The moment the Uchiha clan's shinobi joined the battle, the tide of war shifted completely.
Facing those pairs of crimson Sharingan, even the battle-hardened Konoha shinobi found themselves at a loss.
A single careless glance was often enough to drag them straight into a genjutsu.
Yet lowering their heads to avoid those blood-red eyes only left them unable to block the Uchiha clan's relentless assault.
After all, not everyone was like Might Guy from the original story—capable of judging an enemy's movements by watching everything below the neck.
Pshhk!
Pshhk!
Pshhk!
…
The sound of blades piercing flesh rang out again and again.
Under the Uchiha clan's offensive, Konoha's casualties mounted rapidly.
After Yuzuru became the head of the Uchiha clan, he implemented new clan regulations.
Any clan member willing to have children would receive exceptionally generous benefits.
As a result, most Uchiha were powerfully built, brimming with stamina, and proficient in a wide array of ninjutsu, secret techniques, and taijutsu…
Coupled with the boost from clan entry draws, their overall strength rose to a terrifying level.
In just a short span of time, Konoha's shinobi were slaughtered from a state of high morale into total mental collapse.
The Konoha forces began to crumble, but their retreat had already been cut off by Cloud Village shinobi.
Seen from above, the three thousand Konoha ninja looked like lambs trapped in an enclosure, slowly being eaten away.
"This is impossible… these Uchiha are way too strong. We're no match for them at all…"
"My comrades are all dead. At this rate, we're all going to die here."
"Damn it, their combat strength is completely different from what the village said!"
"Someone think of something! Is meeting the Sharingan really just a death sentence?!"
For many Konoha shinobi, this was their first battle against the Uchiha clan—and also their last.
Before the overwhelming power of the Sharingan, most Konoha ninja had their throats cut by dazzling blade techniques the instant they engaged.
Many of the older shinobi died with regret filling their eyes.
Only when former comrades they once scorned became their enemies did they truly realize how terrifying the Uchiha clan's power was.
If the Uchiha had never left the village, then the ones being slaughtered now would have been the Cloud Village ninja…
Unfortunately, regret came too late.
Outside Kikyo Castle, watching companions fall one after another, Sarutobi Shinnosuke ground his teeth until they nearly shattered.
Although the battle was not yet over, Konoha's defeat was already inevitable.
The Uchiha clan had sent only a single hundred-man squad, yet it was enough to completely turn the situation around.
"Damn Uchiha… when will these disgusting vermin finally disappear from the shinobi world?!"
Cursing inwardly, Sarutobi scanned his surroundings.
While the slaughter on the front lines hadn't ended yet, he had to retreat toward Konoha as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, once all the Konoha shinobi were wiped out, he wouldn't even have a chance to escape.
Just as Sarutobi was preparing to withdraw, a sudden roar of battle erupted from the distance.
He turned his head and saw a massive force of Konoha ninja charging straight toward his position.
His spirits lifted, and he immediately ran back toward Kikyo Castle.
"You are… Minato Namikaze?"
Seeing the blond youth standing atop the collapsed ruins, Sarutobi spoke in excitement.
As a direct member of the Sarutobi clan, he knew many of Konoha's secrets.
Minato Namikaze was the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, possessing power far beyond that of an ordinary Kage.
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage himself, had once said that Minato was the most outstanding ninja he had ever seen.
Given the strength Minato had displayed earlier, he might be able to wipe out the Cloud Village forces ahead in one fell swoop.
With that thought, Sarutobi said in a deep voice, "Minato, the Cloud Village's main forces have already been delayed by my plan. Take people and go support the front immediately."
"As long as we can eliminate these Cloud ninja, the Cloud Village will suffer a devastating blow."
"And one more thing…" Hatred filled Sarutobi's eyes as he gritted his teeth. "There are nearly a hundred elite Uchiha ninja up ahead. You must not let a single one of them escape!"
Minato glanced at Sarutobi and said calmly, "I'm afraid I won't be going."
Sarutobi froze, then frowned. "Minato, defying orders on the battlefield—are you trying to become a rogue ninja?"
Minato shook his head and simply stared ahead.
The next second, space twisted, and a handsome young man with black hair and black eyes appeared out of thin air.
"Uchiha Yuzuru?!"
Sarutobi stumbled back several steps in shock, his legs giving out as he collapsed onto the ground.
Yuzuru ignored him, calmly directing his gaze toward the battlefield ahead.
"Minato, if I don't make a move, you won't either."
Minato nodded. "Agreed."
Hearing this, Sarutobi's expression changed drastically as he shouted, "Minato Namikaze, are you colluding with the enemy?!"
"Our comrades are fighting to the death, and you're standing here chatting with a traitor?!"
"I order you—kill Uchiha Yuzuru immediately!"
Minato shot Sarutobi a cold look and replied indifferently, "Then why are you here?"
"As the overall commander of Kikyo Castle, you should be fighting alongside your comrades."
Enraged by the question, Sarutobi snapped, "What I do is none of your business."
"Now, in the name of the village, I order you—kill Uchiha Yuzuru!"
"I'll keep an eye on Yuzuru. He won't take part in this war." After saying that, Minato ignored Sarutobi and quietly stood beside Yuzuru.
With Yuzuru's strength, the fact that he wasn't taking action at all was already a blessing.
As for anything else, there was nothing Minato could do.
While the two were speaking, the Konoha reinforcements that had followed Minato arrived at the battlefield.
Sarutobi shot Minato a resentful glance and led the reinforcements toward the front lines.
With Minato not intervening, he naturally didn't dare provoke Yuzuru. Fortunately, with Minato holding him in check, Yuzuru probably wouldn't act either.
Now that Konoha held an overwhelming numerical advantage, no matter how strong the Uchiha were, they couldn't possibly win this war.
Thinking this, a cold smile crept onto Sarutobi's lips.
He would gouge out the eyes of every Uchiha ninja he killed and take them as trophies.
Back in Konoha, he could trample the Uchiha underfoot—he could do the same now!
Just as Sarutobi's thoughts were racing, a streak of blue lightning shot in from an extreme distance, appearing before him in the blink of an eye.
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
Sarutobi felt a violent gust rush toward his face, and the world began to spin violently.
In a daze, he saw a burly man, built like a bear with long hair and a thick beard, charging savagely into the ranks of the Konoha ninja.
"This is bad—it's the Third Raikage. That brute actually came to the battlefield himself. But at least his target isn't me…"
"Huh? Is that my body? Where's my head?"