Just as the mood in Konoha darkened, news of a joint assault by Kumogakure and Iwagakure had thrown the village into turmoil. The village council had no clear solution.
That was when Byakuya Uchiha stepped forward without hesitation.
"Tsunade," he said calmly, "let the Uchiha clan handle both villages."
His tone was cold, resolute—seeking battle, perhaps even the chaos it brought. The negative emotions of war were exactly what he needed to nourish the power of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
This was fate handing him power on a silver platter.
"Byakuya! Are you serious!? This isn't a single front… it's two of the Five Great Shinobi Nations!"
Tsunade's face was grave. Her instincts as a leader warred with the raw trust she had in Konoha's might.
She knew the Uchiha were powerful—in the past, they had driven back Sunagakure's forces practically alone—but this situation was far more dire. The enemy's numbers and strategic coordination made them far more dangerous.
"Don't worry," Byakuya replied coolly. "It's just Kumogakure and Iwagakure. They mean nothing to me now."
"My power has evolved beyond what you last saw. With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and Wood Release, I have nothing to fear."
These weren't empty words. Byakuya had fused the Uchiha's visual prowess with Senju Hashirama's vitality. It was a rare union of bloodlines that made him nearly untouchable.
Even if two more villages joined the fray, he wouldn't flinch.
At his words, the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clan leaders exchanged glances. In perfect sync, they stepped forward.
"Hokage-sama," Nara Shikaku spoke for them, "our Ino-Shika-Chō alliance will join the Uchiha on the battlefield."
The last war had proved that siding with Byakuya brought not only survival but distinction. Their coordination with him in the past had elevated their influence in the village. Now, they wouldn't miss this opportunity.
The call to arms spread like wildfire.
"The Hyuga Clan will dispatch its best," Hiashi Hyuga said, stepping forward solemnly.
"The Inuzuka Clan stands ready," said Tsume Inuzuka.
"The Aburame Clan will deploy its elite tracking corps," came Shibi Aburame's quiet affirmation.
One by one, the noble families of Konoha stood behind the Uchiha. Not out of fear, but because victory with Byakuya meant honor—and survival.
Tsunade stood tall at the head of the gathering.
"Very good!" she declared, her voice filled with new confidence.
"Let Kumogakure and Iwagakure come. We'll show them the power of Konohagakure!"
Meanwhile, in the Land of Grass — Kusagakure Village.
The village had fallen. It was now a forward base for the Sarutobi faction, led by none other than Sarutobi Hiruzen. The exiled elders had taken root here, plotting their next move.
In a two-story structure now functioning as a war council chamber, Hiruzen exhaled smoke from his pipe, eyes cold.
"What's the state of the shinobi world?" he asked, addressing Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
Danzo, as always, answered first, his tone sharp.
"Things are proceeding as planned. Chiyo of Sunagakure has agreed to cooperate. Kumogakure and Iwagakure have both declared war on Konoha."
"Excellent," Hiruzen replied, smoke curling around his words. "Soon, we'll reclaim Konoha. And this time… it won't slip from my hands."
But then Koharu Utatane frowned.
"There's a problem…"
"What is it, Koharu?" Hiruzen snapped. "Speak plainly."
"It's not Kumogakure or Iwagakure I'm worried about…"
She looked at Danzo.
"It's Byakuya Uchiha. He's the variable we didn't account for. His power is beyond what we expected."
The room fell into silence. Even Danzo scowled.
"The Third Raikage personally led the charge against Konoha Village..."
"But Iwagakure is said to have mobilized 10,000 shinobi this time..."
Utatane Koharu's voice trembled with unease.
"Ten thousand rock-nin... Ōnoki truly is audacious," Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured, brows furrowed in disbelief.
Even in Konoha's prime during the First Shinobi World War, the number of active shinobi rarely exceeded 10,000. To mobilize that many at once meant Ōnoki was betting everything.
"If they're lost, it could mean the downfall of Iwa itself," Hiruzen muttered gravely. "It's a strategic gamble that borders on madness."
Mitarashi Koharu nodded tightly. "And if Konoha can't withstand the assault, the consequences will be catastrophic."
Homura Mitokado added, "We want to reclaim Konoha, not oversee its destruction."
"Hmph…" Hiruzen exhaled a plume from his pipe. "It shouldn't come to that. But we must prepare for all outcomes."
Border of the Land of Fire – Iwagakure Frontlines
Standing atop a massive outcrop, the aged figure of Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, surveyed the mist-veiled forests ahead. Behind him, an army of 10,000 Iwagakure shinobi stood in formation.
"What's the status?" Ōnoki asked coldly.
An elite jonin knelt behind him. "Lord Tsuchikage, our scouts report that Konohagakure has deployed a strike force led by the Uchiha clan. Their current commander is Uchiha Byakuya. It's confirmed—he possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan and is said to have annihilated a Suna vanguard in the Wind Border Conflict."
"Uchiha... Mangekyō Sharingan... again?" Ōnoki muttered, his brow twitching.
The memories came flooding back—of Madara Uchiha, of Izuna, of the time when Iwa's elite were slaughtered by those cursed crimson eyes. His back tensed involuntarily.
The scout continued, "In addition... Kumogakure has declared formal war on Konoha. Their forces are expected to arrive at the northeastern front within the day."
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed. "So that brute—the Third Raikage—is on the move too."
A chuckle escaped his lips. "Well, that meat-headed fool wouldn't pass up a chance to fight. Still, this could work to our advantage…"
After a moment's pause, he barked, "Get me a communication line to Raikage-sama. We'll coordinate our assault. The Land of Fire will burn from both ends."
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