"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
Uchiha Fugaku formed hand seals, spewing a giant fire dragon from his mouth that collided against the incoming Water Dragon Bullet.
But the constant screams coming through the thick mist told the true story—Konoha was facing devastation.
Yuki Yoru's overwhelming power had completely shattered everyone's expectations… and with it, crushed the will of the Konoha forces.
In war, morale is everything. Without it—even if you hold tactical superiority—defeat is inevitable.
And right now, Konoha was on the verge of collapse, in full retreat.
The situation grew worse by the second.
With each passing moment, more lives were lost.
Due to the relentless pursuit from the Mist side, Fugaku and Sarutobi Shin'nosuke's teams had been separated. When the fog finally began to clear, only a dozen or so Konoha shinobi remained by Fugaku's side.
Worse still—they were now completely surrounded by Kirigakure.
"Uchiha Fugaku, and even the famed Shunshin no Shisui… Looks like we got lucky today," one Mist ninja sneered.
"Bring their heads back—preserve the dōjutsu!"
"Don't underestimate them. These are Konoha elites."
Dozens of Hidden Mist shinobi circled them. The leader stepped forward and, shockingly, drew a bone blade directly from his left arm before charging Fugaku.
Fugaku's Sharingan spun into motion, clashing his katana against the bone sword. The clang of steel-on-bone echoed out as both fighters were pushed back.
Fugaku's heart sank.
There was no doubt—the attacker was a Kaguya clan elite, and the rest of the Mist shinobi weren't ordinary either. Even Shisui was being tied down by just two of them—this wasn't a typical unit.
"Rumble—!"
A distant thunder rolled across the battlefield.
Earthen walls rose high into the sky—but soon, they were covered in jutting white bones and jagged ice.
Fugaku's expression turned grim.
That bone technique—spanning the entire wall—was none other than the Kaguya clan's ultimate kekkei genkai: Dance of the Clematis. No doubt, Shin'nosuke's side had also encountered elite enemies.
At this rate, they wouldn't escape—much less break through the encirclement.
"Looks like I can't afford to keep hiding…"
Fugaku's face turned solemn.
The Kaguya shinobi mistook it for a look of despair.
"Relax, Uchiha Fugaku. My bone blade is sharper than any kunai or shuriken. One stroke—you won't even feel pain."
With a twisted grin, the Kaguya jonin lunged. White bones erupted from his flesh.
"Dance of the Camellia!"
He spun like a deadly dancer, bone spikes slashing out in all directions. It was a deadly ballet—lethal, elegant, and unstoppable.
In an instant, several Konoha ninja were shredded into pieces.
Blood rained down like a storm.
Even Fugaku couldn't withstand it. In one exchange, he clutched his chest, blood seeping through his clothes, his Sharingan wide in disbelief.
"Ahahaha! Uchiha trash! These eyes are mine now!"
The Kaguya jonin reached for Fugaku's face to gouge out his Sharingan.
But just before he touched them… he froze.
He felt a sharp pain in his chest.
A blade had pierced straight through his heart.
"When... did you—?"
"The moment you looked into my eyes."
A cold voice came from beside him.
The Fugaku he'd thought dead was standing, unharmed, holding the blade that had pierced the Kaguya jonin's chest.
The "dead Fugaku" slowly shifted form—revealing a fallen Mist ninja from the same squad.
"Impossible… I've been deliberately scrambling my chakra flow. Your Sharingan shouldn't—wait… That eye… what is that eye?!"
The Kaguya jonin's eyes widened in horror.
Fugaku's Sharingan had changed.
The three tomoe had fused, forming a new, ominous pinwheel pattern.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
Silently, Fugaku withdrew the bone blade as the enemy jonin collapsed, his life extinguished.
Once, he might've taunted his foe:
"Before this eye, your Shikotsumyaku is nothing more than a puppet show."
But the emergence of Yuki Yoru had shattered the Uchiha clan's pride.
Their ancestor had lost to the First Hokage's Wood Style, and now… even his Mangekyō was no match for Yoru's Ice Release.
"Boom!"
An explosion from afar snapped Fugaku back to reality.
Though his genjutsu had helped eliminate a squad of Mist pursuers, many more were already approaching. Not far off, Shisui and the others were still locked in fierce combat.
"Forget it. If it's exposed, so be it…"
He drew a deep breath, making a decision.
His Mangekyō spun wildly, a cold chakra surging outward.
But in that instant, glowing chakra chains surged into the battlefield, binding ten Mist shinobi in a sweeping arc.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
A commanding voice rang out.
Konoha shinobi, including Shisui, took advantage of the moment to finish off their stunned enemies.
Fugaku's Mangekyō faded, and as his eyes landed on the red-haired figure who had just arrived—he exhaled in relief.
"I didn't expect Hiruzen to send you to the front… Kushina."
"Has the war really gotten this bad…?"
Uzumaki Kushina stared at the battlefield littered with corpses, her eyes burning with fury.
"What's the situation?"
"Mist deployed someone terrifying… With their main force arriving, we lost Jinnan Town."
When the others saw Kushina arrive, hope returned to their eyes. They quickly regrouped. Fugaku gave her a rapid sitrep.
"Jiraiya-sama activated Sage Mode and is holding the rear alone. We got separated by the thick mist. Shin'nosuke's group is northwest—their situation's probably just as bad."
"Jiraiya-sensei is covering the retreat alone?!"
"BOOM!"
A massive explosion shook the forest.
All eyes turned toward the distant treeline—where the enormous form of Gamabunta was being blown away.
With a puff of white smoke, the giant toad vanished.
Kushina's face darkened.
"Fugaku, go assist Shin'nosuke. I came with several elite jonin squads—they should be arriving soon. Link up with them and fall back to Misawa Bridge."
"What about you?"
Fugaku could tell what she was planning.
"You're going to help Jiraiya-sama?! That's too dangerous!"
"Dangerous?" she snapped. "What, are we supposed to leave Jiraiya-sensei alone against that monster?!"
Taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists.
"Jiraiya-sensei must survive. If anything happens to him… I'll never forgive myself. And neither will Minato."
Without another word, she vanished into the forest—racing toward the battlefield.
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