The squad Kaede had brought back suffered no deaths—only two men with injured arms.
Nothing serious, just a couple of days of rest would see them recovered.
After all, they were ninja. To step onto a battlefield and come back unscathed would be the true abnormality.
The battle in the valley had been brutal.
Those three clans they faced were completely wiped out.
Uchiha Madara urged the group to quicken their pace.
Finally, as the sun began to set, they reached the settlement of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans.
"Eat your rations and drink some water. We move soon," Madara ordered.
He wanted everyone to restore some strength. What awaited them was a slaughterhouse.
They needed to be fully prepared.
"Yes!"
At once, the Uchiha swallowed their ration pills and drank from their canteens.
By the time they finished resting, the sun had disappeared.
"The Nara are cunning. Their compound will definitely be filled with traps waiting for us. To avoid problems, we'll move carefully.
Uchiha Shizuru, take a squad and attack from the front—draw all attention.
Uchiha Shimizu, lead another squad over the mountain. Summon beasts—the bigger, the better.
The rest will follow me and infiltrate directly."
Madara's voice hardened. "As for you, sensei, if you wish to test my growth, watch from here. But if you want to help, then lend a hand. There are five hours until sunrise—within those hours, I will exterminate all three clans."
His words brimmed with confidence.
"Go!"
Kaede nodded, though he was skeptical.
Madara was, after all, his student. Though Kaede had not taught him every secret, he had guided his improvements in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and the Uchiha clan's forbidden techniques.
With the strength Madara now possessed—half a Kage at least—plus the Mangekyō Sharingan of Shizuru and Shimizu, it was enough.
"Go."
The tasks were assigned, the Uchiha nodded, and at Madara's command they scattered.
Madara himself charged forward.
Kaede, meanwhile, sat lazily on a boulder, a blade of grass between his lips, one leg crossed over the other, watching.
Before long, the sounds of slaughter rose from the front.
Uchiha fire-style lit up the night.
Perhaps provoked by Kaede's earlier Susanoo, Shizuru unleashed hers as well—though it was only the first stage, skeletal bones wrapping around her, it was still unstoppable for ordinary ninja.
The Akimichi expanded their bodies with Partial Expansion Jutsu, but even that could not compare to the might of Susanoo.
Their defenses crumbled like rotting wood.
At the rear, Shimizu led his group with Summoning Jutsu.
When the white light of the summoning faded, countless massive beasts appeared—elephants, snakes, even feline predators.
Among them were giant toads too, though not the sacred ones of Mount Myōboku—just oversized creatures of flesh.
The beasts thundered down the slopes, charging the three clans' defenses.
Caught off guard, panic spread.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A sea of fire exploded across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Madara's infiltration squad ignited the settlement from within.
With a thunderous blast, the entire compound was consumed by flames.
The inferno lit up the night sky as though it were midday.
From afar, the Sarutobi clan watched in horror.
"They… they're attacking the alliance!" Sarutobi Sasuke and his brother trembled, faces pale.
"What do we do?! I never thought the Uchiha would dare to take on all the clans by themselves! Even if we send reinforcements now, it's too late!"
Sarutobi Yang's teeth chattered as he spoke.
Their original plan had been to ally with the Senju, and perhaps even the Hyūga. With them, they could crush the Uchiha, seize the Sharingan, and split their resources.
With that, their clans would grow stronger, claim more fertile land, and earn more favor from the Fire Daimyō.
But things hadn't gone to plan.
The Hyūga had refused—jealously guarding their Byakugan, their main house and branch system making them unwilling to ally with anyone.
Even more shocking, the Senju had refused as well.
And now, before they had even finished discussing strategy, the Uchiha had already annihilated a smaller clan, and were now tearing through the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi.
Soon, it would be their turn.
"It's too late," Sarutobi Yang said grimly.
"The Uchiha will bleed themselves against those three clans, so they won't launch another offensive immediately. At dawn, I'll send scouts to check the aftermath. Meanwhile, reach out to the Hagoromo clan. Their blood is stained with Uchiha blood—the Uchiha will never forgive them. If we ally with them, and rally the other clans of the Fire Country, perhaps even beyond its borders, we may stand a chance."
His brother nodded. "Alright, I'll follow your lead."
…
By then, the battle was nearly over.
The defenses of the three clans had been solid, but they had not imagined the Uchiha would strike so swiftly.
Many of their elderly and children had not even evacuated when the attack fell.
Caught unprepared, they were slaughtered.
(End of Chapter)
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