"What does pain feel like?"
Gaara
The trip to the Uzumaki compound was...
Eventful.
Hashirama often found himself confused every single day of his existence. It was with his paperwork when there was always something strange that needed to be approved. A sauna, a place to brew sake, and why did there always need to be a new bathroom or outhouse? He was confused when his father would be so obstinate and not listen to any reason at all. Hashirama would have better look explaining things to a wall and the wall getting it than his father getting it, or even bothering to listen-this confused him because he couldn't see himself talking to a wall.
Another thing that confused him growing up was the endless conflict. Was it really so difficult to just say one word instead of swinging a sword? Sending some earth shaking ninjutsu forward instead of talking things out. It was a rather stupefying thing for him growing up. It wasn't until he realized that it's because of war itself that there was conflict, but that also made no sense because when, why, how, and where did it start?
After all it just didn't happen. If something like war had been the norm since the beginning of time he would be concerned for the future, and he was, but he knew that war always didn't plague the land like it does now. There had been peace, as it there had to be in order for war to exist in the first place. For him, as a child, that was how he seen it-war was the undoing of peace.
He wanted to end these wars, but...
Whenever the world was settled in. Whenever everyone was happy.
The Senju
The Uchiha
Shinobi clans
Fuck things up
The Senju would always go and mess things up, Mito had told him so much in a not so mean way. It was because of the Senju the union between Uzumaki and Domou was done away with. There were no more unions between the two clans, but now it was an entirely different matter other than two clans.
People were happy with the way things are. Yes, there was death and war, but that didn't mean people wanted it to change, and it didn't mean that clans wanted it to change. For so long it's saturated the world like a disease-spreading hate and despair, leaving bodies behind of old and young, it consumed everything and gave back nothing. People adjusted, got used to it, and now they're happy.
How the Uchiha factored into this is the fact they were mortal enemies, and whenever the Senju would move-the Uchiha would retaliate. Other shinobi clans would move against them, and vice versa, and vice versa.
The wars were endless. Scarring and ripping landscapes apart, reducing life to ashes, taking lives.
And, he wanted to change things. Senju Hashirama wanted to change things, and he fell into the dangerous trap, the dangerous mindset of his predecessors. It was not right to shove his ideals onto others, onto the world, and then get angry when they don't accept it. It wasn't right for him to force change upon those who don't want change, who are afraid of change, and who hate change. It wasn't right for him to be so lofty with his own desires of peace, while everyone else was happy killing each other.
No, he couldn't let things continue like this. A village, regardless of its flaws will be much better than this. There couldn't even be a stable alliance-other than the Subatsu alliance, which had been fruitful, the Senju's only true allies had been the Uzumaki.
People can't reveal their surnames.
He sighed.
He fought off a wicked headache, pressing his finger and thumb between his eyes.
Tobirama would say he's being ridiculous and an idiot, in a not so fond way at this moment, but his brother only seen things through a rigid outlook. Like a grid. He believed in laws and order, believed that they were required in order to end the conflicts. He didn't believe that cooperation was the key to peace like himself, and it meant that they wanted two different things. He wanted peace. Tobirama wanted order.
But, if his own ideals were going to spread war down the line-rather than alienate and dissipate it, than he had to rethink his dream...The dream he shared with Madara.
Despite all this, it's not why he was confused at this point in time. That was for an entirely different reason, three reasons to be exact. Two were hanging onto his arms-Mito's sisters, and the third Mito herself was glaring at him because of this. Her only brother hadn't been the most welcoming, unlike her two sisters, not counting the other two that hadn't been present. He just had this light glare of indifference on his face, and didn't look to be older than fourteen.
"Sister, what are you to doing him?" Hashirama could remember the question well, the look of disapproval on the boy's face as he eyed him up and down. The boy had long straight hair, that covered one of his eyes and hung down over his ears-if he didn't know any better he swore he could see Tobirama's face in the way he began to scowl..
"He's Senju Hashirama, my savior, Eiji. He risked his life to see me safely here. Show him the respect he deserves." Mito had said, coming to his defense with a sharp punch to her brother's head.
"I was just asking. We can't trust outsiders, in these times. You know this."
"That's no reason to be rude to him, Eiji."
Mito's two sisters had only grinned walking up to him with what appeared to be cat-like curiosity.
"He's got some muscle on him, Mito." This woman had long red hair, a bit brighter than Mito's and she moved with vivacity. "Not like Domou, they're built like solid stone. But, he's still a good amount of muscle on him."
"How would you know that, Miyuki? And, what are you suggesting? "
Hashirama hadn't heard the words, but seeing Mito's narrowing gaze at his arms he couldn't help but feel frazzled. He wasn't sure what he was even doing wrong, it's not like he was the one walking up her sisters like they were to him.
Miyuki grinned widely, while the woman next to her began to laugh like a psycho, her bright blue eyes gleaming with nothing short of childish joy and a swooning fascination. "Don't play stupid with me sister. You just called this handsome pie your savior, and then you have the nerve to ask what am I suggesting. I know you're not that dense, so let's not play this game.
"We found one of our ancestor's journals-it's like beyond ancient! Talks about the Domou, mostly her husband, a lot."
Mito sighed, rubbing her head. "Airi, how many times has everyone told you about going into the archives? First it was with the Fuinjutsu scrolls and now this."
"It's not like I'm trying to take the Fuinjutsu scrolls or anything like that. Besides, this is really interesting. Listen to this.
'I open my eyes and the light is shining, I see a thousand suns all over the sky, but as I look up I can see only a mane of dark hair. My ache quickly goes away. I guess I have to credit this obnoxious ass, his healing ninjutsu does work wonders. I won't admit it out loud, and I won't tell him, just because I don't want to give him the satisfaction. Why? Because I don't want to. A fire consumes me wholly from within, it makes me tingle. The moon is the sun and the moon is the sun, it seems to me today that dusk, dawn, and twilight are all the same.' There's got to be hundreds, if not thousands of page here...It's like she wrote everything that ever happened to her."
"I don't get it..." Hashirama shook his head. "But, it's not uncommon for people to do something like this, for generations later."
Miyuki then grinned like a savage. "She was getting her world rocked! She couldn't tell the difference between day and night."
"Miyuki!" Mito snapped.
"World rocked?" Hashirama looked completely at a loss.
"Hashirama!"
"What?" Hashirama nearly jumped eighty meters into the air just off of reflex.
Why was he always getting yelled at?
"You're only encouraging them." Eiji said with a tired, but annoyed look on his face. "Don't take yourself so serious, sister."
Airi took this time to wrap her arms around Hashirama's. "I bet I can rock your world."
"How?"
Hashirama felt ninety two years old instead of nineteen.
That had been just a few hours ago, and now he was feeling severely out of place.
The Uzumaki's homeland was bright. It was like stepping into through a curtain or veil, only to be showered in a warm glow. The grass was greener. The wind seemed to whip about from every single direction-thus throwing his hair all over the place. There were canals everywhere-like for every tree in the Senju compound, the Uzumaki had a canal. They varied in size and design, some were more exquisite than others in a sense with calligraphy and the like on them, while others were long stretches going from one end of the river to the next.
He didn't belong here. His bloodstained hands and darkness surrounding him from all his deeds...All the lives he's taken, just to preserve his own. Never before did the backlash and consequences of his actions stab him so deep before, but being around the Uzumaki was twisting the blade deeper and deeper. He knew it wasn't their intention-after all they were all friendly and curious, some greeted him, some waved, and others just watched not sure what to make of him. But, they never scowled or frowned at him.
Getting off this island was his next priority-he wanted to stay with the Uzumaki and watch them, but now he knew that his place wasn't here and never could be. He belonged on the mainland where his body would be trampled to dust or ripped asunder by some ninjutsu. He definitely didn't belong here, able to live to a ripe one hundred and twenty years. Unfortunately, he allowed this to show as he didn't leave the place he was staying at all, even when Mito had come knocking on the door.
The Uzumaki were a...Peaceful clan, a friendly and giving people. Their longevity allowed them to live in access of one hundred years, to the ripe old age of one hundred and twenty years old. While everyone else had an expectancy of thirty years, the Uzumaki have been living four times that for many, many, many centuries, and would continue to. Even if they didn't have such vitality they'd still be able to live as long, for the simple fact they rarely ever fought.
He also noted that none of them really wore the armor plating, he, and everyone else did in the world. They wore this...Jacket type thing with a collar, pockets on the chest, and was closed shut. It had armor inside of it, as he could see it clearly, but he wasn't so sure about ever wearing such a thing, ever. There was no better feeling for him in the world than feeling the weight of his armor bearing down on his shoulders.
It promised protection.
"There are Uzumaki that have killed, you know. My sisters Akiko and Amane hve, who you will meet. I have, as well. We are pacifists; that doesn't mean we let people take our lives." Mito had stressed, gripping his shoulders in an iron grip with her graceful hands. He didn't know she had such strength.
He didn't know what to say, so just remained silent, and watched her while her grip seemed to tighten.
"I'm going to drag you out of here if I have to." She threatened.
Now he was eating with Mito's family, and it was a huge family with a lot of people still...Alive. He oddly remembered sharing some moments like this with his own family, and extended family growing up. Before they were taken away by the wars. A pain grew in his chest, but he didn't allow that pain to show on his face. He kept his focus on Mito, and the immediate family, though everyone sort of blended in. He didn't want to brood here. People were coming and going, laughing and joking-it was rather lively if he had to say.
Red hair and blue or green eyes, after all, was the dominant trait in the Uzumaki.
Miyuki and Airi were practically twins. They shared some similarities with Mito-head shape, and chin angle, but that's all that could be said. They were almost Mito's opposite. They had the same bright blue eyes, long red hair, and they even shared the same body types. Curvy and shapely, he could see many men acting like animals just being in their presence. But, he got the feeling that they'd literally beat the shit out of them and toss their bodies somewhere without even caring-Uzumaki weren't weak, after all.
Mito's other two sisters-Akiko and Amane as he learned their names and meant them didn't look to have the same trouble making streak at Miyuki and Airi. They had the same gaze as Mito-collected and demure, but intelligent. Their eyes were both a stark green, a bit lighter than Mito's darker green color, and their skin was more on the tan side than Mito's ivory-like complexion. Akiko was also the tallest of all the siblings, standing just a few inches shorter than himself and seemed to have more chakra than the rest of her sisters, including Mito-it was like a cool stream gliding around him.
Eiji oddly reminded him off Tobirama with the way he tried to look indifferent with everything going on around him, though he did crack a smile and grin, something Tobirama would never do. However, he didn't look like Tobirama. His hair was long and red, his eyes were a sharp sky blue, and he had a more relaxed way of carrying himself than Tobirama's stoic and serious air.
At the head of the table sat Hisao, leader of the Uzumaki, and head of the household. He was a tall and sturdy man, standing at six feet even, and weighing at two hundred and twenty pounds. He had unwavering dark green eyes. His hair was long, straight, and gray as it approached the length of his tailbone and his beard and mustache also were of equal length, hanging down to his chest and being gray. Hashirama could feel from the undercurrents of his chakra that he was likely the strongest in the room.
Everyone else gathered shared similar appearances, and for the first time since he began to eat Hashirama felt what he had before he came here from where he had been staying near one of the canals. He felt guilty and just...He felt wrong being here with all of these people, who knew nothing of war, and who never shed the blood of another in their long lifetimes.
He knew one was Mito's aunt and uncle, there were several cousins and second cousins-if he wasn't mistaken. He greeted them all, somewhat quietly as he still felt out of place, and having them beam back just made him feel even more awkward.
"Why are you hanging onto him like that?" A ten year old girl asked.
"Yes, that is a good question. Let the young man go." An old woman stated, jabbing her cane at Miyuki and Airi. "Must you both be so embarrassing all of the time?"
"Miyuki. Airi. You two know better than to behave this way, Honami is right. Mito, stop glaring. You're going to make Hashirama feel out of place at the table."
"Yes, father."
Hashirama didn't startle at the deep tone of Hisao as he made his daughters back off, and who he could only assume was Hisao's wife keep them at a distance, relatively so as they were both seated next to him and keeping distance meant that they wouldn't be grasping him in the first place.. Silently he thanked the older couple, because he wasn't sure how long he could take these two gripping onto his arms, or Mito's heated glare that just seemed to get more and more scary as time went on.
He continued to eat, only speaking when he was directly spoken to, but since it was so noisy he really didn't need to open his mouth at all.
"I've been hearing your name a lot." Hisao turned his eyes onto the younger Senju, one eyebrow raised while a smile creased the slightest.
"I hope it's for good reasons." Hashirama knew this was unlikely since it had to do with combat prowess-he was killing people, and well that got people talking, and when one moved like the whirlwind he was on that battlefield it got everyone talking.
"Oh, yes." The woman nodded.
"You want to found a village or something like that." A few more Uzumaki spoke up.
Hashirama felt a rueful smile cross his face.
He was reassessing and reappraising his whole concept, as being with Uzumaki made him consider things he hadn't even considered before. As Mikito had said to him before-what was the point in founding a village, and there be a founding of villages if people were still going to die young. The life expectancy going from thirty to fifty would be quite a leap, but for it to be so in a world where there's villages it isn't much. The life expectancy would have to be...
...Triple what it is now.
It would have to be.
"I think it's for your strong arms." Miyuki stated.
"Miyuki, stop." Eiji said, eyes cutting at his sister.
Hashirama was brought back to reality, and he gave Miyuki a curious look for a moment. Now that he thought about all women were strange and weird, even Mito was.
Mikito wasn't...But, that's because she's a little...Different.
If he was known because he had strong arms he would be okay with that, if that was truly the case, but he knew it wasn't.
"It's mostly for the battles that took place in the desert region other than what they said." Akiko said, eyes elegantly tracing towards Hashirama until they settled on his form, and she allowed herself a small smile. "For such a young...Man to have such a reputation. Either it's blown out of proportion or you're really all that say 'shinobi no kami'."
"I'm no god." Hashirama said with the greatest humility and sorrow, bowing his head an inch to show that he meant it.
"I guess if you can make entire forests sprout without much effort, it can't be helped that average people and shinobi would start calling you that." Akiko said with a gentle shrug.
"Why do you say that?"
Akiko smiled for a second. "Though we Uzumaki have no part in this...People have this tendency of..."
"Putting people and things on pedestals. Worshiping said this." Amane said bluntly.
Every time he heard the moniker people were giving him it just made him sick to his stomach. He wasn't angry with them for doing so, he didn't resent them for doing so, and their doing this didn't make him sick to his stomach. It made him sick because he was not a god, he is human and his flaws, he can't bring peace like he wants to, and nobody wants to hear him out. If he were a god Itama and Kawarama wouldn't have died, children wouldn't have died, and there'd be no wars. But, because he wasn't such a thing, and because people wanted to give him such a foolish moniker-it was starting make him see many of his shortcomings.
All of them, for that matter.
To make everything worse people were...
Why would they worship him or put him on a pedestal?
He had blood on his hands! He's had blood on his hands since he was seven years old!
This is why he needed Tobirama, because instead of allowing himself to think he is a walking failure-Tobirama would say otherwise. Tobirama would also be able to explain why it is that people were deciding to worship him like he was deity of some sort, or whatever...
"Need we talk about such things during dinner?" Honami asked, fixing her husband with a stern expression before she focused on Hashirama himself. "You're a valiant young man. You have a wife, no?"
Hashirama almost choked on his tea, eyes bulging from their sockets. He made note that Mito, Miyuki, Airi, Akiko, and Amane were all looking at him with pointed interest, like all the women gathered round, but unlike those women their stares were more intent especially Miyuki and Airi. Curling in on himself, he began to feel rather weird.
"What?" Was all he could say.
"You're a looker. Why are you so dense?" Miyuki jabbed him in the arm.
"You're going to make him spill his drink, stop." Mito said, calmly, but her voice held a edge that made it seem as if she were snapping.
Miyuki glared at Mito, while Airi only grinned.
"Somebody is jealous."
"Not at all." Mito bit out. "I just don't want him to feel awkward."
"Stop glaring then." Airi said.
"It seems he is enjoying himself under the scrutiny of all you women." Hisao quipped, smiling when his wife turned to glare at him-along with all the other women present at the moment.
"I'm sure he enjoys telling war tales."
Hashirama noted that despite the way they were trading words, both had love in their eyes.
Hashirama resisted the urge to scratch the back of his head, truly curious.
"It's a reasonable question. Most shinobi are dead before they're nineteen on the mainland, so it makes sense if Hashirama is married and even has a child. Three for that matter." Amane spoke up.
Of all the women gathered, who had spoke to him, Amane seemed to be the most...Composed?
Hashirama shook his head, sipping on his tea carefully before setting it down. "I'm not."
Amane's eyes widened by a fraction. "You must be lying. I've heard a lot about you, and just not your prowess in battle."
Hashirama was careful to give a thankful nod-not grin like an idiot and thank Amane, because if he did that then Mito was going to start glaring at him again. He really didn't understand why she kept on giving him that look whenever he'd be jolly and friendly with her sisters and other family members, it's not like he was doing anything wrong. His mother would be sorely disappointed in him if he didn't interact with everyone present and be a gentleman.
"Of that, I am grateful. But, I am not lying. I'm not married, really."
"Why?"
"Amane..." Hisao started gently.
"I'm just baffled is all, father. The only person that I hear is anything like Hashirama, is Mikito, as everyone calls her a bleeding heart. She won't even lift a finger against a child, and from what I've heard you are the exact same way when it comes to children. I...only find it hard to believe that he's not married, considering he could have any woman he so desired...Except for me, that is." She smirked a sly smirk, eyes glinting with something mysterious that Hashirama never seen before.
Akiko snorted softly, but managed to laugh. "That's because you have impossibly high standards, Amane."
"I need a strong man. A gentleman." Amane stressed the words.
Miyuki began to snicker. "You are the one that had the book Airi and I were reading before we did, and before we found that one in the archives."
Amane shrugged, not meeting anyone's gaze in specific. "They have to be very exceptional if my ancestors were in unions with them...We Uzumaki couldn't leave our island for anything back in those days, and the women were trophies of status and prestige."
Hashirama felt himself cringe, first inwardly, then outwardly.
Ashinacleared his throat, eyes filled with something mysterious. Everyone that had gathered together left in a few minutes, bellies full and saying their goodbyes as they went back to their duties, or went back to their rooms.
"Amane..."
"Yes."
Ashina's gaze didn't lessen at all. "You must be careful when speaking about such things."
Amane looked rather tired at the moment, and her perfect posture faltered for just a second before she righted herself back up. "Why? If I want to marry a Domou man that's my decision. If I want to court a Bijuu, that is my decision."
Hashirama wasn't quite sure how she'd do the second. That Two Tails wanted to rip him to shreds, and quite frankly he could do without having to encounter that monstrosity again.
"It wouldn't be so...discontenting if you didn't refuse everyone that your mother and I have presented to you. You have to understand...Speaking about such things make some of our kin wary, and if you speak of such things outside of this island you will be killed. Such knowledge is dangerous."
Amane struggled not to cross her arms. She didn't pay any attention to her siblings, in specific Eiji's glaring warning.
She didn't even pay attention to her father, the only thing she could focus was on the sensation inside of her at this moment. "I merely don't like my life being planned out every single step, and my choices being dictated by you both, especially when it comes to this. If I want to marry a Domou man-that is my choice. If I want to marry an Uchiha man-that is my choice. If I want to marry a Subatsu man-that is my choice. I understand that the suitors you and mother picked could be good for us, and me, but I want to love, father,"
She turned her eyes onto Hisao, speaking to him. "I want to love before I give myself. I mean no disrespect, but I am not a child anymore..."
"Amane. Understand your father's wishes. Respect them. There are turbulent and changing times, we can't take risks." Ashina furrowed his brows, locking eyes with the younger woman. They really weren't going to have this conversation in front of Hashirama, of all people.
Mito felt a small bout of dread. She couldn't begin to imagine what Hashirama would start to cook up in that head of his-he was a man of many surprises, as she's learned, and she really didn't want him to get involved in this-as it is family business.
Amane took a slow breath, exhaling, then stood up to make her exit. "I understand. You're saying it's dangerous to associate with the Domou. I think this is so...Exhausting."
"I've already spoken to Mikito there's nothing to worry about." Mito said resolutely.
"Miyuki. Airi." Hisao said, tone gentle.
"I'm already leaving." Airi was already out the door with Miyuki-they never did enjoy such stiff talk.
"Is this before or after Hashirama came to your aid?"
"After."
"And?" Akiko asked gently.
Mito took a drink of tea before continuing. "I spoke with her husband. Uchiha Madara. She's already assured me that what is set in stone, and has been, will continue to be. Madara has also said that he has no intention of coming after the Uzumaki because of our close ties with the Senju. The only people we should be worrying about are the Yuki, and all the clans that are going to come over with them. Even the Subatsu don't pose a threat to us, Syrus isn't going to come here for anything."
Hashirama found himself nodding in agreement-Syrus couldn't care less at this moment, about anyone not within his compound.
Ashina's eyes tightened subtly. "Their feats in the desert region are peerless. They annihilated that combined force over one million strong. Which included more than half of the Earth damiyo's shadow force, along with monsters, the other damiyos' armies, the other clans, and three Bijuu...There were only thirteen hundred of them in total. Though, there are people saying that it was Daishiro who struck down the Earth damiyo in combat and not a shinobi from the Hatake clan. We don't know for sure since we weren't there."
"Mikito and Daishiro-the Domou and Shimura have been embroiled in conflict for nearly a decade now." Akiko said thoughtfully. "Perhaps Daishiro had something to gain."
"What though?" Hashirama asked the obvious, not sure what the man could want. It's not like he became the damiyo after all. He could have, with all the emergency powers centered around him, there'd be mo opposition.
"Perhaps it is not material gain, or even power." Amane let out a soft breath, musing it over. "If this were the case Daishiro would be a damiyo right now, and not a shinobi."
He blinked, feeling a shift in the room, and was staring into the eyes of Hisao, Amane, Ashina, Mito, and lastly Akiko. He got a sinking feeling that Hisao's changing of topic was meant to get Miyuki and Airi to vacate the room for some reason. He couldn't begin to guess, but the subject was rather stiff, and from what he observed the two enjoyed gossiping and giggling over weird things than taking serious.
He also realized that Daishiro could never be a damiyo, and things of that nature didn't interest him. Though, that's not to say he didn't use such things to his advantage, as he had proven, he did...A lot.
"I'm not sure what it is he wanted, but considering the fact things have quieted in the desert region...I think Mikito gave him just what he wanted." Mito concluded.
"Regardless there is no reason to fear the Domou. Mikito has already promised me that if I should pass, and that...thing is unleashed again that she will kill it or die in the process. Mito has also spoken her piece, and so we should take her words and Mikito's to heart." Hisao said, tone a bit hard. He crossed his arms over his chest, not quite frowning, but projecting the fact that this was final and he wanted to hear nothing of it or the opposite.
"Amane, I am not against you...As your father, I just want what is best for you. I want you to love, but you must understand that time is something we don't have much of."
"I know, father." Amane smiled, loving beaming in her eyes. She knew her father was basically saying he wanted her to have children, and that he wanted the father to be a man he approved of, but more importantly a man that she could love. So, though he wasn't saying it out loud or glaringly so, he had no problem if she were to have a union with Domou.
"I know, thank you. It was quite a pleasure meeting you, Hashirama-san."
"You too." Hashirama said a bit too quickly.
Ashina cleared his throat gently, moving onto the topic at hand. "You've battled the Yuki, correct?"
Hashirama nodded, neck a bit taut. It wasn't a question, and it wasn't a slight possibility. This man already knew. "I have, many times. Not recently, though."
Another silence fell over them.
"Their leader sent a letter to us, they will be attacking very soon."
Hashirama narrowed his eyes. "For what reason?"
"It doesn't matter at this point, whether it's true or not doesn't matter either. We'll just have to combat them when the time comes." Ashina said, eyes remaining somewhat stern.
"They believe that an Uzumaki infiltrated their compound and took their prized Hyoton scroll. But, it's just an excuse because they have more than one scroll containing the Hyoton, as everyone knows." Mito said a bit blandly, struggling not to scoff. Uzumaki weren't cowards, but they'd never go near a Yuki or the Water country.
"But, the point remains that we will have to combat them, or at least make preparations. When the Yuki attack the rest of the clans will follow and I have no doubt the Water damiyo will then declare war on all of the mainland. Things have been...Very bad in the Water country." Akiko said.
Hisao nodded, crossing his arms. "They won't make it here, not even close, but we still have to be ready. That is why..."
Hashirama deduced the situation. "You want my help?"
"If the need arises." Hisao nodded sagely.
"They won't make it passed the first island, but I've always been prepared for the worst." Ashina said. "We will probably not even fight, but if war does reach our island we must know that you will be support..."
Hashirama nodded carefully. "Excuse me for asking this, but why not ask Mikito? I understand that you two are on good grounds."
Hisao's look became grave, severe, and stern all at once. "As much as I love army destroyers. One Domou, a child no older than nine could wipe out an entire division-a fully mature Domou is capable of wiping out an entire country, honestly. Though, they'd never waste their energy or time doing such things, unless they're provoked. if it is nothing less than that thing attacking I won't bother her or the Domou-these Yuki and Water country clans are but mere paltry compared to this...Behemoth. They may have large numbers, but they can't begin to compare."
"Trust me. The behemoth I'm talking about could swallow them whole-and they wouldn't even be snacks."
Hashirama nodded. This must be the thing Mito dreaded the most, or perhaps Hisao was talking about something even worse than this, which almost blew his comprehension out the water. What could be more terrifying than the twenty tentacle monstrosity? "I'll do what I can to support the Uzumaki in that case. Maybe I could build some guard towers or something? Bridges? Houses? I am pretty good with my Mokuton."
"We accept that offer." Ashina cracked a smile.
Hashirama felt a little lighter, a little more at ease. Finally, he could use his Mokuton for something more important other than destruction and fighting-he could use it to build and protect.
Katori sighed, mildly disgusted. It wasn't very often she was roaming through underground sewers. Dodging sewage. Evading filthy puddles. Watching rats and other creatures scurrying away. The corridors themselves were twenty feet tall, seventy feet in width, and easily kilometers in length spreading out from one end to another, waste swishing and burying itself deep in the cracks that spread from time, and what appeared to be filthy moss of some sort growing along the smooth pipes. It was a filthy labyrinth. A grotesque maze/
It all led back to one place and even without her chakra sense she'd be able to find the direct channel that linked everything. After all, one place had to be the epicenter, and from there everything branched out. She studied enough growing up about architecture and other things of the like to be able to navigate through even the largest castle built in with an array of traps. To be able tp build her own house in the kilometer high trees of her homeland. She could dodge every trap one without as much as a blink.
Glimmering light peered against the murky water, and from the light's height Katori spotted a cap about five feet in length, there was a ladder leading up to it, but she presumed that nobody ever bothered to climb the thing as it had rusted and began to crumble from being so brittle. As she got closer and closer she was able to pick out more details-the bottom most part of the left was completely gone, replaced by a pale dirty orange, and all along its length there were flakes of the same orange mixing with black.
Pondering for a moment she decided that she'd just jump up, and lift the sewer cap in the same go. It'd weigh next to nothing for her and if there was a chance shinobi were guarding this damiyo it was better that she takes this approach than the shunshin, which would give off her chakra for just a bare second at the most. However, that's all a great shinobi would need.
She shot upwards, powerful hips and legs propelling her body at tremendous speed, and without stopping she snapped one hand up, easily remvoing the lid and set herself down for a silent landing. With a quick glance around to ensure nobody was around she set the cap back on its sewer hole, slowly slinking out from under her cover. Night fell, and she didn't have much to worry about in the aspect of being caught or spotted. The average person was asleep right now, and the only person who was up would be up to no good-which means they'd be sneaking around like her and she'd be able to pick them up.
This village was modern, with cement roads and sewers for instance. But, there was a line dividing two sides of it. On one side, where the buildings were all cleaner and everything seemed brighter was where the rich and higher class all resided, while the darker and dirtier side was where everyone else resided. The differences were glaring as one side had bigger buildings, and looked all around cleaner than the other. People also had differing appearances, and personalities from opposing sides-those who lived in the ragged part were more hostile, while those who had privileged enough were snobby.
Katori deduced she was on the less fortunate side, not that she cared about social status or anything like that. Domou never cared for such things and they were as alien to them as fighting was to the civilian populace. The damiyo was just on the other side of the cement wall surrounding his estate, where she needed to be in order to kill him. It'd be like clock work because every night he'd get a massage from a woman, and go out to smell his flowers, or do the exact opposite.
It didn't matter which he did, because he'd be meeting his end tonight. His followers and all those who supported him would also meet their end. For they had their hand in this horrible atrocity, and so they too should suffer the consequences. It's not like the nobles truly cared about said consequences because they had wealth, a title, and power, and so they'd get to skate by free without anything happening to them-but who they use as a scapegoat.
Her targets were simple. The damiyo first and foremost. His inner circle. Their advisers. And lastly two of his sons, and their wives.
Bypassing the security was simplistic-they were trained to deal with assassins and things of that nature, but they weren't trained to deal with shinobi or kunoichi. While they did assassinate people they weren't assassins in specific. The damiyo's abode was a typical feudal castle, with ten levels all covered in green and red tiles with a long dragon arching at the very top.
She leapt up to the fourth level, blending in with a shadow, and phasing into sight right in the hall. A quick check of her surroundings and she deduced she was the only one presently awake, everyone else was asleep, and if any guards were to be patrolling through here, she'd definitely hear them. The interior was something of wood and stone, granite and brick-it was nothing to scoff at.
The dimly lit candles allowed her a passage to her destination. No step made a sound, her eyes didn't move, and her chest remained still as she traversed with more and more speed. It would be a given the damiyo lived on the top level, as if there was ever an attack he'd send all of his men down and around in order to overwhelm, and in the end corner the enemy within the castle itself or the surrounding area. All of this was useless against a shinobi, for they didn't always kill with weapons or ninjutsu, but with secrecy and subtlety. Patience. Careful manipulation and planning. Prudence.
Thirty rooms and forty people later Katori eliminated the entire inner circle and their advisers. She didn't give them the chance to scream, nor did she give them the chance to awaken in order to see their end. But, the shrieks of pain that she blocked out with a quick genjutsu were all too familiar. It didn't take long for one or two of them to try and plead for their lives offering wealth and control beyond comprehension.
But, she desired no such things, and so she cut them down with a cold and unforgiving gaze. However, she didn't run her sword through all of them, some she merely poisoned by breathing a blue mist into their face or dumping a liquid down their throats. It'd be one thing if people tried to say that someone ruthlessly mowed through all of these nobles, but when they seen that some died because of their own doing-through her manipulations, they wouldn't know what to think.
Two floors separated her from the sons and their wives, and it was a mere step that brought her right to them. Two arcs and their heads were sent thudding to the floor. There were some guards that failed to notice her, but the four that came too close were dealt with swiftly. Their necks snapped to pieces before they even knew what was happening.
The damiyo was sound asleep as she hovered over his bed. It'd be good to just stab him through now, but she wanted a little more information in regards to the slave trade. There was always one direct source. But, she considered the fact this man wouldn't say a word in the end, and thus would be of no use. He'd pay for his atrocities.
At this time of night he would usually get a massage. And, in all truth he'd just feel the woman up that's giving him a massage and she'd be okay with it, because he is wealthy and has power. Katori wondered at times how humans could be so twisted and self serving-for a woman to be okay with giving herself over just due to a man's wealth and influence...
"Damiyo-sama, it's time for your massage." Her voice was smooth and sultry, deadly like the glinting senbon she slowly pulled from her mouth.
"Mmm, already..."
She jabbed him dead in his forehead, and with a quick burst of chakra the projectile shot through his skull, piercing through his brain and spilling blood out. She jumped to her feet, avoiding the rapid spread of blood and turned to the piercing light in the sky. Her mission was complete, now things just had to fall into motion as they would have to.
With a small flourish she was gone, already on her way back to the compound.
Dominoes was under way.
Sadao could handle a lot. The worse thing he needed to ever contain was his wife whenever she was vexed, and rightfully so that was about the only thing he feared. That's not to say she never surprised him, because she did in more ways than one. However, Syrus perplexed him to an extent, because as of recently he's been fighting more and more, though the Hyuga have been provoking the conflicts.
The other day he came back bloody with Tsugi and Ryoku.
Now, as he sat here going through a bit of paperwork, he turned his focus onto Syrus who was strapping on his armor. He respected Syrus a great deal, he could be a loose cannon at times but the man had a good heart, deep down. He loved his siblings, and did everything in his power to preserve his land, to protect his kin, and to ensure his siblings-mostly Usagi weren't ill treated.
"Is this necessary?" Sadao found himself asking.
Syrus nodded, eyes glinting. "Before nobody would come on this land, but now...Daiki has been persistent."
Sadao knew a truce or anything of that sort was out of the question. Syrus hated Daiki and the Hyuga, and the feeling was mutual with the Hyuga. There was no love loss between them, and unlike the strange relationship Syrus had with Madara, there was nothing positive about the one he has with Daiki. If it were possible, and Daiki didn't slip away every single time, he knew with no doubt that Syrus would gouge his eyes out before crushing his throat.
He also knew that the Subatsu didn't like anyone trespassing or encroaching on their land, and neither did the wildlife here that was all but content to live in the plexus of vegetation and kilometer high trees. It was also quite well known, as Syrus mentioned that just before nobody would ever dare to come onto this land because of the staggering fear of death, but now...
People were getting gutsy and there was only one way to deal with that.
Rip their guts out.
He also wasn't going to stand for the Hyuga and their nonsensical arrogance, or as Syrus and all the Subatsu say-hubris. They had attacked a child from his clan, and while the child to run a ice block through the Hyuga's chest he had suffered some damage, along with the other Subatsu child. They weren't dead, but the glaring point still remained.
"It's not that I don't understand or don't agree with you...The Hyuga went too far attacking a child from my clan and your own, even if they did kill all of the Hyuga in that unit...They are really..."
"A nuisance at best. I know."
This wouldn't be happening if... Syrus shook his head, not even sure where the thought came from.
"Shouldn't you wait for Haji and Usagi to get back?"
Syrus shook his head. "That's why I'm doing this now. I'll need them to debrief me on what happened with the Hagoromo. There's no time to waste on these...Hyuga, but I'm not going to let any single one live, and if I can help it I will leave Daiki in a ditch."
He and Sadao had a good working relationship, both being leaders of their respective clans and as such they spent a lot of time talking in private. Going over numbers, mission records and reports, everything of that sort-if the other Council members weren't taking care of it at that point in time. Unlike most people, Sadao never really tried to sway him from a decision, he tried to reason that the situation at hand wasn't worth him having to make the decision in the first place. A clear thinker, and one who plans ahead; that is Sadao.
That's why he got along with Sadao so well other than those trivial reasons. The man understood the times were changing, the way people's minds worked, and he wasn't going to object to him running his sword through someone trying to provoke a conflict. After all, his daughter was married to Okita, and when the time came that she was carrying a child...
Sadao may be reasonable at this moment, but Syrus didn't doubt the older man would take extreme action if something...Even minute were to happen to his daughter. Now, and especially when she is carrying a child, or children.
The older man smiled briefly, closing his eyes. "Can you believe that there's been ten more marriages since Okita's and my daughter's?"
Syrus held back a laugh. Yes, Sadao was always happy when there was a union between their respective kinsmen, not that he held that against Sadao. He too was happy, but he didn't show it like Sadao did. "We're allies, after all. Okita and Kimie getting married broke what tension and trepidation there could have been between our clans. Everything will be smooth from here...
"What about your Himeko?" Sadao couldn't help himself. He found it amusing how wary Syrus was with the subject of marriage.
"She's been progressing quickly." Syrus said, a small smirk crossing his face.
"She has reason and motivation. Little can stop a woman when she's so secure."
Syrus would have asked what he meant, and raised his eyebrow for good measure, but since he was Syrus he merely continued on to finish the conversation. "But, in nine months..."
"I know. The Snow country isn't far from here as you already know. We'll be ready." Sadao's eyes turned hard as stone.
With the message, spoken, but unspoken, but yet still understood just the same both men returned to what they had been doing prior. Sadao finishing up reading a few reports and Syrus fastening his armor as tight as he could get it.
"Your kin are adjusting well to the...Differences."
Syrus smirked. "As your own kin is here."
They both shared a light chuckle before there was a light, but rapid knock on the door, forcing them to turn their focus forward.
"Come in." Syrus didn't even turn towards the door to see who was entering. They didn't even get the chance to knock more than four times, as he was not in the mood for all of the rope a dope formalities. He already knew who they were, and their chakras were unmistakable to ever miss or get confused even in a giant frenzy of a battlefield.
"Syrus-sama. I got everyone just like you asked me to. I even brought my older sister." Asuna entered the room first, followed by Asuko-her older sister, Ryoku, Daisuke, Osen, Okita, Kimie, two more Mō kunoichi-Ikue and Nao, Tsugi, and lastly the stern faced Todou.
"Our scouts have confirmed that the Hyuga are about two miles east from here. Daiki is with them. There's about fifth teen hundred." Syrus said with little emotion.
Todou scowled for a brief moment. "For attacking just yesterday they put some distance between us, and have more with them."
"Hyuga are persistent, and they won't go away unless you do it on your own." Tsugi remarked, glancing at Todou for a second.
"You're not suggesting we fight them all?"
Tsugi's smirk was the only thing Todou needed to see in order to know the older man's answer.
After all it was common knowledge that Hyuga did highly concentrated hit and run attacks. If they weren't taken care of straight away they'd turn into literal thorns.
"They could have set traps." Ikue spoke up, letting her deep green eyes roam the room.
"It's possible. But, they're trying to avoid the natural dangers that plague them here-that's why they went down into the ravine two miles away. As you've noticed our homeland is quite different." Osen mused, a serene smile on her face.
"If we attack them at full force, we can overwhelm them." Nao said bluntly.
Ryoku cleared his throat a bit loudly. "That's where the other three units come in. They will be led by Todou, Daisuke, and Yamaguchi-they will have one hundred each, and split into a pinch. Water flows in the ravine and life is plentiful, but a few miles from here that ravine comes into a waterfall and the two basically merge. Syrus, Asuna, Asuko, Nagakura, Okita, Kimie, and Nao have the most difficult part, and that is making the Hyuga fall back."
"What about you?" Todou asked, looking at Ryoku with a dry expression.
"I'm leading a unit that will flank Yamaguchi, we're going to pick off as much Hyuga as we can while driving them to this destination. We'll provide support, but this will also keep them moving steadily.."
Todou didn't look convinced, but it was Kimie who asked the obvious question.
"What of their Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms?"
"That's something only passed on in the Main Branch of the Hyuga clan. To the heir, and that's it." Daisuke commented.
"The Gentle Fist is still troublesome. Hyuga like to dance around a lot, but I've battled Madara Uchiha and the Uchiha. They're a different breed. But you can count on the Hyuga relying on their Byakugan just like the Uchiha rely on their Sharingan. Overwhelm them and they'll surely fall back. Make their eyes useless and they'll retreat without question. Don't give them the chance to even activate the Byakugan." Nagakura remarked.
"In total there will be about seven hundred of us, maybe a little less." Syrus said. "The greater numbers will be concentrated with the others, those who are coming with me are coming alone. The Hyuga can't form their chakra spheres, because if they do they're going to run the risk of collapsing themselves in. If anything I'll bring down megatons of earth and stone down on them, or you can execute your clan's jutsus."
Kimie nodded, placated that her concern was nullified.
"The point of this strategy is to constantly press the Hyuga, and in essence control the tempo of this fight. In order for it to work to perfection we all must move of a single mind. My group has the hardest part, as we are confronting them head on." Okita spoke up.
It was humid
Strangely humid.
They found the Hyuga camped out near the ravine, it was very large with tents and 'patches' where cloths of blankets were set out. There were fifteen hundred in total as the scout said, so they had some tents and the like in the ravine itself, spreading out for some quarter mile before spiraling back into a network. There were teenagers in the group, but there were more experienced, hardened shinobi not overrun by their pride and arrogance.
They remained high in the trees, secluded by the massive fan-like leaves.
Kimie's eyes widened slightly as she spotted a familiar person...
"Daiki." Okita muttered.
"I've fought him." Kimie recalled the event. "He's a vindictive man."
Okita's hand instantly snapped to the hilt of his katana clenching it tightly, his callouses tightening from the amount of force.
"Okita." Syrus's tone was low and filled with a warning.
Okita's eyes started to narrow, a clear indication he was angry, and he locked eyes with Syrus; a silent argument waged between them.
"We can't give away our position, for now keep it under wraps." Syrus ordered sternly.
Okita slackened his grip slightly. Nothing more.
"Daiki is here... Then it is as I anticipated." Todou wanted to complete this before a few hours passed. Pushing the Hyuga even further back until they were gone from this place. It would be a battle and there'd be a lot of deaths. The Hyuga were pests and they were getting rid of them, it was as simple as that. "This is an outpost."
"I don't see a second in command." Nao noted softly.
"That's because there isn't one, only Daiki leads." Asuna remarked with derision.
"We can use that to our advantage, I doubt the branch family is fond of him. I count three hundred from the branch family, from what I can see." Asuko said calmly.
"More are in the ravine." Kimie mused. "They'll be able to do nothing to stop our pinch."
"Indeed." Okita murmured, smiling at his wife.
Kimie was very beautiful and shapely, but she was also very intelligent and skilled, in more ways than one.
Syrus didn't respond he only glared with his ghastly glare as he observed the camp below them. There were a lot of grunts, but there were a few very very powerful men down there, he was never foolish enough to underestimate his foes. Even if they were Hyuga.
The first thing they'd need to do is swarm the camp from strategic points. Since they all gathered in the center of the camp, Yamaguchi and Daisuke along with a few members from both units would storm the side, Ikue would storm the other side with Ryoku tailing them. His unit would strike the front, starting the entire attack, and starting the rapid transition from calm to fear-forcing the Hyuga to break their ranks.
They'd respond naturally and while their focus is drawn to him, they'd overtake them within that instant.
"Yamaguchi. Ryoku. Osen. Daisuke."
"Moving." Daisuke muttered before sprinting away.
"Moving." Osen repeated the words.
"Yes." Ryoku said with Yamaguchi wordlessly darted away getting into his position.
Syrus nodded at Nagakura, he turned his eyes towards Ikue and Ryoku. He swept his hand to the side, both nodded darting away silently.
He waited for everyone to get into position letting anticipation and excitement pulse through him in a steady violent whirlpool, once he sensed they were all in position and the Hyuga hadn't noticed. But, how could they when they were trying to avoid being devoured by the natural predators and the like that roamed through these jungles-for the predators stayed a few feet away growling and snarling.
He flicked his eyes onto Okita, and everyone still with him.
It was unspoken.
They phased into sight just meters from Daiki and the main camp. Their steps silent, their movements nearly still. They didn't blink nor did they breathe. The Hyuga weren't expecting them, they weren't even paying attention-they were too bust trying to ward off the creatures, insects, and everything of the like that wanted to make a meal out of them.
Syrus darted across the terrain silently, his breaths smooth and shallow, controlled. His steps quick and concise, there wasn't a single sound other than the gentle breeze of wind that passed by every so often. His powerful legs propelled his muscled body forward at tremendous speeds. His focus was Daiki, the others were just an added bonus.
"There's somebody over there!" A Hyuga shinobi shouted.
"Get them!" Daiki shouted.
"Kill the damn runt!" Several more barked before getting up themselves and running towards the flaring chakra.
Syrus put on a burst of speed, lunging forward while an arc glowed around him. His sword sang, glint parting from the sheath. His sword arced smoothly, leveling the first two Hyuga, and with deft skill he parried the last's strike, bringing his blade down against the side of the man's face cutting through with ease.
Blood splattered on the ground. Thirty more Hyuga weren't quick enough and were devoured by the ravenous glint. The ground shifted and rattled ominously as more and more debris slammed into the earth. The air grew more chaotic and piercing as the clangs and bangs of steel sounded off in broken sequences, sending sparks and ashes flying hundreds of feet overhead.
"Wolves!" Daiki snarled slamming himself down in front of Syrus, glaring around as the camp was swarmed from all sides. His eyes narrowed as he locked them with Syrus's own.
"Can you handle things here?" Asuko asked just as she parried a series of slashes felling four Hyugai in one stroke, she remained at his side for a few moments, easily getting into a rhythm with him..
"Yeah!" Syrus shouted, shifting low, spinning off his shoulders, watching her bound off in the opposite direction, before blurring into a whirlwind of death.
He quickly shot up to his feet, ramming one into his attacker's chest-sending the Hyuga spearing back until a palm collided with his spine.
"You should reconsider your actions." Daiki said with heat in his eyes. He kept them trained on Syrus watching his every movement, veins bulged around his eyes and with a large pulse chakra swept through the area. The Hyuga's eyes narrowed to slits, he pressed the ball of his foot into the ground starting to shift his stance, slowly stepping to the side.
"I'm only going to consider how much of your bones I break before crushing your skull." Syrus hissed, eyes darting to the Hyuga lying still on the ground.
"No need to worry about the slave, his use was up."
CLANG!
CLANG!
Syrus mowed through all those who came towards him until Daiki was the sole person he faced off against.
Everyone else handled the others, steadily driving them further and further back.
Syrus felt the hate burning in his core. Anger. Fury. Rage. He felt all of it whenever he looked into those pale eyes of the Hyuga, with those veins bulging in such a disgusting manner, he wouldn't think for a second they possessed a Dojutsu, but more of an eye disease. However, it wasn't their eyes that made him hate them so much.
The eyes were simply the Hyuga's most distinctive trait. He hated them because the way they lived, the way they carried themselves, the way they ran things within their clan, the way they branded their own kin, and now that he thought about it he hated everything about the Hyuga. Hubris. Pugnacious. Vindictive. They all described the clan perfectly right down to the T, and Daiki embodied all of those things.
The more he fought them the more he hated them. Every single confrontation was hammering another nail into the invisible coffin. He'd been fighting Hyuga since he was eight, and he was now twenty two years. Fourteen years of near endless conflict between the Hyuga and his own clan, for the simple fact that the pale eyed filth continue to try and encroach on his land.
He pulled his blade from one Hyuga's chest, eyes turning onto Daiki before he swept off three heads without breaking stride.
"You Hyuga...Are becoming a nuisance." Syrus's voice was low, his eyes glinted, and the blood drenched tip of his blade gleamed as he swiped it away to the side. "
Again and again...You come onto my land. But, this time you've gone too far..."
"This is a matter of revenge!" Daiki snarled, feet digging themselves into the ground.
"Revenge..." Syrus's voice dropped, saturated with fury, pure and distilled rage, "Revenge for killing only those from the Main House of you Hyuga. You don't need to worry, the Subatsu have no use for that eye tumor you call the Byakugan."
Daiki sneered, but his voice held a mocking-superior edge to it. "You needn't lie to me, Syrus. I know your father and uncles feared us, your mother and aunts hated us. But, it all comes down to the simple fact the Subatsu fear the Hyuga's all seeing eye. That's why they tried to exterminate the Hyuga. reducing the Hyuga to just a mere two hundred or less."
Syrus scoffed.
It was just like Daiki to really think that his father, uncles, mother, aunts, and the rest of his kinsmen tried to wipe out his clan due to fear. It was a convenient way of saying that they got their asses handed to them, but can still fight. If only Daiki were correct...But, his father wasn't such a man to fear anything or anyone, his father did what he did with the Hyuga because he hated them. He couldn't stand them. It was never because fear or anything of the sort, his father simply couldn't stand them and the Subatsu as a whole couldn't.
However, it didn't change the fact all of these Hyuga would be dealt with, swiftly. And, he could tell by the look in Daiki's eyes that the man knew it was true as well, and that because the ranks were now broken his entire unit would be destroyed. No flames climbed up into the sky, and there wasn't a single explosion as portions of the camp were leveled and trampled.
With a small smirk, Syrus slammed his hands together in the Dragon seal and broke the barrier.
Daiki turned.
He seen a flash of teeth, multiple flashes.
He tried to rush forward and attack, but had to turn.
He blocked Syrus's punch with his forearm, teeth gritting from the force behind it.
He couldn't stop the beasts and wolves from mowing through his men.
His eyes widened with true fear as a huge bear-like creature crushed five of his men against the rock wall before tearing into them. Asuna and Asuko were working in tandem, nothing but a blur of steel, Ryoku, Osen, Nao, and Ikue were repelling any assaults on their person, Yamaguchi was a one man wrecking machine providing support to all units. Daisuke pressed ahead, solely, cutting down his men, two, three, five, eight at a time.
Enraged, Daiki shot towards him, only to be blocked by Syrus.
As hard as he fought he couldn't bust through the wall.
"This isn't over, wolf." Daiki sneered, eyes burning. He shot towards the creature, slamming a palm against its side, but instead of going down the bear-like creature roared and swung out at the Hyuga like Daiki was but a pest. "This will be the last time the Subatsu slaughter so many Hyuga!"
Daiki was alarmed-that should have been a death blow.
"You will find that the creatures here are...Voracious. Just wait until the ones come that shake the ground with their steps. "
"It doesn't matter!"
"You must be blind, we've got you Hyuga pinned down." Syrus chuckled, eyes darting to the units that had yet to attack, and the natural predators that continued to push forward regardless of everything happening around them. The commotion and scent of blood attracted more of them, and it soon became a frenzy. Centipedes, spiders, jungle cats, scorpions, leopards, oxen, buffalo, bison, pumas, and everything else in between surged forward-completely ravenous.
They had been shut out by the Hyuga's barrier and they were furious.
Rightfully so.
"Don't call it slaughter, Daiki. You've provoked this, and you've brought this on yourself. Sadao and I are of a like mind. You Hyuga will suffer, and not a single one of you will make it out of here alive. That includes you. You made a mistake attacking children of our clans."
"Tsugi!"
With a bellow Tsugi and everyone else that had yet to attack either jumped from the top of the ravine or came out from their cover, swords all drawn and glinting. Todou stood at the center, eyes hard as stone, his blade coated in the dull crimson liquid. Chaos and noise blurred everything-the Hyuga pressed forward bitterly, and Tsugi slammed into four of them-pushing his blade through them with sheer power, not even bothering to thrust or slash.
"Don't think this changes anything! There's only seven hundred of you from what I see! There's sixteen hundred of us, and more will come. We outnumber you."
"Let's see it then!" Todou all but snarled, even as he cut through three Hyuga in one stroke, eyes hard as stone.
Syrus smirked, enjoying the prospect. "Let's see if the numbers game plays out this time."