Uchiha Indra gazed across the room at the exhausted, naked women now veiled in soft kimonos.
With a slow breath, he stepped into the warm bath.
Calmness enveloped him as he entered a deep state of Senjutsu.
At his command, his shadow clones vanished.
New clones, infused with his Senjutsu chakra, materialized, radiating overwhelming energy.
Summoning a powerful summoning jutsu, Indra called forth his great serpent pet—Manda.
The gigantic snake bowed humbly.
"My lord, you have been freed from your seal. I welcome your arrival. What is your command?"
Indra's voice was cold but commanding.
"Manda, summon your clan.
The war outside burns fierce.
Unleash devastation; consume every enemy on sight."
He fixed his gaze.
"Also, send word to my three princesses. They will come at once—or face my wrath."
The three mighty snake princesses—the Sanhime (三姫)—were:
Tagorihime (タゴリ姫):
Calm and wise, adorned with green accessories, goddess of wisdom.
Ichikishimahime (イチキシマ姫):
Stylish, composed, with dark blue hair buns, goddess of water and protection.
Tagitsuhime (タギツ姫):
Stern, formal, high bun with red earrings, goddess of fire and discipline.
As the ninja villages heard rumors of a mysterious, unstoppable force—the shadow clones of Indra rampaging across the battlefield—they scrambled to identify this unknown menace.
Villages such as Sunagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Iwagakure, Amegakure, and even elements of Konohagakure's Root faction intensified their search.
No one knew the true Indra had been unleashed.
Only his clones.
The war was escalating, and the demon's wrath was unfurling like a coiling serpent ready to strike.
The night was dark and thick, pierced only by the faint glow of chakra flares far below.
In six different war councils, tension gripped the leaders of ninja villages.
Sunagakure's Mizukage stood rigid, her expression grim.
"Our forces have suffered terrible losses," she said. "That mysterious ninja... The one spreading destruction like a tempest—he's unlike anything we've faced."
Across the sea in Kumogakure, the Raikage slammed his fist.
"We cannot afford to lose more men. The Hidden Eddy Village was already fragile. This monster's power... it's beyond normal jutsu."
In Kirigakure's war room, the Third Mizukage's eyes narrowed as reports arrived.
"Shadow clones of that figure have attacked from all sides. Their chakra is dense and overwhelming. And a giant serpent has appeared..."
Iwagakure's Tsuchikage paced his chamber, deep in thought.
"The collective strength..." he murmured. "We must send our greatest warriors. This is no ordinary war."
Amegakure's forces, allied closely to Sunagakure, moved swiftly.
"Hanzō will lead the charge personally," a commander reported. "The serpent's presence signals the enemy's peak power."
In Konohagakure's Root faction chambers, cold intellects debated quickly.
"Unidentified hostile with such mastery," a Root commander noted. "We must decipher his origin and abilities fast, or the entire operation fails."
Unanimous decisions were made.
All five great ninja village kages, along with Amegakure's leader and Konoha's special Root operatives, prepared to sail toward the Land of Whirlpools—Uzushiogakure's remains—a battlefield turned graveyard.
The island trembled beneath the feet of the great warriors arriving to turn the tide.
The formidable leaders came bearing the weight of their villages:
Raigetsu Kurai, Fourth Raikage of the Hidden Cloud. Known for overwhelming speed, mastery of Lightning Release Chakra Mode and brutal taijutsu. His thunderous entrance struck fear into allies and enemies alike.
Sekkai Dōmei, Second Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone. A tactician with unmatched command over earth-style jutsu, controlling the battlefield with his might.
Kiriwa Yōjō, Third Mizukage of Hidden Mist. Cunning and ruthless, wielding deadly Water-Style techniques to paralyze and annihilate foes.
Shibata Enjin, Rogue Daimyō and tactician of the Land of Sound's predecessor. His unpredictable tactics sowed chaos and confusion in enemy ranks.
Midoro Hachigane, Hidden Grass War General. A fierce non-Kage general who led Grass ninja units with lethal precision.
The leaders landed on the battlefield, immediately assaulted by an overwhelming wave of chakra and shadow clones.
Their combined powers clashed violently with the mysterious foe, each clone striking relentlessly with inhuman ferocity.
Lightning crackled around Raigetsu Kurai, who summoned his ultimate lightning jutsu—a trump card that tore through the battlefield.
With piercing focus, he unveiled the truth: the enemy was not a single presence, but a multitude of clones.
The realization sent shockwaves through the leaders' ranks.
Nearby, the legendary serpent Manda also joined the fray, its colossal form slithering with deadly intent.
The battle's intensity surged beyond any previous conflict.
None of the Kage knew the true enemy's identity.
Amid the chaos and biting fury, the shadow clones bore down, unyielding and stronger by the second.