Whether the ninja and secular forces defeated and scattered by The Fireflies organization leaked news of the gold mine didn't matter at all... Of course, they were definitely going to spread it far and wide.
However, before they could begin spreading the word and the news could gain sufficient circulation, Black Zetsu had already delivered this information to the necessary people.
Everything was perfectly reasonable—information always spreads at different speeds, and different ninja clans have varying intelligence-gathering capabilities, don't they?
The best scenario for The Fireflies organization would have been for different major ninja clans to compete for the gold mine, conflict with each other, and overlook their existence entirely. Unfortunately, due to Black Zetsu's involvement, such a thing would never happen.
Three days later, after dusk fell, Yūshin's constantly anxious heart could finally be set at ease... Not because they'd escaped the crisis, but because of a certain "dust settling" feeling.
The top floor of Kikyō Castle's keep.
"They're here, and they're not coming from the unguarded northeastern mining area direction, but straight from the east. Their numbers are staggering..."
Only Yūshin and Yamanaka Keiya were present here. Other capable, combat-ready ninja were currently at their respective posts, distributed among different combat squads.
Yūshin stood up abruptly. This approach of charging straight at them, seeking to eliminate local ninja forces first and remove all hidden dangers before tallying the gains, clearly indicated the attacking enemies were serious threats.
"How many enemies are there?"
"The vanguard has fifty people. Not sure if there are follow-up forces. Wait—someone detected my sensing. Several ninja have broken away from the main force... So fast!"
Hearing the number fifty, Yūshin's first reaction was relief, because this quantity might mean most of the attackers were weaklings. However, Yamanaka Keiya's subsequent reaction showed the enemies were far from weak—they were elite.
Of the fifty attackers, forty-five came from the Hagoromo Clan, with only five from the Uchiha Clan. Among these five, besides Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Orikawa, the remaining three were elderly elders long past their prime... It was obvious which side was the main combat force.
Uchiha Orikawa had absolutely no way to leak information. First, he was watched closely by family heads and elders; second, he still didn't know who they were going to fight.
Yūshin walked to the window, looking toward the direction from which the enemies were approaching. Straining his vision, he saw several clusters of azure lightning flash through the night. After twenty-some breaths, these lightning bolts stretched into a line, like lightning spread across the ground, already reaching near Kikyō Castle.
"The Hagoromo Clan... is it?" Yūshin seemed to discern their origins.
If only one person could move this fast, it wouldn't mean much. But if a group of ninja possessed such high-speed movement capability, it could probably only be the Hagoromo Clan's Swift Release Kekkei Genkai.
"All other battle plans are scrapped—execute Plan 10!"
Understanding the enemy-ally power balance, Yūshin immediately issued orders. The strength disparity was despairing, but he maintained his rationality.
After hearing the command, Yamanaka Keiya showed no hesitation. He leaped from the window onto the rooftop, then fired four signal flares—three red, one blue—into the sky.
The battle plan was clear: only designated few ninja would remain to delay the enemy; everyone else needn't consider fighting, only retreat.
At this point, withdrawing without fighting could hardly be called cowardice.
When the signal flares ascended, Yūshin had already leaped down from the keep... He certainly wouldn't give up resistance.
After identifying the enemy's origins, he instantly understood what he should do first.
Yūshin came to The Fireflies headquarters building and without a word directly retrieved Senju Tobirama's messenger bird that had been carefully maintained.
He took out a piece of paper and quickly wrote intelligence: Kikyō Castle is under attack by the Hagoromo Clan, numbering over fifty, with the Hagoromo clan head as commander. The Hagoromo Clan village's command system currently has vulnerabilities.
After stuffing the intelligence into the bird, he immediately released it.
At this time, Yūshin didn't know whether the Hagoromo Clan head was present, but this didn't prevent him from processing this intelligence with a mixture of truth and falsehood.
He could even guess Senju Tobirama's reaction—he wouldn't disbelieve it entirely, nor would he believe it completely, so the Senju Clan would likely conduct probing attacks on the command-vulnerable Hagoromo Clan with small elite forces.
You must know Senju Tobirama deeply hated the Hagoromo—he couldn't possibly pass up such an opportunity.
As long as the Hagoromo Clan village was attacked, it would immediately create a "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" effect on Kikyō Castle's side... The attackers would never imagine that a small ninja organization in a remote region could promptly contact their mortal enemies, the Senju Clan.
Fortunately, Yūshin's half-guessing, half-deduction was actually correct. For the enemy, this was a battle to enhance mutual trust, so both clan heads needed to participate... After all, there wouldn't be any accidents or dangers, right?
As for why the Hagoromo Clan deployed so many forces, it had nothing to do with whether they valued The Fireflies organization... After obtaining the gold mine, they'd need to guard it, wouldn't they? These many ninja were actually here to defend the gold mine. If other powerful forces came to compete later, the Hagoromo Clan would be completely unafraid.
Meanwhile, at Reitō Castle, they also received emergency signals.
"Lord Daimyo, three red—according to plan, we should withdraw... Although the enemy's main attack target is Kikyō Castle, this doesn't mean Reitō Castle will be safe."
"Then follow the plan and temporarily evacuate."
According to Shimizu Kiyosuke's character, he had always held conservative opinions about the Land of the River Source's territorial expansion, but at this moment, he showed no resentment and instead firmly supported Yūshin's decision.
This defeatist actually showed no cowardice at the crucial moment.
Boom! Boom!
With continuous explosive sounds, Kikyō Castle erupted in flames.
"Go, head south, don't stop for even a moment."
Fūma Gorō crouched on a rooftop, directing ninja and some civilians to evacuate. However, such command positions were highly conspicuous, both to allies and enemies.
Four or five Hagoromo Clan ninja, after discovering Fūma Gorō and recognizing his role, instantly surrounded and attacked him.
Fūma Gorō was constantly watching his surroundings. With the enemy's movements so brazen, there was no possibility he wouldn't notice.
"Go!"
He gritted his teeth and repeated the command to the evacuation team once more, then turned toward those enemies.
The indecisive person took firm, decisive steps; those who couldn't bear pressure would always have moments when they shouldered responsibility.
Lan strode across the chaotic streets, her long blade at her side.
Half her body was shrouded in night, half illuminated by dancing flames.
In this environment, her sensory abilities became increasingly acute.
A chakra signal rushed toward her at high speed. Just as the kunai in the opponent's hand was about to pierce her neck, she sidestepped to create space while her long blade was already unsheathed.
She gripped the sword single-handed, hilt downward, tip tilted toward the night sky, the blade meeting the enemy with perfect precision.
A soft sound—one Swift Release ninja was instantly cut in two.
Simultaneously, a blast of explosive flame rushed straight at her from behind.
Lan maintained her expressionless demeanor. She spun and slashed, her Wind Release blade directly splitting that powerful Fire Release technique in half.
An aged figure appeared not far down the street.
"Nameless..."
Lan turned around, the hollow beneath her bandages seemingly aimed at the opponent. She hesitated slightly, then said:
"I think... I remember your chakra..."
"Speed means nothing to me..."
Nara Hideyuki, like a hunting spider, trapped a Hagoromo Clan ninja proud of his speed in the Shadow Possession Technique. Black shadows were strangling the opponent's neck.
However, the enemy was from a great ninja clan after all. His chakra quality was superior to Nara Hideyuki's. Lightning burst from his body, and under violent struggling, Nara Hideyuki seemed momentarily unable to behead him.
However...
Besides the black shadow tendrils, white tendrils emerged from his arm, and these tendrils performed a light pluck at the enemy's chest—a fresh heart thus changed owners.
Now Nara Hideyuki's chakra was stronger than these Hagoromo Clan ninja, because he now had three hearts.
The enemy's chest was pierced—he was already dead. The shadow withdrew from him, and simultaneously, Nara Hideyuki flicked his right hand's five fingers, connecting five chakra threads to the opponent.
Not content with just harvesting hearts, he was even creating "puppets" on the battlefield. Few could grow stronger in battle like Nara Hideyuki.
But just then, an enemy suddenly appeared behind him, a lightning-wreathed hand blade directly piercing his chest...
With enemies outnumbering allies and enemy elite ninja far exceeding their own, even someone as powerful as Nara Hideyuki could easily fall into enemy encirclement.
However, the enemy who thought he'd achieved a killing blow found himself unable to withdraw.
If you knew the Cursed Grudge Fear secret technique, would you place your main body's heart in its original location?
Nara Hideyuki certainly wouldn't.
Actually, even with one heart pierced, he wouldn't face mortal danger. However, Nara Hideyuki, like Yūshin, greatly treasured his original equipment.
Nara Hideyuki used shadows to control the opponent. Previously his chakra strength was limited, but now the situation would reverse—after all, three hearts versus one, with one matching the enemy's configuration. Simple addition and subtraction could determine the comparison.
Just as he prepared to violently strangle this enemy, Hideyuki glimpsed Yamanaka Keiya approaching.
"Come!"
At Nara Hideyuki's reminder, Yamanaka Keiya turned his head, immediately understanding the other's meaning, so he quickly formed seals:
"Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique"
Nara Hideyuki suppressed the enemy's body while Yamanaka Keiya invaded the enemy's spirit. His family secret technique instantly put the enemy's mind into sleep while he controlled this body.
As for his own empty shell, Yamanaka Keiya was quite bold, directly abandoning it in an alley to play dead.
The two split up, each seeking enemies to fight.
Elsewhere, three young ninja—Fūma Satoshi, Tachibana Wakamatsu, and Wutong—though not as skilled with the Cursed Grudge Fear secret technique as Nara Hideyuki, could still fight the enemy to a standstill through cooperation, utilizing their near-immortal characteristics plus the Hagoromo ninja hearts they already possessed.
Not far from them, Akimichi Narihisa was trapped in bitter combat. The enemy was too agile, completely countering his strength... Yūshin looked clumsy compared to Swift Release, let alone the more cumbersome Akimichi.
Already at a disadvantage and surrounded, after several exchanges he was wounded multiple times and in mortal danger.
Massive blood loss in a short time made his consciousness blur. A cold gleam reflected in his eyes. Just as he startled and instantly became alert, a long blade had already slashed toward his throat.
The enemy's smile began freezing, but just then, this Hagoromo Clan ninja suddenly slashed empty air—the enemy before him had inexplicably vanished.
At an extremely high vantage point, Shichimi had activated her Mangekyō Sharingan. Blood flowed from her eye corner as intense stabbing pain made her involuntarily cover that eye with one hand.
She gasped violently while falling into deep self-blame, shame, and torment.
She had already discovered Uchiha ninja among the invaders and roughly guessed that it was her presence that had brought The Fireflies organization under siege.
In her mind, everything happening now stemmed from her rescue of Lan. That incident seemed finished, Madara seemed to control the Uchiha Clan, yet revenge had still come.
"Perhaps it's really like the rumors say—the Sharingan always brings misfortune..."
Caught between The Fireflies organization and the Uchiha Clan, Shichimi was momentarily at a loss. Unlike Lan's decisiveness, she felt that raising her blade against anyone would cause immense pain.
But Shichimi still found the correct approach—she began using her dōjutsu power without restraint. Akimichi Narihisa wasn't the first, nor would he be the last.
In the night, a figure was flying close to the ground.
After eliminating several ordinary enemies, Yūshin finally discovered an enemy command center.
Using the Light-Weight Boulder Technique, he flew rapidly while simultaneously moving his arms and legs as if swimming, scraping the ground from time to time. Though the movements weren't elegant, continuous force application made his speed increasingly faster.
In an instant, he rushed before an old man.
Large amounts of steam gushed from his sides while he had already completed hand seals one step ahead.
Light-Weight Boulder Technique canceled, Heavy-Weight Boulder Technique activated.
Boom!
He kicked the old man's waist. Blood splattered instantly, nearly folding the person in half.
The enemy spun and flew backward, crashing thunderously into a city wall, his body almost flattened like a pancake.
This was standard violent instant-kill—no technique, pure force.
The so-called elder didn't even have time to activate his proud Sharingan before Yūshin kicked him to death like kicking a stray dog.
If this ninja ever had a chance for burial, folding him up and stuffing him in a coffin would save at least half the wood.
Yūshin stopped moving and looked expressionlessly at the two ninja behind him.
"Uchiha Clan..."
The remaining two were Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Orikawa. Nothing else mattered—now Yūshin only wanted to kill them.
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