"Father!!! Please, someone help my father!"
A 20-year-old man cried out for help, but no one seemed to notice amidst the chaos and bloodshed inside the Auction House. Everyone mourning the loss of loved ones was too consumed by their grief, especially Ashina Uzumaki, who had just lost his father, the respected head of the Uzumaki Clan.
"I'm so sorry for your loss..."
Nearby, Yoichi simply shook his head, while Butsuma offered a comforting pat on Ashina's shoulder, honoring Oyama, the clan leader and recent victim.
In a sudden attack from the Hagoromo Clan's fire techniques, the Fuma Clan's shuriken skills, and the Kaguya Clan's bone projectiles, Oyama hadn't even had the chance to recover or take his Chakra Pills before he was overwhelmed with injuries.
"Hagoromo! Fuma! Kaguya! I swear I'll have my revenge!" Ashina shouted, his anger boiling over as he clenched his fist, his eyes bloodshot.
In the Naruto world, breaking the cycle of hatred was no simple task. The past loomed large, with countless reminders of sins stacked up like dominoes, affecting future generations. This ongoing cycle resembled a long-standing domino effect. While Black Zetsu lit the match for the ensuing chaos, humanity had to face the consequences of their desires and ambitions.
"Everyone, let's move out…" Yoichi announced. "We need to start our search for answers with these clans that conspired together. We'll leave in five minutes…"
As he spoke, the others exchanged looks and nodded in agreement. They were determined to uncover the reasons behind the alliances with the rebels, particularly Tajima, who felt betrayed by both the Fuma Clan and the Hagoromo Clan.
Given the injuries and trauma of the daimyos, these collaborator clans were bound to struggle to find missions. Even setting foot in the Land of Fire would mean that clan members would face a lot of challenges while trying to navigate the towns.
In other words, they fucked up.
Upon reaching the battlefield, the once-vibrant forest was transformed into a scene of utter devastation. Flames licked at the trees, the ground turned to muck, and the air was thick with the odor of blood, while the ninjas, hardly distinguishable, lay strewn about, swarming with flies and maggots.
"Yoichi-sama! There are still a lot of people fighting deep in the forest!" one of the shinobi observed the expansive green landscape and picked up on the shifting Chakra deeper in the woods.
"Thanks for letting me know," Yoichi replied. "Alright, everyone, let's move out!"
With that, Yoichi and the group quickly made their way through the battlefield, each lost in their thoughts and questions.
->->->->->
"Kosuke! We need to pull back! Where are Jinpachi and Juzō?!"
"Saizō! What happened to the Miyoshi Brothers?!" Anayama Kosuke was deep in thought, but then she saw the weariness in Saizō's eyes. "Did those two monks really die? No way—they're not that easy to take down, even for us!"
"I get that, but it's the truth! We've got to reach those two maniacs—it's time to go! The elite from each clan will show up any minute now!"
With Unno and Mochizuki Rokurō beside him, Saizō decided to retreat, although Kosuke seemed uncertain at first. Eventually, she let out a series of urgent chirps, a signal meant to summon her teammates back to base.
Even though they had the numerical advantage, the heavy losses and extensive resources made them a hot potato for senior officials. With more powerful enemy reinforcements on the way, their situation was becoming increasingly dangerous.
"What's going on?! We're having fun too—" Yuri Kamanosuke relished the chaos of the fight, his figure soaked in blood, but frowned as he heard the command to retreat.
"We need to pull back! Right now! All the elite clans have been put on alert with the daimyo's order! Don't defy me this time, Yuri and Jinpachi!" Saizō felt a pounding in his head, a sign of the stress from his teammates.
"Water Release: Water Colliding Wave!"
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
As fiery spheres and crashing waves surged onto the battlefield, Senju Butsuma and Uchiha Tajima made their dramatic entrance, instantly wiping out or drowning the rebellious fighters with powerful
techniques from their mighty clans.
"Saizō! Kosuke! They've arrived!" Mochizuki Rokurō conveyed the news with his keen instincts, while those around him winced. "Unno and I will provide cover for our escape with shurikens and bombs! Just go!"
"Shuriken Jutsu: Five Point Explosive Kunai!"
"Secret Technique: Red Carpet Explosion!"
As the techniques were unleashed, a thick cloud of phosphorus smoke enveloped the insurgent group, while a ghostly figure swiftly moved across the battlefield, instilling fear.
"The Phantom is here!"
"We are saved!"
"HAHAHAHA! Run, you motherfucking cowards!"
As he made his triumphant entrance, the assembled armies of the clans felt a wave of joy and relief. From the esteemed leaders of the Senju and Uchiha clans to the formidable figure of Yoichi, their excitement about the upcoming battle grew significantly.
"Let's go, everyone!" Butsuma shouted, energizing the crowd as he gestured enthusiastically and charged into the fray, while Tajima simply rolled his eyes at his competitor's dramatic display.
Conversely, the revolutionary faction scattered in various directions, trying to distance themselves from the overwhelming confidence of their adversaries. Yet, in every group that fled the area, Yoichi's presence crushed any hope of survival as the merciless onslaught left behind a heap of lifeless bodies.
"Hey, Unno and Mochizuki Rokurō..." With their bothersome explosives in hand, Yoichi chose to confront these pests hiding away, while the duo seemed to tighten up, their eyes fixed on his position, ready for action.
"Phantom Dispersion Technique!"
"Where are the others? Have they pulled back from the fight?" A cold shiver ran through them as they activated their Body Flicker technique, leaving their explosives behind. In that tense moment, Yoichi appeared right where they were, seemingly out of nowhere, leaving them startled by his afterimage.
"How is that possible?! We're far away from you!"
Unno Rokurō couldn't comprehend what had just happened while Mochizuki kept a wary eye on their surroundings, closely watching Yoichi's afterimage. They knew someone like Yoichi couldn't be easily defeated by a simple strike, but they hoped to at least injure or incapacitate their mysterious foe.
"Good attempt..." A voice emerged from the forest as a figure slowly stepped into view. "But still, not enough."
'No injuries or any signs of damage... Is this really a human?'