Jomei launched his ultimate attack, targeting the densest cluster of adversaries where the Akimichi and Senju clans led the vanguard.
He lifted his gaze to the grim sky, where lightning slithered like serpents of light, cutting through and breaking the thick curtain of rain. He extended his hand toward the heavens, invoking the power of the storm, synchronizing his own chakra with the fury of the lightning. At that moment, the battlefield seemed to freeze, as if everyone sensed the buildup of an unstoppable energy.
The air filled with static, and the enemies surrounding him faltered, feeling every hair on their bodies stand on end at the manifestation of an incomprehensible power.
Jomei: "Raikiri!"
A colossal lightning bolt tore through the sky, descending directly onto Jomei. But instead of harming him, it fused with the chakra flowing through his hand. The electrical energy took shape, extending and coming alive. A massive dragon formed of lightning emerged from the heavens, illuminating the battlefield with a blinding light. Its eyes were two sparkling orbs of pure energy, and its roar resonated like thunder that shook even the souls of those who heard it.
His Raikiri first struck a giant Akimichi, whose immense figure collapsed, causing chaos among his own allies. The technique, amplified by Jomei's determination and fury, continued its path, cutting through dozens of enemies in a single motion.
The impact was devastating. The lightning from the Raikiri expanded like ripples in the air, electrocuting nearby adversaries and creating a void in the center of the battlefield. Hundreds of enemy ninjas fell, unable to withstand the technique's power. The survivors, stunned and demoralized, began to retreat while the Hagoromo clan seized the opportunity to counterattack with lightning-style jutsus.
Jomei dropped to his knees after the attack. His limbs were numb, and his exhaustion was evident. But his effort had turned the tide of the battle. The ninjas of the Hagoromo clan, inspired by his bravery, reorganized and began advancing, taking advantage of the chaos among the enemy ranks. The ninja coalition had suffered a significant blow, but the fight was far from over.
The storm's roar and the screams of battle were deafening. The Hagoromo clan's resistance had reached its limit, and although their efforts had been heroic, the ninja coalition continued to advance inexorably. At the center of the battlefield, surrounded by adversaries, the patriarch Yoshimasa Hagoromo fought with the bravery of a legend.
The elderly leader, exhausted from constant jutsu use and the weight of his years, stood firm, launching precise and deadly attacks that continued to take the lives of his enemies. Despite his fatigue, his movements reflected decades of combat experience. Every technique he executed was a mix of savagery and precision, a testament to the strength of the Hagoromo clan.
But the coalition had recognized his importance in the battle. Enemy leaders understood that if the patriarch fell, the Hagoromo clan's spirit would shatter. A large number of ninjas from the Sarutobi, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Senju clans converged on him, forming an impenetrable circle.
Yoshimasa, aware of his situation, showed no fear. With a determined gaze, he gathered the remaining chakra in his body, creating an electrical discharge that momentarily repelled the nearest enemies. This gave him valuable seconds to prepare his defense and launch a final attack. He unleashed the "Raiton: Raijin no Tate" (Lightning Style: Raijin's Shield) to protect himself from flying kunai and shuriken while eliminating those who dared to approach him.
The coalition ninjas did not relent. The Nara used their "Kagemane no Jutsu" (Shadow Imitation Technique) to limit his movements, while the Yamanaka attempted to infiltrate his mind with the "Shintenshin no Jutsu" (Mind Transfer Technique). The patriarch managed to resist these attacks with unyielding willpower, but his body began to betray him. The rain and mud complicated his movements, and his accumulated wounds grew increasingly severe.
A ninja from the Shimura clan, desperate to end him, launched the "Fūton: Kaze Tsurugi" (Wind Style: Wind Blade) directly at Yoshimasa's blind spot. This technique, designed to penetrate the strongest defenses, succeeded. The blade tore through the air and struck with lethal precision. Yoshimasa fell to the ground, his body split, and with him, the symbol of hope for the Hagoromo clan.
The standing Hagoromo ninjas, upon seeing their leader fall, felt despair consume their hearts. Cries of horror and pain filled the air as the coalition seized the opportunity to intensify their advance. The Hagoromo clan's morale crumbled, and though some fought with unbridled fury, others began to retreat, unable to continue without their patriarch.
In his final moments, Yoshimasa looked toward the Hagoromo clan's settlement, his expression reflecting not fear but a slight glimmer of hope. It was as if, despite everything, he trusted that his sacrifice would be remembered and that his clan still had a chance to survive.
The patriarch's fall marked the battle's lowest point. The Hagoromo clan was on the brink of the abyss, but the survivors still had something to prove. The coalition had struck hard, but the fight was far from over.
The battle's thunderous sound continued to echo endlessly in the storm. Jomei, panting from exhaustion and covered in mud, stood in an intermediate position, watching the coalition's relentless advance. His hands trembled slightly from the intensive use of Chidori and Raikiri, but his spirit remained determined to resist. The sight of his fallen comrades' bodies and the blood mixed with the earth filled him with uncontrollable rage.
Suddenly, he felt a firm hand rest on his shoulder. His reaction was immediate. Without thinking, he turned quickly with his kunai ready to pierce the presumed enemy, the glint in his eyes reflecting his determination not to yield. But at the last moment, he halted his attack, leaving the blade of his weapon mere millimeters from the neck of the one who had touched him. Before him stood a young Hagoromo clan ninja, motionless, with a calm and piercing gaze.
"Calm down," said the young man, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. His voice was low but firm, imbued with an authority that Jomei couldn't ignore. "I am not your enemy."
Jomei slowly lowered the kunai, though his posture remained defensive. He could still feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Who are you?" he asked distrustfully, his gaze assessing the stranger's every move.
"My name doesn't matter now," the young man replied, leaving a brief silence that seemed to charge the air. "But I'm here to help you... and to save what's left of our clan."
Jomei frowned. Something about the young man's manner of speaking unsettled him, as if he knew more than he was letting on. However, the exhaustion and desperation of their surroundings made Jomei hesitate to question further.
"Listen to me," the young man continued, looking ahead where the battle cries still marked the rhythm of the tragedy. "This is not the time for questions. I need you to come with me. Now."
"I can't leave," Jomei replied firmly, looking toward the enemy lines. "Not while they," he paused, pointing to the enemy army, "keep destroying what's left of the Hagoromo clan."
The young man observed him, his gaze hard and resolute. "If you stay here, you'll die like so many others. And if we don't retreat now, no one will survive. There's a greater purpose you must fulfill, and you can't do it if you fall here."
Those words struck Jomei like a lightning bolt. Although he didn't want to admit it, he knew the stranger was right. He clenched his fists, resisting the idea of retreating, but the weight of fatigue and logic won out.
With a frustrated growl, Jomei nodded. "Fine. But this doesn't mean it's over," he said in a rough voice, filled with restrained rage.
"Of course not," the young man responded, his tone calm yet determined. Turning, he began to walk toward the Hagoromo settlement. Jomei reluctantly followed, his steps heavy, laden with internal resistance, but aware that this act of retreat might be necessary to preserve what remained of his clan.
As they moved through the ravaged paths of the settlement, Jomei couldn't shake the unsettling familiarity he felt in the young man's presence. There was something about him he couldn't pinpoint. What Jomei did not yet know was that this ninja was the son of the patriarch Yoshimasa and that his destiny was deeply tied to the future of the Hagoromo clan.
The young man suddenly stopped upon reaching a hill from which the entire battlefield could be observed. With a determined gaze, he turned his attention to Jomei and said, "We must resist and survive. But to do so, we need a strategy that doesn't rely solely on our strength."
Jomei, still agitated and filled with anger, retorted, "What strategy could save us now? The coalition is crushing us, and we've lost your patriarch."
The young man looked at him patiently, with a spark of hope in his eyes. "The strength of the Hagoromo clan doesn't just lie in the power of our jutsus, but in our ability to adapt. My father taught me that even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to turn despair into opportunity."
As his words resonated in Jomei's mind, the distant sound of explosions and cries on the battlefield still setting the rhythm of the tragedy. But now, on that small hilltop, a glimmer of hope was emerging.
Jomei, though still grappling with his frustration, began to sense that the young man's words made sense.
"Let's go," the young man said with determination, extending a hand toward Jomei. "If you truly wish to save the Hagoromo clan, we need to start now."
With one last glance at the chaos on the battlefield, Jomei took the young man's hand, and together they began descending the hill, ready to face the challenges awaiting them and to fight for their clan's future.