The Konoha army advanced in silence.
Before they had set out, Yoshimaru had already made the objective of this mission perfectly clear:
"To strike Kirigakure itself, force the Mist army in the Land of Bears to lose the will to fight, and crush them in one decisive blow. Only then can we secure the eastern border of the Land of Fire."
It sounded simple when spoken aloud.
But everyone understood the reality behind those words.
To achieve a strategic victory of that scale… how many sacrifices would it cost?
Of the three thousand Konoha shinobi marching here today, how many would actually return alive?
No one knew.
No one could answer.
A heavy gloom hung over the entire army.
This operation was dangerous beyond measure, and casualties were inevitable. Yet compared to what Konoha stood to gain, the risks were considered acceptable.
That was precisely why every single person had supported this reckless battle plan.
Unfortunately, bad news arrived before long.
The scouts reported that Kirigakure's ANBU had already discovered the movement of Konoha's forces.
"We've been exposed," Yoshimaru said grimly. "We failed to intercept them."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavier.
Once the Mist Village received the report, they would begin preparing defenses ahead of time.
Should they retreat?
At this point, preserving their forces was still an option.
But Konoha had nowhere left to retreat to.
Once again, they had reached a crossroads.
The original surprise raid had now become a direct assault.
And yet, when the commanders voted again, the result remained unanimous.
Continue the attack.
Not a single person wavered because of the enemy's discovery.
"In that case," Yoshimaru declared at last, "we advance at full speed and strike Kirigakure as quickly as possible."
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Shimizu asked, "By the way… did Rin come with this operation?"
"Rin? Uchiha Obito's little sweetheart?" Yoshimaru recalled her after a moment. Shimizu had already asked about her once back at camp. "No. She stayed behind to care for the wounded. She wasn't assigned to this mission."
"I see." Shimizu nodded lightly. "Obito asked me to look after her a bit."
Obito was still lying in a hospital bed back in Konoha, while Rin had accompanied the forces sent to reinforce the southeastern border. Fortunately, she hadn't been included in this raid on Kirigakure.
That was probably for the best.
A mission this dangerous was already difficult enough. If Rin had come along, he would have needed to divide his attention to protect her as well.
At least staying behind at the southwestern camp in the Land of Fire was relatively safe.
After all… Obito really was the type who would do absolutely anything for Rin.
The army continued forward at high speed.
After crossing a stretch of mountain terrain, the road ahead gradually disappeared beneath dense white mist.
They had arrived.
Kirigakure.
"So this is the Mist Village…" Yoshimaru observed calmly. "We didn't see a single person along the way. Looks like their forces really are weaker than ours, so they've chosen to contract their defenses."
"In such a rushed situation, they probably haven't had enough time to build an effective defensive line. Most likely, they're already planning to recall the troops stationed in the Land of Bears."
"And that… takes time."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Our time is limited too."
"So everyone—this battle ends quickly."
"Split up and move!"
"Yes!"
Although Konoha's troops were exhausted, they still chose to launch an immediate offensive. They held the advantage in manpower, while Kirigakure's reinforcements had yet to arrive.
Speed was everything.
After only a short rest, the Hyūga and Inuzuka clans took the lead, charging directly into the thick fog. Two more Konoha divisions followed closely behind them, forming an advance force nearly a thousand strong.
Shimizu glanced toward Satomi.
"How much chakra have you recovered?"
"More than two-thirds," she replied quietly, already prepared to move.
Considering the pace of the assault, even the shinobi in the vanguard probably hadn't recovered more than three-quarters of their chakra reserves.
This attack was being carried out with brutal urgency because Konoha wanted Kirigakure completely off balance.
The Mist Village could never have imagined that Konoha would arrive so quickly—
let alone launch such a ferocious offensive the moment they did.
"Then we'll move after you've fully recovered," Shimizu said.
"Hm?" The unexpected response caught Satomi off guard for a moment before she softly answered, "...Alright."
Less than an hour later, Konoha's second assault force prepared to depart.
This one consisted of the Uchiha and Akimichi clans—another massive force approaching a thousand shinobi.
Shimizu stared into the pale fog ahead, the mist so dense it looked capable of swallowing people whole.
"How's the front line?" he asked.
"The Hyūga encountered fierce resistance from Kirigakure," Yoshimaru answered calmly. "Clan Head Fugaku requested permission to move out early."
"Do we know the terrain yet?"
"More or less. The entire Mist Village is built within the mountains. There are only two entrances leading inside. The Uchiha entered through the northern route."
"Then I'll head there too."
"Be careful," Yoshimaru said, his expression grave.
"Take care of yourself too."
…
"So Shimizu chose to fight alongside the Uchiha after all." A faint smile appeared on Fugaku's face when he saw Shimizu joining their formation.
Shimizu neither acted distant nor deliberately friendly. His tone remained calm as he replied, "Not just the Uchiha. Every shinobi of Konoha here is fighting side by side."
"You're right. We're all comrades."
Just then, an Uchiha shinobi hurried over to report.
"Clan Head Fugaku, there's an enemy force stationed at the entrance leading into Kirigakure. Approximately one battalion."
"Probably just a reconnaissance unit." After a brief moment of thought, Fugaku immediately gave the order to force their way through.
"It seems Fugaku-senpai isn't worried about the possibility of an ambush," Shimizu remarked.
"Even if it is a trap, we still have to charge through it, even if it costs lives," Fugaku answered indifferently. "In this war, Konoha is the side being cornered."
"We don't have the luxury of retreating."
"So all we can do is keep moving forward."
Hearing those words, Shimizu found himself slightly surprised.
From the way Fugaku spoke, he sounded like someone deeply devoted to the greater good—someone genuinely willing to sacrifice for Konoha.
That image was completely different from the impression Shimizu had always held of him.
"Surprised?" Fugaku suddenly asked.
"In a certain sense, Shimizu… you and I are actually the same kind of person."
The same kind?
What was that supposed to mean?
Scheming clan supremacists?
Self-serving opportunists?
What part of that made them alike?
Without revealing his thoughts, Shimizu replied evenly, "It seems I've shed far more blood for Konoha than you have, Fugaku-senpai."
"That's merely a matter of circumstance creating heroes." Fugaku didn't seem bothered by the jab. Instead, he continued seriously, "You're willing to take risks for the comrades you acknowledge. In the same way, I'm willing to sacrifice for the Uchiha clan."
"And when outsiders see us doing that, doesn't it simply look like we're bleeding and sacrificing ourselves for Konoha?"
"Don't you think so?"
"…That's just your own wishful thinking, Clan Head Fugaku."
"Heh." Fugaku merely chuckled dismissively.
"It seems your misunderstanding of me runs rather deep."
At that moment, Shimizu finally understood what Fugaku was thinking.
The man believed Shimizu had deliberately chosen to move with the Uchiha forces in order to secretly protect Shisui and Megumi.
And because of that, if the Uchiha ever faced disaster, Shimizu supposedly wouldn't stand by and watch.
Shimizu stopped walking and looked directly at Fugaku.
"The reason I chose to temporarily move alongside the Uchiha clan is my own business."
"But whether it's Shisui or Megumi, they each have their own paths to walk. I won't interfere too much."
"It's the same way I never wanted to see Obito join the ANBU… whether that was his own choice, or whether you subtly guided him toward it, Fugaku-senpai…"
For the first time, Fugaku's expression shifted slightly.
"Either way, he still joined the ANBU."
As Shimizu spoke, memories surfaced in his mind one after another.
The first time he met Obito—that naïve, innocent brat.
The excitement on the boy's face when he first awakened his Sharingan.
And then later… realizing that, in truth, Shimizu no longer cared enough to interfere.
Because it was Obito's own path.
"In my eyes, companionship isn't something you casually throw away," Shimizu continued quietly. "But neither is it something that absolutely must be clung to."
"If we truly are the same kind of person… then I think you should understand something."
"The so-called revival of a clan… is only worth so much."
"After so much bloodshed and sacrifice, I've already come to understand one truth."
"Only strength will never betray you. Only power is a real path forward."
"So now, the only thing I seek… is greater strength."
"And as for things like companionship or clan revival…"
His voice grew colder.
"If they ever dare stand in my way…"
He never finished the sentence.
But by then, Fugaku's expression had already darkened.
"And finally, Clan Head Fugaku… this is war. You should understand its cruelty better than anyone."
War.
A place where death existed everywhere.
For Megumi and Shisui, it was the same.
No matter how talented a shinobi might be, a single mistake was all it took.
And the only ending that awaited them then… was death.