By the time Amamiya Raizen reached the frontlines of Qishui Gorge, his army had already slowed to a halt. One look at the terrain was enough to make his stomach twist. Push even a little farther, and they'd be deep inside the Hyūga Alliance's territory — the kind of mistake that got clans erased from maps.
He stared out over the narrow gorge, mist curling between the cliffs like a taunt.
"Qishui Gorge... easy to defend, a nightmare to attack. So, the only option—" Raizen's lips curled in a bitter grin. "—is to make them come out and die where I want them to."
According to reports, the Sarutobi and Uchizumi patriarchs had marched out with twenty thousand men, leaving around fifteen thousand to hold the gorge under Hyūga Tennin's command.
Raizen, meanwhile, had five thousand.
A glorious mismatch.
Ten thousand fewer soldiers. No bloodline. No secret arts. Just nerves, grit, and bad odds.
"If I charge in, we're corpses. If I play it slow, they'll bleed us dry." He sighed. "And Tennin… that bastard's probably Kage-level by now. He could wrestle a Tailed Beast and come out smiling. So much for an even fight."
Still, retreating wasn't an option.
Behind him lay the Konoha Alliance's gate—if it fell, the Hyūga would roll straight through and crush every allied front.
"Whole army, halt! We set camp here!"
Raizen's order cut through the air like a blade. His men moved fast, forming ranks, driving posts into the earth, weaving chakra to fortify barriers. Five thousand shinobi working as one—no miracles, just practice. Within two hours, a rough but solid camp stood carved into the canyon floor.
A messenger from the Inuzuka Clan jogged up, bowing low.
"Lord Raizen, the camp's complete."
"Good. Get me the map of Qishui Gorge—and a full terrain report. Now."
Minutes later, a tanned Tannin unrolled a weathered parchment before him.
"Lord Raizen, the gorge divides the central and southern regions. It's surrounded by mountains; this path is the only route south. Any detour would take days—and most are already blocked by Hyūga patrols."
Raizen nodded grimly. He knew what that meant. In this era, travel wasn't like in the modern world—roads were few, maps were outdated, and 'shortcuts' were just scenic ways to die.
Small units could slip through mountain trails, sure. But moving an army? One ambush and you'd lose everything.
That's why ninja wars were always fought in open valleys like this—death grounds where both sides could see each other burn.
"What about our terrain?" he asked.
"Hilly, sir. Shallow slopes. No natural barriers."
"Hilly." Raizen exhaled through his teeth. "So, no high ground, no cliffs, no choke points. Basically, we're sitting ducks."
The canyon stretched before him, wide and bare. The slopes weren't steep enough for traps or ambushes. Too open for stealth. Too plain for hope.
"Fine. If nature won't guard us, we'll make our own defenses."
He turned to his captains. "Bury explosive tags along the perimeter. Dense grid. I want the ground itself ready to fight back."
The order spread like fire, and soon the sharp smell of chakra-infused paper mixed with the dust.
A scout arrived moments later, breath ragged.
"Lord Raizen! Message from the forward unit! The Hyūga Coalition has dispatched a three-thousand-strong detachment! They're only a hundred miles out—arriving within hours at ninja speed!"
Raizen's expression hardened, but his voice stayed steady.
"So Tennin moves fast... Didn't even wait to confirm our numbers."
He almost respected that kind of ruthlessness. Almost.
"Prepare the outer defenses! Evacuate noncombatants! Every unit—ready for first contact!"
He turned back toward the misted gorge, the faint echo of metal on metal whispering from afar.
"Hyūga Tennin... you're decisive, I'll give you that," Raizen muttered, smirking. "But let's see if you can read my next move."
And so, as the camp braced itself for war, five thousand Amamiya stood against the oncoming storm—each heartbeat syncing with Raizen's resolve.
No miracles. No bloodline gifts.
Just the stubborn will to survive one more day in a world that ate legends for breakfast.