against Sunagakure and Iwagakure, fought in the Lands of Rain and Grass, were commanded by Jiraiya and Tsunade as the primary and secondary commanders, respectively.

Although Tsunade suffered from hemophobia, her role as a commander was not hindered.

As one of the greatest—if not the greatest—medical ninjas in the world, she had means to address her phobia. Through advanced medical ninjutsu, Tsunade could adjust her retinal pigment nerves and alter her olfactory perception.

This allowed the red of blood to appear differently to her eyes, while the scent of blood would be muted, enabling her to fight normally.

Of course, such precise adjustments required time, which Tsunade did not have before the Sannin battle in the original storyline due to the sudden nature of the events.

The battle against Kirigakure was led by the clan leaders of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, who served as the primary and secondary commanders, respectively.

At this time, the Uchiha and Hyūga clan leaders were not Fugaku Uchiha and Hiashi Hyūga but their fathers.

The Kirigakure front was unique compared to the others. While the other battlefields were predominantly composed of civilian ninjas with clan ninja support, the Kiri front was the reverse: clan ninjas formed the core, supported by civilian ninjas.

This battlefield was also located within the Land of Fire. Kirigakure had already occupied the Land of Whirlpools, which had been a battleground for Konoha and Kiri during the First and Second Ninja Wars.

The Third Ninja War posed the greatest threat Konoha had ever faced. A defeat on any front could trigger a chain reaction, leading to total collapse.

Namikaze Minato, thanks to his Flying Thunder God Technique, acted as a rapid-response unit, frequently traveling between battlefields, primarily focusing on the most dangerous fronts against Kumo and Iwa.

Now that Konoha Village itself was under attack, it was unthinkable for Minato not to return.

As a one-man army capable of instantly eliminating fifty Iwa ninjas, his arrival on the battlefield was a game-changer that could decisively tilt the scales.

With battlefields spread so widely, Minato wasted no time assisting other ninjas and instead headed directly to the area with the most intense activity.

This location was a mountainside on Kikyo Mountain, where ten elite Jonin from Kumo and Suna were besieging Hiruzen Sarutobi.

For this attack on Konoha, Kumo and Suna had not deployed Kage-level combatants but instead sent a large number of Jonin.

There were two reasons for this:

To pin down Konoha's Kage-level forces on the frontlines, preventing them from returning to defend the village. To minimize risks, as they were uncertain of Konoha's defensive strength at home.

If Konoha's remaining forces were too strong, retreating from deep within the Land of Fire would become nearly impossible.

Kage-level combatants were the backbone of a village's strength, and losing one would be an immense blow.

A single Kage-level ninja was more valuable than several Jonin. Typically, it took six or seven Elite Jonin working together to challenge a ordinary Kage-level opponent.

An individual Jonin facing a Kage-level ninja would only last a few rounds before being defeated. The power disparity was vast.

Ten well-coordinated Elite Jonin could potentially hunt down a Kage-level ninja.

Unfortunately for them, their opponent was Hiruzen Sarutobi in his prime, with peak physical strength, combat experience, and mastery of ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu.

Even while outnumbered ten to one, Hiruzen not only avoided injury but also gained the upper hand, injuring four of the Jonin.

Given time, Hiruzen would have defeated all ten, barring any mistakes.

However, eliminating all of them would have been challenging. Experienced Jonin could scatter and escape, making it difficult for Hiruzen to capture them all.

Minato's arrival tipped the scales decisively.

As a ninja, Minato did not concern himself with notions of honor in battle. Taking advantage of an opportunity to strike was part of a ninja's code.

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, a space-time ninjutsu, for ambushes was devastating. In an instant, four of the Jonin were taken out as Minato slit their throats.

With only ten Jonin initially, losing four instantly shattered their formation and morale.

Seizing the moment of shock and disarray, Hiruzen deployed four shadow clones and unleashed his signature technique: the Five Elements Grand Volley. The technique obliterated five more Jonin.

The sole surviving Kumo Jonin, realizing the dire situation, attempted to flee but was swiftly cut down by Minato.

After a brief exchange of words with Hiruzen, Minato headed toward Kikyo City, while Hiruzen and his clones moved to support other areas.

The combined reinforcements of Minato and Hiruzen shifted the battle for Kikyo Mountain firmly in Konoha's favor. Victory was now only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Gen was unaware of Minato's arrival. He was diligently hunting enemy ninjas, harvesting their souls and lifespans.

While the lifespans harvested by the Soul-Soul Fruit could not be used to extend his own life, they served as a power source for his Homies.

Plant-based Homies could sustain themselves, but those made from inanimate objects required external energy.

Human corpses could not be imbued with souls, nor could souls be transferred into living humans.

After harvesting seven souls, Uchiha Gen became even more efficient at his task, developing new methods.

He imbued the ubiquitous trees of the forest with souls, bringing them to life.

These animated trees turned the forest into Uchiha Gen's hunting ground, where intruders and those lured in met their end as their souls and lifespans were drained.

Combatants caught off guard by these living trees stood no chance, especially mid- and low-ranked ninjas from Suna and Kumo.

Gen prowled the edges of his hunting ground, avoiding direct confrontations and maximizing his safety and rewards.

By the afternoon, with the allied forces of Suna and Kumo defeated, many surrendered or fled.

Surviving the retreat was no easy task. Those attempting to escape had to evade Konoha's pursuit teams and reinforcements returning from the frontlines.

Launching a surprise attack deep within the Land of Fire was difficult, but escaping alive was even harder.

By the end, only a small fraction of the allied forces managed to flee, with Konoha's expert trackers in relentless pursuit.

During the chaos of the enemy's retreat, Uchiha Gen harvested numerous disoriented ninjas.

Those who lost their composure fell prey to ambushes by his tree-like Homies, immobilized and drained.

Calmer ninjas fared no better, as Gen's Nightmare Abyss Genjutsu shattered their resistance.

The combination of fear-inducing Genjutsu and the Soul-Soul Fruit proved devastating, exploiting the weaknesses of nearly everyone.

By the end of his harvest, Gen had claimed exactly 69 souls—a number both symbolic and intriguing—all belonging to ninjas.

Most were lower-ranked, but they were far stronger than ordinary human souls.

Though the exact difference was unclear, as Gen had never harvested ordinary souls, their value was undeniable.

After securing the area and collecting his rewards, Uchiha Gen returned to Kikyo Mountain.

He had delayed long enough—any longer, and others might think he had perished.