Damn, I overdid it.
Shinichi slowly withdrew his stance. On the surface, he looked completely calm and composed, but inwardly he was quietly regretting it.
The corpse of the Kaguya Clan Head should have been an excellent research specimen, one that contained at least a few traces of the mysteries of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Unfortunately, during the battle just now, his fighting spirit and battle intent had been completely ignited by his opponent's madness, surging higher and higher.
Although the Unmatched by Ten Thousand Foes Entry could convert those boiling emotions into a tangible increase in combat power, it also made it difficult for him to rein himself in while in such an intensely exhilarated state.
As a result, he had accidentally destroyed both the man and the corpse.
'Looks like I'll have to be a little more careful in the future.'
Then again, after a second thought, it wasn't a big deal.
There were still plenty of Kaguya clansmen on this battlefield, and their corpses held research value as well.
After all, aside from Kimimaro in the original timeline, who was either a mutation of the Shikotsumyaku or a complete exception, the bloodline abilities of the rest of the Kaguya Clan generally fell within the same category.
With that thought, Shinichi turned his gaze back toward the battlefield.
The combatants on both sides had paused briefly because of the shocking conclusion to the duel, but before long, the sounds of killing and clashing weapons erupted once more, even fiercer than before. The scent of blood lingered thickly in the air.
Naturally, Konoha held an overwhelming advantage.
Not only did they have superior numbers, but they were also well-rested and had prepared layer upon layer of traps and ambushes in advance.
As for the Kaguya clansmen who had charged onto the beach bare-chested, once their initial frenzy had been met head-on and crushed, they had already fallen into a passive position.
Although the Kaguya warriors appeared even more frenzied after Clan Head Umemaro's death, roaring about avenging him and attacking with seemingly reckless ferocity—
Shinichi keenly noticed that most of them were actually fighting while retreating. Their focus had quietly shifted from offense to escape.
Clearly, the Kaguya Clan was not nearly as fearless and insane as they usually portrayed themselves to be.
Only the most cowardly are the cruelest.
That saying from his previous life flashed through Shinichi's mind.
A person's extreme brutality toward others often stems from extreme cowardice within themselves.
The less willing they are to face true danger and genuine strength, the more they resort to bullying and harming those weaker than themselves, using it to disguise their own weakness and fill the emptiness inside.
And that fabricated courage usually crumbles at the first real brush with death.
The Kaguya Clan before him was a perfect example.
If they truly were mad and ruthless enough to disregard everything, then in the original timeline they would never have imprisoned Kimimaro out of fear of his superior bloodline.
Nor would they have waited until years of suppression and exploitation under the Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, before launching a desperate coup that was doomed to fail from the very beginning.
"Shinichi, are you alright?"
At that moment, Yūhi Shinku arrived at Shinichi's side and spoke.
The two of them were practically old comrades-in-arms. They had carried out numerous missions together.
Yet Shinku had never seen Shinichi display anything like the unrestrained, flamboyant, almost sinister madness he had shown during that battle.
Those relentless, bloody, savage claw strikes had been completely different from Shinichi's usual calm and steady style.
"I'm fine, Shinku-senpai."
Shinichi shook his head. His breathing had already returned to normal.
"I just got a little too carried away and lost control for a moment."
He swept his gaze across the battlefield again, quickly assessing the situation before speaking.
"The situation here is already decided. Shinku-senpai, I'll leave the cleanup to you. I'm heading over to Captain Fugaku's side to see if they need any support."
Of course, he knew that once he, a powerhouse, left the battlefield, some of the Kaguya clansmen would inevitably escape in the chaos.
But what did that matter?
If none of them escaped, then the only people who would know about his extraordinary mastery of Wind Release would be Konoha's own forces.
Only by letting some Kaguya survivors return could Kirigakure's command headquarters learn immediately that Higashino Shinichi had created Wind Release Nintaijutsu and engaged the Kaguya Clan Head in an intense battle before killing him head-on.
Once that happened, the information would quickly spread from Kirigakure to Sunagakure, their secret ally, and then to Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and ultimately every major force in the shinobi world paying attention to the war.
In turn, that would greatly accelerate the spread and solidification of the new perception that he possessed exceptional mastery of Wind Release, dramatically increasing the upgrade speed of the related Entries.
As far as Shinichi was concerned, he wanted the world to know about his strength.
The wider and deeper that perception spread, the faster his Entries would advance.
Of course, only within the script he had carefully designed.
"I understand."
Shinku nodded.
"I'll handle things here."
"You be careful as well. Once this area is cleared, I'll bring reinforcements over immediately and regroup with you."
"Mm."
Shinichi said no more.
The next instant, chakra exploded from beneath his feet, unleashing the violent, blazing propulsion unique to Fire Release.
Flame Burst Step!
Crimson chakra flames erupted beneath his soles.
Like an arrow set ablaze, Shinichi transformed into a streak of scarlet light that tore through the air. At a terrifying speed far surpassing his previous Wind Release movement techniques, he vanished instantly, leaving behind only a fading trail of heat and the faint scent of scorched air.
When it came to the field Shinichi knew best and had devoted the most time to, it was naturally Fire Release Nintaijutsu.
Not only was it the system he had trained in the longest and possessed the most experience with, but it was also the field where his Entries were at their highest level and provided the greatest boosts.
Wind Release Nintaijutsu might allow him to fly through the air and appear as graceful as an sage, but in terms of pure speed, it actually couldn't compare to keeping his feet on the ground and fully leveraging the force beneath him.
The rapid shifts, sudden turns, and explosive changes of speed possible in combat were also far more flexible than simply floating in the air without anything to push against.
Unless, one day in the future, he could perfectly integrate Fire Release's heat and explosive characteristics into Wind Release's flight system, allowing wind and fire to form a compound effect similar to a turbine jet, providing immense and stable thrust like a rocket engine.
Only then would his flight truly possess strategic-level mobility and deterrence.
For now, however, that goal remained far beyond his reach.
...
While Shinichi was racing over at full speed using Flame Burst Step, another key landing point under Fugaku's command was locked in battle.
Unlike the broad crescent-shaped beach of White Sand Bay, the terrain here was far more rugged, littered with reefs and jagged rocks.
At this moment, the entire area was engulfed in dense milky-white fog so thick it seemed impossible to disperse. Visibility had been reduced to less than ten meters, while anything farther away was nothing more than a vague gray blur.
Within the fog came the constant sounds of clashing metal, the muffled detonations of ninjutsu, and brief screams and battle cries. The noises echoed from near and far alike, making it impossible to determine their exact location or the state of the battle.
Unlike Kaguya Umemaro, the sort of brute who charged forward without a second thought, the current head of the Hōzuki Clan—Hōzuki Hangetsu—was a cautious and cunning man with sharp instincts.
The moment his forces landed, before they had even fully stepped onto the beach, he sensed danger.
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately ordered his subordinates to cast the Hiding in Mist Technique while simultaneously preparing to withdraw. He had no intention of pushing deeper inland.
Seeing this, Uchiha Fugaku, who had been lying in wait, was forced to launch the attack ahead of schedule.
According to the original plan, allowing the enemy to advance farther inland would have produced far greater results from the traps and encirclement.
In truth, based on the overall strategic directives from headquarters, there would have been nothing wrong with letting this Kirigakure force retreat.
After all, their primary mission was early warning, delay, and attrition—not the annihilation of the enemy at any cost.
But Fugaku was unwilling to accept that.
Since the outbreak of this war, the Uchiha forces under his command had participated in numerous operations, yet their accomplishments paled in comparison to those of Shinichi, Minato, and the others.
Although he personally held no ambitions of becoming Hokage, he desperately wanted the Uchiha Clan to earn enough military merit in this war.
Only then could they somewhat ease the long-standing tension between the clan and Konoha's leadership, securing greater influence and room to survive.
That unwillingness, combined with his eagerness to achieve results, led him to make a somewhat aggressive decision.
As a result, this battlefield shrouded in dense fog did not become a one-sided massacre.
Instead, it rapidly devolved into a chaotic, brutal, and costly melee.
Rumble!
Deep within the gray-white fog that blanketed the battlefield, the thunderous roars of ninjutsu erupted one after another.
The Konoha forces continuously unleashed techniques such as Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, attempting to blow away the fog.
Kirigakure, meanwhile, repeatedly replenished it with fresh applications of the Hiding in Mist Technique. Being so close to the sea gave them a tremendous advantage in that regard.
And the thick fog truly did limit the effectiveness of the Uchiha Clan's famed Sharingan.
However, the force under Fugaku's command consisted of far more than just Uchiha.
Hyūga and Inuzuka shinobi, among Konoha's finest reconnaissance specialists, had also been assigned to his unit.
These experts, skilled at locating enemies under harsh conditions, became Konoha's eyes within the fog, preventing them from becoming completely blind.
Combined with Konoha's numerical superiority at this battlefield, even though the fighting had turned into a war of attrition, Konoha still maintained a slight overall advantage.
Deeper within the battlefield lay a death zone where the fog was far denser than anywhere else.
The mist there was so thick it seemed almost tangible.
"Can't see your hand in front of your face" was no longer sufficient to describe it.
Even sound itself seemed to be absorbed and distorted by the eerie white curtain. By the time noises reached this area, they had become nothing more than faint, muddled echoes, as though filtered through a massive wall of water.
At the very heart of the fog, Hōzuki Hangetsu leaned against a slick reef.
Cold sweat had long since soaked through his undershirt, and his heart pounded violently against his ribs.
He forcibly suppressed any heavy breathing, even reducing his breaths to the lightest possible level.
Moments ago, he had paid a tremendous price to unleash one of his ultimate trump cards.
The terrifying technique inherited from his father, the Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu—
Steaming Danger Tyranny.
A large-scale attack ninjutsu that combined clone techniques, Water Release, and explosive power.
Its destructive force was immense.
In theory, its ingenious ninjutsu cycle could even achieve the terrifying effect of "endless explosions."
The drawback, however, was that after each detonation, the caster's true body would enter a brief period of weakness.
Clearly, Hangetsu was still far from reaching the effortless mastery his father had possessed.
After completing only a single explosion, his chakra reserves had been heavily depleted. Mental exhaustion weighed on him, and cold sweat streamed down his body.
But it had all been worth it.
Slowly regulating his breathing, he cast an icy gaze through the fog toward the figure standing motionless in the distance.
On the battlefield—
Fugaku stood frozen in place, like a stone statue that had lost its soul.
His eyes were locked onto the four bodies lying nearby.
They were members of the Uchiha Clan.
More importantly, they were trusted subordinates upon whom he heavily relied.
Two of them had even grown up alongside him, comrades as close as brothers.
At this moment, they lay forever upon this cold, damp ground.
Their bodies were covered in horrifying wounds.
The damage left behind by the instant scalding and tearing of high-temperature, high-pressure steam was ghastly to behold. Large patches of skin had blistered, split open, and peeled back. In some places, their clothing had fused directly to the charred flesh beneath.
The sight was utterly tragic.
Just moments earlier, after finally pinpointing Hangetsu's approximate location, Fugaku had immediately led his most elite clansmen straight toward the core of the battlefield.
These four had followed him the entire way, cutting through every interception until they reached Hōzuki Hangetsu himself.
However, both Hangetsu and the guards surrounding him had proven far more troublesome than expected.
In the end...
Because of his own underestimation of the enemy.
Because of a momentary lapse in judgment during his command.
And because, when that devastating explosion struck at the final moment, these four clansmen had thrown themselves in front of him without the slightest hesitation, using their flesh and blood to form the final shield protecting him.
He survived.
They did not.
Because of him.
Because of their irresponsible Clan Head.
It's all my fault! It's all my fault!
I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!!!
Boundless regret carved into Uchiha Fugaku's heart again and again like the sharpest blade.
If... if I had noticed sooner...
If... if only I possessed greater power...
As regret and sorrow surged through him, the three black tomoe within Fugaku's eyes suddenly began spinning wildly without warning.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster still.
Their rotation accelerated to the point where they nearly merged into a blurred afterimage.
The eerie crimson glow shining through the mist grew increasingly brilliant, as though some dormant power was awakening alongside the desperate screams buried deep within his soul.