Mid-journey, a ten-man squad of Hidden Mist Chunin patrol intercepted their path. Seeing the uchiha clan crest on the trio, the leader's eyes flashed with ruthlessness: "Uchiha scum! You ignored the path to heaven and barged into the gates of Hell!"
Xia Yin raised an eyebrow, spinning the token in his hand even faster: "Yan, want to practice? Don't delay our journey, and don't lose our face."
"Understood!" Yan shot out like an arrow from a bow. The moment his tachi was unsheathed, a cold light sliced through the air.
His swordsmanship was fierce and overbearing, each strike accompanied by the sharp whistle of tearing wind. The Hidden Mist Chunin couldn't even see his movements before they fell one after another.
In less than ten breaths, all ten Chunin were dead, their wounds clean and efficient without any excess marks.
Yan sheathed his blade and returned behind Xia Yin, a hint of lingering dissatisfaction on his face: "Too weak, not satisfying enough. If Jin were here, he'd probably have finished it even faster."
"Be content," Xia Yin chuckled, stepping over the corpses. "Once we reach the camp, there will be plenty of 'excitement' for you. Xiu can manage the base well, the better he monitors Konoha's movements, and Chen can guard our retreat. We just need to disrupt Hiruzen Sarutobi's plans at the front."
As they drew closer to the camp, the scene ahead became clearer.
Dense clusters of tents were built against the mountains, stretching for miles. Konoha Ninja patrolled the perimeter, and Chakra fluctuations rose and fell like tides. Among them were several powerful auras, clearly the high-ranking officers of the Konoha Allied Forces.
In the distant sky, flashes from Ninjutsu collisions occasionally erupted, and the muffled roar of explosions drifted over, a reminder that this was still a battlefield of life-and-death struggle.
Xia Yin stopped, his gaze sweeping over the camp, a hint of playfulness flashing in his eyes: "Chi, restrain your medical Chakra so people don't see your connection to Hien and her sister; Yan, suppress your aura a bit, don't scare those 'allies'."
He straightened the collar of his haori, the smile on his face deepening. "Let's go meet our 'aggrieved' Clan Head Fugaku, and see what kind of trash this Konoha Allied Forces is made of—with Xiu and the others holding down the base, we can just let loose."
The three walked side-by-side toward the camp gates, their shadows stretching long in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Xia Yin's leisure, Chi's composure, and Yan's ferocity formed a unique sight.
The patrol Ninjas at the camp gate immediately raised their ninja swords in alert, shouting sharply: "Who goes there? Halt!"
Xia Yin didn't stop, merely waving the Uchiha clan token in his hand, his tone relaxed: "Uchiha Xia Yin, ordered to support the front lines. These two beside me are Uchiha Chi and Uchiha Yan—what, does the Konoha camp not even recognize its own allies?"
Inside the headquarters tent, candlelight flickered, illuminating the wall covered with battlefield maps and dense markings.
As Xia Yin's group stepped through the curtain, an oppressive atmosphere hit them—Nara Shikagen was already standing by the map with a grim expression, his gaze shooting toward them like a knife, while several Konoha Ninja behind him cast wary looks.
"Uchiha Xia Yin!" Nara Shikagen's voice rang out with undisguised interrogation almost the moment Xia Yin stood still. "According to Hokage-sama's report, you left Konoha fifteen days ago! With your speed, you should have arrived at the front ten days ago! Why have you delayed until now?!"
Xia Yin raised a hand to adjust his haori collar, his movements calm and unhurried, but his eyes suddenly turned cold, like tempered ice: "Shikagen-kun, are you questioning me with that tone?"
Nara Shikagen's eyes narrowed, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the scroll at his waist. He said stiffly, "I am merely following Hokage-sama's orders for a routine inquiry—the front-line situation is dire. The Uchiha reinforcements arriving so late requires an explanation to the Allied Forces."
"An explanation?" Xia Yin chuckled, his laughter full of contempt. He nodded calmly before his tone shifted, "I'm sorry, I have nothing to say."
Before his voice even faded, his hand lightly pressed onto the hilt of the tachi at his waist. The crisp sound of metal clashing was exceptionally piercing in the silent tent.
Xia Yin leaned forward slightly, his crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan suddenly lighting up, his gaze pinning Nara Shikagen like something physical: "Or rather, what kind of thing are you? Do you think you're worthy of an explanation from me?"
"You!" Nara Shikagen's face flushed red with indignation, his chest heaving.
He knew he was just a pawn for Hiruzen Sarutobi. As a member of the Nara Clan attached to the Hokage Lineage, he had to maintain a strong posture, but the icy killing intent radiating from Xia Yin caused a layer of cold sweat to break out on his back.
Where was the gentle and forbearing Uchiha Genius of the rumors? The person before him was clearly a beast showing its fangs!
"Xia Yin!" Uchiha Fugaku frowned deeply and abruptly cut in, his tone carrying a hint of reprimand. "Shikagen is the deputy commander of the Eastern Battlefield, representing the Allied Forces. You should show some respect."
"Respect?" Xia Yin snapped his head around, his gaze icy as it swept over Fugaku, his dissatisfaction undisguised. "Has the Clan Head stayed in Konoha so long, eating others' dog food, that you've forgotten who gave birth to you? Have you forgotten how our Clan Members are bleeding and dying on the front lines?!"
"Xia Yin! How dare you!" These words were like lighting a powder keg. Uchiha Fugaku exploded in rage, slamming his hand down and standing up, sending the scrolls, brush, and inkstone on the table scattering everywhere.
The crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly in his eyes, and his Chakra erupted suddenly, clearly stung to the quick by those words.
Yet Xia Yin showed no fear. Instead, he slowly activated his Three-Tomoe, the indifference and disdain in his eyes piercing like a blade: "If you, this 'Clan Head', could show even half the ferocity toward outsiders as you do toward your own kin, and fight for even a shred of dignity for the Uchiha, our people wouldn't be thrown onto the front lines as disposables. Over fifty people are 'missing' without even their bodies being found, while being commanded by the Konoha Allied Forces across ranks and completely sidelined!"
"You..." Uchiha Fugaku's face turned ashen, then deathly pale.
Xia Yin's words were like needles to the heart, poking at his deepest frustrations and helplessness—when had he not wanted to be strong?
But Konoha's constant pressure and the Allied Forces' pervasive suspicion had long since left him with no room to move.
His chest felt tight, and he was momentarily speechless from the rebuttal, only able to clench his fists so hard his nails nearly dug into his palms.
In the corner of the tent, four-year-old Uchiha Itachi huddled in the shadows, his small body trembling slightly.
He didn't understand the deeper meaning of the adults' argument, but he could feel the ferocity coming from Xia Yin and the disrespect toward his father.
Those round black eyes instantly turned cold, like a young beast whose territory had been invaded, staring fixedly at Xia Yin with a hint of childish hostility...
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808