While Akashi and his team meticulously reviewed their contingency plans, their fingers tracing potential escape routes on hastily sketched maps, the vanguard of Kumogakure's forces had already descended upon the fabled Hagaromo Clan. Standing defiantly before the assembled Kumo shinobi was a young man of imposing stature, even by shinobi standards, his frame broader and more muscular than most. Twin, prominent horns jutted from his brow, a defining characteristic shared by every member of the Hagaromo Clan, a trait that often instilled instant terror in those who encountered them. Even the infamous Gold and Silver Brothers bore this distinctive appearance. The Hagaromo were a fiercely proud clan, their respect earned solely through demonstrated strength, their seemingly inexhaustible stamina and raw power making them veritable monsters on the battlefield. During the tumultuous Warring States period, the Uchiha and Senju had known them by another, more ominous name: "The Oni Clan."
The atmosphere crackled with a tense silence, the only sound the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind, as if nature itself held its breath, anticipating the inevitable clash.
"Stand down and follow us, Hagaromo Hiro," one of the Kumo shinobi demanded, his tone laced with arrogance. "Your clan's presence is required by the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning!"
Hiro's response was immediate and filled with disdain. "You have no right to demand anything of me. Last I recall, our entire clan was disgraced and banished by the very Daimyō of the Land of Lightning and A, the Third Raikage himself! Now, with the specter of war looming in the future, he suddenly demands our presence, no doubt intending to throw us onto the front lines as expendable fodder." His voice resonated with bitter resentment.
"How dare you disrespect the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning and the esteemed Third Raikage, Lord A!" another Kumo shinobi retorted, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword. "You should all be groveling at his feet, grateful he didn't have your entire clan executed after those two treacherous brothers caused the deaths of two Kage! Instead, you should be on your knees, thanking him for even considering allowing your tainted blood to fight in the coming war." A chorus of agreement rippled through the Kumo ranks, their gazes fixed on the Hagaromo Clan with undisguised contempt.
The disdainful looks mirrored the humiliation the Hagaromo had endured during their forced exile, igniting a fresh wave of fury within their ranks. Some of the older members exchanged glances, a flicker of regret in their eyes, a silent lament for the path not taken. They couldn't help but wonder what their fate might have been had the clan leader of the past accepted Konohagakure's invitation instead of aligning with Kumogakure. But the past was immutable, a bitter pill they had long since swallowed.
(Author's Note: Had the Hagaromo Clan joined Konohagakure, their future might have been tragically similar to that of the Senju and Uchiha, victims of the paranoia and machinations of figures like Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzō Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.)
"The Daimyō of the Land of Lightning is a fool and a jester," Hiro spat, his stance firm, unyielding. "And while we respect the strength of A, the Third Raikage, that respect does not erase the humiliation we have suffered." He planted his foot firmly on the ground, a silent declaration of defiance. They would not be coerced into another war after the injustice they had endured. He knew his defiance might lead to bloodshed, but the Hagaromo were no cowards. If they were to fall, they would fall in battle, on their own terms.
"Disgusting Oni," the lead Kumo shinobi snarled, his patience finally snapping. "If that is your choice, then so be it!" With that, the fragile silence shattered, replaced by the metallic clang of kunai and the explosive bursts of nascent ninjutsu.
Akashi and his team, still some distance away, heard the sudden eruption of combat, the sounds of battle carrying on the wind.
"Not good! Looks like it's a battle after all," Oyashiro exclaimed, his crimson eyes widening with alarm.
"Yeah, this is the worst-case scenario, but it sounds like they're holding their own for now," Akashi said, his Mind's Eye of Kagura already painting a chaotic picture of the unfolding conflict.
"Once we arrive, do not hesitate to kill," Kuroko stated, his voice grim, devoid of any trace of his usual gentle demeanor. "I know neither of you has taken a life before, but now is not the time for hesitation. You will both need to steel yourselves and focus on survival, at least until we are out of immediate danger." He began weaving a rapid sequence of hand seals, his movements precise and deadly.
Killing, huh? Akashi had sensed the presence of death on missions before, a cold, lingering aura, but he had never been the direct instrument of it. No point in dwelling on it now. I am a shinobi. This is the path I have chosen.
Bursting into the clearing, the scene that greeted them was one of brutal chaos. The Hagaromo Clan, easily identifiable by their imposing figures and prominent horns, were locked in a fierce struggle against the numerically superior Kumo forces. The odds were starkly against them, roughly three Kumo shinobi for every Hagaromo warrior. Adding to their disadvantage, many of the Hagaromo were positioned defensively, shielding the non-combatants – the elderly, women, and children – of their clan.
A wave of pure, unadulterated rage washed over Akashi as his Mind's Eye registered the callous intent of some of the Kumo shinobi, their blades aimed at the defenseless children, their lecherous gazes lingering on the terrified women. Kuroko, his own sensory abilities picking up the same vile intentions, radiated a palpable fury.
Without a word, without even a prearranged signal, all three of them launched themselves into the fray.
Akashi and Oyashiro moved in perfect synchronization, executing the combination jutsu they had practiced countless times, their targets the exposed backs of the unsuspecting Kumo shinobi.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough (風遁・大突破, Fūton: Daitoppa)!"
"Fire Style: Great Fire Ball (火遁・豪火球の術, Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu)!"
Their jutsu collided mid-air, Akashi's powerful gust of wind engulfing Oyashiro's roaring fireball, fanning the flames into a raging inferno. The combined technique doubled in size and intensity, a swirling vortex of fire and wind that slammed into a dense cluster of Kumo shinobi who were completely unaware of their sudden arrival.
The flames erupted, consuming them from the outside in a searing inferno, leaving behind only charred, smoking remains.
"Watch out! They have reinforce…"
BAM!
The warning cry of a Kumo shinobi was abruptly cut short as Kuroko, moving with lightning speed, delivered a devastating punch to his face. The impact was sickening, his skull audibly cracking as his head snapped back, spraying blood and brain matter across his horrified comrades.
Their numbers are still too great. I need to thin their ranks quickly!
"Shadow Clone Jutsu (影分身の術, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu)!"POOF! POOF! POOF! Fifteen identical copies of Akashi materialized around him, their crimson hair and determined gazes mirroring his own.
The sudden appearance of so many Akashi clones caused the Kumo shinobi to momentarily recoil, their initial shock giving way to confusion as they realized they were facing mere shadow clones.
Ha! They think this is the end of it…
"Rasengan (螺旋丸)! Rasengan! Rasengan!" Fifteen swirling blue orbs of pure chakra materialized in the palms of Akashi and his clones, each one crackling with immense power.
"W-what is that! There's so much chakra!" a Kumo sensor shrieked, his eyes wide with terror as he registered the sheer density of energy radiating from the multiple Rasengans.
He received his answer an instant later as one of Akashi's clones slammed a fully formed Rasengan directly into his face, the spiraling vortex of chakra erupting upon impact, pulverizing his skull and sending him crashing lifelessly to the ground.
Simultaneously, across the chaotic battlefield, Akashi's clones launched their own assaults, weaving seamlessly between the Hagaromo warriors and striking at the exposed flanks of the Kumo shinobi. The destructive force of fifteen simultaneous Rasengans, coupled with the fluid, bone-jarring strikes of Senju Taijutsu executed by other clones, tore through the Kumo ranks.
The battlefield was rapidly transforming into a ravaged landscape of deep craters, shattered earth, and gruesome splatters of blood.
"Focus on the redhead kid!" a Kumo commander bellowed, finally recognizing the source of the devastating attacks.
Hearing his orders, a large contingent of Kumo shinobi, their kunai glinting menacingly in their hands, surged towards
Akashi, their faces contorted with rage and a desperate intent to eliminate the primary threat. Shouts of "Die, brat!" and "For the Lightning Village!" filled the air. Too bad for them, Akashi was far from alone.
Seizing this chaotic moment as the perfect opportunity, Oyashiro, a wide, unsettling grin spreading across his face, turned his attention to the rapidly accumulating pools of blood staining the battlefield. His crimson eyes, the distinctive mark of the Ketsuryūgan, pulsed with an eerie light.
"Haha… taste my power!" A low, guttural chuckle escaped his lips, a sound that sent a shiver down the spines of both friend and foe. That smile… it's not normal. Does the Ketsuryūgan amplify emotions like the Sharingan?
With a guttural roar that seemed to echo the fury of a mythical beast, the scattered pools of blood began to writhe and coalesce, rising from the blood-soaked earth.
"Blood Dragon Ascension (血龍昇天, Ketsuryū Shōten)!"
ROOOOOAAAAR! A colossal dragon formed entirely of crimson blood erupted from the ground, its serpentine body coiling and twisting, its eyes glowing with malevolent intent, poised to unleash its terrifying power upon the bewildered Kumo shinobi.
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End of 24th chapter