Uzu no Kuni (The Nation of Whirlpools),
Much like the Nation of Qin, it bears the title of a "nation," yet in truth, it's little more than a village.
At this moment, the shinobi of the Uzu no Kuni (The Land of Whirlpools) had assembled along the coastline facing the island of the Nation of Qin, their eyes sharp and wary, tracking every move from across the water. Within Uzushiogakure (Hidden Village of the Whirlpools), only a handful of key shinobi remained, entrusted with vital roles.
"The Uzumaki Clan's Fūinjutsu is unmatched in its might. If they dare to provoke us into war, they'll face the full force of our fury!"
A fiery-tempered shinobi from the Uzu no Kuni (The Land of Whirlpools) bellowed, his voice cutting through the tension.
"Exactly! The Nation of Qin's shinobi have grown too full of themselves. Look at them, massed troops lining their shores, practically daring us to strike."
"If they harbor even a shred of malice, they could cross to our lands in mere minutes!"
The others chimed in, their voices a mix of defiance and unease.
Every shinobi gathered here was a cornerstone of the Uzumaki Clan, dozens of them, all Jōnin. Masters of Fūinjutsu, their sealing techniques were bolstered by the clan's innately potent chakra reserves, making their collective strength a force to be reckoned with.
From above, a square-faced man in a bamboo hat surveyed the restless crowd below, a quiet sigh escaping him. As the Kage of this nation, he understood the weight of the moment. Over the past half-month, the drumbeat of war had grown louder, swelling to a fever pitch. The village was a tinderbox, and the smallest spark could set it ablaze.
War was no longer a question of "if," but "when."
"How fare our preparations?" The bamboo-hatted Kage asked in a low and steady voice.
"All is in place," Came the reply. "Sealing arrays guard every critical point in the nation. Should they charge, they'll taste the bite of our power firsthand."
The Kage nodded, a flicker of reassurance easing his mind.
He never underestimated the Nation of Qin. Word from Konoha painted a striking picture: even Senju Hashirama, the legendary God of Shinobi, regarded the Qin's Kage with a mix of respect and faint dread.
From what he could discern, the great powers, Konoha and beyond had chosen silence in this brewing conflict, content to watch from the shadows.
Just as he opened his mouth to issue further orders, the UzumakiKage froze, his face twisting in alarm. The dozens of Jōnin around him stiffened in unison, their senses flaring.
---
''Five minutes earlier, in the streets of Uzushiogakure (Hidden Village of the Whirlpools).''
A figure emerged from the shadows, a man cloaked in a bamboo hat, his face veiled by a strip of white cloth that fluttered as he moved, revealing only fleeting glimpses of his features. Etched in purple on his hat was the character (Qín)— a bold marker of his origin.
Slung across his back was a jar half his height, its surface crawling with intricate, almost living patterns.
This was Qin Yi, looking like a shadow slipping into the Uzushiogakure (Hidden Village of the Whirlpools) undetected. He moved through the village like a wisp of smoke, unnoticed by its inhabitants. After silently dispatching the sentries, he arrived at the heart of Uzushiogakure (Hidden Village of the Whirlpools): its grandest altar.
He stood before it, studying the structure in silence. The altar loomed, eerie and imposing, its design reminiscent of a massive seal. The Uzumaki Clan's Fūinjutsu was a marvel— mysterious, potent, and woven into the very fabric of the village.
Barriers and sealing arrays crisscrossed the land, all tethered to this central point. Shatter it, and the village's defenses would crumble.
But breaking such a keystone demanded immense power, a task for which Qin Yi had brought the Seven-Tails, its energy simmering within the jar on his back.
With a resounding 'bang', he slammed the jar onto the ground. Qin Yi's hands blurred into motion, weaving seals with ghostly precision.
"Rise, Seven-Tails!"
Three seconds ticked by. His eyes widened, and a fierce shout tore from his throat.
"'Roar!'"
A guttural bellow erupted as the intricate markings etched across the jar's surface faded in an instant. The vessel trembled, then shattered, collapsing into fragments.
Before Qin Yi loomed a colossal insectoid beast, its carapace shimmering with an otherworldly, sinister hue. A malevolent aura pulsed from it, vast and suffocating.
"Human," It rumbled, voice like rolling thunder, "You dared shatter the seal and release me?"
"Is it courage that drives you— or hubris?"
The Seven-Tails towered over him, its gaze piercing. Though its might paled beside titans like the Nine-Tails or Eight-Tails, its presence was a storm of dread all its own.
Qin Yi faced the creature unflinching, his robes snapping in the wind. The bamboo hat he'd worn had long since been torn away. Beyond him, Uzumaki villagers near the altar froze, their awe swiftly curdling into terror as they registered the monstrosity before them.
"The Seven-Tails! It's the Seven-Tails!"
"Damn it, how did it get here? Someone alert the Uzukage-Sama!"
"Who's that standing before it?"
Panic swept the street like wildfire, questions and fear tangling in the air.
"It was neither courage nor hubris," Qin Yi shot back, his voice cutting through the chaos. "You're not free, not yet!"
His eyes blazed crimson as he spoke and three Tomoe spiraled into the intricate depths of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"'Buzz!'"
A man and a beast locked gazes. The Seven-Tails' eyes mirrored his, shifting to a blood-red glow as the Sharingan's power took hold.
"I've got you," Qin Yi murmured, exhaling slowly. With a single bound, he landed atop the beast's head.
His sharpened gaze swept over the scattering villagers. "You chose defiance. Don't curse me for what follows."
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Perfect. Time to test this power."
The Mangekyō Sharingan fixed forward, unyielding. The Seven-Tails reared back with a deafening roar.
"'Boom!'"
A radiant, uncanny light flared, coalescing into a dark orb— a Bijūdama(Tailed Beast Ball). For Qin Yi, the Seven-Tails' unique traits mattered little; he craved only its boundless chakra and this raw, ruinous strike.
"'Boom!'"
The beast unleashed the orb, swelling it to the size of a boulder before hurling it toward the altar. The impact unleashed a torrent of energy, kicking up a maelstrom of dust and debris. Shockwaves rippled outward, fierce and unrelenting.
"'Buzz Buzz Buzz!'"
A golden barrier flared to life, intercepting the Bijūdama. It held for a fleeting moment— three, maybe four breaths— before shattering with a sharp 'crack'. The orb slammed into the grand altar, reducing its ornate stonework to ash and ruin.
In that instant, within the Uzukage's chamber, every face darkened with realization.
"The Seven-Tails…"
"At the Six Nations Conference, the Nation of Qin claimed it!"
"It's the QinKage!"
Shock and dread flickered in their eyes. How long had it been since the Nation of Qin secured the Seven-Tails? Yet here it was, its power already theirs to command.
"The altar's gone," One voice rasped. "Our Fūinjutsu barriers are crippled."
"Send word— put the clan on high alert!" The Uzukage with his bamboo hat casting shadows over his stern features, spoke with iron resolve. A dozen figures vanished in a blink, carrying out his orders.
Then, he turned his gaze toward the dust-choked ruins of the altar.
"So," he muttered, "let's greet this so-called QinKage."
'(End of Chapter)'
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