In the Warring States, Who's Best at Gouging Eyes? Ask Uzumaki Shusen

Fire Country, Uzumaki Clan Territory.

A handsome red-haired youth sat quietly in the courtyard, calmly watching the clouds drift across the horizon as he enjoyed a rare moment of peace.

The sunset, brilliant as blood, poured down over the land, coating the world in a vivid crimson that was quite pleasing to the eye.

"If life could always remain this peaceful and happy, that would be nice."

Uzumaki Shusen let out a long sigh, picked up the chilled watermelon juice beside him, and took a large gulp.

"Unfortunately, the Warring States era is the darkest and most chaotic age in the Ninja World's thousand-year history. Only by gouging out enough eyes—ptui, only by becoming strong enough can one survive..."

Suddenly, Uzumaki Shusen's thoughts stirred.

He had received the information sent back by his shadow clone. This was good news.

"The Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan are going to war?"

"Good! Very good!"

Uzumaki Shusen was thrilled. He drained the remaining half cup of watermelon juice, then used Five-Elements Cowardly Escape to burrow into the earth and race toward the battlefield where the Uchiha and Hyuga would clash.

To be safe along the way, Uzumaki Shusen used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself. He transformed into a pitch-black humanoid creature resembling mud. Anyone familiar with the story of Naruto would have immediately recognized him—Black Zetsu.

This Transformation Technique differed from the ordinary kind. Uzumaki Shusen had made some minor improvements, combining the Uzumaki Clan's inherited sealing techniques with the Transformation Technique to lock his transformed form in place. Unless the seal was removed first, his true body would never be exposed. Even the Sharingan and Byakugan could not see through it.

Since arriving in the Ninja World all these years ago, Uzumaki Shusen had devoted most of his time to improving ninjutsu and conducting experiments and research.

On the boundless grasslands.

Night shrouded the sky.

A bright moon hung overhead.

The Uchiha and Hyuga, the two great clans of the Warring States era, stood facing each other. Their lines were clearly divided, with several hundred people on each side. At least in terms of numbers, they were evenly matched.

Within the Uchiha ranks, a long-haired youth said quietly, "Izuna, once the war begins, leave Hyuga Tenjin to me. Go hunt down the other Hyuga clansmen."

"Okay, Brother."

The youth beside him, Uchiha Izuna, nodded in reply.

Izuna understood that Hyuga Tenjin was the finest genius among the Hyuga younger generation. Compared to him, Izuna might still fall slightly short.

Whoosh.

A chilling gust swept past, lifting the long-haired youth's bangs and revealing a pair of scarlet eyes marked by three tomoe.

"Uchiha Tajima, the Senju Clan failed to crush you, yet you still dared provoke our Hyuga Clan. Today, I'll teach you a bloody lesson!"

From the Hyuga ranks, a burly man shouted angrily. He was Hyuga Tenfu, the Hyuga Clan's patriarch. Veins bulged at his temples, while his two snow-white eyes glared fiercely and savagely.

"What arrogance!"

Uchiha Tajima, the Uchiha Clan's patriarch, snorted. "Before the Uchiha's Sharingan, your Hyuga Byakugan is nothing at all. Hyuga Tenfu, this day next year will be your death anniversary!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The two clans roared in unison and charged at each other like two black tides. War erupted in an instant.

"Fire Release, Great Fireball Technique!"

"Gentle Fist Art, Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

War was war. They went for the kill from the very beginning, with no room for negotiation. In the first exchange alone, both clans suffered casualties.

Two areas of the battlefield saw the fiercest fighting. One was where Uchiha Tajima and Hyuga Tenfu fought their decisive battle. As the patriarchs of their respective clans, both were immensely powerful. With every gesture, mountains seemed to collapse and earth split apart; every move carried terrifying destructive force.

The other was where Uchiha Madara and Hyuga Tenjin fought. Not only were they the greatest geniuses of their respective clans, but throughout the long years of war, their illustrious names had spread to every ninja clan in the Warring States era. The might of their battle nearly rivaled that of the two patriarchs, and weaker clansmen could not even approach.

Boom!

Boom!

Bang!

"Die!"

On the chaotic battlefield of ordinary clansmen, an unremarkable-looking Uchiha swung his longsword at a Hyuga youth.

"You're courting death!"

The Hyuga youth activated his Byakugan, spotted an opening, and struck the Uchiha's chest with a Gentle Fist.

The Uchiha screamed as he was sent flying. He happened to land atop the corpse of another Uchiha who had just been killed by a Gentle Fist. With a seemingly casual swipe, he gouged out a pair of fresh, still-warm Sharingan.

Then he pressed the corpse's face into the dirt to keep anyone from noticing. Struggling to his feet, he howled strangely as he charged at another Hyuga girl. "I'll fight you to the death!"

"Overestimating yourself."

The Hyuga girl was very proud. She gave a disdainful snort. Under the insight of her Byakugan, this Uchiha who had suddenly appeared was full of openings.

"Eight Trigrams Palm, Revolving Heaven!"

The girl unleashed one of the Hyuga Clan's ultimate techniques, driving her palm viciously into his chest to shatter his entire rib cage. Yet the instant she hit him, her force dissipated, as if she had struck cotton—her strength had nowhere to go.

"Ah!"

The Uchiha screamed as he was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth.

In the end, he landed with uncanny precision atop the corpse of a Hyuga clansman whose throat had just been slit. With a casual swipe, without anyone seeing what he did, he gouged out a pair of fresh, still-warm Byakugan as well. (Don't ask about the Caged Bird—it hadn't been developed in this era yet.)

The Uchiha repeated the trick, pressing the Hyuga corpse's face into the dirt so no one would notice. Then he let out a tragic cry of "Victory to the Uchiha Clan!" and staggered toward his next target.

The battlefield was brutal, with casualties occurring at every moment. Everyone was fully focused on the enemies around them, so no one noticed the Uchiha's little movements for the time being. He darted left and right, and in a short time, he had actually gouged dozens of Byakugan and Sharingan from corpses.

"This war broke out at exactly the right time!"

Disguised as an Uchiha clansman through the Transformation Technique, Uzumaki Shusen rejoiced inwardly.

"After tonight, I probably won't be short of experimental materials for quite some time."

Just then, he saw that proud Hyuga girl kill another Uchiha clansman with a single palm strike. Even chunks of his internal organs sprayed from his mouth; he was definitely beyond saving.

This woman is fierce. She should be from the main family.

Uzumaki Shusen silently guessed, but he shouted as he charged toward her, "Big Brother, I'll avenge you!"

The girl turned around and froze when she saw Uzumaki Shusen. "You again?"

Very quickly, her gaze turned icy.

"This time, I'll definitely kill you!"

With that, she threw out a fierce and domineering palm strike. Uzumaki Shusen raised his own palm to meet it.

Crack.

A crisp sound of breaking bones rang out, and Uzumaki Shusen screamed as he was sent flying.

The girl had wanted to pursue him and finish off the weak Uchiha with another palm strike, but several nearby Uchiha immediately surrounded her to offer support. She had no choice but to stop and fight them.

Uzumaki Shusen flew backward like a tattered sack, crashing precisely onto his "big brother's" corpse. With another casual swipe, two steaming-hot Sharingan became his possessions. His movements were more practiced than those of a butcher who had slaughtered pigs at the village entrance for ten years.

"This battle is for the glory of our Uchiha Clan!"

Uzumaki Shusen struggled to his feet, shouting a tragic slogan as he staggered toward his next target.

"That brother is so brave!"

The surrounding Uchiha clansmen were all moved by what they saw. They believed Uzumaki Shusen was a true hero who embodied the Uchiha spirit.

One Uchiha girl was even moved to tears. She had been watching Uzumaki Shusen for some time and had personally witnessed him being sent flying by Hyuga clansmen more than a dozen times. With wounds that severe, anyone else would likely have collapsed long ago, yet he had gritted his teeth and persevered until now, all while shouting about Uchiha glory.

In a daze, the Uchiha girl seemed to truly see the Uchiha Clan's glory shining upon him, so dazzling that she could scarcely look directly at it.

If you survive this battle, I'll marry you!

The Uchiha girl made up her mind. She had been conquered by Uzumaki Shusen's noble and tenacious character. Only such a heroic man was worthy of her!

Afterward, the Uchiha girl sought out the Hyuga girl for a decisive battle.

The Uchiha girl was somewhat weaker than her opponent. After several forceful exchanges, the Hyuga girl used Eight Trigrams Air Palm to blast apart the Uchiha girl's Fire Release and send her flying.