The river roared beneath the moonlight, a long, silver throat swallowing rocks and time. The Kaguya clan's "water fortress" floated in the middle of the current — a crude outpost built from thick logs and chakra seals, its guards half-awake and dreaming of home.
Five Kaguya shinobi trudged along the narrow deck, yawning as the mist curled around them. They were stationed upstream, where the current was fastest — a natural defense the clan had relied on for generations. No one ever attacked from here. The river was too wild, too unpredictable.
Which is why, of course, the guards were lazy tonight.
"Hey, Ash-nii," one mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "You think those Amamiya rats really beat us fair? I heard their clan was nearly wiped out once."
Kaguya Ash — a broad-shouldered man with the bone-white eyes of his bloodline — shrugged. "Word is their new patriarch's something else. Killed our old chief himself. Guess the weak don't stay weak forever."
The younger ninja snorted. "Then what about us? Every fight lately's been a disaster. People are whispering, saying we might actually lose."
"Who knows?" Ash muttered. "Battlefields turn faster than rivers. Nobody can say who wins until everyone's dead." He grimaced suddenly, clutching his stomach. "Tch. I'll go take a leak. Keep watch."
"Relax, Brother Hui," the other chuckled. "Who'd be dumb enough to sneak up the river?"
That confidence aged poorly.
Ash stepped down to the riverbank, unfastened his belt, and let nature take its course. The rush of water drowned every sound — or it should have. Somewhere in the darkness, the current grew quieter, heavier, like it was holding its breath.
A ripple stirred beside him.
He didn't notice. He was still whistling.
The ripple swelled into a splash. Then the splash twisted, condensed, and took the vague shape of a man — water folding into muscle, chakra solidifying the outline.
By the time Ash turned his head, the figure was already there.
A sphere of water slammed over his skull, sealing his scream inside. His body thrashed once, twice — then went limp. The sphere tightened, cracked, and burst in a fine red mist.
The river claimed him without a ripple.
A moment later, the "water clone" shimmered, its shape tightening into the image of Kaguya Ash. It adjusted its patrol vest, wiped the blood from its sleeve, and walked calmly back up the ramp.
"Brother Hui, what took you so long?" one of the guards called lazily.
"Stomach issues," the clone replied with a friendly grin. "Actually, check that direction — thought I heard something."
"Huh?" The guard turned his head — and felt a flash of pain before darkness swallowed him. The clone caught the body gently and lowered it to the deck.
Below, the water churned.
Shapes rose from the depths, silent and shimmering. One by one, they burst from the surface and clung to the underside of the platform, dozens of shadows moving like reflections come alive.
By the time the next guard spoke, there were already too many ghosts in the river.
"Kaguya Ash, what's going on over there?" another voice called.
"Nothing," the clone said, tone smooth. "Just a little stomach problem."
The guards relaxed again — for exactly five seconds. Then came the wet slap of footsteps, the whisper of steel. Shadows climbed from the river in clusters, human shapes forming out of spray.
"Kaguya Ash?" one guard began. Then he saw the dozen figures materializing beside "Ash," blades gleaming under the moonlight. His breath froze.
"Enemy attack!"
The warning barely left his mouth before a kunai pierced it. The attackers moved like mist — silent, lethal, unbothered by pain. The three remaining guards didn't last ten seconds.
Then the river erupted.
Hundreds of shinobi surged from the water, their forehead protectors flashing in the dark. Over five hundred ninja, storming the Kaguya fortress like a flood made of flesh and vengeance.
The outpost lit up in chaos. Kaguya soldiers scrambled to defend, firing off bone lances and water jutsu in panic. Explosions shook the bridge, sparks tearing through the fog.
But the first wave of infiltrators — those dozen silent ghosts — refused to fall. They blocked every path, trading their lives for seconds, carving open space for the main force.
By the time the Kaguya realized what was happening, the enemy was already inside their walls.
The river had swallowed its first fortress whole.