"They're coming!"
Shisui spotted several figures rushing rapidly through the mist. He gave Wen Lan a quiet warning and instantly charged forward to intercept them!
Wen Lan drew the ninja blade at his waist, inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. A flicker of flame danced at the corner of his mouth.
Just then, three Kirigakure ninjas burst out of the dense fog. Upon spotting Wen Lan, one of them instantly hurled several senbon, aiming straight for his face!
"Flame Breathing · Fourth Form · Blooming Flame Undulation!"
Fire coiled around Wen Lan's blade as he spun and slashed. The flames transformed into a roaring vortex that surged toward the three Kirigakure ninjas!
The senbon melted into liquid iron under the intense heat.
"Careful—he's awakened his eyes!" one of the Kirigakure ninjas shouted upon seeing Wen Lan's Sharingan. He immediately formed seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A massive water dragon roared toward Wen Lan.
Wen Lan's gaze sharpened. He tapped the ground with his toes and retreated rapidly, slashing horizontally with his blade.
"Flame Breathing · First Form · Unknowing Fire!"
A blazing arc of fire collided head-on with the water dragon. Fire and water clashed violently, exploding into billowing steam and scorching air. The surrounding temperature skyrocketed.
The Kirigakure ninjas were forced to retreat again and again.
At the same time, Shisui seized the opening and plunged into the enemy formation. In an instant, seven figures appeared—his real body and afterimages constantly switching positions, making it impossible for the enemy to identify the true one.
The mist, which had already thinned, thickened once more due to the violent collision of fire and water.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
An aged voice rang out.
A fierce gale howled across the battlefield, forcibly blowing away most of the fog.
Wen Lan turned his head—and saw an elderly man well past fifty.
It was Uchiha Sen, the clan's First Elder.
Behind him stood hundreds of Uchiha ninjas.
Sen held a crimson folding fan in his hand, its surface painted with the Uchiha clan emblem. With a casual flick, another violent wind burst forth, completely dispersing the remaining mist.
The Kirigakure forces instantly lost their cover, fully exposed before the Uchiha army.
"Kill them! Leave none alive!"
Uchiha Fugaku roared after beheading an enemy in front of him.
Wen Lan slid his blade back into its sheath, closed his eyes, and lowered his stance into a bow-like posture. He took a deep breath—golden lightning crackled at the corner of his lips.
The next instant, his eyes snapped open.
His body exploded into motion, transforming into a streak of golden lightning!
The crowd only saw a flash of golden light. A white-and-gold slash, straight out of a manga panel, hung briefly in the air!
The lightning-infused blade swept out—
Two Kirigakure ninjas were instantly split in half.
The lightning didn't dissipate. Instead, it condensed again, twisting into a serpentine electric arc that lashed through the battlefield, darting past every Kirigakure ninja it touched.
Anyone brushed by that lightning froze in place.
After eighteen consecutive slashes, Wen Lan finally stopped.
He remained in his bow stance, golden arcs of electricity dancing across his body.
Clang.
The sound of the blade returning to its sheath rang out.
Wen Lan's youthful voice calmly followed:
"Thunder Breathing · First Form · Thunderclap Flash · Eighteenfold."
Bzzzt—
Almost the moment the words left his mouth, eighteen heads shot into the air simultaneously. Blood erupted like fountains as the bodies collapsed limply to the ground.
The battlefield fell into stunned silence.
Uchiha Sen narrowed his eyes, a trace of satisfaction appearing on his face.
Fugaku and Shisui were both visibly shaken.
Wen Lan stood still, his expression calm and composed—but his chest heaved violently. This move had clearly drained an enormous amount of stamina and chakra.
Yet Wen Lan knew very well—
This was the result of his recent training with Might Duy.
Without that insane physical conditioning, there was no way he could have unleashed Thunderclap Flash eighteen times in succession.
Might Duy's brutal training had nearly broken him—but it had also given him the endurance needed for battles of this intensity.
"What terrifying swordsmanship…" Shisui couldn't help but murmur.
A grave look crossed Fugaku's face.
"This kind of blade technique has already surpassed ordinary ninjutsu. It's closer to a secret art."
He frowned deeply, clearly pondering the origins of Wen Lan's technique.
At that moment, the Kirigakure forces finally reacted. Seeing their comrades falling one after another—and Uchiha reinforcements arriving—they immediately disengaged and retreated without hesitation.
When Wen Lan was about to give chase, Fugaku raised his hand sharply.
"Don't pursue them. There may be traps ahead."
Only then did Wen Lan relax his grip on the blade.
Fugaku surveyed the area and gave rapid orders:
"Count casualties. Report to me immediately when finished.
First Elder, Shisui, Wen Lan—come with me to the main tent!"
Inside the command tent, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the grim faces of those present.
Fugaku sat at the head, the others seated on either side. Every expression was heavy.
They had just arrived, and Kirigakure had launched a night raid on the very first evening.
During the day, Uchiha scouts had carefully observed the surroundings while gathering timber—there had been no sign of Kirigakure forces at all.
That left only one explanation:
Someone had leaked the Uchiha's marching route, numbers, and camp layout.
In Wen Lan's, Fugaku's, and Sen's minds, the same two names surfaced simultaneously:
Shimura Danzō.
Sarutobi Hiruzen.
No one spoke.
Soon, a ninja entered and knelt on one knee.
"Report, Clan Head. No fatalities on our side.
Thirty-eight lightly wounded. Forty-six seriously injured.
Kirigakure casualties: ninety-three bodies confirmed. Based on attire, mostly chūnin.
Approximately forty escaped—likely the majority are jōnin."
As the report concluded, the atmosphere grew even heavier.
Fugaku spoke coldly,
"Forty-six seriously wounded… Kirigakure's combat strength is nearly on par with ours. This night raid was clearly well-prepared."
Shisui spoke up, "Clan Head, I believe this matter should be reported to the Hokage."
Fugaku nodded, but his eyes were dark and conflicted.
"Reporting is necessary. But reporting alone won't solve the root problem.
The Hokage and Danzō have long been wary of the Uchiha—perhaps even intent on weakening us.
For Kirigakure to locate our camp so precisely… this goes beyond a simple intelligence leak."
Wen Lan lightly tapped his fingers against the table, eyes narrowed in thought.
In the original timeline, Ao had indeed led a Kirigakure force into Konoha territory—and had been stopped by Shisui.
Wen Lan rapidly replayed those memories, focusing on the details of Kirigakure's actions tonight.
"Clan Head," Wen Lan finally spoke, "I don't think this was just about attacking our camp.
All clan members should be deployed for 24-hour continuous patrols in the surrounding area.
This night raid may have been a feint—meant to divert our attention."
Fugaku and Sen both frowned deeply at his words, the weight of realization settling in.
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