Preserving the Uchiha

In the distance, Shimura Danzō leaned on his cane, his eyes blazing with extreme greed.

[Is this the godlike power of the Uchiha?]

[Such immense power should rightfully be under my control!]

"All forces, press forward! At any cost, capture them both alive!"

Danzo's voice was icy and piercing, devoid of even a trace of humanity.

He did not spare a glance at the dead and wounded Root members. In his eyes, their lives were nothing more than numbers used to achieve his goal.

The thoroughly brainwashed Root ninja surged toward the two massive Chakra constructs like emotionless puppets, fearless of death.

Shuriken, Kunai, Explosive Tags...

All manner of ninja tools and attacks poured down upon the two Susanoo in an endless, dense barrage.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound rang out. Under the relentless assault, a clear crack finally appeared across the surface of Itachi Uchiha's crimson Susanoo, which was still in its skeletal form!

The sight greatly lifted the spirits of the encircling Root members!

"It's working! Keep attacking!"

"They can't hold on much longer!"

Meanwhile, within the Uchiha Clan Grounds, the two hundred surviving combatants, led by Shisui Uchiha, watched the brutal slaughter outside with cold eyes.

There was not the slightest intention of rescue on their faces. In its place was an inextricably tangled mass of complicated emotions.

Confusion and disappointment over Fugaku's inaction, bone-deep hatred for Itachi's slaughter of their own kin, and an indescribable resentment and rage.

These clan members, awakened from their sleep and told the cruel truth, had long been filled with grief and indignation.

When they saw that the clan head and Itachi, both possessing such tremendous power, had chosen respectively to sit and await death, and to raise a blade against their own people, the pain of betrayal cut far deeper than any enemy's sword.

At that moment, Shien's figure swept over, instantly becoming the focus of everyone present.

Through Shisui, they had learned that this clansman, who had never exactly kept a low profile, had also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan tonight.

With the clan teetering on the brink and Shisui in his unusual state—everyone could tell he was not among the living—Shien had effectively become their new pillar of support.

"Shien, you're here!"

"Shien, if it weren't for you, we would have..."

"Shien, Elder Hongxin... he died in battle..."

"And Hehui too... He said he'd buy me a drink..."

Those close to Shien gathered around him. Some came to thank him, while others sought to share the pain in their hearts.

Shien first swept his cold gaze over the two Susanoo outside, both swaying precariously amid the crowd.

Then he heavily patted the shoulders of those clan members who had lost loved ones and said in a low voice:

"Our clansmen's blood will not be shed in vain! But now is not the time to drown in grief!"

"The crisis has not yet passed. Root is watching us like a tiger, ready to strike at our clan grounds at any time."

"We must survive first before we can speak of the future!"

Beside him, Shisui's face was filled with pain and regret.

As he awakened the clan members, he had personally witnessed countless familiar faces lying in pools of blood. All of this had been done by Itachi, the one to whom he had once entrusted his faith and hopes.

Though he was in an Edo Tensei body, this torment and questioning from the depths of his soul still left Shisui wishing he were dead.

If only he had not been so foolish, if only he had not committed suicide.

How could so many clan members have died here?

He hated himself, and he hated Itachi even more. Yet after hearing Shien's words, he could not help but ask.

"Shien..."

Shisui's voice was hoarse.

"Are we... really not going to support them? At least they can still draw away part of the enemy's firepower..."

Shien kept his gaze fixed outside, his tone cold.

"One is a foolish traitor, the other a cowardly clan head. Their deaths would be no great loss. But we cannot go out!"

"As long as we hold the clan grounds, Konoha's higher-ups will have no way to falsely accuse us of staging a coup!"

He deliberately emphasized the words "falsely accuse," causing complicated, guilty expressions to flash across many clan members' faces. They knew perfectly well that a coup was not a false accusation.

The Uchiha Clan truly had been preparing a coup. They had even distributed supplies such as Explosive Tags for it; the plan had merely been interrupted by this incident.

"Tonight, at most, this can be an internal conflict within the Uchiha! The moment we step outside, its nature changes, and Konoha will have an excuse to wipe us out completely!"

Pain and unwillingness filled many clan members' faces.

"Does that... does that mean so many of our clansmen died for nothing?!"

One clansman roared unwillingly, clenching his fists so hard that his nails sank deep into his flesh.

This anger was not directed at Shien, but at Danzo, Konoha's higher-ups, Fugaku, and Itachi.

Shien looked at the more than two hundred people before him. At least half of the Uchiha combatants had already died.

How were they supposed to fight Konoha now!?

"Now is not the time to play heroes! If we act rashly, the only outcome will be the destruction of our clan! Only by surviving can we have a future!"

"This matter is not over! But for now, we must set aside our hatred and preserve our Uchiha!"

His words were like a basin of cold water, extinguishing the impulsive crimson flames in many clan members' eyes.

Everyone forcibly suppressed their surging rage and grief, turning their eyes once more toward the scene beyond the clan grounds.

At that moment, the battle outside changed once again.

Itachi Uchiha was clearly not proficient in using Susanoo, and under the heavy siege, he was beginning to struggle.

But Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan many years ago, and now he displayed even greater power!

"Haaah!"

With Fugaku's furious roar, the Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes spun madly!

The purple-black skeletal Susanoo before him seemed to be infused with life. Tough flesh and heavy armor rapidly covered its bones as its form expanded dramatically!

In the blink of an eye, a complete humanoid Susanoo over ten meters tall stood upon the battlefield like a demon god descending into the world!

The shadow cast by its enormous body nearly enveloped a vast swath of Root ninja below, and its terrifying pressure was enough to suffocate them!

"Boom!"

Fugaku's Susanoo raised an enormous armored claw and slammed it down toward the ground with an unstoppable force, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder tearing through the air!

The earth shook and the mountains trembled!

Four Root ninja who failed to dodge did not even have time to scream before they were instantly crushed into pulp. Blood and shattered bones sprayed everywhere like exploding tomatoes!

"M-Monster!"

[This is power akin to that of a god... Can we really stand against it?]

Even the brainwashed Root members could no longer suppress the fear in their hearts before such an absolute gap in power and such bloody deaths. Terrified screams rang out, and their formation began to collapse.

Taking advantage of the chaos caused by that thunderous blow, Fugaku controlled the massive Susanoo and forcibly tore a huge opening through Root's encirclement.

He and Itachi became two streaks of light, breaking through the formation before it could fully close and vanishing into Konoha's deep night.