The Konoha shinobi united to resist the allied forces of the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Sand Villages, with the frontlines entrenched at Mount Kikyo.
Mount Kikyo, situated on the border of the Land of Fire, served as a strategic stronghold for Konoha. It was easy to defend and difficult to assault—an ideal location to stall the enemy's advance.
The war was exceptionally brutal.
The Hidden Cloud Village, known for its aggressive and combat-driven shinobi, fought with reckless abandon, as if their lives held no value. Meanwhile, the Hidden Sand Village was driven by internal pressure: the mysterious disappearance of the Third Kazekage had cast a shadow over the entire village.
Sunagakure had originally hoped to gain prestige in this conflict. However, the Third Kazekage's sudden vanishing at the war's outset threw all of their strategies into disarray. To stabilize the village, Rasa, the newly appointed Fourth Kazekage, swiftly took office. Simultaneously, A, the newly instated Fourth Raikage, began communicating with him through covert letters.
Their interests aligned.
The Raikage sought retribution and strategic advantage following previous skirmishes that weakened his village. The Kazekage, whose authority was questioned due to the circumstances of his succession, desperately needed military achievements to solidify his position.
Whispers in the Hidden Sand were already turning skeptical. After all, Rasa had ascended to power under the pretext of searching for the missing Kazekage—but months had passed with no trace, no report, no closure.
To eliminate doubt and secure his leadership, Rasa redirected his village's frustration outward. Konoha was painted as the prime suspect in the Third Kazekage's disappearance, and the Hidden Sand ninja marched to war, believing they were avenging their fallen leader.
Thus, the shinobi of Sunagakure, inflamed with purpose, hurled themselves at Konoha's defenders with fanatical resolve.
Konoha's ninja, with the village at their backs and nowhere to retreat, stood firm. They faced the combined assault of Cloud and Sand shinobi with unyielding resolve.
Amid the chaos, Chi Yu operated deep behind enemy lines. His mission was disruption: severing supply routes, ambushing logistics teams, and striking fear into the hearts of the coalition's rear guard. His attacks caused havoc among both the Cloud and Sand forces.
Initially, the Allied Shinobi Forces dispatched a specialized squad to eliminate him. Not one returned.
Chi Yu was a ghost—a phantom. No one could catch him. If he chose to vanish, he vanished. Attempts to neutralize him proved futile. He had become a persistent, malignant presence—a tumor the enemy could neither excise nor ignore.
Another such ghost was Minato Namikaze.
Like Chi Yu, Minato operated alone, harassing enemy lines with surgical precision. His Flying Thunder God Technique made interception nearly impossible.
With no choice, the coalition forces were forced to expand their supply lines and divert more resources to defense. Strategy fell by the wayside; this war had devolved into a brutal clash of endurance.
But the longer it dragged on, the more Konoha gained the upper hand.
Mount Kikyo's terrain favored defense. Resupply from the heart of the Land of Fire was rapid and consistent. Meanwhile, the enemy's logistics buckled under the strain of Chi Yu and Minato's sabotage.
Within two weeks, the once overwhelming Allied Shinobi Forces began to falter.
---
Two weeks later.
In the middle of battle, Chi Yu caught sight of a familiar figure darting across the battlefield with blinding speed.
Uchiha Shisui.
A prodigy of the Uchiha clan, Shisui was already gaining renown throughout the shinobi world. His mastery of the Body Flicker Technique had earned him the moniker "Shisui of the Body Flicker."
It was Chi Yu's first time seeing Shisui in action.
"Has he awakened it?" Chi Yu wondered.
His eyes narrowed as he observed Shisui's glowing irises—Mangekyō Sharingan.
Chi Yu's expression darkened.
He knew well the legends surrounding Shisui's dōjutsu. His Mangekyō held the genjutsu Kotoamatsukami—an ocular technique capable of rewriting a person's will without them even realizing it. It was hailed as one of the most powerful genjutsu in existence.
Given Chi Yu's antagonistic relationship with the Uchiha clan, the threat of being mentally rewritten was not something he took lightly.
Fortunately, Chi Yu possessed his own secret weapon: Wan Ju (Myriad Rejection)—a technique capable of nullifying all jutsu. He had already etched the Tsukuyomi Seal: Wan Ju over his own eyes, a safeguard designed to block even genjutsu like Kotoamatsukami.
With precautions in place, Chi Yu calmly found a nearby boulder and sat down to observe.
Shisui, meanwhile, was surrounded.
A ring of enemy shinobi had closed in around him. But he showed no fear. With swift, fluid movements, he formed hand seals.
"Body Flicker Technique."
In an instant, multiple illusory clones surged outward—visual trickery enhanced by the Sharingan. The clones attacked in tandem with Shisui's true body, overwhelming the enemy.
Their weapons cut through thin air; even when they struck a clone, it did not disappear. Confused and disoriented, the enemy quickly fell to Shisui's sword. Calm and composed, Shisui sheathed his blade after the skirmish ended.
Then, his eyes shifted—directly toward Chi Yu.
And in the blink of an eye, he appeared before him.
"Lord Chi Yu."
Chi Yu smiled faintly. "Your speed is impressive. No wonder they call you 'Shisui of the Body Flicker.'"
Shisui asked, respectful but curious, "Is Lord Chi Yu here on a mission as well?"
Chi Yu raised an eyebrow. "Asking about others' missions is prohibited."
Shisui immediately bowed his head. "Forgive me, I overstepped."
Chi Yu stood, brushing dust from his cloak. "Since you've handled things here, I'll be on my way."
"Please wait!"
Chi Yu stopped and turned.
"What is it?"
Shisui hesitated. He looked as though he had many questions but only managed to ask:
"Why do you hate the Uchiha Clan so much? Yes, perhaps they've wronged you in the past—but aren't we all comrades of the same village?"
Chi Yu gave him a long, unreadable look before responding with a half-smile.
"You think the Uchiha shouldn't be targeted?"
Shisui responded cautiously, "I believe that as shinobi of the same village, we should stand together. Lord Chi Yu, you seem to be..."
"Cruel? Ruthless? Malicious?" Chi Yu finished the sentence for him.
Shisui waved his hands, flustered. "No, I didn't mean it like that!"
Chi Yu scoffed. "Spare me. You all think it, even if you don't say it aloud. But let me ask you something, Shisui—do you really believe the Uchiha don't deserve to be targeted?"
Shisui fell silent.
He had seen the Uchiha clan's arrogance, their disdain for outsiders, and their simmering discontent with the village leadership.
Should they not be targeted?
Maybe… but to this extent?
Chi Yu continued, "Yes, I have my reasons for resenting the Uchiha. But if it were only personal, would I even be allowed to act as I have? Don't pretend you don't know what kind of conduct your clan has displayed over the years."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Someday, you may come to understand my actions."
Without another word, Chi Yu vanished in a blur—his own Body Flicker Technique leaving no trace behind.
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