"Bastard!"
The burly Grass-nin pushed himself up from the ground, fury blazing in his eyes as he locked onto Uchiha Yuan.
His killing intent erupted. "Where did this little brat come from? You're looking for death!"
He lunged forward, swinging a massive palm toward Yuan's head.
Yuan lifted a hand and caught the blow with effortless precision. His cold gaze rested on the man as if he were nothing more than an insect.
The Grass-nin struggled, muscles bulging—but Yuan's grip might as well have been an iron vise. The man's expression shifted from rage to shock. Only now did he look carefully at the youth and notice the Leaf village forehead protector strapped to his arm.
"You're… a Konoha ninja?"
Yuan's fingers tightened just slightly. Pain shot up the man's arm, forcing a guttural cry from him.
"The woman is from our village," he growled. "Konoha has no right to meddle in Kusagakure's affairs!"
"I interfere," Yuan said lightly, "because I choose to."
"You—! Why?!"
The man's composure shattered. His wrist felt as if it would snap at any moment.
Desperate, he grabbed for a kunai with his free hand and thrust it toward Yuan's eye.
"Watch out!" Uzumaki Kana cried out instinctively.
But Yuan's silhouette warped—and vanished.
In a single fluid step, he bypassed the attack and appeared behind the Grass-nin. His elbow came down in a sharp, precise strike.
Thud!
The giant toppled face-first onto the floor.
Groaning, he struggled to lift his head. Rage distorted his features.
"Kill him! Kill this damned brat!"
Grass-nin throughout the corridor drew their blades and shuriken—
—until another figure flashed onto the scene.
Windwa Ōno, the newly enthralled Grass leader, appeared beside them, glaring murderously at his own men.
"You fools! Put away your weapons at once!" he barked. "This man is an honored guest of the village. Show respect!"
Shocked, the Grass-nin hesitated, then lowered their arms.
The brute who had attacked Yuan—Koskade Koizumi—stumbled to his feet with the help of two men. His face twisted in resentment.
"Ōno! Since when do you bow to Konoha? He's just a brat. Did the Leaf send him here to die?"
Yuan met Koizumi's glare with serene indifference. His eyes—dark, still, and impossibly deep—made Koizumi look away in spite of himself.
The brute forced his attention back to Kana.
"You. Woman. Come with me."
Kana hesitated, then weakly stepped forward.
But Yuan's voice cut through the corridor like steel.
"I said no."
A wave of killing intent swept out from him, chilling the air. Even those not targeted directly felt their hearts constrict.
Kana, though spared the brunt of the pressure, could still feel the terrifying shift in the boy's aura.
She looked at him gently. "Thank you… but this is my duty in Kusagakure."
Yuan turned to her, his tone cold and absolute.
"I don't like being disobeyed. From this moment on, the rules of Kusagakure have changed. My will is the rule."
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA!"
Koizumi burst out laughing, pointing mockingly at Yuan.
Grass-nin muttered angrily around him, voices rising in unrest.
Koizumi sneered. "Little Uchiha brat, Kusagakure is not subordinate to Konoha. Just because you have Leaf behind you doesn't mean we're your dogs. Today we bow to Konoha—tomorrow we can just as easily serve Iwagakure instead."
He shot a furious look at Ōno.
"And you! As village leader, you'd let a child humiliate us?!"
Ōno's face remained expressionless.
"Uchiha Yuan's words are my words."
"What—?!"
Koizumi paled. "You've lost your mind! I'll never accept this absur—"
Slash!
Ōno vanished and reappeared behind him.
A fine red line opened across Koizumi's throat.
Blood sprayed.
The brute collapsed, eyes still wide with disbelief.
Ōno looked down at the corpse, eyes as cold as winter.
"If you disagree," he said calmly, "then die."
He turned to the stunned Grass-nin.
"Why are you staring? Pay your respects to Lord Uchiha Yuan."
Under the weight of Ōno's killing intent—and the corpse at their feet—the Grass-nin knelt or bowed stiffly.
"Greetings, Lord Uchiha Yuan."
Yuan gave them a brief, imperious glance, then turned to Kana.
"From now on, you serve as my attendant."
Kana froze, stunned.
Before she could speak, Yuan had already walked away.
Kusagakure Rooftop
From the highest point of the central tower, Uchiha Yuan looked over the village he now controlled.
Ōno appeared behind him in a flicker of movement.
"Lord Yuan, I've ordered people to look after Uzumaki Kana."
Yuan nodded.
Then he raised his hand. A signal flare shot into the sky—
—bursting into a brilliant flower of light.
Moments later, multiple figures flashed onto the rooftop.
"Lord Yuan."
The ten Konoha shinobi who had accompanied him knelt respectfully.
Yuan spoke calmly:
"I have spoken with the leader of Kusagakure. He will cooperate fully with us."
The shinobi turned to Ōno, instantly recognizing the truth in his submissive posture.
One of the Leaf-nin asked, "Lord Yuan, what are your orders?"
Yuan's expression hardened.
"I've reviewed Kusagakure's latest reconnaissance reports. They match our own intelligence.
You will coordinate with the Grass-nin and begin by cleansing the Land of Grass—drive out every last Takigakure shinobi."
"Yes, sir!"
The ten Konoha nin split into two squads, each joining a Grass-nin platoon. Within minutes, they left the village at high speed, departing in different directions.
Uchiha Yuan remained on the rooftop, the wind tugging lightly at his cloak—
Kusagakure now firmly within his grasp.
Some people die… but they're never truly gone.
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