The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, still looked somewhat confused.
He could not understand why Kirigakure would allow a shinobi from another village to become Mizukage.
However, this was not the time to dwell on such questions.
Mei Terumi and the Mist ninja had already surrounded them.
The harbor was large, but Shinji's forces had only secured a small portion of it. If they wanted to land all their troops, they would have to seize the entire port.
And clearly, Mei and the others had no intention of letting that happen.
Even though their outer defenses had been shattered, the Mist ninja still showed no signs of fear. Their eyes burned with determination, their fighting spirit completely intact.
As long as their backbone remained, they would not collapse.
Shinji glanced at them and gave a calm order.
"Push forward with full force. Secure the port and allow the rest of our forces to land."
This time, he did not act personally.
Instead, the troops behind him surged forward.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, moved first.
He raised his hands, gathering chakra as Dust Release began to form. That kind of technique was not something ordinary shinobi could withstand.
But before he could unleash it, a figure burst forward from the Mist ranks at incredible speed.
In an instant, Ōnoki was grabbed midair and hurled away.
Boom!
His body slammed into a building outside the harbor, interrupting his jutsu completely.
The attacker slowly descended, landing firmly on the ground.
Shinji's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What speed…"
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, looked closely at the newcomer, his expression turning serious.
"The Kaguya Clan…"
Even in his era, the Kaguya were known for their ferocity.
But the speed just displayed was comparable to the Lightning Release Chakra Mode of Kumogakure.
That was not something a normal Kaguya could achieve.
Standing at the very front, even ahead of Mei Terumi, was Kimimaro Kaguya.
He calmly drew the Executioner's Blade from his back, a violent chakra fluctuation erupting from its surface.
At that moment, several figures appeared one after another.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had arrived.
Kisame Hoshigaki.
Zabuza Momochi.
Chōjūrō.
Haku.
Ringo Ameyuri.
Jinin Akebino.
And Mangetsu Hōzuki.
The chakra radiating from their bodies caused the Ōtsutsuki clan members to stiffen, their expressions quickly turning to anger.
They recognized them.
Back in Konohagakure, it was these very people who had suddenly appeared, crushed them, and seized the Tenseigan.
"Patriarch Shinji, these are the ones who attacked us in Konoha. Not only them, they also took our clan's sacred dōjutsu."
Shinji nodded slightly.
Judging from their presence alone, every single one of them possessed at least Kage-level strength.
Such an elite force was extremely difficult to handle.
Even stopping them would be a challenge.
"I don't sense the presence of the Tenseigan…"
Shinji muttered, a trace of unease appearing in his eyes.
If the power of the Golden Tenseigan had truly been absorbed by someone from Kirigakure, then the situation would become even more troublesome.
"If you want to step into Kirigakure, you'll have to get past us first."
Jinin Akebino stepped forward, raising the Kabutowari.
With a powerful swing…
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted as the ground split apart, a blazing shockwave tearing forward toward Shinji's forces.
At the critical moment, Tobirama moved.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."
A massive surge of water rose up, forming a defensive barrier that blocked the incoming explosion and suppressed the spreading flames.
Jinin Akebino's strike brought back an unpleasant memory for the Ōtsutsuki clan.
They clearly remembered the scene from that day, when he alone had blocked their advance with overwhelming force.
Back then, they still had the Tenseigan to supply them with chakra.
Now, that advantage was gone.
Their current strength was even weaker than before. Facing Jinin again, they knew they could not stop him alone.
Fortunately, they were not fighting by themselves.
The allied shinobi from the three great villages were here to support them.
Otherwise, relying solely on the Ōtsutsuki clan, this battle would have been extremely difficult.
Just as the clash began, a figure rushed forward from the rear and landed beside Jinin.
"You… it really is you."
"I sensed your chakra earlier and could hardly believe it… but I didn't expect it to truly be you."
The one who spoke was Hashirama Senju.
His eyes were filled with emotion as he looked at the man before him.
Standing opposite him was Tobirama Senju.
For a brief moment, Tobirama's expression shifted, but he quickly regained his usual composure.
"I didn't expect we would meet again under circumstances like this, brother."
"This should be a joyful reunion… yet we stand on opposite sides."
Hashirama frowned.
"Tobirama, what are you doing? Why are you helping the Ōtsutsuki?"
"The tailed beasts were meant to be distributed among the villages to maintain balance."
Hearing this, Tobirama's expression turned cold.
"Balance?"
"If balance truly mattered, then Konoha should never have distributed the tailed beasts in the first place."
Before their argument could continue, Shinji spoke impatiently.
"Enough. Move. Secure the port immediately."
He had no interest in listening to old disputes.
What he wanted was simple.
Seize the tailed beasts.
At his command, the Kage moved at once.
Tobirama Senju acted first.
Then followed the Third Raikage, A, the Second Tsuchikage, Mū, and the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
One after another, they launched their attacks.
In response, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist stepped forward without hesitation, intercepting them head-on.
The moment their chakra collided, a deafening roar erupted.
Violent shockwaves spread outward, distorting the very air.
Soon, even more powerful figures joined the battlefield.
The Fourth Raikage, A, the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, and Ōnoki all entered the fray.
In terms of sheer numbers, the Ōtsutsuki side clearly held the advantage.
They were reinforced by formidable shinobi such as Kinkaku and Ginkaku of Kumogakure, Chiyo of Sunagakure, and others.
There were also powerful fighters like Darui, Kankurō, Sasori, Kurotsuchi, and Akatsuchi, each possessing strength close to the Kage level.
Their top-tier combat power was overwhelming.
The small harbor simply could not contain so many high-level fighters at once.
Almost immediately after the clash began, the battlefield split into multiple smaller fronts.
Although Kirigakure was at a slight disadvantage, they were still holding their ground.
As the top-tier shinobi engaged each other, the rest of the forces also joined the battle.
War had fully erupted.
The harbor that Kirigakure had painstakingly built was reduced to ruins in mere moments under the devastation of the fight.