Two months ago, the Senju of the Forest launched a surprise attack.
The Uchiha suffered heavy losses and retreated a hundred miles before they could barely regroup.
More than a hundred clansmen died in that battle, and Uchiha Madara's last cousin was stabbed through the stomach.
The guilt gnawed at him, and for a time, he even thought of fleeing the war.
Without telling his father or younger brother, he went to the river every day to clear his head and heal the emotional wounds the battle had left behind.
There, he met a friend who shared the same troubles.
They hit it off at once, quickly becoming close friends who could talk about anything. At the same time, they began to suspect each other's identity.
The major clash on the main battlefield immediately stirred up trouble across the region.
The Three Clans, who had planned to withdraw from the southern battlefield and head deep into the Land of Fire to recuperate, began launching frequent attacks on the Uchiha Legion for reasons no one could fathom.
Over the course of a month, more than twenty battles of varying scale took place. They were nothing compared to the main battlefield, but war was equally cruel wherever it was fought.
"Find them! You'd better find where those bastards are hiding!!!"
Uchiha Rei's roars echoed through the commander's tent.
The Three Clans were extremely cunning, always avoiding direct confrontation with them.
With the Nara Clan on their side, drawing up battle plans was easy. In terms of tactics, it was clear that they were the ones constantly being forced onto the back foot.
Since they couldn't encircle the enemy head-on, dividing the battlefield had become inevitable.
Yet against the Ino-Shika-Cho, whose members worked together seamlessly, Uchiha squads of equal size couldn't gain the slightest advantage.
Over the past month, the battle reports showed that the casualty ratio between the two sides had reached a terrifying 1:2.13.
If things continued this way, the two sides' war potential would soon even out. By then, the situation on the southern battlefield would be dire.
"I want prisoners—high-ranking prisoners!"
"You useless fools! If you can't capture anyone, I'll skin you alive!"
A bout of cursing and smashing erupted. A few minutes later, a group of Unit Captains stumbled out of the tent.
Capture prisoners?
Easier said than done. Did they think the Three Clans were idiots?!
The initiative was in the enemy's hands. If they didn't want to fight, there was nothing anyone could do, no matter how furious they got.
By now, even a fool could see that the Three Clans were coordinating with the Senju.
Until the main battlefield produced a victor, there would be no decisive battle.
Well, if the Southern Legion showed signs of weakness, perhaps the Three Clans' main force really would show itself.
But by then, it wouldn't be clear who would be the target of the encirclement.
The Unit Captains, each with their own thoughts, prepared to return to their camps and assign tasks. Before leaving, every one of them glanced at the figure waiting outside the tent, their eyes carrying different meanings.
The mask, like something worn by a demon from hell, inspired fear at a glance. Everyone knew who he was.
That only made their heartfelt awe impossible to conceal.
He was only nine, yet already the brightest star on the battlefield. The boy's performance had won over everyone.
During this time, many clansmen had applied to join him, hoping to make a name for themselves under the boy's command.
But Kyosuke, as expected, had rejected every one of them.
The three-man squad now worked together with perfect coordination and clearly defined roles. They had developed a fighting style built around striking once and withdrawing without hesitation.
Adding other people on a whim wouldn't improve their fighting strength. It would only interfere with his hunting.
He was willing to recruit people. Kyosuke had reached the point where he needed to build a power base, but he would have to wait a little longer.
He had a plan in mind. If he carried it out well, he would surely be able to gather a large number of capable people.
For now, he needed to find a way to end the stalemate as soon as possible. If the situation turned dangerous, no one would escape punishment from the clan.
He lifted the tent flap and went inside. The tent was already in shambles; nothing that could be smashed had been spared.
Even so, Uchiha Rei sat there, fuming.
At that moment, few people other than Kyosuke would dare to come see him.
"Lord Rei." He maintained the same respectful tone.
"Oh, Kyosuke, you're here." Seeing his most prized subordinate arrive, the old man forced himself to rein in his emotions and managed a smile. "How many did you kill this time?"
Kyosuke shook his head without answering. Getting straight to the point, he explained his idea. "I have a plan. It should draw out an enemy commander of sufficient rank."
"Really?" Uchiha Rei's eyes lit up. His greatest concern right now was how to find the enemy.
As long as they captured a prisoner important enough, they could send out the army and launch a full-scale encirclement, reclaiming all their earlier losses in one fell swoop.
Kyosuke then explained his plan in detail.
"No!" Uchiha Rei shot to his feet, his eyes bloodshot. He fixed his gaze on his favorite subordinate and scolded him harshly. "Do you know what you're saying?"
"I'll serve as bait and lure the enemy into surrounding me."
"As long as we can ensure it succeeds, the Three Clans will surely send someone of considerable importance."
"Ensure it succeeds?" Uchiha Rei clenched his fists and took a deep breath. "That means you'll be facing an enemy you can't possibly withstand."
"Yes." Kyosuke nodded, his tone unruffled. "Most likely, they'll send a perfect Ino-Shika-Cho to intercept me."
A perfect Ino-Shika-Cho meant a lineup capable of using every tactic available to them.
Usually, it consisted of three outstanding elite jonin.
In other words, Kyosuke would have to face an Ino-Shika-Cho of jonin-level fighters alone, and they would most likely have plenty of support as well.
The Legion Commander knew that the boy's subordinates had jonin-level combat strength.
But this operation was far too dangerous.
One small mistake, and he really could get himself killed.
The Nara were so cunning that they would certainly investigate thoroughly before making a move.
The Yamanaka were all excellent sensory ninja. With them around, it would be impossible to set an ambush in advance.
Three jonin, and a complete Ino-Shika-Cho formation at that. No one in the camp except Uchiha Rei would dare claim an easy victory against them alone.
Could it be that the boy already possessed strength on par with a jonin?
The Legion Commander seriously doubted it.
He knew that during the clan's surprise attack, the boy and Madara had worked together to take down the Ino-Shika-Cho who had infiltrated their territory.
But could that situation really be compared to this one?
If the Yamanaka ninja hadn't been unexpectedly injured, if the Ino-Shika-Cho's coordination hadn't been disrupted, or if the ninja willing to die for their clan's homeland had been just a little less determined—
If even one of those things had gone differently, the outcome would have changed at once.
The boy's gotten too arrogant. I can't let myself do something foolish along with him.
Kyosuke was the clan's hope for the future. Uchiha Rei couldn't gamble his life away.
Understanding this, he slowly raised his arm and spoke in a steady, resolute voice. "Lord Rei, please allow me to show you what gives me confidence."
What did he mean?
Before he could figure it out, a dazzling flash of lightning suddenly appeared.
In an instant, a sound like a thousand birds chirping rang throughout the entire camp!
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