People in the Land of Water knew the Kaguya clan by another name too-Bamboo Clan. It wasn't the kind of name they spoke openly in calm weather or in times of peace. It was the kind spoken low under breath, or not at at during war meetings-as if even mentioning them brought some curse down on the speaker.
Everyone feared them, because everyone knew what they were capable of. Bloodlust ran deeper than instinct in their kind. With hard bone-forged bloodline limits and no control over their killing urges, the Kaguya didn't fight wars-they slaughtered through them.
Even Water Country's civilians used their name to silence misbehaving kids at night. Monsters under the bed were nothing compared to the Bamboo Cutter's clan stories. And that wasn't even what people hated most about them. They were chaos coiled in flesh-murderers that couldn't stop once they started.
No one brought them to the war in Whirlpool Country last time on purpose. Sure, there was the convenient excuse of hogging credit-but truth was, nobody wanted that particular madness near their lines again.
"If it's the Bamboo Cutter clan, they might be able to handle it," someone had said aloud. "They're good with physical damage."
"Right-Konoha are the targets anyway-let them kill whoever they want. Even if it goes wrong, who gives a shit?"
"They're lunatics. If they die on the job, so what?"
Agreement settled thick across the room. The Mizukage gave it one last consideration before making it official.
"In that case, Tonggusa Yaeito, this mission goes to you. Complete it successfully, and you'll get to choose one of the Seven Ninja Blades."
"Yes, Mizukage-sama!"
…
Nawaki and Fugaku weren't even used to signing off on courier manifests before being shoved into command seats. Being Genin twenty-four hours ago hadn't prepared them for logistics-but war couldn't wait for slow learners.
Form after form blurred together for Nawaki. Thankfully, Fugaku and the other clan heads filled where he failed-and slowly things stopped slipping through their fingers. After several painful nights of overtime, Nawaki started getting the hang of it.
He dropped another form onto the pile and stretched backwards with both arms overhead.
"This isn't so bad."
"It isn't hard when you're doing nothing," Fugaku grumbled under his breath without lifting his head. Deep wrinkles shadowed his eyes now from lack of sleep.
"Haha-come on. You're better at this anyway." Nawaki shot him a guilty grin but didn't backpedal.
Fugaku glared up at him until Nawaki offered another bribe. "I'll treat you once we get back to Konoha."
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-
Shouts erupted outside and distant explosions rocked through the walls of the command tent. Both boys jumped to their feet at once, panic already creeping into their voices.
"Enemy attack!"
Nawaki turned toward Kakuzu without thinking- "Hurry! Go call my cousin!"
Kakuzu's tone stayed flat. "I don't know where Lord Akira went. He always contacts me-I haven't heard from him."
"What...?" Nawaki stared blankly. "He's not...?"
Fugaku stiffened beside him but forced his tone into false calm. "Probably just training us…watching from somewhere hidden. Right?"
"Heh."
Kakuzu's scoff crushed whatever hope had just been sparked. Before either boy could ask again, two shadows burst into the tent-the Uchiha and Senju clan leaders.
They both dropped to one knee without hesitation.
"Commander! Enemy is advancing! Please give the order!"
Both boys exchanged wild glances at each other-then another explosion closer than the last made them flinch forward.
"L-Let's use Lord Akira's last plan!" Nawaki shouted instinctively.
"Right!" Fugaku latched onto the idea instantly- "We already know it works!"
There was tension in the air but neither senior disputed it. They'd been handed orders-and none of them had figured out anything better anyway.
"Yes!" Both accepted without question and turned immediately toward deployment.
…
Dense mist blanketed the frontline until even Sharingan eyes failed to pierce it cleanly. Chakra hummed low across the fog-too potent for normal mist, too heavy for coincidence.
Visibility was trash-even with moonlight overhead giving scattered help from above. People couldn't even confirm if enemies had actually started their push or not-and panic brewed fast in confusion.
Young Genin nervously lobbed explosive tags ahead without waiting for confirmation-spooked into action before leadership reached their stations. Steel clanged as dozens threw kunai or charged blindly into empty dark shapes moving through mist they couldn't gauge.
"Hold it-hold it!" Team leaders barked over the noise-but instincts already took root and not everyone could hold themselves back anymore.
When Senju and Uchiha field leads arrived-they scowled immediately seeing what was happening firsthand.
"There are only one hundred thousand explosive tags left," Uchiha's lead hissed low under his breath. "At this rate-we'll run out before Lord Akira returns."
"They were secured by Lord Akira himself," Senju's second gritted out behind clenched teeth. "Once they're gone-the Hokage won't supply us again… We won't be able to protect anyone after that."
They exchanged nods and stepped forward-shouting orders to halt further wasteful attacks before calling over two elite scouts nearby.
"Go scout into the mist," one said firmly, "Don't engage unless necessary. Prioritize survival."
"Yes!" Both vanished seconds later and dissolved into fog like ghosts moving toward certain silence.
…
Far off-deep inside enemy lines somewhere along Whirlpool's edge-a strange-looking man with button-round eyes and strange buns on his head faced another unbothered figure crouched cross-legged beside him in high grass.
"Are you sure? Their commanding officer is really Senju Akira's son?" he asked plainly.
"Yes," came the answer without hesitation. "Lord Mizukage confirmed it himself. Our intelligence is solid."
"No reward then…" The man grinned wide enough that his teeth caught moonlight like glass blades. "...Killing Senju Akira's son is its own reward."
His body shook with anticipation as he faced back toward the thick unnatural fog swarming over enemy lines once again-
"Senju's Thousand Stars...let your son pay your debt."