A group of Konoha Jonin led by Jiraiya fixed their attention on the open ground at the center of the camp. Ryuji Hyuga stood at the front, head tilted up as he watched the sky above the distant battlefield, rain sliding down his face. Heavy storm clouds rolled low and dark, and deep within them pale lightning tore silently through the darkness.
"Ryuji."
Jiraiya had put away his usual casual air, his face more serious than ever as rain plastered his white hair to his body. "I am here," Ryuji Hyuga replied softly.
"Remember, do only what you can handle," Jiraiya said, lips pressed tight as he warned him. "Your plan is solid, and Kumogakure has not noticed anything yet, but safety comes first."
"I understand," Ryuji Hyuga said with a nod. "For Konoha, we will not fail." His answer was brief, as if any further promise would be unnecessary.
The reply stirred Jiraiya slightly, and the looks in the eyes of the others shifted as well. Ryuji Hyuga turned to Kakashi Hatake, whose Sharingan was fixed on the distant clouds, and after noticing the glance, Kakashi Hatake nodded once. Then Ryuji Hyuga angled his body and swept his gaze over the dozen or so people behind him, raising his voice.
"Everyone, are you ready?"
Each person stood beside a flying Ninja Beast, and every face showed a mix of tension, excitement, and resolve. Just thinking about what they were about to do made their bodies tremble. One by one, their burning gazes gathered on Ryuji Hyuga, on the young boy who would lead them to make their mark.
"Assault Squad is in position!" the leading Jonin said, licking his lips in excitement. The entire camp seemed to hold its breath as rain struck their Goggles and Forehead Protector, the tapping sound becoming the only background noise. Even patrolling Ninja stopped moving, their eyes drawn to those figures.
In the next moment, two lines of white light suddenly stretched out from behind Ryuji Hyuga. What appeared before everyone was a pair of massive wings, each feather clear and layered, their edges glowing with a soft white light. The sight held the camp in silence.
"Move out!"
As Ryuji Hyuga spoke, the white wings behind him beat downward in a smooth and controlled motion. A powerful wave of air pressed down, forcing the pooled rainwater on the ground into a clear, hollowed ring. The curtain of rain was blown aside as tent flaps snapped violently, and Ryuji Hyuga shot upward into the air.
Under looks of expectation, shock, and awe, the white figure rose with a steady and solemn bearing, carving an upward path through the dim rain. The others followed in their own ways, charging up through the cold downpour toward the heavy storm clouds. All that remained on the ground was rain briefly forced apart by wind pressure before closing again, and a group of Konoha Ninja standing silent as waves of feeling churned inside them.
Jiraiya clenched his fist, his eyes tracking the shrinking figures in the sky as complex emotions crossed his face. Ryuji Hyuga's composure, talent, and planning even moved him deeply. There was no doubt this was another hope granted to Konoha, just as Minato Namikaze once had been.
But if Ryuji's plan truly succeeded, he would become someone countless Kumogakure Ninja would hate. When that happened, Kumogakure's "Two-Tails Jinchuriki" Yugito Nii would surely fall into madness and hold nothing back. Jiraiya muttered under his breath that they had to return safely, then turned sharply and walked back into the tent, his resolve firming.
The storm clouds pressed low over the battlefield of Land of Moon. Rain no longer splashed into clear water but into dark red mud mixed with blood and scorched earth. The ground had been torn apart by Ninjutsu and explosions, with rain flowing through blackened craters and trenches to form foul, pink-tinged streams.
As far as the eye could see, broken Kunai and Shuriken were buried in the mud, and bodies lay scattered like discarded trash in filth and standing water. The border of Land of Moon had become a mire of blood and fire. Flames, smoke, and rain tangled together across the ruined land.
"Cloud Style, Flame Sever!"
Atsui swung his flame-wreathed blade and burned an onrushing Konoha Ninja to ash, then panted as he scanned his surroundings. The air he breathed was thick with choking smoke, the heavy sweetness of blood, and the stench of burned flesh. Every breath felt like forcing a lump of cold, soaked cloth into his lungs, wet and freezing yet painfully hot.
The attacks from Konoha came like a raging tide, crashing again and again into the Kumogakure defenses with roars and screams. This assault was even fiercer than the previous ones. "Hot, hot, hot!" Atsui shouted, rain striking his face as heat waves scorched his skin.
He knocked back another Konoha Ninja and rasped, "Have those bastards from Konoha gone insane?" They were using far too many Explosive Tag this time. As the thought crossed his mind, explosions boomed like war drums, red fireballs blooming before being smothered by rain.
Two nearby Kumogakure Ninja were torn apart before they could even cry out, limbs and burning mud spraying through the air. This kind of loss was not worth it, especially not for Root. So many Explosive Tag just to kill two Kumogakure Ninja was pure waste, and it made no sense for Konoha to ignore what came next in the war.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
Feeling the heat surge from behind, Atsui twisted aside without hesitation. A stream of fire brushed past him, stinging his skin as it went. The flames instantly boiled away the pooled water in a wide area and swallowed two Kumogakure Ninja who failed to dodge, the blast spreading heat, burned smells, and screams.
With a wet crunch, Atsui appeared behind that Konoha Ninja and brought his flaming blade down, severing the man's head. He glanced at the headless body on the ground, then froze as something felt wrong. When he focused again, that strange sense was gone.
"What is it?" Atsui muttered, staring hard at the corpse and scanning it again and again. Something important had been missed, something critical. He had noticed it just now, he was sure of it.
"No."
Gritting his teeth, he hoisted the headless body onto his shoulder and called for two teammates to follow. Without stopping to explain, he ran toward the rear camp, certain that even if he could no longer see it, his sister would find what he had overlooked.
At this moment, inside the camp at Kumogakure, Samui frowned tightly. She looked tense, her eyes fixed ahead as unease settled in her chest. Even without stepping onto the battlefield herself, she could sense that something about Konoha was wrong.
"Still couldn't get any useful information?" she asked in a low voice. Her gaze rested on Yugito Nii, who was wiping blood from her hands. The question carried pressure, not impatience.
"No," Yugito Nii shook her head. She glanced toward the mangled corpse of a Konoha Jonin that no longer showed any sign of life. "He even spilled how many times he went to Funfun Street, so he probably knows nothing about any plan involving Jiraiya."
After a pause, Yugito Nii added in a softer tone, "Could it be that there really is no plot, and they just lost patience and decided to push forward?" Her words were meant to reassure, though they lacked confidence. The air inside the tent remained heavy.
Samui shook her head slowly. The unease in her heart did not fade, but instead grew stronger. She pressed her lips together, clearly unconvinced.
"Sister! Sister!" Atsui suddenly ran over, carrying a headless corpse on his shoulder. His shout cut through the thoughts of both Samui and Yugito Nii. The body hit the ground with a dull sound as he dropped it.
"What are you doing?" Samui asked, forcing down her irritation as she frowned at him. Her patience was already stretched thin. She did not hide her displeasure.
"Sister, look at this body!" Atsui said urgently. When she stared back in confusion, he scratched his head and muttered, "I don't know how to explain it. I just feel like something is wrong."
Samui's face darkened at once. Beside her, Yugito Nii twitched her mouth and stepped forward. She grabbed Atsui by the collar, ready to drag him away.
"Atsui, stop causing trouble here," Yugito Nii snapped. She tightened her grip, clearly annoyed by the interruption. The situation was not one for vague feelings.
"No, sister!" Atsui struggled and shouted. "Konoha is really off this time. They're throwing Explosive Tag like Kunai! They—mmph!" His words were cut short as Yugito Nii covered his mouth.
At that moment, Samui suddenly raised her head. Her eyes narrowed sharply as something clicked into place. "Wait," she said, stopping them both.
She looked at Atsui and asked slowly, "You're saying the rate at which Konoha is using Explosive Tag is wrong?" This was something only those on the front lines would notice, not someone commanding from the rear. It was an oversight she now regretted.
"Mmph, mmph!" Atsui nodded desperately, his mouth still covered. His eyes were wide, trying to push the point through any way he could. The urgency was unmistakable.