The waves rolled dark and heavy beneath the gray dawn. Dozens of battered ships cut across the sea, the Kaguya banners fluttering one last time in the cold wind.
On the shore, Amamiya Raizen stood among the silent ranks of the coalition. Behind him, smoke still rose from what had once been the Kaguya stronghold. The Amamiya banners snapped against the salt air.
The fleeing ships were little more than dots now, dissolving into the horizon.
"History caught up again," Raizen murmured, his tone flat. "The Kaguya flee across the sea, find the Land of Water, rebuild, and rise… only to get wiped out in the end. Fate's a persistent bastard."
He'd forced the timeline to twist and coil, yet somehow, it still slithered back to its original path.
Even in another life, even in this blood-soaked sandbox, history refused to die.
Raizen exhaled. "Withdraw."
The word carried over the surf, cutting through the weary ranks.
The coalition shinobi began to pull back, weapons dragging through the sand. The war between the Amamiya and the Kaguya was finally over. The Amamiya had won.
For the first time, their clan stood among the great names of the Warring States — no longer an afterthought, but a power to be feared.
Still, victory tasted… complicated.
Even as the troops cheered, tension coiled in the air. The Amamiya knew they had earned most of the credit — and most of the spoils. The Katori and Daitō clans, once proud allies, now eyed the Amamiya with quiet unease.
They all wanted a piece of the Kaguya's legacy — their trade routes, their forges, their mines. Everyone smiled, but the knives stayed hidden just under the table.
Raizen noticed it all. He wasn't blind. Alliances built on profit were sandcastles in a storm.
But he wasn't an idiot either. If he wanted lasting allies, he'd have to feed their hunger first.
When the coalition finally regrouped at Blade Gap Camp, the three clans gathered in the council hall. The smell of smoke and salt clung to their cloaks.
Raizen leaned against the table, eyes half-lidded with fatigue but sharp as a drawn kunai.
"I promised before," he said. "Once we crushed the Kaguya, the spoils would be shared. I'm not going back on my word. Speak freely. Tell me what you want from their holdings."
The room went still.
Mai Katori, head of the Katori clan, blinked in disbelief. "You're… letting us choose?"
"Of course." Raizen gave a lazy shrug. "A promise is a promise."
The three clan heads exchanged glances. They hadn't expected this. Most victors tore treaties apart the moment the blood dried.
After a long silence, Shiraishi of the Daitō clan spoke. "You've surprised us, Amamiya-dono. We assumed… you'd prefer to keep the prime holdings for yourself."
Raizen smiled faintly. "Assumptions are the first step to losing fingers."
Mai Katori sighed. "We hardly carried the war. The Katori only took the upper river and supported logistics. Claiming too much would shame us."
"Then claim wisely," Raizen said.
The third leader — Yamada, gruff and pragmatic — cleared his throat. "If that's the case, perhaps the aquatic industries. Fisheries, water channels, and riverside settlements. They're useful, and not excessive."
Mai nodded, relieved. It was fair — a token gain that wouldn't insult their host.
Raizen tilted his head. "The river, then. All industries along the upstream routes will belong to your three clans. Half the Kaguya's remaining wealth will be divided among you as well."
The three patriarchs froze for a heartbeat, stunned by the generosity. Then they bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Amamiya-dono!"
Raizen waved it off. "Don't thank me yet. Try not to kill each other dividing it."
Laughter rippled awkwardly through the room.
When it died down, Raizen turned to the last ally — the representatives of the Daitō Clan. They'd been quiet all meeting, but their eyes burned with expectation.
"The Daitō stood beside me from the start," Raizen said evenly. "Without you, this campaign wouldn't have been possible. The remaining wealth of the Kaguya will be split between our two clans. And…" He paused, lips curving slightly, "…one of their gold mines is yours."
Gasps filled the room. Even the Katori and Yamada leaders looked stunned.
A gold mine. Not metaphorical wealth — literal. Enough to fund a generation of war.
The Daitō envoy rose to his feet, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the table. "Amamiya-dono… this debt will not be forgotten."
Raizen chuckled under his breath. "See that it isn't."
Outside, night began to fall. The fires of the Kaguya stronghold burned far in the distance, painting the clouds red.
The war was over, but the game was only beginning.