Amid Konoha's complex political landscape, the Shinozuka Clan ranked among the top ten great clans. Its alliance with the 18 great clans had given it an inflated sense of importance, and it acted arrogantly, looking down on the other clans. This time, however, the Shinozuka Clan had fallen into an unprecedented predicament.
When Kazuo Shinozuka received a telepathic message from the Yamanaka Clan, his face went deathly pale, his eyes full of fear and unease. He knew the Senju Clan's retaliation was coming, and this time, it would likely spell disaster. With no time to think, he immediately raised an arm and shouted, his voice trembling despite his efforts to hide it, and began gathering the clan's strongest fighters.
In the clan square, the tension was thick enough to ignite the air. Eight Clan Head Level powerhouses walked heavily to the front, their faces grave. Their eyes held fear and unwillingness, but more than anything, helplessness. They understood that against the Senju Clan, their chances of survival were slim. More than a hundred Elite Jonin and eight hundred Jonin quickly formed up at various points around the clan compound, gripping their weapons with trembling hands as sweat streamed down their foreheads. Over two thousand Chunin and three thousand Genin gathered together, their eyes full of fear and confusion, their whispers filled with dread of the unknown. The Shinozuka Clan outnumbered the Senju Clan, but its severe shortage of top-tier fighters made it seem terribly fragile in the face of the coming storm. Now, with more than a hundred Senju clanspeople surrounding the compound, the Shinozuka were like frightened birds. They dared not charge out and could only wait in fear for support from the other clans.
Kazuo Shinozuka was frantic. He knew he could not pin all his hopes on waiting. Gritting his teeth, he arranged for more than a hundred of the clan's geniuses to leave the compound through a secret passage and head outside Konoha under the escort of two Clan Head Level powerhouses. Watching the children depart, he was filled with regret, blaming himself over and over for letting a moment of arrogance bring the clan to such a desperate state.
Standing on high ground in the clan compound, Kazuo Shinozuka looked toward the distant Four Violet Flames Formations in Konoha, his unease growing stronger. Through the Yamanaka Clan's mental link, he knew that the 18 Clan Alliance's Clan Head Level powerhouses and Elite Jonin were gathering as well. But when he saw Hashirama Senju standing like a god atop a Wood Dragon in the center of Konoha, fear surged through him like a tide. He could not help crying out inwardly, Has the Senju Clan gone mad? Do they want to destroy Konoha?
As the distant Four Violet Flames Formation went out, another rose over the Ishikawa Clan Compound. Kazuo Shinozuka knew he could no longer sit and wait for death. At last, he resolved to fight with everything he had. His voice hoarse with tension and anger, he ordered the entire clan to fight its way out and advance toward the Sarutobi Clan Compound. The eight Clan Head Level powerhouses steeled themselves and took the lead, followed closely by more than a hundred Elite Jonin, and attacked the hundred-strong Senju Clan force.
The Senju Clan faced the Shinozuka attack without panic. Their eyes radiated confidence and composure, as though the enemies before them were nothing but ants. Their hands flashed through Hand Seals, unleashing a barrage of powerful Ninjutsu. In an instant, towering waves surged forth, threatening to swallow the entire Shinozuka Clan, while earthen spikes burst from the ground like bamboo shoots after rain, battering the clan relentlessly. Under the devastating assault, the houses in front of the Shinozuka Clan Compound were reduced to rubble in moments. The Shinozuka were driven steadily back, and the Chunin and Genin were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground, unable to fight.
Seeing this, Kazuo Shinozuka knew they had reached a critical moment of life and death. His eyes wide with fury, he gathered the power of lightning on his battle blade, roared, and leaped into the air, slashing with all his might. A gigantic lightning tiger roared as it pounced on the Senju, its momentum terrifying. A Senju clan-head-level powerhouse reacted swiftly, sending an earthen dragon rising from the ground to meet it. Dragon and tiger collided with a deafening crash, the immense impact shaking the surrounding air. In the end, the earthen dragon shattered, but the lightning tiger continued forward. The Senju, however, were prepared and blocked its attack with an earthen wall.
Seeing their clan head fighting desperately, the Shinozuka all brought out their own ultimate moves. For a time, Ninjutsu of every element intertwined in the sky, bombarding the hundred-strong Senju force like an apocalyptic calamity. But the Senju stood firm like a towering rock, blocking every Ninjutsu more than a hundred meters away. Their defensive Ninjutsu were as hard as steel, rendering the Shinozuka Clan's attacks utterly ineffective.
Just as the Shinozuka Clan fell into despair, countless Shuriken came hurtling in from the distance. Flashing coldly, they rained down on the Shinozuka. A great many were killed or wounded in an instant, and screams rose one after another. Senju Yasuhei had arrived, living up to his reputation as a hidden-weapons grandmaster at clearing out mobs. His hands rapidly formed seals as he chanted, unleashing the S-rank forbidden technique, Shuriken Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. In an instant, the sky was packed with Shuriken, blotting out the sun. They shot unerringly toward the Shinozuka, each attack claiming several lives. The Shinozuka shifted from attack to defense, struggling to hold out under the terrifying rain of hidden weapons.
Kazuo Shinozuka's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Senju Yasuhei and roared, "Old bastard, are you really going to wipe us all out?"
Senju Yasuhei gave a cold laugh, full of mockery. "When you tried to assassinate my grandson today, why didn't you think about being wiped out? I thought you'd already prepared yourself for it."
Kazuo Shinozuka's face darkened terribly. He dropped to his knees with a thud, his voice pleading. "I beg you to spare our clan. I know I was wrong. I'll never dare make another move against your grandson."
Senju Yasuhei burst out laughing. "You don't know you were wrong. You know you're going to die. And your entire clan will pay the price for your foolish actions."
Hatred surging within him, Kazuo Shinozuka said through gritted teeth, "Old bastard, I'll fight you to the death! If it comes to it, we'll take each other down!"
Just then, six valkyries in samurai armor charged into the Shinozuka Clan. At their head was Kaidō Senju, tall and stern-faced, wielding a massive shield as she fiercely led the charge into the enemy ranks. Her eyes shone with determination and fearlessness, as though no enemy could stop her. To her left and right, Dō Senju and Nanshin Senju moved with agility, long blades in hand. Their gazes were sharp as knives, and every swing of their blades claimed an enemy's life. Behind them, Gi Senju and Ame Senju rapidly formed Hand Seals and chanted, unleashing powerful Ninjutsu of every kind. In Senju brought up the rear with a massive shield, her eyes alert as she watched the enemy's movements at all times.
The Black Tortoise formation made up of the six valkyries was like an invincible tank. Enemy Ninjutsu slammed into the barrier formed by the two giant shields, striking it with muffled thuds. Any ninja who stood in their path was burned by the barrier around Kaidō Senju's shield or struck dead, their screams unceasing. Any ninja who tried to break through from the sides was cut down by Dō Senju and Nanshin Senju, blood spraying everywhere. Corpses littered the ground wherever they passed, and the Shinozuka Clan's defenses collapsed in an instant. All six were Clan Head Level powerhouses to begin with, and behind them was Senju Yasuhei, an Above Clan Head Level powerhouse supporting them with hidden weapons. They charged through the enemy ranks at will, truly killing gods and Buddhas alike if they stood in their way.
Before long, the Shinozuka Clan's people were dead or wounded. The eight Clan Head Level powerhouses were also picked off one by one under Senju Yasuhei's terrifying hidden-weapon attacks. They tried to resist, but against his overwhelming strength, it was all in vain. In the end, only clan head Kazuo Shinozuka had his limbs cut off and was then sealed. He lay on the ground, his eyes full of despair and regret as he watched his clan's destruction, powerless to stop it.
Meanwhile, 213 Clan Head Level powerhouses and more than 2,300 Elite Jonin had gathered at the Sarutobi Clan Compound. They had originally planned to charge out and provide aid, but just then, three clones of Hashirama Senju appeared in the compound. His clones radiated a powerful aura, like gods descending to earth. He ordered them to disperse, his voice low and commanding, declaring that he would not kill them, but that they must also give the Senju Clan a reasonable explanation. At the same time, he warned that if they continued to gather in rebellion, the Senju Clan would use its full strength to wipe them out as missing-nin clans.
Some of the bolder people, unwilling to back down, attacked Hashirama Senju's Wood Clone. The clone rapidly formed Hand Seals, and the power of Wood Release erupted. Countless thick vines burst from the ground, coiling around the attackers like agile pythons and crushing them to death. The combined power of Senjutsu and Wood Release was nothing less than Six Paths Level power, two whole levels above the strength of these Clan Head Level fighters. Seeing that the group could not even defeat a single clone, Shikaboshi Nara was filled with fear and withdrew of his own accord. The other clans were also awed by this terrifying power. One after another, they stopped fighting and withdrew, waiting for the final outcome of the storm.