"When did the patriarch leave?!" Raizen demanded, tension tightening his chest.
Miyame and Amamiya Jane exchanged glances. They didn't know why Raizen suddenly seemed so urgent, but anyone who had seen him in battle knew not to ignore this kind of instinct. Miyame straightened and spoke.
"Just at noon today. He's probably reaching the battlefield now—"
"Oh no," Raizen muttered, eyes darting to the sky.
It was six in the evening. The sun bled red behind the mountains, and soon darkness would swallow the valley. Every second that passed made his unease grow.
"What's happening, Raizen?" the two asked, noticing the sharp edge in his voice.
Raizen's reply was sharp, almost harsh. "The patriarch only knows that our ninjas are trapped. He has no idea how strong the Ueshi forces are inside. Now he's taken most of the clan's shinobi to the front. That leaves the clan's base nearly defenseless!"
"What?!" Miyame and Jane both froze.
Exactly. Most of the family's defenders were gone. If the Ueshi forces decided to strike the Amamiya residence while the frontlines were drawn thin, the consequences would be catastrophic. The Amamiya home was full of clan members—men, women, and children. The next generation of the family rested within those walls. If they fell… it wouldn't just be a loss; it would be the near-erasure of the Amamiya lineage.
"What do we do now?" Miyame asked, his voice tight. Even seasoned Jōnin could feel the weight of the crisis.
Raizen's gaze sharpened. "We don't wait for the enemy to choose the hour. We move now. There's still light—Ueshi won't strike until darkness gives them cover. But we might be cutting it close."
He turned toward them, decisively. "The mines are yours. Keep them secure. I'll handle the base."
"Understood!" both chorused, though their faces betrayed worry.
Without another word, Raizen summoned the massive clay bird. Its wings unfurled like a shadow across the dying sun as he launched into the sky. The wind whipped against him, but he pushed the construct to full speed, racing toward the family residence. The Songshan Mine wasn't far, but the journey still took hours—hours during which every second could mean life or death for those inside.
Two hours later, the distant glow hit him first. Flame. A wall of fire that pierced the gathering darkness, glaring brighter than torches could hope to. His stomach tightened.
Raizen pushed the clay bird harder, slicing through the air until he reached the residence in five minutes.
The sight stole his breath: the home was ablaze. Explosions cracked the night, shouts, screams, and cries tangled in the inferno.
Anger, raw and consuming, surged in Raizen's chest. This was his family—people who had raised him like their own, who had taught him, trained with him, fought alongside him. Yamamoto-san, Amamiya Tian, even the children who looked to him as an older brother—all now in immediate danger.
"You Ueshi bastards," Raizen growled, teeth bared, "you're hunting death!"
With a roar, he dove the clay bird straight into the inferno. Landing atop the ruins, he saw dozens of figures with Ueshi clan markings, spreading fire and terror across the home. Raizen's fingers clenched around his kunai. Every thought was clear, every instinct screaming one thing: they would pay, all of them.