The sky over the valley rumbled with a storm, its swirling clouds glowing with a sickly green hue. Lightning cracked in jagged lines, briefly illuminating the battlefield.
Thousands of warriors stood on each side, both waiting for the other to make a move.
Manshu Harunobu stood at the forefront of his clan’s forces, his eyes steady on the enemy. The wind tugged at the edges of his cloak, sending strands of his long black hair drifting over his shoulders—then, without warning, it died, leaving behind a heavy, suffocating silence.
Harunobu’s hands pulsed with chakra, glowing faintly in shades of green and blue, ready to call forth the powers that had long protected his people.
Beside him, his brother, Manshu Toshinori, sat tall on his horse, his face barely hiding the tension in his eyes.
On Toshinori’s other side was Taira Shūsaku, their taishō, who adjusted his grip on the reins, trying to keep his horse calm.
Shūsaku exhaled through his nose. “They're waiting.”
Toshinori scoffed, shifting in the saddle. “Of course they are. The Ishida never attack first. They force you to come to them. This is how they break you.”
Shūsaku smirked. “With the legendary Manshu brothers at my side, should I really be concerned?”
Toshinori gave a wry grin. “Ha! Our general is asking if he should be worried, ani-ue?”
“Only a fool feels safe on the battlefield,” Harunobu said, without taking his eyes off the enemy ranks.
For weeks, the Manshū had marched northward into Ishida lands, and now they stood at the edge of Jigokudani—Hell Valley. A fitting name.
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The Ishida had been gathering for hours, and Harunobu had allowed them time to prepare—his honor demanded it.
At the front of their forces, he locked eyes with Ishida Masaru.
The enemy leader stood unmoving, his face partially veiled in shadows, but his Akuma no Me burned bright, seeping into the lines of his face like molten embers. He nodded once.
Harunobu returned the gesture. This would be his first time facing the full extent of the Ishida’s cursed power.
With a flick of his fingers, Harunobu calmed the lightning and dispelled the clouds, revealing the clear sky. Enough of games and intimidation—he needed his full focus.
A hush settled over the battlefield, broken only by the restless snorts of warhorses.
Then both factions charged forward.
Taira Shūsaku rushed to the left flank, leading the charge to stop Masaru at all costs.
Meanwhile, Harunobu surged forward to the right, his hands weaving through the air as he summoned the powers of nature. His brother was close behind. Harunobu aimed to end this quickly, without too much bloodshed. With a single leap, he landed in the middle of the Ishida forces and shouted:
“Jigen Hōkai!”
A sphere of dark energy appeared in his hands, warping space around him, and he slammed it into the earth.
The surge of gravity echoed outward, pulling everything and everyone toward him. Ishida warriors were helplessly swept off their feet and sent crashing into the ground, shouting but unable to move.
Around fifty warriors were soon stuck, pinned to the dirt.
Some Ishida shinobi, realizing that Harunobu couldn’t move while maintaining his jutsu, leapt back and prepared for a counterattack. A flurry of shuriken and fire jutsu rained down toward Harunobu—
But Toshinori was already there. His water shield rose in an instant, the flames hissing into steam as shuriken clattered harmlessly against the barrier.
Masaru turned sharply, his eyes blazing red as he recognized the danger.
Harunobu had to be stopped first.
His Akuma no Me flared, casting his whole face in a bright crimson
glow. Clapping his hands together, he roared:
“Getsumei no Kokuin!”
The sky above split open. A beam of bright celestial light descended, destroying everything in its path. It was aimed directly at the Manshu brothers.
Harunobu gritted his teeth and released his technique—he had no choice—while Toshinori immediately moved to cover him.
But as Harunobu regained his footing, a single, chilling thought settled in his mind:
They could not afford to hold back.
To save his clan—
He would have to annihilate them all.
Glossary
Akuma no Me (悪魔の目) – Demon’s Eye
Ani-ue (兄上) – Elder brother (formal, respectful)
Getsumei no Kokuin (月明の刻印) – Moonlight Seal
Jigen Hōkai (次元崩壊) – Dimensional Collapse
Jigokudani (地獄谷) – Hell Valley
Jutsu (術) – Technique / Skill
Manshū (万秋) – Literally "Ten Thousand Autumns"; used here as the clan name “Manshu”
Shinobi (忍び) – Another word for ninja
Shuriken (手裏剣) – Throwing stars
Taishō (大将) – General / Commander
