Hatake Sakumo knew one thing clearly—
If he didn't act now—
He would lose.
Not quickly.
Not decisively.
But slowly—
Dragged down.
Crushed.
Defeated.
And that kind of defeat—
Was worse than death.
Uchiha Moku's pressure was relentless.
His hand seals were too fast.
His ninjutsu flowed endlessly—
One after another—
Like a storm that never stopped.
Sakumo couldn't find an opening.
Every time he tried—
Another jutsu would already be coming.
And even worse—
He couldn't freely use ninjutsu.
Because his opponent—
Had the Sharingan.
Any technique he used might be read.
Copied.
Turned against him.
But the real problem wasn't even that.
He didn't have the chance to use ninjutsu at all.
Moku's attacks were too frequent.
Too oppressive.
It felt like—
He was being suffocated.
C-rank.
B-rank.
Continuous casting.
No pause.
No hesitation.
Even when Sakumo dodged one attack—
The next would already be in his face.
A Fireball—
Appearing right in front of him the very next second.
Sakumo had initially planned to stall—
To exhaust Moku's chakra.
But now—
That idea felt ridiculous.
Because Moku showed no signs of slowing down.
It was as if his chakra—
Was endless.
Damn it…
Sakumo's expression tightened.
If someone could assist him—
Even briefly—
He could turn the tide.
But right now—
No one could.
The top fighters were all locked in their own battles.
The leaders of the Ino–Shika–Cho clans were being held back by the other Uchiha elders.
And above all—
The most terrifying battlefield—
Was elsewhere.
In the sky.
Uchiha Ryujin vs Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Their clash—
Was nothing short of catastrophic.
From ground—
To air—
Their battle tore through space itself.
Pure taijutsu.
Pure power.
And they were evenly matched.
No—
Not exactly.
Because Sarutobi wasn't alone.
In his hands—
The Adamantine Staff.
His summoned weapon.
A living entity.
Which meant—
This was effectively a two-on-one battle.
And yet—
Ryujin still stood his ground.
…Monstrous.
Sakumo felt a chill run through him.
The gap.
The difference in strength between himself and Ryujin—
Wasn't small.
It wasn't even close.
Ryujin could fight evenly against a fully serious Sarutobi.
While Sakumo—
Couldn't even defeat an elder like Moku.
Both were called geniuses.
Both were praised across Konoha.
And yet—
The difference was absolute.
Sakumo's grip tightened.
That's not a genius…
That's a monster.
At that moment—
Another Fireball surged toward him.
Sakumo's pupils shrank.
He instantly coated his feet with chakra—
And vanished.
Shunshin.
The attack missed.
He reappeared—
Unscathed.
But his heart—
Was pounding.
That was close…
Uchiha Moku stood calmly in place, smiling faintly.
"You're Hatake Sakumo, correct?"
"You're quite talented. To last this long at your age… that's rare."
Then his tone shifted slightly.
"But even a genius…"
"Cannot afford to lose focus in battle."
It sounded like advice.
But also—
A warning.
Moku wasn't trying to kill him.
Because he understood something deeply.
This battle—
Was not about slaughter.
Killing Sakumo—
Or others like him—
Would only weaken Konoha.
And that—
Was not their goal.
The real targets—
Were only two.
Danzo Shimura.
And Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Remove them—
And the war would end.
Everyone else—
Were future assets.
People who could serve under Ryujin.
Moku had lived long enough to see beyond the battlefield.
He wasn't just fighting.
He was planning.
Sakumo let out a cold breath.
Then suddenly—
He spoke.
"You call me a genius…"
His eyes flicked toward the sky—
Toward the battle above.
"…Then what about him?"
"What about Uchiha Ryujin?"
Silence.
Moku looked at him.
And for the first time—
There was something different in his eyes.
Pity.
"…You can't compare."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Sakumo didn't react.
But Moku sighed softly.
"To be born in the same era as him…"
"…is both an honor…"
"…and a tragedy."
Because Ryujin—
Was perfection itself.
Power.
Growth.
Strategy.
Vision.
Everything—
Flawless.
Moku had watched him grow.
Since childhood.
And he knew—
No one—
Could compare.
Sakumo listened.
Calm.
Silent.
No jealousy.
No anger.
Only—
Focus.
Because—
He had found his chance.
The moment—
Moku let his guard down.
Sakumo moved.
Like lightning—
He rushed forward.
Chakra blade raised—
Aiming to strike.
But—
"Ambush isn't a bad habit…"
Moku blocked it with his staff, smiling faintly.
"…for a ninja."
But then—
A voice sounded—
Behind him.
"Exactly."
"As long as you win…"
"…that's all that matters."
The Sakumo in front—
Turned to smoke.
Shadow clone.
The real Sakumo—
Was already behind him.
Crouched low.
Two fingers extended.
"…Thousand Years—"
"OF DEATH."