In the heart of the battlefield, nearly three hundred shinobi clashed in a storm of blood and steel.
At the very center stood a man with wild black hair, his lips curled into a bloodthirsty smile as he wielded two curved blades that crackled with lightning. The swords in his hands were none other than the Thunder Blades: Kiba—one of the fabled Seven Ninja Swords of the Mist.
Opposite him stood a striking young woman in a dark blue combat outfit, her figure reminiscent of Tsunade's—strong yet graceful. Her long, dark-orange hair cascaded down her back, her bangs veiling her right eye. Around twenty-five years old, her beauty was undeniable.
She was none other than the future Fifth Mizukage—Terumi Mei.
Indeed, she was the leader of this rebellion.
After the Third Shinobi World War, more and more of Kirigakure's ninja had grown weary of Yagura's bloody reign. Many defected, unwilling to live under his tyranny. Mei, inheritor of two powerful Kekkei Genkai, gathered those who resisted and secretly formed a faction to oppose Yagura.
Among her followers were men like Ao and Chōjūrō, who would one day stand with her at the Five Kage Summit.
But their plans had been exposed prematurely. Forced to rise earlier than intended, Mei now found herself leading an incomplete force against Yagura's loyalists.
In raw strength, Mei outclassed Raiga Kurosuki—the wielder of the Thunder Blades—but she had only just stepped into Kage-level power. While superior, she lacked the overwhelming might to crush him outright.
And war was never decided by one person alone. To shape the outcome single-handedly, one had to reach the heights of Namikaze Minato.
Against Yagura's overwhelming forces, Mei's rebellion was at a disadvantage.
Dodging a fierce slash of lightning, Mei tried once more to appeal to Raiga.
"Raiga Kurosuki! As one of the Seven Swordsmen, will you really stand by and watch Kirigakure destroyed under Yagura's rule? Why fight for him!?"
Raiga sneered, sparks crackling violently from his twin blades. "I don't fight for Yagura. I fight because I like the world he's made. A land soaked in blood and war… suits me just fine."
He was a man born from chaos—a shinobi who rejected peace, thriving instead on carnage.
Seeing persuasion was useless, Mei's hands flashed through seals.
"Lava Release: Acid Melting Jutsu!"
She spat a corrosive white substance, which spread midair like a deadly wall.
"Hahaha! Is that all, Mei? Your Lava Release feels weak. Running out of chakra, are you?!" Raiga laughed maniacally.
His blades crossed, surging with lightning until they resembled bladed forms of Kakashi's Raikiri. With a vicious swing, he sliced through her acid wall.
"Die, Terumi Mei!"
Mei reacted instantly, weaving seals—
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A torrent of water rose, intercepting Raiga's strike.
High above, sitting casually on a cliff, Aizen watched the chaos unfold. His sharp eyes followed Mei's movements, confirming his suspicions. Yes—she was indeed the leader of this rebellion. The woman destined to be Mizukage.
If not for this moment, she would never have gained the prestige to succeed Yagura after his fall.
But, Aizen reasoned, Yagura still held the greater advantage. If Obito chose to intervene seriously, this rebellion would be crushed in an instant. Yet Aizen also knew the timeline—Obito was nearing the start of his tailed beast hunt. Akatsuki had formed. Soon, Obito would abandon his grip on Kirigakure.
In other words—it was not Mei's strength that would grant her victory, but Obito's disinterest.
"Master Mei! We can't hold them any longer—we must retreat!" one of her followers cried.
Even with Mei's power, the numbers were stacked against them.
Mei's eyes hardened. Was retreat their only choice?
From above, Aizen finally stood. He had seen enough.
"It's free for the taking. Why not?" he murmured to himself.
Tilting forward, he stepped off the cliff. His descent was weightless, graceful, until his feet touched the air itself, pushing him down like a phantom. Kyōka Suigetsu gleamed in his hand as it slid free from its sheath.
A chill ran down Raiga's spine. Instinct screamed danger. He spun, crossing his lightning blades into an "X" just in time to meet the strike.
BOOM!
The impact blasted him off his feet, the shriek of shattering metal echoing as cracks split the legendary swords.
He was hurled across the battlefield, crashing through tree after tree before slamming into the forest floor with a thunderous crash.