BUFFs at Full Blast

"Rasengan!"

Uchiha Tamaharu didn't hesitate. He formed a Rasengan and slammed it into the ground in front of him.

The attack stopped the Earth Flow River in its tracks, halting the colossal wave of earth that surged toward them like a breached dam.

It was a technique almost every shinobi who made it to Hokage learned. After all, its hand-seal-free training method was firmly etched in everyone's memory.

"Rasengan? How do you know that technique?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned.

He clearly couldn't understand why a technique invented by the Fourth Hokage was being used by this evil Uchiha.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

At the same time, the surrounding Anbu rained down Kunai and Shuriken as if they were free.

But the Susanoo skeleton Fugaku had raised blocked every last one, shielding Uchiha Tamaharu as well.

"How many haven't arrived yet?"

Fugaku panted heavily as he controlled the skeletal Susanoo. He kept swinging the Chakra Sword in its hand, driving away every Anbu who tried to approach.

"Twenty."

"But they're probably dead."

"Shisui's people have already withdrawn, but Shisui himself hasn't returned yet," Uchiha Tamaharu said gravely. His hands never stopped moving as he threw Kunai, Shuriken, and other ninja tools. The supplies in his pouch were running low fast.

"We should retreat. We've already achieved an excellent result."

Fugaku looked troubled, but he spoke decisively.

There was no time to hesitate on the battlefield.

If they stayed and waited, the casualties would only grow.

"There's still fighting where Shisui is. I'm going to check on him."

"If all of you leave, there's no reason for me to stay here. They can't stop me."

Uchiha Tamaharu spoke up.

His feelings about Shisui were complicated, but since Shisui was still alive, Uchiha Tamaharu wasn't willing to abandon him.

After all, this time he hadn't abandoned his clanmates. He had fought to the end.

And since Tamaharu was still capable of trying to save him, he didn't want to give up.

A Mangekyō wielder could escape with ease, especially when he also had a Portal he could open at any time.

"You matter more. If things go badly, retreat at once!"

Fugaku didn't say anything more.

This wasn't the time for pointless talk.

"Everyone, withdraw!"

Then he gave the order.

The power of the Susanoo within him surged again.

The complete Susanoo appeared before them once more.

With its long sword raised, it slashed at Sarutobi Hiruzen, whom Fugaku had once practically fawned over.

The mighty slash tore open the ground, as if it would swallow everything in its path.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen formed three hand seals and summoned an Earth Style: Earth Wall. It was at least three times larger than Kakashi's dog-head wall.

But it was still cleaved apart by the slash unleashed by Uchiha Fugaku.

As the wall crumbled, Sarutobi Hiruzen vanished without a trace.

At the same time, the surrounding Anbu unleashed a dense barrage of Ninjutsu, all of it crashing into the Susanoo.

Susanoo wasn't invincible. Numerous cracks appeared in its brown armor.

But the Uchiha Clan shinobi on the battlefield had also withdrawn through the Portal. Before leaving, they released what little Chakra they had left into Fire Release techniques.

They intended to turn this land into a sea of flames.

"If things go badly, leave at once!"

"Magnetic Storm!!!"

Uchiha Fugaku called out one last time.

Then he used another of his Mangekyō's Dōjutsu to control metal.

He gathered all the metal on the battlefield—Kunai, Shuriken, and more—and sent it spinning rapidly around him.

It formed a Metal Tornado that swept up the surrounding flames, creating a black-and-red vortex.

Only Uchiha Tamaharu and Fugaku stood at the very center of the storm, along with the Portal.

"Damn it!!!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen had just found an opportunity to sneak closer.

But the technique forced him back, and he retreated from his hiding place.

After releasing that technique, Uchiha Fugaku was nearly exhausted.

The Susanoo skeleton vanished from around him. His vision went black, and he nearly fainted.

Uchiha Tamaharu's expression tightened. He shoved Fugaku through the Portal and immediately closed it.

Without Uchiha Fugaku's Dōjutsu to control it, the Metal Tornado quickly slowed, on the verge of vanishing.

Two seconds later, the Magnetic Storm ended.

"Clink, clatter."

A shower of Kunai and Shuriken fell from the sky, hitting the ground with a clear, ringing sound.

"That Space-Time Ninjutsu is yours, isn't it?"

"Where did the Uchiha Clan escape to?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was surrounded by Anbu.

But his gaze remained fixed on Uchiha Tamaharu.

He remembered this Uchiha well—the strongest genius in the clan before Shisui.

His attempt to recruit Tamaharu had failed. Tamaharu had chosen to join the Military Police Force and had connections to the Fourth Hokage, but after the Nine-Tails Incident, he'd made no further moves.

Only the day before yesterday, when Kakashi told him that this man possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan, had he started taking him seriously.

But now it seemed he'd still underestimated the man!

"Lightning Style: Cell Activation!"

"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Life, open!"

"Gate of Pain, open!"

"Gate of Limit, open!"

But Uchiha Tamaharu showed no intention of answering Sarutobi Hiruzen. Instead, he began powering himself up, activating his cells with Lightning Style and opening the fifth of the Eight Inner Gates to enhance his body in every way.

He had both Lightning and Fire affinities.

After realizing he had no cheat to rely on, he'd had to depend on himself. He'd learned the Eight Inner Gates from Might Guy's father and had also developed Chidori alongside Kakashi.

He had carefully sought every possible way to strengthen himself.

Now was the time to show what he could do!

Uchiha Tamaharu's muscles tensed, arcs of electricity dancing across his body. His blood-red eyes put immense pressure on everyone present.

"Capture him! I want him alive!!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was furious.

But he knew the man before him possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan. After learning what Shisui could do, he'd become extremely wary of such abilities.

Until he knew what this man's Mangekyō could do, he wasn't going to risk himself. He would have the Anbu test the man's strength first.

"Yes, sir!"

The Anbu weren't enslaved like Root, but they were still essentially obedient killing machines.

They followed Sarutobi Hiruzen's orders without question.

"Kakashi, get out of the way!"

Uchiha Tamaharu finally spoke, addressing Kakashi among the Anbu.

Kakashi looked conflicted. It was obvious he didn't want to fight Uchiha Tamaharu.

But he wouldn't back down!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

At the same time, the Anbu launched their attack.

The Kunai and Shuriken came first, fast and hard to spot.

"So fast!!!"

Everyone present was stunned.

They could barely see a blue-white flash streak past. Only Kakashi, with his Sharingan, could make out a blur.

Every attack missed completely. Not one struck Uchiha Tamaharu.

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