Uchiha's Arrogance

Under the cover of night, several Sunagakure ninja were chatting inside an outpost.

"Say, if we openly set up an outpost here, will Hidden Rain Village react?"

One Sunagakure ninja rested his cheek on his hand and asked with some concern.

Due to Hidden Rain Village's strategic withdrawal, the Sunagakure ninja had directly planted their outpost inside the town.

This was somewhat too brazen, practically telling Hidden Rain Village outright: We're taking this place!

As long as Hidden Rain Village failed to make any decent response, Sunagakure would move in on a large scale and naturally take over the entire town.

They had done this sort of thing many times before...

Thus, his concern was quickly met with ridicule from his companions.

"Don't be stupid. Konoha is preparing to launch a large-scale invasion of Hidden Rain Village. It'd be good enough if we didn't take advantage of the chaos—how would they have time to bother with us?"

"That's right, this is the best time for us to massively expand our territory."

"Besides, Hidden Rain Village is just a small country. Their previous war with Konoha already drained a great deal of their fighting strength. If it really comes to a fight, Sunagakure has nothing to fear!"

"To be honest, I think the chances of Hidden Rain Village attacking us are even lower than Konoha's."

The moment that Sunagakure ninja finished speaking, everyone suddenly fell silent.

"What's wrong... wasn't that funny?"

His expression stiffened. He had no idea why the atmosphere had suddenly become so grave.

"Listen carefully. Do you hear something?"

One Sunagakure ninja frowned and pricked up his ears.

At his reminder, everyone quickly fell silent. Then, amid the howling night wind, they heard a faint ringing of bells.

"It's the alarm line we set up around the outpost!!"

The Sunagakure ninja finally realized what was happening.

As for why their companion on night watch had given no warning, there was only one possibility—

He had already died a glorious death!

With that thought, the remaining eight Sunagakure ninja rushed out of the outpost at top speed.

On the town's muddy streets, several dark figures were charging toward them at incredible speed.

By the faint moonlight, the Sunagakure ninja finally made out their attire—

Green ninja flak jackets, along with Forehead Protectors bearing a pattern resembling a whirlpool.

"It's Konoha ninja!"

One Sunagakure ninja cried out, and everyone immediately turned to look at the ninja who had spoken earlier.

He was practically about to cry as he explained, "I was just joking!"

No matter what they were thinking, those "Konoha ninja" did not slow their advance.

Amid a barrage of piercing whistles through the air, countless Kunai and Shuriken blanketed the entire outpost.

"Take cover!!"

The Sunagakure ninja had barely finished shouting when continuous explosions engulfed the front of the outpost.

In mere seconds, the outpost's gates and walls were easily blasted open.

Only then did the dumbfounded Sunagakure ninja finally react.

"Fire a signal flare and request reinforcements from Lady Chiyo."

"Then get your equipment and puppets ready. We'll fight these Konoha bastards to the death!!"

Under the Sunagakure squad captain's command, the two Puppet Masters in the team hurriedly took out scrolls and summoned two puppets that creaked and clattered incessantly.

The others immediately fired a signal flare into the sky.

Its dazzling light illuminated the ruined town as brightly as day.

By the time they had finished all that, those damned "Konoha ninja" had already charged in.

Roars, explosions, furious shouts, and the crisp clang of colliding weapons quickly erupted.

The residents living in the town could only clutch their children tighter, hide beneath their beds or inside their cellars, and silently pray that the conflict would end soon.

Yet amid this seemingly fierce battle, only one person was slacking off from beginning to end: Jingū Kiraku.

He was waiting for Sunagakure's reinforcements to arrive. If he went too hard, his plan would be impossible to carry out.

Fortunately, Sunagakure's signal flare was quite effective. Before long, Jingū Kiraku spotted a Sunagakure reinforcement squad rapidly approaching on the map.

In fact, this reinforcement squad had been hiding in a valley not far from the town all along.

As for their purpose, it was presumably to prevent Hidden Rain Village from making a desperate last stand.

They simply had not expected that, instead of retaliation and expulsion from Hidden Rain Village, they would be met by Konoha's unprovoked attack.

No matter what, this fit Jingū Kiraku's plan perfectly.

Once he had confirmed when the reinforcements would arrive, his eyes suddenly turned scarlet.

Three sinister, mysterious black tomoe slowly spun within them, brimming with deadly intent.

Suddenly, a fierce gust came from behind him, stirring his short black hair.

"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"

A Sunagakure ninja appeared. High-speed currents wrapped around his longsword, and like a buzz saw, it tried to slice the damned Konoha ninja in two!

This time, Jingū Kiraku had no reason to hold back.

He turned around, unleashing terrifying ocular power.

The instant he saw that scarlet eye, intense unease filled the Sand ninja's heart.

Sure enough, in the moment he froze, Jingū Kiraku's kunai had already pierced his abdomen.

The currents around the blade dispersed, and the longsword fell limply to the ground with a crisp clatter.

"Damn it, it's an Uchiha!"

A cry of alarm rose from the Sunagakure side.

As Konoha's foremost clan, the Uchiha name was known throughout the ninja world.

They were universally acknowledged as some of Konoha's most difficult ninja to deal with.

However, Sunagakure did not surrender helplessly just because an Uchiha had appeared.

The Puppet Master pulled both hands through the air, and countless Chakra Threads drove a grotesque puppet toward Jingū Kiraku with a clattering rattle!

"Die, you damned Konoha ninja!"

With an angry curse, a cloud of poisonous gas sprayed from the puppet's mouth and struck the enemy like an arrow.

"This is poison gas personally prepared by Elder Chiyo..."

The Puppet Master looked utterly confident, because no one could survive Elder Chiyo's poison gas.

Unfortunately, Jingū Kiraku had always been an exception.

His figure easily burst through the poisonous mist. Then, before the disbelieving eyes of the Sunagakure ninja, he planted both hands heavily on the puppet before him.

"Creaaak..."

A harsh, grating sound rang out.

Then, before everyone's eyes, the puppet—meticulously crafted by the Puppet Master from countless materials, with a body tougher than steel—was torn directly apart by Jingū Kiraku!!

Under that terrifying strength, the countless components making up the puppet flew in every direction.

Jingū Kiraku appeared before the Puppet Master in time and swung his kunai without hesitation, ending the man's life.

"Heh. Mere Sunagakure trash dares to fight us Konoha for territory? Know your place."

Jingū Kiraku had perfectly immersed himself in his Uchiha identity. Even his arrogant tone was exactly the same.

Suddenly, his expression changed.

"Not good. Sunagakure's reinforcements are here. Retreat!"

Upon hearing the order, every Konoha ninja vanished from the spot without the slightest hesitation.

They seemingly failed to notice the small Puppet Master hidden inside the second puppet body...