Thanks to the unwavering support of Minato Namikaze, the Uchiha clan had not been ostracized.
On the contrary, Minato continued to expand the authority of the Konoha Military Police Force. Later, when Uchiha Fugaku became an elder, Minato treated him as a trusted confidant.
The members of the Uchiha clan, once shrouded in suspicion, now walked the streets with pride. However, under Fugaku's careful leadership, this pride did not escalate into arrogance.
With the generous salaries provided by the Military Police Force and the deterrence of Minato's formidable strength, the Uchiha harbored no thoughts of rebellion.
At this moment, Fugaku truly felt a sense of duty—one born from the recognition of a wise leader.
After all, he was not only protecting the village but also safeguarding the future of the Uchiha clan!
No Kumogakure ninja would be allowed to pass through here alive!
The Three Tomoe Sharingan in Fugaku's eyes began to spin rapidly, and an overwhelming aura surged outward from where he stood.
His hands blurred into a flurry of afterimages, completing a series of hand seals in an instant.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
Roar!
A massive fire dragon, formed from highly compressed chakra, roared as it rushed toward the group of Kumogakure ninjas.
The fire dragon was so vivid that even its whiskers and scales were clearly defined, a testament to Fugaku's mastery of Fire Release techniques.
Four enormous fire dragons, each the size of a carriage, charged in pairs toward the densely packed Kumogakure forces.
The lightning sphere hovering above the Kumogakure ninjas had already expended its energy and dissipated, but the enemy showed no signs of panic. Over a dozen Water Release users quickly emerged from their formation, their hands forming seals.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A thick, spiraling wall of water materialized instantly, encircling the Kumogakure forces like a cascading waterfall.
The fire dragons crashed into the water walls one after another, their intense heat causing the water to vaporize into dense steam that spread in all directions.
Fugaku's expression remained serious. Through his Sharingan, he could see that the blue chakra within the Kumogakure ninjas was still flowing steadily, indicating that his Fire Release technique had failed to inflict any damage.
These Kumogakure ninjas...
When did they develop such a well-coordinated formation?
It was undeniable that a powerful enemy was often the greatest driver of a nation's progress. Under the pressure from Konohagakure and Sunagakure, the Kumogakure forces had devised something akin to a "battle formation."
Of course, this "battle formation" was merely an advanced form of coordinated combat, lacking the additional effects of sealing arrays or similar techniques.
Such a formation clearly required extensive training to achieve.
To break their formation, only a more powerful ninjutsu would suffice...
Fugaku narrowed his eyes and shouted, "All Fire Release and Wind Release users, gather here immediately!"
Soon, over twenty Konohagakure ninjas assembled around Fugaku.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Under Fugaku's command, the Konohagakure ninjas chose the relatively simple Great Fireball Technique. However, with the combined chakra of so many individuals, the resulting fireball was enormous.
Driven by gusts of wind, the massive fireball, over ten meters wide, rolled down the slope toward the Kumogakure forces.
The Kumogakure formation remained unchanged. Following the orders of their white-haired leader, the same Water Release users stepped forward once more.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A blue torrent surged upward from the base of the slope. Unlike before, this water wall was concentrated entirely in the front, making it appear even more formidable.
With a loud hiss, the fire and water collided, generating a thick mist that spread across the battlefield.
Suddenly!
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
From the side of the slope, three long fire dragons surged forward, attacking from the left, center, and right.
The fire dragons targeted the Kumogakure ninjas hidden within the mist, taking advantage of the moment they had just finished casting their Water Release jutsu.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three massive explosions and bursts of fire erupted within the mist.
"Huh?!"
"The speed... Could it be..."
At that moment, Fugaku's Sharingan caught a glimpse of a green figure flashing through the battlefield.
"Uchiha Style: Sword-Leaping Flame!"
With a muffled grunt, fiery blades slashed through the mist, leaving burning trails in the air.
As the mist began to dissipate, a tall, slender figure emerged in front of Fugaku.
The figure had crimson eyes with three tomoe spinning within them. Two nasolabial creases extended from beneath his eyes, giving him a mature appearance, almost like a young adult.
He wore a dark, high-collared short-sleeve shirt with triangular armor pieces, paired with leg bindings. In his hand, he held a kodachi, its blade still glowing faintly red with residual flames.
"It's Shisui..."
"Shisui of the Body Flicker!"
"He truly is the most remarkable genius of our clan!"
"The pride of the Uchiha..."
The Konohagakure ninjas exclaimed in awe. Shisui of the Body Flicker had already made a name for himself during the Third Shinobi World War.
During the years of peace that followed, Shisui's strength had evidently advanced by leaps and bounds.
Fugaku smiled as he looked at Shisui. He deeply admired this talented member of the Uchiha clan.
In fact, he had even suggested to Minato that if he were to fall on the battlefield, Shisui should be supported as his successor.
The once-imposing Kumogakure formation quickly crumbled under Shisui's incredible speed, turning into a disorganized mess.
"You should retreat now. I won't pursue you," Shisui said calmly, nodding slightly to Fugaku and the others before addressing the scattered Kumogakure ninjas below the slope.
It seemed that even amidst the cruelty of war, Shisui's kind nature remained intact. He had no intention of slaughtering the enemy to the last man.
"Hmph!"
"Brat from Konohagakure!"
"Don't get cocky. We don't need your mercy to survive!"
"Charge!"
The disorganized Kumogakure ninjas, led by their white-haired leader, rushed up the slope in a chaotic frenzy.
"Shisui..."
Fugaku started to say something, but Shisui merely raised a hand to stop him. Though a trace of reluctance flickered across his face, he gripped his kodachi tightly.
In an instant, his figure vanished. Fugaku and the others quickly followed suit, joining the battle.
"Uchiha Style: Raging Wind Sword!"
Shisui's movements were dazzling. He would feint a frontal attack, only to use the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind his opponent, slashing diagonally with a fiery blade.
Ordinary Kumogakure ninjas couldn't last a single exchange against him.
Before long, only the white-haired leader remained standing.
His body was covered in wounds, shuriken protruded from his back, and a deep gash marred his chest.
Drip... Drip...
Blood flowed steadily from his injuries, pooling beneath his feet.
"Hahaha!"
"You Konohagakure bastards, let's die together!"
The man suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. As his hands began to form a seal, preparing to unleash some secret technique...
Swish!
The laughter abruptly ceased. A flash of cold light sliced through the air, severing his head from his body.
Unrestrained blood gushed forth like a fountain, painting the battlefield in crimson streaks.
"Clan Leader..."
"Why must there be war?"
"Why must people die?"
Standing beside the headless corpse, Shisui's voice was low and tinged with sorrow.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Shisui had rarely killed. Even when intercepting Ao of Kirigakure, he had merely used genjutsu to force a retreat.
But with the outbreak of this new war, Shisui realized that sparing the enemy was no longer an option.
If the enemy wasn't killed, then he or his comrades might be dragged into the abyss of death instead...
Fugaku glanced down the slope. The Kumogakure forces hadn't regrouped for another charge—perhaps they had moved to another battlefield.
After a moment of contemplation, he sighed deeply.
"War isn't a conflict between individuals; it's a struggle between nations. That's why strangers end up in meaningless slaughter."
"Everything in this world is like that. Where there is light, there is shadow. As long as the concept of victory exists, there will always be defeat."
"The desire to protect peace—a selfish will—inevitably leads to war. To protect love, hatred is born. It's a cycle of cause and effect that cannot be broken..."
Meanwhile, on another battlefield several miles away, two individuals with the same purpose clashed once again.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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