At this moment, the others on the ground were dealing with the surging chakra samurai or battling the Guardian Shinobi—Aburame Shibi released his kikaichu, devouring the chakra from the samurai, greatly reducing their defensive capabilities, while Hyuga Hiashi moved quickly among the crowd, striking their chakra pathways.
Mizuki and Uchiha Ken were mainly handling the Guardian Shinobi, while Fujimura Yuuki acted as support, using large-scale Earth Release to deal with the chakra samurai, preventing them from forming formations, and occasionally providing assistance to the other two.
Asuna only glanced briefly, her attention not fully diverted, confirming that there would be no immediate problems. The only unexpected element was the sudden appearance of Tobi (Uchiha Kokuya) before her.
Asuna stared intently at Uchiha Kokuya, observing his every move. Uchiha Kokuya tilted his head, and numerous illusory figures had already materialized around him, seemingly ready to charge at Asuna at any moment.
"What the Hokage-sama said truly fits the occasion," Uchiha Kokuya said lightly. As soon as his voice faded, a sound of something cutting through the air echoed in the night.
Uchiha Kokuya was not alone; he was accompanied by elite chakra samurai, meticulously trained. The moment they arrived, they drew their bows, aimed at Asuna, and released their arrows.
Asuna ignored the arrows flying towards her, seemingly unconcerned. She was wary of Uchiha Kokuya's movements; he was the most dangerous one. As for the arrows—
Orange flames leaped from the ground like living things, devouring the arrows. Even arrows infused with chakra were not true chakra metal—such a rare material could not be mass-produced for arrows, and if it were used, it would be for custom-made individual weapons—and were easily consumed by the powerful Fire Release.
Uchiha Kokuya raised his hand, and the illusory figures around him leaped out. Asuna, already on guard, swiftly used Wind Release, drawing in the lingering flames, making them surge again, and engulfing the illusory figures in one go.
Asuna used the propulsion of the Wind Release to direct it towards Uchiha Kokuya's location. A streak of orange fire swept past, but Uchiha Kokuya remained there.
Just then, a barrage of kunai was thrown from the ground, colliding with each other and blocking all of Uchiha Kokuya's escape routes. Uchiha Kokuya sneered, throwing a few kunai of his own, striking critical points on the incoming kunai. After another series of collisions, the kunai all narrowly missed his body.
Uchiha Kokuya saw that the incoming kunai had steel wires tied to their ends. If he had blocked them in the usual way, he would have been engulfed by the transmitted Fire Release.
An ordinary person would certainly have lost their life as a result.
"As expected of Uchiha Mizuki. Rumor has it that you were very skilled in Fire Release on the battlefield. Is it because you awakened your Sharingan relatively late?" Uchiha Kokuya said with a smile.
A hand grabbed onto the eaves, and then someone flipped up from below to stand beside Asuna. It was Mizuki. She was the one who had blocked the arrows and launched the kunai attack. She looked at Uchiha Kokuya with a solemn expression and said, "You… you actually know our clan's inherited kunai throwing technique?"
Asuna had also understood. Uchiha Kokuya was able to disrupt Mizuki's kunai throwing technique with just a few kunai. If he didn't understand the principles of the technique itself, it would have been impossible. This special kunai throwing technique, like the Uchiha clan's Fire Release and Sharingan, was a family secret.
"Hahaha!" Uchiha Kokuya suddenly burst into a long laugh. Having reached this point, he no longer needed to hide his identity.
Mizuki felt a strange sense of familiarity from the laughter. Her scarlet eyes fixed on the trembling mask, and she whispered, "…Who exactly are you?"
"You must be very curious about my identity, wondering where I came from. Heh heh, you certainly won't know, because in your perception, I've long been dead. Now, let me satisfy your curiosity, so you can die knowing," Uchiha Kokuya stopped laughing and replied expressionlessly, then removed his mask.
Before their eyes appeared a somewhat pale and stiff face, which didn't look like that of a living person, yet they could feel the surging, intense emotions within it.
Mizuki found the face somewhat familiar but couldn't immediately recognize it. However, she couldn't mistake those crimson eyes—they were her clan's kekkei genkai, the Sharingan. And judging by the pattern within them, it was the Mangekyo Sharingan, superior to the regular Sharingan!
"You, you are…" Mizuki was instantly shocked, and even Asuna beside her showed surprise, never expecting Uchiha Kokuya to be a member of the Uchiha clan.
"You're Uchiha Kokuya… No, that's impossible, aren't you dead?!" A surprised shout came from the ground. It was Uchiha Ken. Uchiha Ken recognized the face earlier than Mizuki because this person used to be one of the subordinates of his adoptive father, Uchiha Setsuna.
When Uchiha Setsuna ambushed Uchiha Kagami, Uchiha Kokuya was one of those who followed. Later, after reinforcements arrived, Uchiha Kokuya was confirmed to be completely annihilated, presumed dead. His reappearance now greatly astonished Uchiha Ken.
Uchiha Ken's attention was diverted by this, and the opposing Guardian Shinobi seized the opening. A Lightning Release technique swiftly shot towards him. By the time Uchiha Ken noticed it, it was too late to dodge. At that moment, a hand suddenly reached out, grabbed Uchiha Ken's collar, and pulled him aside, dodging the attack.
"Leave that side to Asuna and Mizuki. We need to hold off these people for them!" Hyuga Hiashi said hurriedly.
After Uchiha Kokuya appeared, Mizuki, sensing that the situation was dire, immediately went to help. The people on the ground thus readjusted their tactics. Hyuga Hiashi joined this side, defending against the enemy with Uchiha Ken, while Fujimura Yuuki and Aburame Shibi were responsible for obstructing the chakra samurai's formation and providing assistance.
"Yes, my apologies." Uchiha Ken understood that his recent actions had almost caused trouble. Although Uchiha Kokuya's resurrection was astonishing, he couldn't dwell on it now. He focused his attention on the enemy before him, but in his mind, he was wondering whether he should use his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Because the Mangekyo Sharingan places a huge burden on the body, Uchiha Ken would not use it unless absolutely necessary. The current situation seemed to be slowly heading towards that point.
No, there were still other opportunities. As long as Asuna could use that secret technique to significantly enhance her combat power, she should be able to escape Uchiha Kokuya. Mizuki was there to buy time, which was why Mizuki was sent to help.
Meanwhile, the three on the rooftop were in a standoff, staring at the face. With Uchiha Ken's reminder, Mizuki finally remembered and said, "It's you! Why are you still alive? According to the village's report, you should be dead."
Mizuki genuinely wanted to know why Uchiha Kokuya was still alive, and also to buy time for Asuna to gather natural energy. The opponent might also be waiting for a large-scale gathering of chakra samurai. Because of such needs, in this kind of battlefield, both sides still had the leisure to converse.
"I did die, but I returned from the world of the dead to seek revenge on you all." Uchiha Kokuya was indeed waiting for the chakra to gather. He knew Asuna was secretly absorbing the chakra needed for Sage Mode, but he wasn't afraid, because now he had a way to counter Sage Mode.
Once Sage Mode was tied down, even though the remaining people were formidable, if the chakra samurai formed a encirclement, whether they could leave safely would not be up to them.
Of course, there was another variable, and that was Uchiha Ken. However, Uchiha Kokuya had naturally thought of how to deal with him. For now, he would slowly talk to his opponent; the longer the delay, the more advantageous it would be for him.
"Bah! Shameless scoundrel, as a traitor to the clan, you still have the nerve to talk about revenge here!" Mizuki snorted coldly, speaking without reservation.
"Betrayal? No, no, I am the true Uchiha, and you people are the ones who have forsaken the Uchiha's honor." Uchiha Kokuya shook his head.
"Always spouting about being the 'true Uchiha,' it's nothing but clinging to outdated ideals without even realizing it," Mizuki said mockingly. She had never had a good impression of the so-called hardliners in the clan. They were people who didn't realize that times had changed and were still thinking in terms of the Warring States period. As long as such thinking remained mainstream in the Uchiha clan, the Uchiha clan would eventually face extinction.
"You've truly been terribly deceived by Fumori Masaki's ideology," Uchiha Kokuya said, looking at Asuna, his eyes slightly narrowed. Deep down, his hatred for Asuna—or rather, for Fumori Masaki—actually surpassed his feelings about the Uchiha clan's affairs.
"The results prove that your way has been abandoned. The Uchiha clan is thriving in the village now, which proves everything. Although I don't know why you're alive, you should just go back to the Pure Land! This world is no longer suitable for someone like you," Asuna finally spoke, and as she said this, she had already entered Sage Mode.
Feeling Asuna's aura retract, Uchiha Kokuya said, "Planning to turn hostile? I still wanted to talk a bit more."
Asuna didn't answer; she spoke with action directly. Her figure darted out like wind. A large number of distorted illusory figures appeared in front of Uchiha Kokuya. Asuna charged directly into them, and the illusory figures were instantly shredded by flashing sword light. She arrived at Uchiha Kokuya's figure and struck down with a sword.
Uchiha Kokuya admitted that in front of Asuna in Sage Mode, his physical abilities were inferior. Although he could still counterattack, he took Asuna's strike head-on.
Asuna showed a somewhat surprised expression, not knowing why Uchiha Kokuya was like this. Unexpectedly, the sensation from her hand made her feel something was wrong. The Uchiha Kokuya in front of her shattered like a mirror, and the next moment, he appeared on the other side.
Asuna flipped and leaped, avoiding the directly incoming fire spear. Facing the illusory figures that surrounded her again, Asuna, knowing that her body movements were not yet fully effective, chose to create distance first.
"Fumori Asuna! These taijutsu techniques won't kill me. If you have the guts, use your Sage Art from last time! But if you do, the residents here won't survive!" Uchiha Kokuya shouted loudly.
This was a weakness for Asuna and the others. This was the capital of the Land of Fire, where a large number of residents, officials, and nobles lived. These people would be very important for Konoha Village in the future. The group couldn't fight recklessly and cause destruction here. Even if some understood afterwards, it could still sow discord.
Therefore, from the start of the battle, everyone basically used taijutsu for their counterattacks, supplemented by kikaichu with limited destructive power. Now, due to being temporarily blocked, the people on the ground were mainly fighting in the streets, trying to avoid affecting buildings with their techniques.
The residents wanted to leave, but apart from a small number who luckily escaped, the rest were blocked by the chakra samurai. This was Uchiha Kokuya's order, intended to use them as hostages to restrain the Konoha shinobi.
"Shameless scoundrel!" Mizuki, also surrounded by distorted illusory figures, was defending herself. Hearing Uchiha Kokuya's shout, she immediately cried out in anger.
"Don't forget, you are shinobi! As shinobi, using any means is only natural," Uchiha Kokuya laughed heartily.
"That's why we're different from you, and the people in the village are different from you." Asuna took a deep breath, formed hand signs, and then gestured with both hands: "Sage Art: Wind Release: Hurricane Ring."
Two whirlwinds shot towards Uchiha Kokuya from both sides. All the illusory figures in their path were shattered. In an instant, they sealed off both sides of Uchiha Kokuya. He was so fast that he didn't even have time to retreat.
"Tsk, no matter when I see it, Sage Art is truly incredibly powerful." Uchiha Kokuya gritted his teeth. Sage Mode elevated mortals to a new stage, bringing them closer to god-like power. Among ordinary people, it was almost impossible to find anyone who could use such Wind Release.
The invisible hurricane sealed off Uchiha Kokuya's surroundings and quickly converged. If nothing unexpected happened, Uchiha Kokuya would be crushed to pieces by the intense wind pressure. Yes, under normal circumstances—
"Do you think I can only use the power I had back then?" Uchiha Kokuya's words indirectly confirmed that he was the one who attacked Asuna that day. Asuna didn't have time to dwell on this, because she felt an astonishing surge of chakra expanding at the center of the hurricane ring.
Boom—
A powerful force shattered the Hurricane Ring, and then a colossal figure, condensed from boiling, purplish-black chakra like raging flames, emerged. The moment it appeared, the hurricane stirred by the chakra pressed down on Asuna.
"This level of chakra… What is this…?" Asuna had never seen such a technique, where such a tangible entity could be condensed solely from chakra.
Uchiha Kokuya stood on the shattered rooftop, stepping on the few remaining supports. He was enveloped in this purplish-black chakra figure. The figure seemed to be covered in heavy armor, with only two hollow points visible where its head would be.
"Susanoo, the ultimate taijutsu hidden within the Mangekyo Sharingan. Fumori Asuna, don't think that having Sage Mode means everything will be fine. Ultimately, Sage Mode is merely a crude imitation of the Six Paths Sage, and we, the Uchiha clan, are the direct descendants of the Six Paths Sage!" Uchiha Kokuya shouted.