Uchiha's winter had grown bitterly cold. The casualty lists kept growing, the borders kept shrinking, and resources were running dangerously low. Despair had nearly become tangible within the clan. The oppressive atmosphere inside Naka Shrine was suffocating. Every new report seemed to pour another bucket of oil onto the flames of hatred already raging in Uchiha Madara's heart.
He could wait no longer. Waiting would mean a slow death. Uchiha pride would not allow them to meet their end this way. If they were to be destroyed, they would drag their enemies down with them and burn out in the most dazzling blaze!
However, their odds in a head-on battle against the alliance of the Senju, Uzumaki, Ino-Shika-Cho, and other clans were slim. He needed strength—more reckless, frenzied power. He needed a sharp blade capable of tearing through the enemy's formidable defenses!
His gaze fell upon those powers that existed outside the mainstream, powers even considered taboo.
"Head north." Madara issued the order coldly to Uchiha Hi-kaku, who knelt before him. His voice held not a trace of emotion. "Find the settlements of smaller ninja clans, such as the Kaguya." They brought no invitation, only a cold threat.
"Submit, or be destroyed." The Uchiha emissary looked down on them, maintaining his haughty posture despite his clan's desperate circumstances. "Uchiha needs your strength. If you agree, you may retain your autonomy after the war and share in the spoils. If you refuse..." The emissary left the threat unfinished, but the Three-Tomoe Sharingan that the Uchiha jōnin behind him abruptly activated, and his undisguised killing intent, said everything.
The Fuma Clan Head turned deathly pale. His clan excelled at tracking and assassination, but they were no match for a behemoth like Uchiha. Seeing the terror in the children's eyes, he finally lowered his head with great difficulty. Most of the other small clans, including Amegakure, who had been coerced, made similarly humiliating choices. They felt no loyalty to Uchiha, only fear and helplessness.
Far to the north, in the Kaguya Clan's settlement, the land was harsh and the people fierce. When Uchiha Hi-kaku arrived with a heavy scroll and Madara's message, the Kaguya Clan Head—a man radiating a thick stench of blood and a mad thirst for battle—let out a deafening laugh.
"Ha ha ha! Slaughter! Endless slaughter! Uchiha Madara sure knows how to make an offer!" He barely hesitated. "Tell Madara the Kaguya bones will carve through every enemy for Uchiha! But don't forget the scrolls you promised!"
And so, an odd and dangerous alliance was hastily cobbled together from the desperate Uchiha, the frenzied Kaguya Clan, and coerced smaller clans such as the Fuma. The alliance was rife with internal conflicts and mutual suspicion. Perhaps the only thing they shared was their lust for slaughter, directed at the Senju Alliance.
The air of a decisive battle descended upon the entire Land of Fire.
Hashirama Senju was the first to sense the unusual gathering of Chakra, a mixture of madness and despair. His expression changed drastically, and he immediately summoned the leaders of every allied clan.
"Madara... has finally chosen the most extreme path." Hashirama's voice was heavy with grief. "He's gathered the Kaguya Clan and coerced the Fuma and others. A great battle is unavoidable."
Tobirama Senju's eyes were cold. "Just as I expected. Uchiha Madara doesn't care whether the other clans live or die. He only wants to satisfy his thirst for revenge and destruction. Big Brother, we can't hesitate any longer. We must gather all our forces and defeat them head-on! It's the only way to protect the hope of peace we've just established!"
Uzumaki Mito, the Nara Clan Head, and the Sarutobi Clan Head looked grave, but they all nodded firmly. They knew that if the Uchiha and Kaguya alliance broke through, everyone would face annihilation.
The Allied Forces quickly mobilized. The Senju and Uzumaki formed the core, the Ino-Shika-Cho handled tactical control and support, and clans such as the Sarutobi and Shimura stood ready on the flanks.
The final battlefield was chosen: a vast plain called the Blood-Weeping Plain. Its open terrain offered nowhere to hide, making it ideal for a large-scale battle—and ensuring that casualties would be unprecedented.
Morning came, but the thin mist had not yet lifted.
A vast, dark army appeared on the horizon. The Uchiha shinobi stood at its center, their Sharingan glowing cold red through the mist like the gaze of hell. On their flank, the Kaguya Clan stirred restlessly, growling like beasts. Many had already pulled bones from their bodies to fashion hideous bone blades and armor. The air reeked of bloodlust. The coerced Fuma and other small clans trailed behind them timidly, their morale low.
Across from them, the Senju Alliance's formation was far more disciplined. The Senju shinobi formed defensive ranks while the Uzumaki sealing specialists stood ready with specially prepared scrolls. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio hid among the ranks, and the Nara Clan Head's shadow had quietly linked up with the surrounding terrain. The Sarutobi and Shimura shinobi occupied advantageous positions.
Hashirama stood at the front, his expression graver than ever. Tobirama stood beside him, gripping a Flying Thunder God Kunai tightly. Mito stood a little farther back, her powerful Chakra already beginning to flow.
There were no needless words. Their hatred and allegiances were already clear.
Uchiha Madara slowly rose into the air, hovering above the allied army. His Eternal Mangekyou gazed indifferently down upon the entire battlefield, like a god looking down at ants fighting.
"Kill."
The single word rang coldly across the battlefield, sounding the beginning of a bloody slaughter!
"Kill!" The Kaguya Clan erupted first. Like mad dogs off their leash, they charged at the Allied Forces' position without regard for formation, laughing wildly. Their Shikotsumyaku turned them into human weapons. Bone spikes sprang up wherever they went, and blood sprayed through the air!
"For Uchiha's glory!" The Uchiha shinobi roared as they charged too, their Fire Release Ninjutsu raining down on the enemy lines like a meteor shower.
"Defend!" Hashirama roared, slamming both hands against the ground. "Wood Release: Wood Wall!"
A massive wooden barricade burst from the earth, blocking most of the Fire Release attacks. But the Kaguya maniacs had already slammed into it without fear of death, hacking at the wall with their bones and bodies!
"Water Release: Water Formation Pillar!" Tobirama led the elite Senju Water Style shinobi, unleashing enormous Water Dragon Bullets and waterfall techniques to batter the Uchiha formation.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!" The Nara Clan Head seized his chance. His shadow stretched out like a specter, instantly immobilizing more than a dozen Kaguya berserkers and Uchiha shinobi at the front.
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!" The Yamanaka Clan shinobi took the opportunity to launch their mental attacks.
"Partial Multi-Size Jutsu!" The Akimichi Clan shinobi's fists grew enormous as they slammed into the immobilized enemies.
The Allied Forces worked together with skill and efficiency, managing for a time to hold back the alliance's frenzied assault.
But the Uchiha's Sharingan was no mere decoration. They quickly adapted, using genjutsu and precise attacks to counter the Ino-Shika-Cho trio's control. The Kaguya Clan's madness also surpassed all expectations. They didn't even care if they hit their own side; their bone blades swept wildly, attacking their own people and the Uchiha alike. Their suicidal fighting style put the Allied Forces under immense pressure.
The battlefield instantly descended into a horrific melee! People fell every second, and blood quickly stained the earth of the Blood-Weeping Plain red.
Uchiha Sou fought on the battlefield's flank alongside several Uchiha comrades, battling shinobi from the Sarutobi Clan. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, reading the enemy's movements, while his sense of "Weaving Logic" reached its utmost limit. He could "see" countless "threads" representing "slaughter," "madness," "fear," "protection," and "despair," tangling, snapping, and re-forming in a frenzy. The entire battlefield was like a vast knot of chaotic negative energy.
He tried to find the turning points in the battle, but the information was far too vast and chaotic for him to process. He could only focus on protecting himself and supporting his comrades with precise Shuriken and Fire Release attacks.
The battle's focus soon shifted to a handful of key figures.
Uchiha Hi-kaku faced Tobirama Senju. Fire Release and the Flying Thunder God Technique clashed, explosions ringing out without pause. Hi-kaku fought like a madman, ignoring all defense and seeking only to take Tobirama down with him. He gave Tobirama no small amount of trouble.
The most eye-catching fight, however, was between the Kaguya Clan Head, the Akimichi Clan Head, and an Uzumaki sealing specialist. Laughing wildly, the Kaguya Clan Head covered his entire body in hard bones, becoming like a porcupine as he charged about. The Akimichi Clan Head's expanded fists struck him, yet left only faint white marks! The Uzumaki sealing specialist tried several times to ensnare him with sealing chains, but he either cut through them with bone blades or broke free by force!
"Ha ha ha! That's more like it! Again!" The Kaguya Clan Head punched the Akimichi Clan Head back, then thrust a bone blade straight at the Uzumaki sealing specialist's heart!
At that critical moment—
"Sealing Jutsu: Adamantine Sealing Chains!" Uzumaki Mito struck! Several thick golden chains shot out from behind her at tremendous speed, instantly wrapping around the Kaguya Clan Head! Powerful sealing runes flashed along the chains, temporarily suppressing his rampaging Chakra and movements!
"Now!" The Akimichi Clan Head roared. His fist swelled to its limit, and he slammed it down with all his strength!
Boom!!!
The ground caved in, forming a deep crater! The Kaguya Clan Head took the blow squarely. Cracks spread across the bones covering his body, his laughter cut off, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
However, his tenacity was beyond imagination! He roared and forcibly burned through his life force, unleashing even greater strength as he snapped several of Mito's Adamantine Sealing Chains!
"You're... all going to die!" His eyes were bloodshot, and bone spikes sprouted wildly from his body once more!
The battle grew even more horrific. Sensing that things were going badly, the coerced Fuma and other small clans began to flee, throwing their own alliance's formation into disarray. The Uchiha shinobi had to fight the enemy while guarding against the deranged Kaguya, leaving them utterly miserable.
In the air, Uchiha Madara watched coldly. He saw his clansmen falling one after another, the Kaguya Clan's madness, and the Allied Forces' stubborn resistance. His expression remained icy, but his clenched fist revealed his inner turmoil.
At this rate, even if Uchiha won, the clan would suffer devastating losses. Worse, the Kaguya Clan might turn on them and deal them a crippling blow.
His gaze fell once more on Hashirama Senju below, who was doing everything he could to hold the lines and save every member of his clan.
It seemed he would have to act himself after all and break this stalemate.
The Eternal Mangekyou began to turn slowly.
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