181-185

*Chapter 181: Fickle Allies*

Two days later,

Land of Grass.

The leader of the current Grass Village walked nervously behind a Leaf Village ninja who was leading the way. Despite his cautious demeanor, his mood grew even more troubled when he saw Leaf and Mist ninjas, who hadn't been seen in decades, mingling together in the camp.

"Why are we at war again?"

Sixty-five-year-old leader of the Grass Village, Dwarf Sedge, was filled with anxiety. He was born at the tail end of the Warring States Period and witnessed the era's end and the birth of the Five Great Nations. He once believed in the First Hokage's vision of a peaceful world, but when the First Hokage died, his dreams of tranquility were buried along with him.

The three Great Ninja Wars shattered Dwarf Sedge's hopes for peace.

Now, he only wished the next war wouldn’t come too soon.

However, his wish did not come true; in fact, quite the opposite happened. It had been only six years since the Third Ninja War ended, and a new conflict was already on the horizon. The Land of Grass, squeezed between two great nations, would inevitably be drawn into the chaos, whether they liked it or not.

The Grass ninjas didn't have the luxury of neutrality like the Waterfall ninjas or the samurai of the Land of Iron. They could only continue being subordinate to the Leaf Village and join the war.

“Lord Jiraiya, someone from Grass Village has arrived.”

“Are they here already? Let them in.”

Dwarf Sedge passed by the guard at the entrance and walked into the tent, where he saw Jiraiya seated at the head. "Lord Jiraiya, we meet again!"

"Dwarf Sedge, you seem to be in good spirits!" Jiraiya replied with a smile.

The two were not strangers; they had interacted during the Second and Third Ninja Wars. However, their relationship was only that of acquaintances who exchanged pleasantries. Given the limited combat strength of the Grass ninjas, they weren't significant enough to establish any real camaraderie with the Leaf ninjas.

"I'm getting old! Not like before—now I get leg pain just from walking a little too far."

Dwarf Sedge sighed as he sat down at the lowest seat under Jiraiya’s gesture.

Once seated, he glanced at the two people sitting beside Jiraiya. One was a Nara clan ninja he hadn’t seen before, but his experienced eyes recognized the clan symbol on Nara Suzaku’s clothes.

The other was a young man who looked around twenty, with white hair, purple eyes, and shark-like sharp teeth. He wore a Mist Village forehead protector.

“If you’re running out of energy, it might be time to choose a successor, so you don’t leave a mess behind when you eventually pass away,” Suzaku said bluntly.

“I’d love to! But the younger generation in the village is disappointing. None of them measure up, and the standards for selecting jōnin keep dropping. Instead of training seriously, they resort to shady techniques...” Dwarf Sedge lamented, nearly calling the younger ninjas useless.

Jiraiya listened to his complaints but didn’t comment.

“Ahem.”

Suzaku cleared his throat, interrupting Dwarf Sedge’s rambling. “Enough idle talk, Dwarf Sedge. We didn’t call you here to listen to your grievances. How are the preparations we assigned to you?”

Using Grass ninjas was a standard practice. Battles between Leaf and Stone ninjas often took place in the Land of Grass or the Land of Rain. However, the Rain ninjas were tough and didn’t take orders from either the Leaf or Stone villages, and the Sand Village’s envoy had been driven away. Thus, the Land of Rain was avoided during the Third Ninja War.

Now, the Land of Grass was the battlefield between Leaf and Stone.

Before Jiraiya’s army arrived, envoys had already been sent to Mist Village to meet Dwarf Sedge and convey Leaf's orders: to help guard the border and prepare supplies for the troops.

“We’ve tried to gather as many supplies as possible, but I’m not sure what exactly your side needs…”

“Just gather all you can and don’t worry about the details. Do you think we’d take advantage of you?” Suzaku responded harshly, showing no consideration for Dwarf Sedge’s age.

“What about your men? The border guards haven’t seen a single Grass ninja. Where are they?”

“Well…” Dwarf Sedge’s wrinkled face showed genuine embarrassment. “Lord Jiraiya, it’s not that we’re unwilling to help. It’s just that only six years have passed since the last war, and the village hasn’t recovered. Almost all our capable elders died in the last war, and the young ones are not up to the task. Even if we sent them to the front, they’d only be a burden, so I thought it’d be better to have them work in the rear to contribute more.”

Jiraiya remained silent.

“Enough nonsense!” Suzaku slammed the table and snapped, “Dwarf Sedge, don’t think you can fool us just because Lord Jiraiya is kind-hearted. Whether the Grass ninjas are useful or not isn’t for you to decide. The allocation of manpower is not your concern.”

“Suzaku, calm down. Everyone makes mistakes in their work,” Jiraiya interjected gently.

“My apologies, Lord Jiraiya,” Suzaku said, bowing his head.

Jiraiya then turned to Dwarf Sedge with a kind expression. “Dwarf Sedge, don’t mind Suzaku’s attitude. He’s young and impulsive. Just get the troops here quickly. We haven’t officially started fighting with the Stone ninjas yet, so no irreparable harm has been done because of your mistake. Send your men as soon as possible, and we can overlook your previous shortcomings.”

Hozuki Mangetsu, seated on Jiraiya’s left, watched with amusement. Jiraiya and Suzaku's good-cop, bad-cop routine was obvious even to a young man like him. How could an old fox like Dwarf Sedge not see through it? But even if he did, what could he do? Realizing that the kind-hearted Jiraiya of old would not be swayed by his pleas, he knew his hopes were dashed.

The Grass ninjas couldn’t stay out of the war.

“I understand. I’ll return and gather the troops immediately,” Dwarf Sedge responded with a gravelly voice, agreeing to the Leaf’s heavy-handed demands.

He left the tent with the same heavy steps he had entered with.

“Sorry you had to witness that, Mangetsu,” Jiraiya said, turning to Hozuki Mangetsu.

“It’s nothing! It was rather interesting. I’ve only read about scenes like this in novels. Unfortunately, the Land of Water has no smaller nations to act as vassals,” Mangetsu remarked regretfully.

The small countries like the Land of Grass, Hot Water, Rain, and River existed as buffer zones between larger nations. The Land of Water, surrounded by the ocean, didn’t need such buffers. The sea itself was a natural barrier, so smaller nations weren’t necessary.

There used to be the Land of Whirlpools, a strategic base for the Second Hokage to guard against the Mist ninjas, but Sarutobi Hiruzen failed to protect it, and it was destroyed.

If the Land of Whirlpools still existed, the Third Ninja War would never have seen the Seven Ninja Swordsmen reach the outskirts of the Leaf Village, only to be driven away by the remarkable Might Duy. The Leaf wouldn't need to guard its long coastline so vigilantly; securing the largest island close to the shore would have kept the Mist ninjas at bay.

“It seems the Grass ninjas are a bit slippery,” Mangetsu commented.

“They’re just fickle allies,” Suzaku said bluntly, showing his disdain for them. “They’re clueless about their own strength and position, always trying to play tricks. Do they really think the Stone ninjas wouldn’t crush them if we didn’t step in?”

If the Stone ninjas advanced southward, the Grass ninjas would have to choose between the Leaf and the Stone. There was no third option. If they declared neutrality, the Stone ninjas would wipe them out to secure a clear path for their invasion.

Aligning with the Stone meant opposing the Leaf... but Dwarf Sedge didn’t have the courage for that.

Since the First Hokage’s death, the Leaf had won three Great Ninja Wars, regardless of the sacrifices made. No matter how weak the Leaf seemed, Dwarf Sedge couldn’t muster the confidence to side with the Stone. If the Stone lost, the Grass ninjas would face retribution from the Leaf.

He hoped to minimize the Grass’s sacrifices through minor schemes.

“Self-preservation is human nature,” Jiraiya said softly. “Suzaku, don’t be too harsh on them! We never expected them to be of much help, anyway.”

“It’s not about being harsh, Lord Jiraiya. It’s that the Grass ninjas have grown too bold, taking advantage of the Third Hokage’s leniency and forgetting their place...” Suzaku trailed off, realizing too late that Jiraiya was the Third Hokage’s student.

Fortunately, Jiraiya didn’t seem bothered and sighed instead. “War! It’s truly unpleasant.”

Just then, someone rushed into the tent. “Lord Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake requests an audience.”

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 182: Only a Stronger Person Can Command the Strong!*

Just like the leader of the Grass Village, Aipu Wei, when Yakushi Nono walked into the Konoha military camp and saw the Mist ninjas, even though she had already heard from Kakashi about the Konoha-Mist alliance, she couldn't help but feel deeply surprised.

After Kakashi’s squad defeated the tracking team of Munya, they immediately escorted Yakushi Nono away while avoiding the pursuit and search of Iwa’s border defense forces and looking for a safe route out of the Land of Earth.

During the past two days, Yakushi Nono had temporarily lost her mobility due to the side effects of taking too many soldier pills. Kakashi, not wanting to confront the Iwa ninjas head-on like before, aimed to find a safer route for departure.

However, before they could find a gap in Iwa’s defensive line, the Iwa ninjas suddenly withdrew their forces from guarding the extensive border, concentrating them instead. The previously tight defense line instantly became empty, allowing Kakashi and his team to leave the Land of Earth without much trouble.

Though they had to take a detour, the area between the Land of Earth and the Land of Grass was reinforced by the Iwa ninjas with a defense line several times stronger than before.

Kakashi and his team had no choice but to go through the Land of Rain and then into the Land of Grass. Once there, they found their contact and learned that Jiraiya's army had already arrived in the Land of Grass. For some reasons, they did not return to Konoha but sought out Jiraiya.

Inside the large tent, only Jiraiya and Nara Suzaku remained to welcome Kakashi and his team.

The politically astute Hozuki Mangetsu, without needing Jiraiya’s instruction, took Ringo Ameyuri outside, leaving space for Konoha's ninjas to communicate.

"Kakashi."

Seated in the main position, Jiraiya looked at the fully intact Kakashi standing before him with a joyful expression. His gaze passed over Kakashi and glanced at Yakushi Nono. Although he didn’t know her personally, he had seen her photo before. "Well done!"

"You flatter me."

Kakashi scratched his head, feeling no sense of pride, just a bit of awkwardness.

"Um… Jiraiya-sama, Yakushi-senpai doesn't plan to return to the village for now. She wants to stay on the front lines to help out, but I can't make that decision." Kakashi spoke with some reluctance, as he understood Nono’s situation emotionally, though logically she was supposed to return to Konoha as a spy dispatched to Iwagakure once her mission ended.

"Stay on the front lines?"

Jiraiya blinked in confusion. "Why not return to Konoha?"

"It’s because of ‘Yakushi Kabuto.’"

"…I see."

Jiraiya paused, glancing at Yakushi Nono, who stood quietly, and felt a headache coming on. He was well aware of the situation; Danzo had caused a mess, and then died, leaving everyone else to clean up.

"Yakushi Nono, are you staying to save that child?"

Kakashi moved aside, and Yakushi Nono stepped forward to face Jiraiya directly.

"Yes, Kabuto. I didn’t expect that bastard Danzo would… I have to save him, no matter the cost."

"It was indeed Danzo's fault."

Jiraiya didn’t want to criticize Hiruzen-sensei, but he had no reservations about calling out Danzo. He had never liked that sinister guy. In Jiraiya's view, Danzo's influence had pushed Orochimaru further down a dark path.

Jiraiya shifted his focus back to Nono, whose expression was resolute. This situation was tricky!

Initially, Danzo had threatened Nono with the children at the orphanage, particularly Kabuto, to make her continue serving as a spy. However, Nono overestimated Danzo's moral integrity. After she left, Danzo took Kabuto from the orphanage and trained him as a spy. He even sent photos of someone who resembled Kabuto to deceive Nono.

Everyone who read the records in the confidential "Root" files was stunned by how utterly shameless Danzo's actions were.

Nono, a hero who had risked her life for Konoha, was being manipulated so unfairly. Moreover, Danzo had planned to eliminate her using Kabuto as a pawn, though that plan hadn’t yet been executed.

Regardless, Danzo was now dead, leaving his mess behind. The current Hokage was struggling to handle the situation. Though seasoned in war, Akimichi Torifu couldn't bring himself to follow Danzo’s ruthless plans. He felt that Nono deserved better.

How to address the situation remained uncertain, but Torifu had decided that rescuing Kabuto should be prioritized, leaving other matters to be dealt with later. Before Kakashi's departure, he had briefed him and Suzaku on the situation, advising Kakashi to be open with Nono about Kabuto.

And now—

Here they were.

After learning the truth from Kakashi, Nono had remained silent for a long time, her fingernails cutting into her palms. She couldn’t even count how many times she had mentally dismembered Danzo in fury. Once she regained her strength, she informed Kakashi that she would not return to the village and needed to see Jiraiya.

According to Kakashi, Kabuto had been sent to Iwagakure earlier that year on Danzo’s orders.

Perhaps they had crossed paths multiple times in Iwagakure, but due to the swapped photos, Nono hadn’t recognized him. This left her anguished, and the fear and guilt prevented her from taking a single step back toward Konoha.

She had to save Kabuto! No matter what it took.

"There's no point in discussing Danzo now. In fact… you probably know the situation in Iwagakure better than we do. Due to internal strife, their intelligence network suffered significant losses, not only in Iwagakure but also in Kumogakure and Sunagakure."

"Most of our spies have lost contact. Before I left the village, that situation hadn’t improved. We don’t know if they were captured or just temporarily unreachable. In these circumstances, discussing a rescue is exceedingly difficult."

"I understand."

Nono’s voice was calm.

"Precisely because I understand better than anyone, I want to stay here and learn about Iwagakure’s situation. The best way to do that is through the Iwa ninjas. If necessary, I can infiltrate Iwagakure again." Her words were fluid and indicated she had already considered her next steps.

Convincing her to return to Konoha would be challenging, and Jiraiya didn’t want to force her, given Danzo's despicable actions.

"By the way, is there any plan regarding the captured spies?" Nono suddenly asked, seeing Jiraiya’s silence.

Jiraiya hesitated. What was there to plan? In the shinobi world, spies were typically executed after their usefulness was exhausted.

"Have they been abandoned?"

Nono deduced the unspoken answer from Jiraiya’s silence.

She wasn’t disappointed; her composed demeanor showed she had already expected this. For spies like them, any village would treat them as disposable tools.

"Jiraiya-sama, there might be a chance to rescue them."

It was Nara Suzaku who spoke up.

"Explain, Suzaku."

Jiraiya quickly turned his attention to Suzaku.

"Based on our current plans, if all goes well, we might be able to negotiate an exchange with the Iwa ninjas. Just as they’ve captured our people, our village recently apprehended spies from various nations. It could be possible, as long as those spies are still alive by then."

Nara Suzaku's suggestion wasn’t revolutionary but drew from precedent. It involved exchanging spies, though traditionally, such exchanges occurred with war prisoners, not spies. The challenge lay in whether the captured spies had undisclosed secrets.

"This won’t be easy."

Jiraiya frowned.

"It’s worth a try; it’s not entirely impossible!"

Nara Suzaku seemed confident, as if he had a plan in mind.

Jiraiya took another look at Nara Suzaku and then turned back to Nono. "If you wish to stay, you can stay for now. I will report your case to the Hokage, and your fate will ultimately be in the Hokage's hands. Until then, do not act on your own."

"I understand, Jiraiya-sama. Thank you for your understanding."

Nono sincerely expressed her gratitude to Jiraiya.

"Go and rest."

Jiraiya waved his hand.

He didn’t feel he had done anything praiseworthy. Compared to Nono's sacrifices for the village, what she received in return was meager. He couldn’t help but feel that it shouldn’t be this way.

---

Land of Hot Water,  

Unlike the tense, war-prepared atmosphere in the Land of Grass, the Land of Hot Water maintained a more serious yet not overly anxious mood. The conflict between Konoha and Kumogakure had nearly run its course there. From initial panic to numbness and now to anticipation, the Hot Water ninjas hoped that Konoha would drive away the Kumogakure forces and restore peace.

Initially, Konoha had suffered repeated defeats against Kumogakure, leading many Hot Water ninjas to despair, believing their village would be wiped out. Some even plotted to defect to Kumogakure.

Salt Spring, the leader, was a rather capable man. He quickly sensed the disloyalty among his subordinates and decisively used force to punish that small group. Soon after, reinforcements like Uchiha Shisui arrived and managed to stop the trend of retreating, preventing the war from fully swinging in favor of the Hidden Cloud. This also helped Salt Spring maintain control over the Hidden Hot Water troops.

Now,

Another wave of reinforcements arrived, though their numbers were still small—only about a thousand.

Salt Spring sat in the tent, sighing inwardly.

"If we could just drive away the Hidden Cloud!"

He thought to himself quietly, occasionally glancing at the young man sitting in the main seat who was speaking. The young man was indeed very young, looking to be around fifteen or sixteen. However, according to the Leaf Village ninjas, this young man was already an assistant to the Hokage and also the clan leader of the Uchiha!

When he first heard this, Salt Spring was genuinely astonished. It was already rare enough to have a clan leader at fifteen or sixteen, but being an assistant to the Hokage at the same time was almost unbelievable!

Because of this,

Salt Spring felt a deep sense of respect and awe for the young man. He had interacted with people like Hyuga Hiashi, Aburame Shibi, and Uchiha Shisui during this period, all of whom were formidable figures. The fact that these powerful individuals willingly followed the orders of the Hokage's assistant meant that he must be even more formidable!

In his view,

The weak cannot command the strong.

Only someone stronger can lead the strong.

This logic, while simple, was also very practical.

"...That's roughly the plan. Does anyone have any comments?" Just as Salt Spring was lost in thought, Sougen had finished outlining the plan and was looking around, asking for everyone's opinions.

The tent fell into silence.

This didn't mean that Sougen's plan was flawless to the point where no one could find any issues. Rather, the plan itself was difficult for most present to understand, causing them to unconsciously worry that the Hokage's assistant might be underestimating the situation.

"Ahem!"

Hyuga Hiashi cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the tent. As the highest-ranking officer before Sougen's arrival, he had to speak first. "Well... Hokage Assistant, our forces are not as plentiful as the Hidden Cloud's, so launching an attack at this time might be overly ambitious!"

Indeed,

Sougen's plan wasn't about building an impenetrable defense as everyone had imagined; it was about going on the offensive!

(End of chapter)

.Chapter 183: The Sharingan Originates from the God Tree

"Saltwater, how many men do we have now?" Sougen asked, facing the puzzled expressions of the people in the tent. Instead of giving a direct answer, he turned his gaze to Nara Saltwater, a young member of the Nara clan. Though not as experienced and skilled as Nara Suzaku, Saltwater certainly lived up to his clan's reputation as strategic masterminds.

"Including the thousand troops you, as Hokage’s assistant, brought, along with the forces of the Hot Springs, we have just over 4,700 men," Nara Saltwater responded solemnly. Since the last battle where they had to abandon the Kusatsu Highlands, the Cloud Ninjas hadn't launched any large-scale offensives, but skirmishes between scouts had continued without respite.

The battlefields between the Hot River Plains and the Kusatsu Highlands hadn't seen a single day without conflict. Each day, casualties ranged from as few as thirty or forty to as many as fifty or sixty. As these losses piled up, by the time Sougen arrived, the combined forces of Konoha and the Hot Springs had dwindled from nearly five thousand to around four thousand.

Even with the thousand troops Sougen brought, their numbers still barely reached five thousand.

Among them were over a thousand Hot Springs ninjas, and given their rather weak combat power... it was enough to make one sigh in frustration.

"4,700 men. How many of them are genin, and how many are chunin?"

"2,939 genin, 1,622 chunin, and 197 jonin."

"Down to the exact number? Truly the talent of the Nara clan." Sougen praised Nara Saltwater for his meticulous work and then asked, "And how many troops does the Cloud Village have?"

"…According to the intelligence we've gathered, Cloud Village currently has more than nine thousand troops in the Land of Hot Water," Nara Saltwater answered with a heavy expression. The overwhelming difference in manpower was like a boulder pressing down on everyone's chests, making it hard to breathe.

"Over nine thousand against our 4,700... about double our forces! And Cloud Village can still call for more reinforcements from their village, while we have no additional troops. To be frank, we can't expect more support from Konoha in the near future. We have to rely on the forces we have now to maneuver against the Cloud Ninjas."

Hearing this, the atmosphere in the tent grew tense.

Salt Spring, the leader of the Hot Springs Village, wore a look of despair.

"How can we defend against the Cloud Ninjas with so few people? If we spread out our forces, they’ll easily defeat us one by one. But if we concentrate our troops, how much territory can we defend? The Cloud Ninjas could just split their forces and invade elsewhere, and then people will curse us as failures."

"Lord Hyuga, as harsh as it sounds, that's the truth. With the forces we have, defending against Cloud’s attacks is like trying to plug a leaking ship. Block one hole, and another one opens. So instead of letting them take the initiative, I say we strike first and take control."

Ninja warfare is not something where small forces can hold off massive armies.

While favorable terrain helps, its usefulness is limited. The Leaf Ninjas, retreating to the Hot River Plains, had nowhere left to defend. Even the Kusatsu Highlands, which could be considered a stronghold, had already fallen to the Cloud Ninjas.

"Hokage Assistant, we understand your point, but… if our attack fails, we may not even be able to defend. The Cloud Ninjas could march straight into the Land of Fire," Hyuga Hiashi expressed his concern sincerely. This was the main worry of most people present.

Everyone knew that being passive was a disadvantage, but launching an attack wasn’t simple either. Sending just a few hundred or a thousand soldiers would be like handing the Cloud Ninjas a snack. To truly disrupt the enemy’s formation, they would need at least three thousand men. But with Konoha's total forces below five thousand, deploying three thousand for an offensive could spell disaster if anything went wrong.

Ninjas, even genin, are highly skilled in combat.

During the Third Ninja War, Konoha's defensive forces were whittled down to just four soldiers by the Iwa Ninjas, yet they held strong without retreating. Expecting a few hundred or even a few dozen to defeat nearly ten thousand enemies was wishful thinking—unless you had a powerhouse like Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha.

Otherwise, it’s better not to indulge in such fantasies.

The Third Raikage could take on ten thousand Iwa Ninjas alone because their top fighters didn’t participate, and they only tried to wear him down. But now, Konoha faced not only the Fourth Raikage, but also two jinchuriki and a slew of other Cloud Village elites…

If Iwa’s ten thousand troops had fighters as strong as those from Cloud, they wouldn’t have just worn down the Third Raikage—they would’ve obliterated him and his subordinates.

"Moreover, the Cloud Ninjas’ recent lull in activity might be a trap, waiting for us to strike so they can wipe us out. It’s just my guess, and it might sound alarmist… but I believe the risk of attacking is too high, Hokage Assistant. Please reconsider," Hyuga Hiashi pleaded earnestly.

"I agree with Hiashi."

"Hiashi has a point. The Cloud Ninjas were fierce and fast in their attacks before, but now they’re quiet. It feels like they’re plotting something."

"Yes, I feel the same way."

One by one, the jonin in the meeting expressed their support for Hiashi's concerns.

"I see. Your worries are valid, Lord Hyuga. However, I don't like being passive. And I must apologize… before this meeting, I already sent out a vanguard to attack the Kusatsu Highlands."

Sougen said with a smile that radiated killing intent. Seeing the astonishment on everyone’s faces, he continued, "If all goes well, we’ll soon receive news of our victory at the Highlands. This meeting was more about keeping you informed. But it’s good to understand your concerns."

"Still… I'm afraid I have to say your worries are meaningless. Even if we can't completely defeat Cloud Village, as long as I’m here, there's no way they’ll defeat us."

Sougen’s confidence was resolute.

And why was he so confident?

The answer was simple.

Among the thousand reinforcements Sougen brought, two hundred were from the Uchiha clan, including over forty jonin. Even Uchiha Fugaku, the former clan leader, had come along. The Uchiha clan had sent their elite.

But that was only part of his confidence.

More importantly, Sougen trusted in his own strength.

Since teaching the Mist Ninjas a lesson at the port of the Land of Water, he hadn’t fought seriously in a while. Even when sparring with others, he had held back and hadn’t used the power of his Mangekyo Sharingan. Yet he could still feel his constant progress.

Mastering the *Blazing Fan*…

It was like holding the key to understanding the essence of the God Tree.

This branch, taken from the God Tree in its full form, held unfathomable mysteries. But his greatest discovery so far from studying the Blazing Fan was confirming that the *Sharingan*, as a bloodline limit, originated from the God Tree.

Unlike the Hyuga clan’s Byakugan, which came from the Otsutsuki clan, the Sharingan traces its roots to the God Tree. Kaguya Otsutsuki ate the God Tree’s fruit, awakening the Rinne Sharingan. This power was passed down to her son, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, whose eldest son, Indra, inherited the *Sage's Eyes*—the Sharingan.

Upon confirming that the origin of the Sharingan was the God Tree, Sōgen also gained insight into a method to perfect the Mangekyō Sharingan from the Flame Fan.

Although he hadn't yet evolved his eyes to the level of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan due to time constraints, he was just a step away. It was only a matter of patience before it would naturally happen. In addition, he further enhanced his understanding of Yin Release and Yang Release.

To be honest, when compared to the ancestor Uchiha Madara, who founded Konoha with the First Hokage, apart from his eyes not having evolved into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Sōgen felt that in every other aspect, he wasn’t inferior to his ancestor in the slightest.

The biggest difference between the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan is, in fact, stability.

Other than that, there isn't a world of difference between the two. Wielding Samehada, which could restore his depleted eye power at any time, Sōgen had found an alternative way to temporarily compensate for this shortcoming.

In other words,

When Sōgen previously claimed during the meeting at the Hokage Building that his abilities were only one-tenth of the First Hokage’s, he was truly being humble. If he were to face off against Senju Hashirama in his prime, Sōgen couldn’t guarantee victory, but he believed that his performance wouldn't fall short of Uchiha Madara’s. Perhaps the only thing he lacked was Madara’s rich combat experience.

But,

This was an era without Senju Hashirama.

Furthermore, after mastering the Flame Fan, Sōgen no longer viewed the Five Great Shinobi Villages as his enemies. His opponents were Uchiha Obito, the temporarily deceased Uchiha Madara, Nagato with the Rinnegan, the Black Zetsu who had been lurking in the ninja world for a thousand years, and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who was still slumbering on the moon.

Of course, Sōgen understood the importance of taking things one step at a time.

Before confronting Obito and the others, he first needed to stabilize the chaotic situation in the ninja world. After that, he could consider how to deal with Uchiha Obito, Nagato, and more enemies.

The meeting ended in an unexpected manner. The supreme leader's autocratic decision left everyone feeling unsettled, but when they saw Sōgen’s bloodthirsty scarlet eyes, no one dared voice their opposition. Even Hiashi Hyuga, who appeared to want to speak up several times, ultimately chose to remain silent.

And so,

Following Sōgen’s resolute instructions, the group began to move, though they carried mixed feelings about the future. However, some harbored a small hope that there might really be a victory in reclaiming the Kusatsu Mountain region.

—

At the time the meeting concluded, the advance team sent by Sōgen had already reached the border between the Tanghe Plain and the Kusatsu Mountains. Here, Konoha and Cloud ninja patrolled day and night, hunting each other down whenever the opportunity arose.

"Shisui, did Sōgen give you any specific plans?"

After rushing to the border, the advance team paused to rest. Uchiha Fugaku approached Shisui, the team leader, to ask about the detailed strategy. Although Fugaku was once the clan leader, as the saying goes, "new leadership, new rules." Now, Fugaku was just an elder, not even a key figure in the advance team, acting as Shisui’s deputy.

"A plan?" Shisui’s expression was odd.

"Yes, we've come this far, so it should be safe to reveal the plan. What are we doing?"

"Um... Elder Fugaku, I'm sorry, but Sōgen didn’t give me any sort of plan."

"Shisui, are you saying there is no plan?"

Fugaku’s eyes widened.

"According to Sōgen, we don’t need a plan. We are to defeat the Cloud ninja stationed in the Kusatsu Mountain region by brute force." As Shisui spoke, he instinctively touched the massive sword, Samehada, wrapped in bandages on his back. He couldn't help but recall his earlier conversation with Sōgen—

"Just use Susano'o and bulldoze your way through."

"Don’t worry about using up your eye power; I’ll lend you Samehada temporarily. It’ll help you recover the chakra you spend."

"Crush the Cloud ninja in Kusatsu Mountain with overwhelming power and show these hill barbarians how wrong they were to march south!"

Sōgen didn’t even give Shisui time to think before making the decision for him. With the Uchiha clan as the core, and experts like Might Guy from the non-clan civilian faction, Sōgen had assembled an advance team of fewer than 300 people. Certainly, this small force couldn’t defeat the entire Cloud ninja army.

But taking on the 2,000 Cloud ninja stationed in Kusatsu Mountain wasn’t impossible.

Even Shisui was confident of that. If he used Susano'o without holding back, even a tailed beast wouldn’t stand in his way.

If that weren’t the case, Shisui would never have agreed to such a crazy mission. He wasn’t concerned about his own safety; sacrificing himself for the village would be an honor. But he didn’t want to lead so many of his clan members and comrades to their deaths.

"You young people... you're insane!"

Fugaku exhaled deeply, staring at Shisui for several seconds before finally shaking his head in resignation. "Fine! I just hope your decision is the right one, and we don’t waste the clan’s most valuable assets."

(End of chapter)

Chapter 184: The Uchiha's Celebration!

"Itachi, Kimimaro, the battle is about to begin soon. Are you scared?" Shisui asked as he found the two little ones—Uchiha Itachi and Kaguya Kimimaro—sitting in a corner, gnawing on dry rations. Both had been brought from the village by Sougen and placed in Shisui's advance team.

"I don't like war."

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

Both answered in unison, though their responses were quite different.

These contrasting replies revealed their differing personalities. Though both were prodigies, calm and confident, Itachi, influenced by people like Shisui and Hiruzen Sarutobi, possessed a spirit of self-sacrifice and longed for peace over chaos.

On the other hand, Kimimaro, raised in the battle-hungry Kaguya clan and later mentored by Orochimaru, was colder and more ruthless, lacking self-awareness and viewing Orochimaru as his sole purpose.

"Not fond of war? Neither am I. But in life, there are many things beyond our control. In times like these, the best we can do is end the war quickly," Shisui said as he patted Itachi’s shoulder, his gaze falling on Kimimaro. "Kimimaro, don't be careless. There are many powerful fighters among the Cloud ninjas. Having a sense of respect isn’t a bad thing."

"Before I return to Lord Orochimaru, I won’t die."

Kimimaro's reply made Shisui shake his head helplessly. It was clear that changing this young one's mindset would be a long journey.

"Itachi, I'll leave Kimimaro in your care."

Shisui was pleased with Sougen's decision to have Itachi watch over Kimimaro. The two were close in age—still just children, technically—but were both exceptional geniuses. Shisui entrusted them once more.

"Don’t worry, Shisui. I’ll keep an eye on him. He won’t leave my sight," Itachi promised earnestly.

Kimimaro glanced at Itachi but said nothing.

He couldn’t beat Itachi. They had sparred several times, and each time Kimimaro gave his all, but he couldn’t grasp Itachi's true strength. Since he couldn’t defeat him, he naturally accepted Itachi’s lead.

Kimimaro respected strength. Until he could surpass Itachi, following his command seemed only right.

"Alright, finish eating quickly. Once we’re done, we’ll be moving out."

After a brief chat with the two, Shisui continued his rounds, greeting the other clansmen and reminding the jonin to keep an eye on the chunin, cautioning the young, hot-blooded members to stay calm, and advising the prideful to not underestimate their non-Uchiha comrades.

As time ticked away, the sun climbed to its zenith. Back in the village, this would be the time when smoke from cooking fires rose like a gray forest. The Cloud ninjas stationed in the Grasslands Mountains should also be ready for their meal by now.

Meanwhile, Shisui’s advance team had already eaten their rations.

"Move out!" Shisui commanded.

Over 300 Konoha ninjas immediately mobilized, rushing toward the distant, hazy forest. Shisui led from the front, making no effort to hide or ambush. The Cloud ninjas on lookout weren’t blind, nor were they incompetent.

A warning signal shot up into the sky.

Cloud ninjas, known for their aggressiveness, didn’t retreat. Instead of defending, nearly a hundred of them charged back at Shisui’s forces, ready for a fierce fight to see who was the stronger.

However—

Their courage couldn’t match up against overwhelming strength.

"Leave no one alive. Kill them all."

Shisui’s order spread swiftly. His kindness didn’t extend endlessly. While he had wavered between his village and clan, seeing them as two sides of the same coin, Cloud ninjas were unequivocally enemies. On the battlefield, he had struck fear into the hearts of Mist ninjas, and against these invaders, he had no mercy.

*Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!*

With his unmatched Body Flicker Technique and masterful swordsmanship, Shisui decapitated a Cloud ninja leader in one swift motion. The severed head rolled far away, the fountain of blood not even touching Shisui’s cloak.

He moved like a whirlwind through the Cloud ninja ranks. Wherever he passed, swords broke, heads rolled, and blood flowed like a river.

The Kusanagi Sword, in Shisui’s hands, shone with unparalleled brilliance. He didn’t even use its ability to fly, merely relying on its sharpness, which was more than enough to cut down every enemy in his path.

After obtaining the Kusanagi Sword, Shisui had spent his days perfecting his Wind Release techniques, maximizing the sharpness of the wind. Paired with the sword's natural edge, it was like slicing through butter. The broken weapons and severed heads of the Cloud ninjas were proof of this.

Just then, Shisui saw flames rising in the sky.

*Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!*

Uchiha Fugaku's hand seals were so fast they were almost impossible to follow. A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, trapping Cloud ninjas mid-air with no chance of escape. His timing was impeccable, and no one could have done it better.

The short-lived cries of agony ended as three Cloud ninjas, attempting to surround Fugaku, were reduced to charred remains.

With a single move, Fugaku took down three Cloud ninjas. Without breaking a sweat, he drew the sword at his waist, his crimson Sharingan eyes gazing at the Cloud ninjas as if they were walking corpses. Deep inside, he felt a joy and freedom he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Despite his indecisiveness and tendency to go with the flow, Uchiha Fugaku was, after all, a true Uchiha.

After being cooped up in the clan for so long without a chance to flex his muscles, he had kept his frustration in check. But now, with a rare opportunity to fight freely, his mood soared. No longer worrying about the clan's future or his responsibilities as leader, he could cast aside all concerns.

All he had to do now was kill. When he slashed down another Cloud ninja, feeling the blade tear through flesh and shatter bone, his heart leaped with excitement.

Indeed,

The Uchiha were born for the battlefield!

"Yashiro, stop stealing my kills!" Fugaku grumbled when Uchiha Yashiro swooped in to claim a head that should have been his, completely forgetting that Yashiro had been one of his staunchest supporters back when he was clan leader.

However, as the saying goes, "When the person leaves, the tea cools."

Once Fugaku Uchiha stepped down from his position as clan leader, many of the clan members, still harboring ambitions, scattered like birds. After Sōgen's series of dazzling strikes took down Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura's control, the clan members completely forgot about their former leader.

“Haha! Elder Fugaku, don’t worry, there’s plenty of prey left!”

Uchiha Hachidai grinned wildly, his expression carefree, completely lacking the usual seriousness.

As one of the senior figures of the Uchiha clan, he, like Fugaku, had always been anxious about the future of the family. The increasing pressure from the village weighed heavily on their hearts like a stone, making every breath difficult during those days.

But fortunately, those days were over.

The younger generation of the clan had gradually matured. The current clan leader was a prodigy beyond their comprehension, but even the outstanding performances of people like Shisui Uchiha and Aransan Uchiha alone were enough to ease Hachidai’s worries about the clan’s future. At last, he could let go of his concerns and enjoy himself freely for once!

What a relief!

An unprecedented sense of relief!

That’s how Uchiha Hachidai, Uchiha Kōhei, Uchiha Meirei, Uchiha Meishin, Uchiha Juwa, Uchiha Inoka, and Uchiha Tekkō felt. The fierce battle gave them an exhilarating sense of freedom and joy in simply being alive!

“Haha, what a rush! This is incredible!!!”

Uchiha Meirei laughed loudly, unable to contain his excitement.

He was one of the top fighters in the clan and one of the three captains of the police force. His skills and leadership were unmatched. But day after day, month after month, year after year, handling petty crimes like theft and robbery in the village made him feel like all his strength went unused. Sometimes, he even missed the Third Great Ninja War and the thrill of dominating the battlefield!

And now, he was reliving that indescribable thrill once again!

Uchiha Inoka was drenched in blood, wielding twin blades. He had one blade tucked under his left arm and another clamped under his right knee. His family had passed down the Four-Blade Style for generations, and at that moment, he became a walking killing machine. Any Cloud ninja that stood in his way was immediately immobilized by genjutsu, and in the next second, his four blades dismembered them.

Even other Uchiha members hesitated to get too close to him due to his ferocity.

Only his younger brother, Uchiha Tekkō, stayed by his side, and the two brothers fought through the enemy ranks together.

“So strong!”

Watching the Uchiha’s fiery offensive, Kimimaro, who had just impaled a Cloud ninja with a bone, was momentarily stunned. Having witnessed the battles of Shisui Uchiha and Orochimaru, he had high standards and wasn’t easily impressed. What shocked him was the Uchiha clan’s madness and battle spirit!

For a brief moment, he seemed to see a reflection of his own Kaguya clan, which had been wiped out by the Mist ninja.

But unlike those reckless and arrogant Kaguya, the Uchiha were far stronger!

This group of Cloud ninjas was nearly obliterated in a single encounter with the Uchiha, wiped out in mere moments. The Uchiha flawlessly executed Shisui’s order—no survivors.

As for the Leaf Village’s losses? Almost none.

Not a single Uchiha was killed, and only two very young chunin were slightly injured. As for non-Uchiha ninjas, there weren’t even any wounded—because they were nowhere near as terrifying or fast as the Uchiha. By the time they joined the fight, all that was left was to clean up the battlefield!

Only Might Guy had managed to take out seven or eight Cloud ninjas, snatching kills from the Uchiha, earning him their grudging respect for his strength.

Strictly speaking, there was also Kimimaro, the last of the Kaguya clan. Inherited from his bloodline was a fierce nature, and despite being stunned by the Uchiha’s madness and power, his own movements were even swifter than most adults. His flying bones cut down Cloud ninjas alongside Itachi Uchiha as they charged through the enemy lines like a storm.

“Shisui, the Cloud ninja sent up a smoke signal. What’s our next move?”

Fugaku Uchiha strode over, stepping on the blood-soaked ground.

“Keep moving forward.”

Shisui tossed aside the Cloud ninja he had just killed. After probing the enemy’s mind, he confirmed once again the location of their base in the Kusatsu Mountains. Since the intel was accurate, there was no need to hesitate—they would march straight to the base!

He hadn’t even used Susano’o, relying solely on his lightning-fast Shunshin jutsu and the Uchiha’s elusive swordsmanship to crush these Cloud ninjas. His chakra reserves were still ample. Looking around, he could tell the others weren’t too drained either. No need to stop for rest.

“Let’s take down the Cloud ninja in the Kusatsu Mountains in one strike. Let them learn the true meaning of pain.”

“Then let’s keep going.”

This time, Fugaku didn’t bother with his usual caution or words of restraint. His sword was still dripping with blood, his body barely warmed up, and his excitement had yet to subside. He was far from cooling down.

Shisui’s orders spread quickly.

There was no time to fully clean up the battlefield. They merely gathered the corpses of the Cloud ninja jonin and a chunin who had the magnet release kekkei genkai. The rest of the bodies were left behind as they pushed forward, following Shisui’s lead toward the Cloud’s base in the Kusatsu Mountains.

The overwhelming bloodlust sent birds fleeing and animals scattering.

At this moment,

Darui, tasked with guarding the Kusatsu Mountains, received word of the Leaf’s advance. Without hesitation, he dispatched a messenger to inform the Raikage and then swiftly gathered his forces, marching toward the smoke signal.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 185: Engaging in Battle*

It was just past noon. The freshly cooked miso soup was too hot to drink, but the grilled rice balls, with their golden, crispy exterior, smelled amazing. Paired with canned meat and dried vegetables, everyone even had a ration of cigarettes and tea. The female ninjas received candy instead of cigarettes, making this a rather lavish lunch.

As the saying goes, “a single leaf falling marks the beginning of autumn.” From the Cloud Ninjas’ meals, one could clearly see the immense strength of the Land of Lightning. It truly was worthy of being the second-strongest nation, second only to the Land of Fire. The Sand, Rock, and Mist Ninjas didn’t enjoy such good provisions—only the Hidden Leaf surpassed them in this regard.

Just as the Cloud Ninjas were about to dig in, a signal fire rose, forcing them to put down their bowls and rice balls.

Judging by the direction of the smoke, it was clear without even thinking—the Hidden Leaf Ninjas were counterattacking. But these Cloud Ninjas weren’t afraid or panicking. After a series of recent victories, where they had driven the Hidden Leaf Ninjas to a disgraceful retreat, their morale had soared to new heights. At this moment, the only emotion they felt toward the Leaf Ninjas’ counterattack was the frustration of having their meal interrupted.

Without needing orders from their superiors, the Cloud Ninjas were already assembling on their own, just waiting for the command to attack and crush the Hidden Leaf Ninjas, then resume their meal.

"Move out!" Darui ordered with a furrowed brow.

Unlike his high-spirited subordinates, Darui hadn’t forgotten what had happened to Yūkimaru. Even now, Yūkimaru still detested the war, going around trying to persuade others to end the conflict with the Leaf. As a result, the Raikage had placed a restriction on Yūkimaru. Yūkimaru's sudden change was the reason their southward march had been delayed.

The transformation in Yūkimaru was too unsettling. The longer Darui observed, the more he sensed how drastic the change had been. What frightened him the most was that Yūkimaru seemed oblivious to it, instead sincerely regretting his past violent behavior.

Every time Darui recalled Yūkimaru’s look of deep remorse, a chill crept up his spine.

"Uchiha Shisui," Darui muttered under his breath.

The Cloud Ninjas hadn’t remained idle during this time of inaction. Under Tutai’s command, the Cloud’s intelligence network had been fully activated, gathering as much information as possible about the Uchiha. They had learned that the one who fought Yūkimaru that day was none other than “Shisui of the Body Flicker,” Uchiha Shisui, and they had even managed to obtain a photograph.

"Darui, a large chakra presence is approaching," said C, Darui's second-in-command. The two of them were responsible for fortifying the Kusatsu Mountain defense line.

"They’re fast!" Darui paused, his mood heavy as he stared at the densely wooded mountains in the distance. The Hidden Leaf’s advance was shockingly quick. He was certain that from the moment the signal fire was lit, the patrolling Cloud Ninjas would have rushed over to intercept the Leaf’s forces.

Yet, despite this, the Leaf Ninjas had pushed this far in such a short time.

It was as if they had been sprinting all the way, and the Cloud Ninjas on the path couldn’t even delay them for a few minutes.

"Send the order: prepare for battle," Darui commanded, shaking off his distracted thoughts. He instructed his subordinates to form a defensive line to repel the Leaf’s attack. He too prepared himself, performing the “Water Tiger” seal and summoning two shadow clones.

"C, be careful. Don’t fall for Uchiha Shisui’s tricks," Darui warned his friend.

"I’ll be cautious," C nodded, maintaining his hand seals as he used sensory ninjutsu to monitor the approaching Leaf forces. His eyes suddenly widened as he shouted, "They’re here!"

"Attack! Throw!" Darui shouted as he waved his hand.

In an instant, kunai adorned with explosive tags rained down like a storm on the forest in front of the Cloud Ninjas. A series of explosions rocked the area, and the resulting firestorm resembled a serpentine blaze, reducing a large swath of forest to rubble.

But—

"Damn it!" Darui’s expression darkened. Without needing C to confirm, he could already see the giant, half-formed, green figure standing with arms outstretched. The massive figure was ‘Susanoo.’

"Special Ops Squad, move up," Darui ordered, no longer able to focus on C. As the highest-ranking officer, it was his duty to lead the battle. Directing the battle with a shadow clone would suffice, but as the strongest ninja among the thousand Cloud Shinobi, Darui couldn’t stand idly by.

It was tradition for the commander to lead the charge.

Leaving one shadow clone behind to command alongside C, Darui joined the Special Ops Squad and charged toward the green Susanoo. This squad had been specifically formed after Darui witnessed the battle between Uchiha Shisui and Yūkimaru.

In the Kusatsu Mountain outpost, they didn’t have a Jinchūriki, so they needed a plan for facing Susanoo. Darui had selected ninjas adept in Earth and Water Release and other powerful attack jutsus, forming a squad with the simple yet direct name of "Special Ops."

This wasn’t a new concept. The Cloud had long established special squads for sealing-tailed beasts. However, Susanoo was not a tailed beast. After consulting with Killer Bee, Darui abandoned the idea of forming a sealing squad, instead opting to gather ninjas specialized in attack jutsus.

According to the Eight-Tails, Susanoo wasn’t an independent chakra entity like a tailed beast, but still a person of flesh and blood. Sealing jutsus meant for tailed beasts would be ineffective against it.

And as for cursed seal jutsu, very few people could use it. None of Darui’s thousand men could.

He also knew that Susanoo’s defense was incredibly strong, and ordinary attacks wouldn’t penetrate it. That’s why he had gathered Cloud Ninjas skilled in high-power jutsus.

"First wave, Earth Release. Second wave, Water Release. Attack in sequence," Darui commanded urgently.

*Earth Release: Earth Flow*

The Cloud Ninjas adept at Earth Release executed the jutsu they had been practicing rigorously for days. Over ten ninjas punched the ground in unison after completing their seals. The earth trembled, and the once-solid ground disintegrated into fine dust.

Next, the Cloud Ninjas skilled in Water Release attacked. They unleashed *Water Release: Wild Water Wave*, causing surging torrents to mix with the fine particles of dust, forming a vast area of quicksand-like mud, clearly aiming to trap Susanoo and restrict its movements.

It was partly because the Cloud Ninja lacked Earth Style experts; otherwise, using "Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld" would have been clean and efficient. Unfortunately, most Cloud Ninja specialized in Lightning Style, and due to the unique culture of Cloud Village that valued swordsmanship and taijutsu, even their Jonin rarely explored other chakra nature transformations. They were mostly focused on honing their Lightning Style nin-taijutsu and swordsmanship.

Darui had already put in a lot of effort to gather this many ninjas skilled in Earth and Water Style.

"Now! Attack with me!"

Seeing Susano'o sink into the swamp, Darui quickly formed hand seals and unleashed one of his most powerful techniques:

"Storm Style: Laser Circus."

Mist formed around his clasped hands as beams of shining lasers shot out, instantly closing the distance and striking Susano'o's abdomen—the chakra source of its half-body form, based on their earlier observations.

"Lightning Style: False Darkness."

"Lightning Style: Furious Lightning Tiger."

"Lightning Style: Great Snake Lightning."

Following Darui’s lead, the ninjas he had gathered launched their attacks. According to their plan, which focused on precision strikes, their most powerful offensive jutsus hit the exact spot Darui had targeted—the abdomen of Susano'o.

"It’s cracking!"

A sharp-eyed Cloud Ninja spotted the rapidly expanding crack in Susano'o's abdomen. Under the gaze of many Cloud Ninjas, the massive Susano'o shattered like a domino, with cracks spreading quickly from its abdomen until it collapsed.

"Haha! So, it was just all show, no substance after all."

"Looked huge, but turned out to be weak!"

The Cloud Ninjas burst into laughter.

In less than 30 seconds, they had taken down the massive Susano'o. Coupled with their previous victories, it was hard for them not to get a bit cocky. Even Darui was momentarily stunned, as he hadn’t expected it to go down so easily.

However, as the number one among the younger generation of Cloud Village…

Darui quickly regained his composure and shouted, "Stay alert! The battle isn’t over yet! You… be careful!" He hadn’t finished speaking when a flash of white light suddenly tore into their formation. Alarmed, Darui shouted a warning to his subordinates, but it was too late.

Blood sprayed across the battlefield.

Headless bodies hadn’t even hit the ground before fountains of blood spurted from the necks of fallen Cloud Ninjas. Shisui, moving at blinding speed with his Body Flicker technique, mercilessly cut down the Cloud Ninjas. His "Sky Blade" looked like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, and every swing claimed a life.

He finally encountered a Cloud Jonin skilled in swordsmanship and Lightning Style nin-taijutsu, who barely managed to block one of Shisui’s strikes.

"Sleep now!"

Shisui's crimson Sharingan eyes gleamed.

The Cloud Jonin, who had forgotten the warning about avoiding eye contact with the Uchiha, was instantly pulled into a genjutsu world, his body paralyzed. Shisui swung his Sky Blade, and the Cloud Jonin, trapped in a daze, was sent off to the afterlife.

However…

That brief moment of Shisui being stalled had served its purpose.

"You bastard! Fight me head-on if you’ve got guts!"

Darui, swinging his sword, charged at Shisui. He kept his eyes downcast, avoiding eye contact with Shisui, while focusing intently on Shisui's hands and feet. Darui’s long sword, wrapped in blinding lightning, clashed fiercely with Shisui in close combat.

The swirling clash of sword and blade left the surviving Cloud Ninjas dizzy just watching from the sidelines.

Shisui was surprised as well.

On his way here, almost no one could withstand even one of his strikes, except for a few rare cases like the Jonin earlier who required two. But Darui was the first person able to avoid eye contact and still endure Shisui's attacks!

"Interesting."

Shisui's interest was piqued.

The fact that Susano'o had been destroyed was a surprise, but part of the reason was that he had intentionally allowed it to break to mislead the Cloud Ninjas into underestimating him. As Susano'o was being destroyed, he used Body Flicker to escape the swamp and infiltrated the Cloud Ninja ranks, catching them off guard.

In just one move, he had killed nearly twenty of the forty Cloud Ninjas.

Darui had been the only one to successfully stop him.

"I've seen your photo. If I’m not mistaken, you’re Darui, right?"

While Darui avoided looking at him, Shisui freely examined Darui, matching him with the information stored in his memory. Just as the Cloud Ninja spied on Konoha, Konoha also collected intel on the top experts of the Cloud Ninja.

Especially those like Darui, who had stood out in the Kusatsu Mountain defense battle and nearly pushed Hyuga Hiashi to the brink. Naturally, Darui was a key figure in Konoha’s intelligence files, and Shisui had memorized it well.

"Didn’t expect to catch such a big fish. Looks like my luck’s pretty good today!"

A fierce fighting spirit burned in Shisui's eyes.

If he could defeat Darui, the defeat of this entire Cloud Ninja force would be inevitable!

Hearing Shisui's words, Darui's face darkened. He dared not look up, keeping his focus on Shisui's feet and hands. This awkward combat style was frustratingly limiting, and Shisui's attacks were only getting faster, with his sharp blade striking from every angle, slowly pushing Darui's defenses to the limit.

"This isn’t good!"

Darui keenly realized the danger he was in.

If this continued, he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Engaging in close combat with an Uchiha was far too risky. The threat of the Sharingan's genjutsu was like a sword hanging over his head, preventing him from going all out. However—

"Damn it! I need a chance… an opportunity to create some distance!"

(End of Chapter)