"Exactly. Your Uchiha are building a village and even taking in civilians, offering them protection. That means you must be short on manpower. If we submit to you now and help build the village, you must give us status and teach our clansmen. In return, we'll swear loyalty, fight your wars, and eliminate your enemies."
Hakuya stated firmly.
"Oh? That's hilarious. You still haven't figured it out, have you? We went to all this trouble not to recruit you."
Tajima almost laughed himself breathless.
The Uchiha around them burst into laughter as well. This guy's head was stuffed with pure foolishness—no doubt about it.
"What do you mean?"
Only then did Hakuya sense something was wrong—but it was too late.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique)!"
Dozens of Uchiha unleashed flames at once. Fire roared skyward, turning night into day, and a storm of blazing dragons surged into the Hagoromo ranks. Caught completely off guard, the attackers were swallowed by fire—igniting the countless Kibaku Fuda (Explosive Tags) buried beneath the ground.
Boom—boom—boom!
Explosions rolled like thunder, wave after wave without end.
To make sure Hakuya died without a doubt, the Uchiha had spent a fortune and planted over a thousand Kibaku Fuda (Explosive Tags) underground. Their combined force could kill even a kage-level powerhouse—never mind that they'd stacked it with a rain of fire.
Inevitably, when the detonations finally ceased and the flames dwindled, the horizon had already paled with dawn.
When the last tongues of fire died out, the Uchiha dragged corpses from the smoking rubble. Among them, one body blasted clean in half—Hakuya.
And with that, the most powerful elder of the Hagoromo—the one whose hands were drenched in the blood of many Uchiha—died here at the Uchiha encampment.
"Shin, Ryūfū… Father has avenged you. Fallen warriors of the Uchiha, rest now—your blood-debt is paid."
Tajima's heart surged.
He had five sons; three perished in war. Heaven had shown mercy by returning Kaede to the clan. Kaede had not only given them the means to grow stronger, he had led them to crush hostile clans and cut down their sworn enemies. Nothing felt more right.
"Brothers, rest in peace."
Hearing those two names, Madara sighed inwardly. He still remembered his two younger brothers as children, tugging at his arm to play. He had never imagined they would die like that.
"Sensei… thank you."
Madara strode to Kaede, dropped to both knees, and bowed in gratitude.
Seeing Madara move, the gathered Uchiha followed, kneeling to thank Kaede.
Even Kaede felt a flicker of emotion at the sight.
"Stand," Kaede said calmly. "We've dealt with them, but the Hagoromo aren't completely gone—they've surely gone to ground. It'll take time to root them out. Our immediate problem is the Sarutobi. They've gathered enough minor clans and will strike soon. The Senju watch like tigers, and though the Hyūga are neutral, no one can guarantee they won't act for profit. With a dōjutsu bloodline—your Sharingan—you should understand the value such eyes hold."
He scanned their faces. "Return and rest for one day. In one day, I will lead you to deal with the remaining clans."
He could already feel it—the presence of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was drawing closer. Before long, Isshiki would appear, and a great battle would be inevitable. Kaede wouldn't remain here afterward; he would return. But before that, the Uchiha had to erase these threats. Otherwise, fighting on two fronts could court disaster.
"Yes!"
Everyone answered at once, joy and confidence lighting their faces. With Kaede leading, there would be no mistakes. He was the strongest in this world—of that, everyone present had not a shred of doubt.
…
News of Hakuya's death spread.
"Brother, Hakuya is dead!"
Sasuke of the Sarutobi felt his heart jolt.
"Mm. That brainless fool—let him be dead," Yang replied. He was puzzled, but not surprised. A man like that living long would have been stranger.
"True enough. He never had much of a mind. But now the Uchiha will shift their sights to us."
Sasuke ground his teeth.
"No matter. We've prepared what must be prepared. This time we'll see the Uchiha wiped out completely."
A cold gleam flashed in Yang's eyes. In this world, only by uprooting the Uchiha could true peace arrive.
On the third day, Kaede set out with Madara, Izuna, and a portion of the clan. In truth, to deal with the Sarutobi, Kaede alone was more than enough; the rest—Madara, Izuna, and the others—were there to bear witness.
They moved fast. In merely half a day, they reached the Sarutobi encampment.
Kaede stepped into the air and appeared above them.
"Enemies! We have an enemy!"
Kaede made no effort to hide his presence; the instant he arrived, the Sarutobi and their allied minor clans felt the pressure and shouted the alarm. In moments, their forces gathered beneath Kaede's feet.
Kaede looked down at the crowd and did not strike immediately.
"I'll give you a choice," he said. "Submit—or die."
He had no wish to stain this place with more blood than necessary.
(End of Chapter)
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