June 4th
Twenty‑three ships cut across the misty sea like a swarm of hungry sharks, carrying nearly 2,000 shinobi. It was Kirigakure's vanguard fleet.
But they were not unified.
They were a collection of unruly clans, each acting for their own gain: Funato clan, pirates masquerading as ninja clan; Karatachi clan who were ambitious and politically opportunistic; Kaguya clan who were well-known bloodthirsty bersekers; Minor bloodline clans hungry for loot; mercenary samurais and rogue ninjas who pledged to Kiri only in name; and a few Hozuki clan who joined for profit.
They volunteered for the vanguard position not out of loyalty, but because they believed they would be the first to loot Uzushio's treasures.
Gengetsu had fed them half‑truths: that Konoha is spread thin, besieged in all fronts by Iwa, Kumo, and Suna; that half of Uzumaki elites left to reinforce Konoha; that Uzushio is at its weakest in centuries.
But he conveniently omitted: that Konoha sent reinforcements; that Uzumaki has formidable barrier network and sealing formations covering the island; And the fact that the vanguard was meant to be sacrificed.
On the flagship, Kaguya Taira, clan head of the Kaguya clan, stood at the bow. His eyes stared greedily on the island like a starving wolf and his lips curled into a crazed smile.
Behind him, the Kaguya warriors of 400 strong, stood in rare disciplined silence. But those who knew better could tell that they were rabied animals on leash called Kaguya Taira.
"Let the fools rush in first," Taira murmured. "Let them bleed and we will reap the rewards."
He had no intention of being the first to step onto Uzushio soil. He knew the Uzumaki better than anyone else in the fleet.
1,000 shinobi from the lesser clans and mercenaries rushed ashore.
They cheered and laughed, mocking the incompetence of the "tiny island nation." They faced no challenge during the landing, which was arguably the most dangerous and arduous part of the invasion.
They confidently pushed inland toward the treeline.
And then—
A deep, resonant hum rippled through the earth as black calligraphic patterns revealed themselves.
Uzumaki seals awakened.
Uzumaki Barrier Formation: Whirlpool of Ten Thousand Chains
万鎖渦陣 — Mansaku Jinjutsu
The beach erupted. Black ink chains shot from the sand, chakra‑draining mist burst from the ground, explosive seals detonated in layered waves, and binding seals immobilized dozens at once as barrage of kunais and shurikens rained from hidden launchers.
Screams filled the air.
"W‑What is this?!" "My chakra is being drained!" "Retreat! RETREAT!" "Where are the sensors?! Why didn't they detect— AAAAAH!"
In a span of three minutes, nearly 700 shinobi were dead or incapacitated. The remaining 300 staggered back toward the beach, only to find the sea behind them had turned into a sealing barrier.
They were trapped.
Taira clicked his tongue.
"So the Uzumaki still have their fangs." He then turned his head. "What are you doing Akashi! Fugura!"
Two ships pulled alongside the flagship.
Ships carrying a blond haired muscular middle aged man and a short youthful looking light green haired spearman pulled up on starboard and portside of the flagship.
Funato Akashi, a blond, muscular middle‑aged man lounging arrogantly on the chaise lounge, smirked.
"Heh! Taira-dono, what are you doing then?"
Karatachi Fugura, a youthful spearman with pale green hair and a sinister smile, sitting on the railing with his legs hanging, added from the portside.
"Karatachi clan is simply following your lead. Taira-dono."
"Hmph!" Taira snorted in disdain and raised his hand.
"Kaguya! Advance!"
Four hundred Kaguya warriors lunged forward with anticipation. They too were excited from all the bloodlust lingering in the battlefield.
About fifty activated basic Shikotsumyaku. Bone blades protruded from their arms, shoulders, and knuckles. It was not as refined as true Shikotsumyaku inheritor, but deadly enough.
The rest, took arms with Kunai, sickles, and katana.
They tore through the weakened seals, smashing through the first layer of Uzumaki seal defenses.
Taira's eyes narrowed.
"There. The weak point."
He pointed toward a cluster of trees where the sealing lines converged.
"Break through! Kill the sealers!"
The Kaguya followed Taira and charged.
They broke through the first barrier and successfully shattered the second as rest of the vanguard recovered their morale and joined the assault. 300 Funato, 200 Karatachi, and 50 Hozuki shinobis followed closely behind them.
They reached the third—
And then the forest exploded with movement.
From the treeline: Earth spikes erupted from the ground. Torrents of water jets spearheaded from the front. Fireballs rained from above. Shurikenjutsu barrages sliced through their ranks. And Shadow clones swarmed their flanks.
Kaguya Taira's eyes widened.
"K‑Konoha?!"
His face contorted with rage as he muttered with blood shot eyes.
"Gengetsu… you bastard…"
He realized it instantly. They had been set up. The vanguard was never meant to win. They were meant to die.
Taira roared as bone armor erupted across his body.
"KAGUYA! FORM UP! WE FIGHT OUR WAY OUT!"
But the Senju and Uchiha pressed hard.
Fire blurred their vision, Seals and water hindered their mobility, and Earth spikes and Lightning spears pierced the bone armor.
And then—
A crimson blade cut through the battlefield.
A teenager with crimson eyes and a blood‑red sword carved through Kaguya elites like paper.
Their proud bone spears and armors were cut thoroughly as the sword melted them. Funato shinobi tried to hinder his movement with water prison but the jutsu vaporized instanlty and he was beheaded. Even the Karatachi's prized Suiton: Meikyō Shisui 水遁・明鏡止水 (Water Release: Clear Mirror Still Water), shattered instantly before the Uchiha swordsman.
Taira intercepted him with a massive bone shield around his arms.
"UCHIHA!"
The crimson blade sliced halfway through Taira's forearm before coming to a stop. But his bone continued to sizzle. Taira grimaced, regenerating bone as fast as he could.
"EVERYONE RETREAT!"
He turned—
And saw the swordsman was just a boy.
"What—"
His arm intersecting with the blade began to glow.
BOOM!
Smoke engulfed the battlefield.
An armless, bloodied figure with burst out of the smoke, joining the ranks of retreating Kiri forces.
In the end, Taira managed to break through the encirclement with little less than fifty Kaguya clansmen flanked by Funato Akashi and Karatachi Fugura an their clansmen and few Hozuki clansmen.
They sprinted toward the beach, bloodied but alive. Akashi unleashed a stream of water wave and pushed the ships back into the water, as the rest leaped on board.
"We return to the main fleet! Warn Morikawa! Warn—"
Taira froze midway and looked down. A spearhead protruded from his chest. He grabbed on to it with his sole remaining arm and turned his head slowly.
"Ka… Karatachi… Fugura… YOU—"
PUchi!
Fugura twisted the spear as Taira collapsed to his knees.
He slowly turned his head as energy drained his body. Behind him, the remaining Kaguya were being executed. One by one, by Funato, Karatachi, and Hozuki clansmen.
"You joined…Gengetsu?"
Fugura wiped his spear with a cloth.
"Clan Head Taira. The era of clans have passed. It is time for us to ride on a new era. The era of Shinobi Village!"
Taira tried to rise. Bone spikes erupted feebly from his shoulder, but he was exhausted, bleeding, drained, and armless.
Fugura beheaded with a single motion
Kaguya Taira's head rolled across the deck.
Funato Akashi crossed his arms, face twisted in frustration.
"…Funato clan also pledges allegiance. But we want no part of this war beyond this."
The Hozuki nodded.
"We will inform Mizukage‑sama."
Then their leader disappeared into the sea.
By dawn:
Of the 2,000 vanguard, fewer than 150 survived.
Most were captured or sealed. The Kaguya clan lost its entire Taira faction. The beach formed a graveyard of bones, chains, and scorched earth.
And far out at sea, on the deck of the main fleet's flagship, Kaguya Morikawa stood at the bow.
He felt it, the death of his clan head.
He closed his eyes.
"Taira‑dono. You forced the village down this path. You reap what you sow"
His opened his eyes as cold light gleamed.
"Watch me well from above, as I lead the Kaguya into the new era."
The main fleet continued forward.