The explosions in the oasis had barely died away when Hashirama spoke.
"Go in."
All five moved at once.
They charged into the oasis.
Inside, the fighting was already a chaotic free-for-all.
The oasis was small, with a nearly dried-up pool in the middle and a few crooked trees and shrubs around it. More than half of those trees and shrubs had now fallen, and ninja lay scattered across the ground. Some were groaning; others were already motionless.
About thirty people were still standing, divided into several groups.
To the left of the pool stood seven or eight people in loose white robes, forehead protectors tied around their foreheads and veins bulging around their eyes. They belonged to the Hyuga Clan. Their leader was Hyūga Tenshu, his Byakugan fully activated as he stared across at the other side.
To the right of the pool stood five or six people in colorful clothes, their faces painted and bone weapons in their hands. They belonged to the Kaguya Clan. They were grinning like lunatics, wounds all over their bodies, but the more they fought, the more excited they became.
Directly in front of the pool, a dozen people in dark gray combat outfits, with scrolls on their backs, formed a semicircle. They belonged to the Hagoromo Clan. They were guarding three large scrolls in their midst, each covered in densely packed sealing tags.
The three groups glared at one another, the atmosphere as tense as a taut string.
Then Ryuto and the other four entered.
More than thirty pairs of eyes turned toward them in unison.
Silence fell for roughly half a second.
"Senju!"
"Uchiha!"
"What are they doing here?!"
"So it's true! The rumors were true! The Senju and Uchiha have joined forces!"
"They must be here to seize the ruins!"