The warm orange firelight tore through the haze of the battlefield, reflecting on Fugaku's solemn and complex face.
His heart was currently being torn apart by two diametrically opposed emotions.
One was a sense of gratification originating from the depths of his bloodline.
The young figure before him, Shisui, was undoubtedly a once-in-a-century genius of the Uchiha Clan.
At such a tender age, the strength he displayed already surpassed Fugaku's own.
That miraculous Body Flicker Technique was so fast it made one's heart skip a beat; even with his three-tomoe Sharingan active, he actually found it difficult to fully track its trajectory!
What pleased him even more was that Shisui had already reached the peak of the three-tomoe.
If he continued to develop at this rate, touching that legendary forbidden power belonging to the Uchiha—the Mangekyo Sharingan—seemed like it wasn't just an unreachable dream.
At this moment, Shisui's power had already transcended the boundaries of an ordinary Jonin.
If those Sharingan could bloom with the legendary power of the Mangekyo, what level would his strength reach then?
Thinking of this, the "heat" in Fugaku's chest almost felt like it was burning.
However, after the fiery expectation came worry and a headache.
The Shisui before him was too sharp, his edge too aggressive!
To settle the battle quickly and reinforce other critically endangered fronts, he made no attempt to hide his strength, launching a full-scale assault on the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito.
In Fugaku's eyes, this was almost like plucking the tightly wound strings in the hearts of the Konoha higher-ups and the various Ninja clans.
Since Minato donned the hat symbolizing the Fourth Hokage, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the Village had indeed seen an unprecedented dawn of reconciliation.
But this by no means meant that the ice of estrangement and suspicion had melted.
Fugaku knew well that the Uchiha's power remained a lingering shadow in the hearts of other Konoha Ninja clans.
Even if Minato harbored goodwill, he couldn't go against the will of the majority of the Village to force the Uchiha's full reintegration; he could only work slowly, a process destined to be long.
Fugaku didn't lack the patience to wait.
Compared to the bitterness of his clansmen being completely marginalized in the past, their current situation was worlds apart.
It was just that looking at his clansmen covered in blood ahead, a dark thought uncontrollably sprouted in his heart.
If those stubborn Ninja clans obstructing the Uchiha's integration could "disappear" a bit more in this war, making this agonizing time pass faster, how good would that be?
Unfortunately, this thought could only linger in the depths of his heart.
Here and now, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he couldn't even pass a suggestive glance to Shisui.
In the center of the battlefield, Shisui took a deep breath of air mixed with gunpowder and blood. The three pitch-black tomoe spun rapidly in his crimson eyes, locking firmly onto the massive beast before him, the Matatabi!
He had estimated before that if it fully transformed, even if he gave his all, his chances of winning would be very slim.
Yet at this moment, a sense of ease in controlling the situation surged in his heart; he actually felt somewhat comfortable!
This wasn't just because his clansmen's diversion provided cover, nor was it because he had another breakthrough in strength in such a short time.
It was more because the Tailed Beast before him, its power seemed to have weakened?
Though he didn't know why, for the Konoha side, this was undoubtedly a godsent opportunity!
Glancing further away at his comrades being besieged and forced back by the Kumogakure Shinobi, a sharp anxiety welled up in Shisui's heart.
Every second of delay meant more Konoha Shinobi being sucked into the vortex of death! It had to be settled quickly!
"Clan Head Fugaku!" The youth's shout pierced through the din of the battlefield, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.
Fugaku sighed. Though he had a thousand worries in his heart, his body responded instantly. "Understood!"
With a wave of his hand, he led the few remaining elite Uchiha clansmen beside him, pouncing toward the Two-Tails with the speed of a thunderclap, desperately restricting its movements to create space for Shisui's fatal blow.
Shisui's hands moved in a blur of seals, and the Chakra in his body surged like an ignited fuel depot!
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Boom!"
Three scorching dragons condensed from pure Chakra, their sizes comparable to the giant beast, roared out from Shisui's mouth with an aura that seemed to devour everything, lunging straight at the beast!
The attack wasn't over yet!
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
In the next instant, another Ninjutsu seal was completed.
Three terrifying hurricane spheres followed closely behind, precisely embedding themselves into the eyes of the three roaring fire dragons.
Wind aided the fire. The bodies of the fire dragons expanded frantically at a visible rate, the firelight reaching the sky as their power surged!
The three combined fire dragons, in their ferocious roaring forms, were no longer inferior to the Tailed Beast itself in terms of aura—this was the only option, and also a helpless gamble!
How could Shisui not know that using mortal fire against the Two-Tails, which commanded flames, was like using a candle to melt solid ice?
It wasn't that he didn't know other nature transformations, but the number of high-lethality Lightning Release Ninjutsu he had mastered was zero, and Wind Release naturally fanned the flames—
Weighing the pros and cons, he could only stake everything on the Uchiha's flames!
He hoped that the combination Ninjutsu, fueled by the diversion of the entire clan and his own full Chakra, could tear through the Two-Tails' defense!
Taking advantage of the brief gap Fugaku and the others fought for with their lives, the three lava dragons, expanded to their limit, slammed heavily into the Two-Tails' massive body!
"Rumble!"
The terrifying explosion was deafening. A dazzling sea of fire instantly swallowed the massive beast's body, and the rolling, rising flames even dyed half the sky a desperate blood-red!
The scorching heatwave swept across the battlefield, forcing even the distant Shinobi to cover their faces and retreat.
"Roar!!!"
From deep within the flames came the heart-wrenching scream of Two-Tails Yugito! That was definitely not the kind of pain an ordinary Ninjutsu could cause.
When the sky-burning flames finally dimmed slightly and receded, the form of the Two-Tails was revealed.
Its massive body, covered in blue patterns, was riddled with charred burn marks, and its ghostly blue flaming fur had become dim and sparse.
It panted, its giant cat-like pupils staring fixedly at the young Uchiha in the distance, its eyes filled with shock, pain, and a hint of—indescribable humiliation.
If it weren't for that damn "The Collector" forcibly cutting and stealing a portion of its original Chakra, causing its power ceiling to plummet and its body to fall into a weakened state—
How could it have been pushed to such a state by this boy?
This damage would likely take a very long time to recover!
"Roar!" Two-Tails Yugito let out a roar mixed with anger and resentment.
If it weren't for the fact that the opponent was from the Uchiha Clan and the Ninjutsu he specialized in was Fire Release, which happened to be countered by her.
Perhaps she would have been completely defeated by now.
But even so, the current situation was very bad. If this continued, she might be captured alive by these Uchiha fellows, which was absolutely unacceptable.
Massive Chakra erupted like a volcano suppressed to its limit!
Ghostly blue special flames, like life flowers in full bloom, suddenly spread violently from its center!
This fire was different from mortal fire, carrying the threat of burning away both Chakra and the soul.
Even those as strong as Fugaku and Shisui could only immediately fall back on defense in the face of this sudden outburst, blocking it with all their might.
Seizing this critical moment!
The Two-Tails' massive body suddenly turned. Its four claws, like stepping on wind and fire wheels, erupted with an amazing speed disproportionate to its size, turning into a burning blue light that recklessly broke through the weak link of the rear Konoha line and sprinted away from the battlefield!
Shisui gazed at the giant blue shadow disappearing into the dust, panting slightly, and did not pursue.
Without mastering a powerful Sealing Jutsu, pursuing was of little significance, and capturing it alive was even more of a pipe dream.
Forcing the Two-Tails to completely withdraw from the battlefield—the local objective of this battle had been achieved.
His gaze instantly turned toward another even more tragic vortex of death, the battlefield of the Eight-Tails Killer Bee!
The Aburame Clan, Akimichi Clan, Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan—those iconic Ninja clan elites forming the Ino–Shika–Chō line, along with a large number of Konoha Jonin, were desperately resisting with their bodies as walls.
Every time a giant Eight-Tails tentacle slammed down, it was accompanied by earth-shaking vibrations and the wails of Konoha Shinobi.
Even more despair-inducing were those iconic black spheres, the Tailed Beast Balls! Every time one was condensed and fired, it carved a trench of death across the battlefield, swallowing countless lives!
"Clan Head!" Shisui's voice was decisive and urgent. "Please lead the clansmen to stabilize this front and reinforce the regular Shinobi! As for the Eight-Tails, I'll go support them!"
Fugaku looked into the boy's eyes, which were so clear they didn't contain a speck of impurity. His throat moved, and all the words of dissuasion were stuck there, eventually turning into a heavy sigh.
He nodded forcefully: "Be careful with everything! Shisui! You must come back alive!"
This instruction was both concern for the youth and a heavy expectation for the future of the clan.
Shisui nodded solemnly, his figure once again turning into a blur of wind as he charged without hesitation toward the battlefield of Eight-Tails Killer Bee!
Watching that determined figure quickly disappear from view, Fugaku felt a mixture of emotions.
Was this almost "stupid" purity the source of his great power?
But this obsession with burning oneself to light up others and protect the Village—
It was ultimately vastly different from the way the clan had been groping for its path in the dark for so long.
Is it worth it? As the clan leader, he was also somewhat unable to calculate this complex account at this moment.
Forcing down the myriad thoughts in his heart, Fugaku took a deep breath, his eyes regaining the majesty and ruthlessness of a clan head. He suddenly waved his hand: "Uchiha Clan! Follow me to wipe out the enemy! Not a single Cloud Ninja shall be let go!"
With the addition of this elite Uchiha force to the general battlefield, the originally crumbling Konoha defense line finally began to stabilize and difficultly organize a counterattack!
And on the main battlefield of the Eight-Tails, with the arrival of that Uchiha youth who moved like the wind and whose strength had reached the "Pseudo-Kage" realm, the pressure suddenly lightened.
His exquisite Body Flicker Technique and Genjutsu, combined with the traditional secret technique combinations of Ino–Shika–Chō—especially when coordinated with the Yamanaka Clan's powerful mental binding—finally managed to turn the situation from being a passive punching bag into a relatively stable struggle and diversion against Eight-Tails Killer Bee!
In another key battlefield nearby, the teacher of the Fourth Hokage, one of the "Sannin," Jiraiya, was simultaneously dealing with Fourth Raikage Ae's peerless Taijutsu and the siege of several Kumogakure elite Jonin.
His figure appeared extremely battered under the pincer attack of Lightning Release and heavy punches; his long white hair and red coat were covered in scorch marks and blood, but every burst of Chakra and the powerful Mount Myōboku secret Ninjutsu he unleashed posed a huge threat to the Raikage's side that far exceeded what they could endure!
He was the top-tier combatant who could truly sway the balance of the battlefield!
On the outskirts of the battlefield, an unnoticed observation eye took all of this in—Takuno.
At this moment, his heart was filled with shock and admiration.
As expected, this is a genius!
At only thirteen or fourteen years old, Shisui's strength already surpassed that of an elite Jonin, stepping onto the threshold of "Pseudo-Kage."
If those eyes could awaken the power of the Mangekyo, he might even directly cross the threshold of "Standard Kage-level" and join the ranks of "High Kage-level," right?
Compared to him, although I have memories of my past life and hard work far beyond ordinary people, limited by talent, at this age, I've barely reached the level of a Chunin, the difference between heaven and earth is nothing more than this.
The battle progressed as he expected. With Shisui successfully repelling the Two-Tails, Konoha finally managed to barely pull back the unfavorable tilt of the overall balance.
However, relying solely on one Shisui, plus the Kage-level attack power of Ino–Shika–Chō, wanting to truly defeat the full-body Eight-Tails Killer Bee?
Difficult!
Although Killer Bee's own strength isn't as powerful as it will be over a decade later, the problem is that the Eight-Tails' upper limit is almost constant.
Just like Sage Mode Naruto from Shippuden and Sage Mode Naruto from Boruto, which of these two is stronger?
Needless to say, it's the Sage Mode Naruto from Boruto, because after so many years, Naruto's Ninjutsu has become much more stable, and even his combat experience is the same.
But is the Sage Mode Naruto from Boruto really much stronger than the Sage Mode Naruto from Shippuden?
Not necessarily, because Naruto's upper limit at this time depends on the Nine-Tails, not himself; his own strength becoming stronger can only be considered icing on the cake.
And the Nine-Tails went from half to a whole, but that was only an increase in quantity and duration; its upper limit didn't increase much.
The comparison between Killer Bee now and in the future is the same as the comparison between Naruto in the two periods; his upper limit depends on the Eight-Tails, and the Eight-Tails has already grown into its full form!
Therefore, a Pseudo-Kage Shisui, plus an Ino–Shika–Chō capable of Kage-level attacks, would find it extremely difficult to deal with the Eight-Tails; successfully stalling it is already a success.
In the battlefield of Jiraiya versus Ae, the fighting was intense, but the result seemed clear; the Kumogakure side's retreat was a foregone conclusion.
When the regular Konoha battlefield turned from defense to offense with the intervention of the Uchiha reinforcements, when the Eight-Tails was firmly held back, and when the Raikage gradually fell into a disadvantage in the fight against Jiraiya, no wise commander would let their troops make further pointless sacrifices.
One could say the timing of Kumogakure's retreat was actually late; if they had retreated when Yugito fled, Kumogakure's casualties would have been much lower than Konoha's.
But at this point, Kumogakure's casualties have already risen by several levels, and if Konoha's medical system is factored in, perhaps Kumogakure's casualties will be even higher.
However, this was just something Kumogakure didn't realize for a moment; when they attack again after this, the opponent will definitely not delay for such a long time.
The sound of war drums seemed to still be roaring, but the balance of the war was already clear.
Takuno took one last look at this Shura field where flesh and blood were intertwined with smoke, taking in the back of the genius reflected by the Sharingan, the sight of corpses strewn across the field, and the heavy price of victory.
Finally, this Shadow Clone turned into a wisp of white smoke and quietly dissipated, accurately transmitting all the memories of this battle back to the original body far away.
Konoha won a tragic defensive battle.
But behind the victory, every inch of blood-stained soil spoke of the cruel price of war.
The young genius of the Uchiha Clan, with his pure and fiery light, tore open a gap of life for Konoha in the darkness.