Hey guys, here is the new chapter hope you will liked and read thru everything.
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The air in the Hokage's office was so dense it felt charged with static electricity. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood before the large circular window that overlooked the village.
From that height, Konoha looked like a hive of frantic activity; the torches of the mobilizing squads lit the streets like rivers of fire, but his mind was miles away, on the disaster in the south.
The smoke from his pipe rose in slow spirals, a peaceful contrast to the chaos boiling in his chest.
The office door opened with a sharp, almost violent thud that made the wooden frames vibrate. Fugaku Uchiha, the leader of Konoha's strongest clan and head of the Military Police, entered with a firm stride and an expression of carved stone.
Approaching slightly, he bowed to show respect out of formality, waiting for his turn to speak. He wore his shinobi gear with the fan on his back—the crest of the Uchiha clan.
"You summoned me, Hokage-sama. I would like to know the reason," Fugaku asked. His voice was monotonous, devoid of any feeling.
"That is correct, Fugaku-san. I am sorry to call you so early after having just returned to Konoha from the Kirigakure front, but another problem has reached us, and you and your clan are the only ones available, along with the reserves," Hiruzen said while smoking his pipe.
"And what is the emergency that has occurred in which the Uchiha clan could assist you?" Fugaku questioned.
"Sunagakure, after their lockdown in the Land of Wind and their clashes with Kirigakure, has launched a total invasion, a move no one expected after their supposed losses against the Mist," Hiruzen replied, turning to face him. His eyes, tired from sleepless nights, locked onto the Uchiha's.
"I need the Uchiha clan to take command of the southern front immediately. You are the only ones with the necessary response capacity now that the waters with the Mist have calmed, and you hold the advantage against Suna's winds."
Fugaku narrowed his eyes. For a brief moment, his pupils were tinted a scarlet red and the three tomoe of the Sharingan spun slowly before disappearing back into the jet black.
"Only us? Hokage, you are asking me to march against a regular army, led by Rasa of the Gold Dust and Pakura's Shakuton, with only the Military Police and a few Chūnin reserves who have barely participated in the war," Fugaku replied with a hardness that bordered on insubordination.
"For a mission of this scale, to stop a village-level invasion, I need at least experienced ninjas in the field under my direct command and the sensory support of the Hyūga, Aburame, or Inuzuka clans. Sending the Uchihas alone against Suna would mean many casualties that we cannot afford."
Hiruzen sighed, the weight of the Third Great Ninja War marking new wrinkles on his face. He approached the map table and pointed to the northern borders with a finger trembling from exhaustion.
"I cannot give you what you ask, Fugaku. And you, better than anyone, know why," Hiruzen said hoarsely.
"The northern front against Iwa is swallowing every experienced Jonin we have. The Kannabi Bridge is a non-stop slaughterhouse; if we withdraw a single unit from there, the cities of the Land of Fire will be the next things we see fall. The Hyūga are deployed in a block on the Kumo border to prevent the Raikage from taking advantage of our weakness, and the Aburame are dealing with the poisonous plagues that Iwa has released in the western forests.
There is no one else. Kirigakure withdrew, yes, but that only means we don't have an active front shooting us in the back; it doesn't mean we have free ninjas resting at the academy. You are looking at everything Konoha can offer for the south."
Fugaku remained silent, observing the map. The situation was desperate. Konoha was being stretched to its breaking point.
"It is a suicidal strategy," Fugaku insisted, taking a step forward, invading the Hokage's personal space. "If the Uchiha clan falls in the south, Konoha will lose its internal shield and its most lethal force. Is this what the council wants? To get rid of us on an impossible front?"
"If Suna reaches the capital, there will be no council or clan to protect, Fugaku," Hiruzen stated with a firmness that silenced the Uchiha.
"I trust in your strength and that of your people. You are the man they call Wicked Eye Fugaku. The Cruel Eye. Show the desert why that name causes terror even among the most veteran Shinobi. You don't just carry the honor of the fan on your back; you carry the survival of the Leaf in your pupils. If you stop Rasa, your clan's prestige will be restored before everyone and the will of fire will keep burning."
Fugaku remained silent for a time that seemed eternal, weighing the Hokage's words, searching for any trace of deceit.
Finally, he nodded with military rigidity.
"We will depart at dawn. But let it be clear, Hokage: if we survive this, the village's debt to the Uchihas will be unpayable. We will not accept more shadows or suspicions after this war."
"As you say, Fugaku. If things get uglier, I expect you to use your secret weapon; you have permission as long as there is no other Konoha shinobi within your range."
In the south of the Land of Fire
Miles away from the safety of Konoha's walls, the city of Kikyō, one of the most important supply and trade centers in the Land of Fire, had been transformed into a monument to despair.
Its cobbled streets, which used to bustle with merchants and laughter, were now covered in a thin layer of gold dust that shimmered under the moon like a shroud.
Rasa had executed the assault with a precision that bordered on artistic. There were no days of battle, nor a prolonged siege. The gold dust simply flowed over and under the walls, disabling the sealing traps and suffocating the gate guards before they could even light a smoke signal.
Now, the city's central plaza was a normal sight for war. Thousands of citizens men, women, and children were grouped in the center, surrounded by earthen walls that kept them captive against any escape attempt.
Rasa watched the scene from the balcony of the governor's office, a structure of fine wood now reinforced by pillars of gold.
Beside him, Pakura watched the scene; it wasn't something she liked, but she understood that in war, you had to do everything possible to win.
"Lord Rasa, all civilians have been processed and grouped according to your orders," a Suna Jonin reported, kneeling before Rasa.
"We have confiscated all grain supplies and the weapons of the local police. Should we proceed with the execution of the leaders to prevent a revolt?"
"No," Rasa replied with a coldness that froze the Jonin. "The leaders are more useful as negotiation tools. Hiruzen Sarutobi has an incurable weakness: his heart bleeds for his people. He will not attack the city with long-range destructive jutsus while his 'precious citizens' are here serving as human shields.
Kikyō is now our fortress, our warehouse, and our best defense. We will use their own granaries to feed our invasion army while Konoha weakens trying to decide if it's worth saving these lives."
Pakura, who was looking out from the balcony, turned to Rasa and the Jonin with a better idea.
"It's an effective strategy, Rasa, but it makes us vulnerable to an infiltration attack. I recommend taking a squad and starting to move everything we can from this city toward our supplies in the vanguard," Pakura commented, looking toward the forest that connected with the desert.
"That is why you are here, Pakura," Rasa said, turning to her. "Your squads are in charge of surveillance. As for your idea, I like it; I will take care of forming that squad."
Suddenly, a figure landed calmly with his sand cloud on the balcony. It was Arata, with a wild smile showing his sharp teeth.
His chakra was unstable, a heavy pressure that made the civilians in the plaza begin to sob out of pure instinctive terror.
"Rasa! Finally something that isn't boring!" Arata exclaimed, pointing a finger toward the main forest road connecting to the capital.
"That crowd coming Shukaku is screaming inside my head. He says he feels a massive amounts of chakra."
Rasa nodded, approaching the edge of the balcony. He forced his sight, using his own chakra to amplify his vision. In the distance, among the shadows of the giant oaks of the Land of Fire
"I see. We were even fast, yet Konoha found out in the end. Who is leading that force?" Rasa asked, having several candidates who could be the leaders.
"I think I heard some mention a name," Arata replied, widening his smile as he tried to remember. "Oh, I remember now. They call him Wicked Eye Fugaku. The Cruel Eye of the Uchihas, along with his clan."
At the mention of the name, both Pakura and Rasa went on high alert. Although many do not mention Fugaku Uchiha as one of Konoha's strongest, that is a lie. His mind, along with his Sharingan, is one of the most dangerous things about Fugaku; being a natural leader and often a battlefield commander at a young age, he was already commanding armies.
"So Konoha has decided to play its last card," Rasa murmured to himself. "They have released their most dangerous war dogs."
Turning toward his commanders, Rasa used his most authoritative tone toward them both.
"Alright. Pakura, inform everyone that our enemies are the Uchihas. Warn them not to look into their eyes. Above all, we will remain on the defense until they make a move against us," Rasa said, before looking at Arata.
"You, Arata. I want you to withdraw from the field. I will send you with the group taking the supplies to the vanguard; they will take you away from the Uchihas. We cannot give them the opportunity to control you," Rasa said.
"Eh? But that won't happen! I'm very strong, don't take me out of the fun!" Arata said angrily, as one of the tables was turned to dust by an attack from Arata.
"I have already given the order. Now obey and go with the squad. Your time to be used will come," this time Rasa's voice was not up for discussion. His strong chakra hit Arata, who tried to fight it but, noticing Pakura's presence, decided to give in.
Moving away, he mounted a sand cloud and began his flight toward the retreat.
From the darkness of the forest, a kilometer away, Konoha's advance stopped. Fugaku Uchiha was on the highest branch of a tree, observing the city of Kikyō swarming with Suna ninjas.
Behind him, hundreds of Uchiha clan ninjas remained in a deathly silence, their black cloaks hiding their presence.
Fugaku closed his eyes for a second, sensing the oppressive chakra emanating from the city. He could feel the fear of the civilians and the arrogance of the Suna ninjas. When he opened his eyes, his Sharingan glowed with a crimson intensity that seemed to pierce the night.
"Listen to me," Fugaku said, and his voice reached each of his subordinates through a whisper charged with intent. "Suna thinks they have us cornered with their hostages. They think fear will make us waver. However, that will not happen. As the leader of this camp, I will take the decision to attack at dawn."Fugaku looked at them all; though no one said anything, everyone had the hostages in mind.
"I understand about the hostages, but we will take care of saving them after we have defeated the Suna ninjas. There will be a special squad that will go for the hostages while we defend them and draw their attention. Understood?" Fugaku finished saying.
With Fugaku's words, the ninjas regained their fire. Their red eyes with Sharingan were what lit up the forest, ready for the combat they would have this morning.
The ninjas who were not from the clan were somewhat scared by what they were about to do, but the atmosphere relaxed them, feeling the confidence of being able to win this battle and return to Konoha.
Many here would not return, being Chūnin and Genin just out of the academy; this was the kind of world where children were thrown into war to fight.
The battle for Kikyō would begin in the morning, and the winner would prove who was stronger: Konoha or Sunagakure.
End of Chapter