Peering out from the safety of his cover, Danzo watched the last pair of Akebino guards walk out of the boat's resting area, they then rocketed towards the coast, pushing the water like mud beneath their feet. The first got free, but the second was hit by cannon fire and knocked sideways so that he pinwheeled into the ground and would have exploded in a ball of flame, had he not used a jutsu at the last second to push away from the impact of the explosion itself, cartwheeling into enemies sleeping and awake alike.
Danzo winced and crouched lower.
Now the Akebino Leader, the Hozuki leader, and the Kaguya leader who had been engaged in combat outside the hangar burst through the doors as well, shredding apart everything in the process as they rocketed towards the cannon fire location. Caught in a crossfire, the remaining clan members of varying clans were quickly overwhelmed and sent flying overhead roaring with bloodthirsty madness until the end. Danzo winced and grimaced. He was no stranger to hearing such roars, but something was shaking him to his core the longer he heard them howl and yowl like demons. There was a hurried conference between the Hashirama, Kiyoshi, Danzo, Tobirama, and Fumiko, then the entire Konoha Force began to move toward an exit in the boat that took them directly past a few more, which Danzo and Fumiko lined with explosives while Tobirama replicated a seal continuously on top of these traps.
"Hey, where are you going?" Fumiko asked, popping her head out of the cockpit as they passed. "
"You and Danzo have your mission. You stay there!" Hashirama ordered, motioning her back down. His long hair was waving in the aura of his chakra, and his face intense.
"Stay right where you are!" Tobirama seconded.
"We got a chain of explosives thanks to Tobirama's assistance, we'd be better-"
"Remember your mission Danzo and Fumiko. You will not die here. Times are changing..." Kiyoshi said in a tone of voice that brooked no argument.
Fumiko froze briefly, undecided, as the contingent hurried past him toward the edge of the boat, weapons at the ready. She did not want to be left behind. She had no intention of letting these adults or Danzo go on without her, especially since she could do nothing to help them if she was stuck here in this empty, corpse ridden boat with those three vicious leaders.
"Focus on the mission. We have to clear the coast out. The Water Damiyo himself isn't even here. This is where we draw him out." Danzo said, trying to keep himself calm.
She was still wrestling with the matter when the entire group slowed in front of the boat. Three cloaked figures stepped through the opening of the Fire country and the ocean to confront them. Fumiko's breath caught in her throat. It was the Kaguya, Akebino, and Hozuki leaders who had attacked them on their way back from the Lightning country, nearly ruining the treaty, Tobirama had advised her later, to always run from these men, as they were true enemies of the dream his brother achieved with everyone's assistance. Konoha.
The three bloodthirsty leaders stepped out of the shadows like a large panther, their faces all hidden with a terrifying mask, The Kaguya leader's, Hozuki leader's, and the Akebino's yellow eyes bright were lighting with anticipation and rage. Blocking the way out, they stood waiting for the contingent of Konoha to attack, each of them holding a long-handled blade.
"They have a Nodachi?" Danzo asked, his breath stilling briefly before he fingered the Kodachi at his side.
"It isn't, but it's not. The length may be that of a Nodachi, but that design isn't. They're merging the foreigners weapons with the Nodachi!" Kiyoshi hissed, eyes drawing down.
Fumiko backed away at once. Then, on command from Hashirama, Danzo gave ground as well, though less quickly and with more obvious reluctance.
Hashirama, Tobirama, and Kiyoshi leapt from the boat, landing silently on the water before them. The three clan leaders stared down the trio of men before them, only one of them carrying a strange title that wasn't clan leader. They stood alone in their path. Together, they slowly drew their swords out from their scrolls, ignited them with their chakra. The three clan leaders stripped away their cloaks as well, tossing it aside where it'd soon be vaporized by the explosion, then they lifted their long-handled blades, as if offering it for inspection. A gleaming blade of bloody fire jutted from both ends of the Akebino leader's hilt, revealing a deadly, dual-blade weapon.
A smile crossed the bearer's feral face beneath his makes as he swung the weapon before him in an idle, casual gesture, spreading out to either side, the trio slowly advanced to meet them.
"We won." Hashirama said.
"I wouldn't be too sure." The Akebino leader said. "I can kill you."
Hashirama smirked uneasily. "Your fleet is going to be destroyed. We'll clear up the coastline."
"For a short time. The lion share of our fleets are fighting the Water damiyo as we speak. You may win battles, but you will not end the war. Hashirama Senju, your ideal of ending this warring era will die with you by my hand!" The Akebino leader snarled.
"The Kaguya live for bloodshed. Whether it is a shinobi village or the amalgamation of the Domou, Uchiha, Subatsu, Hagoromo, Yuhi, Nohara, Kurama, Namikaze, Shimura, Terumi, Yuki, and any other clans that join them. We have no intention of changing."
"What of the Hoshigaki clan? I seen the corpses they've left behind, but I don't see them nor any of their fallen comrades."
"The amalgamation got to them. Madara tried to talk to us as well. We weren't as receptive. The Kaguya relish in bloodshed. Not in the perfection strength they chase after." The leader of the Kaguya said.
"We'll just kill you before Syrus gets here. He's just like those two, and I can feel it...You're going to be just like them...If know you are..." The Hozuki leader said.
Kiyoshi arched a brow, but kept his silence.
"In that case we won't let you win this battle or this war." Tobirama said.
Maybe I was too quick to judge Syrus and the others...Even they wouldn't want these bandits running around on the mainland...Forgive me for insulting your pride in such a way, Madara first and foremost... Hashirama tightened the grip on his sword.
Thankfully, they'd be able to speak soon.
"I won't die here. I'll show you why I am the First Hokage of Konoha!"
Mizuki felt the man's approach long before she saw him. It was like a storm gathering slowly, the clouds coalescing until finally thunder, lightning, and an outpouring of rain began to scatter.. When the trees fell over on either of her, Disuke and Yosuke were keeping track of the movements, and she was already sitting outside of the hut they made, waiting for him.
The man who climbed out of the jungle was large and muscular. He was tall standing at six feet and seven inches, with a head of long, spiky and curly hair that was locking and matted in some places, a sharp contrast with Disuke's own bald head, and Yosuke's lean and wiry frame. He wore dark clothing consisting of a black haori jacket, a black kimono, gray hakama, black obi, and white zori, and a hook-handled sword dangled from his obi belt. His skin was tanned deep bronze, and his features were composed into an expression of serene calm.
Even if Disuke were not sensitive to chakra, it wouldn't have been hard for him to recognize this as someone who tried to follow Ninshu only recently. What he might not have sensed was how powerful this man truly was.
Disuke had dealt with powerful men and women before. From every single clan alike had come to him in the past, and he had turned them all away in battle at some point. He was a follower of Hashirama. He wanted no part of the war between ideals. The man began walking toward them, moving carefully. The refreshing scent of rain and moss wafted off of him, smothering the scent of the rain hanging over their fire. Jabbing a stick into the coals to stir up more heat, Yosuke now understood their visitor's unnatural complexion. The effects of nature energy no matter how slight was noticeable, as well as the fact, somehow this man was glowing due to his chakra shining.
Yosuke figured the man had a long life ahead of him.
He didn't speak until the man stood directly in front of them. "Who are you?"
"There is venom in his body. Syrus. You have come for the cure that Ahiko-sama gave me for this occasion. I will give it to you."
The man didn't speak. Not surprising, given his state. The poison would have left his tongue slightly swollen, his mouth parched. But he didn't need words to convey his message as his hand dropped to the hilt of his blade.
"No need for that." Mizuki said, with no change in her voice. "Here."
She tossed him a vial with liquid.
"Forgive me for my hast." Syrus said.
"It's fine." Mizuki cared nothing for the bloodlust the two men showed Syrus, nor what either side valued. In fact, there was only one thing she cared about in all this.
And getting Disuke, Yosuke, and Syrus back safely was the biggest part of it.
It fell upon her and a few others to steer this where it needed to go despite everything happening.