(And here's the next phase of the war.)
While Naruto and the Tengu were busy going at it in the village, the Foot, the Konoha ninja, and the four dragons were busy dealing with the Tengu Shredder's undead army and the Mystics, "Dynamic Action!" Guy called as he launched himself at several zombie warriors, delivering blow after blow, reducing them to nothing, "Never underestimate the power of youth!" he declared.
"No time for that now, Guy!" Kakashi called as he was fighting against three undead warriors.
"Curse you and your coolness for spoiling the mood, Kakashi!" Guy whined.
Kakashi formed hand signs and summoned his trademark move, "Raikiri!" he called as he drove it into the three undead warriors destroying them.
"Gatsuuga!" Kiba called, as he and Akamaru used their trademark move to take out some gargoyle demons.
Hun was blowing fire balls at some ogre's, who took the blasts blinding them, giving Neji a chance to strike with his 64 palms technique, "Good work, Neji." Tenten said and she launched her weapon assault at some gargoyles.
"Don't congratulate yet. They're still coming." Neji said noticing more minor demons were coming back for more.
"Leave this to me!" Haku called summoning ice spears from his arms and went into combat against the demons using the ice to slice and dice.
"That's good Haku, keep it up!" Zabuza called as he swung his sword decapitating twenty gargoyles in one blow.
Ino meanwhile was fighting against a few ogres alongside Sakura, "Ino what're the odds of us getting through this?" Sakura asked as she threw a punch to one ogre knocking him out.
"Your guess is as good as mine, but we're not giving up!" Ino called as she used her sword to cut off the arms and legs of the ogres disabling them.
"The mistress is right," A random male foot ninja said as he struck a blow to an undead warrior, "We've come this far together and it's how we're going to get through it. It's what the master would say."
"Correct, so let's keep on fighting and not stop until it's over!" Ino declared as she led the charge again.
So they all continued to fight protecting the village with their very lives, while the four dragons Hinata, Lee, Shikamaru, and Chouji fought the heralds while airborne, "You Konoha shinobi are very persistent to prolong the inevitable." The Fire mystic said.
"The only thing inevitable is your reign of terror ending!" Chouji called as he fought the Fire mystic head on, using his new speed to avoid any incoming fire blasts.
Hinata was able to lift a giant boulder and hurled it toward to Earth mystic, unfortunately the mystic punched right through it, "You'll have to do better than that human."
"And I will." Hinata activated her Byakugan beneath her Chikara Shredder helmet and attacked him using the gentle fist art. The Earth mystic cracked and dissolved into dirt but to the Hyuga's shock, he reemerged looking brand new.
Shikamaru was striking at the Water mystic, but every time he tried to strike a blow his attacks went right through the mystic's watery surface, "It is futile to truly fight us. We are more powerful than you could every hope to be!" The Water mystic boasted.
"That is where you are wrong," Lee said as he twirled Inazuma around, "We were trained by the Ninja Tribunal, ninja far superior to that of your kind!" he called as he unleashed a torrent of lightning from Inazuma at the Water mystic knocking him aside but he still got up.
Chouji who had gotten past the Fire mystic, started attacking the Metal Mystic, but the heralds metallic body was powerful enough to withstand the blows. Chouji was left opened as the Metal mystic used his staff to swat Chouji away, sending him onto the ground.
"We're not making a lot of effort against these guys." Chouji noted.
"I know they're demons representing some of the basic elements of nature." Shikamaru added.
Hinata who had been listening to them suddenly got a brain blast, "Guys, I got it! Remember our elemental Jutsu class at the academy?"
"Hinata I am not sure this is the time to remember our days as academy students." Lee replied.
"No wait, Hinata what do you have in mind?" Shikamaru asked opened for just about any suggestions.
"Remember how we learned about elemental affinity jutsus?" Hinata asked as she, Chouji, and Shikamaru recalled.
Flashback
In Iruka's class, the rookie nine were in the classroom seats listening to one of Iruka's lectures. This was a class during the time Naruto was studying on Oroku Saki, but also had been studying on the ninja worlds lessons as well,"Ok class who can name the five common elemental types of Jutsu?" Iruka asked. Only Naruto and Sasuke raised their hands, "Sasuke."
Naruto grunted wanting to have answered that, while Sasuke smirked and answered, "They are fire, wind, water, lightning, and earth."
"Very good, Sasuke." Iruka replied and Sasuke fan girls cheered while Naruto frowned and awaited the next lesson.
"Now can anyone tell me the strengths and weaknesses against one another?" Iruka asked and once again only Naruto and Sasuke raised their hands, while the fan girls were hoping Sasuke would answer another one, "Since Sasuke answered last time, Naruto give it a shot."
"Iruka-sensei why're you bothering? You know he's just going to get it wrong." Sakura bashed Naruto as he frowned.
"Yeah choose Sasuke again." A purple haired girl known as Ami added.
Naruto spun his head to look at them, "Silence!" he scared them, "Do not disrespect sensei's choice!" he turned back to face forward.
"Arigato Naruto, now would you please answer?" Iruka asked.
"Yes sensei, fire style jutsus are strongest against wind jutsu, as the usage of wind merely increases the strength of fire. Wind jutsu on the other hand in turn is stronger than the lightning element. Lightning jutsu is strongest than Earth, and Earth is stronger than water jutsu. Finally water based jutsu finishes the cycle by naturally winning over fire." Naruto explained calm and thoroughly.
Everyone looked in shock, and especially Iruka, "Naruto that's correct."
"Was there ever any doubt?" Naruto asked.
Suddenly Ami called, "You're nothing but a cheat you obviously read that off of notes Sasuke had prepared."
"She's right you should be ashamed for copying off of Sasuke." Sakura added.
Naruto frowned, turning back to them again, "You're the ones who should be ashamed for automatically accusing me of cheating when I'm clearly nowhere near Sasuke to read anything off of him."
"Naruto is right you two. That was a serious accusation to make and Naruto was correct on it all." Iruka disciplined them.
"We're sorry sensei." Sakura said.
"Well it's not me you owe the apology." Iruka replied motioning to Naruto.
Naruto raised his hand, "No need, sensei. I do not need words of apology on such a trivial manner such as this."
The students all looked at Naruto questionably at his choice in words until Iruka spoke up, "Anyway Naruto's answer was right, like the regular elements of nature the elemental jutsus work just the same." Iruka explained to them.
Flashback ends
"You're right, they are like regular elements." Shikamaru realized it.
"Yes, Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, and Metal." Hinata pointed out.
"Which means that their powers have strengths and weaknesses against each other." Lee said finally getting it.
"Well now that we know, let's do something about it!" Chouji said as they got ready along with all five mystics standing together before the four dragons.
"Have you four finally realized that defeating us and our master is futile?" the Metal mystic asked.
"Actually we were just about ready to settle this the old fashioned way." Shikamaru said as he and the other three dragons started getting covered with chi markings.
"Let's go!" Lee called as they attacked the Mystics head on throwing attack after attack getting some close to each other.
"This is courtesy of what we were taught about nature and elements!" Shikamaru called as the Fire mystic launched a fire blast at the lazy Nara, but this time Shikamaru using his tribunal abilities redirected the attack at the Metal mystic, "Fire melts metal!" he called as the Metal mystic melted.
"What?" the heralds gasped as the Water mystic fired a water blast at Chouji who ran around the water at hyper speed, catching it all and launched it for the Fire mystic, "Water puts out fire!" Chouji called as the water put the Fire mystic out destroying it.
"No!" the heralds called as the four dragons gained the upper hand.
Hinata rushed to the Earth mystic in hand to hand combat, until she grabbed him and threw him right into the Water mystic, "Earth swallows water!" she called as the ground and earth properties from the mystic swallowed up the water mystic destroying him.
The Wind mystic growled, and used his wind powers to attack three of the dragons, until Lee dropped in, "Wind scatters earth!" he called using Inazuma's lightning to knock the mystics wind right into the Earth one reducing it to nothing.
"And then there was one." Chouji said as they eyed the final mystic.
"You will not defeat me!" the Wind mystic called as he was about to flee until another wind blew him back, "Who dares to use my own element against me?"
"Me!" a female voice called and everyone looked up seeing Gaara using sand to levitate himself, Kankuro and Temari who used the wind to knock the Wind mystic back.
"What is this?" the mystic demanded.
"We are ninja of Suna!" Kankuro called.
"And we are here to help our friends here in Konoha," Gaara called, "As Kazekage you will not be allowed to escape your destruction!" he sent Suna shuriken shots at the mystic who used the wind to deflect them, which was merely a distraction as the four dragons got ready.
"All right guys, now this is it," Shikamaru began as the four powered up tribunal Shredders gathered together, "Together we shall silence the wind!" Shikamaru declared as they fired energy blasts at the Wind mystic.
"No!" The mystic cried, "You may have defeated me and my brethren, but our master will still reign supreme over this land!" he called before he vanished.
The Foot who were still fighting the undead soldiers on ground, looked up noticing the heralds were defeated. "The heralds are destroyed." Yoroi called.
"Maybe, but these guys are still here!" Misumi called still fighting against a gargoyle.
They suddenly saw explosions in the village from the other side and they could tell it was coming from Naruto and the Tengu Shredder, "Naruto's fighting the Tengu alone." Hinata gasped.
"We have to help him." Lee suggested.
"But what about them?" Shikamaru motioned to the Foot trying to fend off against the undead warriors and demons.
"Don't worry we'll help them. Now go help your master!" Temari ordered.
"You heard the girl. Our master needs us," Shikamaru said as the four dragons took off in the direction the explosions were coming from, 'Hang on Naruto, we're coming.'
(The Heralds have been defeated, but the Tengu still lives.)