Under Chiba's deliberate provocations, the long-simmering tensions between Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha Clan finally erupted into full-scale war. The Uchiha, who under normal circumstances would have been intercepted and slaughtered by the combined might of Itachi Uchiha and the mysterious masked man, were this time completely unopposed in their charge,thanks entirely to Chiba blocking Itachi's path. As a result, the Uchiha Clan's elite forces surged forward, their battle cries tearing through the night, heading straight for the Hokage Tower.
Even so, Hiruzen Sarutobi, seasoned and cunning, had foreseen such possibilities. His contingencies were already in place, with ANBU, Root, the Sarutobi clan, the Shimura clan, and elite ninja forces at the ready. Without this preparation, the outcome of tonight's battle would have been uncertain,perhaps catastrophic. But despite these precautions, Sarutobi's expression was grim, his mind racing with the weight of responsibility.
In his eyes, Itachi Uchiha had always been the reliable operative, the one guaranteed to stop the Uchiha's advance. Even if he could not annihilate them all, at the very least, Sarutobi had counted on Itachi to prevent the full force of the clan from reaching the Hokage. Itachi, as a single pawn, was supposed to contain an entire army.
Yet just as he processed this thought, the ground shook violently with the sound of battle cries and the clash of steel. Sarutobi's body stiffened, and his pipe fell from his lips with a loud clatter. The Uchiha rebels, bypassing Itachi entirely thanks to Chiba's intervention, were now charging straight toward the front of the Hokage Tower. The plan, the prediction, the calculated order,all of it was thrown into chaos in an instant.
A cold, bitter laugh escaped Shimura Danzō's lips. "It seems you have completely miscalculated, Sarutobi. Itachi Uchiha cannot be relied upon!" he sneered, his dark eyes glinting with a mixture of satisfaction and foreboding.
"Yes… fortunately, we were prepared," Sarutobi muttered, though the weight of the decision pressed down on him like iron. "This battle… cannot be avoided. But even if we win, the cost… will be immense. Our forces will be bloodied, and the Uchiha Clan… will be destroyed."
A terrible silence settled for a moment as the enormity of the situation sank in. Sarutobi knew all too well the moral and strategic ramifications of what was about to happen. The difference now was that he would not be executing a mission to eliminate rogue ninja under Itachi's orders,it would be open, unmistakable civil war within Konoha. It would be the slaughter of an entire clan, sanctioned by the village itself. And he, the Hokage, would bear the weight of that decision on his shoulders.
Even if he managed to defeat the Uchiha, the cost to Konoha's forces would be staggering. The best-case scenario, Sarutobi realized with a grim twist of his lips, was a Pyrrhic victory: both sides bloodied, both sides suffering catastrophic losses. Such a reality was almost unbearable for him, a man who had long sought to maintain peace and stability.
Moreover, the shinobi world itself was unstable. Powerful nations watched Konoha's every move, eyes sharp for any sign of weakness. Hidden Cloud, Hidden Stone, even Hidden Mist,once minor players,now seized opportunities to expand their influence. The Hidden Mist had already struck at Hidden Sand, leaving devastation in its wake. And with Konoha allied with Sand, Mist naturally became a looming threat. Surrounded by enemies and on the brink of internal conflict, Konoha was in an almost untenable position.
Sarutobi's mind raced, but there was no time to hesitate. The Uchiha forces, screaming in battle cries, were rushing toward the village like a tidal wave. Danzō, Koharu Utatane, and Genma Shiranui turned their eyes toward the Hokage, awaiting his command. The weight of expectation, of leadership, of survival, pressed down on him like never before.
Sarutobi exhaled slowly, a rare flicker of ferocity igniting in his usually calm gaze. "Kill!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos like steel.
In that instant, there was no turning back. It was a simple and brutal truth: either the Uchiha perished, or Konoha itself would suffer destruction. The conflict between Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha Clan had reached a point of no return. The clash, inevitable and merciless, starts.
The tension between Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha Clan had reached a point of no return. Reconciliation was impossible. In such a scenario, there was only one solution: elimination. Any future accusations, blame, or judgment from the village or the wider ninja world would be irrelevant. The decision had been made.
With a single command from Hiruzen Sarutobi, the ANBU, Root operatives, and other elite forces who had been waiting to intercept the Uchiha erupted in unison, releasing their chakra and powers in a roaring wave, ready to strike with lethal precision.
Yamato furrowed his brow as he watched the charging Uchiha forces. His gaze shifted to his respected senior and ANBU captain, Kakashi Hatake, who remained unnervingly calm, his demeanor betraying only a faint flicker of thought behind his cold exterior. A memory struck Yamato. Kakashi had joined the ANBU out of despair, disillusioned with the shinobi world after the events at Kannabi Bridge and the death of their comrade, Obito Uchiha. That very Sharingan in his eye had been a gift from Obito himself.
Now, facing the clan of his fallen comrade, Kakashi's inner conflict must be immense. Yamato sighed quietly. But they were shinobi. Duty and orders came first, above personal feelings.
And then,
BOOM!!!
The ground shook violently.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The two sides finally collided. The first volleys of long-range attacks erupted instantly,ninja tools, shuriken, kunai, senbon, explosive tags, and all manner of ranged jutsu; fire, water, and wind techniques cascaded toward each other with unrelenting force.
The Uchiha were masters of fire jutsu, but the Sarutobi Clan was equally formidable. Flames erupted in blinding brilliance.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!!!"
"Fire Style: Fire Release: Great Flame Jutsu!!!"
The clans clashed, unleashing torrents of fire that lit the night sky in blazing infernos. The roar of battle shattered the calm of Konoha's night, echoing through every street and alley.
Within Konoha, other clans and factions,ninja and civilians alike,sensed the oppressive, terrifying aura of war. Screams, explosions, and the clash of steel reverberated, as if the violence was right outside their doors. But none dared intervene; all could do was shutter their windows and pray for survival.
At the front, Uchiha Fugaku led the charge, sword flashing as he cut down a Sarutobi clansman. His gaze lifted toward the Hokage Tower.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi! Shimura Danzō! Step out and face death! Don't hide like cowards!"
The battle cries spread among the Uchiha, their hatred for Sarutobi and Danzō boiling over.
Sarutobi's brows furrowed. Danzō merely smirked, his calculating mind at work. As devious as ever, he had held back his Root operatives and the Shimura clan from leading the charge, preserving his own forces. Sarutobi saw through it immediately.
"Danzō," he growled, "saving your strength at this moment? Trying to weaken my forces so you can seize the Hokage's seat?!"
He barked a command: "Root operatives and the Shimura clan,kill!"
Though Sarutobi was neither the captain of Root nor the head of the Shimura clan, he was the Sandaime Hokage. His authority left Danzō's forces no choice but to obey. Danzō, knowing he could not avoid confrontation, waved his hand and ordered the same: "Kill!"
At this point, there was only one path: eliminate the Uchiha swiftly to minimize casualties.
Koharu Utatane and Genma Shiranui exchanged a glance before leading their four specially-trained operatives to strike at the Uchiha. They engaged directly with Uchiha Fugaku in ferocious combat.
Elsewhere, Uchiha Hachi faced Ryōma Aburame, the second-in-command of Root and elite shinobi of the Aburame clan, once known as Danzō's right hand alongside Orochimaru. Uchiha Tetsu confronted the Sarutobi clan's acting head. Uchiha Inahi met the leader of the Shimura clan head-on. The remaining police units, under Uchiha Yakumi's command, clashed fiercely with ANBU forces.
Yamato led his squad, pressing forward, yet he couldn't help but notice Kakashi refraining from lethal strikes. His hesitation was clear,Kakashi could not completely bring himself to kill members of Obito's clan. But this restraint, though understandable, risked drawing the ire of Sarutobi and the village's upper echelons. Yamato could do nothing but fight with all his strength, setting the example for his subordinates.
In a sudden move, Kakashi used raw taijutsu to send an Uchiha flying, yet he still refrained from killing. Just then, a Uchiha reporting to Fugaku called out, alarmed:
"Clan Leader! That… that man claiming to be Madara Uchiha is attacking the Uchiha civilian quarters!"
Fugaku froze, disbelief and fury contorting his face.
"What?! That man… he actually intends to annihilate the Uchiha? But… he's targeting civilians?!"
Anger surged through Fugaku, yet there was no time to intervene. Even the full strength of the Uchiha elite could not match Sarutobi's forces. To attempt rescue now would be futile; the battlefield's chaos left no room for mercy.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he registered the news.
"Madara Uchiha…?"
The name alone carried the weight of centuries, of legends and terror. And now, he was not just a rumor,he was an imminent threat to both the Uchiha and Konoha itself.
"That… that's the man who orchestrated the Kyuubi' attack and caused the deaths of the Yondaime Hokage and Kushina?! And now he's slaughtering the Uchiha civilians?!"
His voice cracked as he shouted, "Hokage-sama!"
"ANBU has reported that the man claiming to be Madara Uchiha has taken advantage of the chaos to infiltrate Konoha! It seems he intends harm to the entire village! I request permission to deploy a team to intercept him immediately!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi furrowed his brow. The forces under his command were indeed sufficient to handle the Uchiha. Yet, without Kakashi Hatake and some of the ANBU elite, losses would undoubtedly mount.
But the news about Kakashi complicated matters even further. Sarutobi's greatest fear had never been the Uchiha Clan themselves. It was that masked, mysterious man.
If another catastrophe on the scale of the Kyuubi' attack were to occur, the Hokage's authority would collapse entirely,he would be powerless to stop it.
Hiruzen's expression hardened. He had no choice but to give orders.
"Very well, Kakashi," he said with gravity. "Deploy a squad of ANBU elite to intercept him. The rest of the ANBU, under Yamato's command, will continue the battle here!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
In an instant, Kakashi led a squad of ANBU away from the frontline, heading toward the Uchiha civilian quarters.
Uchiha Fugaku's eyes widened in shock. He could clearly see that Kakashi had received the report intended for him. Yet, when Kakashi had relayed the information to Sarutobi, he stated that the man claiming to be Madara Uchiha had invaded Konoha itself,not the Uchiha Clan.
There was no doubt,Kakashi's objective was to stop that man from slaughtering Uchiha civilians. But why would he take such a risk? He was the ANBU captain under Sarutobi's direct command!
A realization struck Fugaku. Obito Uchiha… That Sharingan he had given Kakashi must have complicated the young shinobi's feelings toward the Uchiha Clan.
And yet… the man claiming to be Madara Uchiha was the very architect behind the Kyuubi' attack,the one responsible for the deaths of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.
Fugaku's heart burned with conflicting emotions. No matter what, he could not help but feel a measure of gratitude toward Kakashi. His intentions, though mysterious, were ultimately meant to protect innocents.
Still… Fugaku knew the truth. This rebellion was doomed to fail. He watched, helpless, as his clan,angry, valiant, and fierce,fell one by one before the might of Konoha's upper echelon.
He could do nothing. Koharu Utatane and Genma Shiranui blocked his path, leaving him unable to intervene or save his kin.
Elsewhere, Uchiha Hachi, Tetsu, Inahi, and Yakumi were similarly overwhelmed by formidable opponents. The battlefield tilted inexorably toward Konoha's forces.
And then, finally, Shimura Danzō intervened.
The situation, already catastrophic for the Uchiha, descended into utter despair. Every strategy, every hope, seemed to unravel in an instant. The rebellion's flames burned brightly, but the night was dark with the shadow of inevitable defeat.
Shimura Danzō erupted with his overwhelming chakra and power in an instant.
"Wind Release! Vacuum Sphere!!!"
In a heartbeat, a torrent of wind chakra shot out like razor-sharp bullets, tearing through the battlefield with thunderous force.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In that instant, five or six Uchiha warriors were struck, their screams echoing as their bodies were riddled with gaping blood holes. Scarlet streams erupted, painting the night in horror.
Uchiha Fugaku roared in fury, unleashing his chakra in a surge that temporarily pushed back Koharu Utatane and Genma Shiranui. Other Uchiha immediately intercepted them, buying Fugaku a moment.
With eyes blazing, Fugaku surged forward toward Shimura Danzō.
Buzz!
At that precise moment, Danzō lifted the bandages covering his right eye. A crimson light exploded outward, and a terrifying ocular power surged.
It was none other than Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami Mangekyō Sharingan!
Fugaku's rage reached its peak at the sight.
"Shimura Danzō! You wretched dog! You dare wield the power of our Uchiha against us!"
Danzō sneered coldly, his voice like steel. "The Uchiha Clan may be treacherous, but their power… that is a tool I can exploit. The Sharingan is nothing but an instrument of slaughter!"
Fugaku bellowed, his own Sharingan flaring to life, locking him in a fierce clash against Danzō's Mangekyō power.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi's gaze burned as he faced the man blocking his path. Anxiety clawed at his chest.
According to plan, by now he should have already intercepted the Uchiha forces, preventing a chaotic clash with Konoha's upper echelon that could lead to mutual destruction and the village's decline.
Yet now… everything seemed irretrievably broken.
The only solution was to deal with the man standing before him as swiftly as possible.
Itachi's voice was cold, resolute: "It seems… the only way to clear this path is to kill you."
Chiba,appearing calm as ever,smiled faintly.
"Try me."
Buzz!
In an instant, Itachi unleashed the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan. The crimson glow blazed forth, shocking in its intensity.
Though he had awakened this power, Itachi had almost never used it.
To do so meant an unavoidable descent into darkness,an irreversible step toward eventual blindness.
He had always avoided it, preserving it for only the most desperate of circumstances.
But now… there was no other choice.
He could sense the terrifying strength radiating from the man before him. Nothing short of his Mangekyō could possibly allow him to survive this encounter.
Chiba's expression remained unchanged, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Mangekyō Sharingan, huh? Starting with the ace, I see you know your limits."
Itachi wasted no time. His right eye flared with the crimson fire of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Amaterasu!!!"
Instantly, blood trickled from the corner of his right eye, streaming down his face. At the same time, black, inextinguishable flames erupted from the center of his vision, surging directly toward Chiba with devastating force.
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