The situation in Kirigakure gradually became clear.
As more and more Clan Ninjas and Civilian Ninjas joined the suppression, the Kaguya Clan found themselves completely overwhelmed.
Despite the Kaguya Clan's Shikotsumyaku granting them formidable combat prowess that allowed them to fight multiple enemies at once, they were now facing the full might of Kirigakure's forces!
"Shikotsumyaku: Willow Dance!" The Kaguya Clan's head's joints erupted with bone spikes, using Taijutsu to wield them as weapons, unleashing a wide-range AOE attack against the surrounding Kirigakure's Ninjas!
The Kaguya Clan's bone spikes could suddenly extend, increasing their attack range and catching enemy off guard.
This was also one of the reasons why the Kaguya Clan's Taijutsu far surpassed that of other Ninjas.
The Kaguya Clan's members, with their bodies covered in bone armor, charged left and right, trying to break through the Anbu's defensive line… but they were met with fierce resistance.
Faced with such overwhelming bone-based attacks, the Kirigakure's Ninjas didn't recklessly engage the Kaguya Clan's members in close combat.
The Ninjas skilled in Taijutsu were sent to the frontlines to clash with the Kaguya Clan's members in hand-to-hand combat, while those specializing in Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, or weapons maintained their distance, using mid-to-long-range weapons and Ninjutsu to attack from afar.
As Ninjas from the same village, they have a deep understanding of the Kaguya Clan's Taijutsu and Shikotsumyaku.
Therefore, they also knew exactly how to counter them!
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" Several Kirigakure's Ninjas joined forces to perform Water Release Ninjutsu, spewing massive streams of water from their mouths that formed roaring dragons, crashing toward the Kaguya Clan's members.
"Water Release: Water Formation Pillar!"
"Water Release: Water Blade!"
"Water Style: Water Fang Bullet!"
Every Kirigakure's Ninja was proficient in Water Release Ninjutsu. When multiple users combined their efforts, the relentless onslaught of Water Release Ninjutsu converged into a raging flood, forcibly suppressing the Kaguya Clan's assault!
Bang!
Two sword-like weapons, resembling flounders, clashed against the Kaguya Clan's head's bone spikes, producing a metallic screech.
The shockwave sent everyone nearby flying back.
"Tch, a brat from the Hozuki Clan!" The Kaguya Clan's head sneered after recognizing his opponent.
Then, his spine protruded from his skin. The Kaguya Clan's head grabbed it and yanked it out like a whip, lashing toward Hozuki Mangetsu!
"Shikotsumyaku: Clematis Dance!" This long whip made of spine not only devastatingly powerful but also highly adaptable. It is capable of shifting between whip-like slashes and spear-like thrusts at the user's will.
But the enemy standing before the Kaguya Clan's head was none other than the Hozuki Clan's prodigy!
"Disgusting." Mangetsu had white hair that reached his shoulders, covering his ears, and wore loose bandages around his neck. When he spoke, his sharp teeth glinted.
On one side was the infamous head of the Kaguya Clan, and on the other was the genius of the current generation… the only one capable of wielding all seven of Kirigakure's legendary swords.
The shockwaves from their clash cleared a radius of over ten meters, forcing everyone to stay back.
"Hiramekarei Release!" Mangetsu channeled Chakra into his twin swords, Hiramekarei, enveloping them in a pale blue aura.
The two circular holes at the front of the blades gathered Chakra Spheres, which suddenly burst out and shot towards the head of the Kaguya Clan!
But the Kaguya Clan's head was no pushover either. He blocked the incoming Chakra Spheres with massive bones formed from his Shikotsumyaku.
The Kaguya Clan's physical resilience was extraordinary, and even when caught in the explosions at close range, he suffered only minor injuries.
Not far away, the massive, watermelon-shaped figure of Fuguki stood at the center of the battlefield, commanding Anbu's members, Clan Ninjas, and Civilian Ninjas to crush the Kaguya Clan's rebellion.
Since the Anbu had long prepared countermeasures for such uprisings, and with more and more Clan and Civilian Ninjas joining the fray, the Kaguya Clan's members were steadily being slaughtered.
The battlefield began to shrink as the remaining Kaguya Clan's members were gradually surrounded and outnumbered.
"These damn crazy bone freaks!" Fuguki grumbled. After killing a member of Kaguya Clan with his Samehada, he surveyed the battlefield.
The Kaguya Clan truly lived up to their reputation as battle maniacs… no matter how grievously injured, they would never surrender, fighting to the death without hesitation.
Boom!
Just as Fuguki was watching the last remnants of the Kaguya Clan being wiped out, a massive explosion suddenly erupted from the Mizukage's office behind him!
"What?!" Fuguki and the others turned in shock, only to see a gaping hole blown into the Mizukage building, thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
'Could it be that the Kaguya Clan had prepared a backup plan?' Fuguki pondered secretly.
Whoosh-
Yagura, who had used half-Tailed Beast Transformation, appeared atop a nearby building, looking down coldly at the dying struggles of the Kaguya Clan's members.
"Mizukage-sama!" Fuguki brought several Anbu to Yagura and knelt on one knee.
"Zabuza attempted to assassinate me but failed. He was wounded and fled." Yagura said coldly.
Hearing this, Fuguki and the other Anbu paused for a moment.
'So that's why we didn't see Zabuza earlier… he actually went to target Mizukage-sama.'
"Mizukage-sama, how should we deal with the remaining rebels?" Fuguki asked, his sharp teeth glinting.
Yagura's gaze swept across the battlefield, and then he ordered Biwa Juzo and Hoshigaki Kisame: "Each of you, take a squad of Anbu and go clear out the Kaguya Clan's territory. Leave none alive!"
At this time, both Juzo and Kisame had not yet defected, but they were still stunned when they heard the order to complete exterminate Kaguya Clan.
After all, Kaguya Clan is the largest Ninja Clan in Kirigakure!
"What are you waiting for?! This is Mizukage-sama's command!" Fugaku roared at them, "First the Yuki Clan rebelled, now the Kaguya Clan! We must crush these traitorous clans with absolute force!
"Yes!" Juzo and Kisame took the order and each took a squad of Anbu to carry out the massacre.
Meanwhile, hidden within the smoke rising from the Mizukage's office, Obito coldly observed the Kaguya Clan's desperate last stand.
Though the Kaguya Clan's rebellion had been swift and caught Kirigakure off guard, even pushing their assault all the way to the Mizukage Building, this era of Kirigakure still had most of its elite Ninjas.
Many of the Jonin had not yet defected, and Mangetsu, Ameyuri and others had not yet died of illness. It can be said that in terms of pure combat strength, this was one of Kirigakure's strongest periods.
The Kaguya Clan, who is acting alone without rallying other clans, stood no chance against the full might of the village. Being completely suppressed was only a matter of time.
"So, it was you pulling the strings behind Kirigakure all along." Suddenly, a teasing voice that made Obito's hair stand on end came from behind him.
Obito's tiger-striped mask snapped toward the source.
Amid the rubble of the Mizukage's office, which was destroyed earlier by Zabuza's explosive tags, a mysterious figure in a black robe and a white three-eyed fox mask was sitting calmly.
The man rested his chin on one hand, fingers tapping idly against his mask as he studied Obito with an almost playful curiosity.
"You…?!"
Without hesitation, Obito activated Kamui, phasing into intangibility.
'Damn it, why is Shura in Kirigakure?'