The war between the Kaguya and Amamiya clans raged on like a storm that refused to die. Three battlefields, three infernos. And at the center of it all—Raizen, already stained in the mud and smoke of Shirohaku Forest.
"The next phase is yours," he ordered, voice sharp as steel.
"Yes, Raizen-sama!" replied Amamiya Wata, fists clenched in resolve.
Raizen gave a short nod. "Good. Don't die stupidly."
With that, he turned and vanished into the treeline, chakra flaring in controlled bursts.
The battle was going nowhere. No side could break through, and every minute bled men like water through sand. If this dragged on, both armies would drown in attrition—and Raizen had no intention of becoming another forgotten name in a clan's memorial tablet.
He'd already made up his mind before the war began: If the frontlines stall, I'll end it from the shadows.
Once he was far enough from the battlefield, Raizen slammed his hands together, molding chakra until the air itself hummed. "Clay Release: Bird of Heaven."
The ground rippled as white clay expanded, morphing into the shape of a giant bird. The creature let out a sharp, mechanical shriek before Raizen vaulted onto its back.
"Time to go ruin someone's evening."
The bird launched skyward, cutting through clouds of smoke. The Shirohaku Forest shrank beneath him as he flew toward the heart of Kaguya territory. Within thirty minutes, the Kaguya clan's fortified settlement appeared below—a sprawl of wooden homes and watchtowers lit by the orange hue of torches.
Raizen smirked. "Half their troops are at the front. Perfect."
He guided the clay bird in a slow descent toward the tallest building in the compound. His presence didn't go unnoticed. Alarmed Kaguya lookouts shouted and pointed at the strange creature in the sky, but none saw the rider crouched low on its back.
By the time they realized someone was up there, Raizen was already gone from sight—leaping onto the rooftop of their main hall.
Hand seals blurred. Chakra flared.
"Summoning Technique!"
A massive puff of smoke erupted, shaking the ground. When it cleared, a giant toad, easily the size of a tailed beast's limb, towered over the Kaguya stronghold. Its yellow eyes gleamed with battle hunger.
"Enemy attack!" came the shout, followed by dozens more.
The toad bellowed and swung its blade-sized tanto, cleaving a row of wooden buildings in half like toys. Fire and splinters filled the air. Civilians screamed and scattered while Kaguya warriors scrambled to respond.
"This isn't a raid," one shouted, "it's an extermination!"
Explosions rippled across the settlement as the Kaguya mobilized. Some dragged civilians toward underground shelters while the rest charged the summon head-on.
Their anger burned hot. This was their home. Their families. Their pride.
Kunai and shuriken filled the air in a deadly storm, mixed with the blinding flash of exploding tags. The toad roared, shielding itself with its arms as waves of fire and debris slammed into its hide.
On a nearby rooftop, Kaguya Kuma watched the chaos with cold calculation. His eyes narrowed on the toad's movements. "A Summoning Beast doesn't appear out of nowhere. The summoner must be close."
He turned to his men. "Find whoever did this. The beast is a distraction."
Meanwhile, the toad raised its webbed hands, fingers forming seals with surprising speed. "Water Style: Water Cannon!"
A torrent of water blasted from its mouth like a cannon shell, obliterating several Kaguya warriors and toppling nearby houses. The shockwave shook the entire village.
"Kill that monster!" Kuma roared.
Dozens of shinobi hurled kunai laced with detonating tags. A thunderous chain of explosions consumed the toad, fire reaching into the night sky. When the smoke cleared, the beast was kneeling—charred, wheezing, and barely holding itself together.
From his vantage point, Raizen clicked his tongue. "So much for subtlety."
He straightened, eyes narrowing. "Alright, big guy. You've done your part."
The summon heard his voice and leapt away, smashing through several more buildings before disappearing into smoke. The distraction had worked perfectly. The Kaguya stronghold was in chaos.
But that also meant every pair of eyes now turned to Raizen, standing alone on the rooftop.
"There! A kid?!" one shouted.
"That toad—he summoned it!"
"Who dares attack the Kaguya clan?!"
Then someone froze mid-sentence. His pupils widened as recognition struck. "Wait! That's Amamiya Raizen, the Amamiya patriarch!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd, quickly replaced by furious roars.
"The Amamiya patriarch himself dares invade our land?!"
"Kill him!"
In a single, unified cry, the remaining Kaguya shinobi surged forward like a tidal wave of rage and chakra.
Raizen exhaled, rolling his shoulders as lightning crackled faintly across his arms.
"Well," he muttered. "Guess I'm not sleeping tonight."
And then he dove into the storm.