On September 25th, 27th year of the Konoha calendar, the eastern sky was heavy with war clouds, and the setting sun, like congealed blood, dyed the ever-flowing Naka River crimson. News of the western front's defeat at the Falling Star Mountains arrived, and the remaining 117 noble private armies of the eastern cities still numbered 3.7 million. They called themselves the " Noble National Salvation Allied Army," stubbornly resisting against the natural defenses of the Three Rivers and Nine Cities, attempting a final, desperate struggle. However, not a single commander, general, or noble could be seen atop the city walls of the Three Rivers and Nine Cities—the two figures standing below had already instilled fear in their generals, making them dare not easily reveal themselves.
Senju Tenpuku is a renowned general of Konoha in the Land of Fire. His strength, enhanced by his equipment, is at the High Immortal Level. His clad figure, clad in full armor, stands out prominently at the front of a heavily armored army. However, what truly inspires fear is his Senju Clan's Kekkei Genkai, " Sage Body," and his High Immortal Level combat prowess. His swordsmanship is unparalleled in the Shinobi World, and his blood sword is an indestructible divine weapon. With the added enhancement of his equipment, every sword strike is enough to shake the heavens and earth.
At dawn that day, Senju Tenpuku, clad in azure rune armor and wielding the blood-red sword Crimson Sky, went into battle alone. The formation of a million enemy soldiers stretched across the wilderness like an iron wall, but he only raised his left hand and swiftly unleashed countless sword strikes. In Setsuna, the sky resounded with a muffled roar, and countless massive blood-red sword energies slashed fiercely into the enemy formation.
Various Earth Release defensive Ninjutsu emerged from the ground within the enemy ranks, working together to try and block the crimson sword energy.
However, countless strands of sword energy danced wildly like horned dragons, easily piercing through Tudun and the enemy's armor, breaking the solid shields; then Thousand-Hand Tianfu rushed into the enemy's army, sword shadows flying, and the soldiers he touched were like The same ants were caught in the hurricane, and even humans and psychic beasts were thrown ten feet into the air. By the time these bodies fell, there was no complete body. The 30,000 heavy armored soldiers on the enemy's left flank were all wiped out in an instant.
Tenpuku also possessed exceptional leadership skills. He commanded an army of 500,000 with ease, completely halting the millions-strong army of the noble alliance. The noble alliance launched seven surprise attacks, but were instead ambushed and killed by Senju Tenpuku's troops. As a result, Senju Tenpuku's army showed no signs of fatigue, had ample supplies, and advanced steadily every day, advancing cautiously and methodically.
While Senju Tenpuku's vanguard was tied down by millions of troops, Tian Flying Swallow personally led the main force of a million-strong army to attack Xuanque, the first fortified city of the noble alliance.
Queen Tian Flying Swallow stood atop the clouds, her crimson imperial robes fluttering in the wind. Nine gilded dragons rose from behind her, their roars like a thousand drums beating in unison, shaking the heavens and earth. These nine dragons were in fact the embodiment of the " Nine Dragons Jade Seal," a wedding gift from her husband, Tsubasa —their scales sharp as blades, their breath like raging flames, and wherever their tails swept, mountains crumbled and rivers ceased to flow.
Nine divine dragons attacked simultaneously. The first dragon spewed " Divine Dragon Blazing Flames," incinerating all the thousands of ballistae on the city walls. The second dragon breathed " Dark Nether Ice Breath," instantly freezing the moat and preventing enemy reinforcements from advancing. The Sanjo dragon swung its tail violently, turning the city walls and the defending general—the " Kage Level " Onmyoji—into dust, along with the battle formation. The remaining six dragons circled and swept low, their claws slicing through the enemy soldiers like wheat being harvested by an invisible scythe, causing them to fall one after another. In just two hours, the hundreds of thousands of defenders of Xuanque City had perished.
Even more terrifying is that Tian Flying Swallow's cultivation has reached the peak of the " High Immortal Level. Her protective dragon-shaped aura has condensed into nine dragon scales, making Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or Genjutsu below the Super Kage Level crumble upon it. An enemy soldier once used the "Secret Technique: Chidori' Cry" to strike her shoulder blade, but it didn't even leave a crease in her robes; another expert used the "Sealing: Yata Mirror " to try to imprison her, but it was shattered by the roar of the nine divine dragons. Therefore, in her eyes, even if the enemy army numbered in the millions, they were nothing more than weeds to be trampled on.
Within ten days, the noble coalition suffered 2.17 million casualties, their blood soaking the land and their floating corpses clogging the rivers. The noble generals cowered in their city walls, using civilians as human shields to withstand the onslaught. Whenever Senju Tenpuku's sword energy breached the city gates or Tian Flying Swallow's nine dragons roared in the sky, they would order a massacre—holding knives to the necks of the old and young, setting fire to the streets and alleys, and threatening a massacre every three days to force the queen to withdraw her troops.
The seven most powerful noble clans, dressed in white mourning clothes, arrived at the Nanhe Floating Bridge with a letter of surrender, kneeling and pleading with Tian Flying Swallow to "cease hostilities." Their words were extremely sorrowful. "We wish to restore the old system, guard the borders for generations, and pay tribute on time every year without the slightest deficiency." Tian Flying Swallow, without armor, stood in the middle of the bridge in only a plain white dress. The wind blew her clothes like dancing flames. She looked up and saw floating corpses drifting down the Naka River —old women, children, and young men, layered upon layer, like silent mountains.
The eldest nobleman, the leader of the elders, pounded his forehead against the bridge until it bled profusely. "If the Queen does not agree, we will destroy the city and burn the granaries, first slaughtering thirty million commoners, and then fight Her Majesty to the death. At that time, the four hundred million lives of the Land of Fire will likely be halved!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a "Crimson Phosphorus Fire Talisman" slipped from his sleeve. The crimson light dancing on the talisman was terrifying. With just a thought, it could turn the ten granaries behind him into a sea of fire, affecting the houses within a hundred miles. Tian Flying Swallow's five fingers clenched tightly in her sleeve, her knuckles turning bluish-white. Looking at the leaping light on the fire talisman, she seemed to see dead cities reduced to scorched earth: once prosperous cities turned to ashes, the cries of children abruptly stopped in the ashes, and old men's withered hands reaching towards the sky, but unable to grasp any hope.
At that moment, nine divine dragons roared softly behind her, seemingly sensing their master's anger and pain. Tian Flying Swallow raised her hand, and the nine dragons transformed into nine golden rays that disappeared into her sleeve. She took a deep breath, her voice not loud, but enough to make the 100,000 armored soldiers on both sides of the pontoon bridge hold their breath. "Seven days. I give you seven days to open the city gates, release the people, and come bound and beg for forgiveness. After seven days, if you still resist—"
She pointed her fingers like a sword and slashed Naka River. The rushing river was suddenly split in two by an invisible blade, exposing a riverbed that was ten zhang long and several ren deep. The sound of the water breaking apart was like the sky splitting open, deafening.
"If you slaughter civilians—where this river stops flowing will be your grave!"
The elders retreated, trembling. Tian Flying Swallow turned around, her shadow stretching long in the setting sun. No one saw that her fingernails were deeply embedded in her palms, and drops of blood fell, only to be instantly vaporized by her protective aura.
That night, the Queen slept alone atop the ruined city of Xuanque, overlooking the remaining lights of countless homes. Senju Tenpuku quietly approached her from behind, his cloak still stained with damp blood. He whispered, "Your Majesty, if you truly wish to save the people, you must first thwart their wolfish ambitions. I am willing to lead three thousand elite warriors to take the head of the Qinghe Cui Clan within three days."
Tian Flying Swallow shook her head, her voice weary yet exceptionally resolute. "The sin of the massacre lies with the nobles, and with me. If we resort to violence again, this blood debt will be impossible to repay." She raised her head to look at the sky, the moon as cold as frost, "I will kill those nobles, but I will also ensure the survival of these four hundred million lives."
In the distance came the sound of the third watch drum, and the wind swept through the tattered flags, making a mournful sound. Tian Flying Swallow on the city wall, the phantom of nine dragons appearing and disappearing in her eyes—a power capable of destroying the world, yet also a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of four hundred million people.
For the first time, she realized that being invincible in the world did not necessarily mean being invincible in people's hearts; but if she condoned evil out of fear, how could she face the eyes of those floating corpses?
The night was long, and the distant rumble of thunder echoed across the eastern horizon. Was it a sign of an impending storm, or the start of a new bloody battle? No one knew. Only the waters of the Naka River roared and swirled where the flow had ceased, as if questioning an answer yet to be written.