The Shinobi rushed towards the direction of the giant, but stopped.And the reason they stopped was not because of the giant, but because of what stood behind him.
The earth trembled. Out of the mist and shattered trees came shadows—massive, primal, and ancient. Their growls shook the marrow of every man present. The Beast Lords had awakened, and with them came legions of lesser creatures.
At first, Hiroko's men misunderstood. They thought these monsters were allies of the giant, summoned to his side as reinforcements. But the truth was stranger: the beasts were not on Ymir's side at all. Rather, the clash had stirred them awake. For decades, they had slumbered in the deep woods and hidden valleys, instincts dulled into dormancy. Now, the thunder of battle rekindled their ancient hunger. Their bloodlust reawakened.
A colossal serpent with scales like obsidian mountains uncoiled from the treeline, its tongue tasting the fear in the air. Beside it stomped an ape lord, knuckles pounding craters into the earth as it roared. From the river slithered a leviathan-like eel, body glistening with slime, eyes glowing sickly green. And at their rear, lumbering like a god of famine, a horned beast with six eyes shook its mane and snorted flames.
The sight froze even veteran shinobi. These were not mere creatures; they were calamities written in old scrolls, the sort of monsters whispered about to frighten children. And now they were here, drawn like moths to fire.
But beasts were not the only ones drawn. The sound of war had called men as well. Other clans, once distant and silent, marched toward the battlefield.
This revelation shocked Hiroko and his men. None of them had leaked the plan to hunt the giant. Why were the clans here? Why now?
Before Hiroko could answer, a booming voice cut through the tension.
"Mind if I join the fun?"
The one who spoke was a towering, bulky man, a monster of muscle even among shinobi. He carried a hammer taller than most men.
The man's name was Vulkan, head of the Djinn Clan—one of the great pillars of the Shinobi world. Standing at 250 centimeters tall, he looked more like a warlord than a ninja. Where others lived by shadows and subtlety, Vulkan lived by fists and fire. His solution to problems was to smash them until they no longer existed. A straightforward man, feared and respected.
"Ha! This is new," Vulkan laughed, eyes glinting like a child at festival fireworks. "Never seen a giant in full armor… and standing alongside the Beast Lords, no less."
"Don't get too excited. Remember the last time you almost got yourself killed there?" a calm but sharp voice replied.
The speaker was Shiro, the head of the Ozukawa Clan. His clan was one of the eight major houses, but unlike the war-loving Djinns, the Ozukawas preferred silence and mystery. For generations they had withdrawn from politics, never interfering in the affairs of other clans. Why they appeared now, none could guess.
Vulkan barked a laugh. "Ha! If this is my last battle, then so be it. At least I'll die with blood on my hammer!"
"As expected from a battle maniac," Shiro sighed. "A man who speaks only with his fists. A muscle-brained fool."
"At least I'm honest," Vulkan shot back, baring his teeth. "Unlike you, slithering out of nowhere. Who knows what schemes you're plotting?"
Shiro's eyes flashed. "Are you accusing me of betrayal? Watch your tongue, brute, or you'll find your head on the ground."
"Ha! Make me, pretty boy. I dare you!"
The two leaders glared at each other, tension rising like drawn blades.
Before fists could fly, a third voice intervened.
"Enough. Save your quarrels for later. The enemy stands before us, and you can only fight if you survive this war."
This voice belonged to Kirishima, head of the Uzugaki Clan. He carried both fan and sword, a strange pairing that most would consider impractical—but in his hands, it was artistry. His body was lithe, flexible, almost feminine in its grace. His face so delicate that many mistook him for a woman, though his skill in battle silenced such whispers quickly.
Both Vulkan and Shiro turned away with a huff, cowed but not defeated.
Kirishima turned to Hiroko. "So. What's the situation?"
Hiroko clenched his teeth. "The giant anticipated my explosives. He used the noise to attract nearby beasts. Now they've gathered."
"Oh?" Kirishima's eyes widened. "Fascinating. I've never seen a giant with such intelligence. Truly fascinating."
While the leaders argued, more clans arrived. What began as a single hunt now swelled into an assembly of the strongest powers in the shinobi world.
Meanwhile, Ymir's POV:
What the fuck?! What are these beasts doing here? Are they here to fight me?
I blinked, counting the number of glowing eyes. That was… way too many.
Woah, that's a lot of people on Hiroko's side too. Hahaha, this is gonna be fun.
I had already anticipated Hiroko would drag his little fan club with him. But this? Whole clans showing up, beast lords sniffing around like hungry dogs? I didn't expect this much company.
Not that I mind. I was looking forward to a one-on-army, but hey, plans change. Don't get mad, alright? It's not like I'm scared of the beasts. They're just… inconvenient. Fighting both man and monster in my sealed form is a pain in the ass. I've trained for it, sure, but that training usually ends with me dying a few thousand times before I win.
Still, back to the story.
I noticed the beasts staring at me, almost expectant. Like they were waiting for me to say something. So I did the logical thing. I pointed my sword toward the shinobi.
The beasts roared and charged forward.
Oh shit. Now it looks like they're following my orders. Guess I'm the Beast King now. Ha! Lucky me.
"That giant anticipated our arrival," Kirishima said grimly, watching the beasts move. "He even ordered the Beast Lords to lie in wait until we came. Hmph. Pretty smart for a giant."
"Hahaha! Now that's more like it!" Vulkan roared with joy. "An enemy worth swinging at!"
But Hiroko stood silent, staring at the battlefield. Doubt gnawed at his mind. Did the giant know other clans would come? Or was this coincidence? Is he a tactician, or is fate simply on his side?
A sudden weight pressed his shoulder. Vulkan's massive hand.
"What are you waiting for? We're waiting for your orders, brat!"
"Indeed," Kirishima added with a smirk. "I want to see the leader of the Ashigawa Clan lead his people to war."
"Bah. If we survive this, I'll settle my score with you later, muscle brain," Shiro muttered.
Vulkan laughed. Hiroko exhaled, realizing how foolish he looked, paralyzed by overthinking. If the giant had allies, then so did he.
He steadied himself. His doubts faded. His men were watching. He could not falter.
At the same time, both Hiroko and Ymir raised their blades, pointing them across the battlefield.
"Charge!!!" Hiroko roared.
"Oraaaaaa!!!" thousands of shinobi cried in unison, voices shaking the air. They charged with no fear, ready to sacrifice their lives for their land.
"Last one left gets a rotten egg!" Vulkan bellowed.
"Not if I can help it," Shiro snapped, vaulting over Vulkan's head with elegance.
"Hmph. Childish," Kirishima muttered, though he followed, fan unfurling.
Hiroko joined the frontlines, shoulder to shoulder with his clan leaders and elders, blades gleaming in the blood-red light.
The two sides surged forward like colliding storms.
When they met, the world broke.
Beast claws ripped through shinobi ranks, blood spraying across the soil. Men screamed, crushed beneath the feet of giants. Vulkan laughed as he swung his hammer, caving in a beast lord's skull with a single strike, gore splattering his armor. Shiro moved like a phantom, his blade cutting throats in silence, his eyes burning with suspicion even in battle. Kirishima spun like a dancer, fan slicing tendons, sword severing limbs, elegant even in slaughter.
Ymir towered above them all, blade cutting arcs of death through both beast and shinobi alike, his laughter echoing like thunder.
The battlefield drowned in blood and gore. Bodies piled like mountains, rivers ran red, the ground itself became a grave.
But this was only the beginning.
The war had just begun.