By the time Raizen finished his declaration, Uchiha Tajima and Senju Butsuma had already been neutralized, and Raizen vanished in a flash, leaving their attacks to collide harmlessly in midair.
"Time-space ninjutsu…?" Uchiha Tajima's eyes widened, realization dawning, but reality didn't allow him a moment to dwell. Senju Butsuma immediately lunged at him, forcing Tajima to curse under his breath and react with all his skill.
By the riverbank, Madara and Hashirama watched Raizen disappear, his words lingering in their minds. Madara's expression twisted in inner struggle, while Hashirama's determination sharpened, eyes glinting with unshakable resolve.
"I want to honor our original promise… to build a village named Konoha in the forest beneath the cliff!" Hashirama muttered, unwavering. He resolved that no matter the paths Madara and he would walk in the future, this goal—to end the endless war of the Warring States and create a peaceful home for all clans—must come true.
With that, the Uchiha and Senju forces finally paused. Neither side could claim victory instantly, so continuing the battle was pointless. After their confrontation, all six combatants disappeared along the riverbank.
Raizen ascended with the Flying Thunder God Technique, surveying the quiet river from above, letting out a weary sigh.
"I thought something could change… but it all ends in opposition," he muttered, recalling the fracture between Madara and Hashirama. The old dream of peace under the cliff now felt almost like a cruel joke.
Yet, Raizen's resolve remained unbroken. He crouched by a large rock, drew kunai from his belt, and etched a message into its surface:
"To build a village without war in the forest under the cliff is a promise and a belief — Amamiya Raizen!"
He left the river behind, the stone standing silently as a testament. Perhaps one day, one of the three would return to see it.
Back at the Amamiya residence, Raizen found the clan already mobilizing. Ninjas scurried, preparing for a major operation.
"What's going on?" Raizen asked sharply.
"Young patriarch," a ninja replied respectfully, "Patriarch Gen has ordered all family forces to converge on the Beiman Valley. The remaining Ueshi clan members must be eradicated!"
Raizen's eyes narrowed. The Amamiya had been hunting the Ueshi clan for some time, yet Ueshi Masahiro had always slipped away. Now, finally cornered in Beiman Valley, Gen demanded a full extermination.
Raizen considered the operation briefly and then nodded. He would join the strike. The clan's enemy was cunning, and Raizen's skill would ensure none escaped.
With the patriarch's consent, Raizen joined the encirclement. Beiman Valley, north of the Amamiya stronghold, was the final hiding spot for Ueshi Masahiro. But when Amamiya ninjas moved in, their combined force reached the valley in half an hour. By the time they arrived, screams of death already echoed through the mountains.
The Warring States period left no room for mercy. The Amamiya would wipe out the Ueshi clan entirely, leaving only Masahiro, two Jōnin, and seven desperate ninja struggling to survive.
The war was cruel. There was no honor in defeat—only survival, or death.