The team was fully assembled, but the one leading it wasn't a jōnin from the police force, nor was he a high-ranking elder from the Uchiha clan. Instead, it was an older-generation ninja long rumored to be dead.
Uchiha Setsuna—during the founding days of Konoha, he had been an exceptional shinobi. According to legend, he had always regretted not following Uchiha Madara when he left the village, making him one of the staunchest hardliners among the Uchiha.
After Konoha was established, he rarely made public appearances. Some said he had gone into the shadows of the clan, forming a hidden alliance with the Uchiha's eighth generation in a relationship not unlike that between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō—light and shadow, working in tandem.
When Fugaku rose to power, news spread that Uchiha Setsuna had died of old age. Several clan elders had even held a modest funeral for him...
Some questioned whether a ninja of such advanced age could still command a large force—or even maintain jōnin-level combat capabilities.
Setsuna didn't answer. He simply pointed at Uchiha Tekka and Inoka—the two current heads of the police force, and among the strongest jōnin of the younger generation, second only to Shisui and Itachi.
Under the joint attack of these two mid-to-upper-level jōnin, Uchiha Setsuna appeared completely at ease. Not only did he face them both simultaneously using his dōjutsu, but he also used a wooden staff instead of a blade, striking at their vital points multiple times.
Even among elite jōnin, such a massive gap in strength was unheard of.
Some began to suspect that Uchiha Setsuna had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—but he only smiled in response.
The team soon finished assembling. You and several other academy students, along with some apprentice genin trained within the clan, were also included in the formation.
You all activated the Transformation Jutsu—not to appear as adults, but to alter your appearances while still remaining child-sized. The adult ninja did the same. This half-real, half-false disguise was the safest option.
Soon, under the pretense of going out to restock supplies, your group exited the gates of Konoha.
Though you deeply doubted such a flimsy excuse would work, you all managed to get out.
After all, most sensor-nin could only tell that you were ninja—they couldn't determine your true identities. Whether you were a group of disposable chūnin and genin, or true elites, was impossible to tell. Any reckless attack could easily shatter the delicate stalemate between the Uchiha and the village.
And so, you left Konoha unscathed, slipping away into the distance...
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally made the call to place the Uchiha clan under lockdown. Publicly, however, he claimed there had been a Kumogakure spy infiltration and ordered all major clans to remain behind closed doors, minimizing contact with the outside world.
...
[Day Five]
You learned the Body Flicker Technique while traveling.
Since all of you were shinobi, aided by soldier pills and the Body Flicker, you required only minimal rest and food to cover long distances.
Just one more day of travel and you would reach the capital of the Land of Fire.
But just when you thought you were safe, a group of bounty hunters came scrambling toward your convoy, panic written all over their faces. It was as if they were fleeing from something truly terrifying. Even their breathing and movements were completely erratic.
At first, you assumed these fleeing bounty hunters were simply passing by. After all, no bounty was worth dying for. But when they saw your group, they suddenly halted—some even began forming hand seals on the spot.
Uchiha Setsuna instantly sensed something was wrong. He ordered a swift retreat into formation: jōnin on the outer perimeter, apprentice genin in the center, and chūnin ready to reinforce at any moment.
The jōnin in the front formed seals and unleashed their jutsu, while the chūnin in the rear combined efforts to cast Sharingan Illusion. Normally, genjutsu couldn't be layered like this, but Sharingan-based illusions were an exception. With enough users, even a Tailed Beast could be controlled—one of the many reasons Danzō feared the Uchiha so much.
Under the onslaught of layered genjutsu, the bounty hunters were left dazed, completely defenseless.
In the next instant, Uchiha fire-style jutsu surged forward like a tide, set to engulf the clueless bounty hunters—but just before the fire reached them, a bolt of lightning exploded in their midst.
A tall figure clad in black appeared before you, face covered save for a pair of piercing green eyes—Kakuzu.
Realizing how dangerous this opponent was, Uchiha Setsuna drew his blade and stepped out of formation. As he slowly approached Kakuzu, he signaled for the rest of you to test him with genjutsu.
Working together, your combined Sharingan Illusion seemed to actually affect Kakuzu. He stood frozen in place, as if successfully controlled. Sensing the perfect opportunity, Setsuna leapt into the air and brought his blade down toward Kakuzu's forehead.
The strike met Kakuzu's skull—but instead of piercing through, it sparked against his head with a shower of light.
In that moment, Kakuzu countered—grabbing the ninja blade barehanded. With a powerful yank, he pulled Setsuna off balance and followed up with a heavy punch.
Fortunately, Setsuna reacted in time. He activated Body Flicker, abandoning his sword and flashing to the side, hands already forming seals.
But just then, a jet-black tentacle erupted from the ground and pierced straight through both of Setsuna's legs. In desperation, he gave a shocking command:
"Unleash large-scale fire jutsu—burn Kakuzu to death!"
Though it pained you all, it was the only option. Choking down the grief of potentially killing one of your own, you released your strongest Fire Style techniques, engulfing both Kakuzu and Uchiha Setsuna in a sea of flame.
But then, from behind your formation, a massive Water Style blast erupted.
The blast hit mid-cast, knocking shinobi off their feet in all directions. Some had their Fire Jutsu forced back into their throats by the deluge—searing their internal organs instantly.
With just one attack, your tightly coordinated unit—composed of several skilled jōnin—was thrown into chaos. The formation shattered. Many were gravely injured on the spot.
A Kage-level threat... was overwhelming.
Before you could even regroup, a bolt of Lightning Style shot through the air like a cannon, slamming into the water-soaked crowd. Limbs flew. Blood sprayed. Even those not directly hit were paralyzed by the conduction.
Uchiha casualties were catastrophic.
You lay on the ground, half your body scorched, paralyzed, but still managed to cry out, urging everyone to use Lightning Style jutsu.
But suddenly, Kakuzu's black tentacles surged out from your broken formation, morphing into sharp blades that stabbed through every ninja in their path without discrimination. Some tried to cut the tendrils with their blades—only to see sparks fly with no effect.
Following your earlier suggestion, some tried using Lightning Style to counter the tentacles. And it worked—the lightning disrupted the tentacle defense. But...
You were all drenched. Anyone using Lightning Style risked shocking their own comrades. The more you fought back, the worse the friendly fire became.
Then, just when it seemed all hope was lost, the tentacles abruptly recoiled into the ground—as if struck in a weak spot.
You, having lost all ability to fight, lay on the ground. For the moment, Kakuzu had not targeted you, allowing you to escape death.
At that moment, the smoke from the fire jutsu finally cleared, revealing the figures within.
Kakuzu's body was charred black, his tendrils limp and hanging down. A broken blade was embedded deep in his back.
Not far away, standing intact and unharmed, was Uchiha Setsuna—the man you thought had been doomed to die.
Only...
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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