Maru-Maru?

A few minutes before the signal flare was fired.

Outside Konoha.

In a forest near the sensory barrier that covered the entire village.

Several figures darted through the trees.

The lead ninja was a tall, dark-skinned man.

His wary gaze swept over the surroundings as he calmly gave an order:

"Good, we're close to the barrier. The information we obtained in Konoha this time is crucial. Everyone, stay focused!"

The ninjas around him, arranged in formation, answered in unison: "Yes, Lord Kazunosuke!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

At some point, in the gloomy forest,

several eerie, crimson gazes lit up.

"Hm?"

"Damn it, the Uchiha!"

Kazunosuke's face darkened.

"Lord Kazunosuke! The information about the Uchiha about to fall into civil war is even more important!"

Kazunosuke turned sharply and stared at the ninja who had spoken.

His voice grew heavy. "Zangzhu, what are you saying?"

The middle-aged ninja named Zangzhu lowered the corners of his eyes and spoke with a solemn expression:

"I know exactly what I'm saying, Lord Kazunosuke!"

"If Kumogakure wants to surpass Konoha, we can't pass up a single piece of information that could hurt Konoha! And you're the only one here who has the best chance of completing the mission."

"Everyone, join me in stopping the pursuers, prepared to die honorably! Everything is for Kumogakure! Buy Lord Kazunosuke some time!"

The Kumogakure ninjas around him didn't hesitate.

Crackling sounds rang out one after another.

They all activated Kumogakure's signature Nintaijutsu!

"Yes!"

As soon as they answered, they sprang toward the Uchiha figures.

Kazunosuke's gaze darkened. He nodded and turned away.

"I wish you all good fortune in battle!"

With that, he leaped away.

Zangzhu watched Kazunosuke's retreating figure, his heart sinking.

Lord Kazunosuke, you have to succeed.

At that moment,

a male Uchiha Military Police Force member appeared.

His eerie, blood-red gaze fixed on the figure about to disappear.

"Don't even think about escaping!"

He was just about to give chase

when—

Crackle, crackle!

A figure wreathed in blue lightning appeared in front of him in an instant.

It was Zangzhu!

"Let's see whether the Uchiha, renowned throughout the Shinobi World, are—"

"all reputation and no substance!!!"

The Uchiha ninja's expression turned grim.

He said in a low voice, "Kumogakure's Lightning Release Chakra Mode? Damn it!"

The Magatama in his eyes spun as he quickly surveyed the situation around him.

Several of his teammates were about to clash with the Kumogakure ninjas.

And he was being held up by a formidable opponent.

This was bad!

As the thought crossed his mind, he swiftly fired a signal flare.

Then he said coldly:

"None of you are getting away!"

"I stake the name of Uchiha Sei on it!"

Boom!

In the blink of an eye,

the ground beneath Zangzhu's feet shattered.

His fierce figure appeared before Uchiha Sei in an instant.

"Is that so? Let's see how sharp your Sharingan really is!"

Bang!!!

The resounding clash sent a flock of birds scattering from the forest.

After receiving the signal flare,

the squad hurried toward the scene under Uchiha Genmei's lead.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Hearing the clashes ahead,

"Captain! It sounds like the enemy up ahead is no pushover!"

Uchiha Genmei's expression was grave.

Chakra surged rapidly toward his eye sockets, and his pupils turned red in an instant.

Three black Magatama spun rapidly.

He said solemnly:

"Everyone, activate your Sharingan. Anyone who would attack within range of the village's sensory barrier—"

"must have leaked important information."

The six squad members around him promptly activated their Sharingan.

Every one of them had three Magatama!

Looking at his teammates, who were all strong,

both in their chakra and the quality of their Sharingan,

Uchiha Genmei sighed inwardly.

It seemed that

no matter the faction,

even the most rotten system couldn't be underestimated while it was on the rise.

For now, the village was keeping the Uchiha under surveillance, but things were still in a relatively stable honeymoon period.

Without the group's leader relentlessly targeting them,

the Uchiha's inherited strength from the Warring States period, combined with their clan's worship of power,

made them without a doubt Konoha's strongest clan, with the Senju in hiding.

The Military Police Force members were all Sharingan-wielding elites.

After all, the Uchiha cared a great deal about appearances.

If they put a bunch of useless nobodies on display and brought shame on themselves, the Uchiha wouldn't just see red!

In an instant,

Uchiha Genmei's squad reached the battlefield.

Taking in the situation around him, Genmei made a decision.

"Split up and support our comrades."

"I'll go check on Sei."

"Yes!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Watching his teammates scatter, Uchiha Genmei took a deep breath.

His figure sped toward the fiercest fight on the field.

"Tch!"

Uchiha Sei's figure crossed paths with his opponent's.

He leaped into the air.

His rapidly spinning Sharingan searched for his opponent's weakness.

Damn it, they'd been locked in a stalemate for almost two minutes!

His Sharingan could keep up with the man's Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Nintaijutsu.

But ninjutsu would be a problem.

He couldn't land a hit at all. The man was too fast!

Where were the reinforcements?

If they didn't hurry, that rat who'd escaped earlier would really—

"Are you looking down on me, Uchiha!"

Zangzhu, who had resumed his stance, saw Uchiha Sei still lost in thought and let out an angry roar.

He gathered a great amount of Lightning Release chakra in his hands.

Moving at high speed under Lightning Release Chakra Mode, he charged at Uchiha Sei.

"Lightning Release: Heavy Burst Stream!"

Zangzhu reached Uchiha Sei in an instant.

Faced with such an attack,

Bang!!!

Uchiha Sei seemed to freeze, unable to react in time. The blow struck him squarely.

Zangzhu was just about to gloat when the body before him turned into scattered petals.

His pupils contracted.

A genjutsu?

"Blockhead! Did you think I'd keep trading blows with you?"

A figure appeared behind Zangzhu and taunted him smugly.

Zangzhu turned around and shot back:

"All flash and no substance! Are all you Uchiha this weak? I'll tear you apart!"

After trash-talking, he was just about to charge at Uchiha Sei again.

Hm?

What was going on?

He couldn't move.

What was this?

Zangzhu stared in disbelief at the huge iron stakes that had appeared from nowhere and pinned his body in place.

He lifted his head and glared at the arrogant Uchiha before him, shouting furiously:

"You bastard!!!"

Uchiha Sei wore a faintly mocking smile as the Magatama in his eyes gradually slowed.

At last, he'd taken the man down with the Cursed Stake Technique. There was still that rat who'd escaped to pursue, so he'd just kill this one.

"Before the Sharingan, your fate is defeat!"

He drew his Ninja Blade and was about to finish Zangzhu off.

"Hm? Who's there!"

Suddenly, a figure rushed past Zangzhu.

Zangzhu felt the world spinning.

His vision slowly spun downward, and a body entered his view.

Hm?

That was his body.

Was he going to die?

Lord Kazunosuke had to succeed.

As his vision grew blurry, a tall, handsome figure came into view.

Another Uchiha? Damn Uchiha!

Just you wait.

Your defeat is already a foregone conclusion.

The news of your civil war will reach Lord Raikage for sure!

Looking at the fallen body before him, Uchiha Genmei asked Uchiha Sei:

"Big brother Sei, was he the last enemy?"

Uchiha Sei recognized him and slowly lowered his guard.

He grumbled, "What? It's you, Genmei. You scared me!"

"There was one more enemy. That guy held me up for two minutes."

Hearing this, Uchiha Yuanming's expression grew serious.

"He got away for two minutes? This is bad!"

"We can't let him get away. I can't talk to you now. I have to go after him first."

Just as Uchiha Yuanming was about to give chase.

Uchiha Jing hurriedly called out, "Wait, Yuanming! He won't get away."

"Hmm? He won't get away??"

Uchiha Jing said smugly, "Hehe, I already sent Quan Quan Wan after him!"

"Quan Quan Wan?"