At the edge of the dense forests of the Land of Fire, a once-peaceful afternoon was torn apart by bloodshed and maniacal laughter.
Hozuki Mangetsu carried the distinctive twin blades Hiramekarei on his shoulder. The blood staining their surfaces had yet to congeal, slowly dripping from the sharp edges and blooming into glaring dark-red patches across the lush green grass.
He licked the corner of his mouth, revealing a cruel, delighted smile as he looked at the varied figures of his subordinates behind him.
"Konoha's defenses are even emptier than I imagined."
His voice carried the dampness unique to the Land of Water, yet it was chillingly cold.
"Looks like they sent everyone capable of fighting north. These scraps they left behind are perfect for blooding our blades."
Behind him, a Kaguya Clan ninja burst into wild laughter and suddenly thrust out his arm.
A pale bone spike instantly pierced through the chest of a Konoha Ninja trying to flee. With a vicious swing, he smashed the corpse into a tree trunk, reducing it to a bloody pulp.
"Not enough! It's not enough! Konoha's bones are too soft!"
He roared, his eyes filled with nothing but a pure craving for slaughter.
On the other side, a Yuki Clan ninja raised his hand expressionlessly. The moisture in the air instantly condensed, and several ice Senbon shot forth.
They pinned a trembling civilian farmer hiding behind a tree to the spot. Before his blood could even flow, it froze.
"Getting in the way."
He spoke flatly, as though he had merely brushed dust from his clothes.
This spearhead squad, composed of Kirigakure prodigies and powerful Kekkei Genkai users, was like a pack of demons returned from hell, wantonly massacring people along the Land of Fire Border.
Wherever they passed, not a blade