Year 35 of Konoha
Land of Whirlpools
Uzushio Village
People rushed through Uzushio Village as it descended into chaos, villagers scattering in every direction. Cruel masked ninja looted and plundered, slaughtering civilians.
At the leader's building in Uzushio Village, the over-sixty Uzumaki Romi had a face lined with wrinkles. He spoke sternly:
"Lead the children out through the secret passage! They're coveting our techniques, and it's too late to ask Konoha for help. Save as many as you can! Go!"
"Yes!" Several young ninja vanished from the leader's building with a single Body Flicker Technique.
Outside the building, a masked ninja formed Hand Seals and shouted:
"Earth Style: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling!"
The masked ninja seemed to possess superhuman strength. He plunged both hands into the ground, dug out a boulder as large as a truck, and hurled it at the leader's building in Uzushio Village.
In a matter of moments, several masked ninja gathered there.
One of them, crackling with lightning, had a powerful presence.
"You bandits who covet the techniques of Uzushio Village, come sink into ruin with me..."
The boulder struck the leader's building, bringing it down. A faint voice came from within, and countless streams of ink erupted from the collapsed building.
"Sealing Technique: Reverse Four-Symbols Sealing!"
The masked ninja sensed the danger and tried to retreat, but a circular barrier suddenly burst outward, engulfed them all, then rapidly shrank until it disappeared.
The masked ninja nearby vanished with it, along with the collapsed building.
Uchiha Nara, a Konoha Jonin, was thirteen years old and an elite of the Uchiha Clan.
He was currently stationed by the sea in the eastern Land of Fire, guarding against the Land of Water and keeping the Land of Lightning in check.
While the Second Shinobi World War raged, the elite of these ninja clans had plenty of time on their hands.
Uchiha Nara gazed out at the sea.
It's been ten years since I crossed over. I broke through the mysteries of the womb at three and awakened my memories of my past life.
Ever since he was reborn into the Uchiha Clan, Nara had worked tirelessly to train.
Nara knew the general outline of Naruto's story, including how the Uchiha Clan, Konoha's greatest clan, would ultimately meet its end.
Konoha's wariness, the clan's internal disunity, and its leader's mediocrity all sent the Uchiha Clan step by step toward the abyss.
"Nara, staring at the sea again? What's so interesting about it? Come practice ninjutsu with me."
Uchiha Yashiro was a Jonin. At the time of the clan's destruction, he would be in his forties.
But now Uchiha Yashiro was a strapping young man in his early twenties, and a renowned Jonin among the clan's elite.
"Big Brother Yashiro, we're on guard duty. How can we waste chakra practicing ninjutsu?"
Uchiha Yashiro was at a loss when faced with the precocious Uchiha Nara. He quickly cut in, "Yes, yes, you're right, Lord Nara."
Yashiro had no choice. At such a young age, Uchiha Nara had already made a name for himself—one even greater than Yashiro's.
He'd even earned the title Copy Ninja. He was a renowned rising genius of the Uchiha Clan, and a candidate for clan leader alongside Uchiha Fugaku.
"Hmm? Something's happening?"
Nara peered into the distance. Several ships were approaching across the sea, trailing thick smoke.
"Yashiro, gather the clan members! We've got trouble!"
The three ships were belching thick smoke. Something was clearly wrong.
Yashiro pulled out a Signal Flare and fired it into the sky. A firework burst overhead.
Yashiro was a little older than Nara, but he couldn't match his skill.
He also admired and respected Nara's way of thinking, believing that Nara could lead the Uchiha Clan to rise again.
This observation post was some distance from camp. It would take the unit a while to arrive.
"Yashiro, Reto, take cover!"
They were a three-man squad, with Yashiro originally as the leader.
But Uchiha Yashiro admired Nara's strength and potential, so he followed Nara's lead.
As the smoke-belching ships drew closer, Nara could hear the sounds of fighting aboard them.
He couldn't help feeling puzzled.
"Reto, go take a look!" Nara ordered.
Ninja were stealthy by nature. When they appeared, it was often to deliver a lethal strike.
Though Uchiha Nara and Yashiro were Konoha Jonin with formidable strength,
they still followed the ancient ninja tradition and remained quietly hidden.
Uchiha Reto skimmed across the water. The ships were about two hundred meters away, but a few Body Flickers took him there.
Standing at the bow, Uchiha Reto quietly surveyed the scene. Several bodies lay on the deck, and the ninja still fighting noticed him.
When the two sides saw his Konoha Headband, the masked ninja looked alarmed, while the red-haired ninja looked delighted.
"Konoha ninja, help us! We're ninja from Uzushio Village, Konoha's ally!"
A red-haired ninja, gripping a long blade, called out with delight.
Uchiha Reto didn't answer. He turned and dashed back toward the shore, vanishing with a few Body Flickers.
"Lord Nara, Lord Yashiro, the ninja from Uzushio Village are fighting some masked ninja. The Uzushio Village ninja are at a disadvantage!"
Uchiha Reto used Body Flicker to return to Nara. He was a Konoha Chunin and a capable member of the Uchiha Clan.
Konoha's wariness kept the number of Uchiha Jonin down, which was why Reto hadn't been promoted.
"Uzushio Village, the Uzumaki Clan? The clan allied with the Senju Clan? They look like they're fleeing. Hahaha, let's help them along!"
When Uchiha Yashiro heard that Konoha's ally, Uzushio Village, was under attack, he showed no desire to help. If anything, he seemed amused. Then he added:
"Nara, let's go kill them all, then pin it on those masked guys! The Uzumaki Clan is just as hateful as the Senju Clan!"
Uchiha Nara didn't respond. He rubbed his chin. He knew the history between the Senju and Uchiha Clans all too well.
After hearing Yashiro's words, Nara had a rough idea why the Uzumaki Clan ended up scattered across the world in the anime.
They'd stumbled into an area guarded by the Uchiha, and they were old enemies. Naturally, there'd be no mercy—ally of Konoha or not.
"Big Brother Yashiro, let's go take a look. If the Uzumaki Clan is being pursued, we need to help them. The Uzumaki Clan is Konoha's ally now, not an enemy from the Warring States period!"
Nara thought it over briefly and made up his mind. He'd help them instead of taking advantage of their plight. A few Body Flickers brought him close to the ships.
The red-haired ninja aboard one of the ships was at the end of his rope. His fate hung by a thread. He'd thought Konoha's reinforcements had arrived, only for that ninja to run away!
When he saw another Konoha ninja arrive, the red-haired ninja's eyes lit up despite himself.
Nara didn't disappoint him. He shouted:
"You scoundrels dare attack Konoha's ally! What village are you from?!"
Nara wore a Konoha flak jacket and a Forehead Protector, with a long blade on his back. His black, waist-length hair was tied back and hung behind him. His red Sharingan swept over the scene.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several Kunai flew at Nara. He drew his long blade in an instant and knocked them aside with a few swift strikes.
A masked ninja formed several Hand Seals in a flash. Blue light shimmered in his hands as he controlled several bolts of lightning and sent them at Nara.
Nara used three Body Flickers to dodge the lightning.
By then, Uchiha Yashiro and Reto had arrived. Seeing that the fight had already begun, they joined in without hesitation, hurling Shuriken at the masked ninja.
The masked ninja were skilled. After unleashing their ninjutsu, they dodged the Shuriken with a few quick movements.
Just as one of them prepared to draw his blade and attack, several bolts of lightning suddenly struck him.
"Ah!" He cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground.
Nara had activated his Sharingan and copied the technique as the ninja performed it. After dodging the attack, he'd sent it straight back at him!
"That's one down," Uchiha Nara said calmly.
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