Support the Front Lines, Midnight Raid

Everyone present looked at Uchiha Kyu in astonishment. What was this guy plotting in secret now?

How could someone who never acted without profit truly take on this mess for Konoha's sake?

As the captain of the Konoha Military Police Force and the head of the Uchiha Clan, why would Uchiha Kyu need to personally go to the battlefield to earn merit?

"Minato, since the Uchiha Clan Head is willing to take this matter on, we cannot dampen his wholehearted desire to protect Konoha."

Just as Minato Namikaze was considering whether to agree, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly spoke.

Minato Namikaze nodded and smiled. "All right. In that case, we'll leave it to the Uchiha Clan Head."

"The war supplies have already been sent ahead, and the personnel needed for reinforcement have gathered one after another. In half an hour, the Uchiha Clan Head can lead the troops to reinforce the Egawa Coastal Defense Line."

Supporting the Egawa Coast was a major matter. Even if Konoha's higher-ups were deeply dissatisfied with Uchiha Kyu, they would not cut corners on this.

"Fine." Uchiha Kyu rose and left directly.

After returning to the clan, Uchiha Kyu immediately summoned Shisui Uchiha and the others.

Uchiha Okamoto eagerly requested, "Clan Head, please let me follow you to the battlefield."

Uchiha Kyu waved him off. "This time, I'm going alone. All of you stay behind."

Fugaku Uchiha knew Uchiha Kyu's purpose for going to the battlefield this time, and he made a firm promise.

"Since the Clan Head has made up his mind, I will look after everything at home."

Shisui Uchiha looked at Uchiha Kyu with a complicated expression and asked uneasily, "Do I really not need to go with you?"

Though he did not know why Uchiha Kyu had volunteered to reinforce the Egawa Coastal Defense Line, Shisui Uchiha knew this trip to the battlefield would not be simple.

"Once I leave for the battlefield, the clan will need a strong person to watch over it even more. Only if you stay behind can I leave without worry."

Uchiha Kyu walked over to Shisui Uchiha and lightly tapped his forehead with two fingers. The meaningful tone in his voice made the latter seem somewhat flustered.

Shisui Uchiha stared in shock, a trace of panic flashing through his eyes.

He had never told anyone about his Mangekyō Sharingan. How did Uchiha Kyu know?

Uchiha Kyu smiled as he patted Shisui Uchiha's shoulder. Everything was understood without a word.

Because of Uchiha Kyu's appearance, Shisui Uchiha had not told Konoha's higher-ups about his Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Can I come too?" The childish voice made everyone turn and look down.

Uchiha Itachi looked calmly at Uchiha Kyu, as though he was not asking to go to a battlefield, but merely to go out and play.

Uchiha Kyu shook his head, crouched down, and tapped Itachi's forehead with two fingers. "Itachi, don't slack off while you're staying at home."

Uchiha Itachi lowered his head in disappointment and answered heavily, "Okay."

Uchiha Kyu silently rubbed Itachi's hair. After being taught by him for a few days, the child had become much more sensible.

Uchiha Itachi could not have been destined from birth to slaughter his clan. Many things were shaped by the environment later in life.

As long as he was carefully taught, Uchiha Itachi might yet become a steadfast guardian of the Uchiha Clan.

Just imagining turning someone who would slaughter his clan into its devoted protector gave him a sense of accomplishment that could only be felt, not described.

After Uchiha Kyu left Konoha with the reinforcement troops for the front lines, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately secretly summoned the clan heads of victims such as the Ino–Shika–Cho for a gathering.

Hyuga Hiashi even arranged main-family ninja to monitor everything around the Three Great Streets.

Standing outside the house, Hyuga Hiashi raised his head toward the night sky and muttered, "I hope there are no mistakes in your arrangements."

Without Uchiha Kyu, the Uchiha Clan had returned to its former level of strength.

That night, Konoha's Anbu were unusually active, darting across rooftops as though searching for something.

After receiving the news, Huo Uchiha, vice-captain of the Uchiha Police Force, immediately went to inform Orochimaru.

"So, my teacher is preparing to come for me now?"

Orochimaru let out a chilling, sinister laugh without the slightest concern.

Huo Uchiha was worried that this place would be discovered, his expression grave.

"The Anbu have all been deployed, but they wouldn't dare search the Security Force headquarters without authorization."

"If there's anything you need, just say so. Our people will deliver it."

"If the situation becomes serious, we'll cover your entry into the compound. Within the Uchiha Compound, even the Fourth Hokage would not dare come in and conduct a search."

As he spoke, Huo Uchiha proudly puffed out his chest and raised his head.

Orochimaru's gaze remained calm as he smiled coldly. "If there's nothing else, leave first. I still have experiments to conduct."

"Then I'll be leaving." Huo Uchiha left the laboratory.

At the side, the precocious Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses and asked curiously.

"Lord Orochimaru, why would the Uchiha Clan Head leave at a time like this? Doesn't that give the Third Hokage an opportunity?"

Orochimaru focused on the rejection reaction after the test subject fused with the First Hokage Cells, speaking with a faint smile. "Is it really an opportunity? I don't think so."

Kabuto Yakushi, who was good at observation and thought, did not dare ask further. He began carefully recording the changes in the test subject.

The last line of defense along the Egawa Coast was under a fierce assault from the Mist Ninja.

Whenever the Mist Ninja attacked, Konoha's ninja had to expend large amounts of strategic supplies, such as Explosive Tags, to slow their advance.

However, the Mist Ninja greatly outnumbered Konoha's ninja, forcing the Konoha side to continuously shrink its defensive line and trade space for time.

They had to wait for reinforcements to arrive. They absolutely could not allow the final defensive position to completely fall into the hands of the Mist Ninja.

Hirota Uchiha had also been severely wounded and fallen unconscious after fighting three Elite Jonin alone.

If not for his Three-Tomoe Sharingan constantly mitigating his disadvantage during the battle, Hirota Uchiha would likely have been killed on the spot.

Still, his battle results were excellent. Hirota Uchiha's record was dazzling.

He had faced three Elite Jonin alone, killed one of them, and successfully forced back the other two.

Such a brilliant record would have been enough for anyone to return to Konoha and receive a reward.

Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Zhong had even awakened from the One-Tomoe Sharingan to the Two-Tomoe Sharingan while desperately killing enemies and escorting Hirota Uchiha away.

On the battlefield, fighting could break out at any moment.

At the final line of defense along the Egawa Coast, Konoha's ninja had assigned multiple squads to patrol.

Late at night.

Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Zhong, who were guarding Hirota Uchiha's tent, spoke quietly.

"Judging by the time, the reinforcements should arrive tomorrow. We just need to hold on a little longer."

"Our clan suffered far too many casualties this time. Now that the captain has fallen unconscious, the two of us should take the initiative and shoulder the responsibility of protecting our clansmen."

"How are we supposed to protect them? We're only Chunin right now. We merely had the good fortune to awaken the Two-Tomoe Sharingan. The two of us joining forces should be able to handle one Jonin without much trouble."

Uchiha Shin shook his head, insisting on his idea.

"No matter what, our Uchiha clansmen should not be scattered among other squads. That would prevent us from displaying the Uchiha Clan's true strength."

Uchiha Zhong agreed with the idea, but he was worried about another issue.

"But if we gather together, then once we are surrounded, every one of our clansmen on the Egawa Coastal Defense Line could be wiped out."

Uchiha Shin snorted coldly and held firm to his view. "So what? Even if we die, we must never disgrace the clan's name."

"Boom!!!"

A series of violent explosions suddenly erupted nearby.

A vast fog followed, swallowing the entire camp in mere seconds.

Uchiha Shin's expression changed drastically, and the Two-Tomoe Sharingan instantly emerged in his weary eyes.

"This is bad. Quickly gather the clansmen together. I'll take the captain and fall back."