On the border of the Land of Steam, a fierce battlefield stretched between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud Village. Smoke hung heavy in the air, drifting over landscapes shattered and cratered by countless Ninjutsu.
The power of ninjas had long since surpassed that of ordinary men. It was no exaggeration to say that their strength decided the fate of the Great Nationsa reality most applicable to the Land of Fire. Rich in resources and blessed with fertile soil, it was a prize the other Four Great Shinobi Nations watched with hungry, envious eyes.
Inside a battlefield encampment, the cost of the war was visible everywhere. Numerous wounded soldiers lay in rows, their bodies wrapped in thick gauze. Judging by their Forehead Protectors, they were all Konoha shinobi.
In this current theater of war, the ninjas of the Hidden Leaf were in a state of steady retreat. They had been pushed back to the very edge of the Land of Steam; any further, and the conflict would spill directly into the Land of Fire.
Inside the command tent, several Konoha Jōnin were gathered for a council of war.
"What was the Hokage's response to our situation?" Fugaku Uchiha asked, looking toward Hiashi Hyūga.
"Reinforcements are on the way," Hiashi replied. "First, Konoha will dispatch a detachment of shinobi to support the front. Secondly, Sunagakure has agreed to send Orochimaru to take command of the overall situation here."
Hiashi paused, his expression turning solemn. "But it is the final person mentioned who truly surprised me."
"The last person surprised you?" Fugaku glanced at Hiashi. Both were heads of their respective Great Clans; if a man of Hiashi's stature spoke that way, the individual in question had to be truly extraordinary.
In that moment, a specific name flashed through Fugaku's mind. "Could it be... Tianyuan?"
"Yes, it's him," Hiashi said in a low voice. "The genius who possesses the power of the Mangekyō. This time, he will be presiding over this battlefield alongside Orochimaru."
"So it's actually happening," Fugaku mused. He had heard rumors of Tianyuan awakening the Mangekyō and had intended to seek the boy out, but Tianyuan had been deployed immediately to the front lines against Iwagakure.
"Furthermore, Tianyuan has accomplished something truly incredible on the Iwagakure front," Hiashi added, addressing the assembled Jōnin.
"Something incredible? Did he use Susanoo to wipe out a swarm of Stone Ninjas?" one of the Jōnin asked. News of the Mangekyō's power had reached them some time ago.
"He did indeed eliminate a large number of Stone Ninjasnearly a thousand, in fact," Hiashi said slowly. "And he captured two of the Hidden Stone's Jinchūriki."
The other ninjas gasped in shock. They marveled at the sheer power of Susanoo, or rather, the terrifying potential of the Mangekyō.
"However, you've all guessed wrong about one detail," Hiashi said, a faint smile touching his lips. "This time, Tianyuan didn't rely on the power of his Mangekyō. He used Wood Releasethe power of the First Hokage. Specifically, Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees."
"The power of Wood Release?" The Jōnin stood frozen, their expressions shifting from confusion to utter bewilderment.
What? Wood Release? When did Tianyuan obtain the First Hokage's Kekkei Genkai?
"Though we don't know the exact circumstances, the Hokage explicitly stated that Tianyuan possesses the First Hokage's power. Perhaps his ancestors carried the bloodline of the Senju Clan," Hiashi said, smiling as he watched Fugaku.
"This... how is this possible?" Fugaku was rocked by an internal earthquake of shock.
Not only did Tianyuan have the Mangekyō, but he also possessed the First Hokage's Kekkei Genkai. As the head of the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku knew that such power required an immense amount of Chakra. The boy was only nine years old, yet he already wielded such might.
The word "monster" wasn't enough to describe him.
The other ninjas were equally stunned. In Konoha, Wood Release was one of the most legendary and revered powers in history. Though it belonged to the First Hokage, the fact that it could rival and even defeat the ultimate power of the Uchiha Clan spoke volumes of its potency.
Now, Tianyuan had united both supreme powers within a single body.
After a long moment, the Jōnin began to filter out of the tent, their minds in a daze. They needed time to digest this news.
Fugaku returned to his own tent and sat down, his eyes narrowed in deep thought. Without him even noticing, Tianyuan had grown strongstronger than anything Fugaku had imagined possible.
When the time comes, what should I do? Fugaku's eyes flickered with complicated emotions.
Compared to Hiashi, Fugaku's thoughts were far more convoluted. Tianyuan didn't have the Byakugan, but he did possess the Sharingan. Yet now, he was also using the First Hokage's Kekkei Genkai. It was enough to give Fugaku a massive headache.
While the Leaf ninjas were wrestling with these revelations, Kumogakure's command center was buzzing with activity in the distance.
"Lord Raikage, we have confirmed Konoha's coordinates. We can continue the offensive," a Cloud Jōnin reported.
"Good. Give the order to resume the attack. Konoha can't hold out much longer," the Third Raikage said, standing up with a cold sneer.
On this battlefield, the Hidden Cloud was seemingly invincible. More importantly, there was no ninja in Konoha's current ranks who could stand against the Third Raikage himself.
"A, you and Killer Bee go and make the final preparations. The battle starts immediately," the Third Raikage said, looking at his son.
"Understood, Father," A replied, quickly exiting the room.
"Land of Fire... I'm coming for you soon." The Third Raikage's eyes burned with a fierce, predatory light.
More than a day later, on the battlefield bordering the Land of Earth.
"Minato, we're glad you've arrived," Shinku Yuhi said, greeting Minato Namikaze and the shinobi behind him.
"Shinku, sorry for the trouble," Minato said with a smile. "By the way, where is Tianyuan?"
Behind him, Kakashi, Obito Uchiha, and the other ninjas looked on with curious eyes.
"Tianyuan? You've arrived too late," Shinku said, shaking his head. "He already left this area. He's likely already nearing the battlefield where the Hidden Cloud is stationed."
"Is that so? That's a bit of a shame," Minato replied.
Kakashi and Obito also looked slightly disappointed.
"Alright, follow me. I'll get you situated," Shinku said, leading Minato's team away to make arrangements.
On this battlefield, Minato Namikaze would go on to create many legendary achievements. As for Tianyuan, he had already become something of a myth, his name spoken with reverence and awe by the ninjas of the Leaf.
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