Tsunade's sudden appearance reawakened the emotions Uchiha Fugaku had long buried—his memories of Shisui, of the Soul Society—resurfacing like a tide that wouldn't recede.
After his encounter with Shisui during the Third Great Ninja War, Fugaku had convinced himself that he could just ignore it all. If he paid no attention, if he simply carried on with his life, everything would return to normal.
But reality would not be so kind.
First Shisui, then Tsunade.
The "future" they spoke of must be something so monumental that it drove them to abandon not only their clans but even Konoha itself.
However…
"The paths we walk are too different—we cannot walk together."
"I am the head of the Uchiha clan. What I shoulder is the rise or fall, the glory and legacy of my clan. Everything else… is meaningless!"
Fugaku's eyes sharpened with renewed determination.
To him, what Shisui or Tsunade were pursuing, whatever lay in the Soul Society—none of that mattered.
What mattered was that the Uchiha claim the position of Hokage. That they gain better treatment in Konoha, more authority, more power. That was what truly counted!
"Still… Tsunade's presence opens up quite a few strategic possibilities..."
After a long moment of contemplation, Fugaku ultimately chose not to report Tsunade's appearance to Danzō, nor did he send the intel back to Konoha.
Tsunade's identity was too sensitive—she wasn't just one of the Legendary Sannin or the Third Hokage's student. She was also the granddaughter of the First Hokage and a princess of the Land of Fire.
If Konoha learned that she had joined forces with Kirigakure's Soul Society, the shock would be seismic. It would not only be a massive blow to the Hokage faction—it could become the key leverage that allowed the Uchiha to ascend!
This information had to be revealed at the right time.
Perhaps after this war concluded.
Perhaps… during the next Hokage selection.
"It seems I can't afford to hold back any longer. This battle… will be the one that puts Uchiha Fugaku's name on the map. The one that lays the foundation for our clan to lead Konoha!"
Fugaku looked down at the octopus tentacle, sealed it into a scroll, and swiftly retreated to rejoin the main force.
Tsunade, however, hadn't gone far. She now stood in a grove not far off.
Several figures stood silently among the trees, each bearing witness to what had just transpired.
"Just as expected from the captain chosen by Lord Yoru. That level of strength is absurd…"
Jūzō Biwa clicked his tongue as he stared at Tsunade's voluptuous figure. But what flashed in his mind wasn't her appearance—it was the scene of her pounding the Eight-Tails jinchūriki into the ground and shattering the Mangekyō's genjutsu in an instant.
"She's one of the Sannin, after all. In front of a Sannin, it doesn't matter if you're Uchiha or one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—you're nothing."
Kuriarare Kushimaru said indifferently. Beside him, Shizune—vice-captain of Fourth Division—beamed with pride.
Lady Tsunade's strength was beyond question!
She hadn't even released her Zanpakutō, yet she had single-handedly crushed the Eight-Tails jinchūriki. That was the might of Princess Tsunade!
"You think Lord Yoru sent you just to stand there and watch me fight alone?" Tsunade snapped. "What's the situation on Danzō's side?"
"Pretty much wrapped up. All enemy pursuers have been eliminated."
Jūzō Biwa patted the soul extraction device on his waist. "But I'll say this—the Cloud's combat strength is no joke. One of the pursuers, a guy named Toroi, was hell-bent on killing Danzō. If Danzō hadn't used some secret technique, he might've succeeded."
"Secret technique?"
Tsunade frowned. "What kind?"
"Probably something like Izanagi," Shizune answered quickly. "Lord Danzō had his heart pierced by Toroi's Magnetic Release shuriken, but a moment later it regenerated."
"There was a distinct Yin Release chakra fluctuation. Very similar to what's described in the Sharingan Dōjutsu Analysis Manual about Izanagi."
"Lord Yoru once said the Sharingan Danzō used during the Third War—belonging to Uchiha Kagami—was already exhausted. So it's likely Danzō transplanted another one, maybe even more."
Tsunade's brow creased deeper, though she wasn't surprised.
Of course she knew the filth that lurked in Konoha's higher-ups. That was one reason she had left in the first place.
They even exploited her grandfather's corpse—so how much worse could their treatment of the long-despised Uchiha clan have been?
"No need to worry. This isn't something we need to deal with."
Tsunade's voice was calm. "We'll just help ease the pressure on Konoha from the Cloud. Unless the village is on the brink of annihilation, we don't intervene further."
"Understood!"
—
Konoha Camp
When Fugaku met Danzō, Danzō, wrapped in many bandages, seemed to be in good spirits, though his unit had suffered heavy losses.
Especially his elite Root operatives.
According to Danzō, if it hadn't been for those elites sacrificing themselves, activating the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique and turning themselves into suicide bombs, they wouldn't have escaped the Cloud pursuit alive.
After the two sides met, the forces set up camp and began treating the wounded. It happened to be lunchtime, so Danzō, Fugaku, and several elite jōnin grabbed a quick onigiri before convening in the command tent.
"There was actually another force on the battlefield besides the Cloud," Danzō began, eyeing Fugaku—clearly displeased with the Third Hokage's order to make Fugaku commander, though he said nothing directly. "They wore matching uniforms, but not ninja gear. Based on my intel, they were from Kirigakure's Soul Society."
"The Mist is involved too?" Fugaku's brow furrowed appropriately.
"Unclear. But those Soul Society people seem to be on our side. Maybe Mizukage Yoru's just following through on our newly signed cooperation pact, giving us a hand?"
Danzō scoffed as he said this, clearly not believing his own words. He then changed the subject. "You fought Killer Bee?"
"Yeah. He got away using a tentacle substitution."
Fugaku made no attempt to hide it—he directly claimed Tsunade's achievement as his own.
But Danzō didn't buy it for a second. His one visible eye stared daggers at Fugaku.
Sure, the man was known as "Wiked Eye Fugaku," but single-handedly defeating the Eight-Tails jinchūriki? Impossible.
That was the Eight-Tails!
As if sensing the doubt, Fugaku's pitch-black eyes suddenly changed.
In front of Danzō and every ninja in the tent, he revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan.
The blood-red eyes blazed in the dimly lit tent. Positioned at the head of the table, Fugaku immediately drew every gaze in the room.
The moment those eyes appeared, the entire tent fell into dead silence. You could hear a pin drop.
A chilling, eerie aura radiated from Fugaku's eyes. The non-Uchiha jōnin felt only dread, but the Uchiha jōnin present were all stunned—then ecstatic, their faces filled with fervent excitement.
Danzō shot to his feet, trembling with disbelief.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan… Fugaku, when did you—?!"
"Just when I was in the Land of Iron."
Fugaku's voice was deep. "I awakened it upon hearing of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina's deaths. You know—Kushina, Mikoto, and I were close friends. Losing them both devastated me. That's what triggered the awakening."
Bullshit!
Danzō cursed inwardly.
Sure, Kushina and Mikoto were best friends—everyone in Konoha knew that. But what the hell did that have to do with you, Fugaku?
You're telling me you awakened the Mangekyō because the Fourth and his wife died?
I don't buy it.
You've clearly had that eye for a while and were just hiding it, biding your time.
Now that the Fourth's dead, and we're down to just a few viable candidates for Fifth Hokage, now you reveal it?
You've been playing the long game, haven't you?
Still, Danzō couldn't show any of this on the surface.
This was the Mangekyō Sharingan—the same eyes that once subdued the Nine-Tails and clashed with Hashirama Senju himself!
"Haha… Incredible. No wonder you were able to take down the Eight-Tails."
Danzō forced a smile, no longer questioning Fugaku's story.
Madara had once used the Mangekyō to control the Nine-Tails in his fight against Hashirama. Even recently, another Mangekyō user had manipulated the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha.
Now, Fugaku had defeated the Eight-Tails jinchūriki with the same eyes.
It was entirely plausible.
Why didn't Danzō suspect Fugaku of orchestrating the Nine-Tails attack?
Because Fugaku had a perfect alibi—he had been in the Land of Iron at the time!
But…
"If we include that bastard from Higashimatsuyama, that means there are two Mangekyō users in the world right now…"
"Decades went by without a single one appearing—and now two emerge at the same time? Coincidence? Or have you, Fugaku, struck some secret deal with that man?"
Danzō's lone eye narrowed coldly, thoughts racing.
"I've taken on this command from the Third Hokage—and as long as I hold it, Konoha will not lose this war!"
Fugaku's words rang with steely conviction as his Mangekyō scanned the tent. "If the Cloud dares to invade—then we'll teach them a harsh lesson!"
"Inabi!"
"Clan Head!"
Inabi, flushed with excitement, shouted at the top of his lungs, startling the normally reserved Aburame next to him.
"Relay my orders: the newly arrived reinforcements will take over everyone's duties. Consolidate our forces and rest for one day. Tomorrow afternoon—we launch a full-scale assault on the Cloud!"
"Yes, sir!"
Despite Konoha's forces being decimated from the Third War and the Nine-Tails' attack, while the Cloud remained virtually unscathed—the outcome of a battle often hinges not on numbers, but on power.
This was the ninja world.
One supreme warrior could decide everything.
Just as Yuki Yoru had once tilted the scales between Kiri and Konoha alone—now Fugaku, with his Mangekyō, would decide this war against the Cloud.
This battle could be won!
Fugaku issued his command. Danzō and the top jōnin took their leave to prepare.
Only the Uchiha remained behind, their eyes burning with fervor.
When all the outsiders had gone, one elder finally couldn't hold back.
"Clan Head… you really awakened the Mangekyō?!"
"I did."
"Magnificent! This is the power our ancestors used to bring peace to the Warring States Era!"
"Tomorrow, we'll show the Cloud the might of the Uchiha!"
"Hahaha! Tomorrow we drive them out of the Land of Fire—day after that, we're back in Konoha, running for Hokage!"
The power of the Mangekyō was beyond dispute. The Uchiha present were nearly trembling with excitement. Some were already daydreaming about ruling Konoha.
What? You say we're still at war?
Who cares? It's the Mangekyō Sharingan, you fool!
The Cloud is nothing but sand before Fugaku-sama!
At that moment, every Uchiha there could already see the future: Fugaku wearing the Hokage hat and robe, standing atop the Hokage tower.
Their cheers were deafening. Even Fugaku himself couldn't help feeling stirred.
The lust for battle ran in Uchiha blood.
No matter how composed Fugaku appeared, the "dark Uchiha" within was very much alive.
"Tomorrow's battle won't be mine alone—it'll be ours!"
"Don't worry, Clan Head! Tomorrow we'll show those Cloud bastards the power of the Uchiha!"
"Hell yeah! Watch me—tomorrow, I'll take out ten of 'em!"
"Ten? I'll take twenty!"
"You kidding me? I'll do fifty!"
"One hundred!!"
—
"Shikai: Ten-Thousand Seal Lockdown!"
Kirigakure, Mizukage's Residence
With a crisp shout, a massive surge of spiritual pressure (Reiatsu) exploded from the open training yard. Luckily, the walls were protected by a special barrier, preventing the pressure from leaking out.
Golden light burst from the red-haired figure at the center.
Even Yoru, watching from the side, couldn't help but marvel.
"Another absurd Zanpakutō…"
As Uzumaki Kushina finished her training, Yoru stepped onto the training ground, clapping. "You're adapting well. At this rate, you'll be ready to take over as Captain of Seventh Division."
"Spirit energy and chakra aren't so different," Kushina replied, sheathing her Zanpakutō and patting the blade. "The only thing I'm not used to is the sword itself."
She'd never specialized in swordsmanship. Her style had always been a mix of sealing jutsu and taijutsu—if that wasn't enough, she'd use the Nine-Tails' chakra.
But thanks to the influence of her husband's disciple's swordmaster father, she had some basics and was adapting quickly.
"Swordplay's not essential. In the end, a Shinigami's strength lies in their spiritual pressure. The blade is just one way to release it."
"Still, skill matters. Just like chakra—those with better control can maximize their jutsu's power. I imagine spirit energy's the same."
"True. Take your time. We have plenty."
"Mmh…"
They fell silent briefly. Then Kushina's eyes grew urgent.
Yoru sighed. "Alright, alright. I've brought news from Konoha and Naruto. Don't worry."
"What kind of mother wouldn't worry about her child? Naruto's just been born!" she snapped, back to her fiery self.
"Fine, fine," Yoru shrugged.
"Konoha's fine. Tsunade's already gone to help. With her there, Konoha won't lose to the Cloud."
"As for your child…"
"What happened to Naruto?!" Kushina grew agitated.
"Two bad pieces of news," Yoru said, tossing her a scroll. "Hiruzen Sarutobi changed your child's name to Uzumaki Naruto and concealed his parentage."
"Worse, rumors are circulating in Konoha that Naruto is the Nine-Tails in human form… You understand what that means in a village still mourning and afraid."
Kushina stood frozen, anger bubbling just beneath the surface.
Yoru quickly added, "Stay calm. That's just Sarutobi giving the people a scapegoat. Even if that scapegoat is the Hokage's son."
"What do you mean?" Kushina seethed. "What's the second piece of news?"
"As a Shinigami, you now understand the relationship between 'body,' 'soul,' and 'chakra,' right? If not, I'll send you to the archives first—"
"Cut the crap! What happened to Naruto?!"
"Relax. It's just that… there's a reincarnated soul, cloaked in special chakra, sealed inside your son's body."
Yoru looked calmly at the frozen Kushina.
"To put it simply…"
"Someone may be planning to possess your child."