'Damn, I forgot about their silent killing technique!' Tajiro thought, cursing himself.
But in that moment, the Mist-nin was suddenly ensnared by what looked like bandages. The Mist-nin struggled free, but before he could attack again, Tajiro took the opportunity to stab him in the heart.
As he turned back to face the others, Tajiro was struck by three swords—one in the chest, another in the side, and the last in his back, missing his heart by mere centimeters.
He grinned, and that expression brought terror to his enemies' faces. They knew what he was about to do.
"Get out of here, now!" the Cloud-nin yelled.
"Uzumakis… suicidal maniacs!" an Iwa-nin cursed.
Refusing to die alone, Tajiro grabbed a terrified Iwa-nin, whose reaction was far too slow for a trained shinobi.
The Iwa-nin struggled desperately to free himself, screaming for help. But in his panic, he didn't notice the paper tags now covering Tajiro's chest—explosive tags, and not just ordinary ones.
"I may not be as skilled in sealing as my brothers, but I'm still a force to be reckoned with," Tajiro said with a smirk.
Forming a hand sign, he shouted, "From the ashes, we shall rise!"
In that moment, his pupils dilated, time seemed to slow, and his mind cleared of all fear and doubt. He noticed the terror on the Iwa-nin's face, the retreating figures of the remaining shinobi, and the strange, flashy clothing of the onlookers in the distance.
'Strange… but it doesn't matter now.'
"Katsu."
The world was engulfed in blinding light, followed by a shockwave that knocked down half of the onlookers. Where Tajiro once stood, there was now only a crater, the surroundings devastated by the force of the explosion.
This day would mark the beginning of a new era for Japan, a day that would be remembered for years to come.
A week before the Uzushio Siege, a coalition landed at Tsume Port in Uzu no Kuni, determined to lay siege to and finally eliminate the powerful ally of Konohagakure no Sato.
Uzushiogakure was a formidable shinobi village, renowned for its Fuinjutsu mastery and its unyielding nature.
Their avoidance of political entanglements with the Uzuki's stemmed from the fear of awakening a sleeping dragon—an apt metaphor for the Uzumaki clan's latent power.
But the time had come. Despite their peaceful nature and non-involvement in Konoha's wars, the Uzumaki's support, providing vital Fuinjutsu knowledge and selling powerful seals at nearly no cost, had significantly bolstered Konoha's war efforts.
The threat of Uzushiogakure one day intervening on Konoha's behalf led to the formation of a coalition to destroy the Uzumaki clan once and for all.
The coalition's forces arrived at Tsume Port, their warships towering over the modest fishing boats of the locals. Shinobi, samurai, and mercenaries disembarked from their vessels, marching toward the gates of Uzushiogakure.
The coalition consisted of two brigades from Kirigakure, a demolition brigade from Kumogakure, two battalions from Iwagakure, and a division-sized force of samurai, shinobi, and mercenaries from various nations.
As they advanced toward Uzushiogakure, tension hung heavy in the air.
The Uzumaki clan was known for its powerful Fuinjutsu, and the coalition was well aware of the challenges that lay ahead. They had come too far to turn back now. The Uzumaki had to be destroyed.
The Uzumaki clan was prepared. The road to their village was laden with traps and the scent of death, rattling even the most battle-hardened veterans among the coalition forces.
Ambushes, enhanced by barriers, slowed the coalition's advance, buying the Uzumaki precious time.
The first days of the siege were brutal, with heavy losses on both sides.
The Uzumaki fought fiercely, their Fuinjutsu wreaking havoc on the enemy lines, their ninjutsu fueled by seemingly limitless chakra, and their taijutsu and kenjutsu augmented by their formidable physical prowess.
The coalition was relentless, throwing their numbers and weapons against the Uzumaki defenses, trying to break through.
As the days wore on, the coalition's morale began to falter. The Uzumaki's tenacity was taking its toll. But failure was not an option—they pressed on.
By the sixth day of the siege, the coalition was on the brink of collapse. But then, hope arrived in the form of a message: reinforcements were en route from one of the ports in Mizu no Kuni.
The leaders of the coalition convened a summit, desperate to devise a new strategy before the Uzumaki reinforcements arrived.
After extensive deliberation, they decided to launch a coordinated attack from multiple angles, aiming to overwhelm the Uzumaki defenses through sheer numbers.
The samurai and mercenaries, supported by Kumo and Iwa's heavy hitters, would launch a frontal assault to breach the village gates, while the Kiri shinobi would use the chaos to infiltrate the village and take out key targets.
However, the success of this plan depended on the reinforcements taking a significant portion of the Uzumaki forces away from the main battlefield.
The siege had been made possible by the relentless combined assaults of Iwa and Suna against Konoha. These attacks had stretched Konoha's defenses to the limit, preventing them from sending aid to their allies in Uzushiogakure.
But the coalition leaders knew time was running out. They had to break through the Uzumaki defenses before the reinforcements arrived.
As the other leaders departed, General Yamaguchi Taku, the coalition commander and a Jonin from Suna, signaled for Takeda, a Kumogakure shinobi, to stay behind.
Takeda, his curiosity piqued, approached Yamaguchi. "General, you wanted to see me?"
Yamaguchi nodded. "Yes, Takeda. I have a special assignment for you."
Takeda's expression hardened. "I'm listening, sir."
Yamaguchi leaned over the table, eyeing the Kumogakure shinobi with a calculating gaze. "I've been observing your performance since we landed. You're a stealth specialist, correct?"
"Yes, sir," Takeda confirmed, his voice steady.
"Good. We need your skills for a critical operation." Yamaguchi's tone was measured but firm.
"We're planning to infiltrate Uzushiogakure and capture their heir. If we can take them alive, we can demoralize the Uzumaki forces and force their surrender."