Uchiha Ran's eyes lit up.
The system really knew how to deliver exactly what he needed.
They had just finished discussing the drawbacks of the Mangekyō Sharingan, and the system immediately rewarded him with Uchiha Eye Exercises. Perfect timing.
There was also a new weapon.
Ran focused his mind. The Uchiha battle scythe materialized and dropped into his hands, its weight solid and familiar.
---
Hidden Mist Village – Underground Cave
Uchiha Obito roared in fury.
"Damn it! Who stole my weapon?! Fine, take the Gunbai if you want—but even the final Uchiha battle scythe is gone?!"
Wearing his white mask, he slammed his fist into the stone wall.
Boom.
The cave trembled.
"If I find out who did this," Obito growled, "I'll make them pay."
---
Battlefield
Ran looked at the battle scythe in his hands and smiled.
Good. Always smashing people with the Gunbai was inefficient—and cleaning it afterward was annoying.
Then there was the Hashirama Cells data, supposedly the final perfected version with no side effects.
Ran skimmed through it mentally.
At first, it was readable.
Then came endless formulas and structural calculations.
His head started spinning.
He gave up.
"I'll leave this to Kabuto," Ran decided. "Professionals handle professional work."
Yakushi Kabuto noticed Ran glancing at him and felt confused—but didn't ask.
He was already bound. His life was in Ran's hands. Betrayal wasn't even an option.
As for the eye exercises, this wasn't the place to bring it up. Too many eyes.
Ran turned to Uchiha Fugaku.
"I understand. I'll leave this area to you, Father. I'm heading to support the other fronts."
With that, he grabbed Nara Shikaku, who was still bent over vomiting.
Shikaku froze.
"…Again?"
Before he could protest, the world flipped.
"DAMN IT—!"
"WAIT—!"
"STOP—!"
They vanished into the sky.
The surrounding ninja stared, stunned.
Kabuto calmly infused chakra and followed.
---
West of Konoha
Ōnoki did not rush to attack.
Thirty kilometers from enemy territory, he waited for news from Sunagakure.
Among the major villages opposing Konoha, the Sand was the weakest. Let them test the waters.
If they failed, Iwagakure would retreat.
If they succeeded, Iwagakure would advance in full force.
Suddenly, a scout rushed in, face drained of blood.
"Report, Lord Tsuchikage! Konoha has summoned a giant!"
"Over three hundred meters tall. One slash shattered mountains. Blue chakra tore through the earth."
Ōnoki's expression changed.
That description—
Susanoo.
The shadow that had haunted him for decades.
"Do you have an image?" Ōnoki asked coldly.
The scout knelt and offered a scroll.
Akatsuchi checked it, then handed it over.
Ōnoki opened it.
His pupils shrank.
The figure wore red armor from the Warring States era.
A Gunbai on his back.
An Uchiha battle scythe in his hands.
And behind him—
Susanoo.
Ōnoki's breath faltered.
Memories long buried surged to the surface.
---
Flashback
"Why… why is this happening?" young Ōnoki asked in disbelief. "Didn't Lord Hashirama—"
Mu stood in front of him, tense.
Uchiha Madara looked down at them.
"There is no alliance," Madara said coldly. "Submit to Konoha."
He paused.
"And don't speak that ninja's name in front of me."
His eyes turned into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Susanoo erupted from the ground, roaring.
The pressure alone sent Ōnoki and Mu flying, smashing them into the earth.
Ōnoki struggled up, teeth clenched.
Ishikawa's voice echoed in his mind.
"That is a wall.
When people hit it, they lose their will and replace it with hatred."
"Never abandon your will. Hold onto it."
Ōnoki forced himself upright.
Madara glanced at him, unimpressed.
"You still want to fight? You're far too green."
His eyes shifted.
Genjutsu.
The stone slipped from Ōnoki's hand.
He collapsed to his knees, eyes empty.
Madara snorted and turned away.
---
The next morning, Ōnoki woke trembling.
In his dream, he had been killed again and again.
Death. Revival. Death.
At first, he fought back.
In the end, he only tried to avoid dying—because dying hurt.
Mu looked at him silently.
"You're awake."
"Teacher… where is Uchiha Madara?" Ōnoki asked hoarsely.
"He left."
Ōnoki froze.
"He didn't kill us? Didn't force Iwagakure to submit?"
Mu exhaled slowly.
"No."
The shadow, however, never left.
------
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