Night had fallen over the forested foothills where Amamiya Tian and Raizen led their contingent to camp. Smoke from the bonfire curled lazily into the dark sky, and for the first time in hours, the tension eased ever so slightly.
"Brother Tian… how long until we reach the Daitō Temple clan?" Raizen asked, eyes flicking over the dancing flames.
Tian glanced up, expression calm. "At this pace, half a day, maybe. We rest tonight, and by noon tomorrow, we should arrive."
Raizen grunted. He thought about the Kaguya clan—if they'd attacked Daitō Temple earlier today, maybe there'd be no rescue needed at all. Small clans weren't exactly bulletproof; a determined strike could wipe them out in hours.
Tian read his silence and patted Raizen's shoulder. "Don't overthink it. Kaguya doesn't move that fast."
Raizen shrugged. "Fine, whatever you say."
By noon the next day, the Amamiya force arrived at Daitō Temple. They were welcomed with a grand reception, a rare moment of relief amid the looming war. Yet even in this welcome, Raizen could feel the undercurrent of tension. The Kaguya clan had already sent their ninjas to strike at Hefeng Gorge, and a small skirmish had erupted there. Without Amamiya support, Daitō might have already been in trouble.
After a brief night of rest, the Amamiya deployed their ninja toward Hefeng Gorge. Along the way, they exchanged greetings with Hatake Gintama, a local defender who had lingered to scout the area. By noon, the force reached the gorge, and Daitō Temple's defenders met them.
The commanding officer here was Daitōji Kiying, a sharp-eyed Jōnin. He spread a map across a boulder, tracing the positions of his ninja with calculated precision.
"The Kaguya clan will hit Hefeng Gorge first, then the upstream river. Our troops hold the gorge. We're strong enough, but upstream is lightly defended." Kiying explained, his hawk—literally, a trained eagle—perched on his arm, signaling positions with quiet precision.
Amamiya Tian straightened. "The Huaxing ninja should be here soon, right?"
Kiying nodded. "Yes. They've taken the upstream river. That's a minor skirmish. Our main concern is handling Kaguya at the gorge."
A young Daitō scout asked, "When will Kaguya attack?"
Tian's lips pressed thin. "Three days at most. Even if the rebellion was swift, those they suppressed are regrouping. Kaguya must strike fast to consolidate control."
Raizen nodded inwardly. Reasonable. Kaguya's apparent dominance wasn't absolute—once their suppressed allies recovered, their advantage would erode. The clan had to strike now, before their enemies could stabilize.
The ninjas of both clans debated strategy late into the afternoon. They had no concrete intel on Kaguya's numbers or abilities, so defense was the priority. Offensive plans would come after observation.
But Kaguya had other ideas. That night, before full preparations were complete, waves of Kaguya ninja charged Hefeng Gorge. The defenders froze momentarily—panic nibbled at the edges—but Daitō's eagle screeched the alarm:
"Enemy attack! All ninjas, engage!"
Ninja of both clans drew kunai, adopting defensive stances as Kaguya's forces descended.
"Earth Style units, ready!" Kiying commanded. Two dozen ninjas advanced, chanting hand signs. Their palms pressed into the soil, and the solid rock ahead turned instantly to loose mud.
"Water Style, forward!" Another unit rushed in, slamming hands together. The mud became a quagmire, swallowing the path and slowing the enemy advance.
"Blade troops, attack!" Kiying barked. Kunai arced into the night like rain, tearing the air with sharp whistles, a deadly storm.
The Kaguya ninja met the quagmire with contempt. Some stepped into it, others laughed, confident in their superior speed and strength. Blood heirs with enhanced bone veins weren't easily slowed by mud, and even the rain of kunai was more nuisance than threat to seasoned warriors like them.
Raizen watched from the side, lips twitching in a half-smile. Classic. All the fancy defenses in the world, and they still think they can stop these guys with mud and knives. Welcome to Warring States shinobi warfare.
Even so, the gorge was alive with tension. Each side gauged the other, every movement a test of reflex, strength, and cunning. Raizen could feel it in his bones—this battle would be decisive. Not just for Daitō or Amamiya, but for the balance of clans in the valley.