Ding!
The sharp crack of steel echoed as bone spurs clashed against kunai.
Raizen's arm jolted under the impact — his muscles stung, his fingers went numb.
The Kaguya shinobi grinned through bloodstained teeth.
"Die!"
Raizen exhaled sharply. "Yeah, no thanks."
He slammed his hands together, vanishing in a flash of golden light — the mark of his Flying Thunder God seal sparking to life.
The Kaguya's strike hit empty air. His face twisted, scanning wildly.
Where—?
Too late. The sound of wind slicing flesh came from behind.
Raizen's kunai pierced clean through the man's chest, the blade humming with chakra.
"Kh—ah..."
The Kaguya's breath gurgled. He looked down at the kunai jutting from his heart, disbelief freezing his features before he collapsed in the mud.
Their commander — dead in an instant.
"Commander Kyōhei-sama has fallen!"
The cry spread like fire through the ranks.
The Kaguya warriors faltered.
The Amamiya line seized the moment — surging forward, kunai flashing, shouting their clan name through blood and smoke.
Still, the Kaguya were no small clan. Their pride was ancient and monstrous.
For every shinobi that fell, two more filled the gaps.
Soon, the battlefield was a roaring, endless tide again — a plain of steel, blood, and screams.
Raizen's chest heaved.
Three hours of continuous fighting. His chakra was burning down to the dregs.
Every swing of his kunai felt mechanical now — automatic.
No hesitation. No thought. Just muscle and survival.
He bit into a ration pill, forcing himself to keep moving.
If this keeps up, we'll be bled dry before sunset...
He parried another strike, twisted, and cut his attacker down. The man fell without a sound.
This stalemate won't end on its own.
Raizen's gaze hardened.
He gathered the last surge of chakra into his palms — spinning, molding, compressing.
A pale light flared between his fingers.
"The Kaguya Clan... just die already!"
The white flash erupted across the field.
A cone of annihilation tore forward — disintegrating everything it touched into glittering dust.
For a moment, even the screaming stopped.
Under Raizen's desperate attack, the tide finally shifted.
The Amamiya took the upper hand.
"Hold the line! Don't let them regroup!"
The Kaguya Jōnin roared, rallying his men, but panic had already begun to spread.
Raizen panted hard.
Even with his stamina, the Dust Release was draining him fast — his arms trembled, veins bulging.
He steadied his breath, preparing to strike again—
"Raizen-sama!"
A voice cut through the chaos.
An Amamiya scout sprinted up, armor torn, voice hoarse.
"The western flank! They can't hold much longer!"
Raizen's face darkened. Damn it.
If one side fell, the enemy could flank the main camp. Even without attacking, they'd trap them in a pincer.
"What's Gen-sama's order?"
"Patriarch Gen asks for support!"
Raizen clenched his jaw, sweat stinging his eyes.
"Tell him to hold for one more hour. I'll finish this front and reinforce him myself."
"Yes, sir!"
The messenger bolted back through the carnage.
Raizen exhaled sharply. An hour. That's all I need.
He scanned the battlefield, then raised his hand.
"All Amamiya shinobi — fall back!"
Confused glances spread across the line, but orders were orders.
The Amamiya began to withdraw in formation, blades still ready.
The Kaguya, seeing their retreat, shouted triumphantly and charged in pursuit.
"Idiots," Raizen muttered, biting his thumb.
He slammed his palm onto the bloodstained earth.
A burst of smoke exploded.
"Summoning Technique!"
A massive toad emerged with a thunderous croak — armor glinting, eyes burning gold.
"Toad Zhan," Raizen said, voice rough but steady, "this is it. If we lose here, the Amamiya fall with me."
The toad nodded solemnly. "As long as you still call, Raizen-kun, I'll answer."
"Then let's finish this!"
The toad leapt, crashing into the enemy ranks. Its massive blade swept in a wide arc, cutting down dozens in one swing.
Raizen's hands formed new seals, sage markings blooming around his eyes.
The ground trembled as chakra gathered again, brighter than before.
"Sage Art—Dust Release: Primary Realm Stripping Technique!"
The air distorted — reality itself trembling.
Raizen felt searing pain rush up his arms, but he refused to falter.
The blinding white sphere expanded, humming violently, then roared forward like a falling star.
The battlefield vanished in light.
When the glare faded, there was silence.
A smoking crater spread before him — the Kaguya formation wiped out.
Raizen staggered, barely keeping his footing. His chakra reserves screamed empty.
Still, he smirked weakly.
"An hour, huh... better make it count."