"The value of life shouldn't be judged by people. Respecting each other's way of living is the foundation of freedom."
These words were spoken by Captain Roger to Sakura Haruno after his return from Laugh Tale.
Sakura had always lived by this philosophy, walking her own path while honoring Roger's teachings.
Now, she stood at the outskirts of the Uchiha clan's territory.
Her wide-ranging Observation Haki had already picked up on the restless emotions swirling within the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Fugaku, twice deceived by Konoha's leadership, was once again swaying toward the hawkish faction.
"Everyone, it's been fifty-eight years since Konoha was founded," Fugaku declared.
"Every Hokage, from the First to the Fourth, has been tied to the Senju clan or their allies."
"And what about the Uchiha? What about us? After spilling blood and sacrificing for Konoha, what has become of us?"
In front of the Uchiha Security Force headquarters, Fugaku's passionate speech echoed through the crowd.
The audience grew more frenzied, their Sharingan spinning wildly in their eyes.
As Konoha's exclusion of the Uchiha grew harsher, even the few remaining doves within the clan were rapidly shifting toward the hawkish side.
The handful of Uchiha who firmly opposed a coup had already been subdued. The clan was now spiraling out of control.
"Today, we no longer have to endure! Cast aside everything and seize the Uchiha's glory with our strength!"
"Yes!!!"
Countless hands clutching weapons shot into the air, the clash of swords ringing through the Uchiha district.
"This doesn't sound like you, Clan Leader Fugaku," a voice cut through the fervor.
Amid the surging crowd, an out-of-place voice rang out.
As the words landed, pairs of blood-red eyes turned sharply toward the source.
Cold, piercing gazes surrounded Sakura, but she stood unmoved, her expression calm and indifferent.
"Sakura Haruno!!!"
Uchiha Nobu, who had clashed with the girl before, drew his blade, a savage grin spreading across his face. "She's Hiruzen Sarutobi's lapdog! Take her down and use her as a sacrifice!"
"My mood's pretty bad right now. Could you… quiet down for a sec?!"
Sakura's emerald-green eyes narrowed, and an overwhelming aura burst forth from her.
Dark lightning roared through the air, crackling and surging, enveloping the ground.
Boom!!!
With the unleashed force of Sakura's Conqueror's Haki, her indomitable will washed over every Uchiha present, assaulting their minds.
In their eyes, Sakura stood like a king reigning over the seas, stirring storms and waves with a wave of her hand, dominating everything.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
One by one, weaker Uchiha clansmen fainted, their eyes rolling back as they collapsed to the ground.
Only a few dozen Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan remained conscious, barely able to maintain their fighting strength.
"This… this is her aura? From a seven-year-old kid?!"
Nobu's blade trembled in his hand, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
In this girl before him, he saw the shadow of an ancestor recorded in the clan's chronicles.
"Step back! You're no match for her!"
Fugaku stepped into the center, ordering Nobu to retreat.
His scarlet eyes, bearing the Mangekyō Sharingan with its yin-yang fish pattern, spun slowly as a unique mental intrusion targeted Sakura.
"It seems you're the first obstacle in our coup. The Third Hokage really knows how to make an entrance!"
Fugaku drew three kunai from his pouch and, taking advantage of Sakura's distraction by his genjutsu, flung them at her.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Unfazed by the genjutsu thanks to her Conqueror's Haki, Sakura followed her Observation Haki's guidance, spinning her famed blade, Ace, to deflect the kunai.
With a swift step forward, she swung her sword, unleashing a flying slash.
A cyan blade of energy spun through the air, hurtling toward Fugaku.
Sharp, swift, and deadly.
Fugaku's Mangekyō spun, and he calmly sidestepped the attack.
The slash grazed past him, slicing through the Security Force building behind him with a single cut.
"That swordsmanship…! An Anbu brat!"
"She'll kill us!"
"One hit, and we'd be sliced in half!"
The Uchiha jonin watching from a distance, already ordered back by Fugaku, retreated even farther, maintaining their clan's stoic demeanor.
"It seems we both have the ability to predict each other's attacks," Fugaku said, his eyes narrowing fiercely.
His chakra surged within him, ready to unleash the fearsome reputation of his "Wicked Eye" from the Water Country battlefield.
"Here I come. Against a ninja like you, I can't hold back. Don't hate me if you die."
Sakura sheathed Ace and hoisted a massive axe, nearly as tall as she was, onto her shoulder.
Un-Shi-In-Shin-Hai
Ninjutsu: Mist Servant Technique.
Shadow chakra surged, and countless illusions enveloped Sakura, forming a layer of genjutsu around her.
With a powerful stomp, the ground cracked, and dust flew into the air.
Using the Shave technique, Sakura shot forward in a straight line, swinging her giant axe toward Fugaku with full force.
"Right, not left?"
Fugaku's Mangekyō locked onto Sakura's form. Every movement seemed like slow motion in his eyes, yet an unshakable sense of danger lingered.
Suppressing his unease, Fugaku adjusted his stance and formed hand signs, unleashing a massive fire dragon.
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.
Flames roared, the dragon bellowed, and the colossal fire dragon rose like a pillar into the sky, gazing down contemptuously at the girl.
Then… it crashed down.
Sakura leaped into the air, slicing through the dragon with a single swing.
As Fugaku watched the dragon disintegrate, his Mangekyō spun again, blood vessels spreading in his eyes.
The scattered flames reformed, the dragon reshaping itself and lunging to engulf Sakura.
"Nice work, Clan Leader!"
The Uchiha spectators on the surrounding rooftops cheered.
But at the center of the battlefield, black lightning erupted, and a torrent of willpower crashed into Fugaku's seasoned mind like a raging storm.
"Hmph!"
Fugaku grunted, feeling his spirit suppressed.
Sakura slowly emerged from the shadow of a large tree.
"An illusion from the start? What a little monster!"
Fugaku wiped the sweat from his brow. Using his Mangekyō repeatedly was taking its toll.
Even he hadn't expected to be pushed this far by a young girl.
"I've figured out your eye techniques. One predicts the future, and the other weaves the future of objects."
Carrying her axe, Sakura walked to the center of the Security Force plaza, facing Fugaku.
"You've seen through me. Looks like I can't hold back anymore."
Fugaku let out a soft sigh.
This girl's talent as a ninja rivaled even his gifted son.
In just a few exchanges, she'd deduced the effects of his Mangekyō abilities: Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi.
And with his eldest son nowhere to be seen, had he sided with the village?
"Guess I'm a failure as a father," Fugaku said with a self-deprecating smile.
But he could no longer afford to fail as the leader of his clan.
At the very least, I'll lead my people to carve out a brighter future for our children!
"Susanoo!!!"
Fugaku let out a low shout, blood trailing from the corners of his eyes.
His left eye's Amaterasu and right eye's Tsukuyomi merged, and a massive surge of shadow chakra roared uncontrollably.
The darkness was illuminated by a towering purple skeleton, followed by flesh, skin, and armor forming a majestic warrior.
In an instant, the shadow of a god stood proud before the world.