Replace and Surpass

"Kirigakure, is that all you've got?"

Uchiha Shisui attached several explosive tags to the fallen ninja before kicking them violently into the crowd.

"Are you alright!" a comrade in the crowd rushed forward to check on them, but was met only by the detonation of the explosive tags.

As blood mist and chunks of flesh scattered, the ninjas behind immediately surged forward to fill the gap.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

Seeing that close-quarters combat was futile, the Kirigakure army began to unleash ninjutsu in unison.

As the Kirigakure army completed their hand seals, over a dozen water dragons emerged from the smoke-filled battlefield, roaring as they lunged toward a single point.

Faced with ninjutsu of such scale, Uchiha Shisui had no choice but to retreat and create some distance.

After dodging the attack, Uchiha Shisui grinned and said, "You started it with the ninjutsu! In that case... Shadow Clone Technique!"

The moment white smoke puffed out, five identical Shisuis were created, and they immediately began weaving the seals for a second technique.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

As the words left his lips, the five Shisuis puffed out their chests, and a tsunami of flames surged toward the Kirigakure army.

"It's a wide-range ninjutsu! Hurry, use Water Formation Wall!"

"Baka! Are you kidding me? Retreat! How are we supposed to block a disaster like this?"

Only a portion of the Kirigakure vanguard managed to retreat from the battlefield in time. Some of the more stubborn Kirigakure ninjas found their weak, pathetic streams of water evaporated into gas before they could even reach the sea of fire, and the consequence of their fearlessness was being consumed by the flames.

With the retreat of the Kirigakure defensive line, this battle was already won.

At the Kirigakure frontline command post, Karatachi Yagura slammed the intelligence report in his hand onto the ground.

"Summon the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to see me! A mere Uchiha has wiped out a third of our vanguard; I will make you pay for this."

Just then, two ninjas from other villages arrived at the command post.

"I must say, you Kirigakure lot haven't even fully secured the coast of Konoha yet. You're quite useless."

"Tch, I don't know what the Tsuchikage is thinking, sending us to support the Kirigakure front."

Faced with their sarcasm, Karatachi Yagura suppressed the rage in his heart; he could not afford to slight the Kumogakure and Iwagakure ninjas before him.

"The two of you should head to the central troops for now. I have matters to attend to and cannot host you further."

As Karatachi Yagura finished speaking, the two ninjas sneered and walked out of the tent in silent agreement.

Feeling ignored, Karatachi Yagura slammed his hand onto the table, and within moments, the table turned into a block of coral.

"Commander! The Seven Ninja Swordsmen have received orders from the Mizukage to penetrate deep into the Land of Fire and cut off Konoha's supply lines; they have not yet returned."

Upon hearing the report, Karatachi Yagura roared, "What did you say!? Why would the Mizukage suddenly intervene in the frontline war?"

Sensing Karatachi Yagura's fury, the ninja kneeling on the ground trembled, "Commander... I... I don't know either."

After Karatachi Yagura gradually calmed down, he picked up his staff and said to the ninja before him, "I will return to the village myself to take a look. I have already laid out the battlefield plans; you are to proceed with the attack as scheduled."

With that, Karatachi Yagura set off on the road back to the village.

On the central battlefield, at the edge of a cliff, Fugaku Uchiha held Itachi Uchiha's hand and said slowly, "Itachi, do you see? This is war."

Itachi Uchiha wiped the grime from his face, pulled his hand away from Fugaku Uchiha, and walked slowly toward the edge of the cliff.

With the flashing of blades, brutal brawls, bloody slaughter, constant explosions, and the smoke covering the entire battlefield, Itachi Uchiha looked at the scene and spoke softly, "This is... the Great Ninja War..."

The battle lasted throughout the night until the sunlight spread over the mountain peaks. The morning mist was thick, yet it was permeated with a pungent, bloody stench.

"Water... water!" a fallen Iwagakure ninja reached out, pleading.

Coincidentally, Fugaku Uchiha and Itachi, who were patrolling the battlefield, approached.

Itachi Uchiha quickly took out his canteen and poured water into the Iwagakure ninja's mouth.

"Sorry."

After coughing a few times, the Iwagakure ninja slowly opened his eyes.

Upon seeing the ninja tools and the Uchiha clan crest of Konoha, his gaze turned sharp, and he quickly pulled out a kunai. But after only a moment, the color faded from his eyes.

"Otousan, why did this ninja try to kill me? I didn't do anything."

Itachi, who had killed the Iwagakure ninja, stood up slowly with a kunai in hand and looked at Fugaku Uchiha, confused.

"Because this is war. It is not a struggle between individuals, but a struggle between nations. That is why meaningless slaughter occurs between strangers."

Fugaku Uchiha placed a hand on Itachi Uchiha's shoulder and continued, "Listen, Itachi, do not forget this sight. This is the world of the ninja."

Itachi Uchiha looked down at the ninja who had just fallen and muttered to himself, "I see. Otousan, I understand..."

"Shisui! How are you?"

"I'm fine! Elder, I just used a bit too much chakra."

Uchiha Mikabi hurriedly steadied Uchiha Shisui, letting out a sigh of relief upon hearing his response.

"I truly thought we would be buried here today. I never expected Shisui's strength to be so formidable! It can't help but remind me of that man."

Uchiha Mikabi remarked with a smile.

Uchiha... Madara? A being who once dominated the ninja world, but I shall replace and surpass him.

Uchiha Shisui clutched his chest, thinking to himself after hearing Uchiha Mikabi's exclamation.

Back at the camp to rest and regroup, Uchiha Shisui looked at the template before him. Nearly eleven years had passed, and under the baptism of war, his unlocking progress had been rapid, currently reaching four-tenths.

"The ability unlocked this time is actually Yin-Yang Release!"

Uchiha Shisui began to sense the attributes within his body; the two types of special chakra he had previously been unable to comprehend were now completely under his control.

"Is this the product of Yin-Yang Release?"

Uchiha Shisui murmured, staring at the Chakra Black Receiver manifesting in his palm.

After putting away the black rod, Uchiha Shisui stepped out of the tent to gaze at the smoke in the distance. He was not far from his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan; once the progress reached five percent, it would be unlocked. By then, he would have the strength to defect. Konoha was still too comfortable, and it could not facilitate his rapid growth.

"Ah, it's Shisui. I will report the situation regarding your defense against the vanguard forces to the Hokage truthfully."

Fugaku Uchiha walked toward him, taking the opportunity to comfort clansmen who had lost their companions while on patrol.

"So it is the clan head. I don't care much for merits, but you seem to have grown closer to the Hokage's faction recently. Is this your way of handling the imbalance within the clan?"

Facing Uchiha Shisui's teasing, Fugaku Uchiha pointed toward the tent, signaling for them to go inside and talk.

Once inside, Fugaku Uchiha revealed his Mangekyo Sharingan and spoke: "These eyes of mine have seen the future, so my actions—Shisui, you might not understand them yet."

Uchiha Shisui looked at Fugaku Uchiha indifferently, shook his head, and said: "Do as you please. Compared to trapping myself in a genjutsu to see an unknowable future in my own eyes, the power in my hands is far more tangible."

With that, Uchiha Shisui left Fugaku Uchiha behind and headed toward the front lines. He needed to accelerate the progress of his template as quickly as possible, and battle would be the perfect catalyst.