The Murakami Clan... I can't wait to see them!
After waking, Yoichi and the others went to Ashina's office for a defense briefing.
The Uzumaki Patriarch explained that foreign shinobi would likely surround the Land of Whirlpools and bombard the protective seals in succession.
To counter this, he stationed Yoichi's group at the north-western coast and fend off the probable assault of both Kumo and Kiri's troops.
Ashina also assured them of the Murakami Clan's help, citing their absolute integrity in commitment to this defensive venture.
This news left Yoichi deep in thought long after the meeting ended.
Now, the group stood at their post on the north-western edge of the land.
The salty breeze and the heavy sound of the waves filled the air. Jiraiya sat in silence to meditate, while Orochimaru moved through the area to prepare his traps for the coming siege.
"Is there something you want to talk about? You've been daydreaming ever since the meeting ended..."
Tsunade spoke softly, unable to ignore his distant behavior. She waited for him to share the thoughts that were keeping him away from the present moment.
"It is nothing..." Yoichi replied, staying quiet for a moment before his voice dropped.
"I was thinking about my purpose here. What is my true role here?"
Tsunade felt a surge of curiosity, but she remained silent. She leaned against a nearby rock and watched him, giving the space needed to speak.
The conflict in his expression was clear.
Yoichi spoke about past encounters and the strange moments where the name Murakami followed him like a shadow. He described a mysterious connection to them, despite never officially meeting after all his years being in this world.
"The way they look at me... it feels as if they have been waiting. It makes me wonder if my path was truly my own or if it was carved out long ago."
Tsunade moved closer and rested her head on Yoichi's shoulder. She offered no empty words, choosing to share the weight of his silence instead.
On the horizon, the sun began to sink, bleeding deep orange and purple across the restless sea.
Her presence served as a quiet anchor against the cold mysteries of the world.
...
...
...
Far across the water, a massive fleet sliced through the waves. On a lead vessel, the air was thick with mutual loathing between Kumogakure and Kirigakure. The Kumo ninja looked at the Mist swordsmen with open disdain, while the Kiri shinobi responded with cold, shark-like stares.
"Keep your distance, Mist dweller," a Kumo commander spat, hand resting on his sword hilt.
"The stench of your rotten blood-mist is foul enough to wilt the sails."
A Kiri Jonin let out a dry, raspy chuckle.
"Better the smell of blood than the loud braying of a Kumo mule. Try not to get struck by your own lightning when the real fighting starts."
The coalition's plan was a cruel pincer movement.
Kumo and Kiri forces prepared to assault the northwestern coast. Meanwhile, the armies of Iwa and Suna moved to strike from the southeast.
They intended to surround the Land of Whirlpools like shepherds rearing fatty sheep, eager to slaughter the Uzumaki for their hidden treasures.
Thousands of shinobi stood ready on the decks, their headbands glinting in the fading light.
The Great Villages sent massive waves of Genin to serve as cannon fodder, backed by large units of Chūnin combatants.
This massive force represented a mere fraction of the manpower available to the Great Villages.
Having recovered their full strength after years of peace, they viewed this assault as a minor exercise.
To the leaders, this joint venture seemed effortless.
They believed the Uzumaki would crumble under sheer numbers.
A small number of Jōnin stood among the lower ranks, acting as overseers rather than primary combatants.
The commanders held the majority of their elite forces in reserve, convinced that the heavy lifting belonged to the expendable masses.
Despite the hatred between the Kumo and Kiri troops, their commanders met on the main deck.
The tension was thick, but the promise of Uzumaki secrets kept their blades sheathed.
"We will lead the charge swiftly" the Kumo commander stated, ignoring his counterpart's sneer. "Your Mist will provide the cover we need to reach the shore."
The Kiri Jōnin nodded slowly.
"Our Genin will hit the northwestern docks first. Once the Uzumaki waste their chakra on the fodder, my Chūnin will dismantle the sealing towers."
They agreed to a brutal, coordinated strike.
A scout landed on the deck of the lead ship, kneeling before the commanders. He looked uneasy as he delivered his report.
"The Uzumaki have moved," the scout said. "They retreated their civilians to the inner shelters. We see unusual movement near the seals. Their preparations are... uncertain, Lord Commander."
The Kumo leader did not turn his head. He let out a loud, mocking laugh that echoed across the water.
Beside him, the Kiri commander watched the waves with a cold, bored gaze.
Neither man cared for the details of the defense.
"It matters little," the Kumo commander said, gesturing to the endless rows of masts behind them. "Their tricks will not save them."
The Kiri leader unanimously nodded.
They looked back at their massive force.
To them, with this kind of army, it was impossible to lose.
...
...
...
"They are here..."
The words left Yoichi's lips as a cold whisper.
Through the scope of his Spirit Aperture, he discerned multiple figures docking on the land amidst the thick, unnatural mist.
His mind mapped out the advancing silhouettes like ink spreading across parchment.
The fog rolled over jagged rocks, obscuring the horizon. Dozens of boats hit the sand with rhythmic thuds. Figures leapt from the vessels, their movements frantic as the first wave of cannon fodder hit the northwestern beach.
Jiraiya stood up, knuckles already clenching.
Orochimaru stopped his work, a thin smile stretching across his face as he looked toward the white wall of mist.
Tsunade clenched her fists, her stance widening as she felt the vibrations of approaching boots.
The first wave of Kumo Genin charged through the mist, boots splashing in the shallow surf.
They roared with forced bravery, eager to prove their worth to the commanders watching from the ships.
Hidden beneath the sand and tethered to jagged rocks, Orochimaru's traps waited.
As the first line of attackers crossed the threshold, a series of faint clicks echoed.
Panic flared in the eyes of the front-line shinobi as they realized the danger.
"Wait! The ground is—"
"Don't move! There are traps everywhere!"
It was too late.
Explosive tags flared in a chain reaction, roaring continuously under the pale moonlight.
Bursts of fire and shrapnel tore through the ranks, staining the mist a sickening red.
Survivors remained paralyzed, watching their comrades fall as the beach turned into a field of fire.
From the cliffs, Orochimaru watched the carnage with a thin, predatory smile.
He watched the slaughterhouse he created without weaving a single hand seal.
The cannon fodder served its purpose, dying in heaps to reveal the hidden dangers.
"Look at them," Orochimaru murmured, his voice a low hiss. "Sending such fragile lives to test the depth of the water. It is almost a waste of good ink."
The smoke from the explosions mingled with the mist, creating a veil for the next wave. Kiri Chūnin moved through the haze with silent efficiency.
They leaped over the mangled remains of the Genin, using the carnage as stepping stones to reach the cliffs.
A series of hand signs flickered through the fog.
Water Release: Wild Bubble Wave!
A massive torrent of foam and water surged forward, washing away the oil and neutralizing Orochimaru's remaining fire traps.
The Chūnin scaled the vertical rock face with chakra-enhanced feet. They did not roar like the fodder before them. They moved like ghosts, eyes fixed on the four figures standing at the summit.
"They are bypassing the perimeter," Yoichi noted.
He reached for his blade as the air grew heavy with killing intent.
Tsunade stepped to the edge, her knuckles cracking. "Let them come," she muttered.
"I have been waiting to hit something."
"Let's begin."
Yoichi moved with fluid, terrifying grace.
His blade sang through the air, reaping lives as the invaders crested the ridge.
Each strike was a precise harvest.
He cut through throats and hearts before the enemy could chamber a kunai.
"My arm! I can't feel my—"
"He's not human! Fall back! Fall ba—"
With every soul claimed, the Soul Eater pulsed with dark hunger. A surge of cold energy rushed through his veins, strengthening his soul power.
The more he killed, the sharper his senses became.
The world slowed, revealing every frantic breath of the men he slaughtered.
"Please, wait!" a young Kiri ninja pleaded.
However, Yoichi's blade didn't hesitate.
The scream ended in a wet gurgle.
Beside him, the others were equally devastating.
Dragon Elephant Drop!
Three Jewel's Protection!
Twin Fang Assault!
Tsunade's legs shattered ribs and earth.
Jiraiya's body radiantly shone, nearly impenetrable under the clashing steel. Orochimaru moved like a blur of shadow, his strikes silent and venomous.
The Kiri Chūnin were cut down like ripened wheat.
Yoichi stepped over a fallen body, his eyes glowing with eerie light. He felt the intoxicating pull of the Soul Eater demanding more.
The commanders on the ships realized the "cannon fodder" was disappearing too quickly.
With a signal of flares, multiple Jōnin joined the fray.
They moved with speed that blurred the air, crossing the blood-stained beach to protect their remaining troops.
"Enough of this slaughter!" a Kumo Jōnin roared, his body flickering with blue sparks.
Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder!
Waves of high-intensity electricity surged across the ground toward Yoichi.
Simultaneously, a Kiri Jōnin rose from the mist, his hands forming a final seal.
Water Release: Water Dragon Triple Strike!
Three massive dragons of churning sea water rose from the surf, their maws open to crush the defenders. The air crackled and roared as the combined elements converged.
The Jōnin ignored the dead, focusing only on the four figures holding the line.
The Kumo leader's eyes widened as he caught sight of Yoichi's face through the spray. He skidded to a halt, his heart hammering against his ribs.
The cold, efficient movements were unmistakable.
"That face... those eyes..." the Kumo Jōnin stammered, his bravado vanishing. "The Phantom Blade of the Uchiha? What is he doing here?! He has no business defending the Whirlpool!"
Yoichi felt the shift in the air.
He tightened his grip on his weapon, his eyes reflecting the blue light of the lightning.
As Yoichi fought multiple foes, the Kumo and Kiri commanders saw their opening.
They realized the four defenders were occupied by the elite Jōnin.
With a sharp whistle and a series of hand signals, a new order echoed across the ridge.
"Ignore the Uchiha and the Sannin!" the Kumo commander roared. "The Jōnin will restrain them. The rest of you, move! Bypass the cliffs and head for the village!"
The remaining sea of Genin and Chūnin surged forward like a tide. They scrambled over rocks and through the mist, using the distraction to slip past the defensive line.
"They're getting through!" Jiraiya screamed, his face contorted as he forced back a Kumo Jōnin's blade. "Yoichi! If they reach the village, it's over! We have to stop them!"
Jiraiya's voice was desperate, but Yoichi didn't turn. He stood amidst the lightning and water jutsus, his expression cold and detached.
"It doesn't matter," Yoichi replied loudly, his voice cutting through the roar of battle.
"Let them go!"
It couldn't be helped.
With waves of shinobi like a bison stampede, Yoichi along with the three's hands were completely tied. In the options of chasing these fodders and staying together, he chose the latter.
As long as these elites remained here, then there's nothing that could break the protective seals!
A Kumo Jōnin lunged at Tsunade, forcing her to block instead of crushing the passing fodder.
Nearby, Orochimaru hissed as a Kiri assassin forced him into a high-speed clash, preventing his wide-scale jutsus.
The battle reached a fever pitch as Tsunade found her opening. She grabbed a Kumo Jōnin by the throat, her muscles bulging as she leaped into the air.
With a roar, she slammed him downward with a Dragon Elephant Drop, the force of the impact cracking the cliffside.
The Jōnin bounced off the shattered stone, his body broken and reeling.
He had no time to recover.
Yoichi was already moving, his silhouette flickering like a ghost.
He didn't use a blade this time.
Mountain Crushing Fist!
A knuckle materialized into reality, a massive, spectral weight behind his strike.
The impact didn't send the man flying.
It erased the entirety of his remains.
The force resonated through the air, creating a shockwave that silenced the nearby screams.
Yoichi felt the rush of power, his aura soared as the Jōnin's soul was added to his own.
"One less obstacle..." Yoichi took a deep breath.
Tsunade caught his eye, a fierce, knowing smirk crossing her lips as she leaned into his space for a brief second.
"That's my man!"
"Hey guys, I hate to break your intimate time together... But can you help me here?!" Jiraiya remarked.
He leaned back, his resplendent figure deflecting a barrage of kunai.
Two Kiri Jōnin pressed him hard, their blades sparking against his reinforced physique.
He gritted his teeth, struggling to hold the line against the coordinated assault.
Tsunade laughed, a sharp and wild sound.
"Keep your eyes on the front, Jiraiya, or I'll let the next one stab you!"
She smashed her heel into the earth, sending a fissure toward the enemies.
Orochimaru slid through the shadows, his dagger-like hands finding gaps in armor while the foes were distracted by his teammates synergy.