The Uchiha Special Operations Unit was officially established.
It was a special force composed entirely of Uchiha, directly under the Uchiha clan's command—and personally approved by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, as a unit permitted to operate independently.
Hiruzen made this decision for one reason alone:
Uchiha Ran was Orochimaru's disciple.
As one of Sarutobi Hiruzen's own students, Orochimaru had once enjoyed his teacher's deep affection and trust.
From a very young age, Orochimaru had been a shinobi overflowing with intellect and talent. His natural genius and terrifying growth rate had made the Third Hokage look at him with newfound admiration. Hiruzen not only regarded him as his most cherished disciple—he had even once viewed him as a potential future leader of the village.
Back then, Orochimaru had also deeply respected his teacher, absorbing every word of guidance with sincerity… until the day he began to truly understand the essence of the shinobi world—until he had seen death far too many times.
Nothing in this world was eternal.
Human life was fleeting, and the human body was fragile. Such short lifespans were insufficient for Orochimaru to fully peer into the mysteries of science. And so, in the present day, Orochimaru had already begun walking the path toward immortality.
However, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew none of this.
In his eyes, under Orochimaru's guidance, Uchiha Ran's strength would rapidly improve—and along with it, Ran's resolve and sense of belonging to Konoha would deepen as well.
Now, Uchiha Ran had taken command of the Uchiha clan's newest division:
The Uchiha Special Operations Unit.
To Hiruzen, this was proof of Ran's influence within the Uchiha.
He firmly believed that, under Uchiha Ran's example, more and more Uchiha would develop a genuine sense of belonging to the village—willing to shine for Konoha, to give their all for it.
When Ran led the Uchiha Special Operations Unit forward, Sarutobi Hiruzen even personally introduced the team to the villagers.
When the civilians heard that this was an all-Uchiha unit heading to the border to safeguard the village, cheers erupted almost instantly.
How moving!
Who would have thought that the notoriously iron-faced, law-enforcing Uchiha would willingly march to the front lines for the sake of the village?
But while the villagers sent them off with admiration and applause, deep within Root's underground base, Shimura Danzō was grinding his teeth in fury.
To Danzō, the Uchiha were tools—useful ones—but absolutely unworthy of honor.
Even if the team included his "cooperative partner," Uchiha Ran, that principle would not change.
Only Uchiha who died for the village were good Uchiha.
That said, with the great shinobi war looming closer to Konoha, Danzō had no intention of targeting the Uchiha at this moment. On the contrary—this time, he needed to borrow their strength.
Soon enough, Uchiha Ran, Uchiha Ryūka, and Uchiha Taka led a nine-man Uchiha squad toward the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth.
"Taka-san," Ran asked as they traveled, "what's the situation between us and the Land of Earth right now? Do you know the details?"
Ever since being defeated by Ran's genjutsu, Uchiha Taka had made up his mind—to personally protect this budding seed of the Uchiha.
To possess such intelligence and strength at only thirteen years old… this child would surely awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan someday.
He would become the pride and hope of the Uchiha clan.
Right now, Ran's greatest priority was simply to stay alive—and that was precisely why Taka insisted on accompanying him.
In over half a century of life, Taka had witnessed far too many Uchiha prodigies fall before reaching their prime.
This time, he would protect the seedling.
"Ran-sama," Taka replied seriously, "the Land of Earth previously organized a surprise attack force against the Land of Wind. However, they were driven back by the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and the Scorch Release user, Pakura."
Shinobi were meant to operate in the shadows—but once power reached the Kage tier, ordinary chūnin and genin became little more than numbers in the face of wide-area techniques.
Against opponents like Rasa and Pakura, whose abilities could wipe out entire battlefields, Iwagakure's forces would inevitably retreat to avoid catastrophic losses.
As a result, neither Sunagakure nor Iwagakure suffered devastating casualties.
"But how did Iwa-nin reach the Land of Fire's border?" Ran frowned. "Isn't the Land of Rain between us? Did Hanzō—the so-called demigod—really allow them to cross his territory so freely?"
Uchiha Taka glanced at Ryūka with a strange expression.
From what Taka knew, Hanzō was no longer the demigod he once was.
The scene shifts back to the Land of Rain—back to the moment when the Iwa-nin's movements were first discovered.
When Hanzō learned that Iwagakure had crossed the Rain Country without permission and advanced all the way to the Land of Fire's border, all that filled his heart was helplessness.
Standing by the window, gazing at the endless curtain of rain, Hanzō felt nothing but desolation and loss.
The Rain Country of the past.
Its golden age.
All of it had already faded into distant memory.
One war—one merciless war—had completely crushed every dream and hope the Rain Country once held.
In that war, Hanzō earned the title of Demigod.
But countless young and able Rain shinobi had died on the battlefield.
The Rain Country's potential for war had been utterly drained.
Back then, Hanzō's heart had been left in ashes.
He had once been the demigod who dared to stand against the Five Great Nations.
Once fearless.
Once proud.
But now… he was no longer that man.
The burning ambition that once filled his chest had long since vanished.
Time was ruthless. Years were merciless.
Though Hanzō was not especially old, he had already become an elderly man whose spirit had withered away.
There was no longer any firmness or decisiveness in his eyes—only confusion and resignation.
Faced with Iwagakure's unauthorized crossing of his borders, Hanzō was powerless.
He knew he no longer had the strength to turn the tide—nor the confidence to resist foreign enemies.
The Rain Country was no longer strong.
No longer feared.
No longer significant.
It was a day of humiliation.
As Iwa-nin continued to cross the border without so much as a greeting, Hanzō could only close his eyes, listening to the rain as it slid down the window frame.
Both he—and his enemies—understood this truth clearly:
Hanzō could no longer change the past.
Nor could he change the present.
Earth Release: Earth Stone Spears!
The moment the ground began to tremble, the members of the Uchiha Special Operations Unit reacted instantly.
Nine seasoned Uchiha watched as earthen spikes erupted violently from the soil—and their eyes showed nothing but disdain and icy calm.
Having long since grown accustomed to countless tactics and techniques, they didn't take such a basic Earth Release attack seriously at all.
One Uchiha swiftly formed seals.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
A blazing fireball smashed into one of the stone spears, shattering it into fragments.
Another Uchiha followed up immediately, hand seals flashing—
A roaring fire dragon surged forth, reducing another stone spike to ash.
The earth spears shot upward like javelins, but the Uchiha weaved through them effortlessly, movements smooth and flowing like water.
Their figures flickered across the battlefield—ghostlike, elusive, impossible to pin down.
The Earth Release attacks continued to intensify.
Yet the Uchiha remained calm and composed.
Every counterstrike was precise.
Hidden beneath the ground, the Iwa-nin grew increasingly panicked.
"Found you."
Fire blasted apart the earth-style bunker.
And reflected in the stunned eyes of the Iwa-nin were—
Nine pairs of three-tomoe Sharingan.