Third Division

The of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Also known as the.

History
With the separation of the Great Battle Regiment into five distinct detachments, those in the Third Division gathered together in a linear formation and begin to converse amongst themselves, where a concerned Sakura Haruno and Rock Lee anguished over Might Guy's current condition in light of the forth coming battle. It is only after Gaara, heeding Kakashi Hatake's prior recommendation, concludes his heartfelt speech, does the entirety of the Allied Shinobi Forces finally begin to manoeuvre into their respective positions in preparation for war.

Advancing ahead of the army's main contingent, the Third Division observes the distinctive red flare belonging to the Surprise Attack Division just beyond the Land of Frost's border, indicating that they require immediate assistance. Arriving just in time to intercept an elite cell from Akatsuki (consisting of Haku, Zabuza, Gari of Iwagakure and Pakura of Sunagakure), a brief yet admirable discussion ensues recollecting previous encounters between the opposing sides. However, while the remainder of the division awaits their commander's signal, a drastic alteration in the atmosphere surrounding the resurrected shinobi denotes the beginning of a fierce confrontation.

Identifying the particulars of a number of their current opponents, the distanced company attentively listens to Kakashi's assertions over Haku and Zabuza's demise despite the latter's instance for him to cease, which concludes in Kakashi resolving to heed his foes' final request to stop them no matter what it takes, as their humanity has already been lost. Warned about the respective Kekkei Genkai possessed by their adversaries as the battlefield is enveloped in thick fog, each of the battle squadrons adopt individual Manji Formations under the direction of their commander, to better protect themselves utilizing the now essential sensor shinobi. However, despite these precautions, their enemies' expertise results in a substantial quantity of deaths in just the initial moments of the conflict. As Gari and Pakura's inclusion continues to pay dividends, with the slaughter of various shinobi before they have an opportunity to even react, lesser experienced members of the division begin to falter, forcing Guy to intervene and remind them of the horrible truths of war. Just as Kakashi then grasps the enemy's tactics with a favourable strategy in mind, Kabuto Yakushi summons the previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist to overwhelm the remaining forces.

The resurrected shinobi then begin to lay waste on the division, further thinning their numbers. With casualties mounting, Kakashi comes up with a plan to deactivate the Hidden Mist Technique used by Zabuza but when he gets close enough to attack him, Kabuto uses Haku as a human shield, mirroring the events back at their first encounter. Kakashi was injured, but Maki was able to bind Haku's and Zabuza's bodies, ending the Hidden Mist Technique.