The War That Had Long Been Foreseen Broke Out

As Minato Namikaze's disciple, Kakashi naturally knew some inside information, but there was nothing he could do now.

"Is there?" Kakashi scratched his head, pretending to be confused.

Might Guy, who was always bursting with energy, was not stupid. Seeing that Kakashi did not want to talk, he casually gave him a thumbs-up.

"Kakashi, let's have a battle of youth."

"No, thanks."

Kakashi was reluctantly dragged away by Might Guy.

A spatial vortex slowly appeared in the shadows of the street, and Uchiha Obito, wearing an orange spiral mask, emerged from it.

"Kakashi." Uchiha Obito's gaze beneath the mask was filled with complicated emotions.

Whenever Uchiha Obito came to Konoha to visit Rin's grave, he would also take the opportunity to check on Kakashi.

Even though he knew Rin had chosen it herself, Uchiha Obito would never forgive Kakashi for personally killing her.

"This false and boring ninja world... Soon enough, we'll reunite in a new world."

"Rin."

"And... Kakashi."

Egawa Coastal Defense Line.

The surging sea had been dyed red with blood, while corpses bobbed on the water and were tossed back and forth by the waves.

Cries of battle, the clash of weapons, and wails for help blended together. At this moment, the defense line seemed dangerously close to collapse.

Facing Kirigakure's fierce large-scale assault, Konoha's defensive forces appeared somewhat insufficient.

However, under Hirota Uchiha's leadership, the Uchiha ninja fought desperately along part of the line, temporarily preventing it from falling.

People died on the battlefield every moment. Even the Uchiha Clan was no exception, and the number of Uchiha ninja in the hundred-man force was steadily declining.

Yet Hirota Uchiha, who was responsible for leading them, would never retreat out of fear of death.

Although he had not fought for a long time and had become somewhat rusty, the wounds covering his body proved his bravery.

Standing silently at the very front, Hirota Uchiha wanted to make one thing perfectly clear to everyone.

There were no cowards in the Uchiha Clan.

The Konoha ninja fighting around him saw this, and their morale immediately soared.

Having ninja like the Uchiha Clan as comrades truly put them at ease.

"Captain, let's retreat first. If we don't leave now, we'll all die here."

Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Zhong desperately protected Hirota Uchiha at his side.

The two were merely Chunin who had awakened the One-Tomoe Sharingan, but their potential was the best among the hundred, and they were still quite young.

Among the hundred, only one had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and become an Elite Jonin. That person was Hirota Uchiha, the one leading them.

These hundred people were essentially the ones Uchiha Kyu had raised through a survival-of-the-fittest method. Only clansmen who survived the battlefield could become true members of the Uchiha Clan.

Hirota Uchiha finally remembered that his mission was not to come here and throw his life away, so he quickly gave the order.

"Fight as we retreat, but do not let the enemy tear open a gap in the defense line."

"Understood." Uchiha Zhong hurried off to notify the others.

This sudden attack by the Mist Ninja had been Uchiha Obito's doing. Besides visiting Rin's grave whenever he went to Konoha, he could also gather Konoha's battle intelligence.

The methods used by the corrupted Uchiha Obito had been nearly flawless, but unfortunately, he was forcibly redeemed in the end. His strength was cut in half after that redemption, and he ultimately gave away his life for nothing.

Hirota Uchiha led his clansmen as they fought and retreated. His battle instincts gradually returned, and his strength even began to recover.

"Sure enough, I've stayed in Konoha for so long that I nearly forgot how to fight."

The Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Hirota Uchiha's eyes glowed blood-red and eerie as he killed two ordinary Jonin caught in genjutsu with a single slash.

The power an Elite Jonin with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan could unleash on the battlefield was terrifying.

Uchiha Zhong returned, drenched in sweat.

"Captain, we just received word that we need to temporarily abandon this line and hold the final defense line until reinforcements arrive."

"Captain, leave first. Zhong and I will cover your retreat."

Uchiha Shin stepped directly in front of Hirota Uchiha, forcibly enduring the enemy's attack as he released Fire Release from both hands to temporarily drive the enemy back.

"You two leave first. I'll cover you."

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Tornado.

Hirota Uchiha pulled the two aside and rapidly formed hand seals.

A flaming dragon head roared toward the enemy like a gale. The surging flames frightened them into hastily dodging in every direction.

"Clan Head, Hyuga Hiashi has sent word. The first line of the Egawa Coastal Defense Line has already been breached by the Mist Ninja."

Fugaku Uchiha hurried in from outside and handed the intelligence report to Uchiha Kyu.

Uchiha Kyu's expression remained calm, his eyes without the slightest ripple. He could not even be bothered to look at the report. "What are the casualties?"

Fugaku Uchiha shook his head, worried about the casualties suffered by the clansmen at the front.

"We have not received any news from Hirota yet. I don't think the losses should be too severe."

Uchiha Kyu knew that Uchiha Obito would never pass up such an opportunity to weaken Konoha.

"Since Kirigakure has made a move, I'm sure the other three great ninja villages will not remain idle either."

"This war is an opportunity for the Uchiha Clan. There is no need to be too nervous."

"Only between life and death can the Uchiha Clan produce more powerful warriors, rather than merely geniuses."

The outbreak of war was exactly as he had expected. That was why he had requested three hundred slots in advance and arranged for clansmen to head to the front lines for life-and-death training.

To be precise, if Uchiha Obito had not taken the initiative to start this war, he would have started it himself.

"I understand. This is what you meant when you said short-term pain was better than long-term pain."

"Our generation fights for the survival of the clan's next generation and for the clan's glory."

Fugaku Uchiha thought of his own son and proposed sending Itachi to the battlefield as well.

However, Uchiha Kyu had other arrangements for Uchiha Itachi and temporarily refused.

Not long afterward, Uchiha Ying came to report that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had called an emergency meeting and invited the heads of Konoha's various ninja clans to attend.

Konoha had been founded by ninja clans. Although Konoha had elevated the status of ordinary ninja, it was still ultimately the ninja clans' Konoha.

Without the ninja clans, Konoha would have vanished long ago in the several great wars after Hashirama Senju's death.

When Uchiha Kyu arrived at the Hokage Building and saw the hatred in the eyes of the ninja clan heads, he answered them with a scornful, contemptuous smile.

This world was ultimately a world of Kekkei Genkai. Without the Hokage backing them, these ninja clans were simply no match for the Uchiha Clan.

The younger generation of their clans had basically been slaughtered by the Uchiha Clan. If they wanted to recover, they could only wait for time to nurture a new generation.

"Don't act rashly."

Shikaku Nara stopped the impulsive Choza Akimichi. The Uchiha Clan was not something they could afford to provoke now.

They could only endure and wait for the day the Uchiha Clan declined, then stomp on them fiercely.

Shibi Aburame, wrapped from head to toe in clothing, could only stand in an unnoticed corner, staring at Uchiha Kyu through his sunglasses with killing intent.

Minato Namikaze could only pretend not to see it and shift the topic to the Mist Ninja's surprise attack on the Egawa Coastal Defense Line.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had originally been severely injured in the ambush, sat silently to the side. His eyes were calm, as though nothing had happened before.

Konoha's two advisors sat on either side of Hiruzen Sarutobi, silent as mutes.

Shikaku Nara was also deeply dissatisfied with the Hokage and chose to remain silent.

The heads of the other ninja clans naturally chose to stick together for warmth, following Shikaku Nara's lead and remaining spectators.

After receiving a meaningful look from Uchiha Kyu, Hyuga Hiashi coughed twice and drew everyone's attention back.

"Kirigakure's strength cannot be underestimated. I think it would be best to have the Uchiha Clan Head go to the Egawa Coast and take command. Only then can we ensure the front lines are secure."

Uchiha Kyu stood without hesitation, his gaze resolute as he faced the crowd. "For Konoha's safety, the Uchiha Clan naturally has a duty to do so."

This was the outcome the two had just discussed.