When restraint shatters, true power awakens.
The Land of Grass.
A small nation wedged between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth—
its fate never truly its own.
Within a dense forest—
four figures flickered through the trees.
"Up ahead is an Iwagakure outpost. Stay sharp."
The speaker—
a Root Jonin squad leader, Utatane Itamine.
Clad in standard Root attire.
A bird mask concealed his face.
Their mission—
to retrieve intelligence from a Konoha spy embedded within Iwagakure.
"Stop. Hide!"
Whoosh—!
The four figures vanished into the forest.
Watching.
Waiting.
"…Something's wrong."
From the shadows, Itamine scanned the surroundings.
Alert.
Too quiet.
"This area is usually patrolled by Iwa shinobi…"
"Why is it empty today?"
The unease deepened.
Then—
—whoosh!
Dozens of kunai—
each wrapped with explosive tags—
rained down from all directions.
They had been discovered.
"Scatter!"
Boom—!
Explosions roared.
Flames surged skyward.
From the forest—
over a dozen shinobi emerged.
Red uniforms.
Iwagakure headbands.
They slammed their hands onto the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"
The terrain shattered—
turning into a rushing tide of loose earth, swallowing everything in its path.
Root shinobi—
elite survivors of countless battles—
stabilized quickly.
Dodging.
Countering.
Then—
they struck back.
Despite being outnumbered—
their coordination was flawless.
The battle—
balanced.
Suddenly—
Itamine leapt from a towering tree.
Dodging incoming shuriken mid-air—
hands flying through seals.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
Seven—eight blades of compressed wind—
tore through the battlefield.
Slice—!
Two Iwa Chunin—
cut clean in half.
Blood sprayed.
Instant death.
Itamine—
a top Jonin of the Utatane clan.
Favored by Koharu.
Personally trained by Danzō after awakening Wind Release.
"AAARGH!"
An Iwa Jonin roared in fury.
His squad—
mostly Chunin—
valuable assets—
and now two were gone.
His killing intent surged.
He charged.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon!"
The ground trembled—
rising into a massive dragon over ten meters long.
It roared—
and lunged.
But—
Itamine was too fast.
He slipped past effortlessly.
As if anticipated—
the Iwa Jonin formed more seals.
"Earth Release: Swamp Flow!"
"Damn it!"
The ground beneath Itamine liquefied—
locking his legs in place.
The earth dragon closed in—
fanged maw descending.
But—
Itamine's hands flashed.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"
A storm of slicing wind erupted—
shredding the earth dragon—
then surging toward the Jonin.
"What—?!"
No time.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!"
Three layered walls rose instantly.
But—
they shattered.
Like paper.
The remaining wind blades—
tore through flesh.
The Iwa Jonin—
ripped apart.
Blood poured.
Bones exposed.
Dead.
The difference—
overwhelming.
Root shinobi—
were monsters forged in death.
Even outnumbered—
they dominated.
With Itamine joining the others—
the tide collapsed.
Within five minutes—
every Iwa shinobi lay dead.
"Leave no survivors."
"Yes."
Cold.
Efficient.
Throats slit.
Hearts pierced.
The forest—
reeking of blood.
When it was over—
they didn't leave.
They waited.
For one person.
Yakushi Kabuto.
A spy within Iwagakure.
This outpost—
isolated.
Reinforcements—
far.
Even if they came—
Root would hunt them instead.
"Squad leader, you're incredible!"
A Root shinobi couldn't hide his admiration.
Itamine—
favored by Danzō.
Even considered for future personal guard.
Then—
footsteps.
Tap. Tap.
A figure emerged.
Black hair.
Uchiha attire.
Arms crossed.
Eyes—
deep.
Uchiha Fugaku.
Itamine's gaze sharpened.
"Captain Fugaku…"
"Why are you here?"
Fugaku—
head of the Military Police.
Leaving the village required Hokage approval.
Root had received no such intel.
Which meant—
he came on his own.
Dangerous.
Fugaku's voice was cold.
Sharp.
"I'm here… to hunt Root."
A beat—
Then—
laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Itamine sneered.
Young.
Arrogant.
Even if he couldn't win—
he believed he could escape.
"Kill him."
A Root member hesitated.
"…Squad leader, that's Fugaku. Maybe we should—"
Slap!
The man was struck across the face.
"You doubt me?"
Silence.
Fear.
"Kill Uchiha Fugaku!"
"—Kill!"
They charged.
All of them.
At once.
Then—
Fugaku's eyes changed.
Three tomoe—
twisting—
merging—
into a pinwheel.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
He spoke softly.
"Shackles."
Everything—
froze.
The Root shinobi—
locked in place.
Like puppets.
His left Mangekyō ability—
Shackles.
Within its range—
everything but himself—
ceased for three seconds.
Three seconds—
was enough.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A sea of flames erupted.
Roaring.
Devouring.
Screams—
cut short.
Bodies—
consumed.
Ashes—
scattered.
Fugaku stood amidst the inferno.
Eyes cold.
"Dare touch the Uchiha…"
"Root or ANBU—"
"The result is the same."
One Jonin.
Three elite Chunin.
Gone.
The price—
had been paid.
And Danzō—
I would feel it.
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