Chapter 98: Deadlock
On the other side, Pakura was accompanied by four Shadow Guards, and they coordinated seamlessly. All of them were elites among Jōnin, worthy of becoming Shadow Guards. Together, the five successfully blocked Sakumo's attacks.
The Flying Thunder God Technique was rendered less effective as they consciously kept their distance. Despite opening four of the Eight Inner Gates, Sakumo had not managed to land a single kill since the battle began. Instead, he had sustained a slight injury from Pakura's Scorch Release. Both sides were worn down—Pakura and the Shadow Guards were all injured and visibly tense.
Sakumo retrieved several Military Ration Pills from his ninja gear bag, placing one in his mouth, biting it into pieces, and swallowing to replenish his depleted chakra. With determination in his eyes, he kept moving. A sudden flash of brilliance crossed his gaze.
"Kenjutsu: Sky Shatter!" he exclaimed.
A green streak slashed through the air with a thunderous sound, hurtling toward one of the Shadow Guards.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Wind Release: Blade of Wind!"
"Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
The remaining guards quickly reacted in unison to counter his attack. Sakumo's blow narrowly missed, slicing past the guard's ear. An ear fell to the ground as Sakumo, forced to avoid their Ninjutsu, missed his intended target once again.
Meanwhile, the ninjas on both sides continued their fierce battle across the battlefield. Screams echoed constantly as the fight raged. The clash lasted from dawn to dusk before both sides finally retreated, leaving behind a sea of blood and lifeless bodies.
As night fell, the moonlight illuminated the desert battlefield, where giant scorpions feasted on the remains. Exhausted, both the Suna and Konoha forces rested in their camps, unable to spare time for the fallen.