When an army-sized force moved out, every freak and fiend along the way had to clear a path.
The two hundred-odd clan ninja were reinforcements dispatched by Rei Uchiha, and also his parting gift to Kyosuke.
Along the way, Maya kept busy, constantly using genjutsu to assess the ninja's loyalty.
Those willing to undergo the test who successfully passed could formally join Kyosuke's ranks as members of his personal force.
It was fine if they refused, too. Everyone had their own ambitions; he could hardly demand that every person bare their heart to him.
As long as they followed orders, they could still count among the Southern Army's combat troops.
As for the handful of troublemakers with ulterior motives, he had already ordered Uchiha Izumi to quietly record their names. All he needed was an opportunity to let them die on the battlefield.
To consolidate his troops, the Southern Border Expeditionary Army dawdled along the way, stretching what should have been a two- or three-day journey into seven full days.
The unit commander responsible for meeting them had cursed him viciously in his head countless times.
In the end, he still had to approach politely and offer a greeting.
"Army Commander Kyosuke, welcome."
"Mm." Kyosuke glanced at him and nodded arrogantly, showing no intention of stopping.
The main force swept past. Had the Reception Team not been alert enough, they might have been swallowed by the surging crowd.
"Damn it." Once the crowd had gone, one clansman finally spoke up indignantly. "Those Southern Army bastards are far too full of themselves."
"Heh." The ignored unit commander murmured in an odd tone, "Win a battle, and you can throw your weight around too."
In truth, he was equally displeased. Anyone subjected to that treatment would probably have felt the same.
But he lacked the strength to back himself up. What could he do except swallow it? Charge after Kyosuke and argue with him?
Word of the boy killing someone in camp to establish his authority had long since reached the main battlefield at the front. He had no desire to become the next subject of everyone's gossip.
"Follow behind them."
Soon, the Southern Border Army entered the military fortress built by the Uchiha.
The existence of ninjutsu had made infrastructure construction exceptionally advanced in the world of Naruto.
Watchtowers of every size rose throughout the camp, which stretched for fifty li.
A sentry post stood every hundred meters, each manned by Uchiha ninja.
Whenever the Barrier Department detected anything unusual, orders would immediately go out, ensuring that clansmen could reach the scene within ten seconds.
That alone told Kyosuke that the fighting on the main front was far more brutal than the war on the Southern Border.
Perhaps Clan Leader Tajima had heard what happened to the welcoming troops, because he sent someone else to meet him.
This time, Kyosuke could no longer maintain his aloof demeanor.
"It's been a while, Master Keisuke."
The man was none other than Uchiha Keisuke, to whom he owed a debt for his instruction.
"The clan leader sent me to meet you." As he spoke, Uchiha Keisuke could not help marveling.
In just over a year, the boy who had once struggled even to maintain his Sharingan had become a major figure within the clan.
His gaze swept over the short sword at the boy's waist, and he suddenly felt grateful that he had not turned down the teaching assignment back then.
It was easy to flatter someone already successful. Now, everyone who met Kyosuke had to respectfully address him as Lord Army Commander.
Yet when the boy had still been a nobody, Keisuke alone had offered help when it was truly needed.
As long as he handled that rare bond carefully, it would serve Uchiha Keisuke well for the rest of his life.
"Stay here and wait." After giving that simple order, Kyosuke headed toward the central area with his teacher.
Along the way, Uchiha Keisuke briefly explained the situation on the battlefield.
"Three months ago, the clan leader fought Butsuma Senju. In the end, both suffered serious injuries."
"Butsuma Senju is that strong?"
"He's at the peak of clan-leader level. His strength is formidable."
At that, Kyosuke fell silent, once again realizing how brutal the Warring States Period was.
He had certainly made great strides, but he was still nowhere near the point where he could act recklessly.
If he truly treated the Senju like the Nara or Akimichi, his entire force would probably be wiped out before long.
Uchiha Keisuke continued his explanation. "The main battlefield is actually manageable. Our clan has spent years fortifying this area. The Senju won't break through anytime soon."
"It's the other front we really need to worry about."
Kyosuke understood what his teacher meant. Holding off the Senju's main force had already exhausted the Uchiha's strength.
With the Uzumaki eyeing them hungrily from another direction, the Uchiha were truly stretched thin.
The Southern Border troops' role was to reinforce the Uzumaki front.
"I won't hide it from you." Uchiha Keisuke said something that startled him. "Not long ago, Uzumaki Ashina personally led his troops into battle. Our clan suffered a crushing defeat, and even the commander was killed on the spot."
Anyone capable of commanding an army had to be at least an elite jonin.
If Uzumaki Ashina could kill him on the spot, that meant he possessed at least clan-leader-level strength.
"Outsiders have underestimated this Uzumaki clan leader for far too many years," Keisuke said with a sigh.
Just as his teacher said, the leader of the Land of Whirlpools possessed terrifying power that could strike fear into anyone.
"Who's in charge over there now?" That was a matter of great concern to Kyosuke.
That bastard Tajima couldn't possibly expect me to take on the Uzumaki clan alone, could he?
If that's the case, I might as well defect on the spot.
"The clan's second elder." His teacher's answer made Kyosuke's brow twitch.
The powerful clans of the Warring States Period had numerous branches and collateral lines. To protect their interests, almost every clan formed a council of elders.
The Uchiha were no exception.
Rei Uchiha was an elder with real authority, responsible for handling threats in the Southern Border region. This second elder would hold a similar position.
"How strong is this second elder?"
"He should also be a clan-leader-level fighter."
"That's a little better, then."
With a powerhouse holding the line, Kyosuke finally felt somewhat reassured.
He had painstakingly built up his forces and did not want someone destroying them all in one go.
"Kyosuke!"
The familiar voice interrupted the reunion between teacher and student.
Looking up, he saw a spiky-haired young man in red armor standing atop the gateway beneath the blazing sun, watching him with a smile.
The sunlight was dazzling, and Kyosuke could not quite make out his face.
Still, the overwhelming swagger rolling off him instantly revealed the young man's identity.
"Madara!"
Chakra burst beneath his feet, and Kyosuke shot forward like lightning.
He held his short sword in hand, faint arcs of electricity flickering along its blade.
"Bring it on!" Madara drew his long sword, his face alight with the excitement of seeing an old friend.
Their way of greeting each other was, admittedly, rather unconventional.
Terrifying currents of air gathered as Madara Uchiha swept his blade across, bearing down with the crushing force of a mountain.
That ferocious pressure made Kyosuke's heart jolt.
Uchiha Style: Step Blast!
Good grief, is this bastard trying to kill me?
Before you continue