The Kaguya Clan's Thought Process

A terrifying ripple spread across the entire land, expanding into the distance. The earth roared, and all living beings wailed in despair.

Bottomless cracks split the ground, resembling the greedy maws of giants, devouring everything in their path with reckless abandon.

As Fuma's fist smashed into the ground, ominous black smoke and a savage aura of blood burst from his towering frame, transforming once again into a crimson blood dragon that roamed between heaven and earth.

In this moment, whether it was the ninjas wielding extraordinary powers, the birds perched on distant branches, or even the insects slumbering within the soil, they all became equals in this catastrophe.

Every sentient being fled in madness.

"Does it have to be this over the top…?" Minato muttered, holding a Flying Thunder God kunai in his hand as he hovered high above the ravaged land.

Recently, Minato had developed an interesting new use for the Flying Thunder God Technique.

By hurling the kunai high into the air with great force, he could continuously teleport through midair, creating an effect akin to flight. It was even faster than most avian summoning beasts.

Using this trick, Minato stayed suspended in midair, safely out of reach of the violent shockwaves tearing through the ground below.

But the Kaguya Clan ninjas, who lacked such techniques, were not as fortunate. They were forced to endure the devastation with nothing but their bodies.

Many of the weaker Kaguya ninjas were silently consumed by the earth's wrath. Only the stronger ones managed to protect themselves by constructing defenses with their Shikotsumyaku.

After several moments, the earth finally calmed, and the thick dust clouds that had obscured the sun began to settle begrudgingly.

In the distance, the once-luxurious Kaguya Clan compound had vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

The fertile plains that had surrounded it were now transformed into a jagged canyon, a desolate wasteland that would remain uninhabitable.

"…"

Kaguya Muzuki brushed aside the dust in front of him, gazing up at Fuma, who hovered above with his dark wings spread wide. His lips twitched, and an overwhelming sense of powerlessness swallowed him whole.

As his chakra reserves depleted, searing pain shot through Muzuki's spine, forcing him to crouch down abruptly, his hands clutching his mouth in agony.

Yet despite his efforts, thick black blood continued to ooze uncontrollably from his lips.

Behind him, the surviving members of the Kaguya Clan stared in stunned silence at Fuma, whose black blood dragon roared incessantly behind him.

Fuma, sensing the emotions in the hearts of these Kaguya survivors, smirked in satisfaction.

Panic, fear, hesitation, tension...

"Now, listen carefully. You have only one chance to choose…"

"Submit or die."

Fuma's cold voice echoed across the land. As he spoke, the violent energy once again converged at his fist, poised to deliver another devastating blow.

Kaguya Muzuki retched, expelling the remaining filth from his mouth. Struggling, he forced himself to sit up and slowly walked toward Fuma.

"So this is true strength? I've led the Kaguya Clan through hardship, staying far from the villages. But now, on the day we awaken our ancestors' power, I've witnessed this overwhelming might..."

"Victory and defeat both lie with the Uchiha. So be it. The law of the jungle is the ultimate truth…"

Muzuki lowered his head to the ground, assuming a formal dogeza posture as he knelt, his voice steady yet somber.

"This war is our Kaguya Clan's defeat. Please give your orders."

"Whatever you demand, the Kaguya Clan will do our best to fulfill it. All we ask is that you allow our bloodline to endure..."

........

Fuma gazed down at Muzuki with a piercing stare, his voice slow and deliberate.

"According to the rules of the Warring States period, when one ninja clan conquers another, the defeated naturally becomes a vassal of the victor. From this day forward, the Kaguya Clan will submit to the Uchiha Clan."

Muzuki blinked in confusion, seemingly surprised by Fuma's mercy. He had anticipated the utter destruction of his clan or, at the very least, a brutal massacre.

In the Warring States era, submission to another clan was not considered a humiliation. In fact, it was as routine as eating or drinking water. The annexation of weaker clans was a common occurrence.

However, certain clans like the Senju, Uchiha, Uzumaki, Kaguya, Sarutobi, and Hyuga possessed unparalleled bloodline abilities that kept them at the pinnacle of power, avoiding subjugation.

When the Senju and Uchiha united, the smaller clans that allied with them became vassals under a different guise: "Creating a village for everyone."

The Hyuga Clan was a prime example. After the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans joined Konoha, the Hyuga became the third to follow, setting aside their ancient traditions in favor of integration.

At Fuma's signal, Kaguya Muzuki slowly stood up, facing the surviving members of the Kaguya Clan. His voice rang out with authority.

"Did you all hear that clearly?"

"Yes!"

Some of the Kaguya members even showed expressions of relief, their faces shifting rapidly as they looked at Fuma's imposing figure with a mix of reverence and awe.

"I'll give you some time to collect the bodies of your fallen clansmen. While their deaths were necessary sacrifices, from this moment onward, we are allies…"

Hearing this, Muzuki hesitated for a moment before declining.

"That won't be necessary. For those among us without strength, dying on the battlefield is the best punishment they could receive."

He paused briefly, then added:

"If you require their remains for experimentation or as material for your jutsu, I will instruct my clan members to gather them. Would that be necessary?"

Off to the side, Minato covered his face with a sigh, deeply shaken by the Kaguya Clan's cold and detached internal dynamics.

What Minato didn't realize was that if the Kaguya Clan were left to develop unchecked, within a decade or so, they would imprison their most promising prodigies, leaving them to endure hardship under the guise of "tempering their resolve."

If the Uchiha Clan's weapons were mostly pointed outward, then the Kaguya Clan's weapons fired indiscriminately, both inward and outward.

No one was spared from the chaos. It was as if the clan thrived on disorder and turmoil.

The Kaguya's icy attitude toward their weaker members created an environment devoid of compassion. Even the most talented individuals were subjected to extreme pressure and twisted methods of training, making it a place of ruthless survival.

Such an environment could produce either a figure like Uchiha Itachi or a dangerously darkened version of Hyuga Neji—a high-level breeding ground for malice.

"By the way, may I ask for your name?" Muzuki inquired respectfully.

"I am Fuma of the Uchiha Clan, the current clan leader."

Upon hearing this, many Kaguya members showed faint expressions of pride.

In their peculiar mindset, they paid no heed to the clansmen Fuma had just killed. Instead, they saw the situation from an entirely different perspective.

The leader of the Uchiha Clan had personally come to recruit them. Wasn't this reminiscent of Uchiha Madara inviting ninja clans to join Konoha during the Warring States period? This had never happened before.

To them, this was recognition of the Kaguya Clan's strength!

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